Because to greet someone is one of the most basic functions of a language I will give you a few phrases to say hello in German.

General phrases used to say hello in German

”Hallo” – simple enough. “Hallo” is the equal to hello in German and the most versatile German greeting. It’s neither formal nor informal and not related to a particular situation. You can’t go wrong with it and if you don’t know what else to use simply go with it.

”Guten Tag” means „Good Day“ and is a more formal way to say hello in German. It is appropriate if you would like to greet someone on the street to ask for directions, address a waiter in a restaurant or ask something in a shop. If you are meeting someone for the first time or talking to a stranger on the phone you should use “Guten Tag”.

”Guten Morgen” and ”Guten Abend” are variations of the above, meaning “Good Morning” and “Good Evening”. If you want to say hello in German and refer to the time of day, this is a good expression to use. Otherwise it is the same as “Guten Tag”.

”Hi” is the same as the English “Hi”, so it is quite informal and a good way to greet your friends and people you already know.

Shortened versions: It is also possible to shorten expressions like “Guten Tag” by omitting the first word “Guten”. So you would simply get “Tag”, “n’Abend” (the n’ is just a sort of leftover from “GuteN”) and “Morgen” as alternative and more informal ways to say hello in German than the full expression.

Local phrases to say hello in German

There are also some ways to say hello in German, which are mainly used in certain regions. Just listen to the people around you and you will get a clue as to what they are using.

”Servus” and ” Grüß Gott” are being used in the South of Germany, Bavaria for example, as well as in Austria.

”Moin” or Moin, moin is used to say hello in German by people in Northern Germany. It is a variation “Morgen” but can be used any time of day to say hello.

Hello in German – Pronunciation

When I started this blog entry about ways to say hello in German, I wanted to write out how to pronounce the various ways to say hello in German, but found that it is quite ambiguous and not very accurate. What I recommend you do is go to the LEO Dictionary, type in the phrase and you will get a result with a small speaker icon next to it. If you click on that it will play a short audio file with the pronunciation. If you have any other questions about how to say hello in German just leave a message below or drop me a mail.

The President of Germany is not directly involved in making laws or political decisions which stir the country in one direction or the other. His role in German politics is rather that of a watcher or public conscience.

So, what does the President of Germany do?

This is the standard of the President of Germany. It is kind of like his own flag, depicting a black eagle, which is a German coat of arms used for example on coins or in the military.

These are his main responsibilities:

State visits and foreign representation: As first ambassador the President of Germany travels to a lot of different countries to establish and strengthen bi- or multinational relations. These relations are mainly symbolic, social and cultural, because he cannot independently sign treaties for Germany. President Horst Köhler for example was known for his commitment for developing countries in Africa while in office between 2004 and 2010.

Signing and verifying laws
All laws that are passed in parliament must be signed by the President of Germany to become effective. Only in a select few cases the president decided not to wave them through. When he did, the reason was either that he thought the law would break German Basic Law or because certain formalities had not been met.

Appointment and dismissal of the government
After elections the President of Germany suggests the Chancellor and appoints the various other members of the government. He also appoints and dismisses federal judges, high-ranking military personnel and other officials. He may also dissolute the parliament if no stable government can be formed or a vote of confidence is defeated.

Where does the president of Germany live?

Because Germany was split into East and West Germany after the Second World War, there are now two official residences. One is the Bellevue Palace (“Schloss Bellevue”), a neoclassical palace in Berlin (“belle vue” is French and translates into “beautiful view”). The other official residence of the President of Germany is Villa Hammerschmidt in Bonn. Bonn was the capital of West Germany until German reunification in 1990 and then succeeded by Berlin as federal capital for the whole country.

Bellevue Palace, residence of the President of Germany in Berlin (credits: Stephan Czuratis)

Villa Hammerschmidt is the residence of the President of Germany in Bonn (credits: Sir James).

Although the two buildings are official residences, most Presidents chose to maintain their own apartments somewhere else in Germany. President Roman Herzog (1994-1999) was the only one who actually lived in the Bellevue Palace. The official residences are rather used as offices, for receptions and other official events.

Who elects the President of Germany?

