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Here’s your quick update on what’s happening around the city on Monday, January 12 - from urgent alerts to stories in the subreddit. Today we went through 201 sources so you don't have to.
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⚡ German Minister Vows Crackdown After Grid Attack
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt vowed to "strike back" against extremists following an arson attack on Berlin’s power grid by the Volcano Groups. The sabotage left 100,000 residents freezing without electricity. Dobrindt announced a security package demanding increased intelligence staffing and expanded digital surveillance powers to track suspects more effectively.
(Yahoo)
Beyond surveillance, the government plans the "Kritis-Dachgesetz" to better shield energy providers and airports from sabotage or natural disasters. While power is restored, the German Association of Cities is now urging the federal government to establish a national "blackout reserve" of mobile power plants capable of supplying entire neighborhoods.
(DIE ZEIT)
The political fallout is severe, with Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner facing resignation calls for poor crisis management. Concurrently, Police Union chief Jochen Kopelke demanded a €100 billion special fund to upgrade infrastructure security over the next decade. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also warned that Germany must urgently improve its defenses.
(Tagesspiegel)
✈️ One in Five in Germany Considers Emigration
One in five people in Germany considers emigrating, according to a new survey by the DeZIM institute. The desire is significantly higher among those with a migration background at 34 percent, compared to 17 percent of native Germans. However, actual plans to move abroad within the next year remain rare at just 2 percent. (Yahoo)
Roughly half of the respondents cited the hope for a better life as their primary motivation, while immigrants frequently mentioned experiences of discrimination. Official data shows that 1.2 million people actually left Germany in 2024. A separate comparison study by the IAB found even higher numbers, with 26 percent of immigrants contemplating departure. (Tagesspiegel)
This trend highlights a critical blind spot in public discourse, which typically focuses on limiting immigration rather than retaining current residents. Experts warn that overlooking emigration exacerbates existing labor shortages and demographic imbalances. Retaining the existing workforce is therefore essential to stabilizing the economy against these shifting population dynamics and future labor demands. (Ntv)
🗳️ Berlin Campaigns Launch Car-Free and Ad-Free Referendums
Campaigners launched simultaneous signature drives this week to place two major referendums on Berlin's September 2026 state election ballot. The initiatives seek to ban most cars inside the city's railway ring and remove digital advertisements, needing approximately 170,000 valid signatures by May 8 to proceed. The "Verkehrsentscheid" initiative proposes repurposing streets for the common good by limiting private car use to 12 trips annually per person. (taz.de)
A parallel "Berlin Werbefrei" proposal aims to dismantle digital commercial displays in public spaces to minimize visual distractions. The legislation specifically targets electronic screens, though it allows traditional printed posters on advertising pillars, bus stops, and the city's iconic Litfaßsäulen (advertising column) to remain in place. (Ntv)
These plebiscites face political uncertainty even if they win majority support from the electorate. The Berlin Senate is legally obliged to consider the results, yet it has still not implemented the 2021 housing referendum where 59.1 percent of voters demanded the expropriation of large corporate landlords. (IamExpat in Germany)
⚡ Quick Hits
🇩🇪 Health department warns about Mpox new variant in Berlin | Berlin has confirmed three locally linked Mpox cases from the new clade Ib variant since mid-December 2025. Two unvaccinated men had fever and skin lesions. Officials urge at-risk groups to get vaccinated.
🇩🇪 Three subway lines affected by months of construction work at Nollendorfplatz | Work starts Monday and runs until May 10. BVG will suspend parts of U1 and U3 and shut U4 entirely. The tunnel ceiling repair costs €4.3M and affects lines used by about 560,000 riders daily.
🇩🇪 Down to minus 15 degrees: likely the coldest night of the winter so far | DWD warns low pressure system Gunda will bring snow, then freezing rain that can turn roads into widespread black ice. Berlin may drop to minus 15 degrees. Some schools switch to remote learning.
🇩🇪 Out on the ice in Berlin and Brandenburg: When can you start? | The DLRG advises at least 15 centimeters of ice on still water and 20 on flowing water. Ice thickness can vary widely. Berlin and Brandenburg do not officially permit access to lakes.
🇩🇪 Four million kilograms of potatoes are looking for a new home | An oversupply left 4,000 tons of edible potatoes stranded in a Saxony warehouse after a buyer backed out. Ecosia will fund transport to Berlin, where local groups can distribute one-ton batches for free.
📅 Events Today
🎟️ Days of Dance Berlin | January 08 - 24, 2026 | €15, concessions €10 | Emerging choreographers showcase bold contemporary dance. The program blends politics, visuals, music, and performance for provocative, boundary-pushing work (perfect for curious Berliners).
🎟️ Make America Mute Again: Trump’s War on Press Freedom | January 12 | 19:30 - 21:00 | 10.00€ | Reporters Without Borders joins renowned experts to analyze the erosion of independent journalism under the current US presidency. Expect a sharp debate on power, publicity, and the future of global media.
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📊 Chart of the Day
You are paying €500/month "Cool City Tax" in Berlin compared to Wiesbaden. "Poor but Sexy" is over. Now it's just "Poor." 💸
🌱 Fun Fact: With around 2,500 parks and gardens and 430,000 street trees, roughly 30% of Berlin is green space – making it Germany’s greenest metropolis.
👋 That's a wrap! Thank you for reading.
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