Archive for 'Culture'
What is Halloween like in Germany? Posted by Constanze on Oct 26, 2014
In some ways, Hallowe’en is the same in Germany as it is in the UK or the USA. You can expect nightclubs offering Halloween themed nights for adults, horror movies shown on TV, children dressing up and going trick or treating (although this aspect of Hallowe’en is not as common in Germany as it is…
Bernhard Schlink: Der Vorleser (The Reader) Posted by Sandra Rösner on Oct 18, 2014
Germany’s role in the Holocaust in World War II is still firmly fixed in the minds of many people around the world. For a long time, the occurrences had been placed under a taboo. Silence was considered to be an appropriate modality of Entnazifizierung (denazification) in both parts of divided Germany. Only gradually Opfer (victims)…
How To Use Sauerkraut In Cooking – An Easy Recipe Posted by Constanze on Oct 10, 2014
I love food. I’m sure you do, too. My guess is that, if you’re reading this blog, then you’re probably on an educational journey into German language and culture. What sort of a journey would that be if it didn’t include eating German food? The great thing about visiting another country is that you…
German music: Lyrics and English translation of “Nur noch kurz die Welt retten” by Tim Bendzko Posted by Sandra Rösner on Oct 9, 2014
Tim Bendzko is a young singer-songwriter from Berlin. The song “Nur noch kurz die Welt retten”, which was released in 2011, granted him popularity throughout Germany. This year, he won the World Music Award 2014 in Monaco as “Best German Act”. Tim Bedzko’s song “Nur noch kurz die Welt retten” is about the fast-moving nature…
Oktoberfest Celebrations Outside Germany Posted by Constanze on Oct 6, 2014
Oktoberfest is undoubtedly Germany’s largest and most famous festival, drawing in millions of visitors each year. Its home is in München, the capital of Bayern. This is where it originated, and where it has been held each year since the very first one in 1810. I recently wrote a post to mark the beginning of…
11 foodstuffs of the GDR you can still find in German supermarkets Posted by Sandra Rösner on Oct 3, 2014
When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 and the Bundesrepublik (Federal Republic) and Ostdeutschland (East Germany) finally reunited on 3rd October 1990 officially, the citizens and workers of the GDR hoped for an economic reorganization. However, transforming a Planwirtschaft (planned economy) into a Marktwirtschaft (market economy) soon proved to be illusionary. On the one hand…
Sayings + Expressions 9 – The Spanish Vitamin Posted by Sten on Sep 29, 2014
After some absence, I am back with a new Sayings + Expressions! This week – a Spanish vitamin… Does that make sense? Read on to find out… Vitamin B(eziehungen) Vitamin C(ontacts) (good connections) As we all know, vitamin B is a very important vitamin that we need to survive. It regulates certain vital parts of…