I remember struggling with the lowercase cursive f. Over and over, I would write f’s on the brownish lined paper (you know, the kind with 2 solid blue lines set about an inch apart with a dotted line between them). And every time I turned it in, my teacher would reject it and send it back… “not right,” or “your…
Category: German History
German Good Luck Symbols- We Could All Use a Little Luck
You see them everywhere in Germany, especially around Christmas and the New Year: Toadstool ornaments, Chimney Sweet figures, Marzipan Piggies with coins or 4 Leaf Clover in their mouths. These German good luck symbols didn’t just come out of nowhere; they all have history and legend to explain why they are lucky. Some luck charms go back to Pagan times,…
What is a Schnitzelbank- A Bench and a Funny Song
It was another one of those moments where I wondered if my family was German. But, it was yet another case of family from North Rhine Westphalia vs Midwest German-Americans. While in Wisconsin, I kept seeing a poster for the Schnitzelbank, so I asked, “What is a Schnitzelbank?“. I understand what a Schnitzelbank is. It’s a carving bench, but…
What is German Marzipan? All about this Sweet Treat
Every Christmas, a tray of Marzipan fruits that looked like miniature oranges and strawberries would arrive from Germany, and on the holiday cookie plate would be bars of German marzipan, and there were cubes of Domino Steine (square confections made from layers of Marzipan, Lebkuchen, and Jam). But marzipan is more than a Christmas treat! Germans enjoy eating marzipan year-round…
What is Schuhplattler -All About this Bavarian Cultural Tradition
Slap the Shoes and then Smack the knees with Flat Hands… Men jumping around, stomping their feet, and slapping their knees and shoes, sometimes alone, sometimes in a circle with ladies who twirl as if ignoring them. From the outside, the Schuhplattler looks like a version of crazy dance moves you might see on a street corner. However, the dance…
Smashing a few German Stereotypes – Or Just Clearing them Up
I’ve come out from behind my computer keyboard a few times lately to promote various projects, and because of this, I’m being asked some strange questions. Now, I realize that stereotypes come from somewhere… but you would think that a few of these stereotypes about German people would vanish because of their ridiculousness. Someone actually asked me if I play…
The Muenchener Kindl – The Symbol of Munich
For someone not from Munich (like me), the Münchener Kindl can be a bit confusing. When I first heard it, I presumed it referred to a native, someone born in Munich. And although I’ve heard people referring to themselves that way, it’s much more than that. It’s the symbol of Munich, and you can see it everywhere in the city.…
The Passion Play of Oberammergau- History and how YOU can see it!
The Passion Play of Oberammergau holds a special place in German history. Part Pilgrimage part spectacle, every 10 years this amazing event brings over 450,000 visitors to the small mountain town of Oberammergau in Bavaria. Over four months, the locals (and yes, it’s only locals, not professional actors) stage 103 Performances that last over 5 hours!. But what is the…