30 Interesting and Fun Facts About Germany

Blog
2 July 2022
By Sarah Angela Almaden
Landscape Unsplash: Mateo Krössler

Oh, hallo there! Are you interested in learning more about Germany? As you continue reading this listicle, you will learn more about this fun country also known as Deutschland.

Germany is a culturally and historically rich country. It is home to a wide range of customs as well as beautiful sceneries – forested hills, snowy mountains, river valleys, and more. You name it, the country has it. Every area of this Central European country is a must-see: the laid back city of Munich, the Romanesque architecture of Cologne, the impressive Berlin, the futuristic skyline of Frankfurt, the grand Dresden, the list goes on and on.

Truly, Germany has a lot to offer to its visitors and residents. If you are interested in learning more about German culture, learn German and its very fun words. Find out what makes this country so special. Is it because of its food? Is it because of its music? Is it because of its history? Is it because of its people? Or is it because of a hodgepodge of things that makes Germany a place of special somethings for you?

There is more than meets the eye that makes this lovely country so remarkable. So whenever you’re ready, take a trip to Germany and indulge in the diverse German culture. But for now, here are bits for you to chew on.

  1. The largest train station in Europe is in Berlin.

    Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the five-storey railway station, was a 10-year construction project. But you can find the expansive train station in the middle of Berlin.

  2. Berlin is 9 times bigger than Paris.

    Yes, the city of Berlin is 9 times the size of Paris.

  3. There are more than 20,000 castles in Germany.

    Germany is home to more than 20,000 castles. Most of them are at least 100 years old and have been turned into museums, hotels, or cultural centers.

  4. Germany is the EU's largest economy.

    The country’s GDP is over 3.3 trillion Euros, making Germany the largest economy in the European Union.

  5. German is the third most widely taught language in the world.

    Interested in learning another language? Learn German with Beelinguapp!

  6. The German language has 35 dialects.

    German is a diverse language and it has about 35 regional dialects, including High German, Bavarian, and Low German.

  7. Beer is considered as food in the Bavaria region.

    Beer is an important food group in Germany, and so in the Bavaria region beer is considered as food.

  8. There are more than 1,000 kinds of sausages in Germany.

    Another thing that Germany is famous for is sausages! There are over 1,000 sausage varieties in Deutschland.

  9. Germany has more than 3,000 kinds of bread.

    You might not know this but another key symbol of Germany is...bread. The country has over 3,000 bread varieties.

  10. The Christmas tree tradition came from Germany.

    The first Christmas tree or Tannenbaum was created in Germany. By the 19th century, the tradition spread all over the country.

  11. Most taxis in Germany are Mercedes-Benz.

    The luxury brand “Mercedes-Benz” is the choice of vehicle for taxi drivers in Germany.

  12. The first printed magazine was launched in 1663.

    The Gutenberg Press was founded in Germany. The Erbauliche Monaths-Unterredungen was the first-ever published magazine.

  13. German is the language with the most native speakers in Europe.

    German is the official language of seven countries and the most widely spoken language in the EU.

  14. Berlin has a museum dedicated to currywurst.

    The Deutsches Currywurst Museum is a museum in Berlin dedicated to the currywurst sausage.

  15. There are 7,000 different beers in Germany.

    Fact: Germans love beer. And the country has over 7,000 varieties of beer.

  16. More than 1/3 of Germany is covered in forests and woodlands.

    Over 90 billion trees cover 33% of Germany, including Spruce, Pine, Beech, and Oak.

  17. Germany is a leader in climate and energy policies.

    Germany boasts one of the world's most institutionalized Green Movements, aiming for greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045.

  18. Germany is one of the largest car producing countries in the world.

    The top selling German car brands are Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen.

  19. Reutlingen is home to the world’s narrowest street.

    The world’s narrowest street in the world measures at only 31 centimeters in Reutlingen, Germany.

  20. 65% of the highways in Germany have no speed limit.

    German highways, otherwise known as Autobahn, often have no mandated speed limit.

  21. Germany has over 400 registered zoos.

    The largest zoo in the world is located in Berlin, known as The Berlin Zoological Garden.

  22. The Cologne Cathedral took 632 years.

    The Cologne Cathedral was finished in 1880, 632 years after construction began.

  23. People in Cologne speak a German dialect called Kölsch.

    25% of Cologne’s population speak a German dialect called Kölsch.

  24. Germany was the first to adopt daylight saving time.

    In 1916, Germany first established Daylight Savings Time, and the concept spread all over Europe.

  25. You can order beer with just your thumb.

    In Germany, the thumb signifies "one," while adding the index finger makes it "two."

  26. First-graders are given gifts called Schultüte.

    Child with Schultüte Beelinguapp

    A Schultüte is a school cone filled with goodies given on the first day of school.

  27. German law has the right to deny baby names.

    Baby names must be approved by the Standesamt to ensure they do not negatively affect the child.

  28. Germany is the land of poets and thinkers.

    Known as Das Land der Dichter und Denker, Germany is the birthplace of many great philosophers.

  29. LGBTQ+ discrimination is prohibited.

    Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2017, and the government promotes equal rights.

  30. The hamburger is named after the city of Hamburg.

    The name hamburger comes from the seaport city of Hamburg, brought back by sailors.