Saturday, December 23, 2017

Merry German Christmas: Ihr Kinderlein, Kommet


This holiday season, I've been enjoying the unique German Christmas songs that are not often heard in English.  Here the ones I've already blogged about:


Today I wanted to mention Ihr Kinderlein, Kommet. 
This song is one I've actually heard more often in English than others (see translation at the end of the post).  Here is the tune from youtube - does it sound familiar to you?!



IHR KINDERLEIN, KOMMET was written in 1789 by a priest named Christoph von Schmid.  The song is an invitation for the children.  Kinderlein is a form of Kinder - the -lein suffix makes the word indicate small children.  Its English equivalent might be "little ones".   Anytime you see -lein (or -chen) added to a word, it means small or in some cases "dear one".  For example, one can do that with a name - my Oma often called me "Connylein" even though my name is Conny.  

Anyway, back to our song - Ihr Kinderlein, Kommet (O Come, Little Children):
Ihr Kinderlein kommet, o kommet doch all'!
Zur Krippe her kommet in Bethlehems Stall.
Und seht, was in dieser hochheiligen Nacht
der Vater im Himmel für Freude uns macht.

O seht in der Krippe im nächtlichen Stall,
seht hier bei des Lichtleins hellglänzendem Strahl
in reinlichen Windeln das himmlische Kind,
viel schöner und holder, als Englein es sind.

Da liegt es, das Kindlein, auf Heu und auf Stroh;
Maria und Joseph betrachten es froh.
Die redlichen Hirten knien betend davor,
hoch oben schwebt jubelnd der himmlische Chor.

O beugt wie die Hirten anbetend die Knie,
erhebet die Händlein und danket wie sie.
Stimmt freudig, ihr Kinder - wer sollt' sich nicht freu'n? -
stimmt freudig zum Jubel der Engel mit ein!

Was geben wir Kinder, was schenken wir dir,
du bestes und liebstes der Kinder, dafür?
Nichts willst du von Schätzen und Reichtum der Welt,
ein Herz nur voll Demut allein dir gefällt.

"So nimm uns're Herzen zum Opfer denn hin;
wir geben sie gerne mit fröhlichem Sinn;
und mache sie heilig und selig wie deins,
und mach' sie auf ewig mit deinem in eins."
TRANSLATION (not all verse):
Oh, come, little children, oh, come, one and all,
To Bethlehem’s stable, in Bethlehem’s stall.
And see with rejoicing this glorious sight,
Our Father in heaven has sent us this night.

Oh, see in the manger, in hallowèd light
A star throws its beam on this holiest sight.
In clean swaddling clothes lies the heavenly Child,
More lovely than angels, this Baby so mild.

Oh, there lies the Christ Child, on hay and on straw;
The shepherds are kneeling before Him with awe.
And Mary and Joseph smile on Him with love,
While angels are singing sweet songs from above.





Thursday, December 7, 2017

Merry German Christmas: Am Weihnachtsbaum die Lichter Brennen

I am sharing some of my favorite German Christmas carols - many of which are not well known in America.  These traditional carols share the anticipation of the coming of the Christ child as well as the beauty of the winter season.  I've already shared 2 other favorites:

Leise Rieselt der Schnee
O Du Fröhliche

Today I wanted to mention Am Weihnachtsbaum die Lichter Brennen.  Here is a youtube video of an icon of German music singing the song - Heino; he was a favorite singer of my Oma & Opa.  (Believe it or not, he is one of the most successful German singers of all time - best known for his hits and folk music.  He actually realized a Christmas album in 2016 - at the age of 78.)




Am Weihnachtsbaum die Lichter brennen

The lyrics were written by Herman Kletke in the early 1800s.  It might be the second carol written about a Christmas tree since O Tannenbaum, which is thought to be the first.  

Am Weihnachtsbaum die Lichter brennen,
wie glänzt er festlich, lieb und mild,
als spräch‘ er: „Wollt in mir erkennen
getreuer Hoffnung stilles Bild!“

Die Kinder stehn mit hellen Blicken,
das Auge lacht, es lacht das Herz,
o fröhlich seliges Entzücken!
Die Alten schauen himmelwärts.

Zwei Engel sind hereingetreten,
kein Auge hat sie kommen seh’n,
sie gehn zum Weihnachtstisch und beten,
und wenden wieder sich und geh’n.

„Gesegnet seid, ihr alten Leute,
gesegnet sei, du kleine Schar!
Wir bringen Gottes Segen heute
dem braunen wie dem weißen Haar.

