Summer in Germany

A woman plays badminton with her daughter

Summer in Germany means barbecuing by the river, relaxing in the garden and eating ice cream. But who works while we relax? Who repairs our bike, who takes care of our safety at the beach, and who flies us to far-off holiday countries? We show what summer feels like in Germany.

Paula in the bike shop “Kettenreaktion” in Leipzig-Connewitz

Working in summer: bicycle mechanic
“If you work in a bike shop in the summer, you have to be stress-resistant”

Tube change, adjusting the brakes, selling: summer is peak season for the bicycle shop “Kettenreaktion” (Chain Reaction) – and for trainee Paula. Sometimes, she says, 30 to 40 customers come in at a time. She still enjoys the work.

The cellist Matthias Schreiber is a guest musician every two years at the Bayreuth Festival

Working in summer: cellist
“I play ‚Lohengrin‘ in shorts and flip-flops”

When his colleagues in the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra go on summer break, the cellist Matthias Schreiber will be sitting in the orchestra pit of the Bayreuth Festival. Instead of a holiday, a Wagnerian treat.

Photo (detail): Svetlana Kerestely © Goethe-Institut

Summer, Sun, Germany

There’s nothing more pleasant than being outside in the sun and warmth. We have collected impressions of people enjoying the summer and sun!
Photo (detail): Svetlana Kerestely © Goethe-Institut

On a hike with the dog
The Germans love hiking. And if the four-legged friends can’t keep up, it’s fine with him to come in a bag!
Photo (detail): Svetlana Kerestely © Goethe-Institut

Soaking up the sun and vitamin D
Other dogs make even their masters run out of breath!
Photo (detail): Eva Fritsch © Goethe-Institut

North, east, south, or west, home is best
The summer can be enjoyed right on your own doorstep. A hammock is perfect for this.
Photo (detail): Svetlana Kerestely © Goethe-Institut

Working in the garden is back in fashion
Allotment gardens are booming in Germany. They are especially popular in big cities. To get a lot, some garden lovers have to wait several years.
Photo (detail): Lorena Meier © Goethe-Institut

Allotment gardens are very minimalist
For some, even a small bed is enough to grow radishes, tomatoes and maybe a few herbs.
Photo (detail): Eva Fritsch © Goethe-Institut

Meeting point at the Königsplatz
There are places in every city that have established themselves as meeting places. In Munich one of these is the Königsplatz. The stairs in front of Glyptothek and Collection of Classical Antiquities invite many people to linger.
Photo (detail): Svetlana Kerestely © Goethe-Institut

Have a picnic with friends
German cities are proud of their numerous green spaces that serve as havens of relaxation. The English Garden in Munich, with its almost four square kilometers in area, is one of the largest inner-city parks in Germany.
Photo (detail): Eva Fritsch © Goethe-Institut

No summer without barbecuing
Germans love to barbecue. Despite the increasing number of vegetarians, meat retains the place of honor on the grill.
Photo (detail): photoguides © Tourist-Information Bad Wimpfen

Exploring the region by boat
Those who find locomotion in the countryside too drab take instead an excursion steamer. The new perspective makes familiar places look very different.

Authors: Eva Frisch and Svetlana Kerestely, trainees at goethe.de/kultur.

The juggler D<i>Juggledy</i> at the Puebla Festival in Mexico

Working in summer: juggler
“What remains after the show is exhilaration”

The Berlin juggler DJuggledy has been touring the world for more than fifteen years – and has become a big success. On the road, he says, it’s all about one thing: performance.

Like a refreshment? Heidi Knappe with her homemade woodruff punch

Working in summer: herb gardener
“People should be able to recognize a herb”

Summer is peak season in the idyllic herb garden of Heidi Knappe: collecting, cooking, marveling. Who would have thought that there’s so much in plantain, woodruff and company?

Susann Stark loves her work at the Water Rescue Service of Graal-Müritz

Working in summer: lifesaver
“For me, there’s no place more beautiful”

The love that makes Susann Stark spend her weekends in a tower on a Baltic Sea beach isn’t entirely innocent – not at least in the summer.

