German Language Blog

Due to the success of the German soccer team, the cities in Germany have turned into big party areas again (like in 2006 when the world cup took place in Germany). The biggest one is in Berlin where there are up to 350.000 Menschen (people) when a match is broadcast over giant screens. The Atmosphäre (atmosphere) is incredible and the high victory over Argentina eliminated all doubts about the quality of the German team.

The whole country is celebrating while the Mannschaft (team) itself is already concentrating on the semi final on Wednesday. As you could feel at the last press conference, trainer Joachim Löw is totally focused on Spain.

In Löws opinion there hasn´t been an opponent like Spain until now…Trotz (despite) England and Argentina. Löw says: “Spain hasn´t just one Messi, but they have a lot of Messis”. The Spanish team who defeated Germany in the Endspiel (final match) in 2008 (European Championship) is a real unity and they don´t make Fehler (mistakes) on their own, he says. Even midfield star Bastian Schweinsteiger says: “For me, Spain is the best team in the world.”

Thomas Müller will be missing in the next match due to yellow cards, so everybody is guessing who will be replacing him. When Löw is asked about this Thema (topic), he just answers “whoever will be playing…I have a good feeling”.

Vor (before) the match against Argentina there have been some rude statements in the Presse (press). But this time, Löw and Schweinsteiger act a little more calm by showing the biggest respect to Spain. There are no feelings of Rache (revenge) and at the same time they seem to be very selbstbewusst (self confident) and entspannt (relaxed).

As you can imagine the trainer himself as well as the players are asked endless questions about their victories, their feelings and even personal things. But all of the answers are pretty ähnlich (similar): “We don´t care what people write about us…we´re just thinking about how to defeat Spain”.

But between the lines there has been one statement of Bastian Schweinsteiger: “I have been to Berlin after two tournaments to celebrate with our fans. But something has been missing. I hope this time it will be different. If every one of us gives everything, we could beat the best teams in the world.” So as you can see, a second or third place doesn´t seem to be enough for him. And you can bet that all people in Germany think the same way!

So hopefully the German “Sommermärchen*” will come true and
everybody sings “54 – 74 – 90 – 2010″…

Go Germany go!!!

* “Deutschland: Ein Sommermärchen” has been a documentary about the German soccer team, filmed by the famous filmmaker Sönke Wortmann. It mainly shows the extraordinary atmosphere during the world cup in 2006 that took place in Germany.

Here you can find the vocabulary to this blogpost.

The Kieler Woche is a jährliche (annual) sailing regatta, which takes place in Kiel seit (since) 1882. Today it is the biggest sailing event in the world. And at the same time it is the biggest summer festival in northern Europe.

Beside the sailing contests, a umfangreiches (extensive) program is offered to the Besucher (visitors) of the Kieler Woche. The performances of international bands and Künstler (artists) that take place in 300 concerts on 16 stages are very beliebt (popular) and show a big variety of different styles. So everyone will find something that he likes. Zusätzlich (in addition) to this, local bands and artists perform as well on smaller Bühnen (stages).

The every year maritime highlight is the “Windjammerparade” on the last Samstag (Saturday) of the Kieler Woche. More than 100 traditional ships, big sailing ships, historical Dampfschiffe (steamboats) as well as hundreds of sailing yachts participate in this event. As special guests you can also see marine ships from other countries.

Take a look at the (German) video “The Kieler Wocher in 100 seconds”:

Another highlight is the award of the World Economic Science Prize by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

Kiel is situated in the most northerly of Germany´s Bundesstaaten (federal states). The city has only about 240.000 Einwohner (inhabitants) but around three million visitors are attracted by the Kieler Woche! To support the idea of a better international understanding, Sprachkurse (language courses) will be held for free.

This year the Kieler Woche takes place from June 19^th to 27^th.

For living in the south of Germany, unfortunately I never had the chance to visit the festival personally. But I guess this is a lot of fun!

