From the Attic: Blizzard 1978/79

December 28th of 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the Blizzard that brought the World to a total standstill. It also marked the start of the Long Winter, whose combination of blizzards and high tides created havoc in both sides of Germany. Both of which have broken records and have remained in the top ten ever since.

On 28th December, 1978, a combination of a low pressure system from the Mediterranean Sea, which brought moisture and mild temperatures, and a high pressure system from Scandinavia, which featured frigid temperatures, collided over the Baltic Sea, unleashing what was considered at that time “The Blizzard of the Century!” Winds of up to 160 kph, combined with snow drifts of up to 7 meters (20 feet) and high tides that were half the height, literally brought everything to a standstill beginning on December 28th, 1978 and ending on January 3rd, 1979. An average of 70 centimeters of snow fell in most of the affected regions while 30 centimeters of thick ice were reported! The entire northern half of West Germany and all of East Germany were affected- from Flensburg and Hamburg to Brunswick and Cologne; Rostock and Neu Brandenburg to Leipzig and Erfurt. All were affected. The island of Rügen was cut off from the rest of the world for days until help arrived. Snow blocked transport of coal from the Lausitz region to the burning plants, thus bringing blackouts in electricity to wide areas in East Germany. And motorways were littered with stranded cars from Frankfurt/Main all the way to the Danish border near Flensburg and beyond.  Hundreds of people lost their lives in that storm.

This blizzard was just the beginning of the winter that crippled everything in Germany, for another round of snow and ice of similar proportions fell later on February 18/19, 1979. The total amount of snow that fell during the entire period was over 100 centimeters, double the amount the region receives per year.

And while the government was late in response to the New Year storms and have since improved on providing emergencies in cases like these (and the numbers have increased over the last 10 years), many documentaries have been produced to describe the events in detail from eyewitness accounts. Three of which have been dug out of the attic for you to have a look, to see how powerful the storm really was. It still ranks as one of the ten worst winter storms on record since 1949.  The first documentary looks at what happened in West Germany. The second is how the storm affected the eastern half. The third one looks at the storm from a photographer’s perspective, as he did a series of aerial photos of the regions of Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg after the first storm hit the region. Both West German-states, combined with the coastal areas of Mecklenburg-Pommerania (and especially the islands of Usedom and Rügen) were the hardest hit regions by this New Year’s storm.

So sit back, have some hot cocoa and popcorn ready and be prepared to watch how 1979 entered both Germanys with a lot of ice and snow. Enjoy! 🙂

Documentary 1:

Documentary 2:

Documentary 3:

Documentary 4:

And to point out, the photos presented here were from the Winter storms that pummeled Europe and the US in 2010/11, which was half as bad as what happened here. Nevertheless, especially in the top picture, you can imagine the height and thickness of the snow drifts that left many land regions looking like those under water. Just to point this out. 🙂

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Year of the Beer Day 25: Jever Pilsener

Day 25 and we head north to the Frisan region of Lower Saxony and the town of Jever, home of this beer. While the brewery, founded by Diedrich König in 1848, is one of many in the region, it did accomplish many feats for a brewery in the northern half of Germany. König found something special about the Jever beer and established his family business and marketed the beer in the region, before he died in 1867. His son Theodor Fetköter took over and converted the family-business into a large brewery, where he was innovative in his craftery. The brewery build a water supply system providing quality water for brewing. Furthermore, he developed special bottles, like this one, to fill with pilseners. And lastly, he spearheaded efforts to advertise the beer, making Jever one of the first beers to do that.  After World War I, the brewery was sold to the St. Pauli-Bavaria Brewing company based in Hamburg, which later allowed the brewery to sell beer under the name, Jever Pilsener. That beer has become very popular in the supermarkets and can still be found today. The brewery itself still operates in Jever but under the umbrella of the Radeberger Group.

I was told that the beer was really good and a great example of a northern pilsener. Therefore, I decided to give it a try. The beer’s appearance was impressive with a clear gold color and a near persistant head. It’s carbination was lively. The aroma was really strong, one of the strongest I’ve seen in a beer so far, with a smell of grain and nut malt as well as herbal malt. While the balance is towards the sharp end, the impression was quite nice because the aroma was typical of a pilsener.

As far as flavor is concerned, this was typical of a northern pilsener with grain malt, earth and herbal hops and some citrus. While the balance was bitter and the intensity of the flavor was strong, the lemony flavor made the pils taste rather nice. Yet if one has not tried a German pilsener and tries this beer, the first sensation can be a combination of bitter, sweet and sour at once, resulting in the taste being spicy and prickly. But it gets better after two or three more sips, and the beer will be one to use for consumption.

Grade: 1,7/ A-  The Jever pilsener is a classic example of a northern pilsener but brewed using innovative methods established by Theodor Fetköter. Because of the special characteristics of the pils, the Jever has continued to craft beer from the Frisan region, thus reinforcing the stereotype that having a local homebase from the beginning produces a good beer. It is not a local beer per se, as it can be found in Germany and other countries, but it is one beer that has a taste that is typical of the region. As northern pils require citrus to make the beer drinkable and not so hard and bitter because of the hard water, the Jever has a bit of a twist that makes it a herbal beer to drink. A pilsner with a twist always makes for a good drink. 🙂

Year of the Beer Day 8: Duckstein

In some German cities, one will find a bar or two carrying this name- Duckstein Beer. Many people who have tried the beer have said it has an unusual taste but it is one that is spicy and a bit bitter, but one that is good for a pilsner. I myself had tried it for the first time after coming to Germany and was impressed by it. But yet sometimes first impressions can give way to reality, especially when you drink the beer again some time later. In my case, 15 years later. But given its popularity in many German communities, I decided to give the beer a shot as far as taste-testing is concerned. But first, a short overview of the beer and its history:

The Duckstein Brewery was first mentioned in the 17th Century, where it was first established in the town of Königslutter, located east of Brunswick in Lower Saxony. The beer was brewed using the waters of the Lutter fountain and the creek that eventually becomes part of the Elm River as its source. That water source was laden with lots of minerals, including calcium and hydrogencarbonate, which resulted in the beer having its unusual but pleasant taste of hard water beer. Originally having brewed wheat beer (Weizenbier), the Duckstein introduced its flagship product, the Original in 1640. Characterized by its reddish-brown/ mahogany color, this beer, the beer is aged using beechwood. According to the Craft Beer Locator on its facebook website, “The beechwood is used in ‘chips’ which are actually 3 mm thick & 450 mm long with a spiral shape. The chips are used in the maturation vessel allowing the beer to circulate through the chips & are NOT used to impart any flavor, but to help provide more surface area for the yeast to be exposed to the circulating beer.”  The idea was later adopted by Anheuser-Busch for its flagship beer, Budweiser and its affiliated brands. To this day, the Duckstein Original is the only beer in Germany that is beechwood aged to give the beer its color and body. The beer is currently being bottled directly in Brunswick, but is owned by the Danish conglomerate Carlsberg.

Despite its clear mahogany color and its rather full body and good-looking foam upon pouring it, the taste of the Original is Gewöhnungsbedürftig (it takes getting used to). If one is used to the German pilsner, with its herbal taste, then that person should not have a problem with it, especially when it has a touch of caramel malt in it, as mentioned in the brewery’s website. However for those who like the sweet beer or one with a mild taste, then the beer may not be the one to try because of its bitter taste. It is like the goat cheese: you love it or you hate it. There is no in-between…..

