Traditions and everyday life in GermanyFestivals, family customs, favourite places and everyday traditions, written by members of Global Penfriends who live in Germany. Each cultural keepsake is a short note about life where they are.
206 keepsakes from Germany · page 1 of 7
It is one of the most significant and traditional Kirchweih (church consecration) festivals in the Rhine-Main region and all of southern Hesse. The Kerb is held annually over six days during the Pentecost (Pfingsten) period and…
Shared by Mel03
I‘ve seen a lot of different places in germany. I currently live in Gießen and it is a big modern city compared to where i lived before. I can still see forests when I look outside of windows. I used to go hiking in the hills…
Shared by Leonard Charlie
Since I drive past the Museum every day and take all my out-of-town-visitors there, this is my keepsake.Visiting the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany, is like stepping into the heart of automotive history and design. The…
Shared by lailazorn
It’s wonderful. The architecture is a dream at the ‚Marienplatz‘, that’s the central place with the ‚Stachus‘ here in Munich. But Munich is also veryyy big and here are so many cool restaurants and people, I love the style of…
Shared by alexawasoffline
St. Martin‘s Day is a religious holiday dedicated to the death of St. Martin. Saint Martin of Tours, who was a Roman soldier and later bishop, became popular for donating half of his cloak to a beggar during a snowstorm in order…
Shared by cathy444
from stronghold to fabulous castle First mentioned as castellum brunenvelsz in 1246, the former stronghold changed its appearance continuously over the centuries. In the 14th century, with the rise of firearms enhancing range…
Shared by Quenny77
I live near Burghausen, a small town in Bavaria, Germany. It is best known for Burghausen Castle, which stretches for more than one kilometre along a hill above the river Salzach. It is considered the longest castle complex in…
Shared by AngieGr
The photo shows a Ferris wheel at the Düsseldorf castle tower. The castle tower originally formed the northern end of the Düsseldorf castle. The first three floors of the tower date back to the 13th century. Alessandro Pasqualini…
Shared by agiell75
This is how we celebrate christmas. It starts on the first December with the Adventskalender. Until the 24th you get a small present every day. On the evening of the 5th we hang socks/put boots outside for the Nikolaus to fill…
Shared by Buttercake
The LWL-Freilichtmuseum Detmold, or the Detmold Open-Air Museum, is one of Germany’s largest and most extensive open-air museums. Located in Detmold, North Rhine-Westphalia, it spans around 90 hectares and showcases over 100…
Shared by Bennet H.
A specialty of my region, which I come from, are the bog. In the past, peat was extracted in the bog, which was then dried and then used as fuel for stoves. Nowadays hardly any peat is extracted and most of the moors are now…
Shared by kire
While the Weihnachtsmarkt/ Christmasmarket is a thing all over Germany, I am going to talk about the one in my town. My town has two Christmas markets: One in the "Neustadt" (the newer part of our town) and one in the "Altstadt"…
Shared by J00J00
"Handkäse" literally translated "Hand Cheese" is a cheese, which originated and is popular in the german state of Hessen. The cheese itself being sort of a sour milk cheese, is widely known for its stinky smell and therefore an…
Shared by Ralphus
Every year around November 11, crowds of preschool children parade through the dark streets carrying colorful,often homemade lanterns and singing St. Martin's and lantern songs. But what are these traditional lantern parades all…
Shared by Lillaaa
Museumsinsel is a place in my city, Berlin. Separated by the river surrounding it, it is packed with culture, art, history... home to the Pergamon Museum, Bode Museum, Old and New National Gallery, Berlin Cathedral and more…
Shared by Sotong
In Germany, potato salad can almost be a small-talk topic with political undertones: With or without mayonnaise? In many families in the south, it’s made warm with broth, vinegar, oil, and onions—it’s perfectly fine if it’s a…
Shared by CarShaker
The Kälenfest is a celebration at the beginning of summer where my town basically reminisces about what happened in my town. The biggest thing being that the upper part (Neustadt) and lower part (Altstadt) used to fight each…
Shared by J00J00
Centuries ago in pagan times and, in the beginning, had nothing to do with Christmas. Krampus is derived from the word ‘krampen’, meaning claw, and the terrifying beast is said to be the son of the Norse god of the underworld…
Shared by Meli_28
The “Willem”, as it is known locally, is the second highest monument in Germany, it towers above Porta Westfalica on the Wittekindsberg hill at a height of 268 metres. The Kaiser Wilhelm Monument is not only capable of dominating…
Shared by Archangel03
Tripsdrill is THE amusement park in Baden-Württemberg. It has everything: From wildlife to roller coasters. Kid-friendly roller coasters? No problem. The park is huge and is designed with sories for every roller coaster. There is…
Shared by maddiy
Düsseldorfs old town is a district of the city right by the rhine. It is known as "the longest counter in the world" as there are over 250 bars and pubs to be found here! The total counter length of all bar counters combined…
Shared by hotchamomiletea
In Berlin, capital of Germany, the trash bins have funny little quotes on them, to encourage people to throw their trash in the bins and not on the streets, like "Es sind die inneren Werte die zählen" ("It is the inner values…
Shared by treEsAndCLouds
The little garden Lusam (German: „Lusamgärtchen“) is in the center of Würzburg hidden behind a big church: the dome. It‘s a reminder of the poet Walter Von Der Vogelweide who is said to have died in Würzburg. He also lived here…
Shared by Living_In_My_Own_World
The Jagdhof is a restaurant my family and I visit for special celebrations.It serves typical german food like dumplings,schnitzel and red cabbage. Everything tastes wonderful.A tradition is to take tomato cream soup as a starter…
Shared by LauraBiene
Lütje Lage is a traditional drink from Hannover, Germany, and a local speciality with a rather unusual drinking ritual. It consists of two drinks: a small glass of Lüttje-Lagen-Bier (a special, low-alcohol beer) and a tiny glass…
Shared by Kuchenschabe
The Siebengebirge are a hill range of the German Central Uplands on the east bank of the Middle Rhine, southeast of Bonn. The area, located in the municipalities of Bad Honnef and Königswinter, consists of more than 40 hills. The…
Shared by Seniorita Coco
A Bembel is a traditional, bulbous ceramic jug used primarily in the Hesse region of Germany to serve Apfelwein (apple cider). • Material & Design: Made of salt-glazed stoneware, featuring a thick, rounded belly, a narrow neck…
Shared by landhaus1
Eibsee is a stunning lake located at the base of Germany’s tallest mountain, the Zugspitze. Its crystal-clear waters, surrounded by lush forests and breathtaking alpine views, make it a perfect retreat from everyday life. I love…
Shared by FlorenzBlumen
Many stereotypes about Germans are generally too dramatic or mostly relate to Bavaria. The one thing I would agree with is our love for bread. We have a large variety and a classic middle class family will go to a bakery on…
Shared by LienyaWant to hear about life in Germany first-hand? Write to a penpal who lives there.
Find penpals in Germany
