☀️ Guten Morgen, Berlin!
High: 4.3°C | Low: 1.8°C
Chance of Rain: 30%
Sunrise: 7:48 AM | Sunset: 3:59 PM
Here’s your quick update on what’s happening around the city on Thursday, November 27 - from urgent alerts to stories in the subreddit. Today we went through 188 sources so you don't have to.
🫶 Witnessed an act of kindness lately? Berlin can be grey, but the people don’t have to be. Whether it was a stranger returning a lost wallet or a nice chat at the Späti, tell us about a small act of kindness you witnessed lately. Help us brighten the next newsletter by sharing it with the community. Tell us what you saw!
Got feedback? Write us at news@berlindaily.org. Let's dive in.
🇬🇧 Half of forest area with significant damage
Berlin’s 2025 Forest Condition Report finds 46 % of the city’s forest area shows significant damage, the highest level since monitoring began. Only 3 % of trees are undamaged. Pine is hit hardest, with 40 % badly damaged and just 3 % healthy, while two‑thirds of oaks remain severely affected despite slight improvement. (berlin.de)
The Berlin figures mirror a broader German trend of stressed forests after repeated drought years. Nationally, average crown thinning (the observable loss of leaves or needles compared to a fully healthy reference tree) rose to 22.5% in 2024. It means that if you look at the "average" tree in Germany right now, it is missing nearly a quarter of its foliage compared to what it should have. (Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture)
Germany’s adaptation monitoring data confirms that the severe droughts spanning 2018 to 2020 triggered a spike in tree mortality. Spruce dieback in 2020, for instance, surged to levels twenty times higher than historical baselines. Researchers at the Umweltbundesamt (Federal Environment Agency) attribute this collapse to a combination of rising mean temperatures and "legacy drought stress" where deep soil water reserves are depleted faster than they can be replenished. (Umweltbundesamt)
⚡ Quick Hits
🇩🇪 This will change in December | From December 14, Deutsche Bahn will increase the frequency of long-distance services, for example with hourly Berlin–Munich Sprinters and faster BER connections via the airport express (23 minutes from the main station). The Germany ticket will no longer be valid on certain Intercity and ICE sections in Brandenburg. Berlin is expanding paid parking. Public broadcasting is streamlining its programming, and a fee increase remains open.
🇩🇪 Berlin experiences record number of naturalization complaints | Nearly 2,000 people have sued Berlin this year over stalled naturalization cases, a 33‑fold jump from 2022. These inactivity lawsuits now make up about 10 percent of all cases at the administrative court. The surge reflects a flood of roughly 75,000 new citizenship applications, tens of thousands of old cases, and tighter three‑month legal deadlines.
🇩🇪 How the Greens want to relieve Berlin's social services | The Green party in Berlin proposes a rescue plan for overloaded social offices, where about 4,000 people queue each week. It calls for a citywide hiring drive, a flexible staffing pool, and extended temporary posts. The plan also seeks fewer minor reviews, an ombud office, and more digital tools, including AI, to speed up benefit decisions.
🇬🇧 Prague, Berlin, and Copenhagen to Launch Direct Train Service in 2026 – A Game Changer for Tourism in Europe | The year-round route will start on 1 May 2026 with two daily return trips (plus an extra summer service). ComfortJet trains will run up to 230 km/h, carrying 555 passengers with Wi-Fi, a restaurant car, bike spaces, and wheelchair access. Berlin–Copenhagen will take about 7 hours. Prague–Copenhagen will take about 11 hours.
🇬🇧 Police raid properties linked to bomb threats | Police searched properties in four German states, targeting four suspects, including two juveniles, accused of sending hundreds of fake bomb threats by email. The threats targeted schools, train stations and shopping centers across the country. Prosecutors say the goal was to overwhelm security forces and spread public fear, highlighting growing concern over digitally driven disruption.
📅 Events Today
🎟️ Christmas at the Tierpark | November 21, 2025 - January 10, 2026 | From €15,90 | An illuminated two-kilometre walking trail transforms the zoo and palace into a glowing winter wonderland. Thirty light sculptures and water shows dazzle the path. Families savor rides (nostalgic steam carousel) and festive food.
🎟️ This weekend: Around the World in 14 Films | November 28 - December 06, 2025 | €12 | Curators present 14 contemporary films from across the globe. You'll discover acclaimed premieres (Cannes, Venice, Locarno, Toronto) and meet filmmakers who bring bold cinematic voices.
🎟️ This weekend: Swedish Christmas Bazaar | November 28 to 30, 2025 | Not yet known | Swedish flavors tempt with glögg, elk sausage and marzipan cake. Craft stalls offer handmade gifts, blankets and knitwear. A Lucia choir sings by candlelight (a Nordic solstice tradition).
💬 What Berliners Are Talking About
🗣️ Visiting from out of town and lost my medicine (Slinda, Wellbutrin, Zoloft) | Traveler in Berlin loses critical meds, community suggests pharmacies, online prescriptions, and help.
🗣️ Blood tests, on demand | Users explain local options for privately obtaining blood tests without a GP.
🗣️ Does anyone know about any knitting or crochet clubs? | Newcomer in Berlin seeks knitting and crochet meetups; locals share groups and links.
🙂 The Bright Side of Berlin
Today’s story comes from a reader who spotted a lovely winter moment on Joachimsthaler Straße:
"It was utterly delightful to see a little girl using our “snowfall” (if 1cm of powder counts?) to make a little snowman on the pavement outside Universität der Künste. She was so pleased with her creation that she decided to take him home.
Her mother patiently explained why that wouldn’t be a good idea, but the little girl was adamant. She was last seen carefully proceeding up the street, balancing him in her cupped hands…"
We are collecting stories of positivity, generosity, and unexpected kindness across the city. Tell us what you saw!
🏴 Word of the Day: Dudelsack | Literal: Tootle-sack | Meaning: A bagpipe. | Example: Der Klang eines Dudelsacks ist sehr speziell. (The sound of a tootle-sack is very unique.)
👋 That's a wrap! Thank you for reading.
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