Hamburg: what's it like to live in?

Amtmann

I've been offered an interesting job in Hamburg (in the Stadtmitte), and I'm wondering what it's like to live in from a quality of life point of view.

Anyone here ever lived there? What's it like aesthetically? Does it feel crowded and traffic-choked? What's the ex-pat community like there? Is it a green city? I don't have to decide for almost two months if I'm going to take the job or not, but I'd like to do some preliminary research and get people's views.

Thanks!

peasant

Like any big city, Hamburg has great areas and not so great ones ...and then it also has the the largest amount of millionaires of any German city. So it covers the full range from rough to sparkling (and blooming expensive).

The areas around the harbour, Speicherstadt, Kontorviertel are quite nice. Lots of nice pubs, plenty of them Irish.
Trafficwise its main problem is that it's cut in two by a bloody great river with few bridges and one notoriously blocked tunnel ...so make sure you end up on the side you need to be on.

I've never lived there (just outside) and worked only in Harburg (which isn't Hamburg proper) ...but the few times I ventured into the city I found it quite agreeable.

Amtmann

Thanks peasant. I would be working on Rissener Landstrasse, near Krankenhaus Tabea, which actually isn't in the Stadtmitte at all.

Is Hamburg anything like Nuremberg in terms of how it "feels"?

d15ude

for me hamburg (together with munich) is the nicest of the big german cities.
in the summer the city is very green and there a lot of lakes an channels (more bridges then venice

the rissener landstr. area is very close to blankenese and elbchaussee; kinda the foxrock of hamburg.

as in any major city there is rush hour traffic but you can always use the
public transport, which is pretty efficient:
http://www.hvv.de/en/

peasant

Tremelo wrote: »

Is Hamburg anything like Nuremberg in terms of how it "feels"?

Not quite.
Nuremberg still has a lot of its medieval core ...not much of that left in Hamburg. Nuremberg is also more provincial ...or let's say ...less cosmopolitan

But the weather in Nuremberg would be better on average

I think a quick city-trip is the order of the day ...just get a feel for the place

Amtmann

Flights to Hamburg from Dublin are on the steep side, aren't they! I fllew from Dublin to Nuremberg last December for under €180 return with Lufthansa; but there's nothing between Dublin and Hamburg for under €300. I think the company are going to fly me over for a face-to-face meeting in a few weeks, so I'll probably see it then....

It's a big decision: take a good job in Hamburg and stay in Germany long-term (possibly VERY long-term), or take a job in Ireland with better career prospects, but less adventure.

Should I toss a coin?

John C

Tremelo wrote: »

Flights to Hamburg from Dublin are on the steep side, aren't they! I fllew from Dublin to Nuremberg last December for under €180 return with Lufthansa; but there's nothing between Dublin and Hamburg for under €300. I think the company are going to fly me over for a face-to-face meeting in a few weeks, so I'll probably see it then....

It's a big decision: take a good job in Hamburg and stay in Germany long-term (possibly VERY long-term), or take a job in Ireland with better career prospects, but less adventure.

Should I toss a coin?

I know a lot about Upper Bavaria and nothing about Hamburg.
When I was offered a job in Bavaria I accepted it on the spot. It has turned into a very long term stay.

Several colleagues have since returned to their country of origin; in this case to Ireland, UK, Australia and Jamaica.
Thus if you take a job in Hamburg you can later continue your career in Ireland [or another country].
When one tosses a coin, we find out what we are wishing for.
There is no perfect decision. Little in life turns out as we expect or imagine.

Carry

John C wrote: »

There is no perfect decision. Little in life turns out as we expect or imagine.

Well said! That's the adventure of life. Moving to a new place, be it Hamburg or Timbuktu, is always discovering not only a new culture and place, but experiencing a new self.
My personal mantra is: You only ever regret what you did NOT do!

So go for it. You can always go back or go to another place.

Personally I think the Hamburgians are a bit snobbish and reserved. But that might be because of their accent. Sounds a bit (in comparison) like upper class English (plummy nasal). But then they were traditionally more inclined to England and the rest of the world as a port and trading city.

On the other hand Hamburg has a lot to offer. It's full of international city life, traditional fishing community (go to the fish market and buy fresh shrimps from mouthy fishermen!), it's worldly, has the broad river Elbe (with nice beaches) and the tamed river Alster, it's not far to the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and to Denmark and is basically one of the most livable (though sedate) cities in Germany.