Or is there?

With a bottle in the hand, my wife and I decided to split it and decide for ourselves. Sure enough the impression was it was rather too bitter after a few sips. However, I wanted to dig deeper to see how good or bad the beer really was. While the caramel and grain aroma provided a sharp balance but a faint intensity, the flavor intensity was really strong but astringent and a bit bitter. The reason behind that was a combination of spicy and herbal hops combined with a caramel and barley taste . This resulted in the taste being between neutral and off, pending on how the person judges it based on own preferences. Personally, the spices could have been trimmed back to bring out the caramel taste, even if the beer is beechwood-aged. Therefore its craftmanship is decent but could use some touching-up to bring out more of the sweetness in the beer- not intense but sweet. It is possible that this craftsmanship has been a tradition for over 400 years, but in this day and age, with the preferences changing, one has to be careful to address your target groups more carefully.

Grade: 2,3/ C+  This was a tough one to grade because of some of the features that I liked as well as those that could use some improving. If I was to go with the goat cheese mentality, the grade would be much lower (3 or 4ish). However one has to be a bit neutral when it comes to tasting beers, which includes looking at the positives that this beer has as well. The Duckstein Original is not a perfect beer per se, but its unique taste and craftmanship, especially as beechwood is used in the ferementing process, puts this grade into the two category. Better a silver medal than no medal at all, in my opinion. 🙂

Germany Quiz Nr. 6: The Answers to the Questions about Brandenburg

Trabant cars lining up to cross the Glienicke Bridge at Potsdam on 9 November, 1989. Photo taken by Gavin Stewart. Link: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Glienicke_Bridge_1989.jpg

After looking through the questions about the State of Brandenburg, you are probably curious about the answers, let alone some more information on the state so that you can plan your next trip. Without further ado, here are the answers to the quiz:

1. Which city is the capital of Brandenburg?

a. Potsdam    b. Burg      c. Brandenburg/Havel     d. Neubrandenburg    e. Frankfurt

ANS: Potsdam

2. Rank the following cities from most populated to least populated. 

Bernau     Rathenow   Prenzlau   Neuruppin   Frankfurt   Cottbus   Werder    Senftenberg    Brandenburg/Havel     Eberswald   Falkensee   Potsdam   Görlitz   Oranienburg     Schwedt

ANS: Potsdam (1), Cottbus (2), Brandenburg/Havel (3), Frankfurt/Oder (4), Görlitz (5), Oranienburg (6), Falkensee (7), Eberswald (8), Bernau (9), Schwedt (10), Neuruppin (11), Senftenberg (12), Rathenow (13), Werder (14), Prenzlau (15)

3. Apart from German, which language is also spoken in Brandenburg? (Hint: Cottbus is known as Chosébuz; Lausitz means Luzyca)

a. Czech     b. Polish     c. Hungarian     d. Danish     e. Sorbian    f. Slovakian

ANS: Sorbian

4. Which states border Brandenburg? Mark all that apply.

Lower Saxony      Mecklenburg-Pommerania     Thuringia    Saxony    Hesse      Saxony-Anhalt    Schleswig-Holstein    Berlin     Hamburg

ANS: Saxony, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Pommerania, Berlin and Saxony-Anhalt. PLUS Brandenburg borders neighboring Poland, the only German state to share that border along the Oder/Neisse River.

5. How many districts and independent cities exist in Brandenburg?

ANS: Four independent cities and 13 districts exist in Brandenburg

6. Which rivers are NOT found in Brandenburg? Mark all that apply.

Elbe    Elster    Spree   Havel    Saale    Ucker     Trave     Oder     Neisse

ANS: The Elster, Saale and Trave cannot be found in Brandenburg. The Oder and Neisse share the same river bordering Germany and Poland.

7. Before 1947, the state of Brandenburg was once known as the Margraviate, going by the name of   ___________ Brandenburg.

ANS: Mark Brandenburg

a. Marge    b. Jim    c. Marcus    d. Ulla    e. Mark    f. Maik   g. Mork   h. Paul

8. In reference to this Margraviate, the kingdom goes as far back as which century?

a. 10th   b. 12th   c. 16th   d. 18th   e. 19th

ANS: 12th Century. More on its history here.

9. Berlin is part of the state of Brandenburg. True or False?

ANS: False, Berlin is an independent city-state, and like Washington DC, it’s the capital of Germany.

10. A German women’s soccer team is the only team from Brandenburg that is in the premier league of a sport. True or False?

ANS: True. Turbine Potsdam competes in the German women’s Bundesliga soccer league, having won six championships during the Cold War era, plus another six regular league titles, three German Cups, five Hallenpokal Championships and two Champions League titles- all since 2003. Website available here.

11. The origin of Frankfurt is Vrankenforde and applies to this city on the Oder River as well as the city on the River Main in Hesse. True or false?

ANS: False. The city on the Main was originally named Frankonfurd. Vrankenforde is in reference to the city on the River Oder.

12. Jim Brandenburg, a world-renowned nature photographer from Minnesota, once visited and photographed the flora and fauna in the state of Brandenburg. True or false?

ANS: False. Although most of his works originate and deal with nature and life in the Midwest, including in and around Luverne, he would fall in love with Brandenburg and its natural settings. Have you thought of a photo tour of the state, Sir Brandenburg? 🙂  Link to his website is here.

13. The German motion picture studios, where most of the films are made, can be found in Brandenburg. True or false? Name the city where you will find most of the action.

ANS: True. You’ll find the German version of Hollywood in Babelsberg, located near Potsdam and Berlin.

14. The annual Festival of Lights, where the castle and the grounds are lit up and musical concerts draw in a crowd of 40,000 visitors, is held at the Sanssouci Palace, which is located in this city?

ANS: Potsdam.

15. The Brandenburger Klostersommer festival, which takes place every June and July, features music, art exhibits and other events taking place in which churches in Brandenburg? Name two of them.

ANS: St. Johannes, St. Pauli, St. Gotthardt and Brandenburger Dom Cathedral. The Plaue Castle, former garment factory and along the Havel are the other venues.

16. Which of the local beers will you find in Brandenburg?

a. Beck’s     b. Wusterhausen    c. Kneipe Pur   d. Potsdamer Weise   e. Red Elephant

ANS: c. Click on the answer and you’ll be led to the website.

17. Brandenburg is famous for its pickles, which can be found in this region? (Hint, this region has been declared a biosphere and listed by UNESCO since 1990).

ANS: Spreewald located in the area of Cottbus

18. During the days of Communism, Brandenburg was dependent on two key commodities, one of which is still in use today.  Choose from the list below:

Mining   Tobacco   Agriculture   Fishing   Nuclear Power   Tourism

ANS: Mining and Agriculture. In particular, in southeastern Brandenburg, lignite was mined, which was used to produce energy. The rest of the state relied on agriculture until 1990.

19. Which of the lakes in Brandenburg is the largest and where is it located?

Schwielochsee, located between Lübbenau and Frankfurt/Oder on the northeastern end of Spreewald. More info here.