Zu guten Menschen, die sich lieben,
schickt uns der Herr als Boten aus,
und seid ihr treu und fromm geblieben,
wir treten wieder in dies Haus.“

Kein Ohr hat ihren Spruch vernommen,
unsichtbar jedes Menschen Blick
sind sie gegangen wie gekommen,
doch Gottes Segen blieb zurück.

TRANSLATION:

On the Christmas tree the lights are burning 
How it glows festive, lovely and mild
As if it were saying: "See in me
The silent picture of faithful hope!"

The children stand with bright glances
The eye laughs, the heart as well
Oh cheerfully blessed delight!
The old look heavenwards.

Two angels came in
Nobody has seen them coming
They go the Christmas table and pray
And then turn around and leave

"Blessed be, you old people,
Blessed be this small bevy!
We bring you God's bessing today
To those with brown as well as gray hair.

To good people who love each other
God sends us as messengers
And when you stayed faithful and devout
We will come to this house again."

No ear has heard their saying
Invisible for the human beings
They are gone like they came
But God's Blessing stays.



Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Merry German Christmas: O Du Fröhliche

I have been enjoying my German Christmas records and CDs this season.  There are many German carols that aren't well known in the United States so I thought I'd share some of my favorites on the blog.

I have already mentioned Leise Rieselt der Schnee.  Today I am humming O Du Fröhliche - O Du Selige!  The writer of the original lyrics was Johannes Daniel Falk (1768–1826).  He lost 4 of his 7 children to typhoid, which spurred him to found an orphanage in the city of Weimar.  He dedicated this song to the orphans.  His assistant Heinrich Holzschuher completed the carol as we know it today.  




O du fröhliche, o du selige,
gnadenbringende Weihnachtszeit!
Welt ging verloren, Christ ward geboren:
Freue, freue dich, o Christenheit!

O du fröhliche, o du selige,
gnadenbringende Weihnachtszeit!
Christ ist erschienen, uns zu versühnen:
Freue, freue dich, o Christenheit!

O du fröhliche, o du selige,
gnadenbringende Weihnachtszeit!
Himmlische Heere jauchzen dir Ehre:
Freue, freue dich, o Christenheit!

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:  This song too carries the Christmas message of Christ's birth to bring grace and salvation to a lost world.
O (you) joyful, O (you) blessed,
Grace-bringing Christmas time!
The world was lost, Christ is born:
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christendom!

O (you) joyful, O (you) blessed,
Grace-bringing Christmas time!
Christ appeared to our atonement:
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christendom!

O (you) joyful, O (you) blessed,
Grace-bringing Christmas time!
Heavenly armies rejoicing to honor you:
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christendom!



Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Merry German Christmas - Leise Rieselt der Schnee


One thing about a German Christmas is the lovely, meaningful Christmas carols that are sung and played and hummed at Christmas markets, churches, and homes.

There are several songs that are not well-known in America, and I feel like anyone who doesn't know them is missing out!  So, I want to share a few of my favorites.  

This song is sung here by Heintje, a Dutch boy who became a popular German child singer and actor in the 1960's:





This song was originally a poem written by a Lutheran pastor in 1895 (Eduard Ebel).  He later called it a children's song.  It is also considered a song for the Advent season because of its anticipation of Christ's coming.  

Leise rieselt der Schnee
Leise rieselt der Schnee,
still und starr ruht der See
weihnachtlich glänzet der Wald:
Freue dich, Christkind kommt bald!

In den Herzen ist’s warm,
still schweigt Kummer und Harm,
Sorge des Lebens verhallt:
Freue dich, Christkind kommt bald!

's Kindlein, göttlich und arm,
Macht die Herzen so warm.
Strahle, du Stern überm Wald!
Freue dich, Christkind kommt bald!

Bald ist heilige Nacht,
Chor der Engel erwacht,
hört nur, wie lieblich es schallt:
Freue dich, Christkind kommt bald!

What I love the most about this song is its message of the true meaning of Christmas - the words "Freue dich, Christkind kommt bald!" means Rejoice, the Christ child comes soon. 

Quietly Falls the Snow - English translation
Quietly falls the snow,
Silent and still lies the lake/sea,
Christmas shines over the woods.
Rejoice, Christ child comes soon!
There is warmth in our hearts,
Free from sorrow and grief,
Worries in life disappear,
Rejoice, Christ child comes soon!
The Child, divine and poor,
Makes the heart so warm,
Shine, you star above the wood,
Rejoice, Christ Child comes soon!
Soon is holy night,
The choir of angels awake,
Listen how lovely it sounds:
Rejoice, Christ child comes soon!

