"Culture" is a tricky word. It often comes up when talking about a foreign country, and all the different rituals and handicrafts immediately spring to mind. Woven baskets! Wooden shoes! Pretzels! The truth is, you have just as much culture as anybody else in the world. Culture is all about what you perceive as normal and what your society expects as a baseline—and that can be surprisingly different from place to place. We’ve created this guide to get you up to speed on the German culture basics and to give you a better understanding of life in German-speaking countries. Let’s dive in. Table of Contents Values and Beliefs Religions in Germany Family and Work Art Food German Beer Traditional Holidays ... Show more

https://www.youtube.com/embed/yKn5kPZCxwE Witches, sorcerers, costumes, tricks, and superstition...no, it’s not Halloween! We’re talking about Walpurgis night in Germany.  While you might not associate the beginning of spring with witchcraft and sorcery, this correlation has some interesting roots in numerous European countries. In this article, you’ll learn about the origins of this mystical holiday and how it’s celebrated today.  Let’s go! 1. What is Walpurgis Night? Walpurgis is a festival that takes place each year, beginning on the night of April 30 and ending on May 1. This festival is also common in a number of other European nations, including Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, and Estonia. ... Show more

https://www.youtube.com/embed/kIA_3g6dcV4 Germany is a predominantly Christian nation, with over half of its population identifying as Christian. As such, it should come as no surprise that Christian holidays, such as Dreikönigsfest (Epiphany), are widely celebrated here. In this article, you’ll learn all about the Epiphany holiday in Germany. Because this is such a special occasion in the country, exploring its origins and traditions will help you become better acquainted with German culture as a whole.  Let’s get started. 1. What is Epiphany All About? Epiphany is a religious Feiertag (holiday) on which Christians commemorate the three wise men who followed a bright star to find Baby Jesus. This is an... Show more

The First Sunday of Advent in Germany marks the beginning of a four-week-long celebration before Christmas. During Advent, Christians await the Second Coming of Christ with additional fervor and hope, and Germany’s more secular population enjoys the festivities and traditions leading up to Christmas. In this article, you’ll learn about modern Advent traditions in Germany, what date it falls on, a little bit about the holiday’s origins, and other facts about Advent in Germany. At GermanPod101.com, we aim to make every aspect of your language-learning journey both fun and informative! What better way than by showing you one of the warmest and most significant holidays of the year? 1. What is Advent in Germany? The word... Show more

At one point, Germany was divided into two sections, separated by the Berlin Wall. This division had many negative effects on Germans of both sides, including the inability to visit friends or family living on the opposite side. In 1990, the Berlin Wall fell at last, reuniting the two sides of Germany, and thus making the country what it is today. In this article, we’ll be going over some more-detailed history leading up to the fall of the Berlin Wall and German Unity Day 1990, as well as current celebrations of this day. You’ll also learn additional facts about German Unity Day, such as why the holiday’s date was chosen. Knowing this facet of German’s history will give you much insight into the Germany of today, and make your German... Show more

Father's Day, celebrated in most countries around the world, is a special day set aside to honor one's father (or father-figure). There's something about the love and care of a father that's unmatched by anything else, so it's important to show appreciation and gratitude to them on this day. In Germany, this is called Vatertag, and you'll soon find that celebrations in Germany are pretty unique compared to celebrations elsewhere. At GermanPod101.com, we hope to make learning about Vatertag in Germany fun, and provide you with great insight into German culture. For in knowing a country's culture, you can master the language in context of the bigger picture. Let's get started, and delve into Vatertag Deutschland ("Father’s Day... Show more

Carnival is deeply rooted in history and is observed in numerous countries before Lent fasting. German Carnival, in particular, is a time of fun and seeming madness, and no two parts of Germany celebrate this holiday exactly the same way. In this article, we’ll mostly be focusing on the celebrations in Rhineland, since German Carnival traditions vary so much. But keep in mind that wherever you find yourself in Germany, some common aspects are likely to show through. Take, for instance, German Carnival masks, German Carnival songs, and maybe even some German Carnival games! Here at GermanPod101.com, it’s our goal to help you learn the language in context of the country’s culture—and have fun while doing so! That said, let’s go ahead... Show more

Learn all the German New Year wishes online, in your own time, on any device! Join GermanPod101 for a special German New Year celebration! Can you relate to the year passing something like this: “January, February, March - December!”? Many people do! Quantum physics teaches us that time is relative, and few experiences illustrate this principle as perfectly as when we reach the end of a year. To most of us, it feels like the old one has passed in the blink of an eye, while the new year lies ahead like a very long journey! However, New Year is also a time to celebrate beginnings, and to say goodbye to what has passed. This is true in every culture, no matter when New Year is celebrated. So, how do you say Happy New Year in... Show more

Do you know any ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in German? GermanPod101 brings you easy-to-learn translations and the correct pronunciation of German Christmas phrases! Christmas is the annual commemorative festival of Christ’s birth in the Western Christian Church. It takes place on December 25th and is usually celebrated with much food and fanfare! However, not all cultures celebrate Christmas. In some countries, Christmas is not even a public holiday! However, many countries have adapted Christmas and its religious meaning to tally with their own beliefs, or simply in acknowledgment of the festival’s importance to other cultures. If you want to impress native German speakers with culturally-appropriate Christmas phrases... Show more

Siebenschler is refered to as “Seven Sleepers Day,” which means if it rains on a particular day, the belief is that it will rain seven weeks in succession or the remaining summer days. It reminds people of the Legend of Seven Sleepers and is a German holiday, but particular in the southern parts of Germany. This belief started with the Egyptians five thousand years ago and was adapted by the Romans. However, it was the Christians that used it to connect with their annual weather calendar year. July 7th of each year is the correct date for Seven Sleepers Day except for the Julian calendar’s version. The legend stands that during the Roman Emperor persecution, there were seven young men who were blamed for adapting the Christian... Show more