20. There are 82 castles and palaces in the state of Brandenburg. Identify the following below:

a. Altogether (2 of them)

b. Potsdam (3 of them but NOT counting Sanssouci)

c. Spreewald (1)

d. Elbe/Elster District (2 of them)

ANS: You’ll find the answers here.

21. How many churches will you find in Brandenburg with the exception of Potsdam and Cottbus?  Estimate your numbers in tens. 

ANS: 250. Another 18 (recorded) if the two cities are added.

22. Which bridge in Brandenburg is famous for its spy exchange during the Cold War? (Note: It is one of many that existed along the Berlin Wall before 1989 and is still in use today).

ANS: Glienicke Bridge bordering Potsdam and Berlin. More info here.

23. Which city has the highest number of bridges?

a. Potsdam  b. Brandenburg  c. Cottbus   d. Frankfurt   e. Görlitz   f. Prenzlau

ANS: b. Brandenburg has over 60 bridges, edging Potsdam in numbers. A guide to the most important bridges you can find here (in German).

24. The Glienicke Bridge in Potsdam and the Seegarten Bridge in Brandenburg/Havel are the only two cantilever bridges left in the state that carry the same truss design. True or False?

ANS: True. Despite the latter bring replaced with a replica in 2007, both bridges carry a cantilever Warren truss design.

25. Name two existing bridges along the Oder that are older than 75 years

ANS: Görlitz Viaduct, Himmelsbrücke at Zittau, Railroad Bridge at Zittau,  Hirschfelde Bridge and Dam, Railroad Bridge at Gross Neuersdorf, Forst Railroad Bridge, Railroad Bridge at Schwedt, Neisse River Bridge at Rosenthal, Alte Brücke at Bad Muskau. There are probably more but these are the most notable ones…..

There are some links to some more places you should see while in the state. Apart from what is highlighted, check out these links which will provide you with some useful information.

http://www.brandenburg.de/cms/list.php/bbstart

http://www.reiseland-brandenburg.de/

Brandenburg, together with Mecklenburg-Pommerania, has one of the widest variety of landscapes in the region, ranging from mountains and forests in the south to lakes in the north. One needs to devote some time to visiting the state and its numerous churches, castles and historic city centers. So when planning for the next cross country trip, try this state.

Germany Quiz Nr. 6: What you need to know about Brandenburg

View of the city of Brandenburg from above. Photo courtesy of Nancy Grimm

Moving on from our last state, the Files is taking you to the Quiz series on the 16 German States and to the next candidate: the state of Brandenburg. Located in the eastern part of Germany, where Potsdam and Berlin are located, Brandenburg is perhaps one of the greenest states in Germany, joining the ranks of Mecklenburg Pommerania, Hesse, Thuringia and Saxony. This is in part because of the combination of forests, natural landscapes and wildlife that cover about half the state, mostly in the northern and western parts. The state also has the largest mass of water in the country, with over 33,000 kilometers of river and canals plus 3000 bodies of water, including 860 lakes. Both account for almost a fourth of the number of lakes found in Minnesota, the author’s homestate, where 11,800 lakes and over 111,000 km of rivers and streams exist. Yet while Minnesota can pride itself with its Winter Palace, the state of Brandenburg can also pride itself with its share of palaces and churches . Yet there is more to the state than just that, especially as it is the main attraction of this year’s German Garden and Horticulture Show (short: BUGA). For those wanting to visit Brandenburg for that purpose or for a vacation, perhaps a small Guessing Quiz will both test your knowledge of the state as of now, but also get you more interested and acquainted with the state. Without further ado, here is the challenge for you to take:

1. Which city is the capital of Brandenburg?

a. Potsdam    b. Burg      c. Brandenburg/Havel     d. Neubrandenburg    e. Frankfurt

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2. Rank the following cities from most populated to least populated. 

Bernau     Rathenow   Prenzlau   Neuruppin   Frankfurt   Cottbus   Werder    Senftenberg    Brandenburg/Havel     Eberswald   Falkensee   Potsdam   Görlitz   Oranienburg     Schwedt

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3. Apart from German, which language is also spoken in Brandenburg? (Hint: Cottbus is known as Chosébuz; Lausitz means Luzyca)

a. Czech     b. Polish     c. Hungarian     d. Danish     e. Sorbian    f. Slovakian

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4. Which states border Brandenburg? Mark all that apply.

Lower Saxony      Mecklenburg-Pommerania     Thuringia    Saxony    Hesse      Saxony-Anhalt    Schleswig-Holstein    Berlin     Hamburg

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5. How many districts and independent cities exist in Brandenburg?

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6. Which rivers are NOT found in Brandenburg? Mark all that apply.

Elbe    Elster    Spree   Havel    Saale    Ucker     Trave     Oder     Neisse

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7. Before 1947, the state of Brandenburg was once known as the Margraviate, going by the name of   ___________ Brandenburg.

a. Marge    b. Jim    c. Marcus    d. Ulla    e. Mark    f. Maik   g. Mork   h. Paul

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8. In reference to this Margraviate, the kingdom goes as far back as which century?

a. 10th   b. 12th   c. 16th   d. 18th   e. 19th

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9. Berlin is part of the state of Brandenburg. True or False?

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10. A German women’s soccer team is the only team from Brandenburg that is in the premier league of a sport. True or False?

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11. The origin of Frankfurt is Vrankenforde and applies to this city on the Oder River as well as the city on the River Main in Hesse. True or false?

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12. Jim Brandenburg, a world-renowned nature photographer from Minnesota, once visited and photographed the flora and fauna in the state of Brandenburg. True or false?

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13. The German motion picture studios, where most of the films are made, can be found in Brandenburg. True or false? Name the city where you will find most of the action.

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14. The annual Festival of Lights, where the castle and the grounds are lit up and musical concerts draw in a crowd of 40,000 visitors, is held at the Sanssouci Palace, which is located in this city?

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15. The Brandenburger Klostersommer festival, which takes place every June and July, features music, art exhibits and other events taking place in which churches in Brandenburg? Name two of them.

.

16. Which of the local beers will you find in Brandenburg?

a. Beck’s     b. Wusterhausen    c. Kneipe Pur   d. Potsdamer Weise   e. Red Elephant

.

17. Brandenburg is famous for its pickles, which can be found in this region? (Hint, this region has been declared a biosphere and listed by UNESCO since 1990).

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18. During the days of Communism, Brandenburg was dependent on two key commodities, one of which is still in use today.  Choose from the list below:

Mining   Tobacco   Agriculture   Fishing   Nuclear Power   Tourism

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19. Which of the lakes in Brandenburg is the largest and where is it located?

.

20. There are 82 castles and palaces in the state of Brandenburg. Identify the following below:

a. Altogether (2 of them)

b. Potsdam (3 of them but NOT counting Sanssouci)

c. Spreewald (1)

d. Elbe/Elster District (2 of them)

.

21. How many churches will you find in Brandenburg with the exception of Potsdam and Cottbus?  Estimate your numbers in tens. 

.

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22. Which bridge in Brandenburg is famous for its spy exchange during the Cold War? (Note: It is one of many that existed along the Berlin Wall before 1989 and is still in use today).

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23. Which city has the highest number of bridges?

a. Potsdam  b. Brandenburg  c. Cottbus   d. Frankfurt   e. Görlitz   f. Prenzlau

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24. The Glienicke Bridge in Potsdam and the Seegarten Bridge in Brandenburg/Havel are the only two cantilever bridges left in the state that carry the same truss design. True or False?