To become a presidential candidate a few conditions must be met: The President of Germany must be a German citizen, at least 40 years old, and not be employed by or own any business. He cannot be part of the elected government. The President of Germany is elected in a Federal Convention (Bundesversammlung).

The Federal Convention consists of the members of the parliament and an equal amount of delegates elected from the different federal states. These delegates can be either politicians, but more often as not they are notable personalities and celebrities from all over the country. Because the President of Germany is elected secretly, the delegates are not bound to vote for the candidate their particular party favors.

More information on the President of Germany

The President of Germany has an official website with more information, current speeches and events: www.bundespraesident.de (information available in English as well).

Who has been President of Germany?

There have been 10 Presidents altogether after World War II. I will write another blog post, listing the names of previous Presidents and their accomplistments. I will link to the article from here once it is written.

Wall of the Mind

Burned Bridge: How East and West Germans Made the Iron Curtain by Edith Sheffer, who is an Assistant Professor of Modern European History at Stanford, takes a closer look at the “Wall of the Mind” prior and after the construction of the physical barrier. Sheffer’s research focuses on the sister cities of Neustadt bei Coburg and Sonneberg, two cities very similar in social structure and much else, yet separated by a border after World War 2. The former fell to the West, into the military zone occupied by the United States, the latter to the East, into the Soviet sector. The author argues that it was already in the immediate post-war period, before the wall was even built in 1961, that a growing sense of alienation between easterners and westerners began to emerge. What used to be a homogenous community was slowly driven apart by images of “the other”, enhanced by propaganda and selective media communication.

Growing East-West tensions

“Very early on, people’s opinions of what east and west meant were already forming,” says Sheffer. “In as early as a year, people were beginning to see each other as either easterners or westerners.” As the years went on, local governments in the west began taking action to stem the exodus of easterners to border towns like Neustadt bei Coburg, while such migration bred resentment in the east. One woman, Sheffer recalls, found herself begging in the streets of Neustadt after being turned away from work opportunities because her father, a glass maker, had been wooed over to the west where there was greater demand and compensation for his services. Such acts of discrimination were not tolerated and marked entire families as effective traitors.

It is important to understand the far-reaching human impact of ideological policies and political decisions in general. The book presents an interesting case study which shows just that and gives a more vivid picture of what East-West tensions looked like.

Interview

There is an additional interview with the Edith Sheffer about her research:

If the video doesn’t show, here is the YouTube link:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gYjm2umKXM

Book details and more information

The book was published by the Oxford University Press in September 2011. 384 pages. ISBN: 0199737045.
For more information visit http://humanexperience.stanford.edu/burnedbridge

This second part will talk about the German holidays that only some states observe.

German holidays celebrated in some states

Epiphany (Heilige Drei Könige) is on January 6th and commemorates the visit of the three Magi after the birth of Jesus. Throughout the day children, each dressed as one of the three Wise Men, will go from door to door and recite a particular song. They are called Sternsinger (star singers), because of the star the three Magi followed to find Baby Jesus. The children are generally given some candy and collect money for the less fortunate and in turn will leave a chalk mark on the door as token of good luck for the remaining year. Epiphany is a public holiday in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Saxony-Anhalt.

These marks are left by the Sternsinger (star singers) around people's doors as a token of good luck

Corpus Christi (Fronleichnam) is one of the Catholic German holidays. Unlike Epiphany, it is not related to Jesus’ life itself, but is simply a holy day to remember the miracle of the Body of Christ (Eucharist, Lord’s supper), a sacrament and rite observed in most Catholic masses. It is celebrated 60 days after Easter Sunday, so it usually occurs some day in June, in the following states: Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland.

Assumption Day (Mariä Himmelfahrt) is another of the Catholic German holidays, commemorating the assumption of Mary into heaven after her death. It is celebrated on August 15^th each year and a public holiday in Saarland and most of Bavaria.

Reformation Day (Reformationstag) is on October 31^st each year, the same day Martin Luther in 1517 nailed his 95 theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg. In his theses he criticized many of the practices of the church, which eventually sparked the protestant reformation and lead to the separation of the church. It is one of the public German holidays in Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia.

