I paid into the DR for nearly 13 years and, since I reach offical retirement age next year, am in the process of ensuring everything is in order when the time comes to make an application for a pension, in conjunction with the DWP (I spent most of my working life working in the UK and paying NI.)
But it is a lonely business! I'd love to discuss mixed pension arrangements with someone who had already been through the whole process and is now happily receiving his/her maximum state pension from abroad and from the UK. They may be able to give hints in case one gets the runaround, or how to approach grievances, if any, and so on. It's good to talk!
There must have been many like me who in the 1970s migrated to other countries to work while intending to return to the UK eventually. In my case it was the Bundesrepublik and initially the Arbeiterversicherung, then the Angstelltenversicherung and now it's called the Deutsche Rentenversicherung.
Many thanks.
MM