For many visitors, one of the first cultural surprises in Germany arrives not at a famous castle or … (More)
Featured Stories
Kartoffelbrot – German Potato Bread
This delicious bread is made from mashed potatoes and flour. The combination may seem a little unusual but the end result is extraordinarily soft and springy bread. Ingredients: 300 g potatoes, peeled, boiled 1 tsp dried fast-action yeast 1 tsp sugar 1 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing 1 tsp fine sea salt 300g […]
Allerheiligentag (All Saints’ Day) in Germany
Halloween’s Origins and Traditions of Celebration in Germany Halloween is when all demons and witches are out for the night hunting, and when there are pumpkins glaring out of the windows, and when it’s better to give a treat instead of being tricked… Halloween is celebrated each year on October 31. It had its beginnings […]
Daily German Life in Blumenau: Food, Language, Customs
Wander through the streets of Blumenau and you might think you’ve stumbled into a pocket of Germany set down in the lush tropics of Brazil. Half-timbered houses line the roads. Locals sip beer from hefty steins. Street names echo German towns. Even the rhythm of the language – a blend of Portuguese with unmistakable German […]
August 11 in German History
August 11, 1086 Birth of Heinrich V, King of the Germans and Holy Roman Emperor. He was the son of Heinrich IV and like his father led the investiture battle with the popes. He came to power by arresting his father and forcing him to abdicate. He won in the investiture battle too by arresting […]
February 27 in German History
February 27, 272 Birth of Constantine. Constantine the Great was the emperor of the Roman Empire. He had started his political career as one of the four Roman Emperors at the time of the division of power. He ruled the Western Empire from the city of Trier (now in Germany). He later waged battle against […]
April 25 in German History
April 25, 1849 Birth of Felix Klein (1849-1925) in Düsseldorf, Germany. Klein was a German mathematician, known for his work in group theory, complex analysis, non-Euclidean geometry, and on the connections between geometry and group theory. His 1872 Erlangen Program, classifying geometries by their underlying symmetry groups, was a hugely influential synthesis of much of […]
Hamburg – European Melting Pot
Over the years Hamburg is well-known city all over the world and the main reason of such popularity is its famous incredibly huge harbor. Hamburg harbor can be called its ‘gates’ providing both commercial and cultural prosperity of the city. Serving the country as the European entry for centuries Hamburg harbor inhabited city with thousands […]
The Role of Potatoes in German Cuisine
From the Andes to the Abendbrot Table The potato may have originated in South America, but few countries have embraced it with as much enthusiasm and creativity as Germany. Today, it’s hard to imagine German cuisine without it – from dumplings and soups to salads and crispy cakes. But this starchy staple didn’t always belong […]
Nürnberger Rostbratwurst – Recipe and History
Short, thin, and bursting with flavor, the Nürnberger Rostbratwurst may look modest, but it’s a true heavyweight in German sausage culture. Protected by EU law and rooted in over 700 years of culinary tradition, this little sausage is one of the most distinctive and beloved foods of Franconia, a region in northern Bavaria. Served grilled […]
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March 12 in German History
March 12, 1821 Birth of Luitpold in Würzburg, Germany. Luitpold was the third son of Ludwig I. During the reign of Ludwig II ("Mad King Ludwig" who built the wonderful castles) he served as … [Read More...]
Happy Birthday, Beetle!
In the middle of the 1930s Adolf Hitler - leader of the Nazi Germany - ordered Ferdinand Porsche to create a new "car for the people". Thus the history of Volkswagen started. Porsche began to … [Read More...]
German Baking Recipes
There’s something almost magical about the smell of freshly baked bread or a cinnamon-laced pastry wafting from a German kitchen. Welcome to the delicious world of German Baking Recipes, where … [Read More...]
August 27 in German History
August 27, 1730 Birth of Johann Georg Hamann in Königsberg, Prussia (now in Russia). Hamann was a contemporary of Immanuel Kant. Both Kant and Hamann resided in Königsberg. After a series of … [Read More...]
Winter Walks and Waldspaziergang: The German Art of Forest Wandering Through Winter’s Embrace
When the first frost settles over the German landscape and bare branches etch intricate patterns against pale winter skies, millions of Germans lace up their boots and head into the forest. This is … [Read More...]
November 21 in German History
November 21, 1555 Death of Georgius Agricola (original name, Georg Bauer) in Chemnitz, Germany. Agricola was a humanist, physician and scientist who is often called "the father of mineralogy". He was … [Read More...]
Lübecker Plettenpudding
A dessert that really tastes like Sunday. Plettenpudding is a kind of trifle with vanilla pudding and raspberries. This dessert is featured in one of Germany's most popular novels, the family epic The … [Read More...]
Zeppelins the Bombers
Zeppelins became the frightful reality of WWI. The huge ships carried and dropped the bombs on France and Britain, and there was no defense against the midnight raids of the monsters. The cruising … [Read More...]
Bismarck’s Foreign Policy
The crash of 1873 and the subsequent depression began the gradual dissolution of Bismarck's alliance with the National Liberals that had begun after his triumphs of 1866. In the late 1870s, Bismarck … [Read More...]
November 6 in German History
November 6, 1672 Death of Heinrich Schütz in Dresden, Germany. One of the most talented early German composers, Schütz was given the position of court composer in Dresden. Works by Schütz … [Read More...]