2:
German Geography, Civilisation and Culture
.
2:
German Geography, Civilisation and Culture
.
2.1:
General
.
2.1:
General
.
2.1.1:
Climate
.
2.1.2:
Geographic Features
.
2.1.3:
Telling the Time
.
2.1.4:
Weights and Measures
.
2.2:
Economy
.
2.3:
Art and Culture
.
2.4:
History
.
2.4:
History
.
2.4.1:
Immigration to Germany
.
2.5:
Religion
.
2.6:
Customs and Public Holidays
.
2.6:
Customs and Public Holidays
.
2.6.1:
National Public Holidays
.
2.6.2:
Regional Holidays
.
2.6.2:
Regional Holidays
.
2.6.2.1:
Easter
.
2.6.2.2:
The Pre-Christmas Period
.
2.6.2.3:
Christmas
.
2.6.3:
Remembrance Days
.
2.6.4:
Traditional Celebrations and Festivals
.
3:
Politics and Law
.
3:
Politics and Law
.
3.1:
State and Law
.
3.1:
State and Law
.
3.1.1:
The Basic Law
.
3.1.2:
Bundestag and Bundesrat
.
3.1.3:
German President and Federal Chancellor
.
3.1.4:
Federal Constitutional Court
.
3.1.5:
Federal States
.
3.1.6:
Elections
.
3.1.6:
Elections
.
3.1.6.1:
Elections to the Bundestag
.
3.1.6.2:
Elections to the State Parliaments and the European Parliament
.
3.1.6.3:
Local Elections
.
3.1.6.4:
Foreigner Voting Rights and Foreigners Advisory Council
.
3.1.7:
Political Parties
.
3.1.8:
Rule of Law
.
3.1.9:
Pluralism and Subsidiarity
.
3.2:
Foreigners’ Rights
.
3.2:
Foreigners’ Rights
.
3.2.1:
General
.
3.2.2:
Foreigners from Non-EU States
.
3.2.2:
Foreigners from Non-EU States
.
3.2.2.1:
Information for foreigners that are non-EU citizens (third-country nationals)
.
3.2.3:
EU Citizens and their Relatives
.
3.3:
German Citizenship
.
3.3:
German Citizenship
.
3.3.1:
German Citizenship Through Naturalisation
.
3.3.2:
Special Rule: "Discretionary Naturalisation"
.
3.3.3:
Children: German Citizenship Through Birth
.
3.4:
Discrimination and Equal Opportunities
.
3.4:
Discrimination and Equal Opportunities
.
3.4.1:
Racial Discrimination
.
3.4.2:
Women
.
3.4.3:
Sexual Harassment
.
3.4.4:
Abuse in the Family
.
3.4.5:
Same-sex Partnerships
.
3.4.6:
Disabilities
.
4:
Employment and Social Security
.
4:
Employment and Social Security
.
4.1:
Looking for and Taking up Employment
.
4.1:
Looking for and Taking up Employment
.
4.1.1:
Recognition of Foreign Qualifications
.
4.1.2:
Agentur für Arbeit (Job Centre)
.
4.1.3:
Job Offers and "Situations Wanted" Ads in Newspapers and on the Internet
.
4.1.4:
Job Applications
.
4.1.5:
Employment Formalities
.
4.2:
In the Workplace
.
4.2:
In the Workplace
.
4.2.1:
Individual and Collective Labour Law
.
4.2.2:
Industrial Constitution Law
.
4.2.3:
Problems in the Workplace
.
4.2.4:
Labour Contract Notice and Protection
.
4.2.5:
Working Hours
.
4.2.6:
Occupational Health and Safety
.
4.2.7:
Child Labour and Youth Employment Protection
.
4.3:
Unemployment and Social Security
.
4.4:
Social Insurance
.
4.4:
Social Insurance
.
4.4.1:
Health Insurance
.
4.4.2:
Pension Insurance
.
4.4.3:
Nursing Care Insurance
.
4.4.4:
Unemployment Insurance
.
4.4.5:
Accident Insurance
.
4.4.6:
International Social Insurance
.
4.5:
Pay, Salary and Income
.
4.5:
Pay, Salary and Income
.
4.5.1:
Social Security Contributions
.
4.5.2:
Taxes
.
4.5.2:
Taxes
.
4.5.2.1:
Income Tax
.
4.5.2.2:
Church Tax
.
5:
Everyday Life
.
5:
Everyday Life
.
5.1:
Learning German
.
5.1:
Learning German
.
5.1.1:
Integration Courses
.
5.1.2:
Language Courses
.
5.1.3:
Training and Further Education
.
5.2:
Everyday Language
.
5.3:
Shopping
.
5.3:
Shopping
.
5.3.1:
Payment
.
5.3.2:
Hire-Purchase, Leasing, Loans
.
5.3.3:
Exchanging Products
.
5.3.4:
Low-priced Purchases
.
5.3.5:
Groceries
.
5.3.6:
German Specialities
.
5.4:
Consumer Advice
.
