Top German inventions that changed our lives. Inventions of German scientists inherited by the USSR after the war
Great German inventors and their discoveries
Besides great inventions like the Gutenberg printing press, in Germany
invented many simple and necessary items in everyday life. For example,
toothpaste and a watch with a spring instead of a weight. The history of the creation of many familiar
things are interesting and instructive. In the 21st century, you won’t surprise anyone with a computer,
Internet, car, rocket, TV, mobile phone, digital
camera and other great inventions of human genius - so
they have become familiar and everyday. We don't even think about it
how much effort, knowledge and skills were applied to create them.
For example, Douglas Carl Engelbart (USA) worked on the creation of a computer
mice for over 6 years.
Invented devices, machines, household items not only made life easier for us -
they have become a launching pad for further research and discoveries, this
steps on the ladder of world progress, which led to an unprecedented flourishing
science and technology of our time.
In the history of technology, the names of such inventors as T. A. Edison,
N. Tesla, V. G. Shukhov, who gave the world hundreds of ideas and solutions. German
inventor Rudolf Diesel has only one brainchild, but one without which
today the world of machines is unthinkable - an internal combustion engine with ignition
from compression. The inventor gave his entire creative life to this engine.
The engine bears the name of its creator, the word diesel is written with a small letter.
Few people remember that the engine was created by Rudolf Diesel, a German engineer with a very
tragic fate.
We all undergo x-rays as needed, modern medicine is unthinkable
without this device, just as a modern airport is inconceivable without it. Name of this
apparatus is also written with a small letter and bears the name of its creator and
the discoverer of X-rays, the world's first Nobel laureate
Conrad Roentgen.
QUIZ
"Great German Inventors"
Who invented the printing press? (Gutenberg)
What simple and necessary items in everyday life were invented by the Germans? (Toothpaste and a watch with a spring instead of a weight).
Who invented the compression-ignition internal combustion engine? (Rudolf Diesel)
Who is the creator and discoverer of X-rays? (Konrad Roentgen).
Who Invented Engines?(Gottlieb Daimler, Karl Friedrich Benz and Nikolaus August Otto)
Who created the first all-metal aircraft?(Hugo Junkers)
Who invented computer controlled computers?(Konrad Zuse)
Who invented the cathode ray tube?(Manfred von Ardenne)
In what year was the first steam locomotive launched?(In 1835, between Nuremberg and Fürth, the first steam locomotive at a speed of 40 km / h)
Who invented the first gasoline cars in the world?(Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Friedrich Benz)
In what year did Robert Bosch's firm market high-voltage magneto ignition for gasoline engines?(In 1902)
In what year and who built the first gliders and laid the scientific foundations of aerodynamics with his book “The Flight of Birds as the Basis of the Art of Flying” in 1889?(Otto Lilienthal built in 1877)
In what year and who built the first viable helicopter in the world?
(In 1936 by Heinrich Focke)
Between America and Germany there are unusual similarities in both customs and inventions, and culinary preferences are not worth talking about. Everyone knows the Germans' addiction to beer and fried sausages, but even in the USA in the state of Washington there is the village of Leavenworth - an exact copy of the Bavarian villages where German emigrants live.
Today, on the pages of Forum-Grad, our topic of discussion will be unusual things.
"Chicken steak"
This dish based on battered chicken fillet is associated with cuisine from the state of Texas, USA, and its English name comes from the similarity in cooking style of chicken steak and fried chicken. The exact origin of this recipe is unknown, but the inhabitants of Lames prove that it is their city that is the birthplace of this dish and even hold an annual holiday in his honor. Back in 1838, the American magazine Virginia Housewife published Mary Randolph's instructions for making veal cutlets, which cooks recognize as one of the earliest recipes similar to the method of preparing a controversial dish. However, the term "chicken steak" appeared only in the early 30s of the last century.
Ring Binder
We all had to use a binder folder and a stationery hole punch many times, but where they came from, probably only specialists and connoisseurs from the club “What? Where? When?". Today we will try to enlighten everyone who wants to understand this issue. The German merchant, inventor and graphic artist Friedrich founded the Soennecken company and invented a lot of stationery - from a simple school pen to a fountain pen. It was he who in 1886 began to design a folder for documents. On November 14 of the same year, he invented the well-known hole punch.
