- Beer is considered food and not an alcoholic beverage in Bavaria
- The Biergartenverordnung allows you to bring and eat your own food in a Bavarian beergarden
- Oktoberfest is held in September mainly and ends the first weekend in October
- The Bavarian dialect is difficult, even for other Germans: Brötchen (Buns) are called Semmeln and the city’s name ‘München’ becomes ‘Minga’
- Munich’s specialty the ‘Weisswürste’ (white sausages) is served with sweet mustard and freshly baked pretzels and ONLY until 12:00 noon
- not counting the cities in Alaska, Munich is located more north than any larger city in the US
- The city’s name ‘München’ was derived from the old High German ‘Munichen’ and means ‘by the monks the place’
- According to legend the architect of the well-known Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Lady) tricked the devil into thinking the church having no windows. However, when the devil realised he had been duped he stamped his foot near the entrance. You can view the footprint called the devil’s step even today.
- Munich’s English Garden is heavily influenced by Asian architecture, comprising Chinese pagodas, a Japanese teahouse as well as temples
- the oldest building in Munich known today is neither a church nor a Bavarian pub or tavern – it’s a toilet of the year 1260
Category Archives: Allgemein
Another kind of integration: participating in Carnival
Its coming closer again – every year between early-February and mid-March there is no other topic as highly discussed and dividing as Karneval or Fasching or Fasnet.
First, it divides German society in those going jeck (mad, crazy) during Karneval and those fleeing from the country to either go skiing or enjoying sun in a far-away Karneval-escape. Next, this season divides those who love Karneval into different groups, calling it Karneval, Fasching or Fasnet, depending on where they live.
While North-Rhine-Westphalia is a carnivals stronghold where it draws serious consequences to call this week of drinking alcohol and running around in crazy outfits Fasching. In the south however, it is opposite: do not say Karneval in Bavaria or Baden-Württemberg! It is at least Fasching, however a true Swabian would never say Fasching but Fasnet!
And of course every carnival stronghold is the best, in their eyes. The title of being THE carnival stronghold is highly contested, especially Cologne, Düsseldorf and Mainz are competing against each other and make fun of the others’ attempts of celebrating.
A quick tip:
When you participate in Cologne’s Karneval: Never say HELAU, shout ALAAF whenever possible 😉
When participating in Düsseldorf’s or Mainz’s celebrations use HELAU and do not try out what happens if you shout ALAAF.
ICH-Will-Deutsch-Lernen
“ich-will-deutsch-lernen” new onlineplatform for refugees and migrants
The German „Deutsche Volkshochschul – Verband” provides a tool to support migrants and refugees in learning German. Name of the webportal is “ich-will-deutsch-lernen”. The available platform implied a German language course which helps to learn and improve German language skills, starting from level A1 to level B1. The Volkshochschul – Verband want to support the integration of refugees and migrants in culture and social living.
The content of the digital courses is according to the rules of integration courses in Germany.
Furthermore the portal offers an extensive range of material for alphabetisation. And last but not least the portal provides also one tool to improve German professional jargon. The user can choose out of 30 cross-sectoral scenarios and 11 professional communication activities.
Everybody may use the tool: do-it-yourself-learner, teachers and professional learning classes.
Teacher of integration courses and German courses have to register and build up their own class online. Then they are able to supervise their participants. Learners who start on their own will be supervised by tutors of DVV.
ich-will-deutsch-lernen.de
update: there are new features available
Beginning of the festive season – Christmas markets
Autumn shows its wintry side those days in Germany: its cold and dark, snow is falling… So some festive atmosphere is coming up already – how great that most cities in Germany open their Christmas markets soon:
21st November – save the date: beginning of the festive season, time for savoring some Christmas treats.
A beautiful and popular tradition, making those cold, rainy days less dreary and shortening the time until Christmas. Visiting a Christmas Market with family, friends or colleagues. Chatting while having hot drinks or enjoying some Christmas biscuits, or better the good old Currywurst – Or a Bratwurst? Children can enjoy a ride on a merry-go-round, everything glooms and glows and its smelling Christmassy.
The most beautiful and most popular Christmas Markets of the German metropolises of Berlin, Munich and Stuttgart welcome their visitors with manifold Christmas treats, music and handicraft. Some Christmas Markets are open on certain weekends only, others are open throughout the entire pre-Christmas season.
