I’m excited to share this Guest Post written by Randall Schroeder! The post originally appeared in My German America, a newsletter about German Heritage in America, put out a few times a month by Lukas Schroeder. Lukas who describes himself as the Fourth-Generation German American, Tubist & Manager BierkellerBoys, let his dad Randall, Third-generation descendant of German immigrants, Citizen archivist,…
Category: Movie/TV Review
Die Sendung mit der Maus! 50 Years of Explaining our World
Today I learned how a search engine works… I also found out what shape raindrops really take when they fall. No, I didn’t read a book or do a google search, I watched “Die Sendung mit der Maus”! What is Die Sendung mit der Maus? For 50 years this award winning German TV program on WDR entertained and educated German kids…
“Effigy: Poison and the City”
Recently, I was asked to screen the German film “Effigy: Poison and the City” directed by Udo Flohr. I went in blind, no idea at all what the movie was about, other than being told it is a historical drama. Well, I love movies, I love history, and I love Germany. I was all in. The movie takes place in…
Heidi Girl of the Alps- From Switzerland to Japan to Germany
Was that the sound of an Alpenhorn? And a trilling flute! Time for Heidi Girl of the Alps! For many of us in the 1970s, those sounds pulled us away from play time, and we raced to the TV room ready to watch Heidi, Peter, Clara, the goats, and of course Grandfather. It wasn’t until years later that I made…
What is the Sandmaennchen? A little Man who Sent German Kids to Dream
When the Wall separating East Germany from West Germany fell, many of the icons produced by the East vanished. There is one BIG exception. The Sandmännchen. What is the Sandmaennchen? And how did he continue to thrive despite his East German origins? This little figure with a long goatee and pointed cap captured the hearts of German children with his…
The Mainzelmännchen… Guud’n Aamd!
Cover image of Mainzelmännchen Michael Kramer, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Isn’t it nice how the little things can make you so happy? One distinctly German cartoon that brought me endless delight was the Mainzelmännchen! These little animated men on German TV would come on during the commercials in quick animated spots that just made us LAUGH. Over…
Is Deutschland 83 on DVD… YES! My Review and Where to Buy it!
Deutschland 83: Season 1 It’s an important question, especially since Deutschland 86 is set to be released (and you might want to catch up!)….Is Deutschland 83 on DVD? There are many of us don’t get the Sundance channel, but we have heard so much about this groundbreaking TV Series from Germany and want to see it. Finally! Deutschland 83…
Escape from GDR / Flucht aus der DDR- The History of the Berlin Wall
On August 13, 1961, construction began on the Berlin Wall. For too many years East and West were divided by a Wall that surrounded East Berlin. The Wall separated families and friends, and kept people essentially locked up. Granted, not everyone hated being in the East, but many wanted to escape what they considered to be a prison. The…
Windstärke 8 or Wind Force 8 TV Series
Windstärke 8 [Import allemand] Windstärke 8 or Wind Force 8 is a multi part documentary/ reality series from Germany on ARD that attempts to show conditions on emigrant ships headed to America in the 1800s. Although over 5000 people tried out to be on the program, only 14 passengers, 5 children and 18 sailors were chosen to take part in this…
German Unity Day Movies- Remembering The Berlin Wall in Film on Oct. 3
We do love Movie Night in our home. I was thinking, since October 3rd is German Unity Day, why not watch movies that show what it was like before the Wall came down and after of German Unification? These German Unity Day Movies are a fascinating time capsule of sets and clothing. And they also give a little insight into…