Now and then, a book comes along, and my first reaction is, “I wish I had written this.” Belonging by Norah Krug is one of those books. The book pulled me in from the first section because it was so relatable. I tore through the book in 2 afternoons. “Belonging, A German Reckons with History and Home” is not your…
Author: karenanne
Stolen Treasure of Quedlinburg- An International Treasure Hunt
These days, the treasure room of the Collegiate Church of St Servatius in Quedlinburg is kept dark, with low lights mainly reflecting off of the gold and jewel-encrusted books and containers. (It’s the kind of room where people whisper.) But it wasn’t so long ago when the rooms were empty, and the stolen treasure of Quedlinburg left a gaping hole.…
Freimarkt in Bremen- A Market and Fair with 1000 years of History
Most people have heard about Oktoberfest in Munich, but it’s not Germany’s only big Fall Festival. The Freimarkt in Bremen, which starts the second week of October, attracts over 4 million people yearly over its 17 days! What is the Bremen Freimarkt? This 1000-year-old festival is the largest in Northern Germany. Although it started as a “Free Market“, meaning that…
Castle Frankenstein in Germany- A Castle Swirled in Mystery and Legend
What’s it like to visit Burg Frankenstein? One beautiful Summer’s day (still months away from the annual Halloween Festival), so we weren’t scared of monsters or things that go bump in the night. Three of us drove to Darmstadt, and up the mountain to visit Frankenstein’s Castle. We enjoyed climbing around the ruins and imagining what the castle was like before…
What is a Froebel Star – German Paper Folded Christmas Stars
While researching Moravian Stars (aka Herrnhuttersterne), I came across sweet little folded German paper stars. While they didn’t look like the pointed Moravian stars, many resources called them that. In Germany, they are called Fröbelsterne or Froebel Stars. (Other names for the folded stars: German Star, Advent Star, Danish Star, Nordic Star, Polish Star, Pennsylvanian Star, Christmas Star, and Swedish…
What is German Unity Day – Tag der Deutschen Einheit
What is German Unity Day, or the Tag der Deutschen Einheit? This national holiday celebrates the unification of Germany into one whole country. For 41 years, Germany was divided between the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). They existed as two separate nations. On November 9, 1989, the checkpoints at the Berlin Wall…
Oktoberfest Foods- Delicious Foods to Soak up all that Beer
When it comes to Oktoberfest, the first thing people focus on is the BEER. But you want a base for all that alcohol, so don’t forget to EAT! Besides, the festival food is delicious. There are many traditional German Oktoberfest Foods that you will find served in the various Beer Tents and on the Wiesn. Feel confused by some of…
A Visit to Seiffen Germany- Germany’s Spielzeugdorf
I’m utterly convinced that, despite the North Pole story we were told as children, the real Santa’s workshop is actually in Seiffen, Germany. This tucked-away town in the Erzgebirge, known as the Spielzeugdorf or Toy Village, is renowned for its production of wooden toys and traditional German Christmas decorations. The main road is lined with stores full of Nutcrackers, Smokers,…
What is Apfelwein? Sparkling German Apple Wine
“Turn left at the main road, then cross over, and take the next right… you can’t miss it“. With those instructions from the Hotel Manager, my daughter and I headed out from our hotel in Sachsenhausen (Frankfurt) to find a Bembel of Apfelwein. It really wasn’t that hard. In fact, Sachsenhausen is KNOWN for it’s many Apfelwein restaurants, and we…
My Favorite Things About German Food- a Guest Post
Hello! It’s Katy, one of two daughters of German Girl in America here. This summer after graduating from college (WOOHOO!) my mom brought me along for a whirlwind road trip through Germany. To say I was stoked would be an understatement. You see, I actually have been to Germany a few times. Just in the past 3 years, I have…