Course Description

This course highlights all the most important  German holidays. Use the information as content for German conversations, writing tasks and oral exams.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Objective = Acquire A Cultural Understanding Of National German Holidays, Regional Celebrations, And The Recognition Of Historical Events

    • Please Check Now That Your Phone Is In Your Bag. Please Stay For 40 Minutes Of Learning Before Signing Out For The Bathroom.

    • Welcome To The Feiertage Course

    • Instructions For Your Daily Work (Show It To The Teacher To Verify That You Are Doing It Correctly)

    • Here Is A Copy Of The Instructions Sheet To Print At Home

    • Weekly Scoring Rubric

    • Get Your Notebook Checked For The First Grade

    • What Creates A Culture?

    • Look Through The Yearly German Holidays

    • Customs And Traditions Are Linked To German Legal Holidays (Calendar)

    • The Best Website For Monthly German Holidays, Festivals & Culture

    • We Can Explore Culture In All The German-Speaking Countries: List Them!

  • 2

    How To Set Up Your New Kultur Notebook

    • Get Your Notebook Graded Once It's Set Up Correctly & Format Your Notes Correctly Every Day

    • Instruction Sheet To Staple On To Inside Cover Of Your Culture Notebooks (Write Your Name On Cover)

    • Look At This Notebook Format Sample

    • Learn The Correct Way To Write The German Date

  • 3

    Submit Your Weekly Notes On Teams

    • Your Submitted Assignment Must Be Easy To Read

    • Student Guide To Using Assignments In TEAMS

    • How To Use Your iPhone To Scan Your Written Work Into A Pdf File

    • How To Use Office Lens To Scan Your Work For TEAMS

    • How To Submit Your PDF File To Teams On Your Laptop

    • How To Submit Your PDF File To Teams On Your Phone

    • How To Insert Your Images & Create Your PDF In Word

    • How To Use Your Teams App On Your Phone To Scan & Upload

  • 4

    August: Cheese Markets

    • German Cheese Markets Are Popular

    • Germans Make Soft, "Fresh" Cheese Called Frischkäse

    • A Famous German Cheese Is Called "Hand Cheese With Musik" (Handkäse mit Musik)

    • Look At This Crazy Cheese Called "Mite Cheese" Or "Spider Cheese"

    • Meet 5 Bavarian Cheeses

    • Taking A Walk Through A Cheese Market With Nalf

    • Do Not Move On To The Next Holiday Or Event Until ...

  • 5

    August 15: The Assumption of Maria (Mariä Himmelfahrt) Is A Public Holiday In 2 Of the 16 German States

    • This Is A Religious Holiday Celebrated Around The World

    • Watch What A "Maria Himmelfahrt" Celebration Looks Like (From 8:40 to 25:34). Write Down 10 Things You See Germans Do As Part Of This Celebration.

    • Do Not Move On To The Next Holiday Or Event Until ...

  • 6

    August 28: Goethe's Birthday

    • Germany's Shakespeare Is Goethe - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Birthday Is On August 28

    • Assignment For Everyone: Add Pronunciation Notes

    • Only German 1: Copy The Text & Learn This Famous Goethe Poem: Wanderers Nachtlied (Only Text)

    • Only German 1: Listen To This Famous Goethe Poem: Wanderers Nachtlied (No Text)

    • Only German 2: Copy & Learn This Famous Goethe Poem: Gefunden (Female Reading)

    • Only German 2: Learn This Famous Goethe Poem: Gefunden (Male Reading)

    • Only Honors German: Copy & Learn This Famous Goethe Poem: Erlkönig (Divide Up The Stanzas Among Your Group)

    • Extra Credit: Memorize & Recite The Goethe Poem During Your Notebook Check This Week

    • Do Not Move On To The Next Holiday Or Event Until ...

  • 7

    September: Wine Festivals

    • The Largest Wine Festival In The World Is The "Dürkheimer Wurstmarkt"

    • The Famous Wine Festival in Stuttgart Is Called The The Stutgarter Weindorf

    • Do Not Move On To The Next Holiday Or Event Until ...