Another, no less famous of his compatriot, Louis Leitz (Louis Leitz) in 1892 produces his first hole punch with a distance between folds of eight centimeters. And four years later, he releases a "folder-registrar with an arched mechanism." The stationery company LEITZ, founded by him, has been synonymous with excellent quality for European consumers of office supplies for over a hundred years.
Nutcracker, Story and Figuring
The German writer Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann was a composer and also an artist of the romantic direction. During his 46 years of life, he created many works, but the most famous is the fairy tale "The Nutcracker and the Rat King", reprinted many times both abroad and in Russia. Based on this fairy tale, a cartoon was made by the famous American studio "Walt Disney", as well as the domestic "SOYUZMULTFILM". But the most significant and spectacular embodiment of this beautiful story was Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker and its production at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg.
The premiere took place in 1892. An interesting fact is that the basis for the libretto created by Marius Pitepa was the transcription of this masterpiece by the famous French writer Alexandre Dumas. And now it is the brightest and most amazing production.
In January 2011, a new musical version of this sad, but in many ways instructive tale was released. This project is considered international - Great Britain and Hungary act as the countries of release, and the director and director - Russian Andrei Konchalovsky - for 40 years he has nurtured the plot of the film. This is a modern musical, and all the songs in it are in the Russian version, performed by Alla Pugacheva and Philip Kirkorov.
fabulous dessert
These are confectionery products made from gingerbread dough in the form of a house. All parts are connected using ordinary toothpicks, and the joints are filled with sugar or chocolate icing. The walls are sometimes decorated with all sorts of decorative elements. Experienced chefs make such complex compositions as a model of the London Big Ben or the American Empire State Building in New York, they make ancient castles or mansions.
The Brothers Grimm wrote "Hansel and Gretel", which features a house of bread and sweets, a cannibal witch and brother and sister. Charles Perrault also wrote a fairy tale with a similar plot, and when German townsfolk first recognized it around Christmas, many housewives began to prepare original sweets for their children. Soon, the country even began to hold a competition for the best house, and the first culinary masterpieces began to appear in pastry shops.
The Russians also have their own "gingerbread house", but there Masha and Vanya are saved from a bear, and kind forest dwellers help them in this difficult task.
advent calendar
"Adventus" - the arrival, this is the waiting time preceding the Nativity of Christ, during which believers fast and prepare for the holiday. This tradition came from German Lutherans quite recently - at the beginning of the 19th century. And the first written mention of this four-week period of preparation dates back to the year 524 of the new era. The Advent calendar also appeared not so long ago, it was invented for her son by the German Frau Lang to make the expectation of the holiday more interesting and varied for him. Its most familiar form is a box with opening drawers, according to the number of days of waiting, where you can put multi-colored chocolates, sweets can be alternated with a list of good deeds. In general, there is no limit to fantasy.
Residents of the Scandinavian countries make the same calendar, but only in the form of a pig, without which the Christmas table in those parts is simply unthinkable. Matches are stuck into a large potato according to the number of days of Advent, legs are made of sticks, a small tail is made of shavings and a muzzle is made of cardboard with a pink patch. For primary classes in Sunday schools in some European countries, they make a Christmas staircase, where the Star of Bethlehem and the baby Christ are placed on the topmost step, and a basket or a manger with hay is placed at the bottom. This original composition gives the kids a clear sense of the approach of the long-awaited holiday.
Christmas tree
A smartly decorated spruce is the main symbol of the upcoming New Year and the Nativity of Christ in many countries of the world. This custom arose even among the ancient Germanic peoples, when before the onset of these holidays, a specially selected coniferous tree was decorated in the forest with candles and colored rags, and then rituals were performed nearby. Worship of this type was developed among many peoples. In Greece, the cypress was considered the main sacred tree, and in Rome, the dogwood. By December 31, Georgians were preparing hornbeam logs and chichilaki (a planed walnut branch) for the hearth. In Svaneti, a small birch was installed in the house.
Until now, there are disputes all over the world, which country can claim the championship in establishing the Christmas tree. There is a brief mention that before 1510 there was such a ceremony in the city of Riga, but at the end the tree was burned, which means that the festival united Christian and pagan elements. Martin Luther, a Christian theologian and translator of the Bible into German, installed a decorated tree in his home on Christmas Eve in the early 16th century (the exact date is not known). This spruce is proposed to be considered the first Christian tree on the planet.