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25. Name two existing bridges along the Oder that are older than 75 years.

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Have fun taking the challenge. An answer sheet with some interesting facts can be found here. Good luck! 🙂

Germany Quiz Nr. 4: The Answers to the Questions about Lower Saxony

There was a request by one of the readers asking for just some interesting facts about Germany and some of the states instead of the Q & A that has been posted to date. My response is by taking the Q & A away, it will take the art out of finding out the most interesting facts about states, like this one: Lower Saxony.   😉   Admittedly there is so much to write about that even some questions had to be left out of this Quiz on Germany. But admittedly, the questions are a challenge and for those wanting the answers to the facts about this rather populous northern German state and their people, here they are below. Please note, the highlighted names contains links with additional information for you to click on and look at:

🙂

Variety Pack Questions:

1. Eight German States and the Baltic Sea border Lower Saxony, making it the most bordered state in Germany. True of False?

False. Counting the enclavement of Bremen, Lower Saxony is bordered by NINE states (Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Pommerania, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt, Hesse, Bremen, and North-Rhine Westphalia), plus the NORTH Sea. It also shares a border with The Netherlands to the west. Now that’s a LOT of states. 

2a. Lower Saxony was officially established after World War II in 1946 and consisted of the mergers of four former kingdoms. Name two of the four kingdoms.  Hanover, Schaumburg-Lippe, Brunswick and Oldenburg

2b. Of the four kingdoms, which one was the largest? Hanover  

Note: It was suggested that a state of Hanover was created through the British Zone, but inspite of debates and protests, all four of the former kingdoms merged to become the state and was subsequentially renamed Lower Saxony. Today the names exists but as part of the 38 districts that exist in the state.

3. Put the following cities in order based on population from largest to smallest:

Oldenburg    Brunswick (Braunschweig)   Stade    Wolfsburg    Hannover   Lüneburg   Uelzen   Emden  Osnabrück

ANS:  1. Hanover (518,386); 2. Brunswick (247,227); 3. Oldenburg (159,610); 4. Osnabrück (156,315); 5. Wolfsburg (122,457); 6. Lüneburg (73,581) 7. Emden (49,790); 8. Stade (45,317); 9. Uelzen (33,269)

4. Lower Saxony is ranked SECOND in size behind Bavaria and FOURTH in population behind Bavaria, North Rhine Westphalia and Hesse, but is the state that is the most dense population of Germany.  True or False (just the points in cursive and bold print)

Lower Saxony is ranked fourth in population behind Bavaria, NRW and BADEN-WURTTEMBERG (ans. for 1st part is false)

But the state is the most densely populated in all of Germany. (True)

5. Which rivers flow through and/or in Lower Saxony? Name three of them.

ANS: Elbe, Oker, Ems, Weser, Aller, Seeve, Aue, and others. 

6. Braunkohl is a German vegetable that is well known in Lower Saxony and can be served with a local sausage. True or false?

TRUE: Never mistake this term with Braunkohle (brown coal) that you can find in the Ruhr River region and near Zittau in the Black Triangle Region. Both this rare cabbage type and the local (curry) sausage are a tasty combination.

7. At Steinhuder Lake,located west of Osnabrück, you will find eels. True or false?

FALSE: True there is a Steinhuder Lake and the eels are easy to find (and delicious when eating them), BUT the lake is northwest of Hanover. 

8. Das Alte Land, located in the vicinity of the Elbe River north and west of Hamburg is Germany’s fruit garden. Name three fruits that grow there annually.  Apples, Pears, Cherries, Berries, and other fruits. 

Multiple Choice:  Choose the correct city to answer the questions.

9. Which city is home of one of the three automobile manufacturers in Germany. Choose the city and fill in the blank regarding the car brand. (Hint: Fahrvergnügend is still the most popular car brand in the world.)

a. Wilhelmshaven          b. Wolfsburg         c. Celle       d. Lüneburg      e. Hannover

The car brand?  If you don’t know the car brand VOLKSWAGEN, Das Auto, then there’s something seriously wrong with you. 😉 

10. Which city in Lower Saxony does not have a college or university?  How many colleges and universities does the state have?  ANS HERE: 26; six of them are in Hanover.

a. Hildesheim     b. Göttingen     c. Hannover    d. Cuxhaven     e. Emden

f. Vechta      g. Bremervörde

11. In this town (A), you can try a drink with a spoon (B), but don’t forget to say your blessings first. 😉

A:

a. Bad Zwischenahn          b. Bad Brahmburg      c. Leer        d. Norden

e. Bad Oldesloe     f. Brunswick

B:

a. Braunschweiger Mumme      b. Löffeltee      c. Ammerländer Löffeltrunk

d. Angler Muck     e. Toter Bruder

LINK: AMMERLÄNDER LÖFFELTRUNK

12. Which city in Lower Saxony is not located in the Harz Mountains? (!: There are two different answers)

a. Goslar           b. Clausthal        c. Wenigerode        d. Osterode      e. Salzgitter       f. Braunlage

13. Which city does not have a premier league sports team?

a. Buxtehude     b. Hannover      c. Brunswick      d. Emden       e. Oldenburg

14. The New York Lions in the German American Football League is actually located in which city?

a. Hannover     b. Bremen        c. Brunswick       d. Göttingen     e. Celle

15. Germany has the only true transporter bridge in left the country. It is located in Lower Saxony in which community?

a. Ostende      b. Hannover     c. Wilhelmshaven     d. Stade     e. Brunswick

LINK: TRANSPORTER BRIDGE AT OSTENDE

16. The only combination cantilever-suspension-swing bridge left in Germany (and perhaps on European soil) is located in Lower Saxony. Where exactly is this bridge?

a. Göttingen    b. Wilhelmshaven    c. Lauenburg    d. Stadland   e. Hannover         f. Wattenscheid

LINK: WILHELMSHAVEN SWING BRIDGE

17. Which town in Lower Saxony will you most likely find in the US?

a. Emden    b. Bergen     c. Hanover     d. Oldenburg    e. Berne    f. Uelzen

FACT: There are 19 towns in the US that carry the name Hanover, as well as 23 townships. The largest of them is Hanover, New Hampshire, where the state university is located. That one has 11,800 inhabitants.

Celebrities and Birth Places: Determine whether these statements are true or false. If false, correct the statements

1. Maria Furtwängler, an actress who plays Charlotte Lindholm in the Tatort-Hannover series originates from Hanover.

ANS: False. She was born in Munich and belongs to one of the most powerful dynasties that still exist in Germany today. 

2. Heiner Brand, head coach of the German National Handball Team, was born and raised in Brunswick.

ANS: False. Brand was born in Gummersbach in North Rhine Westphalia. He is the only German handball player and coach to have won the World Championship both as a player (1978) and a coach (2007). He was coach of the German National Handball Team from 1997 until his resignation in 2011, taking the team all the way to the World Cup Championship in 2007.

3. In the film the Inglorious Bastards by Quentin Tarrantino, there were no German actors/actresses.

ANS: It would not be typical of the well-cultured producer and director to not have native-born German actors/actresses in a film, whose setting was in Nazi Germany. At least 25 people, including Daniel Brühl and Til Schweiger were casted alongside Brad Pitt in this film. This included Diane Kruger, who was born in Hildesheim (near Hanover) and played Bridget von Hammersmark in the film. A well-thought film produced by a well-known name, but the answer to this question is clearly FALSE!