  • 8

    Last Week Of September: Bavarian Oktoberfest (The World's Largest Folk Festival) = 6 Posts

    • When Exactly Does Each New Oktoberfest Season Begin? Make This The First Fact For The First Video Below

    • Video: 1-Minute Look Inside Oktoberfest.

    • Video: The History of the Oktoberfest

    • Video: Come Take a Tour of the Oktoberfest With Rick Steves

    • Extra Credit: Learn How to Do the Schuhplattler Dance

    • Video: Learn German Oktoberfest Vocabulary - Make A Bilingual List Using Each Word (Instead Of A List Of 10 Facts)

    • Everything I Ate At The Oktoberfest In München

    • Oktoberfest 2024 Opens With Tighter Security (Septemebr 21, 2024)

    • Do Not Move On To The Next Holiday Or Event Until ...

  • 9

    September: Traditional Oktoberfest Songs = Make A List Of All Song Titles & Score Each On A Scale Of 1-10 (How Much Do You Like Each?). Written Facts Are Not Assigned

    • The Easiest Oktoberfest Song to Learn (Embeded)

    • Video: Watch "Ein Prosit" Being Sung In The Main Tent At The Oktoberfest (Watch At Home)

    • Video: Learn to Sing and Dance this German Party Song Called the "Fliegerlied"

    • Video: The Most Famous Oktoberfest Song- Sung By Two Famous Singers From German Schlager History

    • Video: Learn the Lyrics to the REFRAIN of this Oktoberfest Song So You Can Join in the Fun

    • Video Testimonial: An American Tells You How Important It Is To Learn German Party Songs. Write Down Their Reasons.

    • Video: This Bavarian Band is Reviving the Bavarian Dialect With Their Song "Rock mi"

    • Copy The Lyrics Only For The Refrain To "Rock mi" (The Stanza That Begins With The Word "Komm")

  • 10

    September 30: Recognition Of The First Printing Of Pages From The Bible

    • On This Day The First Pages Of The Bible Were Printed For The First Time Ever

    • More About Gutenberg (He Died On Feb 3rd)

    • The Invention Of The Printing Press

    • Do Not Move On To The Next Holiday Or Event Until ...

  • 11

    End Of September: Cannstatt Wasen Folk Festival

    • Last Friday In September = Das Cannstatter Volksfest

    • Take A Look At the Cannstatter Folk Festival

  • 12

    October 3rd: Germany's Unity Day

    • Video: October 3rd is German Unity Day (6min)

    • Photo Guide of The Berlin Wall = die Berliner Mauer

    • History of the Berlin Wall (p2- 6min)

    • Escape (p5- 9min)

    • Walled In (p6- 10min)

    • The Crossing At Bornholmer Strasse (p8- 9min)

    • Traces Of The Wall (p8- 6min)

  • 13

    October 6th: German-American Day

    • What Is German American Day?

    • The History Of German-American Day

  • 14

    October 25: Johann Strauss's Birthday

    • Johann Strauss' Background

    • Austria's Neighboring Countries

    • What Is A Waltz?

    • How To Waltz

    • Watch & Listen: The Most Famous Waltz That Johann Strauss Wrote (Der Blaue Donau)

    • Why The Fascination With The Waltz?

    • 2025 Is The Year Of Strauss!

