“Do you see that figure on the unicycle?” Our guide in Erfurt asked, “Do you know who that is?” Of course, I do… the man in the jester hat is Till Eulenspiegel, a figure of German storytelling for over 700 years. But who was Till Eulenspiegel? A Jester, a prankster… someone who spoke truth to power. Over the years the…
Category: Book and Movie Reviews
Erich Kästner’s Books- Well Loved Stories in German & English
Sitting in the darkened theater surrounded by other kids, the obligatory bucket of popcorn on my lap, I stare up at the screen enjoying Haley Mills and Haley Mills fool parents Brian Keith and Maureen O’Hara, to bring them back together in the 1960s version of The Parent Trap. At the time, I had no idea that the original story,…
Burg Maus- The Perfect Setting for a Mystery! Guest Post by Rachel Selle
Thanks so much to Rachel Selle, author of “Mystery at Castle Mouse” for writing this guest post to share the fascinating history of Burg Maus on the Rhine! (I do love when someone does my job for me). Enjoy the post… and then check out Rachel’s book series “The European Adventures” available in English AND German. Rachel gave a reading…
Burning Beethoven: The Eradication of German Culture in the United States during World War I
I get messages all the time from people lamenting the lack of German shops and Restaurants… worries from readers because the German clubs are getting fewer… sadness from people wondering why German isn’t being taught in their schools. Regret that they never learned the language from parents or Grandparents… that it was even “forbidden” in the home. I understand it’s…
The Train to Crystal City review- German Families Locked Up in WW2
I recently read about Democratic Representative from Texas Joaquin Castros Congressional Bill: The Wartime Violation of German American Civil Liberties Act of 2022. Like many American school children, I learned about the Internment of thousands of Japanese who lived in the US, but my teachers never told us about the over 11,000 German Americans locked up at the same time.…
Bierkeller Boys Oompah Band Release their Debut Album -Dive In!!
Lukas Schroeder reached out to me with some great news! Just in time for the Festival Season, the Bierkeller Boys are releasing their first CD… Dive In! This Polka playing Tuba Quartet has been entertaining people with their fun renditions of German Folk Music, Waltzes, Marches, and of course Oompah music at German venues and Fests across the Midwest. You…
Johannes Kepler, His Mother Katharina, and Witchcraft!
Johannes Kepler… German mathmatician, astronomer, astrologer… he wrote the laws of planetary motion, was appointed mathematician to the Holy Roman Emperor, and he is considered the father of modern optics. But also….the son of a WITCH? It’s hard to believe, but Johannes Kepler put his career on hold, and spent 6 years defending his widowed mother against charges of witchcraft.…
Baking Just Like Oma- by Gerhild Fulson, my Review
When my friend, Gerhild Fulson, founder of Quick German Recipes, and author of German Meals at Oma’s asked me to take a look at her newest cookbook, Baking Just Like Oma, I got excited! Partially because I just love cookbooks… but mostly because I knew that any book of her recipes would be solid, and a fantastic addition to my…
Pennsylvania Germans: An Interpretive Encyclopedia
Pockets of German culture in America have always fascinated me. I wonder why and when the group arrived in the United States, how they live (and how much different their new home is from Germany), and what parts of Germany do they hold onto. The Pennsylvania Germans go back to the time before there even WAS a United States.…
Susanne Bacon’s Wycliff Novels- Books that Sooth the Soul
Sometimes when things get just a little too heavy or overwhelming, it’s good to sit in a comfy chair with a cup of tea and a feel good book. Susanne Bacon’s Wycliff Novels, starting with “Delicate Dreams” are exactly what I needed to find my center again after a very busy week. No bloody murders, no overwhelming crisis, no smart-aleck…