Stille Nacht / Silent Night: The True Story

Austria’s “Stille Nacht” The world’s most famous Christmas song, “Silent Night,” comes to us from Austria (Österreich in German). Called “Stille Nacht” in its original German, this beautiful Christmas carol is now sung and enjoyed around the world in over 140...

Holidays and Celebrations Calendar

Holiday and Festivities Calendar for Austria, Germany, Switzerland Jump to | January | February | March | April | May | June | July August | September | October | November | December Movable Feasts (no fixed date) Holiday Calendar: Below you’ll find our calendar of...

Holidays and Celebrations in German-Speaking Europe

Holiday and Festivities Calendar for Austria, Germany, Switzerland Oktoberfest (which begins in September!) may be the most famous, but there are many other traditional celebrations in German-speaking Europe, ranging from the bizarre “Dinner for One” New Year’s custom...

Terrorism in Germany

Made in Germany: NSU, RAF, RZ Munich 1972 Following the horrible terrorist attack at the Munich Olympic Games in 1972 and the botched rescue attempt that left all of the hostages dead, Germany created a special federal anti-terrorism police unit known as GSG 9. The...

Cultural Comparisons

Daily Life in the USA vs Germany (Part 1) History & Culture > Cultural Comparisons > Cultural Comparisons – Part 2 Driving & Traffic Laws • Restaurants & Dining • Coffee In the charts below you’ll find a simplified comparison of various customs...