Music is almost as important to Oktoberfest as Beer. (I said ALMOST). So if you are headed to an Oktoberfest… or you are hosting your own Oktoberfest Party… you can be certain that music, singing and even dancing will be involved. But what sort of music will you hear? These are the TOP Oktoberfest Songs that you will most likely…
Category: Celebrating German Culture in America
Who are the Volga Germans? Holding their Tradition across 3 Countries
My introduction to the Volga Germans came through food—specifically, Kuchen. One of my readers contacted me looking for a recipe for Kuchen, like the one her Volga German grandmother made. In my experience, Kuchen is cake, and there are thousands of cake recipes. I love German food history, so it was time to do some digging, starting with who ARE…
Where to Buy a Dirndl for German Festivals and Oktoberfests
All Summer and Fall you’ll find German Festivals and Oktoberfests popping up across the United States… and for you lucky travelers… there are plenty of Festivals and Events happening IN Germany! Sure, you can show up in shorts and a t-shirt, but why not get into the spirit of the festival, and wear a Dirndl?! This iconic Bavarian dress…
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 taught in their schools, regret that they never learned the language from parents or Grandparents, and that it was even “forbidden” in the home. I understand it’s…
German License Plate Stickers and Magnets
Add some fun to your car, laptop, refrigerator, or door with these German License Plate Stickers and Magnets! They also make a great gift for German family and friends. The high quality weatherproof stickers will last outside without fading for years. The stickers measure just over 10.5 inches by 2 inches (it is smaller than a standard German License Plate) Worried…
The Train to Crystal City review- German Families Locked Up in WW2
I recently read about the 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…
A German Church on Kauai- Where Aloha means Guten Tag
Over the years, I’ve gotten into the habit of seeking out the German history of places I visit. While browsing the history section of my local used bookstore, I stumbled across the book “Hawaii and the German-Speaking People” by Niklaus R. Schweizer. Since we were planning a trip to the Islands, I grabbed it (a little light reading for…
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…
Bryan Berenson- The Man behind the Masks
A few years ago, at German Fest in Milwaukee, I spent some time watching a man carve masks in the Culture Tent. He was swarmed by people watching his artistry. The way he carefully chipped away wood to reveal a face, as if by magic. You won’t find wooden masks or Larvae like the ones worn by the Muller Fasching…