Learn about nine-pin bowling in Germany
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| Hello, and welcome to the Culture File: Germany series at GermanPod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring essential information about Germany, German culture, and German people. I’m Eric, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 4 - Nine-Pin Bowling in Germany. In German, Nine-pin bowling is called Kegeln. |
| Most people these days don't know about traditional bowling at all. Nowadays, bowling is always carried out on modern lanes, but bowling in Europe has a deep history, and originally looked much different than it does now. |
| There's evidence that various bowling games existed during the middle ages, or Mittelalter. At many festivals there were bowling lanes, or Kegelbahnen, and many people were members of bowling clubs. Over the centuries, bowling developed into a recreational sport. Even Schiller and Goethe were self-confessed bowling fans! |
| In the nineteenth century, bowling became more a serious activity, with more emphasis being placed on the athletic aspect of the sport. By this time, there were yearly German competitive bowling championships being held. Competition in German is Wettkampf. |
| In contrast to modern bowling, this older form of the sport involves nine pins instead of ten. The pins stand in the shape of a square, or Quadrat, with one corner facing forward. Besides that, a substantially smaller ball is used than in modern bowling, and players have only one try to get all the pins down. If the player misses and the ball lands in the gutter beside the lane, it’s called a Nullwurf. |
| For bowlers who aren’t at a competitive level, the sport is mostly about enjoying the game. It doesn’t matter whether someone knocks down all nine pins or throws a Nullwurf; it’s all the same if you’re just playing for fun! |
| So listeners, how did you like this lesson? Did you learn anything interesting? |
| So, the next time you're looking for something to do on a Saturday evening, how about a round of bowling? |
| Leave a comment telling us at GermanPod101.com, and we’ll see you in the next lesson! |
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