All Saints’ Day (Allerheiligen) is the day to remember the various lesser and major saints of the Catholic church, their suffering and doings. All Saints’ Day falls on November 1^st and is a public holiday in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland.

Day of Repentance and Prayer (Buß- und Bettag) was one of the national German holidays until 1994, but then abolished to pay for the rising cost of the federal nursing care insurance. It was originally, as the name suggests, a day of major prayer and repentance. Now it is only a public holiday in Saxony, celebrated on  the Wednesday before November 23rd.

Last but not least and a curiosity among the German holidays is the Augsburg Peace Festival, celebrated on the 8th of August each year. It commemorates the signing of the Peace of Westphalia (also called the Treaty of Münster), which ended the Thirty Years’ war in 1648. What is curios is that it is allegedly the only state-protected holiday in the world which is at the same time restricted to only one city.

I have decided to split this article into two parts: Part 1 will deal only with the more important holidays in Germany, celebrated nation-wide in all states. Part 2 will talk about the remaining German holidays, which some states celebrate and some don’t.

Holidays in Germany which are celebrated in all states

Fireworks on New Year's Day

New Year’s Day (Neujahrstag) is on January 1st and celebrates the beginning of the new year with fireworks. On New Year’s Eve (Silvester in German), December 31st, people either meet with friends to celebrate the occasion or go to one of the many parties. The biggest public party takes place in Berlin.

Easter (Ostern) commemorates the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are two holidays in Germany commemorating the event: The first is Good Friday (Karfreitag), the day of the crucifixion, and the second is Easter Monday (Ostermontag), the day after the resurrection. Easter Sunday itself is not listed as such, because it is on a Sunday and businesses remain closed anyways. Somewhat unique for Easter in Germany are the Easter fires.

Labor Day (Tag der Arbeit) is always on May 1st and an extension of the efforts of the Labor Movement into a public holiday. Unions, Labor Parties and associated organizations use the day to reinforce demands for fair working conditions and just payment and remember the previous struggles of the working class.

Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt) is 39 days after Easter Sunday and commemorates the Ascension of Jesus into heaven. Ascension Day in Germany is also Father’s Day.

Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag) is 50 days after Easter. It is the day after Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended from heaven to the Twelve Apostles and disciples of Jesus after his resurrection. Like Easter Sunday, Pentecost itself is always on a Sunday as well, so it is automatically a public holiday.

German Flag on Unity Day

German Unity Day (Tag der Deutschen Einheit) is the only of the holidays in Germany defined by federal law. It takes place on October 3rd each year and is the anniversary of German Reunification in 1990. It is the day when East and West Germany were formally reunited and brought the Cold War to an end.

Christmas Day (Weihnachtstag), December 25th, is the day after Christ’s birth and one of the most important holidays in Germany. Families usually visit church on Christmas Eve and then return home to have a nice dinner, while children find their presents under the Christmas tree. The day after Christmas Day (Zweiter Weihnachtsfeiertag), also called St Stephen’s Day, is also a public holiday.

So, there you have the holidays in Germany celebrated in all states. Part 2 of this article talks about the remaining German holidays here. Thanks for reading.

German power plugs: socket and the two types of plugs

This is first of all what a regular wall socket looks like:

a regular wall socket for German electric plugs

And these are the two different types of German power plugs that exist:

The difference between these two is simply that one is grounded/earthed (the left one), while the other (the right one) is not. They obviously both fit in the socket above, although there are smaller sockets that only allow the smaller, ungrounded, plug. Those sockets are very rare, however.

Adapters to German power plug sockets

In order to use or charge your electric equipment you will need some kind of adapter that allows you to fit your electric plug into the German sockets. Below is an example of what one of those adapters looks like. This one is to fit a US plug into a German power plug socket.

a US to German adapter

this side fits the US plug

this side allows you to plug into the German socket

These kinds of adapters come in various shapes and sizes. There are also universal ones that you can use in different countries. What you are looking for is ideally a so called Europlug (plug type CEE 7/16), because that one can be used throughout most of Europe and in many other countries.

Here are a few adapters available on Amazon that will work for you:

You can also find a great variety of German power plugs by simply doing an Amazon search for “power plug adapter germany”.

