In our Saturday German School, we sang the same verse over and over, overlapping in far from perfect harmony, while our teacher jumped back and forth across the front of the classroom, pointing to groups when it was their time to join in the round. “Es tönen die Lieder…” Es tönen die Lieder Der Frühling kehrt wieder Es spielet der…
Category: German History
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…
The Nebra Sky Disc & the State Museum of Prehistory in Halle
The Nebra Sky disc captivated me the first time I saw a photo of it. While it looks like a simple blue disk with golden circles and crescents, the bronze disc reflects the heavens in a very specific way. I had the opportunity to see it in person at the State Museum of Prehistory in Halle, Germany. Fabulous. The breathtaking…
Wartburg Castle Tour- Wartburg Castle in Eisenach Germany
The Venn Diagram of reader recommendations and travel plans overlapped neatly this year, meaning I could put the Wartburg Castle in Eisenach on the itinerary. And I’m so glad. The Wartburg Castle Tour takes you on a journey through history from the 11th century to the end of the 19th. There are rough and ready rooms for knights, as well beautiful…
Spreewald Kahnfahrt and a Visit to the Open-Air Museum in Lehde
South and slightly east of Berlin you’ll find one of Germany’s more unusual UNESCO sites, the Spreewald Biosphere Reserve. Formed during the last Ice Age, this inland delta of the Spree River, crisscrossed by 200 water channels and streams through bog land, forest, and meadows, is home to a group of traditional Sorbs or Wends, whose families have been making…
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 the…
What is the Difference Between a Burg and a Schloss?
It sounds like a fun game, doesn’t it? Burg or Schloss? (Almost like a version of Stadt, Land, Fluß). Those grand and not-so-grand castles in Germany get very specific names. But is it a Castle? Is it a Palace? What is the difference between a Burg and a Schloss? (To make things even more confusing, there is an actual place…
The History of the Brandenburg Gate- A Berlin Icon
I remember the first time I stood in front of the Brandenburg Gate. On that drizzly day in 1988, the Gate stood behind a graffiti-covered section of the Berlin Wall. The backside of the Quadriga was only just visible from my low vantage point, the Iron Cross in Victory’s staff removed. The Gate, no longer in use, felt diminished- a…
Why is the German Chimney Sweep so Lucky?
You see him down the way, and your heart skips a beat with excitement… the man in black. He turns and gives you a smile, touching his top hat with a little salute, his gold buttons shining bright in the sunshine. You feel lucky; do you dare push it? Why not? You approach him, this German Chimney Sweep, and ask…