4. Gerhard Schröder, the successor of Chancellor Angela Merkel, was born in Mecklenburg-Pommerania but grew up in Lower Saxony.

ANS: False. He was born and raised in Lower Saxony and even started his career in politics during his university days in Göttingen, thus paving a path to chancellorship, which he ruled Germany from 1998 until his landslide defeat in early elections in 2005, into the hands of the country’s current chancellor, Angela Merkel.

5. Herbert Grönemeyer calls Göttingen home. No wonder because he was born there.

ANS: True. Yet he was born there because his mother brought him into the world through a specialist in a very unusual way (read more here). He however was raised in Bochum in North Rhine Westphalia.

6. The band The Scorpions was established in Hanover with the lead singer originating from there.

ANS: True. Klause Meine originated from Hanover. Together with Rudolf Schenker (who was born in Hildesheim), the band was founded in Hanover. It is the longest running band in Germany and second longest in the world behind the Rolling Stones, having been in business for over 50 years.

7. The Creator of English for Runaways originally came from Emden.

ANS: False. Heinz Heygen was born in Frankfurt/Main.

8.  Chris Barrie, a Hannoverer  who starred in the Tomb Raider movie, grew up in Northern Ireland.

ANS: True

9. Prince Ernst Augustus of Hanover was born in Hanover.

ANS: It is logical that the Prince, who is married to Princess Caroline of Monaco, and has his residence in Hanover, must be naturally-born Hannoverer. Hence, True. 🙂

BONUS QUESTION: Can you guess what that building in Brunswick is?

The building is the site of the Tauch Center, located across the Oker River from the campus of the Technical University. When it was built and other details is unknown, but you are free to add some information in the comment section if you wish to do that.

Germany Quiz Nr. 4: The Answers to the Questions about Lower Saxony

There was a request by one of the readers asking for just some interesting facts about Germany and some of the states instead of the Q & A that has been posted to date. My response is by taking the Q & A away, it will take the art out of finding out the most interesting facts about states, like this one: Lower Saxony.   😉   Admittedly there is so much to write about that even some questions had to be left out of this Quiz on Germany. But admittedly, the questions are a challenge and for those wanting the answers to the facts about this rather populous northern German state and their people, here they are below. Please note, the highlighted names contains links with additional information for you to click on and look at:

🙂

Variety Pack Questions:

1. Eight German States and the Baltic Sea border Lower Saxony, making it the most bordered state in Germany. True of False?

False. Counting the enclavement of Bremen, Lower Saxony is bordered by NINE states (Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Pommerania, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt, Hesse, Bremen, and North-Rhine Westphalia), plus the NORTH Sea. It also shares a border with The Netherlands to the west. Now that’s a LOT of states. 

2a. Lower Saxony was officially established after World War II in 1946 and consisted of the mergers of four former kingdoms. Name two of the four kingdoms.  Hanover, Schaumburg-Lippe, Brunswick and Oldenburg

2b. Of the four kingdoms, which one was the largest? Hanover  

Note: It was suggested that a state of Hanover was created through the British Zone, but inspite of debates and protests, all four of the former kingdoms merged to become the state and was subsequentially renamed Lower Saxony. Today the names exists but as part of the 38 districts that exist in the state.

1. Put the following cities in order based on population from largest to smallest:

Oldenburg    Brunswick (Braunschweig)   Stade    Wolfsburg    Hannover   Lüneburg   Uelzen   Emden  Osnabrück

ANS:  1. Hanover (518,386); 2. Brunswick (247,227); 3. Oldenburg (159,610); 4. Osnabrück (156,315); 5. Wolfsburg (122,457); 6. Lüneburg (73,581) 7. Emden (49,790); 8. Stade (45,317); 9. Uelzen (33,269)

1. Lower Saxony is ranked SECOND in size behind Bavaria and FOURTH in population behind Bavaria, North Rhine Westphalia and Hesse, but is the state that is the most dense population of Germany.  True or False (just the points in cursive and bold print)

Lower Saxony is ranked fourth in population behind Bavaria, NRW and BADEN-WURTTEMBERG (ans. for 1st part is false)

But the state is the most densely populated in all of Germany. (True)

1. Which rivers flow through and/or in Lower Saxony? Name three of them.

ANS: Elbe, Oker, Ems, Weser, Aller, Seeve, Aue, and others. 

1. Braunkohl is a German vegetable that is well known in Lower Saxony and can be served with a local sausage. True or false?

TRUE: Never mistake this term with Braunkohle (brown coal) that you can find in the Ruhr River region and near Zittau in the Black Triangle Region. Both this rare cabbage type and the local (curry) sausage are a tasty combination.

1. At Steinhuder Lake,located west of Osnabrück, you will find eels. True or false?

FALSE: True there is a Steinhuder Lake and the eels are easy to find (and delicious when eating them), BUT the lake is northwest of Hanover. 

1. Das Alte Land, located in the vicinity of the Elbe River north and west of Hamburg is Germany’s fruit garden. Name three fruits that grow there annually.  Apples, Pears, Cherries, Berries, and other fruits. 

Multiple Choice:  Choose the correct city to answer the questions.

1. Which city is home of one of the three automobile manufacturers in Germany. Choose the city and fill in the blank regarding the car brand. (Hint: Fahrvergnügend is still the most popular car brand in the world.)

a. Wilhelmshaven          b. Wolfsburg         c. Celle       d. Lüneburg      e. Hannover

The car brand?  If you don’t know the car brand VOLKSWAGEN, Das Auto, then there’s something seriously wrong with you. 😉 

1. Which city in Lower Saxony does not have a college or university?  How many colleges and universities does the state have?  ANS HERE: 26; six of them are in Hanover.

a. Hildesheim     b. Göttingen     c. Hannover    d. Cuxhaven     e. Emden

f. Vechta      g. Bremervörde

1. In this town (A), you can try a drink with a spoon (B), but don’t forget to say your blessings first. 😉

A:

a. Bad Zwischenahn          b. Bad Brahmburg      c. Leer        d. Norden

e. Bad Oldesloe     f. Brunswick

B:

a. Braunschweiger Mumme      b. Löffeltee      c. Ammerländer Löffeltrunk

d. Angler Muck     e. Toter Bruder

LINK: AMMERLÄNDER LÖFFELTRUNK

1. Which city in Lower Saxony is not located in the Harz Mountains? (!: There are two different answers)

a. Goslar           b. Clausthal        c. Wenigerode        d. Osterode      e. Salzgitter       f. Braunlage

1. Which city does not have a premier league sports team?

a. Buxtehude     b. Hannover      c. Brunswick      d. Emden       e. Oldenburg

1. The New York Lions in the German American Football League is actually located in which city?

a. Hannover     b. Bremen        c. Brunswick       d. Göttingen     e. Celle

1. Germany has the only true transporter bridge in left the country. It is located in Lower Saxony in which community?

a. Ostende      b. Hannover     c. Wilhelmshaven     d. Stade     e. Brunswick

LINK: TRANSPORTER BRIDGE AT OSTENDE

1. The only combination cantilever-suspension-swing bridge left in Germany (and perhaps on European soil) is located in Lower Saxony. Where exactly is this bridge?

a. Göttingen    b. Wilhelmshaven    c. Lauenburg    d. Stadland   e. Hannover         f. Wattenscheid

LINK: WILHELMSHAVEN SWING BRIDGE

1. Which town in Lower Saxony will you most likely find in the US?

a. Emden    b. Bergen     c. Hanover     d. Oldenburg    e. Berne    f. Uelzen

FACT: There are 19 towns in the US that carry the name Hanover, as well as 23 townships. The largest of them is Hanover, New Hampshire, where the state university is located. That one has 11,800 inhabitants.