  • 15

    October 31: Halloween Is Not A German Cultural Event

    • Video: Why Halloween is Not Popular in Deutschland (explained from an American's perspective)

    • Video: The Difference Between Halloween in the USA and in Germany (explained from A German's perspective)

  • 16

    November 1st & 2nd: All Saints' Day & All Souls' Day

    • November 1st Is All Saints Day

    • November 2nd Is All Soul's Day

    • FYI Geography: The Northern Lights In Novemeber (No Notes Required)

  • 17

    November 8th: Röntgen Discovery

    • X-Rays Were Discovered By The German Scientist Wilhelm Röntgen

    • The Story Of How The X-Ray Was Discovered

    • The Science Behind X-Rays

  • 18

    November 11: Sankt Martins Tag

    • Bilingual Explanation of St. Martinstag

    • Here Is What A St. Martinstag Celebration Looks Like

    • Finshed Samples Of Homemade Lanterns Used On Nov 11

  • 19

    November 12: International Tongue Twister Day

    • November 12 = Internationaler Zungenbrecher Tag

  • 20

    4 Sundays Before Christmas Eve = Advent Which Lasts For 4 Weeks

    • Pre-Christmas Traditions Include Advent Celebrations

    • Copy & Learn This Easy Poem

    • Write Down The Materials & The Steps Needed To Make Your Own German Advent Wreath (= "Adventskranz)

    • Examples Of Advent Calendars

    • The History Of The Advent Calender (Adventskalender)

  • 21

    December 6: Sankt Nikolaustag (the festivity begins on the evening of the 5th)

    • 5. Dezember: Heute Ist Sankt Nikolaustag

    • What is Saint Nikolaus Day?

    • Video: See Sankt Nikolaus and Knecht Ruprecht Walk Through a German Department Store

    • Video: Jimmy Fallen Discusses Krampus

    • Elf On A Shelf (Explain This Joke. Why Is It Funny?)

    • Video: Krampus in Osttirol

    • Video: Brave Girl Plays Her Recorder At A Home Visit

    • Video: Krampus Day at School

    • Video: A Home Visit from Sankt Nikolaus and His Servant

    • Video: Watch Some Younger Children Get a Visit

    • Learn More About Sankt Nikolaus & Practice Your Translation Skills.

    • How To Wish Someone A Happy St. Nikolaus Day (Just write the greeting in large print in your notes: "Ich wünsche dir einen schönen Nikolaustag!")

    • Film: A Heidelberg Holiday

  • 22

    December 24-26: Weihnachten (Fact: All Of Germany Shuts Down For The 2 Christmas Days)

    • How to Wish Germans a Merry Christmas (Write It In Large Print In Your Notebook)

    • Video: It All Starts With the Advent Wreath

    • Video: What Makes Christmas Time In Germany So Special?

    • Video: An Overview Of Christmas Traditions In Germany (English)

    • Video: Come Meet the Christkind! She Explains Her Role in English.

    • Video: The Christkind Speech That Opens the Christmas Season Each Year

    • Open A Door Each Day (Adventskalendar from the AATG). Just Try It- No Notes Needed.

    • Video: The Famous German Gingerbread Cookie + das größte Lebkuchenhaus (30 minutes all in German)

    • Video: Spend a Minute at the Christmas Market in Nürnberg

    • Video: Get an English-speaking Tour of a German Christmas Market!

    • Video: A Drive-Through Christkindlmarkt During Covid19

    • Video: Look at the Real Lights on this German Christmas Tree (First 10 Seconds)

    • Video: Christmas Tree Safety (in German)

    • Video: German Christmas Tree Humor

    • Video: How To Create A German Christmas Atmosphere In Your Place

    • Video: Learn the German Word "Bescherung" As You Watch It Happen in a German House

    • Assignment: The Most Famous Classical German Christmas Poem (Just Copy It Into Your Notes)

    • Video: Pronunciation Help for the Christmas Poem Assignment

    • Listen to this Poem as a Heavy Metal Song

    • Video: Wer Sind Denn Alle Diese Weihnachtsfiguren? (auf deutsch)

    • Video: Sankt Nikolaus versus der Weihnachtsmann (for advanced students)

    • Video: die Sternsinger am Dreikönigstag

    • Video: Explanation in German of the Three Kings (die Drei Könige )

    • Article: How Do Muslims In Germany Celebrate The Christmas Season?

