Usually a podcast about Germany, after a trip to Strasbourg, Nic’s a hare’s breadth from turning this podcast French. While Nic was away, Simon enjoyed some German TV in the form of Rosins Restaurants, which looks at the terrible places to eat across the country. We finish with a story about moose hiding in the forests of New Zealand and wonder whether Germany has any hidden beasts out there.

Producer Simon is something of a travel expert, or at least he’s gone on holiday a lot. It does mean he has interesting stories, especially travelling through Europe in an electric car. Last week it was “Mahlzeit” this week it’s “Feierabend” as we try to explain one of the best German words, and we finish things off by discussing why berets and the Bundestag don’t mix.

So our Producer could finally go on holiday, we recorded back to back pods, but forgot when they needed to be released…that’s why we begin this week by celebrating Simon’s beloved Spurs winning the Europa League a month ago...Simon is bloody happy though, and isn’t that worth a segment? Don’t worry, we also have a listener question to tackle concerning the curious German word “Mahlzeit!”.

All the Germanic organisation in the world can’t prevent confusion over Producer Simons recording schedule, but uncertainty isn’t the worst way to start the podcast. Anyway, there’s a new Dönerladen to discuss. Why? Döner for €3.99, that’s why, but what is the real cost? We finish by questioning the honesty of ourselves, Germans, and anyone who’s ever decided to buy some ancient marble while on holiday in Greece.

Having missed Eurovision last week, Simon brings in a special guest reporter to remedy that situation as we discuss politics, Pride flags, and Celine Dion. Freshly minted (sort of) Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz reckons he knows how to fix the German economy, and weirdly it seems to involve everyone else working harder, and we finish in the 10th Anniversary of the Frauenquote.

Producer Simon has wrangled himself a holiday, but is it a week in Fürth visiting the Rundfunkmuseum that he’s always wanted? While he considers his options, Nic & Simon wonder why a mysterious wooden phallus has appeared in a Munich street, and they try to explain a recent survey suggesting Germans have fallen out of love with Spargel.

This week, Simon sees a terrifying omen of impending doom on his way to the Bäckerei, England’s rose Harry Kane wins the Bundesliga, we find out if Munich is really the most unfriendly city…for expats, and finish with the anniversary of the Deutschlandticket.

All it takes is one hot day in Germany, and your hosts quickly wilt, but no matter how warm it gets, Nic won’t be following Simon’s corduroy shorts recommendation. However, he’s more than happy to listen as Simon explains the curious story behind VfL Bochum. We also pick over the fallout from this week’s confirmation vote for the new Chancellor Friedrich Merz which really didn’t go to plan.

After flying around the world visiting New Zealand, Producer Simon lands on the podcast with the perfect mix of exhaustion and fury. We learn how not to transit through an airport, and curious significance of orange chocolate ice cream. Returning to more German matters, we get some supermarket nostalgia, learn what the hell “Snackification” means, and enjoy a cold pint of Schadenfreude.

With the Easter chocolate still littering the floor, Nic & Simon discuss the Easter traditions of the Sorbain community of Germany, and a odd new delivery service in the UK. We find out if Germany will have a functioning government, and look at the finer points of the new coalition agreement. We also find time to share some spurious rumours about the real origin of Germany’s humble Gummistiefel.

As Germany celebrates Easter, little do they know that the future is coming in the form of new rules about...passport photos! We discuss the changes and whether we're becoming a modern country. We return to the topic of boycotting US products and look at what's difficult to replace, and we finish off with a review of the first year of Cannabis legalisation across the country. The topic of boycotting US products has continued to pick up pace across Europe since the global turmoil instigated by the Trump regime in America. Having discussed our own feelings on possible boycotts, we look at how to find replacements for US products, what we’re trying to avoid, and what is really difficult to replace. We finish off the show with a major birthday as Germany sees the end of the first year of new Cannabis regulations. How has semi-legalisation changed Germany, and how might legislation change with a new incoming government? Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Once again, Germany is preparing to celebrate the world’s worst vegetable as Spargelzeit begins. What does 2025 have in store for Spargel lovers, and where will Simon get his regular Spargeleis? The current economic turmoil caused by US tarifs leads us back to the question of boycotting US products,

This week we’re joined by senior editor at Bloomberg News in Berlin Chris Reiter & automotive and industrial correspondent for Bloomberg News in Frankfurt Will Wilkes to discuss their excellent book Broken Republik: The Inside Story of Germany’s Descent into Crisis.

On the show this week, Simon brings us a story on a Hanoi based Instagrammer who’s memeing themselves to a German education. We find out if Germany has a government, follow up on the changing advice for Germans travelling to the US, and find out why one young German visitor to the UK is regretting their trip to London. We finish things off as Nic and Simon test each other’s love for German food.

After weeks of hard podcasting, it’s time for a holiday, but we need something specific, something…Geordie. Luckily we have a guide as Nic tells Simon about his Geordie German adventures from a Sam Fender gig in Munich, witnessing football history from a bar stool in the cellar of an Irish pub, and a final adventure on St Patrick’s Day in the fine city of Nürnberg.

There’s a bit of symmetry this week as we begin where we left off on the topic of kebabs, although these ones have nothing to do with football legend Lukas Podolski. No, these kebabs are in a more British variation, as we discuss and award winning kebab pie in the UK, and why Australia seems to have cornered the market in German pies.

Free of the Federal Election, there’s Faschings celebrations to cover, including the satirical Rosenmontagswagen in Düsseldorf. From Karneval, we take a look at weird goings on in Munich, where it paying for parking also includes signing up for a gym. To finish, we discuss an investigation into the many and varied health concerns at the Kebab chain of German footballing legend Lukas Podolski.

We’re all about fulfilling dreams on this podcast. Ok, maybe seeing Bayern Munich isn’t exactly fulfilling a dream, but Simon did see Harry Kane! We discuss catching a footballer’s attention, matchday atmosphere, and when it’s OK to leave a game early. As we reach the end of the Federal election campaign we break down the election results and make sense of the many stories from election night.

This week we send Nic on some health & safety training to the Feuerwehrerlebniswelt in Augsburg and find out if he actually learnt anything, aside from how to scare the other parents. We argue over whether chicken is the worst meat, discuss Geordie musician Sam Fender's upcoming concert in Munich, and finish things off with a final look at the upcoming federal election in Germany.

After last week’s villa on the Tegernsee going for an eye watering €25 million, this week we learn Berlin has a property going for significantly more; we discuss why Brad Pitt is to blame. The election is still a week away, and we discuss the anti far-right protest in Munich, and whether it’s impacting the polls. We finish off with a fiery debate on doughnuts, or Krapfen, or Berliner...