June 2023 - South Africans in Germany

June

The beginning of Summer and the longest day of the year will be on 21June, in Berlin the sun will rise at 04:43 and set at 21:33.
The long days are perfect to enjoy a beer after work in one of the many beer gardens or invite friends over for a braai.
You might also be invited to German Grillfest, and don’t be surprised to see sausages, vegetables, and even cheese on the grill.

Grilling in public

When you do not have braai facilities at home or want to have more space while meeting your friends for a braai, you can use the grills/fireplaces at a

Braai Season

Summer is finally here and it is time to invite friends to kuier around the braai. But before you light your charcoal, check out the rules and regulations that

It is also time to get your cozzies out as some public swimming facilities (Freibad) will be open.
Other options are to swim at a beach, a baggersee or a lake.
Hiking and riding your bicycle or mountain bike are also very popular activities. Great websites for trails are Outdooractive or Komoot. Both are available as apps.

Unique weather conditions:
die Schafskälte – Between June 4th and June 20th (usually on the 11th of June), there is often a cold snap in Central Europe. The cool and humid air flowing in from the northwest causes the temperature to drop. When this happens, the weather changes significantly, which can lead to the first – severe – thunderstorms of the year and put a considerable damper on a good summer lookout.

Folk saying (Bauernregel) Die Siebenschläferregel – “Ist Siebenschläfertag ein Regentag, regnet’s noch sieben Wochen danach” – According to this rule, the weather conditions that occur during the period around 27 June can significantly influence the weather for the rest of summer.

Season	Summer
Time	Central European Time (CET), Summertime – the same time as South Africa until the last Sunday of October, when Wintertime starts (30 October 2022).
Weather	The average day temperature is 22 degrees Celsius. The days become longer and there are more hours of sunshine

Plan your month

everything you need to know

Festivals

The warmer weather and long nights means that the summer Festivals are in full swing.
Cities come alive with street parades, music, markets, food and enough to drink.
Summer solstice will be on the 21st of June. It is still custom in many areas to light bonfires or use fireworks to celebrate.

Holidays

Holiday	Date	Information	States
Public Holidays
Corpus Christi / Fronleichnam	2023-06-08	Corpus Christi	BW, BY, HE, NW, RP, SL
Observations
Metrological start of Summer	2023-06-01		All
Fathers Day (SA)	2023-06-18		All
Astrological start of Summer.	2023-06-22	This will be the longest day in the year
St John's Eve / Johannistag	2023-06-24	St John's Eve	All
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul / Peter und Paul	2023-06-29	Feast of Saints Peter and Paul	All
School Holidays and Terms
Pfingstferien	Various	Shool Holidays 2022

Events

Events listed on our website

Annual South African Meetup 2024

15/06/2024 @ 1:00 pm – 11:45 pm – It’s that time of year again!The biggest South African jol of the year! Every year we get together at the Rheinpark Golzheim to share some South African treats, braai, have a dop too many and dance to the beats of our very special DJ, DJ Doritos. Time: 13:00 – LatePlace: Rheinpark Golzheim, Düsseldorf. As you […]

XJAZZ! Festival – Berlin

06/05/2024 – 12/05/2024 @ 12:00 am – XJAZZ! Festival, Germany’s most famous jazz festival, which attracts more than 20,000 regional and international fans, celebrates its 10th Anniversary in Berlin Kreuzberg from 6 to 12 May 2024. This year’s lineup will be covering 7 days of music, featuring 80 diverse live and DJ acts, 9 indoor and outdoor venues, side events, as well […]

African Food Festival Berlin

04/05/2024 – 05/05/2024 @ 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm – Experience the diverse flavours of African cuisine at the AFFB Spring Market – an exquisite celebration of African food, music & culture! Welcome to the AFRICAN FOOD FESTIVAL BERLIN – SPRING MARKET! Join us on Sat May 04 + Sun 05 2024 starting at 12:00 PM at Jules | B-Part for a weekend filled with delicious food, electrifying music, and unique shopping […]