  • 23

    December 31: Silvester (New Year's Eve = games, punch, food, movie, speech, toasting, finally fireworks)

    • 7 Things You Need For A German New Year's Celebration

    • Video: The Most Traditional German New Year's Eve Game

    • Video: Recipe for the Most Famous Holiday Beverage Called "Feuerzangebowle"

    • Video: The Most Traditional New Year's Eve Meal (10 minutes in German)

    • Video: The Traditional New Year's Eve Film That Every German Watches = "Dinner for One"

    • Video: New Year's Eve Political Speech

    • Video: Yes, Germans Also Toast To the New Year With Champagne

    • Learn How to Wish Someone a Happy New Year in German. Write It In Large Print In Your Notebook (No Facts)

    • Video: Silvester Fireworks at the Brandenburger Tor

    • Video: The World's Most Famous Classical Concert is Broadcast from Wien on New Year's Day

  • 24

    January 1: Frohes Neujahr

    • How Is New Year's Day Celebrated In Germany?

    • Former German Chsncelor (The Leader) Gives The Annual New Year's Speech. What Did She Say?

  • 25

    January 6: Epiphany

    • Who Are The Starsingers? An International Children's Fundraising Organization

    • Meet The Sternsänger On Dreikönigstag (Three Kings Day = Epiphany)

  • 26

    The Third Monday In January In The U.S. Is Martin Luther King Jr. Day

    • The Connection Between The American MLK Jr & The German Martin Luther

    • Who Was Martin Luther? Why Is He Famous? What Did He Do On Halloween In 1517?

    • There Are 33 Religious Affiliations In Germany

    • Write The Title Of This Movie: "Luther" (Find It Online & Watch It)

  • 27

    January 27: Johann Amadeus Mozart's Birthday

    • Who Was Mozart?

    • A Sample Of Mozart's Most Famous "Songs". Write A List Of The 5 Full Composition Titles Presented Here

    • Take A Tour Of Mozart's Birthplace in Salzburg, Austria

    • What Are "Mozartkugeln"?

  • 28

    February 24, 2025: The German Political Elections (Kanzler Merz Gets Elected)

    • Video: Meet The Winners & Losers Of The February 2025 Election (Read The Subtitles)

    • German Election Results Explained In Graphics

    • The Lead Political Party In The German Government Is The CDU (Christian Democratic Union)

  • 29

    February: Fasching/Karneval (like Mardi Gras in New Orleans)

    • Video: What is Lent?

    • The Origins Of Carnival

    • Video: Fasching Erklärt (= The Origins of Karneval). Just Listen & Write A List Of The Cognates You Hear

    • Fastnacht in Schneeberger Werbung- Just Translate This Ad/Flyer For Karneval

    • Alaaf und Helau! Write These 2 Greetings In Large Print In Your Notebook.

    • Video: The 5 Day Street Party Begins with "Weiberfastnacht"

    • Video: Come Visit the Three Major Cities for Fasching and Karneval Celebrations

    • Video: The Most Important Karneval Treat is the "Faschingskrapfen"

    • Video: An American Teenager Living in Germany Explains Fasching

    • Video: The Traditional Karneval and Fasching's Speeches

    • Video: Rosenmontag, "Kamelle Kamelle" and the Greeting of the Day

    • Leap Year Is Called "Schaltjahr" In German (2024, 2028, 2032, etc.). Make A List Of Cognates As You Listen.

  • 30

    March: Good Luck Charms

    • Ask Frau If She Has Colored Paper For The Crafts In This Chapter.

    • March 17th- Let's Learn About Lucky Charms In Deutschland (auf Deutsch but with English Subtitles)

    • March 17th: Glücksbringer. Write a List Of All The German Lucky Charms Shown In This Video

    • Basteln: Make This Easy Fliegenpiltz & Staple It Into Your Notebook (Only Requires White Paper and a Red Pen/Pencil)

    • Basteln: Easy Origami 4 Leaf Clover (Only Requires Green Paper Or Color The Leaves Green). Staple Yours Into Your Notebook.