For more information about the Kieler Woche, visit the website:

http://www.kieler-woche.de/

Click here for the vocabulary to this blog post.

http://www.byki.com/lists/German/Kieler-woche.html

There is a cultural difference between the US and Europe when it comes to going from point A to point B. This has to do with different infrastructures and the distance  between A and B. Owning and driving a large vehicle such as a SUV seems to be practical ( Praktisch ) in the US, but it is not in Europe. SUVs are suited to drive on dirt roads, are comfortable ( Gemütlich ) when it comes to long distances and you feel safer ( Sicher )in them . Small cars are very handy in maneuvering small streets, ( Die kleinen Strassen) getting into a parking spots and traveling long distances ( Die Entfernung ) in Europe is often done by public transportation. ( Der Öffentlicher Transport ) A good ( Ein Gutes ) alternative is usage of bicycles. In Germany and other parts of Europe bicycles  are extensively used. Bicycle paths stretch for miles and miles, from the northern areas at the Baltic see all the way to Bavaria in southern Germany. You will not need to ride busy roads, most often not even encountering traffic, because these are designated paths going through landscapes along rivers passing farm houses, wineries and fields. Germany has many long distance cycle routes with currently 200 routes  ( Die Wege) specially marked ( Markiert ) for cycling, making it child friendly as well.

While there are less camping sites available in Germany along such routes when compared to other European countries, there are small towns ( Die Ortschaften ) every few miles that will give accommodation and services for food ( Das Essen) consumption with fair prices. What is also good to note is that you can carry your bicycle onto trains ( Die Züge )and buses , and bike routes are well marked ( Markiert )and people are more then willing ( Gewillt )to help ( Helfen ) out.

Bicycling is engrained in German culture, Karl von Drais first inventing bicycling over 175 year ago in Germany. Those bikes did not have pedals or the fancy seats that we have today, but rather worked like a scooter, it was called the “Die Laufmachine ( The running machine) also later called the “ Velocipede” which namely incorporated the two-wheeler principle that is basic to the bicycle and motorcycle and the beginning of mechanized personal transport.

Many countries tend to claim they invented the first bicycle and I have decided ( Entschieden ) to do some research on that.

It was a surprise ( Überraschend ) to find that Leonardo da Vinci drew a sketch of a bicycle in 1493, however, it is assumed that the first bicycle was invented in Mesopotamia and around the Black sea area, around 3000 BC. The English, French, Germans and Scots all soon followed in the late 1800s with better and newer versions and these styles crossed over to the new world of America.  Partially also because of the industrial revolution, people needed to cover longer distances to find work, and thus the bicycle providing an option for reaching ones destination ( Das Ziel) faster.( Schneller)

In 1894 the bicycle messenger business started in California when a railway strike halted mail delivery for the Bay Area. An ingenious bicycle shop owner in Fresno came up with the idea to deliver mail by bicycle. He set up a relay between Fresno and San Francisco, with 6 riders covering about 30 miles each.

The oil embargo in 1973, which caused fuel shortages and shifts in relative price of transportation, created and encouraged bicycle commuting within the US. Many of the new recruits to bicycling stuck to it after the end of the embargo in 73 and became enthusiasts.

The only thing that still seems missing in the US, is rather the courtesy of cars most often and sufficient, safe bicycle routes like they have in Germany, without endangering yourself or your family.

Anything to be more of a “un-driver” (get out of an automobile and reduce your mileage in a car) is huge, whether you walk, skate board, bicycle, paddle, or take mass transit.  But even within the lower carbon-footprint and poison-footprint modes there are more and less sustainable ways to do them.  As time goes on and as the world’s population counter keeping clicking on millions and millions people, we are going to have to increasingly keep pushing the envelope on what is model behavior to keep minimizing our destructive impact.

And with the current Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, why not? What do we have to lose? Other then making a better world for our futures children and simply being healthier as well by using a bicycle.

 Practical- Praktisch

comfortable- Gemütlich

Safe- Sicher

Small streets- die kleinen Strassen

Distance- Die Entfernung

public transport- Der Öffentlicher Transport

A good- Ein gutes

Marked- markiert

towns- Ortschaften

Food- das Essen

Trains- Die Züge

willing- Gewillt

Help- Helfen

decided- Entschieden

Surprise – Überraschend

Destination- Das Ziel

Faster- Schneller

Running machine- Laufmachine