The issue of “the first Christmas tree in Europe” is of great tourist and, therefore, financial importance for the country and can sometimes lead to serious disagreements.
Easter Bunny
A hare (rabbit) is a symbol of Easter, similar to Easter cakes in Europe and bell ringing in Russia. According to German tradition, he left a nest with colorful eggs as a gift to children. At first, different regions had their own beliefs. So, in Hesse, a fox brought eggs, in Saxony - a rooster, in Alsace - a stork, and in Bavaria - a cuckoo. But gradually the big-eared crowded out all the "competitors" and became the main figure in all of Germany.
This tradition was brought to the United States of America by immigrants from Germany at the beginning of the 18th century, and it became widespread throughout the territory after the end of the American Civil War. According to the Center for Children's Literature and Culture at the University of Florida, the origin of this tradition belongs to the ancient Germanic epics.
The Teutonic deity Eostra (Ostara) was the goddess of spring and fertility, and her symbol was the rabbit, an animal of great fertility. The legend of the Easter Bunny laying colorful eggs and hiding them in the garden was first documented in the 16th century. The Oster Hase holiday was considered one of the "greatest joys of childhood", it was expected in the same way as gifts for Christmas.
Pysanky hunting
Egg painting began already in the 4th century, and the traditional color in the West is red, symbolizing the blood of Christ, in addition, it is associated with life, victory and joy. In Eastern Europe, gold was more common as a sign of great value.
The big Easter egg hunt is a traditional game that has now infected the whole world. According to some sources, the tradition of hiding them originated in southern Germany, and the search for them is considered an ancient tradition in the United Kingdom of Great Britain.
The essence of this custom is that on the eve of this holiday, adults hide painted real or plastic eggs with surprises inside in the house or in the backyard, and the next day the hunt for them begins. Whoever collects the most children will receive the main prize. True, there are no losers in this game - everyone receives gifts so as not to overshadow the holiday.
A charity event called "The Big Egg Hunt" has been held in London for several years in a row. There are huge painted eggs with a special code on the surface all over the city, and participants must find them and enter them on a special site to enter the drawing of a diamond jewelry in the form of the main symbol of Easter worth £100,000.
"Gummi Bears" - rubber bear
"Gummi Bears" - a kind of candy made in the form of silhouettes of these animals. The taste is very similar to marmalade, but they are chewed for a long time, like chewing gum, which is why their name is translated as "rubber". Many Americans think that this is purely their product, but in fact, the German confectioner Hans Riegel invented these sweets in 1922. Nowadays, such sweets are produced by many manufacturers around the world. But the palm and the patent for the manufacture of precisely small bears belong to the Haribo company, where the famous culinary specialist began.
These sweets have become so popular all over the world that they are currently produced in the form of snakes, frogs, sharks, cherries, penguins, crayfish, hippos, octopuses, oranges, peaches and apples. The huge success of these candies inspired the Walt Disney Company to create the animated series The Adventures of the Gummi Bears, and now children around the world can follow their adventures and enjoy the variety of tastes of the candies of the same name.
"Accommodation for the week"
Currently, prefabricated houses have gained incredible popularity all over the world. They can be installed within a week. In addition to this advantage, they are much cheaper than others and can be installed on lightweight foundations, since its weight is relatively small. These structures are built without the use of construction equipment, which has a significant advantage - the entire assembly is carried out using an ordinary power tool. In addition, finishing materials are significantly saved, since prefabricated panels do not have evenness defects. Inside they are insulating material and a new generation of insulation, so that the warmth in such a house is already guaranteed in any weather.
In Stockholm, IKEA is presently presenting a portable housing project for refugees. The whole structure is assembled in a few hours and can accommodate five people. Solar panels are located on the roofs, and the service life of such a house is about 3 years. The first 50 samples will be used in Syria and Ethiopia, and if approved, they will be mass-produced. Now such houses cost 8,000 dollars, but if they are mass-produced, the price will drop to 1,000. Agree that for such an amount to buy your house is just some kind of holiday!