Apanachi

Hamburg is a fantastic city, I'd move there in a heartbeat if I could. The North Germans are in general amongst the nicest people you could ever hope to meet, at first they may seem a little reserved and they have a very dry sense of humour, but once you get to know them you will love them (OK so there is the odd eejit too, but you get that everywhere )

jester77

Hamburg is the nicest city I've lived in so far. It has lots too offer and there is always something to do. I also work in the Stadtmitte and it is very easy to get to. The HVV run a fantastic service and very rarely would you have a problem. U/S bahns and buses are on time and run frequently. If you are driving then traffic can be a bit chaotic but in reality you don't need a car in Hamburg. I had one for the first few years and got rid of it, was just hassle and trying to find parking in the evenings can drive you insane.

I'm not too sure what the ex-pat community is like, I don't really hang around in that circle but last time I looked at the Hamburg registrations there were around 900 Irish registered here. It's better to just integrate and hang out with the locals. They are generally sound people who know how to have a good time.

As for green, Hamburg is one of the greenest cities in Europe and actually won the title for Europe's greenest city 2011. Their public transport is very eco friendly, there are lots of bike pickup/drop off points around the city where the first 30 mins are free to ride, and they have lots of electric car parking points around the city for charging your car.

Amtmann

jester77 wrote: »

I'm not too sure what the ex-pat community is like, I don't really hang around in that circle but last time I looked at the Hamburg registrations there were around 900 Irish registered here. It's better to just integrate and hang out with the locals. They are generally sound people who know how to have a good time.

That was my next question. When I lived in Nuremberg last year, I made friends in two ways: Sprachduo (a tandem language learning website run by the university at Erlangen) and ToyTown. Both were excellent ways of meeting people - mostly Germans via Sprachduo, and mainly Americans via ToyTown.

I really loved the ex-pat scene.... but I only experienced it for a few weeks. I'd imagine it's very transient, with people constantly coming and going...surreal really. Were I to move, I'd definitely attend lots of ToyTown meet-ups...but I'd also make it my business to meet Germans. Is there anything like Sprachduo in Hamburg? I'm hoping there is.

The thought of living in Cork again does not exactly fill me with a sense of anticipation and excitement, though the job would be better. I really think I've given Ireland a go (for the past 28 years!), and I think I could have a great time in Germany.

jester77

The Toytowners have regular meetups here and I know some of them are always looking for people for different sporting activities, but I haven't yet been to any of these meetups. I would usually end up bumping into them around 6 Nations time , Germans are not really into rugby so it's the only real way to see the games. But in saying that, the St. Pauli girls have a very good rugby team.

I hung out in the ex-pat scene when I lived in Frankfurt but the biggest problem is most people move on after a while, so it's hard to make good friends that way. Although I have a few ex-pat friends here that are more or less settled now. I'm not familiar with sprachduo? I presume that is where you meet up with locals and learn from each other. There is (or was?) the language lounge. It's a bar where you hang out with people looking to improve their language skills. Not sure if it still exists though as their website is no longer there.

Amtmann

Thanks again for the replies folks. I'm flying out there next Thursday to meet my prospective employer. The office itself is in Eichholz, which is in the Altstadt.

What districts would you recommend I look in for accommodation? A reasonably nice area, easily accessible from the Altstadt, and which doesn't cost an arm and leg would be ideal for me.

What's a good website to look on if I want to find an apartment to rent? And are there any prerequisites I should know about (e.g., what types of deposits, if any, are normally required for accommodation?).

Come to think of it, I've loads of questions...

How do I get the German equivalent of a PPS number?
Do I need a letter from my employer before I apply for a German PPS number?
Is it easy to open a German bank account?

Carry

Districts to recommend:
Hard to say. Depends what you expect: quiet suburban, mulitcultural mix, traditional places and so on. I would always go for multicultural, having been a city girl (now a dedicated culchie in the west of Ireland )

To give you an idea about what's on offer:
http://www.immobilienscout24.de/immobiliensuche/mietwohnungen-vermieten/hamburg/hamburg.htm
("Miete" means the monthly rent, "Kaltmiete" means without heating and such like, "Zimmer" doesn't mean bedrooms but all rooms including living room).

But I would recommend to look in the local newspapers to rent a place. Better and cheaper offers. Your employer will certainly help you.

Usually you have to pay a deposit of three months rent. If you go to an estate agent, you have to pay him, too. In Ireland the landlords have to pay up.