The Christmas markets are various: some focus on carrousels and merry-go-rounds, some on handcrafted or design presents for Christmas and other on Christmassy treats and culinary delights.
What they all have in common: visiting a Christmas market is a welcomed alternative during the dark time of the year.
Berlin shines
Berlin shines in a new light. Days become shorter, weather is getting worse. After a rainy cloudy day you may see a wonderful shining Berlin at night. Superb light installations are projected at many buildings – it is so impressive.
Berlin festival of lights has started last Friday and will be in Berlin until the 16th of October. Take your chance going around Berlin have a look at that brilliant light installation. You can go on your own, take part at a guided walking tour or bus tour, by bike…
Don’t miss this wonderful festival of lights in Berlin.
FIVE handy hints for a successful Relocation
Getting started in Germany to work, to study or to live here, you should think about important five things to do on your way to an immigration and successful integration to Germany
- Very important: paperwork, make sure you have all needed documents, starting with a valid passport and certifies copies of all certificates and diplomas…
- Flat hunt: make sure your new surrounding will fit with your interests.
- Make sure, which steps you will have to do, after moving to your new home: starting with registration, applying for residence and working permit, open a bank account etc…, it will definitely bother you to do all required administrative things.
- Get familiar with “DO’s and DON’Ts”
- Learning the language: this is the most effective way to become really integrated!!
Housing market in Berlin, Stuttgart and Munich
At most German Universities the winter term (Wintersemester) will start in October.
This means, thousands of students are moving from their home town to their university town. They all are looking after flats or rooms in shared flats. The situation becomes critical in the housing property market in the main towns of Germany. Thousands of flats are missing in cities like Berlin, Stuttgart and Munich.
It’s a very hard procedure. If you identify a flat online, you have to arrange an appointment for flat viewing. You must have all your paperwork with, otherwise you will not have any chance. Then you stand in line with more 50 interested persons, waiting to get a view on flat.
The housing market in Berlin, Stuttgart and Munich is really becoming worse.
Berlin Marathon – Integration at it’s best
This weekend the 43rd Berlin Marathon will take place in the city of Berlin.
More than forty thousand runner and skater will participate in this competition. More than twenty thousand participants come from abroad countries to join the Berlin Marathon.
It’s great: people from all over the world, women, men, young and old people, professional runners and hobby sportsmen and handicapped person. They all will give their best on Sunday and the Berliners will cheer on them.
By the way, if your are new in the city, participating on Berlin Marathon gives you a superb overview of the streets of Berlin.
The “Berliner” have vote
Now there will be a governmental change in Berlin.
The election makes clear, Berliner inhabitants want a new government. Berlin is likely to get a fist leftwing triple-coalition.
Angela Merkel’s CDU party and the ruling Social Democrats both plummeted to their lowest result in Berlin. Centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) came out top with 21.6% of the vote, ahead of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) on 17.5%. Leftwing Die Linke came third on 15.7%, ahead of the Greens on 15.1%. The liberal Free Democrats managed to get back into parliament with 6.7%.
The worst thing is, Anti-immigration populists Alternative für Deutschland are set to enter the Berlin parliament for the first time, with 14.1%.
But the good news is, that most of the voters 85,9% support the democratic parties, accepting Germany as a country of immigration.
Berlin gets ready for digital future
The new ” Einstein centre Digital Future” in Berlin will create a multi collaboration and interdisciplinary research environment for increasing digitalization. Scientist from all over the wolrd will work about digitalization.
By now are round about 75.000 people employed in digital economy in Berlin.
Berlin gets more than 50 new It – professors. They should help to promote Berlin with the subject of Digitization further about the new “Einstein-Zentrum für digitale Zukunft” (Einstein’s centre for digital future). The scientists should build up networks to other disciplines: from medicine to archeology, in clothes integrated chips up to researches to the digital town. Furthermore, the effects of digitalization i.e. world of work should be investigated. Christian Thomson, president of the University of Technology Berlin said, “such a concentration in It research, as it will be situated in Berlin then, will be unique in Germany and a big chance for Berlin as science location”. The scientists should start to work 2017.
Right now first calls for tendering are puplished.