Oh so German!

Do bratwurst, beer gardens, and Lederhosen truly encapsulate Germany? Are fairy tales the country's secret obsession, and is every corner adorned with castles? Oh So German! offers glimpses of the many facets that compose the essence of Deutschland.

Oh so German! © Adobe Firefly | Edit: Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan

German Cities

City Contours Düsseldorf

The Heart of North Rhine-Westphalia

Düsseldorf is the capital of one of Germany’s industrial heartlands, North Rhine-Westphalia. Sharvari Dixit Bhalerao, an Indian nutritionist living in Germany, takes us through a few cultural highlights in the city.

Düsseldorf © Nimish Sawant © Nimish Sawant

City contours Heidelberg

A City of Literature, Culture, and Contrast

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 © Nimish Sawant © Nimish Sawant

City contours Weimar

“A Marvel in Thuringia's Heartbeat.”

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.

Goethe–Schiller Monument in Weimar Detail © Nimish Sawant Detail © Nimish Sawant

LGBTQ+ friendly cities in Germany

A queer journey through the cities

Many German cities are today proud of their vibrant queer community. There are bars, clubs, events and initiatives that offer queer people a safe space. The ways to get there were very different.

CSD Leipzig 2023. Participants with Pride Flag Photo (detail): © mauritius images / SOPA Images Limited / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos Photo (detail): © mauritius images / SOPA Images Limited / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos

Sports and Games

An Insider’s Perspective

Cricket in Germany

As a cricket enthusiast, you might think you would miss your go-to sport in Germany. But with over three hundred clubs, cricket is booming, defying Germany’s reputation as a football-dominated nation. In this article, we speak with Venkatraman Ganesan, former captain of the German National Cricket Team, to gain insights into the growing cricket scene in Germany.

The team finished 2nd in the European Finals, advancing to the T20 World Cup Global Qualifiers for the first time. © Venkatraman Ganesan © Venkatraman Ganesan

Fitness

5 Unusual Sports in Germany

Who is crazy enough to try and catch a ball on a broom? Who voluntarily runs after a plastic disc? The answer: quite a few. They enjoy a sport beyond the football league – on the lawn, under water, in the air.

People in a swimming pool playing underwater rugby Photo (detail): ©picture alliance / dpa | Lukas Schulze Photo (detail): ©picture alliance / dpa | Lukas Schulze

Video Games from Germany

Typical German?

Germans like to play games. 53 percent of people over the age of 16 regularly play video games. And with a turnover of almost six billion euros, the gaming industry is now a significant economic factor. But which games come from Germany? And what makes them “typically German”?

A scene from the game ‘Atlas Fallen’ with a figure in the foreground and a passing caravan in the background. © Deck13 Interactive © Deck13 Interactive

Tabletop Games

Let the Games Begin!

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.

People still enjoy playing “human chess” today: the chess pieces are played by real people, usually in costume. The latest form is Cosplay Human Chess. Photo (detail): © Adobe Photo (detail): © Adobe

Food

Dishes Named After Animals

Ten Animal-ish Delicacies from Germany

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.

Animal-ish Delicacies from Germany © Getty Images © Getty Images

German coffee culture

Fancy coffee and cake?

There's nothing like a coffee in good company with a delicious piece of cake. The Germans even have their own word for it: Kaffeeklatsch. Get your cups out, we present five specialities of German coffee culture.

Coffee and cake Photo (Detail): © toa-heftiba-W6sqUYIJRiw-unsplash Photo (Detail): © toa-heftiba-W6sqUYIJRiw-unsplash

From farm to plate

Germany’s white gold

Spring in Germany is almost synonymous with blooming fields of white asparagus. But what is the fascination with this “white gold”? Our author explores this intrigue through a farm visit in Cologne and discovers a heartwarming love story from the 16th century.

White asparagus in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia Photo (detail): Saurabh Narang Photo (detail): Saurabh Narang

The 10 most popular German street foods

Urban Bites: From Heritage to Hipster

Germany has never enjoyed the best reputation when it comes to cuisine. However today, the country has a lot more to offer than just sauerkraut and pork knuckle. Strongly influenced by migration in recent decades, the German street food scene now boasts an array of delicious dishes.

Ex-Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel probiert ein Stück Dönerfleisch Foto (detail): picture alliance / abaca | AA/ABACA Foto (detail): picture alliance / abaca | AA/ABACA

Top Ten

Cologne Cafés for the Cold Season

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

Café Sehnsucht © Katrin Ackermann © Katrin Ackermann

Stereotypes

Five typical German habits

That's how it's done here

No sense of humour, always overly punctual, taciturn and a little reserved – one nationality immediately pops into your head when you hear these descriptions: the Germans. The list could go on and on – here we look at five habits that are seen as “typically German”.

Celebrating at the Oktoberfest 2024 in Munich Photo (detail): © picture alliance/dpa | Karl-Josef Hildenbrand Photo (detail): © picture alliance/dpa | Karl-Josef Hildenbrand

Stereotypes

In stereotypes we (should) trust

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.

True or false? Germans love their cars – and they are obsessed with orders and rules. Photo (detail): © Susi Bumms Photo (detail): © Susi Bumms

Stereotypes

Germany For Experts

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.

Germany, that’ll be beer and of course the Oktoberfest. However, when it comes to beer consumption per person, the Czechs are way ahead, while the Germans only make seventh place in the international rankings. Photo (detail): © Adobe Photo (detail): © Adobe

Stereotypes

The Fine Art of German Nachhaltigkeit

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.