PPS:
As far as I remember (gosh, I live for donkeys years in Ireland...), as an employee you don't need to apply for a PPS number in Germany, only if you have a business or work freelance. Otherwise your employer does all the paperwork. He is obliged to tell the revenue that you work for him. You'll get a card and a number automatically. The tax office in Germany is very efficient. They are literally out to get you...

About opening a bank account, I really don't know anymore how it works. It's certainly different from Irish procedures. As far as I remember you need a passport and your "Mietvertrag", that is the renting contract. Or an "Untermietvertrag", which is a subletting contract (if you just share a flat). Utility bills are not enough.
I'm sure your employer will explain everything.

Important is that you go to the "Einwohnermeldeamt", which translates roughly as local residents registration office, which is usually at the police station. You do that as soon as you have a place to live and you need the signature of your landlord.

Bye bye sloppy freedom in Ireland, welcome to the organised world in Germany!:D

And if you need any translation from websites or have any question I and all the other Germans here are happy to help you.

You know, when I moved to Ireland there was no such thing as the internet or boards.ie. But just jumping into the cold water was a lot of fun. Well, sometimes not, but still interesting.
You'll be fine.

Lawrence1895

Right...I moved away from Germany 7 years ago, but may I add something to the previous post?

About the PPS number, your employer will register you with the tax office, from then on it goes automatically. If you are self employed, you have to account for your taxes, as well as for your insurances (Health, Pension)

And the 'Einwohnermeldeamt' is a part of your local City Council, it has nothing to do with the Police. You only need them for the Garda Clearance in certain jobs, such as childcare, teachers, nurses.

Amtmann

Just looking at this example: http://www.immobilienscout24.de/expose/43659095

In the case above, the Warmmiete seems very reasonable. But the deposit seems enormous. And what is "commission"? These two factors quickly turn what appears to be a reasonably priced place into an outrageously priced place. Or am I missing something?

peasant

As Carry explained ..the deposit (Kaution) is usually 3 months rent. You'll get it back once you move out and leave the flat in the same condition (or better) than you found it.

Kommission or Provision is what you (not the landlord) has to pay the estate agent ...a once of cost.

BTW ... nearly all flats in Germany are rented empty. No furniture, nada.
You do usually get a kitchen with a cooker and a fridge (everything else is a bonus) and a functioning bathroom. No furnishings, no bed or bedding, no cutlery and in most cases not even curtains.

So there is another whole load of (setting up) cost to consider when renting in Germany.

I would sugggest that for the first few weeks you find some student accomodation or a cheap "Pension" (B&B kind of thing) to explore at leasure what's out there. Rental contracts are usually pretty long in Germany (you can't just come and go as you please, there are minimum notice periods) and you don't want to commit yourself to some hellhole for want of leisurely research.


Oh ...and you don't really want to live in Harburg, trust me

Amtmann

peasant wrote: »

As Carry explained ..the deposit (Kaution) is usually 3 months rent. You'll get it back once you move out and leave the flat in the same condition (or better) than you found it.

Kommission or Provision is what you (not the landlord) has to pay the estate agent ...a once of cost.

BTW ... nearly all flats in Germany are rented empty. No furniture, nada.
You do usually get a kitchen with a cooker and a fridge (everything else is a bonus) and a functioning bathroom. No furnishings, no bed or bedding, no cutlery and in most cases not even curtains.

So there is another whole load of (setting up) cost to consider when renting in Germany.

I would sugggest that for the first few weeks you find some student accomodation or a cheap "Pension" (B&B kind of thing) to explore at leasure what's out there. Rental contracts are usually pretty long in Germany (you can't just come and go as you please, there are minimum notice periods) and you don't want to commit yourself to some hellhole for want of leisurely research.


Oh ...and you don't really want to live in Harburg, trust me

*Harburg*

I'm probably naive here, or just not appreciating the affect that cheaper food has on the annual cost of living, but between these large start-up costs for rented accommodation and the high German taxes, what seemed to be a good salary suddenly looks a heck of a lot smaller, so much so that it's downright off-putting.

I had thought for example that if one were to move into a place on 1 August a pay a three-month Kaution, that one would not have to pay rent again until perhaps October, with the third month being kept as surety by the landlord, which would make it more bearable. But ouch. That's a very hefty deposit.

Also, with commission fees like that, I'm astonished that those agents get any custom at all. I presume the vast majority of renters find their accommodation in the newspapers.

