German Culture

All about Germany

Weiberfastnacht, or Kiss for Your Tie!

Weiberfastnacht is a holiday celebrated mostly in the Rhineland on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. Originally a special day for women’s carnival, but now celebrated by both sexes as the beginning of the six-day peak of the carnival season. Women take charge of men on Carnival Thursday by cutting off their ties and giving them a kiss. The … [Read more...]

Pumpernickel – German Rye Bread

Pumpernickel is a typically heavy, slightly sweet rye bread traditionally made with sourdough starter and coarsely ground rye. It is often made today with a combination of rye flour and whole rye berries. Pumpernickel has been long associated with the Westphalia region of Germany, first referred to in print in 1450. Although it is not known whether … [Read more...]

German Dream

With the fifth largest economy in the world, Germany is Europe’s land of opportunity for skilled professionals. In addition to high job security and a favorable work-life balance, people are also thrilled with how safe the country is and with its high quality of medical care. For about two centuries, Germany was a land people migrated from, not … [Read more...]

Gun Laws in Germany

The German system of gun control is among the most stringent in Europe. It restricts the acquisition, possession, and carrying of firearms to those with a creditable need for a weapon. It bans fully automatic weapons and severely restricts the acquisition of other types of weapons. Compulsory liability insurance is required for anyone who is … [Read more...]

Small Talk in Germany

Germans are said to be rather serious, dour, and even humorless. While this is not entirely true, German people do indeed need some time to warm up and keep a polite distance when dealing with strangers. While it might be customary in some countries to address people by their first name, Germans like to stick to formalities. At the same time, their … [Read more...]

The Thousand-year Rose of Hildesheim

The Thousand-year Rose (Tausendjähriger Rosenstock) is also known as the Rose of Hildesheim. It grows on a wall of the Hildesheim Cathedral, a Catholic cathedral in Hildesheim, Germany, that is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. The cathedral and the adjacent St. Michael's Church have been on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since … [Read more...]

15 Curious Facts about Germany

Every country and culture is based on different habits and behavior. Here are some fun facts about Germany and Germans that you definitely need to know. 1. Germany is one of the most densely populated countries in Europe. Yes, the country has a staggering population size of 83,517,000 people, and counting! And, even though Germany is a rather … [Read more...]

Schäufele – Pork Shoulder Baden Style

Schäufele (also "Schäuferle", "Schüfeli", "Schäuferla" or "Schäufelchen") is a traditional dish from the south of Germany. It is made from the pig's shoulder meat, which gives the dish its name, "Schäufele". The meat is cured and smoked before it is simmered in a broth of water, red wine, onions, bay laurel, cloves and other … [Read more...]

Katharina von Bora

Katharina von Bora, after her wedding Katharina Luther, also referred to as "die Lutherin", was the wife of Martin Luther, German reformer and a seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation. Beyond what is found in the writings of Luther and some of his contemporaries, little is known about her. Born into a noble but poor family on 29 January … [Read more...]

Common German Grammar Mistakes to Avoid

There is nothing wrong with making mistakes - the point is to learn from them when you make them so you can avoid making them again and come yet one step closer to proficiency. Two of the common errors that beginners typically make are: first, those garbled sentences that you can avoid only by learning whole new structures and making sure you … [Read more...]