Germans have a built-in, must-buy reflex when confronted with any product labelled bio. Photo (detail): © Susi Bumms Photo (detail): © Susi Bumms

That's so German!

10 things you should try at Christmas markets

Year after year

It's dark when you get up and it's dark when you get home. It's dreary and you need two pairs of socks. Just some of the reasons why many people long for the end of winter. But: it's the only time of year with Christmas markets! You shouldn't miss out on these ten things at one of the 2500 markets in Germany!

Christmas market in Frankfurt am Main, night scene Photo (Detail): © mauritius images / Michael Abid Photo (Detail): © mauritius images / Michael Abid

Five inventions from Germany

Milestones

Germany, the land of poets and thinkers – and inventors. Many groundbreaking ideas that still shape our everyday lives today come from Germany. Here are five pioneering inventions made in Germany.

Paraglider in the sunset Photo (detail): © mauritius images / Konstantin Yolshin / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos Photo (detail): © mauritius images / Konstantin Yolshin / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos

Alternative fashion scenes in major German cities

Styled with pleasure

Style and fashion awareness in Germany? For a long time, this topic was met with little more than a pitying smile. But the picture has now changed – here are four stylish trends seen in major German cities.

Black Birkenstocks, yellow socks Photo (detail): © Unsplash No revisions mlpZ452L6Zs Photo (detail): © Unsplash No revisions mlpZ452L6Zs

Six Unique German Place Names

“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.

German Town Signboard - Killer © Juergen Lehle, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons © Juergen Lehle, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Part 1: Intriguingly Untranslatable

5 German Words You Should Know

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

Five German Words You Should Know: Part 1 © Canva © Canva

Part 2: Intriguingly Untranslatable

5 More German Words You Should Know

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

Five German Words You Should Know: Part 2 © Canva © Canva

Picture Palace

5 Must-See German Christmas Movies

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

Es ist ein Elch entsprungen - Moose eats cornflakes Photo (Detail): picture alliance/United Archives | United Archives / kpa Publicity Photo (Detail): picture alliance/United Archives | United Archives / kpa Publicity

Tourism

Undiscovered Germany

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.

Essen: European Green Capital Photo (detail): © picture alliance/dpa/Roland Weihrauch Photo (detail): © picture alliance/dpa/Roland Weihrauch

House beautiful

Ten creative living spaces, made in Germany

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

Beyond the grey: a different way to live. Photo (detail): © picture alliance / dpa / Jens Wolf Photo (detail): © picture alliance / dpa / Jens Wolf

Detours

A selfie at the Brandenburg Gate, a tour of Neuschwanstein Castle – all great. But which cities, landscapes and special places in Germany are also worth seeing? Once a month, we take you to a place in Germany that you absolutely must discover!

Germany from all sides

The name alone is puzzling: what on earth is meant by the word “Zipfelbund”? And what might a Zipfel Passport, Zipfel Prize and Zipfel Pact refer to? But be warned: you will need quite a bit of time if you want to see everything.

The Siren Song of Lorelei

Anyone who comes here – whether by mountain bike or on foot – will quickly fall in love with this region of culture, nature and wine on the River Rhine: it’s a very easy place to spend time.

A beautiful water sprite distracted sailors, causing vessels to capsize – according to the legend of Lorelei. Photo (detail): © Adobe Photo (detail): © Adobe

Guardians of the Night

It’s that tense moment when you’re standing outside a club: Will the bouncer let you in, or will it be a “Sorry, not tonight”? Apart from deciding who makes it past the doors, doorstaff are also responsible for ensuring that party-goers feel safe all night. Jonas Höschl and Sascha Ehlert portray five nightclub workers who together have over 50 years’ of doorstaff experience under their belt.

A Portrait of Bouncers

KILLA SCHUETZE, ROBERT JOHNSON (OFFENBACH) & TRESOR (BERLIN)

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.

Killa Schuetze – Robert Johnson (Frankfurt am Main), Tresor/Clubcommission (Berlin) Photo: Jonas Höschl Photo: Jonas Höschl

A Portrait of Bouncers

ALEX WINKELMANN, BAR 25 & KATER HOLZIG (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.

Alex Winkelmann, Bar 25/Kater Holzig (Berlin) Photo: Jonas Höschl Photo: Jonas Höschl

A Portrait of Bouncers

Kiki Gorei, Goldener Reiter (Munich)

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.

Kiki Gorei, Goldener Reiter (München) Photo: Jonas Höschl Photo: Jonas Höschl

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German cities are as diverse as the landscape that surrounds them. In a series of city portraits, we embark on a journey through Goethe's homeland. Our authors have taken a close look at things small and large which make their cities so unique and lovable.

Detours

The German Language Column

Our column delves into navigating German language rules, tracing the origins of new words, and highlighting significant language usage shifts, offering insights into these engaging linguistic discussions.

Word! The language column © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

German Series in India

Binge Fever!

Television “Made in Germany” is having a golden moment with the rise of international streaming services. In this dossier, we highlight binge-worthy German serials and fill you in on where to watch them in India.

Binge Fever Title Remote © Colourbox / Image editing Goethe-Institut Los Angeles © Colourbox / Image editing Goethe-Institut Los Angeles

Current Music from Germany

Popcast

Rock, pop, hip-hop, electro: Together with Zündfunk, the Bavarian Radio's scene magazine, we showcase quality pop made in Germany.

Germany #Nofilter

The magazine for German learners, German teachers and everyone interested in Germany: Stories about everyday life, career and studies, information about German cities, tips and trends.