by HF | Jul 1, 2013
Christmas Customs: St. Nicholas – der Heilige Nikolaus Wer ist Sankt Nikolaus? – Who is Saint Nicholas? For a long time in Austria and some regions of Germany, particularly in Bavaria, St. Nicholas was the main character in the Christmas celebration. But...
by HF | Jun 28, 2013
Shopping Hours in German-Speaking Europe For almost 50 years, shopping hours in Germany were the most restrictive in Europe. Since July 2006, the situation has improved, but all of the German-speaking countries still have the most limited shopping hours in Europe. And...
by HF | Jun 25, 2013
“Der Reeder des Kaisers” – “Ship operator to the Kaiser” The German shipping magnate Albert Ballin (1857-1918) was responsible for turning Germany into a world leader in ocean travel prior to World War I. It was Ballin who also invented the Mediterranean...
by HF | Jun 3, 2013
Halloween and Pumpkin Festivals in Germany, Austria and Switzerland Halloween may not be a traditional German celebration, but virtually every German youngster knows about it today. For adults as well, over the past couple of decades Halloween has become increasingly...
by HF | May 24, 2013
Germany and the Protestant Reformation Around A.D. 350, the Visigoth bishop Ulfilas (Wulfila) completed the first translation of the Bible into Gotisch, an early form of German, beginning the process of converting the pagan Germanic peoples to Christianity. Long after...
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