What is your favorite German Christmas carol?







Wednesday, November 29, 2017

German Childhood: Oma's Apron

~~**~~

OMA'S APRON


My Oma (grandmother) was a true Hausfrau (housewife/homemaker)Before World War II, she was trained to cook from scratch, and she took care of large families - to include her own 10 half-siblings, the last of whom was born just a year or so before her own first child.  Even when she worked outside the home later, she was a Putzfrau (cleaning lady) for businesses.  For this reason, and because it was the norm for many of the women of her generation, she wore an apron almost every day while doing her housework.  


Schürze = apron


My Oma loved her little kitchen - and for that reason, so did I!  


In between doing her work, my Oma sat in her chair at the kitchen table, enjoying her coffee, doing crossword puzzles, balancing her household accounts, or writing in her daily calendar/diary.


Looking at these pictures of my Oma with her various aprons, I vividly remember the patterns and colors.  I still own one of her practical, cotton aprons!


Oma's apron pockets usually held a tissue and were handy for filling with clothes pins when it was wash day.  My Oma never had a dryer.  Her small washing machine was in the kitchen; clothes were hung to dry outside in the summer and in the attic of the apartment building in the winter or on a rainy day.


Of course, if she went outside the house, the apron always came off!  I think my Oma was so beautiful.  I always admired her so much.

Every day, after lingering over a cup of coffee and maybe some buttered bread for breakfast, she always got completely dressed to include her stockings, girdle/garter, and then fixed her hair.  My Oma almost always wore a skirt and blouse or a dress.  And of course, she then tied on her apron!


Here's a Christmas gift idea -

How to sew an apron:
youtube video is AUF DEUTSCH




Thursday, November 23, 2017

Happy Thanksgiving!


An equivalent to Thanksgiving in Germany is Erntedankfest (Harvest Thanks Fest), which was celebrated on October 1 this year.

Erntedankfest in Germany is foremost observed through church services in both Catholic and Evangelisch (Lutheran) congregations, although many villages do decorate and celebrate as well.  A hymn often used in the church services is "Wir Pflügen und Wir Streuen".  Here is a youtube version with English translation "We plough the fields and scatter":



Happy Thanksgiving!  Today I am thankful that I have been able to blog for over 1 year now about something dear to my heart and share ein klein bisschen German with you.

May you enjoy a day of Familie, Freunde, und Festlichkeit
(Family, Friends, and Celebration!)   



Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Projekt: Von A bis Z (X, Y, Z)


Yes, I am cheating to get this project FINISHED!  3 letters at once...
X, Y, Z - today on the blog.
It all started a long time ago (June 2017) with BUCHSTABE A.
If you want to check out A through W, follow the links on the side bar. >>>








Animals:  die Ziege (goat), das Zebra (zebra), der Zugvogel (a migratory bird), das Zugtier (a draft animal), der Yak (yak)

Food:  Zwiebel (onion), Zwiebelkuchen (onion tart), Ziegenkäse (goat cheese), Zander (a type of fish), *Zigeunerschnitzel (schnitzel, gypsy-style), Zimt (cinnamon), Zitrone (lemon)

source - Nadia Hassani
A wonderful web-site called Spoonfuls of German gives a fun narrative about the political incorrectness of the above pictured *Zigeunerschnitzel (pic from that web-site also), which has been on restaurant menus since the Nazis coined the term "Zigeuner"/gypsy for the Balkan population, specifically the Sinti and Roma poeple group.  I guess now we can call it "Schnitzel with pepper sauce and mushrooms."

Names:  Xavier, Xander, Yvette, Yvonne

Cities:  Xanten, Zeil, Zell, Zweibrücken, Zwickau


Verbs:  zuhören (to listen), zuhauen (to dig in), zünden (to ignite), zappeln (to fidget), zittern (to shiver, to shake)

Words you may recogize:  Xylofon/xylophone (xylophone) - also called Glockenspiel (although a xylophone has wooden bars and a Glockenspiel has metal tubes or bars).  
Ypsilon - the pronunciation of the German letter Y.  
Zugzwang - a chess term; also means "a tight spot"
Zeitgeist - literally "time spirit" - means spirit of the age

**VOCAB TIDBIT**:  
X-malig is sort of a word  that starts with X --- it literally means "x-times".  This word is used when you have done something infinity times, over and over, umpteen times ... same goes for the term x-fach.