Apanachi

Tremelo wrote: »

I had thought for example that if one were to move into a place on 1 August a pay a three-month Kaution, that one would not have to pay rent again until perhaps October, with the third month being kept as surety by the landlord,

Nope, if you live in the flat for say, 20 years, you won't see a cent of that deposit for 20 years

make sure landlord puts the deposit into a separate savings account (Kautionskonto) and you get the interest at the end of the contract.

A lot of landlords try to cheat people out of their deposit and refuse point blank to return it, it's very common for them find excuses to keep it, it can be a real bitter fight to the end.

You should definitely join the "Mietverein" and take pictures of every single detail in the house (damages that are already there, scratches on stairs, doors, presses, mould etc...) and get the landlord to countersign them, this can save you a lot of money when moving out.

EDIT:
I also recommend you get a Haftpflichtversicherung (liability insurance) for all those little accidents that can happen just about everywhere

opinion guy

Tremelo wrote: »

I've been offered an interesting job in Hamburg (in the Stadtmitte), and I'm wondering what it's like to live in from a quality of life point of view.

Anyone here ever lived there? What's it like aesthetically? Does it feel crowded and traffic-choked? What's the ex-pat community like there? Is it a green city? I don't have to decide for almost two months if I'm going to take the job or not, but I'd like to do some preliminary research and get people's views.

Thanks!

If I could work in Germany I'd be gone like a shot to be honest with you!

Amtmann

Well, I might well be gone like a shot. However, a lot of it comes down to pragmatics. I've a big fat college loan to pay back. If the German government is going to take a lot of my salary, and some landlord insists on taking another great heap, then the move simply might not be feasible (even if it's socially more desirable).

Lawrence1895

Tremelo wrote: »

Well, I might well be gone like a shot. However, a lot of it comes down to pragmatics. I've a big fat college loan to pay back. If the German government is going to take a lot of my salary, and some landlord insists on taking another great heap, then the move simply might not be feasible (even if it's socially more desirable).

When I was still living there, I lost around 40% to the taxman. But the insurance system is a bit better in Germany, and therefore the Public Healthcare System...just in case

Carry

It's the automatic deductions, but it's not only tax, it includes health insurance, long-term care insurance, pension contributions and unemployment insurance.

For that, health care is almost free, including medication. Dental care is free, too, apart from dentures and implants. But even then you only have to pay a small part of it.
And in a city like Hamburg health care is simply brilliant and available. No trolleys, no backyard-clinics, no cowboys out to make a lot of money.

If you quit the catholic (in your case, I suppose) church, you don't even need to pay church tax.

At the end of the year you can claim money back. For example for flying home to Ireland and what not.

As for an apartment: I would try at first looking for a shared flat (Wohngemeinschaft or Untermiete). And there are flats with furniture, too. Check here: http://www.immonet.de/hamburg/moebliertes-wohnen.html?popup=n&ext=-1&gclid=CJLOstGchqoCFUoc4QodDhYzzw

If you then decide to settle in Hamburg you can always find a flat of your own and buy the furniture. There is an Ikea in Hamburg, cheaper than in Dublin and Belfast. Or furniture it at first with cheap second hand stuff.
Other stuff you can bring from Ireland, like bedlinens or kitchenware, if you own some.

More money in hand is not always the cheaper way. It's rather short-term thinking, as the last Irish government proved...:D

Amtmann

Carry wrote: »

It's the automatic deductions, but it's not only tax, it includes health insurance, long-term care insurance, pension contributions and unemployment insurance.

Thanks Carry. I've been doing the calculations here: http://www.parmentier.de/steuer/steuer.htm?wagetax.htm My annual tax deductions will be a multiple of the amount I would be deducted in Ireland. But then...

For that, health care is almost free, including medication. Dental care is free, too, apart from dentures and implants. But even then you only have to pay a small part of it.
And in a city like Hamburg health care is simply brilliant and available. No trolleys, no backyard-clinics, no cowboys out to make a lot of money.

I wouldn't need to pay for private health insurance. Or run a car. Or buy a car (which I'll have to do next year if I stay in Ireland). Also, on the whole, accommodation is probably going to be more expensive in Ireland. So Germany seems to win out financially by a small amount per year. When I consider the higher quality of life and the adventure of Hamburg, it sounds good to me again.

If you quit the catholic (in your case, I suppose) church, you don't even need to pay church tax.

OK, tell me more about this please. I am technically still a Catholic. Can I just tell the Germans that I have no religion (which is true in practice), or do I actually have to quit the church and provide proof that I am no longer a member of any religion?