Celebrities and Birth Places: Determine whether these statements are true or false. If false, correct the statements

1. Maria Furtwängler, an actress who plays Charlotte Lindholm in the Tatort-Hannover series originates from Hanover.

ANS: False. She was born in Munich and belongs to one of the most powerful dynasties that still exist in Germany today. 

1. Heiner Brand, head coach of the German National Handball Team, was born and raised in Brunswick.

ANS: False. Brand was born in Gummersbach in North Rhine Westphalia. He is the only German handball player and coach to have won the World Championship both as a player (1978) and a coach (2007). He was coach of the German National Handball Team from 1997 until his resignation in 2011, taking the team all the way to the World Cup Championship in 2007.

1. In the film the Inglorious Bastards by Quentin Tarrantino, there were no German actors/actresses.

ANS: It would not be typical of the well-cultured producer and director to not have native-born German actors/actresses in a film, whose setting was in Nazi Germany. At least 25 people, including Daniel Brühl and Til Schweiger were casted alongside Brad Pitt in this film. This included Diane Kruger, who was born in Hildesheim (near Hanover) and played Bridget von Hammersmark in the film. A well-thought film produced by a well-known name, but the answer to this question is clearly FALSE!

1. Gerhard Schröder, the successor of Chancellor Angela Merkel, was born in Mecklenburg-Pommerania but grew up in Lower Saxony.

ANS: False. He was born and raised in Lower Saxony and even started his career in politics during his university days in Göttingen, thus paving a path to chancellorship, which he ruled Germany from 1998 until his landslide defeat in early elections in 2005, into the hands of the country’s current chancellor, Angela Merkel.

1. Herbert Grönemeyer calls Göttingen home. No wonder because he was born there.

ANS: True. Yet he was born there because his mother brought him into the world through a specialist in a very unusual way (read more here). He however was raised in Bochum in North Rhine Westphalia.

1. The band The Scorpions was established in Hanover with the lead singer originating from there.

ANS: True. Klause Meine originated from Hanover. Together with Rudolf Schenker (who was born in Hildesheim), the band was founded in Hanover. It is the longest running band in Germany and second longest in the world behind the Rolling Stones, having been in business for over 50 years.

1. The Creator of English for Runaways originally came from Emden.

ANS: False. Heinz Heygen was born in Frankfurt/Main.

1.  Chris Barrie, a Hannoverer  who starred in the Tomb Raider movie, grew up in Northern Ireland.

ANS: True

1. Prince Ernst Augustus of Hanover was born in Hanover.

ANS: It is logical that the Prince, who is married to Princess Caroline of Monaco, and has his residence in Hanover, must be naturally-born Hannoverer. Hence, True. 🙂

BONUS QUESTION: Can you guess what that building in Brunswick is?

The building is the site of the Tauch Center, located across the Oker River from the campus of the Technical University. When it was built and other details is unknown, but you are free to add some information in the comment section if you wish to do that.

Germany Quiz 4: What to Know About Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen)

Can you guess what this building is? It’s located in Brunswick in Lower Saxony. Photo taken in February 2015

Saxony- considered one of the largest regions in Germany. Featuring a cluster of former kingdoms extending from the far north in Frisia to the mountains in the far east, the region makes up almost half the land mass in Germany. Yet the region is split up into three different states: Upper Saxony (or just simply Saxony), Saxony-Anhalt and Lower Saxony. This split-up was part of the plan to redesign Germany after World War II with the first two becoming part of East Germany and the third being part of West Germany. They maintained their borders when Germany reunited in 1990 and with that, their unique features.

One of which will be presented in this quiz on Lower Saxony. The state is one of the most populous in the Bundesrepublik and one that prides itself on history, tradition, sports and even its landscape. There is so much to see and do in the state, whose capital is Hannover, but this Quiz will provide you with a starting point as to where to go for visiting and other activities of interest. The rest will have to be taken care of by you as the tourist. 😉

So let’s provide you with a good whiff of what you can find in Lower Saxony. It has been broken down into three parts, but will provide you with a good challenge for yourself and those around you. Good luck! 🙂

Variety Pack Questions:

1. Eight German States and the Baltic Sea border Lower Saxony, making it the most bordered state in Germany. True of False?

2a. Lower Saxony was officially established after World War II in ________ and consisted of the mergers of four former kingdoms. Name two of the four kingdoms.

2b. Of the four kingdoms, which one was the largest?

3. Put the following cities in order based on population from largest to smallest:

Oldenburg    Brunswick (Braunschweig)   Stade    Wolfsburg    Hannover   Lüneburg   Uelzen   Emden  Osnabrück

4. Lower Saxony is ranked ____________ in size behind Bavaria and ____________ in population behind Bavaria, North Rhine Westphalia and Hesse, but is the state that is the most dense population of Germany.  True or False (just the points in cursive and bold print)

5. Which rivers flow through and/or in Lower Saxony? Name three of them.

6. Braunkohl is a German vegetable that is well known in Lower Saxony and can be served with a local sausage. True or false?

7. At Steinhuder Lake,located west of Osnabrück, you will find eels. True or false?

8. Das Alte Land, located in the vicinity of the Elbe River north and west of Hamburg is Germany’s fruit garden. Name three fruits that grow there annually.

Multiple Choice:  Choose only one city that has a unique feature.

9. Which city is home of one of the three automobile manufacturers in Germany. Choose the city and fill in the blank regarding the car brand. (Hint: Fahrvergnügend is still the most popular car brand in the world.)

a. Wilhelmshaven          b. Wolfsburg         c. Celle       d. Lüneburg      e. Hannover

The car brand?  ___________________________

10. Which city in Lower Saxony does not have a college or university?  How many colleges and universities does the state have?  ______________

a. Hildesheim     b. Göttingen     c. Hannover    d. Cuxhaven     e. Emden

f. Vechta      g. Bremervörde

11. In this town (A), you can try a drink with a spoon (B), but don’t forget to say your blessings first. 😉

A:

a. Bad Zwischenahn          b. Bad Brahmburg      c. Leer        d. Norden

e. Bad Oldesloe     f. Brunswick

B:

a. Braunschweiger Mumme      b. Löffeltee      c. Ammerländer Löffeltrunk

d. Angler Muck     e. Toter Bruder

12. Which city in Lower Saxony is not located in the Harz Mountains? (!: There are two different answers)

a. Goslar           b. Clausthal        c. Wenigerode        d. Osterode      e. Salzgitter       f. Braunlage