A passionate pilot: Peter Rix in the cockpit

Working in summer: aircraft captain
“I Like Flying To Where There’s More Daylight”

As an aircraft captain, Peter Rix travels all over the world. That’s exactly what he likes about his job. In the warm season, he says, flying is especially nice. Not just for the passengers, but also for the crew.

Working in summer: capitain
„As a captain, you always have to be at your best“

Rarely in Baden-Württemberg are so many ships on the water as at the summer festival “River Mood on the Neckar”. Year after year, Robert Schneider is at the helm. Goethe.de/kultur tells what the captain’s everyday life looks like and for which port he most likes to set sail.

Gardener Thomas Heller with rhododendrons

Working in summer: gardener
“The water is there for watering, not for bathing.”

Gardening for Thomas Heller is not only a profession but also a life style. Even when he sees the green spaces between the tram tracks, he thinks about how the grass is doing.

Photo (detail): Gina Gorny © Open Air Fitness

Germans' Favourite Summer Sports
When the days are long and warm, there's nothing better than being outdoors after work or on weekends. In Germany, there are plenty of opportunities for this even in big cities. Our picture gallery tells how Germans combine their excursion in nature with a workout.
Photo (detail): Svetlana Kerestely © Goethe-Institut

Not against but with each other
The game enhances coordination, responsiveness and stamina. The German language distinguishes between the terms “Federball” and “badminton”. The goal of the latter is to beat the opponent as fast as possible. In contrast, Federball players usually see themselves as a team and like above all a good long rally.
Photo (detail): Svetlana Kerestely © Goethe-Institut

Tricks with flower sticks
In the English Garten, a park in Munich, jugglers attract attention with flower sticks. The juggling device got this name from its ruffles, which are a bit reminiscent of a flower. Juggling requires a lot of patience and practice.
Photo: Robert Niedring © Kletterinsel Fürstenfeld

Higher, bolder, faster
Adventure, physical challenges and, above all, fear of heights await children and adults in the high ropes course. Climbing high, daring a Tarzan-jump, or walking on a rope are real tests of nerve. The climbing activities differ in the level of difficulty and everyone can choose the tasks according to his or her own strength.
Photo (detail): Svetlana Kerestely © Goethe-Institut

Downstream by canoe
Familiar regions can be rediscovered by water. Some people want to relax while canoeing and let themselves drift along with the current for a few hours. Others paddle hard for two or three days, sleeping in a tent at a campsite.
Photo (detail): Svetlana Kerestely © Goethe-Institut

Surfing in the middle of the city
A short wait, then it’s your turn! How long you can enjoy the wave depends on you; if you fall into the water, the next in line is already riding the wave. Surfing on the Eisbach Wave in the English Garden in Munich is now also known abroad and is one of the attractions popular with tourists.
Photo (detail): Svetlana Kerestely © Goethe-Institut

Everyone runs
There is no more accessible sport than running. Appropriate clothes and a pair of good shoes – that’s all you need. Various companies and city runs raise the motivation. We’re talking about not only the marathon or half marathon. The 5 or 10 kilometer runs are just as much fun.
Photo (detail): Gina Gorny © Open Air Fitness

Strength training in the fresh air
Strength exercises are more fun out of doors! Outdoor fitness uses tree trunks, walls or railings for training.
Photo (detail): Eva Fritsch © Goethe-Institut

A true challenge for your sense of balance
Unlike tightrope walking, which has a long tradition in the circus, slacklining is a relatively new sport. It comes from the USA and was developed by climbers in the early 1980s as a training method. Since 2010, people have also been balancing themselves on a taut rope in German parks.
Photo (detail): Svetlana Kerestely © Goethe-Institut

From Hawaii to Bavaria
Stand-up paddling (or SUP) was developed in Hawaii. In the 1950s surf instructors paddled there standing on a longboard in the waves and photographed surfing tourists. With the development of waterproof cameras, SUP lost its importance. It was only later, in 2000, that SUP established itself as a water sport in its own right.
Photo (detail): Svetlana Kerestely © Goethe-Institut

Pure relaxation
And if you don’t want to paddle yourself, enjoy the sight of others doing it!

Authors: Eva Frisch and Svetlana Kerestely, trainees at goethe.de/kultur.