Das Auswärtige Amt
The Auswärtiges Amt is a term that is used to refer to the German Foreign office. It is a term that is often heard in films and news items, the proper name being Außenministerium.
Currently it has offices in both Berlin and Bonn and is responsible for the 145 embassies and 59 consulates in other countries around the world.
In crisis situations such as hostage dramas, the contact to the families in Germany is maintained via this part of the German government.
To hear a simple explanation and a short discussion in German, listen to the podcast:
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Tags: crisis, foreign office, hostage, travel advice
