Archive for 'Holidays'
Pfingsten in Deutschland – Pentecost/Whitsun in Germany Posted by Sandra Rösner on May 28, 2012
It’s holiday these days in Germany. We celebrate Pfingsten (Pentecost). Pentecost or Pfingsten is a Christian holiday, which is celebrated on the 50th day of the Osterfestkreis (Easter season), that is, the 49 days after Ostersonntag (Easter Sundsay). Pentecost is also called ‘the birthday of the Church’. So, it is a kirchliches (ecclesial) holiday and…
German Christmas markets and Advent season Posted by Sandra Rösner on Dec 4, 2011
Today is the zweite Advent (second Sunday in Advent) and there are about only three weeks left to Christmas. So, it is höchste Zeit (hight time) to tell you how Germans spend the Vorweihnachtszeit (pre-Christmas season). In Germany, the official pre-Christmas season starts on the ersten Advent (first Sunday in Advent). Germans render homage to…
Gesetzliche Feiertage in Deutschland – Religious holidays in Germany Posted by Sandra Rösner on Nov 3, 2011
I have recognized that some of you wondered whether October 31 and/or November 1 are gesetzliche Feiertage (official holidays) in Germany or not. Well, both is right and wrong at the same time. Thus, it seems that Germany is still not completely (re-)united!? Although church and state are separated in Germany and Religionsfreiheit (freedom of…
Drachenfest Posted by jan on Sep 13, 2011
Two weeks ago we had the chance to attend an event that is quite unusual. At least I didn´t see one like this before. It was called Drachenfest and it was all about Drachen (kites). The event took place on a big Wiese (hayfield) where hundreds of people met to fly their kites. Unfortunately…
Hundstage – Dog Days Posted by jan on Aug 30, 2011
Last week we had the so called “Hundstage” (Dog Days) in Germany. Don´t think about the movie from 1975 starring Al Pacino. It´s more abtut the Wetter (weather). I guess the meaning of Hundstage respectively Dog Days is the same in German and English. Well, I simply wanted to say: It was soooo hot! In…
Audiovisual comprehension – Die Karls- und Bärenhöhle Posted by jan on Jun 24, 2011
At the weekend I had the chance to visit a flowstone cave in the south of Germany. It´s name is Karls- und Bärenhöhle, because it consists of two sections. This is what it looks like: And here´s the text. It´s maybe too difficult for beginners, but this way advanced learnes also have something to practice…
Skigebiete in Deutschland – Skiing regions in Germany Posted by jan on Jan 27, 2011
Down from approximately the middle, Germany is a pretty hügeliges (hilly) country. There are some Mittelgebirge (low mountain ranges) and close to the southern boarder, Germany joins the European alps.