At the end of the year you can claim money back. For example for flying home to Ireland and what not.

I didn't know this. Any links where I can check out more details on this?

Also, regarding the pension contributions, hypothetically if I were to leave Germany after a year or three, could I claim all my pension money back?

As for an apartment: I would try at first looking for a shared flat (Wohngemeinschaft or Untermiete). And there are flats with furniture, too. Check here: http://www.immonet.de/hamburg/moebliertes-wohnen.html?popup=n&ext=-1&gclid=CJLOstGchqoCFUoc4QodDhYzzw

Thanks for the link - I actually hadn't considered a Wohngemeinschaft; but if it's much cheaper to start off with, I think it's a great suggestion.

More money in hand is not always the cheaper way. It's rather short-term thinking, as the last Irish government proved...:D

Well, I cannot dispute that

Lawrence1895

That's a good question there about leaving a certain religion.

You are certainly allowed to leave your church/religion with the age of 14, you just tell your local priest who then tells the taxman. After that, you won't pay any more taxes.

But I'm not sure, if you have to be baptized first in Germany to do so.

I would say, talk to one of the clerics in Germany, at least you are living under German jurisdiction

Amtmann

Lars1916 wrote: »

I would say, talk to one of the clerics in Germany, at least you are living under German jurisdiction

I would say I will avoid clerics in Germany and just put "Keine" down on the form

opinion guy

Tremelo wrote: »

I would say I will avoid clerics in Germany and just put "Keine" down on the form

AFAIK thats all you have to do.

Hey I sohuld have thought of this before but there is a useful website + forum for expats living in Germany that has all kinds of info on all kinds of things like this church tax stuff:

http://www.toytowngermany.com/
http://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/

Just search the forum on church tax etc

Edit: Hamburg section: http://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/index.php?showforum=92

Carry

Tremelo wrote: »

I would say I will avoid clerics in Germany and just put "Keine" down on the form

You can avoid clerics, but it's not that easy to just say you have no religion. Paperwork is required. The church will try to get you anyway, or rather your money...

What you do in Germany: You go to the local register office, bring your passport, your birth certificate and official proof of residence (you have to get that anyway, as explained above, and at the same office), pay 31 Euro and are out of the church. It's a 10 minute job, and you are not obliged to explain why and don't need to talk to any priest.

Then you have to make sure that on your tax card (which will be organised by your employer) the box with 'religion' is marked 'none'. You simply tell the tax office and show your bye-bye-church-certificate.
That's it. Easy, innit?
http://www.kirchenaustritt.de/hamburg/

When I left the church ages ago, they tried to get me back, with the local pastor knocking at my door. A simple 'eff off' did the trick to be left alone for good .

As for your other questions above, I'll come back to that later.

Apanachi

Carry wrote: »

You can avoid clerics, but it's not that easy to just say you have no religion. Paperwork is required. The church will try to get you anyway, or rather your money...

Absolutely no paperwork required, when you are registering, you just put "keine" as religion, that's all I ever had to do

jester77

I'll try and answer some of your questions here.

As regards rent, you will see 2 prices, cold rent (kaltmiete) & warm rent (warmmiete). Cold rent is the actual cost of renting the property. But properties will come with extras (nebenkosten) such as garbage collection, cable tv, maintenance of the building, heating, etc. So the amount you pay every month to your landlord will be the warmmiete (kaltmiete + nebenkosten). Nebenkosten is an estimate by the landlord but it is usually fairly spot on. At the end of the year you will get a detailed receipt (request it if you don't) of where it all went and you will either get some back, have to pay more or it will get credited to your next years nebenkosten and these will then get adjusted accordingly.

Most apartments come unfurnished, they won't even have light fittings. Some might have a kitchen, so if you want a kitchen look for Einbauküche (EBK). You are free to do whatever you want to the apartment once you return it to its original state on departure.

The standard payment for most rental deposits (kaution) is 3 months cold rent. This will usually be deposited into an account where neither you or the landlord can access without each others signature. You will get this back on departure. I've always got the full amount back and never had any hassle with landlords. Just document and take pictures of everything when you move in so that you have proof of the current state.

Unfortunately most apartments (as most are owned by property companies) are handled through agents (makler). If you want to avoid paying these costs, then look for Courtagefrei in the listings. Agents can charge as much as 2 months kaltmiete plus VAT. I consider these guys to be cowboys so make sure everything is the way it should be (document and photo the apt) & have them sort out any issues before you pay them as you most likely will not hear from them again.