March of Mendelssohn
In 1843, the premiere of the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" based on the play of the famous William Shakespeare took place in Potsdam. The music for it was written by the 34-year-old composer Jacob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. And it was on this day that the public first heard the "Wedding March", which is known to everyone except avid bachelors. For the first time, in the quality already known to us, this work was performed during the wedding of Dorothy Carew and Tom Daniel in the church of St. Peter in Tiverton (Great Britain) June 2, 1858. But today's popularity all over the world came after the performance in the same year at the wedding of the Prussian king Frederick William IV and the English princess Victoria Adelgeida. This melody brought unheard-of fame to the author and immortalized his name - today, almost no marriage is complete without Mendelssohn's solemn march.
Walt Disney film studio logo
Neuschwanstein Castle is the romantic home of the Bavarian King Ludwig II near the town of Füssen, and in German it sounds like "New Swan Stone". This is one of the most popular places in the south of Germany for tourists from all over the world. It was his slender lines, majestic walls and defensive towers that became the logo of the world-famous American film studio "Walt Disney" from Hollywood. The appearance of this giant was used in the animated film "Sleeping Beauty" and became the prototype for the construction of the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland Paris.
Everything for a picnic
Almost all the components of a modern picnic came to us not from America, as many people think, but from Germany. Let's start with sausages. Back in the 13th century, they already knew the recipe for this popular dish, and at present there are about 1,500 of its varieties. Almost half of the meat consumed in the territory of modern Germany comes from the production of this national delicacy, especially with ketchup and curry powder. By the way, Herta Heuver, the owner of a small eatery in the West Berlin district of Charlottenburg, is considered the inventor of this sauce. She first started serving this dish in 1949 with tomato paste instead of expensive American ketchup, and 10 years later she mixed it with curry powder and patented an invented sauce called "Chilliup".
The American company Kraft offered to buy the patent for excellent money several times, but Frau Heuwer refused and destroyed all records of this unique recipe.
By the way, the famous Heinz ketchup and Hellman mayonnaise were also invented by immigrants from Germany.
Of course, every housewife will take a potato salad for a picnic, which is ideal for such an occasion. This is a popular dish of European cuisine, mainly German, Austrian and Czech. It includes boiled potatoes, mostly not boiled soft, with the addition of onions, fried bacon, pickled cucumbers. Mayonnaise or vinegar mixed with vegetable oil, and sometimes yogurt, are used as dressings.
Passion around the incandescent lamp.
The ancient Egyptians tried to invent a light bulb, then the inhabitants of the Mediterranean, including the famous Leonardo da Vinci, but at that time the material suitable for incandescent filaments had not yet been discovered. Heinrich Göbel was a German watchmaker who immigrated to the United States in 1848. In New York, he opens his watchmaking workshop, part of which he turns into a lamp development laboratory. For the filament, he uses charred bamboo fiber. In 1854, the inventor for the first time managed to bring it to a glow, after placing it in a perfume bottle.
At that time, Goebel's idea did not find proper application, since there were still no important prerequisites and high-quality equipment for industrial production and widespread use. At the age of 75 in 1893, Heinrich was recognized as the inventor of the first usable carbon filament lamp, but he did not have time to patent his invention due to his imminent death.
And Edison only improved his invention, so his paper of the discoverer was invalidated until the expiration of the protection rights.
The first experiments of the permanent
Women at all times dreamed of having curly and long hair, and no matter what tricks they resorted to - they wore special wigs during the reign of kings, crinolines and carriages, curled them with the help of "grandmother's advice". The most acceptable way for everyone was perm, or permanent. German hairdresser Charles Nessler had been working on the idea since 1896, and after ten years of hard work, he introduced permanent rods. Electricity was used to heat them, and a mixture of cow urine and water was used to fix the perm. What kind of sacrifices did the ladies go to look beautiful.
Having studied the above, we come to the conclusion that many things that the Americans previously attributed to themselves were actually invented in Germany. But this is just not surprising. If you look up the pedigree of many American celebrities, then they are all mostly Europeans, and many famous Hollywood legends are generally former Odessans. The main thing is not who invented something first, but that we have learned a lot of new, interesting and useful things today.
