On March 19, 2022, Frank-Walter Steinmeier was re-elected President of Germany. Many people in the United States who are unfamiliar with the German political system are probably wondering if Germany has a Chancellor, what the German President does, and how the German President is Elected. The system is much different from the presidential election in the USA, but the job…
Category: German Products I Love
Products that remind me of “home”
History of German Nutcrackers- Get a Nutcracker for Your Home!
The History of German Nutcrackers is tied up in a Fairy Tale… Once upon a time, a farmer offered a reward for anyone who could help him easily open the Walnuts from his tree. A Carpenter said he should saw them open. A Soldier told him he should SHOOT the nuts (I can’t imagine what he thought would be left…
Schwenker Grill Time! German Style Grilling and Marinade
Deep in one of my mom’s photo albums is this photo of my Uncle using his German Schwenker Grill. He took his job very seriously. We kids weren’t allowed to fool with it. My family made an all-day event out of it, which explains why so many bottles of beer are on the table. What is a Schwenker Grill? It…
German Breakfast Boards for Frühstück, Abendbrot or Brotzeit
It is typical in Germany to have Abendbrot on wooden boards or Resopal (Formica), which serve as plates and cutting boards. In Bavaria, they have Brotzeit, also eaten on a board. My German family eats this way… and here in the US, my mom would often do a simple Abendbrot dinner on Sunday evenings. At Oma’s house, we each had…
What is a Monchhichi?? It’s a LOVE MONKEY!
You will recognize these toys if you were a child of the 70s and early 80s. I had one as a child, as did my sister, but I have always wondered what is a Monchhichi? Obviously, they are stuffed animals, but where did they come from? And how did they become so popular? These little Love Monkeys swept across the country,…
What Makes Germany Special to Me- And Why I Keep Going Back!
People sometimes ask, “What makes Germany special?” or “What do I love so much about Germany?” The obvious answer is family. But it’s more than that. It’s those little things that people in Germany take for granted that we just don’t have here in the US. Some of what I miss is intangible and difficult to describe. Smells are important…like…
What is Playmobil? 50 Years of German Toys for the Imagination
In 2017 a little Playmobil Martin Luther, complete with quill and German Bible became the fastest selling Playmobil toy in the history of Brandstätter Toys. 34,000 of these “little Luthers” sold in under 72 hours! Created to honor the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation in 2017, the sales figures astonished everyone in the company known for its imaginative toy sets, and…
German Fairy Tale Wall Art -Colorful Wandfiguren for Children
See what I found while clearing out the closet? Like many German kids in the 1970s, my room was decorated with colorful wooden Fairy Tale wall art (Wandfigur) that depicted some of my favorite Fairy Tales. Made by companies like Mertens Kunst and Ravi Kunst, these bright, cheery wall hangings have become collectibles today. Designs all came from fairy tales…
German House Windows – The Finest Example of German Engineering
For the finest example of German Engineering, look no further than German House Windows. Truly, what other innovation so closely embodies German love for form, function, and cultural norms than those shiny clean windows? Think about it. German windows are designed to open inward, which means you can clean them without a ladder. This also gives you a great spot…
What to Bring Back from Germany or How I Overfill My Suitcase Every Time
There is a rule in my family: when you travel to Germany, you must take along a list of what to bring back for yourself and everyone else. Each of us has special items that we can’t live without. My mother loves her instant Schweizer Kräutertee (so we always pack along 3 extra cans), and my daughter loves getting the…