An American exchange student once told me about her first week in a German shared apartment. Her new … (More)
Featured Stories
Osterbrot – Traditional German Easter Bread Recipe
Osterbrot is a traditional German Easter bread, enjoyed during the holiday season as part of a festive breakfast or brunch. This soft, slightly sweet yeast bread is enriched with raisins, almonds, and citrus zest, giving it a fragrant and tender crumb. Typically, Osterbrot is shaped into a round loaf, brushed with egg wash for a […]
Heidelberg
Heidelberg is a city situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. The fifth-largest town in the State of Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Mannheim and Freiburg im Breisgau, Heidelberg is part of the densely populated Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region. A former residence of the Electorate of the Palatinate, Heidelberg is the location of Heidelberg University, well […]
Easter in East vs. West Germany: Celebrations During the Cold War
For over 40 years, Germany was divided into two separate states: West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany, FRG) and East Germany (German Democratic Republic, GDR). This division affected almost every aspect of daily life—including how Easter was celebrated. While West Germans enjoyed traditional Christian Easter customs, East Germans faced government-imposed restrictions on religious celebrations. Despite […]
St. Lucia’s Day
St. Lucia’s Day, otherwise called The Festival of Lights, is celebrated on December 13, a week after St. Nikolaus’ Day. Lucia became the “Nikolaus of the women”. In the early times, St. Nikolaus brought the gifts to the boys only, and St. Lucia visited girls with the gifts a week later. In some areas Lucia […]
Eggs in Frankfurter Green Sauce
Ingredients: 5 hard-boiled eggs 1/2 cup rapeseed oil 5 oz plain yogurt 5 oz sour cream 2 tablespoons finely chopped herbs (e.g. watercress, chives, sorrel, parsley, chervil etc) 1 garlic clove juice of half a lemon 1 tablespoon German prepared mustard salt and pepper to taste 1 pinch sugar 1 pickled German gherkin 1 onion […]
What the World Gets Wrong About Germans
The world loves neat labels, and few are as durable as German stereotypes: humorless, hyper punctual, rule obsessed, sausage powered. The reality is more interesting. Germany is a big, varied country where regional culture, history, and everyday pragmatism complicate the clichés. In this guide we unpack the biggest German cultural myths, show where they came […]
How to Behave In a Restaurant in Germany
Public places in Germany like restaurants or cafes require certain behavior. Learn how to get the most pleasure out of it. Difficulty Level: Easy Time Required: 2 hours Here’s How: Wish others at your table Guten Appetit before you begin eating. Wish others Prost! (Cheers!) before you begin drinking. If you need to call a […]
How Germany Became the Land of Bread: A Deep Dive into 300+ Types of German Bread
Germany is often referred to as the “Land of Bread”, boasting an incredible variety of over 300 different types of bread and thousands of regional variations. Bread is not just a staple in Germany; it is a cultural icon and a part of daily life. But how did Germany develop such a rich bread culture? […]
The Franco-Prussian War (1870–71)
The Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71 was a short, brutal, and transformational conflict that reshaped Europe forever. It toppled an empire, birthed another, and brought to a climax the decades-long process of German unification. What began as a dispute over royal succession escalated into a continent-shifting war, driven by rival ambitions and clever political manipulation. For […]
Read More
Christmas in Germany
Christmas (Weihnachten) is considered to be the most important of the major holidays in Germany. Not only the holiday itself, but also the weeks leading up to the celebration of Christmas involve many … [Read More...]
The Day of Euro – the European Currency
January 1, 1999, the New Year's day, coincided with the day when eleven European nations officially launched the euro as their shared currency. The name of the new European currency was decided upon … [Read More...]
November 16 in German History
November 16, 759 Death of St. Othmar (? - 759) St. Othmar was a monk in St. Gallen where he united the monks in the area into a monastery of the rule first of St. Columban and later of St. … [Read More...]
Markklößchensuppe – Bone Marrow Dumpling Soup
Typical German beef soup with bone marrow dumplings, vegetables, noodles and egg custard, so comforting and delicious! Ingredients: 2 large bread rolls 2 1⁄2 cups bread crumbs 1⁄2 cup finely … [Read More...]
The Empire Under the Early Habsburgs – Medieval Germany
The Great Interregnum ended in 1273 with the election of Rudolf of Habsburg as king-emperor. After the interregnum period, Germany's emperors came from three powerful dynastic houses: Luxemburg (in … [Read More...]
The Fall of the Wall and Reunification
In the middle of the 1980s the Cold War started to melt, especially due to the changes in the Soviet government. Mikhail Gorbachev, the first and the only President of the USSR, started a new … [Read More...]
German Quizzes & Exercises – Test and Improve Your Skills
Learning German isn’t just about reading rules - it’s about applying them until they become second nature. Quizzes and exercises give you that hands-on practice, helping you spot gaps in your … [Read More...]
August 20 in German History
August 20, 1639 Death of Martin Opitz in Danzig, Germany (now Poland). The poet and theoretician, Opitz, was a member of an important literary society of his times, the "Fruchtbringende … [Read More...]
The Amber Room Reconstruction
In the early 1980s, serious work on recreating the Amber Room based on old photographs and reminiscences was undertaken in the Catherine Palace, but the lack of funds threatened to put an end to the … [Read More...]
July 14 in German History
July 14, 1093 Death of St. Ulrich von Zell (1029 – 1083). St. Ulrich was born in Regensburg, Germany in 1029. He was educated in St. Emmeran. In entered the Abbey of Cluny (France) in 1061 and was … [Read More...]