A BONUS CATEGORY - ONE OF MY FAVORITE CANDY BARS:  Yogurette


And now this project is zu Ende!  (through, brought to a close, Finished!)









Saturday, November 18, 2017

LECKERBISSEN: Toast Hawaii


Leckerbissen is a German word meaning treat, tidbit, or delicacy.  
Lecker means yummy or delicious; ein Bissen is a bite.  

*~*~*~*~*

I realize that all the cooking talk these days revolves around the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday; 
however, here is a recipe that you can make if you end up with any left-over ham.
**Also consider substituting the traditional maraschino cherry with cranberries, 
if you are using holiday left-overs.**

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


When you think of German food, you may think of cheese and fruit (apples, grapes, fresh cherries, pears) or of wonderful varieties of bread and meats - but you probably don't immediately think of PINEAPPLES (Ananas auf Deutsch).

Believe it or not, a very popular German dish, especially with my parents' generation (post-World-War II) was Toast Hawaii.  It was introduced in the 1950's because the ingredients were potentially in every household.   It was CHEAP and easy to make, but sounded very exotic.  

In America, there is such a thing as Hawaiian-style pizza, right?!  It it ham and pineapple on a cheese pizza.   You either love it or hate it, I think!  I happen to love it, but that probably is a result of my mother's love for Toast Hawaii, which was served every so often as I was growing up.  

The ingredients for Toast Hawaii are - like has been said - simple:  a piece of white bread (toast), a slice of cheese (so many varieties to use!  I like Swiss or provolone.  A slice of American cheese is the perfect size, too.), a round slice of canned (or fresh) pineapple, and if you want to make it REAL FANCY, a maraschino cherry for the center of the pineapple (I don't need one of those myself.).   
***You might consider substituting that cherry for CRANBERRIES if you have any left-overs at Thanksgiving!!***


To make Toast Hawaii, you just stack your bread, ham, pineapple, and cheese on a baking sheet.  Bake until the cheese is soft (350 degrees for about 15 minutes).  Optional, add a maraschino cherry in the center!   
Now, this is important:  EAT IT WITH A FORK & KNIFE like a good-mannered German.  

Here is a web-site called Live Like a German that has a far more detailed description and 2 different recipes for Toast Hawaii to offer:  Toast Hawaii Recipe  




Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Projekt: Von A bis Z (W)


4 more letters to go to complete this Projekt!
Today all things "W" auf Deutsch ...



Animals:  der Wolf (wolf), der Wurm (worm), das Walross (walrus), der Wal (whale), das Welpen (puppy)

Food:  Weisskohl / Weisskraut (cabbage or "white" cabbage), Wirsingkohl (savoy cabbage), die Wurst (sausage), Wienerschnitzel (breaded pork/veal, Vienna-style), Wassermelone (watermelon)

Names:  Wolfgang, Wilhelm, Wilhelmine, Walter, Waltraut, Werner, Wilfried/ Wilfrid

Cities:  Weimar, Würzburg, Wittenberg, Wilhelmshaven, Wiesbaden

MEMORY LANE -
My husband and I lived in Würzburg, Germany from January 1996 until January 1999; my son and I returned in March of 2013 to see where he was born and spent the first 3 months of his life.

^ January 1996 - our first week in Würzburg, entering the "gate" to the Residenz

Looking down on the Main River & city of Würzburg from the Fortress (Festung)

My son at the Residenz, March 2013

My son at what used to be the Army Community Hospital, where he was born - now turned into apartments, after the US Army post closed.

Verbs:  wandern (to wander, to hike), wundern (to wonder), warten (to wait), wetten (to bet)

Words you may recognize:  Wagen (wagon), Waffe (weapon, also Luftwaffe = Air Force)

Companies/brands:  Wella (hair care products), Wüsthof (cutlery), Warsteiner (brewery)



Sunday, November 12, 2017

A German Childhood: My Oma's Story

My Oma was born in 1918 in Gross Lattana, East Prussia, located along the southeastern Baltic coast.  Her village/town was called Peitschendorf, and now it is called Piecki as this area is part of Poland today.  It was in the Masurian lake district - known for its 2,000 lakes.  


A QUICK HISTORY LESSON:
Prussia's history is complicated - it was a providence of the German Empire after 1871; after 1918, at the end of World War I, the territory became an enclave (separated from the mainland) of the new German Republic.  Between the end of 1944 and 1945, East Prussia was part of air assaults and offensives by the British army as well as invasion and siege (and atrocities) by the Russian Red Army.  Many ethnic German Prussians fled - to include my Oma (at this point, married with a child, my uncle who was born in 1943) and her family, which included many of her younger siblings.  

