• A Mayor Tandem for Berlin

    A Mayor Tandem for Berlin

    What if Berlin had two Regierende Bürgermeister:innen? One representing the city’s elected voice — and another representing the voice of Berlin’s international residents who live, work and contribute here but do not have German citizenship and therefore cannot vote in Berlin elections. Because in a democratic society, it can’t be right that 25% of the people who live here have no…

  • What is Germany’s greatest asset?

    What is Germany’s greatest asset?

    “Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and, in the end, the Germans always win,” said Gary Lineker after England lost the 1990 World Cup semi-final on penalties against Germany. Times are changing. Germany no longer always wins at major football tournaments. And England now has a German coach. Today, everyone is talking about renewal.…

  • No True German — What It Means to Be German in 2026

    No True German — What It Means to Be German in 2026

    Is there really one German identity that defines all Germans? One German identity to rule them all? We’re going to get into this question, but bear with me for a few paragraphs. I want to take a moment up front to provide a little context, tell you where I’m coming from.  We’re going to dip into some culture-war nonsense and talk…

  • Finding Trauma Instead of Belonging: A Review of I Keep My Shadow Light 

    Finding Trauma Instead of Belonging: A Review of I Keep My Shadow Light 

    TL;DR “I Keep My Shadow Light” is the self-published debut novel by Fionnuala Kavanagh. This challenging work follows a cast of four characters from different backgrounds as they try to find a home in Berlin. Very dark in places, the book gives us a chance to read something that would probably never come out of any publishing house. Its uniqueness alone…

  • “Das Volk” in 2026: Time to Redefine the People

    “Das Volk” in 2026: Time to Redefine the People

    “Do you behave as the person you truly want to be?” I ask myself this question in moments when I clearly fall short. Yes, it is hard to live up to one’s ideal self—I’m probably not the only one who feels this way. The same applies for societies. Over the past ten years, I have learned a lot about German society.…

  • Germany Has an Energy Crisis — Just Not the One You Think

    Germany Has an Energy Crisis — Just Not the One You Think

    Energy – scarcity.We talk about energy all the time—but only in physical terms.I find myself thinking more and more about our social energy, which may matter even more. Because a society also needs energy. This energy, I would call social energy—a concept that appears in the social sciences under terms like collective intelligence or social capital. Social energy = the capacity…

Address

Am Hamburger Bahnhof 3
10557 Berlin
Germany

hey@wahlheymat.de

Social Networks