Study German (Germany)
Party central!
We often forget that apart from offering fantastic views, castles and beer to its visitors, Germany has also greatly helped developing the fields of science, art, philosophy and European culture. Think of Einstein, Beethoven and Kant… With such a remarkable heritage, it isn’t hard to understand why the Germans are the greatest lovers of books in the world. But no worries, they still know how to party!
We often forget that apart from offering fantastic views, castles and beer to its visitors, Germany has also greatly helped developing the fields of science, art, philosophy and European culture. Think of Einstein, Beethoven and Kant… With such a remarkable heritage, it isn’t hard to understand why the Germans are the greatest lovers of books in the world. But no worries, they still know how to party!
Germany opens up!
Since the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, a lot of immigrants from many different European countries found the once guarded Germany quite appealing. Now, the country has literally become a melting pot; only one third of the population of Stuttgart and one fourth of the population of Frankfurt are of German origins.
A country that loves books
Few people know that the Germans are bookworms; Germany counts probably the biggest number of avid readers in the world. Not only does it have the highest number of libraries per square mile in the world but it also publishes the most per year than any other country, except the United States. In addition, every second week of October, Frankfurt hosts the largest book fair in the world.
German Art
There are a lot of well known German artists, such as Albrecht Dürer with his paintings and engravings and the brothers Grimm with their widely known fairy tales: Hänsel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella. Not to mention Germany’s key contribution to music, with composers like Jean-Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Georg Friedrich Händel, Richard Wagner, Johannes Brahms and Richard Strauss. During your stay, make sure you look out for the many music festivals in their honour.
Festivals and Events
• In winter, the entire country celebrates Christmas with German Christmas markets.
• In February, the days before Lent (Fastnacht or Karneval) are highly anticipated throughout the country.
• In spring, although vegetation emerges everywhere, the snowy tops of the highest mountains still allow you to ski.
• In August you can take part in the Mainfest in Frankfurt, to celebrate the Main River.
Beer
While you are studying German you can also learn about beer. One of the pleasures of your study abroad experience in Germany is discovering local beers. Almost all German towns, even the smallest ones, have their own established brewery.
To taste the best beer, look for a Bierkeller and Bierstube, or beer bar. During the summer, the Biergaten, or beer gardens, are a must! The largest ones are to be found in Bavaria. One of these gardens, in Munich, can accommodate up to 8000 drinkers. In this country, drinking beer is basically a sport; the average beer mug has a capacity of one litre of beer and waitresses can often carry up to 8 or 9 at a time!
