From 1940 to 1945, if you wanted to acquire radioactive material in Germany, you didn’t have to engage in cloak-and-dagger shenanigans; you simply had to go to the nearest pharmacy and purchase […]
A Smile So Sharp It Will Split Atoms
Building Zeppelins Took a Lot of Guts
photo credit: Alexander Sovpel. Used by permission. During much of World War I, sausage consumption was illegal in Germany. The reason was to preserve the supply of cow intestines, which were needed to seal […]
God Save the King — and Please Hurry Him Along!
Spectators at the Rathenau railway station in Brandenberg, Germany on February 9, 1909 hoped to get a chance to see United Kingdom’s King Edward VII. They got a bit more than they […]
The Christmas Truce of 1914
On Christmas Eve, 1914, many German and British troops sang Christmas carols to each other across the lines, and at certain points the Allied soldiers even heard brass bands joining the Germans […]
The Little Man from Nuremberg
Matthew Buchinger (1674-1740) was known as “The Little Man of Nuremberg.” Buchinger was born without hands, legs, or thighs and was less than 29 inches tall.
Listen to the Song that Takes 639 Years to Play
UPDATED ON MAY 6, 2021 The longest musical performance in history is currently taking place in the church of St. Burchardi in Halberstadt, Germany. The performance of John Cage’s “Organ²/ASLSP (As Slow […]
The Liberace of the 17th Century
Duke Charles II of Brunswick (1804-73) was known as “the Duke of Diamonds” because he wore them in such profusion that he could have been mistaken for an animated chandelier. He had […]
Unpleasant Reminders of War
About 5,500 unexploded bombs left over from World War II are uncovered each year in Germany. source
Like to Ski But Hate the Cold?
Monte Kaolino is a sand dune in Hirschau, Bavaria, Germany. It consists of 35,000,000 tonnes (34,000,000 long tons; 39,000,000 short tons) of sand, a by-product of kaolinite production over the years. The […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 