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How to Prepare for a Trip to Germany

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If you are planning a trip to Germany but have no idea what to pack, here is everything you need to know about what to pack for your trip and the essential items you absolutely must take with you, plus a few packing tips and tricks, for good measure.

Germany has so much to offer visitors. Whether it’s the World War II history throughout the country or the Bavarian charm of Munich or the chic vibe of urban Berlin, there’s something for every type of traveler.

What to pack for summer and spring

Like all good European countries, Germany comes alive in the warmer months. We’re talking long days filled with gorgeous sunshine and blue skies, getting lost exploring winding streets and eating all the gelato you can handle. It’s a magical place! Here’s some things you’ll need to pack:

  • Pack lots of light, breathable clothing options. The people of Germany are very stylish and cool, so don’t be afraid to pack some nice outfits
  • I’d recommend packing flowing cotton skirts, denim shorts and skirts and cotton dresses
  • Consider packing vest/singlet tops as well as t-shirts and blouses too, if you like
  • Make sure you pack comfortable footwear as you’ll spend a lot of time walking; you’ll need a pair of sneakers as well as comfortable flats and sandals
  • I recommend you bring a hat or two as well as sunglasses and sunscreen
  • Be sure to pack your swimwear so you can make the most of the hotel pool if you have one
  • You may want to pack a few ‘nice’ outfits for special dinners or nights out, though I’d avoid high-heels

What to pack for winter and autumn

If you’re visiting in the colder seasons, winter and autumn, you’re going to need to pack very warm clothes. I’ve been in Munich and Berlin in winter and, honestly, the cold is no joke! The last thing you want is to be too cold to explore the Christmas markets. Here are some things you’ll need to pack to survive:

  • Warm headwear, like a good-quality wool beanie, as well as warm gloves and scarves
  • You’ll need at least two very warm coats, I’d recommend at least one of these be a waterproof, insulated jacket the other could be a nice pea coat or similar
  • Lots of warm clothes you can layer, like wool sweaters, long-sleeve shirts and so on
  • Consider packing thermal long-johns if you tend to feel the cold (me) and use these as a base layer for extra warmth
  • You’ll need to pack a few pairs of jeans, make sure they’re the nice thick kind and not just ‘jeggings’
  • Remember to pack a few pairs of very warm socks and comfortable, closed-in shoes that you can spend all day walking in
  • You should also remember to pack a pair of boots if you have them, and some tights too if you want to layer them with skirts
  • Don’t forget to pack your swimwear, because there can quite often be nice warm saunas and heated swimming pools around the place

As a member of the Eurozone, the price of traveling in Germany can depend on your home currency. The economy in the country is one of the most stable in Europe, so you probably won’t have to worry about economic crises during your visit.

It’s possible to fly within Germany, namely from Munich to Berlin, but is totally unnecessary. Not only would you miss all the gorgeous scenery in between but you’d also be wasting money. Trains are how everyone, especially the Germans, get around as it’s efficient and easy. You can use a rail pass during my 2012 trip around the country.

Essentials for all-year round

luggage full and ready to travel

Charging station
If you travel with a whole lot of gear that needs to be charged on the regular, you’re going to need more than one power point. Buy one power-point converter and take a power board with multiple plug-ins on it. It makes life so much easier! Here’s a look at the type of power plug & outlet type they have in Germany.

Medicines
Bring a small bag packed full of essential medicines with you, bring things like cold and flu tablets, hay fever/allergy medicine, ibuprofen, paracetamol, tums and Imodium. People who suffer from hay fever, asthma or other allergies may find the pollution causes them to play up, so keep that in mind. You should also definitely pack your prescription medicines and anything special you may require, like a Ventolin inhaler for asthmatics.

SunSmart gear 
You’ll definitely need sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen with high SPF to protect you from the sun’s harsh rays and I always recommend Cancer Council’s sunscreen. Remember, sunscreen is only as good as its user and it’s up to you to reapply during the day to ensure you don’t get burned. Remember, cloudy days mean UV rays!

