German Of The Day: Kontrolle

That means control, as in the people who check to see if you bought your subway ticket for the U2 line in Berlin. Which apparently these two guys did not do.

U2

Nor did they have a Genehmigung (license) to make Straßenmusik (music on the street – or under it), either.

That’s the problem with this country, people. Nobody respects the rule of law.

The musicians took a special train Wednesday from the Olympic Stadium, near the western end of the U2 line, to the Deutsche Oper stop. Local radio station Radioeins, which gave out tickets for the ride, said about 120 people joined them on the train.

German Of The Day: Hauptverkehrszeit

You know, the peak hour? The highpoint? Not to be confused with other kinds of public Verkehr (traffic) out there, however.

Verkehr

It usually takes place in the Berlin subway around have sex, I mean halb sechs (five-thirty) in the morning, maybe later. Sometimes the Hauptverkehrszeit comes earlier, though. Even when it’s in the evening. Or in the middle of the night.

Police said that charges could only be brought in such a case if someone felt disturbed by the couple’s display and reported it to the authorities.