German power plugs and voltage

It is important to remember that these kinds of adapters do not convert or change the voltage itself! The voltage in Germany is 230V, so be sure to check if your electronic devices support this kind of AC input. If they don’t, you might cause them some damage.

The harsh weather conditions have been hard on the traffic as well, with lots of delays and cancelled flights at the airports, late trains and busses. The streets around here still full of snow, because most of the cities have already run out of salt and subsequent deliveries are taking a long time, because there is so much demand.

Anyways, here are the pictures:

This is the backyard, notice the snow on the railing ;)

The main road looked pretty grim when I took the picture, now the sun has come out.

ok, I have to admit, winter can be pretty as well

Seems like there is a good chance for a white Christmas!

just a screenshot of the article

I just stumbled across this interesting blog post. It describes an art project involving a metro station in the Ruhr Area.

Architects have installed shipping containers around the station and made it into an open air opera.

It’s worth taking a look (lots of pictures as well):
Metro station turned into a shipping container opera

This is all you can see on Street View Germany right now

Google started its Street View Germany a few days ago and even had a special announcement on its starting page. While most of the streets in North America have been photographed by the cars of Google’s Street View, Germany is the last country in central Europe where Google rolls out this service.

Street View controvery

Just like in other countries, there was quite some controversy prior to the introduction of the service (see this New York Times Article for example).

According to a Google announcement, 240,000 home owners requested to have their houses blurred out in the areas where the service is supposed to start first. That’s about 3% of all the homes, a much higher quota than in other countries.

Only a few places visible so far

That’s probably also the reason why Street View in Germany has been delayed a few times – so that Google could handle all the requests to blur buildings. When I saw the announcement, I thought that was finally resolved, but it’s not. In fact only a select few limited areas are visible so far. Most of them are tourist attractions, so it’s still worth taking a look.

After introducing only these few areas, Street View Germany will truly start with Germany’s 20 largest cities and then continue to other areas. The full-fledged and city-wide Street View is supposed to be released in the next few weeks. I’ll keep you posted when that happens.

Update (November 19, 2010): 20 largest cities are now live

As I announced, Google now went live with the 20 largest cities in Germany (more to follow). Here is the impression of the Cologne Cathedral in Street View Germany. You can start from there and take a stroll. If the plugin doesn’t work click here to view a larger map and it will take you to the same place in a new window.

Unfortunately you can’t get any closer to the building. By the way: the object to the right is a real-size replica of the top spire of the Cathedral.

German Halloween? Dare you enter?

German Halloween? Today is October 31^st and on this date in many English-speaking countries Halloween is celebrated. Children go trick-or-treating, people wear gruesome (or not so gruesome) costumes and haunted houses open their doors – Halloween is about everything that is scary… more or less.

History

Halloween was originally a holiday of Celtic and Irish origin. The Celtic pagans believed that on this very day the borders to the spirit world would open and allow them to interact with the spirits of the dead. This was a change to contact deceased relatives and friends, but also a danger, because evil spirits were able to roam free.

The holiday moved to other countries such as the United States and Canada with Irish immigrants and became a custom there as well. But what about German Halloween? Halloween in Germany is not a traditional holiday, but a rather new phenomenon of the past 10 years or so.

German Halloween

Mainly because of the American influence through movies, games and products, a German Halloween has started to develop, but it is still not very wide-spread. I just went for a walk through the neighborhood and I did see a few pumpkins on doorsteps and one group of children going trick-or-treating, but it is not as big of a thing as in other countries (yet?).

My impression is that the holiday is slowly developing, though, and each year we are moving more and more towards our own kind of German Halloween. It seems that there are more and more Halloween parties and more and more Halloween products on the shelves of our stores, but these kinds of customs take time to develop, particularly when the original meaning of the holiday has been distorted. Who really thinks about talking to the spirit world on this day anymore?

What has been criticized about this annual event in Germany is therefore its commercial character and the loss of its original roots. But I’m thinking the same is true for many other holidays (say X-mas) and as long as everyone has a good time, what’s there not to like? A German Halloween is fine with me.