While a number of German words are cognates, it’s not the easiest language to pick up for travelers. Learn the prefixes and a few key words. For example, “bahnhof” means train station, with “bahn” being train and “hof” being station. It’s also a good idea to learn the words for types of foods in case you’re picky or have sensitivities.

A number of museums offer free admission on certain days of the month, so plan your visit around them when possible. I also went on a few free walking tours in Hamburg, Berlin and Munich, Germany with Sandeman’s New Europe. Tips are welcome, though, so be sure to save a few euros if you enjoy your tour.




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How to Get a Work Permit for Germany

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Obtaining a work permit for Germany is not always easy. Your success in the application process depends on various factors: your nationality, your occupation, even your annual salary. Here are the key aspects that you have to keep in mind.

General Considerations

Over the past few years, the German government has tried to encourage the migration of highly qualified professionals by introducing a new residence title for Germany. The aging population and a shortage of engineers, IT specialists, healthcare staff, etc. have become major challenges.

EU nationals, as well as people from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, don’t need a visa or official permission to hold a job in Germany. However, intra-European migration may not be enough to compensate for the lack of qualified employees. Therefore, getting a work visa (aka “Blue Card EU”) has become easier for selected, well-paid third-country nationals with a university degree.

Nowadays, an employment permit for Germany is usually issued together with their residence permit. Plenty of people holding a German residence permit are allowed to start working in Germany too, unless their residence title explicitly says otherwise.

Nonetheless, immigration laws do remain rather strict. Except for the cases mentioned above, it is not always easy to take up gainful employment.

Moreover, no other document can replace your residence and / or work permit for Germany. Do not consider working without one. If caught, both you and your employer will have to pay high fines. And without such permits, no insurance company will cover you in case of workplace accidents or occupational diseases.

Country of Origin

Acquiring a work permit for Germany strongly depends on your nationality. If you are a citizen of an EU member state, you needn’t apply for one. There are, however, temporary exceptions for citizens of Croatia. They have to get a so-called EU work permit from the Federal Employment Agency. This requirement will be abolished by June 30, 2015, though.

Citizens of other states usually need to apply for a work permit for Germany from abroad, together with their visa. Handing in your application from within Germany is only possible for expats from a few selected countries (e.g. Canada or the US).

Once you kick off the process, the German diplomatic mission will contact the immigration department (Ausländerbehörde) in Germany. In turn, this office gets in touch with the Federal Employment Agency.

The agency can then approve your application, issue the permit, and submit it to the Ausländerbehörde. From there, it is passed on to the diplomatic mission where you have originally applied for your visa.

If you are interested in an employment visa for Germany, go to the nearest German Embassy or Consulate in order to:

  • apply in person
  • bring a valid passport and at least one copy thereof
  • supply several passport photographs
  • pay the required fee
  • provide additional documents (e.g. a certificate of good conduct, a job contract, diplomas and references, etc.).

Details regarding the visa application process may vary according to your country of origin. Please contact your local German Embassy to check the exact requirements.

If you are already employed at the foreign branch office of a German company, this is likely to speed up things. Your employer can help you with the immigration process or provide you with a contract for an intra-company transfer. The latter often makes it a lot easier to obtain a work visa for Germany.





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German Dual Citizenship
How to Move to Germany

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How to Move to Germany

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If you do not want to completely say goodbye to your own country in order to live in Germany, permanent residency to guarantee you can stay long-term might be a better bet.

Taking up residency in Germany can be a tricky topic that involves a fair bit of paperwork. This article will list the most common types of German residence permits and explain how to register with local authorities upon arrival.

Just like obtaining a German visa, acquiring a German residence permit is strongly tied to your nationality and your reasons for coming to Germany. First of all, nationals of EU or EEA member states do not need a residence permit at all. As long as they move to Germany for work or study or have some way to financially support themselves, they enjoy full mobility within the EU. Upon arrival, they still need to register with the local authorities, though.

