Der Nikolaus

Find out more about the generous 2nd century Turkish bishop who became a saint and whose name day is widely celebrated in many European countries.

O Nikolaus

This is a simple song in German about St Nicolas who comes to visit good children in Germany, Austria and many other European countries on the night before der Nikolaustag (December 6th). He leaves sweet treats and small gifts in their boots if they leave them out for him. Naughty children are visited by Krampus who leaves coal and twigs in their boots.

Wort der Woche: Apfel



This ancient fruit is known the world over. Der Apfel ist rund, saftig und süß; round, juicy and sweet.



Used throughout Germany this humble fruit provides refreshing juice (Apfelsaft) and glasses of foaming cider (Apfelmost) and is an important ingredient in many cakes and puddings. One of the most famousof these is Apfelstrudel which is so well known it goes by its German name in many non German-speaking countries.

 

Apfelstrudel is a Viennese pastry, with a juicy filling made of apples spiced with cinnamon and flavoured with sharp lemon juice and sweet rum. The whole cake is dusted with icing sugar and usually served witha good Austrian coffee. To find out how to make this delicious teatime treat, click here.

Can you work out what this proverb means?
Einen Apfel pro Tag, mit dem Doktor keine Plag.

I think you might have guessed this one. The english version is: An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Wort der Woche: Silber

Silber is the colour of the medal for the second best competitor in a sporting event. It is the precious metal used to make Schmuck ( rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, brooches). A Silberschmied uses traditional techniques to make items from Silber.

An German proverb claims that Reden ist Silber, Schweigen ist Gold. Although speaking (Reden) is deemed valuable enough for silver, it comes second place to silence (Schweigen). And a married couple who reach the dizzy heights of 25 years of marriage may celebrate their silberne Hochzeit.

Silberweiß could be used to describe moonlight, and the white willow is known in German as die Silber-Weide.

Mein Kopf ist rund

I wrote this short rhyme a few years ago as a performance poem. Younger children can recite it in groups or pairs or individually. It works nicely in a class assembly and the rhyming words make it easier for children to memorise.

Wort der Woche: Mohn

 Vivid red, cheeky scarlet and faded pink, you can see these iconic flowers everywhere in the UK during the first few days of November. Yesterday I saw a huge one in the departures area for rail  passengers to look at while waiting for their trains at London's King's Cross Station. They are worn to remember and honour soldiers who died in WWI and WWII.  The British public have supported the Poppy Appeal since 1918 and money raised is used to help soldiers who have returned from war to adapt to civilian life.

In Germany and Austria poppies have a more everyday use. Many people might eat them with their breakfast or for a mid-morning treat. Poppyseeds or Mohnkörner are used to decorate bread rolls. They look delicious, especially on the small white Mohnbrötchen available to buy in bakers and coffee shops in most towns and villages. The tiny blue-grey seeds look pretty and add crunch and a nutty flavour to the white rolls. They are also sold in butchers shops; just ask for a Käsebrötchen or a Schinkenbrötchen and you will soon be tucking into a roll freshly filled with cheese or ham.

Allerheiligen

Towards the end of October some lucky schoolchildren in Germany are getting ready for some time off school. While children in the UK are enjoying their half term holidays and making plans for Halloween and Bonfire Night, across the North Sea in Germany most children are working hard in school.

But for children in mainly catholic regions of Germany there is an extra day off school on November 1st. This day is called Allerheiligen which means All Holies. It falls on the same day as All Saints' Day in the UK, Toussaint in France and Día de todos los santos in Spain.

The day is a special religious holiday when all the saints are remembered and honoured. Many Catholics attend church on this day and light special candles and say prayers for family members who have died. It is also a day when people like to visit the graves of relatives and friends who have died. They bring flowers and candles to the graveyards and light candles when it starts to get dark in the late afternoon. It is quite a magical sight to see flickering candles in their thousands in city cemeteries.

A wet start to the year

Nass ins Neujahr

Click on the link above to hear a very short report about Germans (and others) whose idea of a great start to the year is to take a dip in icy waters. Berliners are disappointed in mild weather as they do not get the chance to hack a hole in the ice before taking the plunge. This traditional dip happens in other countries as well, including the UK.

Some bold Germans braving sub-zero temperatures as they enter the waters of Orankesee in Berlin .

Frohes Neues Jahr 2013

Frohes Neues Jahr 2013. Ich wünsche euch viel Glück und Zufriedenheit im kommenden Jahr.

There are plenty of New Year's Eve traditions that take place in Germany and Austria. Feuerwerke are typically used to welcome in the new year and drive away bad spirits.

At the stroke of midnight on Silvesterabend  people clink glasses filled with Sekt and wish each other Prosit Neujahr!

When they wake up on New Year's Day (Neujahrstag) many people make a Neujahrsvorsatz. This might be a promise to live more healthily or to be friendlier to others.