2002 Articles and Lessons
German Fun and Games
We've added some games and crossword puzzles designed to help you test your German in an enjoyable way. Try color concentration or the things-that-fly Kreuzworträtsel!
The Many German St. Nicks
From "Ascheklaas" to "Zwarte Pitt." Who ARE those guys? Our latest look at a German Christmas delves into the many names for the Weihnachtsmann and his helpers. Includes a St. Nicholas Glossary.
Mannheim Steamroller and German
Chip Davis' famous Mannheim Steamroller has several German connections, including the name. We look at that and the band's Christmas albums with Austrian and German carols. With lyrics in German and English.
People: Leute, Menschen, Volk
Learn about the oft-abused and misused word Leute. When should you use its cousins Menschen and Volk instead? "People" aren't always what they seem! With "people" quotations.
"Tax Song" Lampoons Schröder
A voice impersonation of German chancellor Gerhard Schröder has become Germany's top hit single! The "Steuersong" skewers Schröder for raising taxes and breaking election promises. With German and English lyrics.
The Thief Lord - Herr der Diebe
You've probably never heard of Cornelia Funke, but the German author has sold over a million copies of her children's books. One of her bestsellers for young readers is now in American and British bookstores - a German Harry Potter?
Misnomers, Myths, and Mistakes
Is German chocolate cake really German? Why do horses whinny at the mention of Frau Blucher's name in "Young Frankenstein"? If the Pennsylvania Dutch aren't Dutch, how did they get that name? How many reindeer does Santa have and what are their names?
German Movie Guide
German films of today and yesterday. From old classics to the newest hits. With links to movie reviews and our DVD/video selections for German.
Separable and Inseparable Prefixes
Many German verbs use trennbare oder untrennbare Präfixe. This special verb guide provides German-English charts of these prefixes with sample sentences. Part of our free German for Beginners course.
The Bremen Town Musicians
This dual-language version of the Grimm fairy tale Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten allows you to compare the English and German texts. Part of our German Reading Selections section.
Capitalization in German
German spelling reform left noun capitalization largely intact, but not completely! The framers of Rechtschreibreform tried to bring a little more consistency to Groß- und Kleinschreibung. Includes an instant-response capitalization quiz.
Deutsche Musik heute
German music today. As a follow-up to our previous article on German music, here is a look at the current German music scene.
German Roots: A Personal Search
The true story of one family's search for genealogical documents in a small German town. With sample documents, photos, and German-English translations. Also links to various Germanic genealogy resources.
Deutsche Schlager - German Oldies
Classic German golden oldie hits from the 1960s and '70s are ideal for beginners and other German learners! Find out why - and who Roy Black, Peggy Marshall, Lale Andersen, Heintje and Freddy Quinn are.
Wer bin ich? - Ratespiel 11
The German biographical guessing game that asks: “Who am I?” Your job is to use the clues (in German, of course) to guess who famous or not-so-famous people (living or not) are. Sometimes you can even win a prize!
Germany and the World Cup 2002
Every four years Germans and most of the world come down with a serious case of World Cup fever. Who thought Germany and the U.S. would go up against each other in 2002? Plus a German-English Soccer Glossary and links to die WM in German and English.
Cinema Vocabulary - Filmlexikon
An annotated English-German cinema glossary that includes sample film credits and terminology related to movies and filmmaking.
The Third Man in the German Classroom
The classic film noir The Third Man—set in 1948 Vienna—is an excellent resource for the German classroom, especially with our new film worksheets for the German dialogues in the film. Includes our reviews of the new DVD version and two related books!
Review: Stimmen der Zeit
A review of Stimmen der Zeit: Deutschland im 20. Jahrhundert, an audio history of Germany in the 20th century on 3 CDs with printed transcript and glossary.
Interview 2: Karl May Translators
The third installment of our Karl May series: An interview with David Koblick, the translator of the modern English version of Karl May's Western novel Winnetou I. What path did this American paleface follow in tracking down the original Winnetou?
Interview 1: Karl May Translators
Our Karl May series continues with an interview with Michael Michalak, the German-born translator of May's adventure novel Durch die Wüste. How did the only modern, unabridged English translation of a May book end up with the title In the Shadow of the Padishah?
Karl May Books in English
German author Karl May is a vital element of German culture that is virtually unknown in the English-speaking world. New English translations of the Western Winnetou and the adventure novel Durch die Wüste now open up this once hidden aspect of German culture—and offer a new way to learn German!
How Do You Say "Porsche"?
Surprisingly, English-speakers do a pretty good job of pronouncing borrowed German words in English, but there are German brand names and other terms that cause problems. "Porsche" and "Neanderthal" are just two examples.
Happy Easter! - Frohe Ostern!
Easter has both secular and religious customs. In Germany, as elsewhere, it is a time of welcoming spring and rebirth. This key element of the Christian religion is an important celebration in German culture. Also see our Easter glossary.
By-Expressions in German
There are many ways to express English "by" in German. Do you know all of them? With a self-scoring quiz.
A Guide to German Magazines
Anyone learning German, whether beginner or advanced, should be reading German periodicals on a regular basis. From a - die aktuelle to Die Zeit, find out more about deutsche Zeitschriften - and where to find them online or in print.
German TV in North America
If you're willing to make the investment in time and money, you can receive German television broadcasts in North America - from German TV (Deutsche Welle). Before ChannelD went bankrupt, we compared the offerings of both services.
A Closer Look at the Genitive Case
If you think you know everything about this German case, think again! This week we examine the "possessive" case in German and discover some interesting exceptions to the normal rules. Also see our info on the other three German cases.
More Tricky Words in German
A second look at sources of possible vocabulary confusion. Expanding on both the "False Friends" glossary and our previous article on particles, your Guide examines three areas of dictionary danger.
German Language FAQ Page
A German Language FAQ page with frequently asked questions from our forums related to language issues and German culture. Our Q&A topics include grammar, vocabulary and culture.
Reading Comprehension: Einführung des Euro
If you've found our German reading selections for beginners too easy, try the latest of nine Lesestücke we now offer online. The newest reading selection is aimed at intermediate learners, but advanced beginners can also read it with a little effort. Like all of our reading selections, this one also comes with a glossary and comprehension questions.
The Winter Olympics in German
All about die Winterspiele 2002 in Salt Lake City and its German connections, plus Olympic/sports vocabulary and quizzes.
Book Review: Franka Potente
A review of a German biography of Franka Potente by Klaus Rathje and Ralf Kraemer.
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