For an expat from outside the EU, a residence permit is usually issued for the purpose of employment or education in Germany. It is also possible to get one for joining a spouse or parent living in Germany. However, in the last case, this does not necessarily include permission to work in Germany.

The duration of your residence permit usually reflects your personal situation, i.e. your living and working conditions. Getting an extension is usually not a problem if your situation doesn’t change. For example, if you keep working for the same company year after year, your residence permit should be renewed as a matter of course.

The following article solely focuses on the available types of residence permits. Furthermore, it explains how to register with the local authorities after you’ve moved to Germany.

Types of Residence Permits

All foreign residents from non-EU member states need a residence permit for planned stays longer than 90 days, regardless of their country of origin. A short-term visa for visitors can only be extended under special circumstances, e.g. if you fall seriously ill before your intended date of departure.

Usually, you have to apply for a visa plus a residence permit (and work permit, if necessary) at an embassy or consulate. Nationals from a few selected countries can also obtain these after arriving in Germany. There are just a few exceptions to this rule, especially for asylum seekers and political refugees. Obviously, they don’t have to go through the regular application process via a diplomatic mission.

For a typical expat moving to Germany, the following kinds of residence permits might be of interest:

  • the temporary residence permit,
  • the Blue Card,
  • the EC long-term residence permit, and
  • the permanent settlement permit.

The general requirements for these permits are that you have adequate German skills, can support yourself financially, have health insurance and have no criminal record.

You can apply for what’s called permanent EC residence after living in Germany for five years under some form of limited residence permit (ie a work permit). This permit also means you can live anywhere else in the EU as well.

There’s also a settlement permit. This one does not allow you to move around the EU in the same way, but sometimes you can get it in less than five years.

For the settlement permit, students of a German university can apply two years after graduation. And EU Blue Card holders (people with a gross income over €49,600, or €38,688 depending on the profession) can get permanent residence after working 33 months, or just 21 months with a B1 language certificate.

Plus, self-employed people with a successfully established business can also apply within three years.

Germany also will grant immediate permanent residence to “highly qualified” immigrants, such as scientists, instructors or researchers, who also have firm job offers.

A temporary residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) is the most common type. It’s generally valid for one year. How often it has to be renewed strongly depends on your employment status, your occupation, and your nationality. For example, a US expatriate who has an unlimited job contract with a company based in Germany may receive a permit that needs to be renewed after three years. However, if the same person only has a limited employment contract for the next two years, their residence permit will run out after around two years as well.

As long as your personal situation doesn’t change, the renewal of your residence permit is mostly a formality. However, if you change employers, lose your job, separate from your spouse, etc., all this can impact your residence status. In such cases, it’s best to contact the local Ausländerbehörde (Aliens Registration Office) immediately. You can also consult an immigration lawyer for further advice.

The EU Blue Card is a temporary residence permit plus work permit for highly-qualified employees. It’s easier to apply for than a regular employment visa. At the moment, you need a university degree and a confirmed job offer with an annual salary of EUR 47,600 or more. Expats working in engineering, IT, medical care, or the natural sciences may also qualify for a Blue Card if they earn at least EUR 37,128 per year. An EU Blue Card is normally valid for up to four years. The spouses of Blue Card holders are allowed to live and work in Germany, too. Moreover, it’s easier for expatriates with Blue Cards to obtain a permanent settlement permit.

Settlement Permits

Most foreign residents can apply for a permanent residence permit – a “settlement permit” (Niederlassungserlaubnis) – after five years. Some people may get it sooner: For example, if you are a non-EU national married to a German citizen, you could file your application for a settlement permit after three years. If you have graduated from a German university and hold a temporary residence permit for paid employment, you can even submit your application after two years.

However, you need to fulfill various other conditions: You have to prove some basic knowledge of the German language, Germany’s political system, and German society. Moreover, you need to show that you are able to earn a living and that you have made financial contributions to Germany’s national pension plan for five years. Proof of accommodation is also required.

