The hottest days of summer are called “dog days” in English and “Hundstage” in German. But it has nothing to do with dogs.
Category: Short and Sweet
Cilly Aussem was a German tennis player in the 1920s and 30s and the first German to win Wimbledon. She won against fellow German Hilde Krahwinkel.
Palmsonntag or Palm Sunday starts the Holy Week which ends with Easter Sunday. Some (German) customs around Palm Sunday include processions and Palmbuschen.
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!
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.
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.
The Internationale Grüne Woche Berlin (IGW) or Green Week has been an important agricultural convention since 1926. Read more about the history and why it’s called “green”.
Die Polente is an older term for police but also describes a Citroën 2CV police car. Find out here why it’s called “Polente”.
Fliegenpilz, toadstool, fly agaric – that’s just some of the names the poisonous mushroom goes by. Where the name comes from and why it’s also a good luck symbol, you’ll find out here.
