European wholesale gas prices jumped about 20% within a week. This is due to cold weather, rapidly declining storage levels, and new geopolitical risks around Iran and global LNG flows. You may expect a big heating bill if the prices continue to rise. [1]
The Bundeswehr is sending out its first questionnaires for the new military service. It'll be sent to around 700,000 young people born in 2008 who turn 18 this year. The letters include a QR code linking to an online survey, an information brochure, and legal notes. The goal of these questionnaires is to record suitability and motivation for military service. Men are obliged to respond, while women and people of other genders can reply voluntarily. [2]
Winter can be tough on your e-bike's battery. Lithium-ion batteries don't like the cold and can get damaged during freezing weather.
A new battery isn't cheap either. Thus, you must take precautions during the winter months.
Store the battery in a warm place. If you park your bike in a cold garage, take the battery out and store it somewhere warm. Storing batteries in 10 and 20 degrees is perfect. You can attach the battery again before you go on a ride. The electric current will keep your battery warm.
Don't leave your battery on the bike during breaks. Take it with you. A battery sitting in freezing temperatures can get damaged.
Never charge a cold battery. After a winter ride, let your battery warm up first. Wait until it's at least 10 to 15 degrees before you plug it in. Charging a cold battery can cause real damage.
OPINION: Trump's obsession with the nobel peace price
โ
Trump is working hard for the Nobel Peace Prize. Here are his achievements so far.
Authorized military extraction of a foreign head of state, aka forcefully removing another country's president.
Established oversight of Venezuelan administration and energy infrastructure, aka controlling the country and its oil reserves.
Threatened military seizure of Greenland from Denmark for U.S. national security interests.
The hard work must be rewarded, and Venezuelan opposition leader Marรญa Corina Machado was the first to recognize it.
She handed her medal to Trump, who graciously accepted it.
Meanwhile, Trump is threatening tariffs against countries that don't support U.S. control of Greenland and has stated he'll do things there "whether they like it or not".
*Satirical commentary on current events. Facts presented with sarcastic framing.
Rents have increased more than the property prices in Germany
โ
According to the report of Empirica Regio (German), property prices have increased in about 58% to 60% of districts. At the same time, rents have risen in over 71% to 80% of all German districts.
Here is how much property prices have increased
Condominiums (ETW):
New Construction: 3.4% annual increase.
Existing properties: 3.0% annual increase.
Single- and Two-Family Houses (EZFH):
New Construction: 1.3% annuall increase.
Existing properties: 2.4% annual increase
Here is how much rents have increased
New Construction:5.0% annual increase. 56.4% in the last 10 years.
Existing properties:4.7% annual increase. 53.3% in the last 10 years.
Continuous increase in rent is good for investors looking to buy a property and rent it out.
We believe investing in real estate is a great way to build wealth and save for your retirement. As mentioned in our past newsletters, building a retirement cushion is vital. You can no longer rely on the German social system to support you in old age.
Medical screenings that public health insurance offers
โ
Women
Dental Check-up (From age 18, Once per calendar half-year): Identify cavities, gum disease, and other dental issues early. If you are 35 and above, you should consider getting dental insurance.
General Health Check-up (Ages 18 to 34, Once): Check blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels to detect heart problems.
Gynecological Examination (Ages 20 to 34, annually | From 35, once every three years): Detect early signs of cervical cancer.
Chlamydia Screening (Up to age 25, Annually): Checks for a common sexually transmitted infection (STI), Chlamydia. If untreated, it can cause serious health problems, including infertility.
Breast Examination (From age 30, Annually): Detect early signs of breast cancer.
General Health Check-up (From age 35, Every three years): Like the general check-up for people aged 18 to 34, this looks for early signs of heart disease and diabetes.
Skin Cancer Screening (From age 35, Every two years): This involves looking at moles and spots on your skin to catch any signs of skin cancer.
Test for Hidden Blood in Stool (Ages 50 to 54, annually | From 55, every two years): This test checks for tiny amounts of blood in your stool (poop) that you canโt see. Finding blood can be an early sign of colon cancer.
Mammography Screening (Ages 50 to 75, every two years): Taking X-ray images of the breasts to detect breast cancer early.
Men
Dental Check-up (From age 18, Once per calendar half-year): Identify cavities, gum disease, and other dental issues early. If you are 35 and above, you should consider getting dental insurance.
General Health Check-up (Ages 18 to 34, Once | From age 35, Every three years): Early detection of heart disease, diabetes, and other related conditions.