In a few rare cases, a permanent residence permit is granted at once. For instance, highly qualified people, such as academic teaching and research staff, and scholars, can receive a settlement permit immediately if they can financially support themselves and have adapted well to the local culture.

The so-called “EU long-term residence permit” is almost identical to the German settlement permit. It was mostly introduced to comply with a new EU directive. However, if you obtain the EU long-term residence permit in Germany, this allows you to move to other EU member states. Unlike people with a regular residence permit or settlement permit, you receive full access to the labor market and social security schemes in the European Union.





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How to Get German Citizenship
German Dual Citizenship
How to Get a Work Permit for Germany

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German Dual Citizenship

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While most nationalities must denounce their nationality in order to get German citizenship, German law permits certain people to hold two citizenships in certain circumstances.

German dual citizenship can be granted in the following situations:

  • Children with one German and one foreign parent, or a parent who has two citizenships, automatically acquire all the citizenships of their parents.
  • Resettlers of ethnic German descent and their family members (admitted along with them) do not have to renounce their previous citizenship when they acquire German citizenship.
  • Germans who acquire citizenship of another EU country or Switzerland do not automatically lose their German citizenship.

Any child who acquires German citizenship by right of being born in Germany or naturalisation and who holds citizenship elsewhere must decide by age 23 whether to retain their German citizenship or give preference to the other citizenship.

Even if you hold German dual citizenship, you are still wholly viewed as a German citizen by German law and have the same rights as any German citizen. However, if you chose to live in your home country (or any country where you hold citizenship) you will lose your right to claim German consular protection; instead, you will be viewed by your home country as one of its citizens and thus their services apply.

Having a German dual citizenship is not an easy task. You cannot have dual citizenship in Germany unless you belong to one of these groups:

  • You are from an EU country or the former Soviet Union
  • You are from a country which does not allow you to give up your citizenship
  • You are an ethnic German
  • You have parents from the U.S
  • You have obtained permission from the German authorities to retain another citizenship

You could have a dual citizenship, but the country you live in determines what rights you will have. If you live in Germany, the country considers you a German citizen and you are entitled to German services and consular help. However, if you live in the country of your other citizenship, you cannot take advantage of German services and cannot get any help from the German consulate.

However, this does not mean that you can give up your obligations. In many instances, you might be required to pay taxes in both countries where you have your citizenships as well as complete military service as per German law.

Dual Citizenship USA/Germany

Based on U.S and German law, you can have a citizenship of both countries. This can happen only in the instances where the child is born to one American and one German parent. In this case, the child is not required to give up either nationality and can hold both.

However, if the child lives in the U.S, they might have the citizenship of Germany, but cannot take advantage of German services. The other way around applies as well. U.S and German dual nationals are not exempt from military service, and can be required to file taxes in both countries. In addition, they cannot enter the U.S with a German passport and the other way around. They must present the German passport to enter Germany and the U.S passport to enter the U.S.

In another case, if an American citizen applies for naturalization in Germany, the American will have to give up their U.S citizenship to obtain the German one.

Dual Citizenship Germany/UK

As is the case with dual citizenship for U.S and Germany, the same applies to Germany and the U.K. Children born with one parent from the U.K and one from Germany have the right to retain both citizenships.

With the exit of the U.K from the EU though, the matters have become more complicated for those working and living in Germany with a UK citizenship. Germany allows dual citizenships for EU nationals, but now that the U.K will not be in the EU due to Brexit, what will happen is still unclear.

It has been proposed that UK citizens get dual nationalities for Germany so that they can have freedom of movement within the EU. This remains to be solved and is up to whether Germany will allow U.K citizens who apply for German citizenship to keep their U.K citizenship too.

