On September 26th 2021, Germans will go to the polls to elect a new Chancellor for one of Europe’s largest countries. Huge changes are ahead, since this is not totally […]
The medieval trade association that shaped Germany and modern Europe Welcome to a journey back into history and up to the very North of Germany, the realm of the “Hanseat”, […]
Let’s jump right in: The term „Handy“ causes plenty of confusion between Germans and native English speakers. The German word for mobile phone sounds so very English that it’s hard […]
Nature might not be the first idea when thinking about Germany. Engineering, industry, car manufacturing, the Autobahn, densely populated cities spring to mind. But then there are, of course, other […]
Sometimes back in the philosophical revolutions of the early 19th century, German intellectuals coined the phrase of the “Land der Dichter und Denker”, the country of poets and thinkers, to […]
The benefits and setbacks of a dual education system “Handwerk hat goldenen Boden”: When choosing your career as a young person in Germany, this sentence will be thrown at you […]
“Iss auf. Sonst regnet es morgen.” German kids know this sentence when growing up: Empty your plate, or it will rain the next day. Quite a few of my German […]
“My home is my castle” – it might be surprising, but this English term can be found on the wall of many German households, often in handmade stitching. It fits […]
Being in lockdown with a small kid brought back something that we neglected due to all the offers of the electronic age: Family and group entertainment via parlour games, a […]
Trigger warning: Bad words and naughty language ahead. Admittedly the author enjoys swearing quite a lot (probably even more since moving to England 10 years ago), so there is literally […]
Tongue twisted? Not for Germans. When it comes to pet names, Germans are amazingly creative – as opposed to given names, where the authorities still apply strict rules in comparison […]
Many of the stereotypical German qualities are born from a certain level of conservatism and a love for the status quo. Yet innovative ideas are just as German, embracing change […]
Already made up your New Year’s resolutions? Do you actually believe in them? Let me go out on a limb: Probably not. And neither do Germans. Despite their reputation as […]
Every November brings a challenge for German parents: The candy collection. If you now think of Halloween, you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. The very American habit of “trick or treating” […]
“Well, in Germany buses are on time.” This was the famous answer of politician Gregor Gysi, asked about outstanding German qualities. Punctuality, reliability, quality are stereotypical German traits, and who […]
On 21st of September this year a pioneer of space travel died – after a long and exciting life full of adventures, always on the bleeding edge of history. Sigmund […]
“Tür zu! Es zieht!” – A sentence you might hear quite often when entering German houses. And no, this is not a special greeting, and there is no friendly answer […]
„East or West?“ – this dreaded question followed Germans around the globe whenever they were traveling until 1989, when the political status as “front state of the Cold War” finally […]
Being German, one can’t avoid the biggest of clichés (if we leave out “Don’t mention the war!”): Lederhosen, beer, pretzel, Oktoberfest. The most German thing of all seems to be […]
The English language doesn’t know a word with the same meaning as the German “Heimat”. The translation as “homeland” doesn’t remotely touch the emotional charge of its German counterpart, which […]
Two decades ago Germany lived through a shellshock. The world famous PISA study classed the country’s schools as merely average, while Finland took the pole position. This was an attack […]
Legend has it that there is nothing more German than proper “order”, well sorted administration and neat bureaucracy. That might be true in some ways, especially when it comes to […]
There’s magic in the air when it comes to German motorways – “die Autobahn” is famous among motor enthusiasts around the world. Legend has it that Germany does not have […]
Driving abroad can be a challenging venture and requires a bit of courage. But with some idea of what to expect and where rules and local driving behaviour differ from […]
Legend has it that beer was popular in ancient Egypt. The Babylonian Code of Hammurabi mentions beer in 1754 B.C. and lays down explicit rules regarding brewing and serving of […]
The third Sunday of June traditionally marks the “Mobile without a car” day in Germany – a tradition going back to the car-free Sundays of the Suez crisis in the […]
Back in the days when I was a pupil, I spent some weeks as an exchange student in Cambridge, like many other German kids who stay in host families around […]
Growing up in West Germany in a Catholic surrounding with just a few protestant sprinkles, it was normal for me to witness plenty of church rituals. Many of my friends […]
Thursday, May 30th is Christi Himmelfahrt (Ascension of Jesus) and a national holiday in Germany. What would be a “bank holiday” in England, demonstrating the historical power of banks and […]
I remember the term “May Day” being confusing to me when I heard it the first time. As a non-native speaker, it was a little too close to the “Mayday” […]
A few years back I found myself in hospital for surgery on a more or less auspicious date: Outside the gates (and a little bit also inside), carnival had taken […]
Believing the teachers of my six year old daughter and my own intuition, reading is the most important skill for young children. Schools in England put huge effort in motivating […]
No, don’t worry, this article won’t complain about insults thrown at Germans. Rather the opposite: We want to correct an inaccurate stereotype and replace it with something far better. Yes, […]
The last football world cup reinstated a huge chunk of England’s pride regarding this national sport, even though it was not “coming home” at the end of the day. Germans, […]
When the news broke that Germany now officially recognizes a third gender in official documents, many people were surprised to see this kind of breakthrough in a country as focused […]
Looking into German Christmas traditions, it’s a big surprise how many of the well-known icons of English Christmas celebrations have their roots in Germany – the Christmas tree, for example, […]
Riding a bike in Germany means being on the bleeding edge of social change Does this headline sound a bit extreme to start a fun topic like cycling? Yes and […]
While the UK celebrates Remembrance Day on November 11th, for many parts of Germany the date (and the time 11:11am) marks the start of carnival celebrations, with red noses, clowns […]
Long before the actual season starts, Christmas markets make their appearance in Manchester’s streets and squares – from November 9th to December 22nd it’s nearly two months in which foodies […]
“When you’re at home, behave as if you were on the king’s table. This way, when you’re at the kings table, you can behave just like home.” Many German kids […]
Many things can be said about the English education system. Being surrounded by home-educating parents, I hear a lot of criticism. One of them is the early start: It is […]
Come summer time, beaches are a favourite destination all around the globe. Germans have taken the love for outdoor swimming, sunbathing and picnic to an all new level by introducing […]
„You can say you to me“ – legend has it that German chancellor Helmut Kohl made this generous offer to US president Ronald Reagan during the negotiations of Germany’s reunification. […]
Legend has it that beer and Bratwurst are the cornerstones of German food, and Brits like to call Germans “Krauts” for their love of Sauerkraut, but both is not quite […]
“The ball is round, and a game lasts 90 minutes” – famous words of German football legend Sepp Herberger, and a common proverb even among people usually not very interested […]
„Wenn einer eine Reise tut… dann kann er was erleben.“ The German proverb, in old-fashioned language, simply translates to: “He who travels will live through adventures”. Adventures and experiences, much […]
Visiting Germany in summer, it is hard to avoid the scents of a longstanding German tradition, celebrated whenever the sun is out: Homemade barbecue, grilled over searing charcoal in gardens, […]
For many Germans, February is carnival time. Since medieval times a period of merriment has been a precursor to the Lenten fast for Christians across the world. Germany explodes in […]
October 3rd marks the anniversary of Germany’s unification. Across the country, people remember the date in 1990 when East and West Germany united to become one federal Germany. Why was […]
German people love their dogs. They take them everywhere including to work on ‘Take Your Dog to Work day’. The pampered pooches can travel on trains, buses, and trams. In […]
We teach our children to count and to read from an early age. Today many parents even conduct explosive kitchen experiments with their pre schoolers as they attempt to give […]
There exists a stereotype about the German people which suggests that they are a stoically unromantic race. That the collective desire for perfection and precision overrides any sentimental inklings or […]