Skin Cancer Screening (From age 35, Every two years): This involves examining the skin for moles or spots that might be signs of skin cancer.
Prostate Examination (From age 45, Annually): Helps in the early detection of prostate cancer.
Colon Cancer Screening (Ages 50 to 54, Annually | From age 55, Every two years): You can choose between an annual test for hidden blood in your stool, which can indicate colon cancer, or two colonoscopies, spaced ten years apart, to directly check for cancer.
Ultrasound Screening for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (From age 65, Once): This one-time ultrasound checks for an enlargement of the main blood vessel in your abdomen, which can be life-threatening if not detected early.
Food prices in Germany have jumped by about a third since 2020. Here is what different parties are proposing to tackle it.
SPD is proposing a "Deutschlandkorb." The idea is that retailers would offer a basket of basic German-produced foods at reduced prices. It'll relieve the consumers and, at the same time, strengthen domestic producers. The critics point out that voluntary discounts haven't worked well in the past, and there is no reason to believe they will in the future.
The Left, the Greens, and consumer advocates proposed cutting or eliminating VAT on basic foods. They also want to create a state agency to monitor prices closely. The agency would catch things like hidden price increases, packages that get smaller while costing the same, and recipes that get cheaper ingredients. Italy and France already do this.
The bigger problem is that four big retail groups, Aldi, Edeka, Rewe, and the Schwarz Group (which owns Lidl and Kaufland) controls about 88% of the German grocery market. Back in 1995, they only had 55% share.
How are you tackling the rising costs?
A Request ๐
Reviews mean everything for online platforms, and GermanPedia is no different.
You can help us compete in Google search by leaving reviews on Google. These really (yes, really) help and are a vital part of Google's discovery and recommendation algorithms.
So, if you find what we are doing helpful, please leave a simple star rating or a short review on Google. This will help more users discover GermanPedia.
OpenAI announces to display ads in its chat for free and go to subscribers. The ad feature will be first launched in the US in the coming week and later expanded to other regions. [1]
Revo Hospitality Group, a Berlin-based hotel operator, filed for insolvency on January 16, 2026. This affects 125 hotels and 5,500 employees in Germany and Austria. [2]
Community Shoutouts! ๐ฃ
โLegalWeg* offers to file an Untรคtigkeitsklag for FREE if your case qualifies.
โKS/Auxilia* legal insurance is offering a 15โฌ Amazon Voucher.
Perplexity is offering a 12-month Pro subscription for free. You can sign up here.
Google Gemini is offering a 12-month free Pro subscription to students. You can get it here.
โJoin our Facebook community. Ask questions, share experiences, join webinars, and stay updated about your rights, laws, and latest changes in real time.
The information provided here is based on our own experience and in-depth research. The content might be inaccurate. It should not be considered financial, insurance, tax, legal, or any kind of advice.
We are not certified brokers or consultants. Always do your research and contact certified professionals before making any decision. GermanPedia disclaims any and all liability for damages or losses arising from the use of this document.
We finance our extensive work via affiliate links. Thus, some or all of the links in the post might be affiliate links.
We get money if you click on such a link or conclude a contract with the provider without costing you a cent extra.
Investment involves risk of losing money.
All links marked with the "*" are affiliate links.
New here? Check out GermanPediaDid someone forward you this? Subscribe to this newsletter. Your personal referral link: [RH_REFLINK GOES HERE] Important changes Public health insurance companies announced the premium increases on 23 Dec 2025. We have updated our guide and listed the premiums each public insurer will charge in 2026 here. You can also use our calculator to check your 2026 costs and the savings potential by switching to a more affordable provider. More on it later. We summarized...
New here? Check out GermanPediaDid someone forward you this? Subscribe to this newsletter. Your personal referral link: [RH_REFLINK GOES HERE] Important changes Public health insurance companies announced the premium increases on 23 Dec 2025. We have updated our guide and listed the premiums each public insurer will charge in 2026 here. You can also use our calculator to check your 2026 costs and the savings potential by switching to a more affordable provider. More on it later. We summarized...
New here? Check out GermanPediaDid someone forward you this? Subscribe to this newsletter. Your personal referral link: [RH_REFLINK GOES HERE] Merry Christmas ๐ As the year comes to an end, I want to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for reading, learning, and growing with us. And most of all, thank you for your trust. GermanPedia exists because of you. Every message you read, every guide you use, reminds us why we started GermanPedia in the first place....
โ
โ