Giving up the German Citizenship

German rules do not allow its citizens to give up the German citizenship. More specifically, if the German citizen wants to renounce their citizenship to avoid obligation to Germany such as taxes or military service, they will not be allowed to do this. So since you cannot give up the citizenship, you can lose it under these circumstances:

  • If you request it from the German authorities and another country has offered you citizenship
  • If a German child is adopted by a foreigner, they will lose German citizenship
  • If you join the military forces of the country where you hold another citizenship without the permission of the German authorities
  • If you obtain another citizenship, you will lose the German citizenship
  • If your citizenship has been obtained through naturalization and you lose it due to illegal activities

Renaturalization of German Citizenship

If you have renounced your German citizenship in the past or have lost it for reasons other than criminal activity, you can apply for renaturalization. The procedure will be the same as with those who apply for naturalization the first time, and you will have to give up all previous citizenships.





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How to Get German Citizenship

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How to Get German CitizenshipGetting German Citizenship is one of the top questions we get so we have decided to summarize the information for those who are willing to get started.

The German Foreign Office quite ominously warns on its website that “German citizenship law is relatively complicated” and that they can only answer “the issues which currently dominate the inquiries”.

Becoming a German will probably mean renouncing your current citizenship, but there’s also the option to gain permanent residency. Find out what works for you.

What does it mean to have German Citizenship?

When you are living in Germany only as a permanent resident, you do not qualify as a citizen of Germany. This puts some restrictions in your status, and that is why so many permanent residents of Germany seek to get citizenship.

Having German citizenship gives you rights and freedoms that non-citizens do not have. You will have these opportunities as a German citizen:

  • The right to vote
  • The right of free movement
  • The right of assembly and association
  • The right of consular protection
  • Unrestricted access to find a job in Germany
  • The right to become a civil servant, etc.

Besides the rights as per the German constitution, you will also have the obligations and duties that each German citizen has. This includes the integration in society, respect for and obedience of all laws, and even German military service.

Types of German Citizenship

Becoming a German citizen is not possible under all circumstances. There are three general instances that can lead to you getting German citizenship.

    • By naturalization
    • By right of blood or in Latin Jus Sanguinis
    • By right of soil or in Latin Jus Soli

Getting citizenship by naturalization implies that you have fulfilled certain requirements that the German government has set and you qualify to apply for German citizenship. The other type, by right of blood or Jus Sanguinis means that you get German citizenship if you are a direct descendant of German citizens. This includes only your parents and no other relatives. By right of soil or Jus Soli means that you are born within the borders of Germany, so in German soil and that is how you get your citizenship.

All people with the exception of EU, EEA, or Swiss nationals, must fulfill requirements and fall into one of these categories for getting German citizenship.

Despite these three instances being quite straightforward, each one of them has its own rules and regulations, which we will discuss further.

German Naturalization

German naturalization means that after a certain period of living in Germany as a permanent resident, you apply to become a citizen. There are many restrictions and requirements for obtaining naturalization, so not everyone can get it.

German Citizenship Requirements for Naturalization

The requirements that you need to fulfill in order to qualify for naturalization are as follows:

  • You must have lived in Germany on a residence permit for at least 8 years, or
  • You must have lived in Germany on a residence permit for 7 years and attended an integration course (this becomes 6 years on special integration circumstances)
  • You must prove German language proficiency of at least B1
  • You must be financially able to support yourself and your family without any help from the state
  • You must be a law-abiding citizen with no criminal record
  • You must pass a citizenship test
  • You must renounce any previous citizenships

Your residence records are in the government system so that will be an easy requirement to fulfill. For financial stability, you can submit bank statements and other documents, which state your financial situation. In addition, you must give up all previous citizenships, except if the other country does not allow it or it is impossible to give it up. This is the case with many countries in conflict, such as Syria.

