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....

If this is punctuality, my watch is broken

Germans have a reputation for being punctual, but trains are a different story. During a....

What happened to my pumpkin pie?

It's not a holiday without pumpkin pie, but what I bake is a far cry....

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Celebrating St. Martin from the comfort of the couch

Americans celebrate fall with Halloween, but Germans have St. Martin. Children carry lit lanterns in....

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The nightmare of motherhood in Germany

School has started, a good moment to consider the burden on mothers with children in....

The library, the monk, and the sandals

This stunning Baroque library tucked away in a monastery in a Bavarian village is the....

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Germans put the fun in fungi

My experience with mushrooms was confined to cans as a kid. In Germany, collecting them....

‘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....

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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....

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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....

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Not teaching foreign languages will make America more insular

Do you speak English? This question is often answered with “Yes” all around the world.....

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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....

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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....

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Munich comes full circle: From putsch to Rabbi Conference

The hand of history has done its work on the city of Munich. Named after....

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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....

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....

Watch out! Augsburg joined forces with the Swedes

Companies sometimes use shady tactics to gain the upper hand in a market. But this....

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One foreigner is not like another – here’s why

There are varying grades of foreigners in Germany, with subtle nuances between them. People instinctively....

Are you sure that’s what that sign means?

Signs are there for the express purpose of helping you find your way. They tell....

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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....

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....

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....

The nightmare of motherhood in Germany

Germany has the reputation of having generous social programs, with vivid descriptions such as "cradle-to-grave"....

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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....

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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....

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,....

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....

Germans put the fun in fungi

My experience with mushrooms was confined to cans as a kid. In Germany, collecting them....

The French girl who wouldn’t talk

Language class is where you learn to speak a language, but just memorizing vocabulary and....

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....

If this is punctuality, my watch is broken

Germany has the reputation of being punctual and reliable. But recent snafus in city planning....

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....

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....

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....

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....

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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....

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