13. Which city does not have a premier league sports team?

a. Buxtehude     b. Hannover      c. Brunswick      d. Emden       e. Oldenburg

14. The New York Lions in the German American Football League is actually located in which city?

a. Hannover     b. Bremen        c. Brunswick       d. Göttingen     e. Celle

15. Germany has the only true transporter bridge in left the country. It is located in Lower Saxony in which community?

a. Ostende      b. Hannover     c. Wilhelmshaven     d. Stade     e. Brunswick

16. The only combination cantilever-suspension-swing bridge left in Germany (and perhaps on European soil) is located in Lower Saxony. Where exactly is this bridge?

a. Göttingen    b. Wilhelmshaven    c. Lauenburg    d. Stadland   e. Hannover         f. Wattenscheid

17. Which town in Lower Saxony will you most likely find in the US?

a. Emden    b. Bergen     c. Hannover     d. Oldenburg    e. Berne    f. Uelzen

Celebrities and Birth Places: Determine whether these statements are true or false. If false, correct the statements

1. Maria Furtwängler, an actress who plays Charlotte Lindholm in the Tatort-Hannover series originates from Hannover.

2. Heiner Brandt, head coach of the German National Handball Team, was born and raised in Brunswick.

3. In the film the Inglorious Bastards by Quentin Tarrantino, there were no German actors/actresses.

4. Gerhard Schröder, the successor of Chancellor Angela Merkel, was born in Mecklenburg-Pommerania but grew up in Lower Saxony.

5. Herbert Grönemeyer calls Göttingen home. No wonder because he was born there.

6. The band The Scorpions was established in Hannover with the lead singer originating from there.

7. The Creator of English for Runaways originally came from Emden.

8.  Chris Barrie, a Hannoverer  who starred in the Tomb Raider movie, grew up in Northern Ireland.

9. Prince Augustus of Hannover was born in Hannover.

Viel Spaß beim Quizzen. The answers to the Lower Saxony Quiz will come out on May 5th. At the same time, another quiz on Mecklenburg Pommerania will come out, providing you with just as much of a challenge as this one will give you. Good luck! 🙂

Germany Quiz 4: What to Know About Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen)

Can you guess what this building is? It’s located in Brunswick in Lower Saxony. Photo taken in February 2015

Saxony- considered one of the largest regions in Germany. Featuring a cluster of former kingdoms extending from the far north in Frisia to the mountains in the far east, the region makes up almost half the land mass in Germany. Yet the region is split up into three different states: Upper Saxony (or just simply Saxony), Saxony-Anhalt and Lower Saxony. This split-up was part of the plan to redesign Germany after World War II with the first two becoming part of East Germany and the third being part of West Germany. They maintained their borders when Germany reunited in 1990 and with that, their unique features.

One of which will be presented in this quiz on Lower Saxony. The state is one of the most populous in the Bundesrepublik and one that prides itself on history, tradition, sports and even its landscape. There is so much to see and do in the state, whose capital is Hannover, but this Quiz will provide you with a starting point as to where to go for visiting and other activities of interest. The rest will have to be taken care of by you as the tourist. 😉

So let’s provide you with a good whiff of what you can find in Lower Saxony. It has been broken down into three parts, but will provide you with a good challenge for yourself and those around you. Good luck! 🙂

 

 

Variety Pack Questions:

1. Eight German States and the Baltic Sea border Lower Saxony, making it the most bordered state in Germany. True of False?

2a. Lower Saxony was officially established after World War II in ________ and consisted of the mergers of four former kingdoms. Name two of the four kingdoms.

2b. Of the four kingdoms, which one was the largest?

1. Put the following cities in order based on population from largest to smallest:

Oldenburg    Brunswick (Braunschweig)   Stade    Wolfsburg    Hannover   Lüneburg   Uelzen   Emden  Osnabrück

1. Lower Saxony is ranked ____________ in size behind Bavaria and ____________ in population behind Bavaria, North Rhine Westphalia and Hesse, but is the state that is the most dense population of Germany.  True or False (just the points in cursive and bold print)

2. Which rivers flow through and/or in Lower Saxony? Name three of them.

3. Braunkohl is a German vegetable that is well known in Lower Saxony and can be served with a local sausage. True or false?

4. At Steinhuder Lake,located west of Osnabrück, you will find eels. True or false?

5. Das Alte Land, located in the vicinity of the Elbe River north and west of Hamburg is Germany’s fruit garden. Name three fruits that grow there annually.

 

 

Multiple Choice:  Choose only one city that has a unique feature.

1. Which city is home of one of the three automobile manufacturers in Germany. Choose the city and fill in the blank regarding the car brand. (Hint: Fahrvergnügend is still the most popular car brand in the world.)

a. Wilhelmshaven          b. Wolfsburg         c. Celle       d. Lüneburg      e. Hannover

The car brand?  ___________________________

 

 

1. Which city in Lower Saxony does not have a college or university?  How many colleges and universities does the state have?  ______________

a. Hildesheim     b. Göttingen     c. Hannover    d. Cuxhaven     e. Emden

f. Vechta      g. Bremervörde

 

 

1. In this town (A), you can try a drink with a spoon (B), but don’t forget to say your blessings first. 😉

A:

a. Bad Zwischenahn          b. Bad Brahmburg      c. Leer        d. Norden

e. Bad Oldesloe     f. Brunswick

B:

a. Braunschweiger Mumme      b. Löffeltee      c. Ammerländer Löffeltrunk

d. Angler Muck     e. Toter Bruder

 

 

1. Which city in Lower Saxony is not located in the Harz Mountains? (!: There are two different answers)

a. Goslar           b. Clausthal        c. Wenigerode        d. Osterode      e. Salzgitter       f. Braunlage

 

 

1. Which city does not have a premier league sports team?

a. Buxtehude     b. Hannover      c. Brunswick      d. Emden       e. Oldenburg

 

 

1. The New York Lions in the German American Football League is actually located in which city?

a. Hannover     b. Bremen        c. Brunswick       d. Göttingen     e. Celle

 

 

1. Germany has the only true transporter bridge in left the country. It is located in Lower Saxony in which community?

a. Ostende      b. Hannover     c. Wilhelmshaven     d. Stade     e. Brunswick

 

 

1. The only combination cantilever-suspension-swing bridge left in Germany (and perhaps on European soil) is located in Lower Saxony. Where exactly is this bridge?

a. Göttingen    b. Wilhelmshaven    c. Lauenburg    d. Stadland   e. Hannover         f. Wattenscheid

 

 

1. Which town in Lower Saxony will you most likely find in the US?

a. Emden    b. Bergen     c. Hannover     d. Oldenburg    e. Berne    f. Uelzen

 

 

Celebrities and Birth Places: Determine whether these statements are true or false. If false, correct the statements

1. Maria Furtwängler, an actress who plays Charlotte Lindholm in the Tatort-Hannover series originates from Hannover.

2. Heiner Brandt, head coach of the German National Handball Team, was born and raised in Brunswick.

3. In the film the Inglorious Bastards by Quentin Tarrantino, there were no German actors/actresses.

4. Gerhard Schröder, the successor of Chancellor Angela Merkel, was born in Mecklenburg-Pommerania but grew up in Lower Saxony.