One of the most important requirements in this case, which you must prove through testing is your language proficiency. You can prove that you know German up to the B1 level required by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, by providing any of these documents:

  • A German language certificate such as the Zertifikat Deutsch
  • A certification that you have obtained through an integration course, such as the “DTZ – German test for immigrants”
  • A certificate which proves you have completed a German secondary school
  • Admissions proof in a German upper secondary school
  • A certificate which proves you have completed at least 4 years of school in German with a passing grade
  • Proof of completion of higher education degrees in German

If you do not have any document, which proves your language proficiency, you can complete a government language test administered by your citizenship authority. Either way, you must know German in order to be eligible for naturalization or any other type of German citizenship.

How to apply for German Citizenship Naturalization?

If you can prove that you meet all the requirements for naturalization, you can begin your application process. All persons over the age of 16 are obliged to apply. Parents and legal guardians of children under 16 years old apply for them. The steps to applying for naturalization are as follows:

Get an application form

Since Germany is a big country, each state and place has their immigration office to apply for naturalization. To begin the process, you must get a naturalization application form from one of the following places:

  • The local immigration office
  • If you live in an urban area, go to the city council
  • If you live in a German district, go to the regional district office
  • The town council or any other local authorities

Fill the application form and start compiling a file with all documents, which prove you meet the requirements.

Pass the German Citizenship Test

To prove that you are ready to gain German citizenship, you must pass the citizenship test. This test includes 33 multiple choice questions on German living, society, rules, and laws, as well as questions specific to the place you live. The test takes one hour and you must answer at least 17 questions correctly to pass the test. When you pass the test, you will get a naturalization certificate, which you can add to your document file.

To prepare for the test, you can take an integration course, use the practice test options of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, or simply read more information on German life and laws.

The German citizenship test costs EUR 25, and the local naturalization office in your area can tell you where your nearest test center is so you can register. You need to bring a form of ID on the test day.

You can be exempt from the naturalization test if you belong to any of these groups:

  • You cannot take the test due to old age, illness, or disability
  • You are under 16 years old
  • You have a higher education degree from a German university in politics, law, or social sciences

Pay the naturalization fees

There are also certain fees associated with applying for German citizenship through naturalization. These are the fees you must pay:

  • Application form for 255 Euros for adults
  • Application form for 51 Euros for children under 16 years old
  • Naturalization/Citizenship test for 25 Euros
  • Citizenship certificate for 25 Euros

Submit all documents

Take the documents which prove you meet naturalization requirements, your application form, the receipts that you have paid all fees, and your naturalization certificate to the office from which you have taken the application form. The officers will go through your case and if approved, you will get the citizenship certificate. The certificate now proves that you are a citizen of Germany and not just a permanent resident.

German Citizenship by Marriage

People who qualify for naturalization are not only those who have had permanent residence in Germany for a specified period of time. If you marry a German citizen you can also get citizenship by applying for naturalization.

Foreign nationals who are already married to a German national must still meet all naturalization requirements and pass the test. However, they should also meet the marriage requirements. This means that the foreign national spouse cannot apply for naturalization unless, the couple has been married for at least two years and have lived in Germany for at least three years.

German Citizenship by Descent

The second type of German citizenship is by right of blood or Jus Sanguinis. This means that you have at least one German parent and it does not take into account whether you were born in Germany or not. You get the German citizenship by descent if your parents register you to the German authorities in the country you are born before you turn one year old. If your parents have different nationalities, you get the German citizenship; however, between the ages of 18 and 23 years old, you will have 5 years to decide which nationality you want to retain.

In addition, if your parents are divorced, then you can get German citizenship by descent only if your parent recognizes you as their legal child by the rules of German law.

You cannot get German citizenship if you were born in a foreign country and your German parents were also born in a foreign country after January 1st, 2000. This rule can be surpassed only if you as the child would be stateless if the German authorities did not accept you and give you a German citizenship. In addition, you cannot claim German citizenship through any other ancestors except your parents, including German citizenship through grandparents.

Another instance where you can get German citizenship through ancestry is if you were adopted by German citizens as a child under 18 years old.

