Coffee wouldn’t be what it is today without Melitta Bentz. In 1908, the housewife from Dresden invented the coffee filter … and the rest is history!
Author: Anika Rieper
Germerican (Schleswig-Holstein, Pennsylvania)
Master's in German Literature and Social Psychology
Avid Reader and Bookseller
German Teacher
Verben im Präsens Präsens – regular verbs sein – to be – worksheet and answer key Trennbare Verben (separable prefix verbs)
German Potato Salad is made with vinegar and broth, sometimes served warm. Unless you talk about Nordic potato salad made with mayonnaise. Read more about potatoes in Germany here.
Father’s Day in Germany looks a lot different from Father’s Day in the US. First, it’s on Ascension Day in May, second, men go on hiking and/or drinking tours.
On the eve of April 30th, the “Walpurgisnacht”, witches meet on the Brocken mountain to celebrate and mate with the devil. But the night is named after a Saint. Read here about Saint Walburga and her connection to the witches’ night.
Clara Immerwahr (1870-1915) was the first German woman to earn a doctorate in chemistry; during a time when it was near impossible for girls and women to receive a university degree.
Glücksbringer are good luck charms, and Germany has plenty of them: the lucky penny, horseshoe, toadstool, ladybug, chimney sweep, clover, and of course the Glücksschwein, a lucky pig.
The first Sunday after Ash Wednesday is the Funkensonntag. On that day, so-called Funkenfeuer (bonfires) are lit in the Swabian-Alemannic Alpine regions.
Louise Otto-Peters was a journalist and writer, an early women’s rights activist of the 19th century, and co-founder of the General German Women’s Association.
On February 21st, North Frisians gather at the beaches to observe the traditional Biikebrennen – a giant bonfire to mark the beginning of whale hunting and fishing season, and the end of winter.