Refugees who tried to return to East Prussia were prevented, and many of those remaining were expelled by its new Communist regime.  Labor camps were established; orphans from the who were left behind in this Communist zone were called "Wolf Children" and are a whole sad story unto themselves.  My Oma eventually made it to Frankfurt, where my Opa's family was from, and her family eventually also came over to the West after living in Eastern Germany for a short time.

The East Prussia my Oma lived in 1923 -1939

Following Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II in 1945, East Prussia was partitioned between Poland and the Soviet Union according to the Potsdam Conference. Southern East Prussia was placed under Polish administration, while northern East Prussia was divided between the Soviet republics of Russia (the Kaliningrad Oblast) and Lithuania (the constituent counties of the Klaipėda Region). The city of Königsberg was renamed Kaliningrad in 1946. Most of the German population of the province had left during the evacuation at the end of the war, but several hundreds of thousands died during the years 1944–46 and the remainder were subsequently expelled.  (source)

But back to my Oma's childhood:  from her stories, it was pleasant in that the area she grew up in was beautiful, wooded land with lush forests and fertile farms.  Her father was a stern man, a constable of the town.  Her mother, sadly, died when my Oma was almost 7 years old of tuberculosis despite efforts to send her to a sanatorium for treatment.  

This picture below is interesting - it was taken in 1921 or 1922:


The little girl in the picture ^ is my Oma:  Hildegard Anna; she was born in 1918.
Her father is beside her (Gustav, 1881 - 1968).   Seated is my great-grandmother (Ur-Grossmutter); her name was Anna (my daughter is named after her and my Oma); she lived from 1896 until 1925.  Anna's sister Wilhelmine stands behind her - and she became my Oma's step-mother later.  

ANYWAY ... back to my childhood:




My mother and I moved to the United States (Maryland - then Virginia) with my dad (an Army soldier) in 1974, right before I turned 4 years old.  My Oma and Opa came to visit in 1975.  Airplane travel was quite an adventure back in those days, and it was a brave endeavor for them to come with their limited English with the additional challenge of getting stuck overnight at the airport in New York City.  The above 2 pictures are from this visit.  

Starting in 1977, I traveled to Germany yearly, each summer after school was out, to spend about 2 1/2 months with my grandparents and other German relatives.  Because my grandparents lived in the city of Frankfurt in an apartment, they rented a small garden, as many city dwellers did, to grow a few plants, enjoy some green space, and in my grandparents' case have a little hut for parties and family to hang out.  This is where we came almost daily during the summers because our garden also had rabbits to feed and cages to clean.  (click on the link to see an aerial view of the gardens now - ours was the plot closest to the railroad tracks.  Today it has no grass, as the owner uses it for chickens; however, when we rented it, the surface was grass.)

VOCAB TIDBIT:
Our garden was part of a rabbit breeding club - a Kanninchenzuchtverein.  How's that for a nice, long word!!?  Let's break it down:  Kanninchen = rabbit, Zucht = breeding, Verein = club
We showed our rabbits each year, and they were judged, kind of like the Kennel Club's dog show you might be familiar with.  
Kanninchen = rabbit; schau = show

So it was at this little garden that I spent many happy hours playing - on my swing, in my playhouse, in the hut, and with other children whose families were a part of the club.


Me & my Oma - ca. 1977 or '78.
Is it crazy that I remember those flip flops that I have on?  They straps were made of velvet and the foot bed was straw, kind of like these:  

But better than the memory of my awesome shoes is the memory of having fun with my Oma!

You can also ready my Opa's Story:  here




Friday, November 10, 2017

Projekt: Von A bis Z (V)

Nearing the end - 5 more letters / posts to go!  Today I am blogging all things "V" (pronounced "pfou" auf Deutsch, but in words, usually makes the sound "fé" - as in Volkswagen) that I can think of for the categories below.  Add some words if you think of them!




Animals:  Vogel (bird), Vieh (cattle, livestock)

Common Names:  Verena, Volker

Cities:  Vilseck (the US Army has a post here, Rose Barracks), Vechta in Lower Saxony (my mother was born here)



Foods:  Vollmilch (whole milk)

verbs:  verlieren (to lose), vergeben (to forgive)

Words you may recognize:  Violet (violet - the color), Vase (in this case, the V is pronounced "ve"),  Volk (the people), Vater (father)

German Companies/Brands:  Volkswagen (vehicles), Villeroy & Boch (ceramics)