Growing Up German In America

Smashing a few German Stereotypes – Or Just Clearing them Up

October 14, 2020

karenanne

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Celebrating German Culture in America

I’ve come out from behind my computer keyboard a few times lately to do promotion for various projects, and as a result, I’m being asked some strange questions. Now, I realize that stereotypes come from somewhere… but you would think that a few of these German people stereotypes would just vanish because of their ridiculousness. […]

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German License Plate Stickers and Magnets

What is the Vogelhochzeit? It’s a song to Welcome Spring!

April 16, 2020

karenanne

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Celebrating German Culture in America

Germans do love to sing, and they especially love their Folk songs. One of my favorite German Folk Songs is the Vogelhochzeit. In German School I loved singing the fi-de-ralala part over and over. And with so many verses, the song can go on longer than the Twelve days of Christmas! (I have a feeling […]

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German License Plate Stickers and Magnets

Thinking about Muttersprache – Tag der Muttersprache

February 18, 2020

karenanne

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Celebrating German Culture in America

Deutschland.de reached out to me to do a piece for the Tag der Muttersprache (Day of Native Language) which falls on February 21. So I was thinking about Muttersprache, and it’s LITERAL meaning… Mother Speech. Although I grew up in California, German was my first language. The language of my mother. And after THIS MANY […]

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German License Plate Stickers and Magnets

Lessons I Learned from My Oma… Now I’m Sharing them with You

February 15, 2018

karenanne

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Growing Up German In America

  What other Oma lessons did you learn?? We are coming up on my Oma’s birthday, and although she’s no longer with us, I will never forget all the life lessons she taught me. Now, don’t go thinking she sat me down in front of a chalk board and hammered this stuff into my brain. […]

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Smashing a few German Stereotypes – Or Just Clearing them Up

Gifts for a German Host Family- American Gifts as Mitbringsel

July 29, 2017

karenanne

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Growing Up German In America

  I think the question I get most often is one that many of us have wrestled with over the years… What to take along as a “Mitbringsel”? In other words… What are the best Gifts for a German Host Family? While you can never go wrong with flowers or a nice bottle, it is […]

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Weltenburg Abbey- Come for the Beer, Stay for the History

What not to do in Germany- Tips for Enjoying German Culture

July 17, 2017

karenanne

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Growing Up German In America

In many ways, Germany is very much like everywhere else, people generally put their pants on one leg at at time. BUT, some things are different, some things that the average American does every day are just not as acceptable in Germany. How do you know what to do? Here’s an almost complete lists of […]

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Weltenburg Abbey- Come for the Beer, Stay for the History

Plymouth Junge Kameraden Band- An American High School Band Playing German Music!

August 9, 2016

karenanne

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Celebrating German Culture in America

  “So ein Tag, so wunderschön wie Heute“… when I heard those words sung, I immediately flashed back to my childhood. My mother playing this on her record player… my Oma’s radio… singing in German school. But the source was unexpected; the singer was a beautiful High School girl, standing in front of the Plymouth […]

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German License Plate Stickers and Magnets

When your Parents Are German… Recognize these?

May 11, 2016

karenanne

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Celebrating German Culture in America

I was born in America shortly after my parents arrived from Germany. When your parents are German you don’t grow up like the other kids in your neighborhood. It might not be apparent at first, but then suddenly, there are loads of things that make you stand out. Like the accent, having a lot of […]

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German License Plate Stickers and Magnets

Libby, a Second Generation German American

October 12, 2015

karenanne

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Growing Up German In America

    Last night I got an email from Heidi, who passed along this wonderful essay by her daughter Libby, on what it means to grow up a second generation German-American. I loved it so much, I had to share (thanks for the permission Libby!!).  I know that my kids have had so many of […]

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Cold War TV Dramas set in Germany Guest post by Randall Schroeder

German Genealogy Databases Online -Find your German Family

July 21, 2015

karenanne

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Celebrating German Culture in America

For many German-Americans, tracing their history is not so easy. Records were lost or destroyed, and the old script can be difficult to read. While I am by no means an expert, I have found some German Genealogy Databases online that can help you find a little more about your German Ancestry. If you know of […]

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German License Plate Stickers and Magnets