Das Ich

A German-language social media post describes a party conversation where the author, asked for a photo via WhatsApp, replied they don't have the app — and was met with astonishment. The anecdote, tagged with privacy, Fediverse and open source topics, highlights how ingrained Meta's messaging app remains in everyday communication, especially in Germany, and how unusual it still seems to opt out.

A German-language post is drawing attention for its candid reflection on a common asymmetry: fighting tirelessly for others — researching, writing, and confronting authorities, parties and ministers over injustices — while falling silent when it comes to one's own needs. The author describes the strange contrast of being an immediate defender of anyone treated unfairly, yet going quiet when the same treatment lands on them, a sentiment many readers with similar experiences are resonating with.

A social media user in Germany says they have rewatched the 2023 horror film The Pope's Exorcist, admitting that cannabis use sometimes gets in the way of the experience. The post mixes film talk with personal remarks about family, wellbeing and situation in Ukraine, framing the movie as an occasional late-night pick.

German fantasy and horror readers are debating whether short penny-novel-style stories of under 100 pages could work as a format. One writer notes that with horror she struggles to get past 100 pages, and even reaching the 300-page mark with longer stories is difficult, so the shorter format may actually suit her writing better.

Android users of the open-source keyboard HeliBoard are asking how to type the German paragraph sign (§). One user says they checked all long-press key alternatives without finding the character and is asking for help online. The question highlights a gap for German-speaking users, since the sign is common in legal and academic texts, and points to HeliBoard's character layout as a topic for improvement or tips.

A German speaker reports checking the Rhine water level, measuring just 6 centimetres, and notes the topic has quietly disappeared from the news. They say they would rather have stayed on the sofa but felt the river level had to be checked in person, taking an autumn walk in mild weather. The remark points to continued concern about drought and navigation on the Rhine despite fading media coverage.

A German-language reader writes that they regularly read only two genres, fantasy and science fiction, and discusses their latest science fiction read, Der Astronaut by Andy Weir. They describe the premise of a man waking up in an unfamiliar situation and are working through their impressions of the book, inviting discussion with other genre fans.

Michael Kraske and Dirk Laabs' book 'Widersetzt euch – Wie wir gemeinsam den neuen Faschismus besiegen' is being given away by a reader as part of a book-sharing practice in German-speaking online communities, where people offer books they have finished to others for free. The book, whose title translates as 'Resist – How we will defeat the new fascism together', is being offered alongside two other titles.