It didn't just traumatize the women affected - it shocked the country. Hundreds of women were sexually assaulted and robbed on New Year's Eve in Cologne. Because most of the alleged perpetrators were of Northern African descent, the events kicked of a heated debate over Germany's migration policy.

Before the start of the European Handball Cup, few would have placed their bets on the Germans. But the team was guided to a surprise win by their Islandic trainer, Dagur Sigurdsson, an expert tactician and motivator. Under his guidance, the young players excelled - especially goalkeeper Andreas Wolff, whose acrobatic stunts kept viewers on the edge of their seats.

In a tragic accident, two local trains collided at full force in the small Bavarian town Bad Aibling on February 2, killing twelve people and injuring ninety more. The cause of the accident: the 40-year-old train dispatcher sent both trains the "go ahead" signal, too busy killing demons in the fantasy role-playing game "Dungeon Hunter 5" on his phone to pay full attention to his job.

In the Baden-Württemberg election on March 14, the Greens won over 30 percent of the vote. For the first time, the party became the largest faction in a state parliament. Winfried Kretschmann, who in 2011 became the first Green state premier in Germany, remained in power, but changed his coalition partner from the center-left SPD to center-right CDU.

Rupert Neudeck saved thousands of lives in the late 1970s when he took Vietnamese refugees aboard his ship "Cap Anamur" and brought them to Germany. Neudeck, who himself had to flee his home as a child during World War II, was often the first to help those in desperate need, long before the slow political bureaucracy could act. He died on May 31.

Germany only made it to the semi-final in Euro 2016, disappointing fans' high hopes for the world champions. But the team managed to accomplish one thing almost as satisfying as a title: they finally beat Italy. The Germans beat their nemesis 6:5 in a penalty shoot-out in the quarter final. Defender Jonas Hector delivered the fatal blow against keeper Luigi Buffon.

"Stop playing video games, go play outside." Thanks to Pokémon Go, this go-to parenting phrase might now be a thing of the past. Youngsters and adults alike went crazy this year, hunting fantasy creatures on their smartphones or tablets. With the help of GPS and camera, the game turned the real world into a virtual playground to "catch them all," or to train Pokémon and send them into battle.

It had already been clear in 2015 that VW was manipulating its diesel engines. But in May 2016 another classic German brand name came under pressure, when it emerged that Opel had altered its emissions tests on the Zafira. Now many major car manufacturers are facing increased scrutiny and heavy fines, especially in the US.

While demonstrating the difference between satire and insult, TV comedian Jan Böhmermann read a poem full of insults like "his privates smell like kebap" and "a president with a small dong" about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his show in late May. Erdogan couldn't take the joke - he pressed charges against the comedian for "insulting the leader of a foreign nation."

Munich July 23: Nine people dead, 16 injured, the killer committed suicide. The second and worst of three attacks in Germany this July. On July 18, a 17-year-old Afghani attacked travelers in a train in Southern Germany with an axe. Four people were injured. On July 24, a 27-year-old Syrian detonated a bomb in a small town in Bavaria. The man dies, 15 people were injured.

Angela Merkel made it official in late November: After eleven years as chancellor, she wants to run again in 2017. It won't be easy: The woman once dubbed Germany's "Mommy" ("Mutti") is facing more opposition, not just from the left and the far-right. In her own party, the conservative CDU, the resistance against centrist Merkel is growing.

The third time was the charm for Nico Rosberg. The German-Finnish racing driver finally succeeded in joining his father Keke in the ranks of Formula 1 world champions this year. In a move that then surprised many, the 31-year old announced his retirement right after his win. Rosberg decided to forgo millions in sponsoring contracts to have more time for his wife and one-year-old daughter.

2016 ended the way it started: in chaos and tragedy. On December 19, twelve people died and almost fifty more were injured when a truck crashed into a Christmas market in central Berlin. The "Islamic State" terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack.