Posts from March 2010

German-American Heritage

Posted by komo No Comments
Mar 30 2010

For those of our Leserschaft (readership) who live in the D.C area, are hardcore road-trip-museum-going junkies, and/or have the time to stop at our nation’s capital, you might want to check out the city’s newest addition, the German-Heritage Museum of the USA.

Through Ausstellungun (exhibits) and Veranstaltungen (events), the museum’s main focus is to bring Aufmerksamkeit (attention) to German Einwanderung (immigration) and migration across the United States. During the opening ceremony, German Ambassador Klaus Scharioth was the guest of honor and was accompanied by Senator Richard Lugar (Republican-Indiana) and Bern Deichmann, President of the German-American Heritage Foundation.

The Heritage Museum is located in Hockmeyer Hall, the former historic townhouse home of a German immigrant. The museum will serve both as a local community center and as a home for German-American Associations and individuals across the country.

One of the initiatives of the museum is a mündlich (oral) history project, in which German-Americans will be able to record their own personal stories. Rüdiger Lentz, executive director of the museum said, “here are so many stories of individuals and families who came to this country to start a new life that we would like to tell.”

The museum will host a number of temporary and permanent exhibits, including German Pioneers in Alaska and a historical timeline, spread across the main exhibit wall of the museum documenting German immigration to the US from 1600 to the present.

There are many other German-American Anstalten (institutions) across the nation. The most famous of them is the Goethe-Institute, which is located in Boston, New York city, Washington D.C., Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles and San Francisco. There is also a German-American Heritage Center in Davenport, Iowa.

Here are the links to The German-American Heritage of the USA, the Goethe-Institute, and the German-American Heritage Center.

Information for the blog was gathered from: The German Mission in the United States.

Learn vocabulary here:

Die Leserschaft/en-readership

Die Ausstellung/en-exhibit

Die Veranstaltung/en-event

Die Aufmerksamkeit/en-attention

Die Einwanderung/en-immigration

Mündlich-oral

Die Anstalt/en-institution

German Beer: The People’s Champagne!

Posted by sandra 3 Comments
Mar 25 2010

When someone hears German or Germany , the first thing that most often comes to mind is “Beer”

It is a bit of a funny notion , and over the years I found it quite amusing that people tend to stereotype a culture based on a product since many cultures drink beer and often the best Beer is not German at all.

Each country and region brews differently with hops that are grown can vary greatly depending on soil, weather and annual temperatures.

However, there is one beer type most people are quite unfamiliar ( Unbekannt ) with..

It is a cloudy, sour wheat beer which has about 3 percent alcohol volume. It was the  first creation of this beer-making to the 16th century , most likely brought  into Northern Germany by the huguenots whom developed it with the local red or brown ales at the time.

Even Napoleon Bonaparte troops ( Die Soldaten )  dubbed this beer (dieses Bier)  as the Champagne of the North, although the Berliners called it the Sparkling wine!

In the 17th century it was the most popular alcohol drink in Berlin, with around 700 breweries producing this beer, yet around the 20th century production declined and only two breweries remained. Today Oetker Co. owns the two last remaining breweries that still produce the Berliner Weisse-

The taste ( Der Geschmack ) is very interesting, since you’d think it be sour and taste like wheat, but the sourness  ( Die Säuerlichkeit ) actually comes from a bacteria used in Berliner Weisse which is called Lactobacillus delbrückii, so-named after Max Delbrück (1906-1981), the biochemist and 1969 Nobel Laureate in medicine.

Although most will find it has a more spritzy and refreshing taste that is often drank on hot summer days while lounging by the Kurfürstendamm or at the local outdoor bar, though also being a refreshing ( Erfrischendes Getränk ) drink with fried potatoes ( mit Brat Kartoffeln ) and  Fried Eggs – Sunny Side up Eggs ( Spiegel Eier) . By law, Berliner Weisse may be brewed only in the German capital, because, similar to the Kölsch ales of Cologne and the Trappist ales of Belgium, the name enjoys the legal protection. Raspberry flavor as well as other fruity Syrup is added,  Waldmeistersyrup ( Woodruff Syrup)  can be added, all this to balance the sour taste it has. Though during the 17th century , Berliners would also order a Berliner Weisse with Snaps or Vodka in it.

The serving is also quite unusual ( Sehr Merkwürdig) for a newcomer who has never seen or tasted this alcohol beverage ( Das Alkohol Getränk). It comes in a large bowl-shaped, wide rimmed glass, almost twice the size of the bottle itself, because the Berliner Weisse foams almost like Champagne.

Though there are a few breweries in North America that also make beer in a similar fashion, none would ever come close to the original ( Das Orginale ) Berliner Weisse!

So next time you consider visiting berlin, try a Berliner white ( Ein Berliner Weisse! ). I promise, you won’t regret it!


To practice these German words on Flashcards click here

Unfamiliar- Unbekannt

The Troops- die Soldaten

This Beer- Dieses Bier

The Taste- Der Geschmack

The Sourness – Die Säuerlichkeit

A refreshing – Ein Erfrischendes

Fried Potatoes – Bratt Kartoffeln

quite unusual – sehr Merkwürdig

This Alcohol beverage- Das Alkohol Getränk

The Original – Das Orginale

A Berliner white- Ein Berliner weisse

Fried Eggs, Sunny side up- Spiegel Eier

Sehnsucht nach Doener Kebab

Posted by komo 7 Comments
Mar 24 2010

Move over Big Mac, the Döner Kebab is here to stay. For those of you who have never kosteten (tasted) a Döner Kebab, it is the be-all and end-all of street food—a salty, savory wrap-like meal made up of Fladenbrot (flatbread) gefüllt (filled) with juicy lamb, Kopfsalat (lettuce), Kohl (cabbage), Zwiebeln (onions), Gurken (cucumbers) and Tomaten (tomatoes), all served with your choice of white sauce, Tzatziki or red sauce, sharfe Soβe (spicy sauce). It is everything you wish the American fast-food hamburger could be, köstlich (delicious). Those of you, who have tasted Döner, know its culinary powers: the crave for Döner after a long night of tanzen (dancing); the thought of a savory sizzling Döner slowly creeping its way into your mind; or the desire for one induced by large quantities of beer. But whatever ignites the fire inside of you for Döner, You know your tastes buds and stomach will be dankbar (thankful).

The last time I ate a German Döner Kebab, was five years ago. Since my Rückfahrt (return) to the United States, I have been auf der Suche (in search of) the best tasting Döner Kebab diesseits (this side) of the Atlantic. Obwohl (although), a brief stint in New York City introduced me to the Shawarma and the Gyro by proprietors from Turkish and Greek street carts, the German version of Döner does not exist in the U.S.

Döner is ubiquitous and delicious across Germany. It became popular in the early 80’s, two decades after the first generation of Turkish Gastarbeiter (guest workers) arrived. Though Germany and Turkey have had a long standing relationship since the Ottoman Empire, it wasn’t until the 60’s and again in the mid-70s, after the German government invited foreign laborers as guest workers, or Gastarbeiter to help with der Wiederaufbau (reconstruction) of Germany after WWII, that it saw an influx in Turkish Immigrants. Both the German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany had guest workers. Many of whom came from Italien (Italy), die Türkei (Turkey), Marokko (Marocco), Portugal (Portugal) and Jugoslawien (Yugoslavia). Part of the controversy and discussion revolves around the fact that the guest workers stayed in Germany and are now legally allowed to be there, though this was never intended. The road to integration continues to be anstrengend (exhausting, arduous), for a lack of better words. Many second and third generation German-Turks feel verfremdet (alienated) and/ or entfremdet (estranged) from mainstream culture and still struggle to find their footing in German society. But young people who have recently immigrated to Germany and England from Eastern Europe, Turkey, Asia and the Near East are certain they will find work and a better way of life here in the West.

I can’t testify to which part of the world it is better for someone to live in, but immigration and tolerance are issues that cross national borders.  An Artikel (article) in the L.A. Times discusses one attempt at integration in which “the Vocational School for Gastronomy and Nutrition here [Germany] is offering a six-month course that in July will award the first kebab diplomas, officially known as Meat Processing Doner Kebab Production Specialization.” It is a very aktuel (up-to-date) article on German-Turkish relations.

Practice the German words here:

http://articles.latimes.com/2007/apr/05/world/fg-kebab5

Der Kohl-cabbage

Die Gurken-cucumbers

Die Zwiebeln-onions

Der Kopfsalat-lettuce

Die Tomaten-tomatoes

Das Faldenbrot-flatbread

Gefüllt-filled

Die Rückfahrt-return

Auf der Suche-in search of

Diesseits-this side

Obwohl-although

Kosteten-tasted (pl) simple past, Third Person Plural

Tanzen-to dance

Der Wiederaufbau-reconstruction

Dankbar-thankful

Die Gastarbeiter-guest workers

Scharf-spicy

Die Soβe-sauce

Köstlich-delicious

Aktuel-up-to-date

Der Artikel-article

Verfremdet-alienated

Entfremdet -estranged

Anstrengend-exhausted, arduous

Jugoslawien-Yugoslavia

Marokko-Marocco

Die Türkei-Turkey

Die Italien-Italy

Portugal-Portugal

Numbers 1-100

Posted by komo 37 Comments
Mar 24 2010
zero
one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
ten
eleven
twelve
thirteen
fourteen
fifteen
sixteen
seventeen
eighteen
nineteen
twenty
twenty -one
twenty -two
twenty -three
twenty -four
twenty -five
twenty -six
twenty -seven
Twenty-eight
twenty –nine
thirty
thirty-one
thirty -two
thirty -three
thirty -four
thirty -five
thirty -six
thirty -seven
thirty -eight
thirty –nine
forty
forty-one
forty-two
forty-three
forty-four
forty-five
forty-six
forty-seven
forty-eight
forty-nine
fifty
fifty-one
fifty -two
fifty -three
fifty -four
fifty -five
fifty -six
fifty -seven
fifty -eight
fifty –nine
sixty
sixty-one
sixty -two
sixty -three
sixty -four
sixty – five
sixty -six
sixty -seven
sixty -eight
sixty –nine
seventy
seventy-one
seventy -two
seventy -three
seventy -four
seventy -five
seventy -six
seventy -seven
seventy -eight
seventy –nine
eighty
eighty-one
eighty -two
eighty -three
eighty -four
eighty -five
eighty -six
eighty -seven
eighty -eight
eighty –nine
ninety
ninety-one
ninety -two
ninety -three
ninety -four
ninety -five
ninety -six
ninety -seven
ninety -eight
ninety -nine
one hundred
 		null
eins
zwei
drei
vier
fünf
sechs
sieben
acht
neun
zehn
elf
zwölf
dreizehn
vierzehn
fünfzehn
sechzehn
siebzehn
achtzehn
neunzehn
zwanzig
einundzwanzig
zweiundzwanzig
dreiundzwanzig
vierundzwanzig
fünfundzwanzig
sechsundzwanzig
siebenundzwanzig
achtundzwanzig
neunundzwanzig
dreiβig
einunddreiβig
zweiundreißig
dreiunddreißig
vierunddreißig
fünfunddreißig
sechsunddreißig
siebenunddreißig
achtunddreißig
neununddreißig
vierzig
einundvierzig
zweiundvierzig
dreiundvierzig
vierundvierzig
fünfundvierzig
sechsundvierzig
siebenundvierzig
achtundvierzig
neunundvierzig
fünfzig
einundfünfzig
zweiundfünfzig
dreiundfünfzig
vierundfünfzig
fünfundfünfzig
sechsundfünfzig
siebenundfünfzig
achtundfünfzig
neunundfünfzig
sechzig
einundsechzig
zweiundsechzig
dreiundsechzig
vierundsechzig
fünfundsechzig
sechsundsechzig
siebenundsechzig
achtundsechzig
neunundsechzig
siebzig
einundsiebzig
zweiundsiebzig
dreiundsiebzig
vierundsiebzig
fünfundsiebzig
sechsundsiebzig
siebenundsiebzig
achtundsiebzig
neunundsiebzig
achtzig
einundachtzig
zweiundachtzig
dreiundachtzig
vierundachtzig
fünfundachtzig
sechsundachtzig
siebenundachtzig
achtundachtzig
neunundachtzig
neunzig
einundneunzig
zweiundneunzig
dreiundneunzig
vierundneunzig
fünfundneunzig
sechsundneunzig
siebenundneunzig
achtundneunzig
neunundneunzig
(ein)hundert

Marathon

Posted by jan 2 Comments
Mar 22 2010

From 2008 to 2009 I used to live in France. During that time I had a break from work and time to do some other things. So I set myself the goal to run a marathon, my first one by the way. For me as a smoker it was pretty hard but after months of training, the big day was on May 17th 2009. You want to know what it was like? Well here it is:

YouTube Preview Image

6.00 am: The Wecker (alarm clock) rang. Though I went to bed early, I didn´t sleep well and the Nacht (night) was short. As I woke up I thought „sh…“. But some seconds later my body was full of adrenaline.

7.00 am: Abfahrt (departure) to Cancale.  There was a storm, it was cold and it rained cats and dogs. This was going to be a lot of fun! 10 km ahead of  Cancale there was a Stau (traffic jam). I had to park my car outside because the parking spots close to the start were already taken. So I had to walk quite a long way. I arrived just in time and fortunately the rain had stopped.

9.00 am, start: 5,000 Läufer (runners) were standing so close that it was like attending a heavy metal concert. I could hear the sound of the starter´s gun. The distance between me and the starting line was approx. 300 m. As the race was going on, my running area was getting a little more spacious. I was so nervous, but I started slowly and my Puls (pulse) was ok by then.

km 10: So this is the feeling when you´re running a marathon! Unbelievable! Hubschrauber (helicopters) were flying around, motor cycles equipped with cameras passed by and hundreds of people were standing on the wayside…cheering up the runners, playing instruments and holding signboards for their friends and families. I saw the second stand with drinks. Although I wasn´t durstig (thirsty) yet, I drank half a liter. I was following a guy who carried a banner with “3:45” written on it. I thought: “this is my time…and it´s easy to keep up with him”. So far, so good.

km 21: Halftime! But it was hard to imagine doing the same distance again. The asphalt hurt my Knie (knees) and I was told to stop immediately. But the pulse was ok and the 3:45-guy was just ahead of me.

km 26: We just left the Dörfer (villages) so there were no more people cheering. That was a pity. Besides the battery of my mp3 player was leer (empty). From there on there would be no more music.

km 30: Slowly I was getting exhausted. I took drinks at every stand and I tried to stimulate myself with energy gel and Traubenzucker (dextrose). But it didn´t seem to work!

km 35: I didn´t run this far at once in my whole Leben (life). So from there on everything was new to me. I was dead beat but I comforted myself with the thought that there were „only“ 7 km more to go. But every km seemed to last longer and in fact seemed to be longer in distance!

km 38: My knees and muscles were done. There was no way I was able to do an Endspurt (final spurt). The Lücke (gap) between me and the 3:45-guy was getting bigger and bigger. I thought he should just run slower…Still four endless km to go. I entered the last Gerade (straight). The Mont Saint Michel, which is the finishing line, seemed to be directly in front of me…so fight, fight, fight!!!

km 40: I reached the bank that connects the Mont Saint Michel with the Festland (mainland). Only my Gehirn (brain) was still running. And even my brain didn´t want to run anymore. Every minute seemed to last for a Stunde (hour). I could see the finishing line…

km 42,195: After 3:46 I hobbled over the finishing line and I was just glad to be there. Game over! All of the runners moaned, hobbled or had to vomit…

I did it!!! Unbelievable!

After some minutes I met my Freunde (friends) and family and I was just glad, happy and done!

Video (with French introduction): http://www.runinlive.com/999/video.html?idVideo=110

Download:

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