Foojay Podcast #48: JUG Oberpfalz, JCON Conference, and JAVAPRO Magazine

A small Java meetup in the Oberpfalz region of Germany sparked something much bigger. The same people behind that local group also run the JCON conference in Cologne and publish JAVAPRO magazine. We sat down with Richard Fichtner and Markus Kett for Foojay Podcast #48 to hear how one community effort kept expanding.

What we talked about

• The Oberpfalz region and the local Java scene
• How Richard and Markus got into Java
• The origin story of JUG Oberpfalz, sparked in a Silicon Valley cafe
• Why JCON happens in Cologne and how the location supports attendees
• The wider German JUG landscape and how groups coordinate dates
• Free JCON tickets for JUG members
• JAVAPRO magazine and how it covers the German-speaking Java community
• Session content at JCON, including AI talks and the 1ON1 format
• Notable talks from JUG meetings and how Java keeps evolving

Why it matters

Local user groups often do the heavy lifting that keeps a tech community alive. This conversation shows how a single JUG can stretch into a conference and a magazine when the organizers stay committed. For anyone running or attending a JUG, the story offers a practical look at what sustained community work produces.

See the Foojay Podcast #48 for all info, shownotes, links, etc.