German citizenship by Birth

If you do not have German parents, but are born within the borders of Germany, you qualify for citizenship by birth or by right of soil. This is also the Jus Soli citizenship. You can get this type of citizenship on the following conditions:

  • If at least one of your parents has lived in Germany for at least 8 years before the birth of the child
  • If at the time the child is born, one of the parents had a permanent residence permit

In getting this type of citizenship, the child will again have to choose the citizenship of the parents or the citizenship of Germany between the ages of 18 and 23 years old. The child must give up the nationalities of the parents in order to get the German one, or apply for dual citizenship.

Only children born after February 2nd, 1990, have the right to get this type of citizenship.





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German Dual Citizenship
How to Move to Germany
How to Get a Work Permit for Germany

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How to Cook Gingerbread Cookies

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Gingerbread cookies are traditionally made in Germany for Christmas. Cook them anytime, and let some Christmas into the house right now!

Difficulty Level: Average      Time Required: 30 min

 Here’s How:

  1. Heat 3/4 cup honey, 3/8 cup sugar and 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan until smooth.
  2. Stir in ginger, black pepper, ground cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander and nutmeg (a pinch of each).
  3. Let cool.
  4. Sift 2 cups flour into a bowl, add the honey mass and one egg yolk. Mix well.
  5. Dissolve 1 tsp baking soda in 1 tbsp warm water and add to the mixture. 
  6. Knead in 1 cup flour to make a firm dough.
  7. Heat the oven to 160 C. 
  8. Roll out the dough to 1 cm thick.
  9. Cut out your favorite figures and place on a greased baking sheet.
  10. Bake for 10-12 min and let cool.
  11. For icing mix 4 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp lemon juice and 1 tsp water.
  12. Decorate the cookies when cool.

Tips:

  • Use the heavy-based saucepan.  
  • Make the dough firm enough to come away from the bowl’s sides.  




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Party Like a German

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Party Like a GermanIt’s party season, and to help you seamlessly blend into German life and culture we’ve put together our top ten ways you can avoid embarrassment while you’re keeping out the winter chill.

1. Arrive on time. Germans love nothing more than punctuality. While ‘fashionably late“ might be a desirable quality in more laid-back countries, it won’t win you any friends east of the Rhine.

2. Know where your coat is. The first thing you’ll do when you arrive is take off your coat. But make sure you remember where you left it – it’s likely to be one of 100 identical ones lingering around the host’s house during the bitter German winter.

3. Take your shoes on. Tracking dirt all through your host’s beautifully-kept home is a big no-no in Germany. In most cases, you’ll be asked to take your shoes off somewhere close to the front door.

4. Be well groomed. Turning up looking like a yeti with bed-head isn’t an option in Germany. Make sure that you look presentable to the outside world before gathering if you don’t want to be shunned by more kempt folk.

5. Drink like a professional. There’s no doubt that Germans drink a lot when they set their minds to it. But have you ever seen a German really, truly blind drunk? Germans start drinking in their mid-teens and know how to handle it – pacing yourself is a must. But you should also know how to open a beer bottle with anything from your cigarette lighter to your shoes.

6. Ignore the bad music. Germans love naff 90s pop, old one-hit wonders from the Anglosphere, and Schlager (if you don’t know it, count yourself lucky). You’ll need to be a great conversationalist to blot out the awfulness.

7. Don’t be coy. In Germany, it’s not rude to look at people (although staring is to be avoided). Where in other countries you might glance and look away, if you’re interested in someone here you should look straight at them (and go and talk to them soon after, or it quickly gets weird). When you’re talking, be direct and say what you mean – and don’t take offence when others do the same.

8. Recycle your bottles. Almost all glass bottles are recycled in Germany, and if you’re at a party then the host will likely be collecting them somewhere. Don’t throw them away and try not to break them – they’re worth a few coins and it’s good for the environment!

