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Here’s your quick update on what’s happening around the city on Monday, November 17 - from urgent alerts to stories in the subreddit. Today we went through 164 sources so you don't have to.
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🇩🇪 Snipers at the subway station: Bundeswehr brings the war to Berlin
Berlin will host parts of a Bundeswehr exercise next week. The Wachbataillon will conduct “Bollwerk Bärlin III” from November 17 to 21, training urban combat and protection of defense‑critical infrastructure. Drills include U‑Bahn Jungfernheide from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. on November 18–20, with staged snipers, and activities in Ruhleben and Rüdersdorf. Military convoys may cause detours. (Berliner Zeitung)
Beyond ceremonies, the Wachbataillon is trained for Berlin’s defense mission. Its core task in a crisis is the military security and protection of the Defense Ministry and other federal government sites. The unit faces heavy protocol demands while maintaining infantry training for object protection in the capital. Uniquely, its soldiers are drawn from the Army, Navy, and Air Force and wear their respective uniforms. (Deutscher Bundestag)
You should expect more visible defense activity as authorities harden infrastructure and practice urban response. The Wachbataillon’s focus reflects a national pivot toward readiness. Germany plans defense outlays of 108.2 billion euros in 2026, equal to ~2.5% of 2024 GDP, according to a Bundestag budget briefing. (Deutscher Bundestag)
🇩🇪 New Senate plan for Friedrichstrasse: more space for strolling - without a ban on cars
Berlin’s governing mayor Kai Wegner will present a new plan for Friedrichstraße on Monday. Sidewalks would be widened by removing curbside parking, creating space for café terraces and trees between Unter den Linden and Checkpoint Charlie. Motor traffic remains. A two way carriageway of about 7.5 meters would stay, with a possible 20 or 30 km/h limit. (Berliner Zeitung)
Evidence from comparable redesigns links more space for walking and cycling to stronger local trade and safer streets. In New York, a protected lane on Ninth Avenue coincided with a 49% retail sales increase and fewer vacancies. (Streetsblog New York City)
This plan signals a shift from bans toward pragmatic street rebalancing. Wider sidewalks and lower speeds can boost footfall, safety, and comfort without restricting vehicle access. A review of 40 European cities found 30 km/h limits cut crashes by 23 percent, injuries by 38%, and fatalities by 37% on average. (MDPI)
🇩🇪 Berlin's only nuclear reactor: public can raise objections
Berlin's only nuclear reactor, BER II in Wannsee, which was shut down in 2019, is now entering its formal decommissioning phase. A public participation process is opening, allowing citizens to review plans and file objections until January 28, 2026. The environmental group BUND Berlin is urging the public to participate, citing concerns over the unresolved issue of nuclear waste. With no final repository in Germany, BUND demands that all contaminated materials be placed in highly secure interim storage, safe from attacks or climate disasters. The reactor's full dismantling is not expected to be completed until 2033 at the earliest.(Berliner Morgenpost)
Germany ended commercial nuclear power on April 15, 2023. In the last year before the exit, reactors generated 29.5 terawatt hours and supplied 6.3% of net public electricity. Researchers found the gap was covered by higher renewable output, lower demand, and savings, with prices easing to 2021 levels. (Fraunhofer ISE)
⚡ Quick Hits
🇩🇪 Housing, childcare, tax relief. The Berlin CDU wants to help single parents | Single-parent families make up 27% of Berlin households (25% nationwide). 88% of them are women. The CDU seeks a €5,000 tax relief plus housing and childcare measures to reduce poverty.
🇩🇪 Head of German-Arab school attacked | Hudhaifa Al-Mashhadani (school head and secretary-general of the German‑Arab Council) was shoved from behind and threatened with death on a Neukölln U‑Bahnhof platform. State security is investigating using BVG video.
🇩🇪 Numerous playgrounds in Reinickendorf still closed | District mayor Emine Demirbüken-Wegner (CDU) says trees show hidden branch damage only visible from crowns. Parents' petition has several hundred signatures demanding transparent reopening.
🇬🇧 5 of the Most Beautiful Christmas Markets in Berlin | Most featured markets are free, but Britz Manor's Nordic fairy-tale market charges €5 (children under six free). The traditional Kladower harbor market will close after 2025.
🇩🇪 "A trend is emerging" Berlin registers more Ukrainian refugees than it has for two years | October arrivals reached 1,304, highest since 2023. Year-to-date registrations total 6,623, down from 8,961 last year. The rise follows Ukraine allowing men 18 to 22 to leave.
🇩🇪 Parking will soon cost money in these neighborhoods: what residents and commuters need to know now | Paid parking starts December 1 in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf and Neukölln. Non-residents will pay €4 per hour. Residents receive permits that do not guarantee a spot. More zones follow in 2026.
📅 Events Today
🎟️ Days of Jewish Culture | November 13 to 23, 2025 | Different entry fees depending on the event | Artists and thinkers showcase modern Jewish culture. You experience jazz, soul, film and lively talks. The program opens new perspectives and sparks joy.
🎟️ Soundwatch Music Film Festival | November 12 - 17, 2025 | €9 | Film scores take center stage. Filmmakers and musicians explore music as resistance and freedom. The program mixes rare documentaries, short films, audiovisual performances and live concerts for cinephiles and music lovers.
🎟️ 25 years of town twinning Windhoek – Berlin | November 17 - 23, 2025 | Usually free of charge | Twin cities celebrate a 25-year partnership. Artists stage exhibitions, theater, films, and guided tours. The program confronts colonial history and imagines future cooperation.
💬 What Berliners Are Talking About
🗣️ Queue cutters!!! is everyone just pretending this is normal? | Crowd gripes about blatant line-cutters at Berghain and whether to confront.
🗣️ Wo kann man als Tourist in Berlin einen Arzt aufsuchen? | Tourist asks how to get prompt medical care in Berlin for elderly father.
🗣️ Novavax CoViD booster | Berlin locals recommend pharmacies for Novavax boosters, sharing appointment links.
🥚 Word of the Day: Weichei | Literal: Soft-egg | Meaning: A wimp, a coward. | Example: Hab keine Angst vor der kleinen Spinne, du Weichei. (Don't be afraid of the little spider, you soft-egg.)
👋 That's a wrap! Thanks for reading Berlin News Daily!
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