For many visitors, one of the first cultural surprises in Germany arrives not at a famous castle or … (More)
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August 6 in German History
August 6, 1789 Birth of Friedrich List in Reutlingen, Germany. List was an economist who felt that protective tariffs were essential to industrial development. Due to his liberal ideas, he was exiled from Germany in 1825 and came to the United States where he had some influence with his views on tariffs. List’s principal work […]
Kartoffelsalat – Traditional German Recipe
Few dishes represent German culinary tradition as fully as Kartoffelsalat – the beloved German Potato Salad served everywhere from Bavarian beer gardens to family Christmas dinners. It is hearty, tangy, and endlessly adaptable. Whether creamy with mayonnaise or sharp with vinegar and broth, Kartoffelsalat is a staple of everyday life and festive tables alike. This […]
February 22 in German History
February 22, 1455 Birth of Johannes Reuchlin in Pforzheim, Germany. Reuchlin was a scholar of ancient Greek and Latin who also developed a keen interest in Hebrew language and literature. In 1509 the Cologne Dominican, Johannes Pfefferkorn, persuaded the emperor to order the destruction of Hebrew books because they were a danger to Christianity. Reuchlin’s […]
Currywurst
Legend has it that creator of currywurst was the housewife Herta Heuwer from the Charlottenburg district of Berlin. In 1949, she mixed together Worcestershire sauce, spices and ketchup, blended this with cooked tomatoes and onions and made a warm spicy sauce to cover deep fried sliced Knackwurst (Knockwurst). By trial and error Herta had created […]
Dining with Germans: Table Manners That Will Impress
Dining in Germany is more than nourishment – it’s a structured, culturally meaningful ritual that blends tradition, etiquette, and unspoken social codes. If you’re ever invited to a German home or planning to dine out in Berlin, Munich, or a quiet village in the Mosel, understanding how to behave at the table will help you […]
The Middle Ages in German History
Picture a castle perched high on a misty hill, knights in chainmail clanking through narrow village streets, and monks illuminating manuscripts in candlelit scriptoriums. Welcome to The Middle Ages in German History, a time of feudal lords, imperial ambitions, epic poetry, and brewing revolts. Far from being a dark age, this period laid the foundations […]
Rise of Brandenburg-Prussia
In the aftermath of the Thirty Years’ War, most of Germany lay in ruins – disunited, depopulated, and politically fragmented. Yet out of this chaos rose a seemingly unlikely power: Brandenburg-Prussia. Small, scattered, and lacking natural resources, the state would transform over the next century into a disciplined, centralized, and respected European force. The rise […]
Top 100 German Verbs
This verb list comes from Randall Jones & Erwin Tschirner’s A Frequency Dictionary of German. Core Vocabulary for Learners, which lists the 4034 most commonly used words in German. Here are the 100 most common German verbs along with their English translations. You just have to learn these verbs to start studying German because they […]
Dialects vs. Standard German: Why Both Still Matter
To an outsider, the German language may seem straightforward – especially if you’re learning it from a textbook or app. But once you set foot in Germany, you quickly realize that there’s not just one German. Instead, you’ll hear dozens of regional flavors, from the melodic drawl of Bavarian to the crisp consonants of Saxon. […]
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November 27 in German History
November 27, 1680 Death of Athanasius Kirchner in Rome (born in Geisa, Germany). Kirchner studied in Fulda, Paderborn, Cologne and Koblenz. In 1628 he was ordained a Jesuit priest in Mainz. In 1634 … [Read More...]
Werner Herzog
“Together, I said, we shall boil fire and stop fish.” Werner Herzog (real name Werner H. Stipetic) was born in Munich on September 5, 1942. He grew up in a remote mountain village, where were … [Read More...]
Schloss Bürresheim – a Medieval Castle in the Woodlands
The castle of Bürresheim is located at northwest of Mayen on a rock spur in the Nettetal. It belongs to the local church Sankt Johann. Together with Burg Eltz and the castle Lissingen, it is one of … [Read More...]
Frankfurter Würstchen – The Original German Hot Dog
Long, slender, and lightly smoked, the Frankfurter Würstchen is Germany’s closest cousin to the American hot dog – and in fact, it came first. This mild, finely textured sausage is traditionally … [Read More...]
How to Drive in Germany
It's true: there are no speed limits on many sections of German autobahns. But there are plenty of other regulations you should be aware of. While most traffic rules are the same in Germany as they … [Read More...]
Berlinale – Berlin International Film Festival
Berlinale is one of the largest film festival, a mega cultural event, one of the most important dates in the international film's industry. More than 19,000 film professionals from 120 countries, … [Read More...]
November 17 in German History
November 17, 1231 Death of St. Elisabeth von Thüringen (1207 - 1231). St. Elisabeth was born in 1207 in Hungary. At the age of 4 Elisabeth was engaged to the 11 year old son of the duke of … [Read More...]
Saffron Buns (St. Lucia Buns)
Ingredients: *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter 1-1/3 cups milk 1 teaspoon saffron threads, chopped fine and soaked in a few drops of water 1 … [Read More...]
The Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Keen to gain international recognition of its sphere of interest and believing that such recognition would solidify its grip on its East European satellite states, the Soviet Union, beginning in the … [Read More...]
October 4 in German History
October 4, 1515 The painter Lucas Cranach the Younger is born in Bamberg, Germany. Lucas Cranach was a German Renaissance painter and portraitist, the son of Lucas Cranach the Elder. He began his … [Read More...]