5. Herbert Grönemeyer calls Göttingen home. No wonder because he was born there.

6. The band The Scorpions was established in Hannover with the lead singer originating from there.

7. The Creator of English for Runaways originally came from Emden.

8.  Chris Barrie, a Hannoverer  who starred in the Tomb Raider movie, grew up in Northern Ireland.

9. Prince Augustus of Hannover was born in Hannover.

 

 

Viel Spaß beim Quizzen. The answers to the Lower Saxony Quiz will come out on May 5th. At the same time, another quiz on Mecklenburg Pommerania will come out, providing you with just as much of a challenge as this one will give you. Good luck! 🙂

Germany Quiz 2: The Answers to the Questions about Hamburg

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburg#/media/File:Hamburg_montage.jpg

And now the moment you all have been waiting for: the answers to the Quiz on the German City-State of Hamburg. To access the quiz (if you have not tried it yet), click here. For those who have yet to visit the city, there are many opportunities to visit the sites, participate in many events in the fine arts sector or just enjoy the daily life as a Hamburger. The answers to the quiz should serve as a small whiff of what you should see in the hanseatic city. The Files will have some additional links to some other sites and sounds at the end of this article. Some other highlighted words in the answers also have links to their sources that will show you some more information about them, so check those out as well.

Let’s get a whiff of what you know about Hamburg, or rephrasing it, what you want to know more about the city 🙂  :

True or False?

1. Hamburg is bordered by Mecklenburg-Pommerania, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Saxony-Anhalt.

ANS: False. Hamburg only borders Lower Saxony and Schleswig Holstein. Mecklenburg-Pommerania is located only 25 km east of the city.

2. A Hamburger is a person born and raised in Hamburg.

ANS: True

3. The original sandwich Hamburger did NOT originate from the city of Hamburg

ANS: False. Despite controversy as to its origins, the original Hamburger consisted of minced steak patties, similar to Salisbury steak, on bread. For a time during World War I, the Hamburger was renamed Liberty steak. Yet the first American Hamburger was introduced in 1921 through a restaurant chain White Castle. The rest was history.

4. The official name of Hamburg is the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg

ANS:  True

5. Hamburg is the third largest city in Germany with 1.8 million inhabitants.

ANS: False. Hamburg is the second largest city behind Berlin, surpassing Munich and Cologne

6. The river passing through the city is the Elbe.

ANS: True

7. The premier soccer, handball and basketball teams are owned by Hamburger SV

ANS: False. Only HSV has a soccer and handball team in the German Premere League (Bundesliga)

8. Hamburg has the busiest train station in Europe.

ANS: False. With 450,000 people passing through the station daily, Hamburg is the busiest station in Germany BUT the second busiest in Europe behind Paris’ Gard du Nord.

9. Pauli has the largest island in Europe.

ANS: False. Wilhelmsburg is the largest island borough in Europe. St. Pauli is located northwest of there.

10. Hamburg has never hosted the Olympics.

ANS: True. If it wins the bid for the 2024 Olympics, it will be the state’s very first one.

11. Put the following bridges of Hamburg in order beginning with the oldest.

Kersten Miles Bridge (1897)         Hamburg-Harburg Bridge (1899)  Lombard Bridge (1865)

Freihafen Bridge (1917)                Kohlbrand Bridge (1974)              Feenteichbrücke (1884)

ANS: The Lombard Bridge is the oldest, followed by the Feenteich, Kersten Miles, Hamburg-Harburg, Freihafen and lastly, the Kohlbrand. 

12. The Freihafen Bridge was originally supposed to be a double-decker bridge serving what type of traffic on the upper deck?

ANS: Light rail (S-bahn) and subway (U-bahn) traffic. Unfortunately the rehabilitation in 1926, converting it into a single-level automobile traffic scrapped these plans.

13. There are more than _______ bridges in Hamburg- more than Venice, Pittsburgh and Berlin.

a. 1500           b. 2000                c. 2500                 d. 3000                e. 3500

ANS: 2,500

 

 

Odd One Out: Which of these celebrities was NOT born in Hamburg?

14. (Actors/ Actresses)   a. Udo Lindenberg    b. Til Schweiger       c. Evelyn Hamann            d. Caroline Beil

ANS: Til Schweiger. He was born in Freiburg im Breisgau. Yet he is in the Tatort Hamburg series.

15. (Writers)   a. Hans Massaquoi       b. Karen Duve    c. Wolf Biermann             d. Guido Hammesfahr

ANS: Guido Hammesfahr. He is neither a writer nor a Hamburger. He was born in Dierdorf near Neuwied in Rhineland-Palatinate. He plays Fritz Fuchs in the children’s series Löwenzahn. 

16. (Athletes)    a. Maya Lindholm       b. Richard Marx               c. John Jahr                       d. Anita Felguth

ANS: Richard Marx. He is a American songwriter from Chicago

17. (Architects)    a.  Heinrich Scheel     b. Carl Theodore Sorensen           c. Friedrich Voss      d. Charles Hartage

ANS: Friedrich Voss. The civil engineer responsible for the Hochdoon, Friedrichstadt and Rendsburg Bridges was born in Braunschweig (Brunswick) in Lower Saxony.

18. Which of these landmarks do NOT belong to Hamburg?            a. Hamburger Elbharmonie            b. Hafen City       c.Breathing Bridge      d. St. Nicholas Church      e. City Hall       f. Reeperbahn   g. All of them exist.

ANS: All of them exist

19. The suburb of Wilhelmsburg was the site of two important events in 2013. Name these two worldly renowned events.

ANS: The International Building Expo (IBA) and the German Garden Show (BUGA)

20. Most of Hamburg’s food specialties uses this important ingredient                                                                                    a. fish            b. chicken           c. pork                 d. beef                 e. shrimp

ANS: Fish

 

21. One of the specialties, the Hamburger Labskaus is an entrée that consists of ____________, ________________ and ______________.

ANS: Corned beef, potatoes, beets and onions

22. Currywurst is a specialty most commonly found in Hamburg. True, false or naja?

ANS: Naja, currywurst is a popular specialty found in Hamburg, however, one can also find it in Berlin, Hanover, Bremen and other parts of northern Germany.

 

23. The Berenberg Bank is the ___________ bank in Germany and the ____________ oldest in the world. It was founded in _______________.

ANS: The Berenberg Bank is the oldest bank in Germany and the second oldest in the world. It was founded in 1590 by Paul and Hans Berenberg.

 

24. Which of the suburbs will you NOT find in Hamburg?            a. Hafen City              b. Altona             c. Harburg           d. Wilhelmsburg               e. Hamm            f. Horn                        g. Elmshorn        h. Pinneberg       i. Lurup                j. All of them exist in HH.

ANS: Elmshorn. Albeit located near Hamburg, it is an independent city located in Schleswig-Holstein.

25. Refer to Nr. 24 and identify which of the suburbs of Hamburg will you most commonly find in the US?

ANS: Altona. With only one ‘o’ you’ll find Altona in six US states, Manitoba, Ontario (Canada), the Virgin Islands and Victoria (Australia). With two ‘Os’, Altoona can be found in seven US states, including Pennsylvania, Iowa, Florida and Wisconsin.

For more information about Hamburg, here are a series of links for you to look at and plan your trip:

The Bridges of Hamburg: http://www.hamburgsbruecken.de/

The City of Hamburg Tourism: http://www.hamburg-travel.com/

Official Hamburg website: http://english.hamburg.de/?ba=english

Hamburg Portal: http://www.hamburgportal.de/