Category Archives: German culture
German history goes well beyond oompah bands. In fact, those aren’t German at all – they’re Bavarian. It’s not as simple as it seems, since the country has only existed since 1871 and regional rivalries coupled with two world wars and one Cold War make for a complex historic landscape.
The 37 Days of Christmas
Germans don’t celebrate Thanksgiving but they celebrate Christmas half the winter. Starting at the end....
Nov
If this is punctuality, my watch is broken
Germans have a reputation for being punctual, but trains are a different story. During a....
Nov
What happened to my pumpkin pie?
It's not a holiday without pumpkin pie, but what I bake is a far cry....
2 Comments
Nov
Celebrating St. Martin from the comfort of the couch
Americans celebrate fall with Halloween, but Germans have St. Martin. Children carry lit lanterns in....
2 Comments
Nov
The nightmare of motherhood in Germany
School has started, a good moment to consider the burden on mothers with children in....
Oct
The library, the monk, and the sandals
This stunning Baroque library tucked away in a monastery in a Bavarian village is the....
2 Comments
Oct
Germans put the fun in fungi
My experience with mushrooms was confined to cans as a kid. In Germany, collecting them....
Oct
‘Tis the season of the Wiesn: The Oktoberfest for locals and tourists
What some probably don’t realize is that while the Oktoberfest is the biggest folk festival....
4 Comments
Oct
The tiniest stars of the Oktoberfest live in a drawer
The Oktoberfest is synonymous with beer for most people. Yet half of the fairgrounds consists....
2 Comments
Sep
Protesting technology by battling bikes and coning cars
Munich had a run-in with e-bikes once a few years ago. They successfully battled the....
2 Comments
Sep
Not teaching foreign languages will make America more insular
Do you speak English? This question is often answered with “Yes” all around the world.....
4 Comments
Aug
What’s in a name? More than you think
People’s identities are tied up closely with their names. But even when you are careful....
2 Comments
Aug
Germans delight in overengineering, taking helicopter mothering to new heights
Any foreigner in Germany knows all about the country’s love of overengineering. All it takes....
2 Comments
Aug
Munich comes full circle: From putsch to Rabbi Conference
The hand of history has done its work on the city of Munich. Named after....
2 Comments
Jul
Landshuter Hochzeit: The most theatrical wedding this side of the 15th century
Imagine if your wedding were so spectacular that people would want not just to reenact....
Jul
A fortune for footwear, or my kingdom for a sneaker
There was a lot of hullabaloo when Adidas dropped its sponsorship of the rapper Ye....
Jun
Watch out! Augsburg joined forces with the Swedes
Companies sometimes use shady tactics to gain the upper hand in a market. But this....
2 Comments
Jun
One foreigner is not like another – here’s why
There are varying grades of foreigners in Germany, with subtle nuances between them. People instinctively....
May
Are you sure that’s what that sign means?
Signs are there for the express purpose of helping you find your way. They tell....
1 Comment
May
This cheap ticket is amazing, but I missed my connection
Germany already experimented with a cheap train ticket last summer. People loved it so much....
May
Bring out the Easter eggs – the kids are coming home
Just as I was getting used to not being a mother, my COVID-harassed daughters came....
Apr
When a fight with your mom costs millions: acrimony at Aldi
There are grocery stores, and then there’s Aldi. In the decades since WWII, this discounter....
Feb
The nightmare of motherhood in Germany
Germany has the reputation of having generous social programs, with vivid descriptions such as "cradle-to-grave"....
1 Comment
Look here, U.S. election deniers – Berlin bungled it big time
The press and social media are still abuzz with deniers of the U.S. elections in....
1 Comment
Feb
Even better than bread: the best excuse to fatten up, complete with cream filling
January is when Germans confront the fact that Christmas is over but winter is just....
Jan
The new, improved me – courtesy of the EU-conform driver’s license
For years, I suffered from the lousy picture I had taken for my German license,....
Jan
Welcome back, fleas! The Oktoberfest is on
Following a three-year hiatus, Munich’s favorite party returned. Corona didn’t dampen people’s spirits, but I....
Oct
Germans put the fun in fungi
My experience with mushrooms was confined to cans as a kid. In Germany, collecting them....
Sep
The French girl who wouldn’t talk
Language class is where you learn to speak a language, but just memorizing vocabulary and....
Aug
On a train to everywhere – Germany’s €9 ticket and its surprising consequences
The next best thing to free is Germany’s €9 ticket. Apart from motivating even motorheads....
Aug
If this is punctuality, my watch is broken
Germany has the reputation of being punctual and reliable. But recent snafus in city planning....
Jul
Kraut and about – what are all those Germans doing abroad?
German immigrants used to flock to the U.S. They still go there in droves, but....
Jun
Think digital technology is a cure-all? Don’t bet your life on it
A WWII air raid siren startled me once while I waited for a train. Such....
May
Ukraine on the train – from a military to a cultural conflict
Taking the train home from Berlin, some Ukrainians boarded the train. Watching their interactions with....
Apr
Aren’t you glad you got the orange car after all?
The sky was suddenly a muddy orange, but what was causing it. I had an....
2 Comments
Mar
That map might just quash your travel plans – so focus on fun instead
Germans are usually so logical, it’s hard to believe how that can make such planning....
Mar
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