The Kiebitz (northern lapwing) was voted “Bird of the Year” (Vogel des Jahres) in Germany in 1996 and in 2024. The event is sponsered by NABU and LBV to draw attention of endangered birds.
Author: Anika Rieper
Germerican (Schleswig-Holstein, Pennsylvania)
Master's in German Literature and Social Psychology
Avid Reader and Bookseller
German Teacher
“Morgen, Kinder, wird’s was geben” (Tomorrow, Children, There Will Be Something) is a popular German Christmas song, based on a poem by Splittegarb from 1795. The melody we know today was written by C. G. Hering in 1809. The focus of the song is the excitement of the children.
Lighthouses (Leuchttürme) and other sea marks have guided seafarers through treacherous waters, during the day and especially in the night. Here is a list of lighthouses in North Frisia in Germany.
June 24 is St. John’s Day or Johannistag. Overlapping with summer solstice celebrations (midsummer, Sonnenwende), people in Germany and Austria light fires and pick herbs and flowers, like St. John’s wort, which are especially potent around Mittsommer.
Depending on the year, the Maikäfer (May bug or cockchafer) in Germany is called a pest or endangered. But it is also prevalent in German culture, from literature to art, from the military to festivals and cars.
Donauwelle is a German and Austrian cake, or rather Torte, that resembles the waves of the Danube river, hence the name.
A popular spring song in Germany is “Alle Vögel sind schon da” (All the birds are already here). It was written by Hoffmann von Fallersleben in 1835 and is sung to a melody by an unkown composer.
Agnes Pockels (1862-1935) was a self-taught physical chemist who did groundbreaking work in the field of surface tension and invented the slide trough (Schieberinne).
Glühwein or Mulled Wine is usually made with red wine and spices, but there is also a white version with white wine. And there is a cold summer version with champagne.
💘📚 Hedwig Courths-Mahler (1867-1950) was one of the most popular writers of the early 20th century. She published over 200 novels and novellas, mostly romance novels. Most of her stories featured a couple who had to overcome obstacles and differences in social status before they were joined in love and marriage. Hedwig Courths-Mahler ca 1900. […]