Invention has a long tradition in Germany. At the end of the 15th century, Johannes Gutenberg of Mainz revolutionized printing with the development of moving letters. World famous inventors included in the 19th century, for example, Werner von Siemens (dynamo principle) and Gottlieb Daimler, Karl Friedrich Benz and Nikolaus August Otto (motors) Carl Zeiss (optics) and Ernst Abbe.
The 20th century was also rich in German inventors whose ideas changed the world of technology: Hugo Junkers (all-metal aircraft), Konrad Zuse (computer-controlled computers) or Manfred von Ardenne (cathode ray tube). Already at the turn of the 20th century, Germany had a telephone, a car, a radio, x-ray machines, plastic, liquid crystals and vinyl. All this was German discoveries, developments and inventions.
Yet more than 85 percent of the population worked in agriculture. The Germans did not care about the guiding results of their scientists and greeted technological advances with suspicion. In 1835, between Nuremberg and Fürth, the first steam locomotive covered a distance of about six kilometers at a speed of 40 km / h, doctors feared that passengers could have health problems due to the high speed. and independently of him Karl Friedrich Benz developed in 1886 the first gasoline cars in the world. However, in Germany they were not in demand. The first mass-produced cars were built in 1890 under license from Daimler from French manufacturers.
This fact gave impetus to the development of its own automotive industry: four years later, the Karl Benz car began to be produced. From Germany, new impulses in the automotive industry quickly spread. In 1902, Robert Bosch's firm introduced high-voltage magneto ignition for gasoline engines to the market. This laid the foundations of the modern car. In 1923, a MAN truck drove off, the first car with a diesel engine, invented by Rudolf Diesel back in 1897.
Aviation's roots stretch back to the 19th century. Here, too, decisive preparatory work was carried out by German engineers. Otto Lilienthal built the first gliders in 1877 and laid the scientific foundations of aerodynamics with his book The Flight of Birds as the Basis of the Art of Flying in 1889. In 1936, Heinrich Focke built the world's first viable helicopter. A few months later, the world's first aircraft, the forerunner of modern jet aircraft, was introduced.
At the cradle of broadcasting was Heinrich Hertz's discovery of electromagnetic waves (1887) and the oscillatory circuit, which was invented in 1898 by Karl Ferdinand Braun. They both contributed to the rapid international development of wireless communications and broadcasting. The spiritual fathers of television include Ferdinand Braun. He invented the cathode ray tube in 1897, which is still used in televisions and computers. Otto von Bronk received a patent in 1902 for the invention of a method for transmitting a color image. Until now, the best PAL television system in the world was developed in 1961 by the German Walter Bruch.
The first digital computer with program control (computer) was introduced by Konrad Zuse. The modern age of information technology is based on five media: photography, film, communications, including radio, television and computer. German scientists and technicians participated in the creation of the foundation of all five.
Just in time for the turn of the century, the German physicist Max Planck developed quantum theory. He discovered that elementary particles (quanta) behave quite differently from larger objects. One of the most famous people in the world, Albert Einstein developed his special and general theories of relativity. He showed, among other things, that mass can be converted into energy and vice versa, that lengths, masses, velocities and other physical quantities are not absolute, but are perceived differently by observers in different systems. Before that, there was nothing more significant in physics. And Einstein discovered something else: there is no greater speed than the speed of light. Fundamentally new in the 20th century are the disciplines of nuclear physics and high energy physics. Although scientists have long been convinced of the existence of atoms, only Einstein was able to prove that they really exist. Thus began a new era: the era of the atomic bomb, but also the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The great era of particle physics began after World War II.
In 1964, the first large electron synchrotron was put into operation in Hamburg. In Germany, the Society for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt discovered superheavy chemical elements 106 to 112 in 1974. The 20th century was rich in German inventors whose ideas significantly changed the world of technology.
It is known that such a German-specific phenomenon as a discrepancy between a very high technical and scientific potential, on the one hand, and a very high threshold of restraint in terms of practical application, on the other, seems like a paradox only at first glance. Both phenomena have the same roots: a wealth of ideas and fantasies. This is the perfect combination. Only as a result of the interaction of both factors can reliable results be achieved.