    • Basteln: Origami Marienkäfer (Only Requires Red Paper & A Black Pen or Color It Red). Make & Staple Yours Into Your Notebook.

    • Basteln: Origami Schweinkopf (Only Requires Pink Paper)

    • Basteln: Origami Horseshoe (RShould Be Made With Silver Paper or Silver Sharpie or Tin Foil or Color Yours Gray or Brown). Remember To Keep It Facing Up!

    • Optional Advanced Basteln: 2-Piece Origami Glücksschwein (Only Requires Pink Paper)

    • Optional Advanced Basteln: Full Body Origami Schwein (Only requires pink paper)

    • Optional Advanced Basteln: Origami Kleeblatt (Only requires green paper)

  • 31

    April: Ostern (Easter)

    • Easter In Germany Vs. America

    • Top 10 Geman Easter Traditions

    • German Easter Tree (Describe What You Learn & See)

    • Typical German Easter Foods

    • German Music Video About The Easter Bunny (by Julien Bam)- Just Watch A

    • Here Is A German Easter Song For Children With Movements- Just Watch & Read The Lyrics To See If You Can Understand

    • Easter Monday = Georgiritt

    • Ostermontag = Georgi Ritt Traunstein Schwertertanz (List 10 Things You See)

    • Ostermontag = Pferde Werden Gesegnet Beim Georgiritt in Traunstein (List 10 Things You See)

  • 32

    April: The Swiss Böögg Celebration

    • The 3rd Monday of April = Böögg

    • Video: Böögg (Listen To Swiss German!) Write 10 Things You See That Are Related To This Celebration.

  • 33

    April 23: Biertag

    • April 23 = Day Of Beer

    • The German Beer Purity Law

    • An American's Perspective On German Beer

  • 34

    April 30: Walpurgisnacht

    • What Is Walpurgisnacht?

    • April 30 = Walpurgisnacht

    • Watch A Walpurgisnacht Witches Dance (Hexentanz)

  • 35

    May 21: Birthdate Of Germany's Most Famous Painter

    • May 21st: Albrecht Dürer born in Nuremberg

    • Dürer’s Self-portrait Hung At Munich’s Alte Pinakothek

  • 36

    June Holidays

    • Silent Video (Take Notes)- What is Ascension Day?

    • Video: What Is Pentecost?

    • Video: The History Of The Feast Of Corpus Christi (called Fronleichnam in German)

  • 37

    Summer Regional Events- Rhein Wine Festivals, Leipzig Book Fair, Berlin Film Festival, Village Fests (ex. Dampfnudelfest)

    • Read: Dampfnudelfest

    • Watch & List The Ingredients (In English) For Dampfnudeln

    • Foto: Regional Foods Map (click the double-arrow in top right corner to rotate image clockwise)

    • Extra Credit: Cooking & Eating Project

  • 38

    Finished Early?

    • Learn With Duolingo

    • Go Back To Nicos Weg If You Have A Partner

  • 39

    Graduating Seniors' Group Project

    • German Team Painting -Seniors Only

State Certified German Teacher For 30 Years

Dr. Bogard

The owner and creator of the Time To Learn German website is Eva Bogard, Ph.D. She was born in Manhattan (NYC) to a German mother and a German-American father. She earned her bachelor's degree in foreign languages at snowy SUNY-Oswego and completed her graduate studies in Second Language Education and Instructional Technology at sunny USF-Tampa, where she earned her Master's and Doctorate degrees. She has spent several colorful summers in France enjoying the language and culture in Paris, St. Malo and Tours, but is usually found during her long summer breaks on the beach in Florida, or in the mountains of southwest Germany. Professionally, she is very interested in online hybrid education, especially using instructional technology in both her classroom and online courses to teach foreign languages. Eva is an International Baccalaureate teacher, and a Montessori education enthusiast. She has taught German, French and Spanish, as well as, Information Technology and Business Management over the last 30 years.

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