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.

Luise Rainer was an actor from Düsseldorf in Germany with a brief career in Hollywood. She won two Academy Awards in 1936 and 1937.

The King in Germany? Yes, Elvis Presley was stationed in Germany for his military service from October of 1958 until March of 1960.

The Litfaßsäule – the cylindrical cement pillar placed in cities advertising cultural and sporting events. It was named after its inventor Ernst Litfaß.

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!

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.

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.

December 4th is Saint Barbara’s Feast Day. She converted to Christianity and died as a martyr. Find out here why we cut cherry tree branches on Saint Barbara Day, and how it relates to the patron of artillerymen and miners.

Friedrich Hecker led an uprising for a united Germany in 1848. He later emigrated to the United States where he fought in the Civil War. Find out more about this German American.

Maria von Linden was the first female student at the University of Tübingen, and the first woman to receive the title “Professor”. Read here about her research and struggles in academia.

1888 was the year when the German empire had three emperors: Kaiser Wilhelm I, Kaiser Friedrich III, and Kaiser Wilhelm II. Therefore it is called “Dreikaiserjahr”.

Lotte Reiniger, born in 1899, was a German film pioneer. She made the first feature length animated movie, using silhouette animation.

Otto Lilienthal was a German flight pioneer in the late 19th century, and is known for his many flying apparatuses and gliders.

Baron Münchhausen was a real person who lived in the 18th century and who told adventure stories for entertainment. So, why is he called the “Baron of Lies”?

Auguste Victoria was the last German empress, wife of Emperor Wilhelm II. For the 100th anniversary of her death on April 11th, 1921, the German TV channel ZDF made a documentary about her that you can watch here. I have provided an English summary along with photos.

Otto von Bismarck was a German statesman who helped establish the German empire in 1871. So, what does he have to do with a herring?

Luise Hensel wrote the poem “Müde bin ich, geh zur Ruh” that is now known as children’s prayer and lullaby. After writing her poetry in early life, she devoted the rest of her life to caritas work within the Catholic Church.

The first woman to be admitted to the Academy of Fine Arts of Munich, Marie Ellenrieder was a court painter and created religious art still admired today.

Famous composer and musician Max Reger set Friedrich Hebbel’s poem “Requiem” (Seele, vergiss sie nicht) to music. Read more about Hebbel and Reger and listen to the beautiful requiem.

Very short biography of Rudolf Diesel (1858-1913), inventor of the Diesel engine. Further resources and video included.

Maybe you know him as the little brother of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, but Ludwig Emil Grimm was an artist in his own right: a painter, etcher, and engraver. Take a look at his life and artwork.

On March 9th, 1152, Frederick I was crowned King of Germany. Read about the Aachen Cathedral and Friedrich Barbarossa.

How well do you know Grimm’s Fairy Tales? I have collected eight images showing eight different fairy tales. Do you know which ones they are?

Felix Hoffmann, a chemist working for Bayer at the turn of the last century, is often credited with the invention of aspirin. But was it really him and what role did he play in the development of heroin? Find out here:

Elisabeth Schwarzhaupt was the first female Federal Minister of Germany. She was the Minister of Health from 1961 until 1966.

When I studied in Hanover, Germany I lived in a district called Stöcken. I passed the Stöcken Friedhof (Stöcken cemetery) every day on my way to school, the library, or the grocery store. My friend and I would actually go for a walk there since the cemetery is really more of a park with graves.… Read more: Stöcken Friedhof – A Cemetery in Hanover

For Protestants, October 31st is an important day. Martin Luther published his 95 theses about the issues he had with the Catholic Church, especially with the selling of indulgences.

October 31st is not only Halloween but also Reformation Day. Playmobil published a Martin Luther figurine in 2017 to commemorate the 500th anniversary.

October 12th is Indigenous Peoples Day! So, what does that have to do with Germany, you might ask. Well, Germans have had a decades long fascination with Native Americans. And it kind of started with Karl May the German adventure story writer who invented Winnetou, the most famous Native American Americans don’t know.

Did you know that The Beatles recorded two of their songs in German? And Elvis sang a German folk song partially in Swabian dialect? Johnny Cash, David Bowie, The Beach Boys, they all have recorded songs in German. In the 1960s it was not unheard of that artists released some of their songs in German for the German market.

Do you know what a myboshi hat is? It’s a crocheted beanie, made popular and sold by Thomas Jaenisch and Felix Rohland from Bavaria.