At the beginning of the 20th century, a kind of technical self-awareness began to form in Germany. In 1899, Wilhelm Maybach invented his "honeycomb radiator" - the first technically acceptable engine cooling system. In 1907, the Nesseldorfet Wagonbau company used drum brakes and thereby increased traffic safety. And in 1902, Robert Bosch entered the market with the first high-voltage magnetic ignition for gasoline engines. So the basic elements of the modern automotive industry were laid. In 1923, MAN produced the first truck with a diesel engine.
Otto Lilienthal designed the first gliders in 1877, and in 1936 Heinrich Fock built the world's first flying helicopter.
In Germany, a small circle of engineers took up rocket science in earnest. In 1937, Wernher von Braun, under the leadership of Walter Robert Dornberger, began to develop the first A-1 medium-range missile. Already in 1949, the first two-stage rocket was launched, reaching its maximum height.
The modern information age relies on five media: photography, film, radio, television and the computer. German scientists and technicians have played a significant role in the design and development of each of them. The foundations for photography were laid by Carl Zeiss, Ernst Abbe and Otto Schott. German engineers and chemists have developed color emulsions for feature films. Oskar Mester invented the Maltese mechanism to ensure that the film in the movie camera runs correctly. In 1922, an optimal sound recording system was created.
Radio as such is based on electromagnetic waves discovered by Heinrich Hertz and an oscillatory circuit invented by Karl Ferdinand Braun for the technically expedient production of such waves. He is also one of the spiritual fathers of television.
In 1931, Max Knoll and Ernst Russky invented the electronic microphone. It is impossible not to mention the achievement of German scientists in the field of pharmacology and medicine. The Germans produced a cure for syphilis, rickets and many other diseases.
3D technology was invented in Nazi Germany
The Australian researcher of Nazism, who is also the director of some films, Philip Mohr, has made a sensational discovery that may reconsider the history of the emergence of 3D film technology. In his opinion, the founders of this modern technology are the leaders of the film industry of the Third Reich.
The director found two copies of the film in the archives of Berlin, which somehow resembled 3D films. Initially, there was an opinion that the technology of 3D films appeared in the early 50s of the last century in Hollywood.
Director Philip Mohr has been studying the history of the film industry in Nazi Germany for almost forty years. Suffice it to mention his documentary "Swastika", where the audience first saw the Fuhrer's "home" video performed by his wife and mistress Eva Braun. Filming took place at their villa in Bavaria. Currently, the director plans to create a documentary about how the Nazi machine skillfully manipulated the minds of the German population in the face of the upcoming threats and possible successes of the Third Reich.
Studying the archives of the Goebbel Ministry of Propaganda, the director came across films labeled Raum Film (spatial film). These two films were made by order of the Ministry, and no one would have paid attention to them, because of the marked neck, which means "space", the tapes would have remained gathering dust for who knows how long.
The tape was shot on 35 mm film using two lenses and a prism placed in front of them. The first tape, which has the title "It's so real you can touch it" is presented as a picnic in some kind of estate, but the main feature was a splash of fried sausage that flew right at the viewer. The second film, a story about six girls going on vacation. Each film is 30 minutes long.
According to the director, the Nazis were simply obsessed with the introduction of new technologies in the field of image documentation. This film confirms the director's opinion that with the help of these technologies, the Germans managed to establish the most severe information control over their nation. The quality of this material is considered simply fantastic for that time.
Although it is now believed that the beginning of the 3D film industry was laid in Hollywood, the process itself did not take a logical continuation due to the high cost of all equipment and process.
Interestingly, on the territory of the former Soviet Union, there was also an attempt to create 3D films. In the early 40s of the last century, director Semyon Ivanov managed to mount the film "Land of Youth", where the image was quite voluminous. Glasses had not yet been invented to watch this film, but raster screen panels were used for this purpose.
Cars. Efficiency. Leather shorts. Germany is known worldwide as a leader in many areas. The Germans are known as a friendly and hospitable people. Some even believe that the Germans have a non-existent sense of humor.
Germany boasts two millennia of history that, for better or worse, have shaped the world as we know it. The life of a country located in the very center of Europe is much wider and richer than the existing set of stereotypes.
Here are 11 things that I think make Germany so special.