Blak Allure With Attitude – Berlin

03/05/2024 – 04/05/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:45 pm – Blak Allure is the very FIRST all African Acrobat show with Adelle Nqeto on 3/ 4 May This is an external event and not organised by us. It is shared for information purposes only Tickets on Eventim

Lucy Kruger and The Lost Boys

17/05/2024 @ 7:00 pm – 11:45 pm – Lucy Kruger and The Lost Boys, an art-pop noise project, will do an intense show at the Orange Blossom Festival at Glitterhouse Garten, Beverungen, North- Rhine Westphalia (NRW) on 17 May 2024. With her calm voice South African-born and Berlin-based musician, Lucy Kruger fronts the band, whose music is melancholic and unreal thanks to its […]

Bongeziwe Mabandla in Berlin

23/05/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:45 pm – After his sold-out concert on 3 March, award-winning South African musician Bongeziwe Mabandla is back in Berlin on 23 May hours at the Kulturbrauerei. Mabandla is a South African award-winning singer, musician and songwriter from the rural town of Tsolo in the Eastern Cape. He has recorded four highly acclaimed albums and has performed on […]

Bok van Blerk & Riaan Benade

17/10/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:45 pm – Welcome, music lovers, to an evening dedicated to the unforgettable sounds of Riaan Benade and Bok van Blerk. From the vast plains of South Africa, these two extraordinary artists come together to enchant us with their unique voices and enchanting melodies. These artists enjoy world fame in their home country, so prepare yourself for an […]

Fokofpolisiekar / Die Heuwels Fantasties

12/07/2024 @ 7:00 pm – 11:45 pm – After a sold-out show in 2023, Fokofpolisiekar is back. This time they bring their friends from Cape Town, Die Heuwels Fantasties, as support. There is no better live combo showcasing the best of African rock and African alternative music than these two acts. It will be energetic, melodic and full of nostalgia as these two […]

Voting Abroad – 2024 – Berlin

18/05/2024 @ 7:00 am – 7:00 pm – Casting of votes at a foreign mission A person who wants to cast a special vote at a foreign mission in terms of section 33(3) or (4), may do so on 17 May 2024 and 18 May 2024, between 07:00 and 19:00, depending on the host country’s dominant religious and cultural practices. In practice, this […]

Voting Abroad 2024 – Munich

Trevor Noah Tour – Berlin

01/08/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:45 pm – Trevor Noah Off the Record Tour. The actual time is not published yet, estimated it will be in the evening We are not the organisers of this event it is shared for information purposes only Tickets via the Trevor Noah website – this will take you to the Eventim Website

Trevor Noah Tour – Stuttgart

03/08/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:45 pm – Trevor Noah Off the Record Tour. The actual time is not published yet, estimated it will be in the evening We are not the organisers of this event it is shared for information purposes only Tickets via the Trevor Noah website – this will take you to the Eventim Website

Some foods and drinks to try

01.

Berries like Strawberries (Erdbeeren), Red currant berries (Johannisbeeren), Blueberries (Blaubeeren) and Cherries (Kirschen) are all in season.
Make your own Rote Grütze and serve it with Ice cream, Milchreis or pudding. You can find some more recipes here.

02.

It is the perfect weather for having a braai

03.

It is still Spargalsaison until the 24th of June

04.

The best Ice cream you will find at Italian Gelato shops. Do try Spaghetti Eis

05.

Relax and enjoy the sunshine with an Aperol Spritz or Hugo

Fruit and Veggies in Season

Vocabulary

German Barbecue	das Grillfest
a state or feeling of warmth, friendliness, and good cheer.	die Herbstblätter
Man-made quarry filled with water	der Baggersee
Lake	der See
Ocean	das Meer
Beach	der Strand / der Badestrand
Blueberries	die Blaubeeren
Raspberries	die Himbeeren
Elderberries	die Holunderbeeren
Strawberries	die Erdbeeren

Sources

Summer Holidays

The school summer holidays are during July and August. Schulferien has an up-to-date school calendar. Start planning your summer holidays well in advance. Below are some tips and information that might be helpful