by Tristana Moore, Berlin correspondent, August 2 2005

Life is full of twists and turns – and the last few months have been eventful, to say the least.

‘VW boss paid for Viagra.’ That’s the headline in today’s Bild paper, Germany’s biggest selling tabloid. There are more stories about chancellor Schroeder’s decision to call a snap election, and a report about the German Pope’s visit to Cologne next month.

Whoever said the Germans were boring? In fact, you only have to spend a few hours in the bureau to discover that we are kept very busy. The phones ring constantly – not only dozens of different BBC programmes calling with their requests, but also Germans who want help or information. Our office is in the RTL building by the River Spree where our neighbours include Reuters, German tv networks and, just down the corridor, our ‘rivals’ CNN.

We moved here last year – the idea being that the new office would be centrally located, and it is. The German parliament is a stone’s throw away and the Brandenburg Gate is also very close.

Slow pace of life

Working in Germany is not always easy. The Germans enjoy a slow pace of life and if there’s an opportunity to postpone something, they’ll seize it. There are many hurdles to overcome to obtain filming permission for an event, if you’re simply trying to to get hold of the right person to interview.

Lunchtime in many offices can vary from 12 noon to 2.30pm and often to 3.30pm. You’ll often hear the word ‘feierabend’, which means to call it a day even when it’s the middle of the afternoon! Or there’s the favourite phrase ‘he’s not at his desk’ – which can mean the person you want to speak to has actually gone home.

Try setting up a bank account in Germany, or booking a workman – you may have to wait a while. All those clichés about German efficiency will have to be rethought.

But I’m still shocked when I read a British newspaper and see stories about Germany and the inevitable references to the ‘krauts’, Hitler and the Nazis. Sixty years after the end of the Second World War, the stereotypes about Germans are still embedded in British culture.

Talking rubbish bins

But there are many stories that have nothing to do with the war or the Nazis. Take the economy, politics, cultural life, the child who invented the Sasser Worm virus to ‘talking rubbish bins’. Germany is an exciting country – and Berlin is a city which constantly surprises the visitor. The remnants of the Berlin Wall and the old Soviet-style tower-blocks are a reminder of the changes that have swept the nation.

Everyone in the bureau works hard, from our producer Beate Steinhorst to our researchers and cameramen. We enjoy the work and it makes a difference when you get feedback from Germans. Most Germans watch BBC World so the BBC is a household name – and Germans are proud of the fact that their country’s affairs are covered in the British media.

So imagine our reaction when we heard the news that Mark Thompson announced he was cutting one correspondent’s post in the Berlin bureau. Well, for us, the show goes on. And I’m sure that people back home will be interested in the colourful stories which emerge during next year’s World Cup in Germany … it’s a fascinating country.

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