5.5:
Legal Advice
.
5.6:
Post Offices and Telecommunications
.
5.6:
Post Offices and Telecommunications
.
5.6.1:
Letters, Parcels and Postage
.
5.6.2:
Telephone, Fax, Internet
.
5.6.3:
Mobile Phones
.
5.6.4:
Telephone Boxes
.
5.6.5:
Directory Enquires
.
5.6.6:
Internet
.
5.6.7:
Service Numbers
.
5.7:
Accommodation
.
5.7:
Accommodation
.
5.7.1:
Looking for an Apartment
.
5.7.2:
Rent
.
5.7.2:
Rent
.
5.7.2.1:
Rent Contract
.
5.7.2.2:
Tenant Protection
.
5.7.2.3:
Pets
.
5.7.2.4:
House Caretaker, House Management
.
5.7.2.5:
House Rules
.
5.7.2.6:
Winter Service and Street Cleaning
.
5.7.2.7:
Neighbours
.
5.7.2.8:
Rent Contract Notice and Protection
.
5.7.3:
Moving Flat
.
5.7.4:
Shared Flats
.
5.8:
Household
.
5.8:
Household
.
5.8.1:
Water
.
5.8.2:
Electricity and Gas
.
5.8.3:
Oil and Coal Heating
.
5.8.4:
Garbage
.
5.8.5:
Washing Clothes
.
5.9:
Money and Finances
.
5.9:
Money and Finances
.
5.9.1:
Banks
.
5.9.2:
Bank Accounts
.
5.9.3:
EC Cards and Cash Machines
.
5.9.4:
Credit Cards
.
5.9.5:
Bank Overdrafts
.
5.9.6:
Homebanking
.
5.9.7:
Opening a Bank Account
.
5.10:
Insurance
.
5.10:
Insurance
.
5.10.1:
Personal Liability Insurance
.
5.10.2:
Household Insurance
.
5.10.3:
Disability Insurance
.
5.10.4:
Legal Costs Insurance
.
5.10.5:
Life Insurance
.
5.11:
Transport
.
5.11:
Transport
.
5.11.1:
Public Transport
.
5.11.2:
Trains: Regional and Long Distance
.
5.11.3:
Taxis
.
5.11.4:
Travelling With Others
.
5.11.5:
Cars
.
5.11.5:
Cars
.
5.11.5.1:
Driving Licence
.
5.11.5.2:
Registration
.
5.11.5.3:
TÜV and ASU
.
5.11.5.4:
Car Insurance
.
5.11.5.5:
Highway Code
.
5.11.5.6:
Radar Speed Checks
.
5.11.5.7:
Drunk Driving
.
5.11.5.8:
First Aid
.
5.11.5.9:
Automobile Clubs
.
5.11.5.10:
Accidents and Breakdowns
.
5.11.5.11:
Parking
.
5.11.5.12:
Car Wash
.
5.11.6:
Cycling
.
5.12:
Health
.
5.12:
Health
.
5.12.1:
Emergency Services
.
5.12.2:
Doctors
.
5.12.3:
Hospitals
.
5.12.4:
Inoculations
.
5.12.5:
Pharmacies and Medicines
.
5.12.6:
AIDS
.
5.12.7:
Contraception and Family Planning
.
5.12.8:
Pregnancy
.
5.13:
Children and Juveniles
.
5.13:
Children and Juveniles
.
5.13.1:
Child Benefit
.
5.13.2:
Kindergarten
.
5.13.3:
Schools
.
5.13.4:
Juveniles and Vocational Training
.
5.13.5:
Music and Sport
.
5.13.6:
Television
.
5.13.7:
Books and Fairytales
.
5.13.8:
Protection of Minors
.
5.14:
Media
.
5.14:
Media
.
5.14.1:
Press
.
5.14.2:
TV and Radio
.
5.15:
Leisure
.
5.15:
Leisure
.
5.15.1:
Sports
.
5.15.2:
Cultural Activities
.
5.15.3:
Libraries
.
5.15.4:
Cinema
.
5.15.5:
Video Stores
.
5.15.6:
Cafés
.
5.15.7:
Pubs
.
5.15.8:
Restaurants
.
5.15.9:
Friends and Colleagues
.
5.15.10:
Stammtisch – regulars’ table
.
6:
Organisations and Contacts
.
6:
Organisations and Contacts
.
6.1:
European Union
.
6.2:
German Federal Ministries
.
6.3:
Consumer Advice Centres/ Consumer Counselling
.
6.4:
Social Advisory Services (Charitable Organisations)
.
6.5:
Labour
.
6.6:
Foreigner Advisory Council
.
6.7:
Refugees
.
6.8:
Tenant Associations
.
6.9:
Embassies and Consulates
.
6.10:
AIDS Advice Centres
.
6.11:
Telephone Help Lines
.
6.12:
Women’s Refuges
.
7:
About the Manual
.
7:
About the Manual
.
7.1:
Ordering the Manual
.
7.2:
Imprint
.
8:
Further links
.
