Tag Archives: history
Die Kaffeeriecher: The Coffee Sniffers Posted by Constanze on May 19, 2021
Guten Tag! Today’s post is about one of my favourite things – coffee! We’ve talked about coffee (der Kaffee) a few times on the blog, including this post on Germany’s Kaffee und Kuchen Kultur (coffee and cake culture), and this one, which talks about a scam called die Kaffeefahrt. In today’s post, however, we’re going…
German Christmas Decor: Der Schwibbogen Posted by Constanze on Dec 23, 2020
Guten Tag and Frohe Weihnachten (Merry Christmas)! Today we’re continuing with our festive theme and some of Germany’s December/Christmas traditions. Today’s post is all about the Schwibbogen. Der Schwibbogen A Schwibbogen is a decorative German candle arch, often seen in the windows of German homes around Christmas time. History & meaning of the Schwibbogen The…
Barbarazweig: A German December Tradition Posted by Constanze on Dec 16, 2020
Guten Tag! Today’s post is about a lesser-known German December tradition known as der Barbarazweig. Have you ever seen a cherry blossom branch in a vase in a German home in December? If so, this post will tell you what that’s all about! Der Barbarazweig This word literally means ‘the Barbara branch’. We will come…
The German Word ‘Muttermal’ Posted by Constanze on Sep 30, 2020
Guten Tag! Wie geht’s? Today we’re going to look at an interesting German word – das Muttermal. Das Muttermal Das Muttermal is the German word for a birthmark or mole – as in, the moles on your skin, not the mole the animal (this is called der Maulwurf in German!). The literal translation of Muttermal…
What Cake Can Teach Us About Germany (Part 2!) Posted by Constanze on Aug 12, 2020
Guten Tag! This is the second in a two-part series on one of my favourite subjects: Cake (der Kuchen in German)- specifically, German cakes with interesting, often place-specific, names. We will look at why those cakes are named the way they are, and learn a little language, culture and history in the process. So, as…
Germany’s Stolpersteine Posted by Constanze on Jul 8, 2020
Guten Tag! Today we’re travelling around Germany again, this time to look at Stolpersteine. In fact, the Stolpersteine will take us out of Germany, too, and all around Europe. Read on to find out more. In the early ‘90s, a German artist named Gunter Demnig came up with the idea of Stolpersteine, commemorative brass plaques…
A Delicious German Tradition: Kaffee und Kuchen! Posted by Sten on Jun 12, 2020
It’s time for Kaffee und Kuchen! Every Sunday, usually, Germans come together for Kaffee (coffee) and Kuchen (cake). What does this tradition look like, how do you do it right? And where does it come from? Let’s have a entspannten (relaxing) look! Noch ein Stück? It’s Sonntag (Sunday), and you’re invited by your friend to come to their home for Kaffee und Kuchen in…