1. Mixing water, barley and hops
Germans drink beer, breathe beer, eat beer and sleep with beer. Okay, basically, we just drink beer. More than 1,300 breweries and 5,000 different types of beer help us drink more beer per capita than any other European country, except the Czech Republic, of course. And, of course, we are aware that craft beer is booming in the US, but we do not attach any importance to this.
In Germany, there are special beer laws - the so-called Deutsches Reinheitsgebot rules, first promulgated in 1516, according to which only water, barley and hops can be used in the manufacture of beer. And by the way, we also have a lot of new craft breweries opening.
Source: flickr
2. Moving between points A and B
Thanks to the large number of car manufacturers, it's pardonable to think that we all drive around exclusively in BMVs, Mercedes and Audis. But while the rest of the world is eyeing our high-end cars, or, as in the case of Volkswagen owners, scratching their heads at their emissions levels, we usually take the train.
Germany has an excellent rail network, almost wholly owned by the state, operated by Deutsche Bahn or simply DB, which provides passenger and freight trains.
German railways transport more than seven million relatively happy passengers and 1,138,000 tons of cargo every day on their 33,000-kilometer network.
Despite such dense traffic, German trains always follow the schedule (delay within a maximum of five minutes). High-speed ICE trains connect the largest cities in the country at speeds up to 300 km/h. You can try to compete with them on the BMV (on some autobahns there is no official speed limit), but you will return home by train anyway.
3. Life by the water
When Germans aren't crazy about beer, they're crazy about water. Not for drinking, of course, but for picnicking, sailing, surfing, water skiing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, windsurfing, whatever the weather. And this is not surprising.
There are more than 12,200 picturesque lakes in the country, most of them are available all year round for any kind of recreation. The best Alpine scenery can be enjoyed from the shores of Bavarian lakes such as Konigssee or Tegernsee. There are also many lakes on the territory of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Brandenburg. Brandenburg even has a hiking trail that connects 66 lakes.
4 Stripping in public
When it comes to getting naked in nature, we are second to none. We don't blame you for keeping your distance, just don't judge us harshly.
Source: flickr
5. Making bread
Some connoisseurs of French wine can determine, by sniffing even a closed bottle, not only the place where the grapes grow, but also on which hillside it was collected. The same can be said about the Germans in connection with bread.
Bread is not just a daily food for us. This is part of the culture. Each region has its own peculiarities of making bread. There are over 1,500 varieties ranging from dark and dense rye bread in the north of the country to light white varieties in the south. Germans eat an average of 87 kilograms of bread a year, and there is one bakery for every 2,100 inhabitants.
And, yes, of course, we are aware that all these carbohydrates are deposited on our waists. It will never stop us from getting naked in nature!
6. Bureaucracy
It's no secret that in Germany there are a great many laws that control almost every aspect of life. And while all this legal clutter may seem to rob us of our flexibility, it is at the same time that it maintains our reputation as an effective people.
This love of rules manifests itself in a variety of ways. Crossing the road to a red traffic light can result in detention and a fine.
We are also very meticulous when sorting waste. Every home has at least four different containers: for plastic, paper, organics and other garbage. By throwing garbage in the wrong container, you risk getting a fine.
To control potential chaos, there is even a public service called Ordnungsamt, which means “office of order” in translation. You can, of course, laugh, but this service has become one of the reasons for the lowest unemployment rate in Europe.
7. Transportation of things
German houses and apartments are always rented unfurnished. This means that even kitchen and bathroom equipment is optional. So when the Germans move, they move with all their furniture, including the stove, refrigerator, countertops, cabinets and even sinks.
Moving is a kind of national entertainment, in which friends and relatives are more likely to take part than professionals. This means that you need to stock up on enough beer and food so that no one escapes before the end of the move. And, of course, do not forget to send the last portion of garbage to the appropriate container.
8. Castles
Fairy tales are rarely told in German families these days, probably because we are busy studying train schedules and sorting garbage. But in our country there are still many beautiful castles left from the past.
These include hillforts, moated Renaissance castles, and 19th-century neo-Romanesque palaces such as the famous Neuschwanstein in Bavaria (presumably the inspiration for Walt Disney's castle).
Today there are more than 25,000 castles in Germany (not counting the ruins, which are also of interest to tourists), and most of them house museums, restaurants and even hotels. We can even rent one of the castles during our holidays.