A close but unfamiliar country

Close to France, Germany is as renowned for the quality of its cars as for the underground festive life of its capital Berlin… And yet, this country remains rather unfamiliar to a large part of the French and French-speaking public. Discover a selection of 20 unusual facts regarding our neighbor across the Rhine!

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A third of the country is covered in forests

Despite a high population density, the country is home to countless forests: a third of the territory is covered with them! Germany has been spared deforestation and the population is very fond of long hikes in the woods.

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Trees forming a swastika discovered by chance

Speaking of forests, trees forming a swastika were discovered by chance in the fall of 1992. In fact, larches, whose leaves turn yellow much faster than those of the surrounding pines, had been planted there, forming the Nazi symbol visible from the sky. The trees were felled to avoid any neo-Nazi gatherings at the site.

Photo : @France TV Info

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Underground bunkers and tunnels

Another vestige of the Nazi era, several hundred bunkers and kilometers of underground tunnels still exist under the current city of Berlin. But the majority of these infrastructures are inaccessible because of the risk of landslides or flooding.

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Berlin remains less populated than before the war

Many Berliners fled the capital before the construction of the Wall to make their life in the West. If we add the inhabitants who died during the War, the city has a population (3.7 million) lower than that of 1933 (4.3 at the time).

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The invention of Fanta

Few people know it, but the Fanta is a German invention dating back to the beginning of the Second World War. While the start of the conflict made supplies difficult, German engineers from Coca-Cola invented a substitute drink, Fanta, so that the American company might continue their activities in the country.

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Nearly 25,000 castles

A country with a rich history, Germany has around 25,000 castles (the exact number is not known). One finds some in particular in Saxony, but also in the valley of the Rhine: between the towns of Koblenz and Bingen alone, distant of 60 kilometers, one counts 40 castles. Something to delight history buffs!

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The greatest number of half-timbered houses

There are nearly 2.5 million half-timbers in Germany, the highest total in the world. The old towns that were not destroyed during the war are full of them and derive their picturesque character from these facades.

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The socks in the Birkenstocks

Birkenstocks are a type of espadrilles “Made in Germany” renowned for their comfort and their solidity. But the Germans tend to wear them with socks, a moderately popular fashion practice in other countries…

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Pumpkin races on the water

You read that right: every fall, Germany hosts a championship of this rather special sport. The public can then admire the competitors who row on giant pumpkins in the middle of the river.

Photo : @threetulipsandatexan

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finger fights

Another German sporting curiosity: the “Fingerhakeln” championships see competitors intertwine their fingers and pull very hard until one of them lets go. It is surely necessary to strengthen the fingers all the year to be able to participate!

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Unlimited speed on highways

The Germans are crazy regarding cars and the speed is unlimited on certain stretches of motorway. Despite everything, the current trend is rather in the direction of more limitations, both for the safety of motorists and to limit pollution.

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The narrowest street in the world

The city of Reutlingen in southern Germany is home to the narrowest street in the world: the Spreuerhofstraße is only 31 centimeters wide at its narrowest point. Not very convenient for driving!

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The tallest bell tower in the world

Another architectural record broken by Germany: Ulm Cathedral has the tallest bell tower in the world. The building culminates at 161 meters high. Dizzy !

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It is not illegal to escape from prison

German law recognizes the right of every individual to regain his or her freedom. If a prisoner manages to escape, he will be wanted to serve the rest of his sentence, but this will not be increased by the escape – except for crimes or misdemeanors that may have been committed during this period.

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longest german word

The longest word in the German language has 63 letters: “Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz”. It stands for “Law on the Transfer of Beef Labeling Monitoring Obligations”. Enjoy your lunch !

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A suspended metro

The city of Wuppertal, near Cologne, has a metro line which has the characteristic of being suspended from above above the void. An original way to make your daily trips.

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Two major sportswear brands

Do you know Adolf and Rudolf Dassler? Probably not, and yet the first was the founder in the 1920s of the sports equipment manufacturer Adidas (the contraction of his first name and his surname). The second then created his own company in the same sector: Puma. The two German giants are still among the world leaders in sportswear.

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Endless lakes

Germany has a large number of lakes (3,000 in the Land of Brandenburg alone) and there are also some in some large cities. The country is also renowned for preserving high water quality: enough to create a strong bathing culture!

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The oldest fast food restaurant in the world

In the old town of Regensburg (pictured) is what is locally claimed to be the oldest fast food joint in the world. The very first street kitchen, which today is called “Wurstkuchl”, was opened there in the year 1146. It was used to supply the workers who were building the cathedral.

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The oldest brewery in the world

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