GERMANY 1946/47, THE HUNGER WINTER

Two young girls who had a Christmas tree to brighten their Weihnachten.



"Weihnachten" was different in Germany 1946/47, and "something to eat" would have been at the top of many a Christmas list.

Europe lay in rubble, and that winter was the coldest in living memory. In Germany it became known as the time of "Weisser Tod", 'white death', and "Schwarzer Hunger", 'black hunger', as hundreds of thousands died.


http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art178861.asp


And the "Word of the Week" is a KATZENSPRUNG.

Literally "a cat's leap", so a description of a short distance. Although what might be a Katzensprung to someone super fit and agile, might not be thought of in quite the same way by anyone traveling the same distance but carrying the week's shopping in the rain.



There is much more to read and discover on the German Culture site, which also has a forum, so if there is anything you would like to see or if you have any questions or comments then please feel free to get in touch, either in the forum http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=247 or via email.


Francine McKenna-Klein,
German Culture Editor

http://germanculture.bellaonline.com




For topics in the news And you can follow German Culture on Facebook