German Culture Site
	Francine McKenna BellaOnline's German Culture Editor

Fast Facts about Germany
Some fast facts covering Germany, the country and its people. A richly diverse country of castles, medieval villages, unspoilt nature, mountain ranges, stunning scenery and culture of every variety, together with a complex history and the world's fifth largest economy.

Father's Day in Germany
Father’s Day in Germany is a ‘moveable feast’, linked to Ascension Day which changes each year. But to those who are new to it the first experience of a German Father’s Day can come as a bit of a shock, as that is not the only way the celebration differs from other countries.

Forest Schools, Germany's Waldkindergarten
Waldkindergarten, nature's pre-school nursery for children, where fresh air, the natural world and exploration replace classroom walls. A system of education which began in 19th century Germany, has become increasingly popular throughout the country, and where the new school year is just beginning

Fun Facts about Germany
There is a Chancellor Angela Merkel Barbie Doll, German affection for red Hungarian paprika sees it added to everything from potato chips and grilled meat to sauces, in Bavaria beer is officially classified as a food, and phone calls are answered only by the surname, not a greeting. Some fun facts.

German Inventions
Germany's inventors and scientists, past and present, have helped build the country’s reputation for invention and technology. However many of the items now used in homes worldwide, including toothpaste, were created in German kitchens, living rooms, attics and workshops, not only laboratories.

Germany's Beer Culture, Fast Facts
Germany has excellent wine and equally excellent beer, and wine is catching up in homegrown popularity but it remains the different beers, thousands of breweries, beer gardens and the iconic beer stein that continue to capture the imagination and reinforce the image of a beer loving nation.

Germany, its Neighbours and a New Image
From its central position at the heart of today’s European Union Germany lives in peace and harmony with its neighbours, however this was not always the case. What image does modern Germany have in the eyes of its neighbours? A cross section of Europeans were asked with interesting results.

Groundhog Day, Hedgehogs and Candlemas
February 2nd is Groundhog Day, an annual tradition with roots which lie in a Christian festival, age old European and German superstitions about hedgehogs, the weather, and pagan celebrations bound to the cycles of nature.

Lunar Gardening in Germany
Often thought a New Age trend or an old superstition, ‘moon gardening’ is science based, and evidence suggests a connection does exist between the sky’s energy and that of the earth. From wine, cheese and honey to vegetables, biodynamic produce is found throughout Germany.

My Father's Keeper - Book Review
My Father's Keeper:Children of Nazi Leaders - An Intimate History of Damage and Denial: follows the lives of children, many of whom are still alive, their unenviable legacy: being born to senior members of the Third Reich.

Oktoberfest in Munich, Fast Facts
Albert Einstein worked there as an electrician, an intoxicated dachshund was delivered to Lost and Found, it uses enough electricity to give 52 years of power to a home for four, and emigrants from Germany have taken it all over the world, but Oktoberfest began over 200 years ago in Munich.

Rabbit A La Berlin, Film Review
Original title Mauerhase - A Hare that lives by a wall. A 2010 Oscar nominated movie using the viewpoint of Berlin's death zone rabbits as a parable for the lives of many East German and USSR citizens, to give a different perspective on socialism, the fall of the wall and the end of communism