9. Respect “quiet time”. While German parties may last into the wee hours, you should be careful that you aren’t disturbing your neighbours on the way home. Germans are serious about their “Ruhezeit” – which in many places includes all day on Sunday – and won’t take kindly to rowdy partygoers interrupting their lie-in.



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How to Saw a Log

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How to Saw a Log

How to Saw a Log

This is the first thing a newly-wed couple in Germany has to do immediately after they have gone out of the church.

Difficulty Level: Hard

Time Required: varies

Here’s How:

  1. Step out of the church with a happy smile on your face like all newly-weds do until they see a huge log waiting for them.
  2. Come close to the log (it should be placed on a sawing horse) and inspect it.
  3. Choose a knotless sector (otherwise your log-sawing will replace your dinner, your party, and all things planned).
  4. Take a saw with your right hand (unless you are left-handed).
  5. Be sure to see your spouse on the other end of the saw (and across the log).
  6. Encourage each other with a smile and start moving the saw!
  7. Don’t mind your friends and relatives with their kind (but distracting) remarks and laughter — keep sawing.
  8. When the saw stucks (yes, it will), get it out of the log and start moving it anew.
  9. After you have finished, be careful: the logs (now two of them!) tend to land onto the sawyers’ feet…
  10. Sigh with relief (not too loud) and kiss your sawdusted spouse.

Tips:

  1. Remember: haste is not the best companion at log-sawing!
  2. Pull the saw instead of pushing it.
  3. It’s much better to saw the log broadways than lengthways.

Related articles:
German Wedding Traditions
Wedding Traditions in Germany
German Wedding Ceremonies




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How to Win a German’s Favor

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women-in-germanyIt is very important for a stranger to be accepted in German society. Study the following rules, use your intuition, think of all the good things you were taught in your childhood, and good luck!

Difficulty Level: Hard

Time Required: 2 hours

Here’s How:

  1. Be on time (at least do your best not to be late).
  2. Take off your shoes at the front door.
  3. Bring a bottle of wine or a bunch of flowers for the hostess.
  4. Use “du” when talking to children up to the age of 14.
  5. Use “Sie” addressing any other person over 14.
  6. You should apply “Herr” or “Frau” together with the person’s surname instead of using his/her first name (using of first name is also accepted, provided you are friends with the addressed person).
  7. Do not hurry while eating.
  8. Do not speak bad about Bundesliga.
  9. Do not comment on overall German unfriendliness.
  10. While on a visit, take care not to break any family rules (or china).

Tips:

  1. You are allowed an “academic quarter” which means you can arrive up to a quarter of an hour late to be still within the limits.
  2. Unwrap the flowers before presenting the hostess with them, unless they’re nicely bound in cellophane.
  3. Avoid using “Fraulein” even if you know the woman is not yet married.

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How to Pronounce German Consonants l and r Correctly

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german-consonantsMost consonants in German are pronounced differently than in English. It is quite obvious with the consonants l and r.

Difficulty Level: Average

Time Required: 20 min

Here’s How:

  1. Pronouncing l (like in “million”), place the tip of the tongue to the ridge behind the upper teeth.
  2. Flatten it to produce the German l sound which is much lighter and softer than its English namesake.
  3. Exercise pronouncing the l sound in German words “viel”, “lang”, “wollen”, “kalt”, “Bild”, etc.
  4. Pronouncing r, gargle slightly with uvula at back of mouth when r stands before a vowel like in German words “Rolle”, “beraten”, “Frau”, “Rad”, etc.
  5. When r is followed by a consonant, simply swallow it, using the neutral sound like in British English pronunciation of the word “here”.
  6. Exercise pronouncing the r sound in pre-consonant position in German words “vier”, “mir”, “studiert”, “Karte”, etc.

Tips:

  1. You should exaggerate certain lip and mouth configurations in order to pronounce German words correctly.
  2. Muscles of the mouth, lips, tongue, throat and neck must be much tenser for producing German sounds than English sounds.
  3. At the beginner’s level exaggerate the articulation until it becomes a habit.




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