Oh so German!

A city of just 160,000 inhabitants—a fourth of which are students—drawing in close to 14 million visitors annually is a clear indicator that Heidelberg isn’t just another university town. Located along the Neckar River in the north of the south German state of Baden-Württemberg, Heidelberg is blessed with an enticing combination of old-world charm, a young population, cutting-edge research, and stunning natural beauty. Heidelberg boasts the tag of UNESCO’s ‘City of Literature’ thanks to its importance in the proliferation of romanticism.

Nestled in the heart of the German state of Thuringia, Weimar is a small city with significant political, artistic, and cultural influence. As the birthplace of the Weimar Republic and the playground of influential figures like Goethe and Schiller, it stands as a cultural hub with diverse attractions for visitors.

“Your village is really ugly? Tear it down, that hell!” Oha – the Germans are real killers when it comes to bellyaching. Concealed within these two sentences are six intriguing place names, each carrying its own unique tale waiting to be unravelled.

The German language excels in capturing entire concepts in just one word. Here, we present 5 German words that defy easy translation.

The German language excels in capturing entire concepts in just one word. Here, we present 5 German words that defy easy translation.

Have you ever wondered what a "falscher Hase" might be? A rabbit in disguise, perhaps? And how does "Bärendreck," meaning "bear dirt," relate to snacks? Here’s the ultimate list of German dishes that bear animal names. 

The Robert Johnson in Offenbach near Frankfurt am Main and Tresor in Berlin are both world-renowned clubs that have been around since the 1990s. Killa Schuetze has been guarding club doors for 15 years – first in Frankfurt, now in Berlin.

In the 2000s, Bar 25 was one of the first clubs in Berlin where patrons could party for several days straight; and its successor club Kater Holzig continues to attract big crowds every weekend. Alex Winkelmann talks to us about his experiences.

The club petersplatz.eins is a young establishment in the heart of Vienna, not far from St Stephen’s Cathedral. Our interview partner Hanna Teglasy has been working at the club for over a year.

Celeste in Vienna is a more alternative club with a garden. Daniel has been working as a doorman there and at other venues for over 15 years.

Goldener Reiter opened in 2018 and is located on the edge of Munich’s Gärtnerplatz neighbourhood. Kiki Gorei has been a door supervisor at the club for ten years – and has no plans to stop.

These movies will get you in the perfect mood for the Christmas season!

More board and card games are sold in Germany than in any other country. They guarantee fun, variety – and sometimes even divorce: an article about good moods and bad losers.

As a holiday destination, Germany attracts visitors from all over the world because of its rich cultural and natural heritage. But what does Germany have to offer besides Cologne Cathedral, the Semper Opera House and Schloss Neuschwanstein? Check here to discover sights that you may not have been aware of. 

So Germans are punctual, humourless, drink beer and are world champion travellers? We’ve subjected seven stereotypes about Germany to close scrutiny, and made some surprising discoveries.
 

Germans made headlines in the past as pioneers of recycling, photovoltaic technology and resistance to nuclear energy production, and still today they are proud of their ecological mindset. Yet signalling being nachhaltig is sometimes easier than actually being it.
 

Stereotypes have a bad reputation, but beneath their hard, often exaggerated, easy-to-parody surface – valuable, shiny nuggets of truth lay just waiting for us to dig up. Let’s excavate five of the biggest German stereotypes and see what gems of insight lie glittering underneath.

A different way to live: unconventional and whimsical ideas from Germany.

To help you get through the winter, here is a selection of some of the best cafés in the beautiful city of Cologne.