G.E.R.M.A.N.Y

Ok so I was bored and had nothing better to do with my time than come up with a list of interesting things about Germany based on the letters of its name; G, E, R, M, A, N, & Y. I did however learn some more about Germany and I hope you do too! Here goes…

G stands for Green

Germany is a very green country.  Although it has one of the highest populations in Europe, 89% of the population lives in and around its cities. That leaves 31% of the country that is still forests and woodlands. With a varying landscape of low and high mountain ranges, lakelands and forests, Germany has a lot of natural spaces to explore. 

E stands for Einstein

Federal archive, image 102-10447 CC-BY-SA

One of the most famous Germans, Albert Einstein, was born in Ulm on the 14th March 1879. Some of the strangest facts I have found about him include the following: 

• His mother thought that he was a deformed baby when he was born because his head was so large! 
• As a boy he became interested in science because of a compass his father gave to him. 
• He failed his university entrance exam!
• After his death, his brain was stolen and kept in a jar by the pathologist who conducted the autopsy! 

R stands for Rhine

The Rhine is Europe’s most important river and the longest river in Germany with 865 km of the river running through the country.  It starts in Switzerland then passes the border between Austria and Liechtenstein, through France, Germany and finally empties into the North Sea in the Netherlands. Eighty percent of its ship-carrying waters pass through Germany. There are more castles along the Rhine River than in any other river valley worldwide. Also, without this important river, German wine probably wouldn’t exist. Is that a good or a bad thing?

M stands for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Author - Niteshift (from wikipedia.org)

I like the way this sounds but it’s a bit tricky to say after a few German beers. Apart from sounding like a surname of a German steam-punk villan, it is actually one of the federal states and one of Germany’s leading tourist destinations. It is located in the northeast of Germany and touches the Baltic Sea.  Its capital city is Schwerin and other major cities include Rostock and Greifswald. It is home to two of the oldest universities in Europe, 2,000 castles, the Rostocker Bratwurst (a type of sausage) and its largest brewery produces a beer called Lübzer Pils. 

A stands for Altbier

Author - Eigenes Werk (from wikipedia.org)

Altbier literally means “old beer” and is a German ale brewed using a pre-lager brewing process involving top-fermenting yeast. Altbier is brewed in Düsseldorf and the Rhinelands in the northwest of Germany. The first brewery to use the name “Alt” was Schumacher which opened in 1838. It is copper in colour, cool-fermented and cold-conditioned with an aromatic “hopiness” and a creamy head.   

N stands for North Sea

Author - Mogens Engelund (from wikipedia.org)

The North Sea coast of Germany is very flat and has a series of offshore islands. Several of the islands are inhabited but, in gereral, cars are not allowed. Bikes and horse-drawn carriages are the main form of transport. These islands are all popular holiday destinations where holiday-makers take advantage of the clean air, white beaches and rolling sand dunes. In the area is the “Wadden Sea National Park” which is a protected ecosystem and has been declared an UNESCO biosphere reserve. 

Y stands for the letter “Y”

The “Y” is called ypsilon in German and derives from the letter “J”. There are not many words starting with a ypsilon in the German language! Of the few “y” words used, most of them are imported from other languages such as “yacht” or “yale”.  

I hope you enjoyed learning some interesting facts about Germany. I know i did.
Comments and corrections are welcome!