Hamburg is a tough market and apartments in nice areas (Ottenensen, Eppendorf, Eimsbüttel & Schanze are nice areas close to where you will be) are tough to get and it's very competitive. Courtagefrei apartments will be high in demand and difficult to get. €650 to €1100 (warmmiete) should get you a nice apartment in any of the areas I mentioned. Just be prepared to view a lot of apartments and don't take something you are not happy with.

Here are the 2 top sites for checking out:
http://www.immobilienscout24.de/
http://www.immonet.de/

The local newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt also has a property section but I'm not sure what day they publish it or if it's every day.

As regards job, your company will do nearly everything for you.

Once you arrive in Germany you will have around 3 weeks to register yourself at your local amt before you are penalised (no idea what happens or if they are strict with this but I wouldn't chance it). Every stadtteil has their own amt and you will register at the one where you are living and you will get your meldebestatigung. You will need your passport and rental contract (not sure if you need your work contract but bring it to be safe). Without this you cannot open a bank account, get a phone contract, etc. When you fill out the registration form put your religion as keine or you will pay church tax (~8% of your salary). You now can't get married in a church or have a funeral service but for that price it's worth it.

To open a bank account, bring your rental contract, meldebestatigung and work contract. It is best to to into the banks and talk with them directly as trying online or over the phone is futile. I'm with Postbank (they are part of the post office) and have no probs. Online banking is good, they have good mobile apps, are part of the cash group and open Saturdays. Cash group is a collection of banks that work together and you can use any of their ATMs without charge. Using an ATM not supported by your bank will cost €5 or €6. I think Deutsche Bank provide an English version of their online banking, so if you are not comfortable with German, then it's worth checking out. Shop around a bit as some banks can be costly while others will provide free banking. If worse comes to worse, Sparkasse cannot refuse you an account, I forget the reasoning why.

Regarding health insurance, you can either go private or public. Once you earn around 50k or over you are entitled to go private. You can save a good bit of money by going private (I pay €200 a month less than I would if I was public) as public insurance is calculated at a % of your salary whereas private is a fixed sum. Plus private patients get much better and faster treatment than public patients, it's not exactly a fair system imo. The main difference is that public is all handled for you whereas with private you pay out of your own pocket first (except for major things) and then claim it back from your health insurance. I'm with Deutscher Ring and can recommend them.

Good salary calculator:
http://www.nettolohn.de/index.php

Carry

Apanachi wrote: »

Absolutely no paperwork required, when you are registering, you just put "keine" as religion, that's all I ever had to do

Hmm, that might well be the case if you are a foreigner, since you are not registered (christened and confirmed) by a church in Germany. Try that first. If the (catholic) church in Germany has no record of you, how would they know?

If for any reason it doesn't work you can always follow the procedure as above explained.

As for tax money back:
Every year you do the "Lohnsteuerjahresausgleich" (adjustment of income tax).
I'm no expert here (I'm still arguing about some money with the German tax office, albeit I live in Ireland for 14 years...:o), all I know is that you fill a form, declare all your extra expenses (there is a list what is applicable) and usually get money back. As far as I know travels back home to visit family are applicable. But you best ask experts about it.
Some links:
http://www.lohnsteuer-kompakt.de/start/landing?gclid=CL6Ao4HGiqoCFcNP4QodY0RSyw
http://www.n-heydorn.de/steuer.html
http://www.imacc.de/lohnabrechnunggehaltsabrechnung/lhstberechnung/lohnsteuerausgleich/index.html
or directly at www.bundesfinantministerium.de

Pension contributions:
Don't know, if you get the money back when returning to Ireland. As far as I know you are entitled to get later a pension from Germany as well, according to the time you payed your contributions. Not a bad thing considering that the Irish pension fund might be down the drain at some stage.
Again, you better check with the experts and ask directly at:
http://www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de/DRV/de/Navigation/_home_node.html

There are Bürgerberatungsstellen in Hamburg (citizens information offices) where you certainly get better advice.
http://www.meldebox.de/Umzug-Hamburg/Einwohnermeldeamt/

I know, it sounds all like a lot of bureaucracy. But once you have done all that stuff, you can enjoy all the benefits.

Another thing:
If in doubt you can always contact the German Embassy in Dublin. I found them very helpful and friendly when dealing with them.
http://www.dublin.diplo.de/
Don't know where you live, but if in Dublin make an appointment and talk directly to them.