Catherine Reeves has had a remarkable three years as head of the Scottish Government Office in Germany. In an exclusive interview, she spoke to The Local about Scottish-German connections, language mishaps and what she loves about Berlin.
When Catherine Reeves first began working in Berlin as head of the Scottish Government Office in Germany in 2023, she was keen to brush up on her school-level German.
However, the 37-year-old quickly discovered that getting fluent in a foreign language means letting yourself make mistakes – even the more embarrassing ones.
“I remember in my first week writing to someone, and what I meant to say was danke für die Einführungsgespräch (thank you for the introductory conversation), but what I ended up writing was Entführungsgespräch which I think means something like ‘abduction conversation,'” she tells The Local from the Scottish Government Office, based in the British Embassy.
She also once accidentally emailed a contact talking about Wasserstoffbusse (hydrogen breasts) instead of Wasserstoffbussen (hydrogen buses). “I did get an instant response so maybe I should try that more often,” she says.
Around three years after her appointment, Reeves is set to stand down in April as she heads back to Scotland for another role. However, she is leaving with much stronger language skills – and a deep affection for the country where she’s been representing Scotland’s interests.
Scottish-German ties
For Reeves, a civil servant from Edinburgh, taking the helm at the office tasked with strengthening ties between Scotland and Germany has been a dream come true.
Opened in 2018, the small team aims to encourage collaboration between Scotland and Germany on everything from business and research to education and culture.
Catherine Reeves (standing in the middle) celebrating “100 days to go” until the Euros tournament in Bavaria in 2023. Photo courtesy of the Scottish Government Office in Germany.
“At the moment we do a lot on energy,” says Reeves. “We also do a lot on space flight, with the first Scottish rocket launch coming up with a Bavarian rocket. Rocket Factory Augsburg are looking to launch this year from Unst in the Shetland Islands.”
Research, biodiversity and cultural links are also high on the agenda.
No two days are the same for Reeves. She might be attending talks with a regional government like North Rhine-Westphalia, visiting a travel conference, going to Berlinale Film Festival or heading to the Bundestag for the approval of a friendship treaty between Germany and the UK.
Who are the Scottish diaspora in Germany?
It’s unclear exactly how many Scots live in Germany. Official statistics show about 81,000 Brits call Germany home, with about 18,000 of them in Berlin (although there are many more dual British-German citizens).
Going by population, the office estimates there may be about 6,000 Scots in Germany and about 1,500 in Berlin “but it wouldn’t surprise me if we were over-represented because obviously the Scottish-German links go back to the Hanseatic League and beyond,” says Reeves.
The office is in constant dialogue with the diaspora. “In Scotland, I think we define our diaspora quite broadly,” says Reeves. “So it’s both Scots in Germany, but also friends of Scotland, of which there are lots in Germany.”
The office regularly organises events as part of the outreach, bringing traditions like ceilidh dancing, whisky tasting and, of course, Irn Bru (a Scottish orange-coloured fizzy soft drink) to an international audience.
These are often held in collaboration with regional German governments, meaning it’s not uncommon to be attending a St Andrew’s Day dance where guests get a taste of Swabian Maultaschen and a traditional Scottish dessert like cranachan.
One annual Berlin event supported by the Scottish Government Office in Germany is a take on Burns Night, when Scots honour the poet Robert Burns. This year the evening on March 19th has a feminist-spin, featuring a comedy set from Susan Morrison, as well as dancing and poetry.
“The Scottish diaspora are all very friendly and proactive,” says Reeves. “They’re also quite visible, which is lovely.
“If you have UK events, you always tell your Scottish diaspora, ‘OK, wear your tartan, wear your kilts.’ And it’s lovely, you know, to think we have a visible marker of the Scots who are in the room.”
Catherine Reeves and a Scottish performer at the British Chamber of Commerce Burns Supper in Frankfurt earlier in 2026. Photo courtesy of Catherine Reeves
The German love for Scotland
Reeves, who moved to Berlin with her husband and two young children, says the whole family has enjoyed their experience in Germany connecting with locals.
It’s fair to say that Germans also have a soft spot for the Scots. Who can forget the joyous scenes of kilt-clad Scottish football fans clinking beers and dancing with Germans during the Euro 2024 tournament?
READ ALSO: ‘Please never leave!’ How Scottish fans won the hearts of Germans at Euro 2024
“When you meet Germans who have been to Scotland and have an affection for it, it’s a nice instant point of connection,” says Reeves.
“I think there’s definitely something about the landscape that seems to appeal to the German soul. A lot of the Germans I meet know the Highlands and islands better than I do just because it’s their holiday destination of choice.”
Reeves says Germans appreciate the “friendliness and welcomeness of Scottish culture”. Traditional talking points open doors to discussions on modern collaboration, “from tartan to spaceports,” she adds.
When asked about any awkwardness about the UK voting to leave the EU, Reeves say the office doesn’t proactively bring Brexit up.
“But it is also the case – I’ve discovered in this role – that there’s a pretty strong awareness of the fact that Scotland’s take on Brexit was different and that every voting area in Scotland actually voted against (leaving),” she says.
READ ALSO: How Brits who arrived in Germany before Brexit can get permanent residence
Scotland and Germany fans mingle in Munich ahead of the opening Euro 2024 game. Photo:
picture alliance/dpa | Sven Hoppe
Favourite things and culture shocks
Reeves is going to miss a lot of things when she returns to Scotland, especially the BVG, which operates Berlin’s trams, U-Bahn system and buses.
She’s also enjoyed visiting Berlin’s many bakeries and seeing red squirrels, which are rarer in Scotland.
On the language front, Reeves is proud of her progress. “I think when I got here (my German) was maybe about B3 in the European languages level. I’m now about to take my C1 exam, so I’m getting there,” she says.
Reeves credits the Scottish Office’s regional partnerships where she was able to practise German. Her four-year-old daughter is now fluent in German too, and Reeves hopes language classes will continue when they return to Edinburgh.
She also has praise for Germany’s health system. “My older child has got various disabilities and being in Germany has been so great for him,” she says. “The Charité hospital has taken very good care of us.”
Of course, there have been a few less positive culture shocks. “I was slightly surprised by the number of people who approached me on buses to tell me my children should put their socks on,” says Reeves. “You know, they’re Scottish children, they don’t feel the cold.”
READ ALSO: How can Brits visit or move to Germany post-Brexit?
She also won’t miss Deutsche Bahn’s unpredictable schedule.
Reeves looks back fondly on her time leading the Scottish Office in Germany. Highlights include attending the opening match of Euro 2024, taking representatives from Scotland’s carbon capture sector on a tour of Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Stuttgart, and showcasing Scottish music and culture.
“I don’t think I will ever have a job that’s quite this varied and sort of exciting from day to day,” she says. “And it’s also quite glamorous.”
Find more information on the Scottish Connections Burns Night in Berlin on March 19th and register here.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thelocal.de
