Is There A German Term For 'Bat-Shit-Crazy'?

I would suggest four terms:

Total durchgeknallt (Totally wacky/unhinged)

Völlig bekloppt (Totally crazy/nuts)

Völlig bescheuert (Totally insane/stupid)

Komplett irre (Completely insane/out of their mind....considered  a nice term and wouldn't normally get someone angry) 

Now.....you could use:  Wahnsinnig (Insane) or Gaga (Colloquial for "nuts")....but I don't consider them as useful/effective.

If the German is in front of you (male or female)....I'd consider not uttering anything, unless it's not really their own fault.  Also....if you use batshit-crazy....don't anticipate them understanding the English phrase.

4 Apr 2026: Germany: 6 Things

 1.  Odd law in place.  If you are male, German, between 17 and 45....desiring to take 91 days or more....outside of the country....you now have to alert the Bundeswehr (German Army) of your intention.  And yes, they can stop you.

Did most German guys understand this when the law was written?  I doubt it.

Course....the folks that it mostly affects....German guys who'd go off to Spain and work in bars or cafes for the tourist-season.

Some German pointed out (on social media)....that if you were gone a month in old  DDR (East Germany)....same rule applied. Their 'slant'....Germany progresses monthly toward copying old DDR rules.

2. German aviation says....they have a adequate fuel supply through the end of April.....after that....there's problems.

3. Leipzig: 13-year-old Iraqi kid....beat a city bus driver...into a coma. At some point, the driver asked a group of kids to quiet-down....kid reacted.....head-butted the guy a couple of times, and knocked  him out.

Law says you can only prosecute the kid...if he is 14.  So....they will place him in some control-situation, and release within a year.

4.  Because of the impending fuel shortage (probably in mid-May)....the Linke and Green Party are now calling for a speed-limit on autobahns.  The limit discussed?  120 kph.  

If you ask about political chaos for May....I'd say it's approaching 4-to-5 star ratings.  I'd say there's a 50-50 chance of a control mechanism over how much fuel you can buy...coming shortly.

5.  SPD Party says they want ZERO VAT (sales tax) on healthy foods.

6.  German state agriculture ministers are calling for an investigation into the mental health of German farmers. Suicides are on a increase,  Lot of stress in the current landscape.

The Mentally Ill Right-Wing Extremist?

 Well....that ICE train attack I talked about this AM?  The German cops captured the guy.

From the story....he did scare some folks, they were mostly 'wounded' from the sound of the fireworks that were set off within the train compartment.

The cops captured the guy, and then later went to his apartment....finding a Koran,  and a copy of Hitler's Mein Kampf.

The chatter from the cops?  Mostly that he appears to be mentally ill.

If you were wondering....no, he does appear to be a German-German.....not some other nationality.

Charges?  Well....this judge will require a mental exam of the guy (age 20), but if he passes....there's attempted murder charges.

Me personally....I don't think he will pass the mental exam.

Fuel Comment

Today's price locally for E-10 gas in Germany (Wiesbaden area) is €2.18 per liter.

So....out of this....roughly €1.17–1.20 (about 53–55 %) consists of taxes and levies.

19-percent is VAT (sales tax).  The C02-levey comes to around 17-to-18 cents.  The energy tax comes to around 65 cents.  

As the gas 'dealers' deal with higher fuel costs....I would imagine the tax-revenue folks are exceptionally happy....the revenue bucket is overflowing.

The Odds Of A 130 KPH Tempo Limit On German Autobahns?

 It used to be 1-percent chance.....I think we are approaching in 2026....a 40-percent chance.

I looked it up last year.....around 30-percent of the autobahn system has a limit...either due to construction/renovation, or simply highly urbanized landscape.

The rest of the autobahn system?  Unlimited.  If you asked most Germans (at least 50-percent)....they will say that 130 Kph (81 mph) is their own personal limit.  I suspect that around 10-to-15 percent will say 100 Kph (62 mph) is their own personal limit.

Me personally? On a really clear day with marginal traffic and flat landscape....150 Kph (93 mph) is my limit, but I'm usually a 110 to 130 Kph limit-guy.

Politically.....we are quietly advancing in Germany to the point that the SPD, Greens and Linke Party will have near 40-percent of the vote, and I suspect as we get closer to 2029 (next election)....this will be hyped as top three issue.

Could individual states advance this?  It's well within their powers to advance a limit (most suggest 130 to be the limit).  

3 Apr 2026: Germany: 5 Things

 1.  Curious piece....around two million Euro being spent by German federal gov't.....to a external company....takes over tasks of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs for 2 years.  

Looking at cost....I'd say they get four-to-six PhD-level 'geeks' to do what the Ministry already does.

2.  Siegburg (NRW-state) last night....ICE train....masked-guy....on the train...lit firecrackers and talked up stabbing folks.

Dozen passengers injured in 'escaping'.

Cops investigating.

3.  WELT: 28k bridges on the 'need-to-renovate' list for Germany.

4.  Some teacher (German) wrote up a heavy criticism social-media piece of German high school kids.....extremely prone to violence.....some lacking basic hygiene expectations.

5.  Early this AM (Friday)....EU commissioner hints strongly of a fuel-rationing agenda coming up shortly.  No time given.

Based on Germany commentary....I don't see any 'limit' coming in April.  May might be a different story.

Key factor on air-travel....several spots might be a problem where a Frankfurt flight goes to x-country,  and jet-fuel is not possible...meaning the plane is stuck there.

Question also arises.....will public bus companies  have to jack  up prices to cover diesel going up?   

If Merz Goes

The clock ticks.....I'd say it's 50-50 whether Merz is gone by the next election. 

My five CDU likely candidates replacing him as Chancellor?

1. Hendrik Wüst (Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia)

2. Jens Spahn (Union parliamentary group leader / former Health Minister).

3. Daniel Günther (Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein).

4. Carsten Linnemann (CDU General Secretary / key cabinet figure).

5. Julia Klöckner (President of the Bundestag / former Agriculture Minister).

If you were looking for  a finance/economics 'geek'....NONE of  them fill the bill.

I Bought Gas Today

 Had to fuel-up the car....23 liters of E-10 fuel....2.18 Euro a  liter.

Just over 50 Euro.

I told the wife at this rate....if the car could burn on vodka....would be cheaper to buy vodka at the grocery.

TV news guy brought up....German gov't for March....collected just over 300 Million Euro 'extra' for fuel tax revenue.   At present pace.....he figured German gov't would  collect almost 800-to-900 million extra for April, if nothing happens.

UK chatter?  They have enough jet fuel to keep  the current flight schedule on-track through the end of April....maybe a week into May.  Then.....rationing and flight-cuts have to occur.

Germans haven't said much....but I expect some type of warning by the end of April, and some flight cuts likely to be announced by mid-to-late  May.   Lufthansa went and said around  two-dozen planes are going  to be parked shortly....flight schedule to be curtailed.

Course....pressure is building.  

Odd news item?   Well....Russia has hinted in some way....they might bring naval  ship presence into the Gulf, and aide the US in securing safe passage.   If you did the  schedule....it'd take at least three weeks for a Russian  frigate or two  to arrive.