The British-German Association

23/08/2026

Germany’s schoolkids are heading back to school, and so ‘Schultüte’ time begins for those in first-grade classes!

Schültuten have become an iconic symbol for first-years, all filled to the brim with different sweets and treats to enjoy when coming back from their first ever day of school.

‘Der erste Schultag’ - the first day of school - is set individually by Germany’s 16 federal states, and occurs during August and September of each year. So if you’re in Germany, keep an eye out for these colourful and adorable cones over the next few weeks!

Did you go to school in Germany, and have a fond memory of your own Schultüte? Was it decorated with your favourite cartoon character, or name? And for those dual-nationals living in the UK - did your family carry on the tradition even when you attended your first day of school here?

23/08/2026

23/08/2026

We're loving this series! A great way to celebrate and highlight NRW's 80th Anniversary, and of course 80 years since Operation Marriage 🇩🇪🇬🇧

21/08/2026

: GCSE Results edition!

A great year again for GCSE German, congratulations to the over 30,000 students who sat the subject, and thank you also to the fantastic teachers who taught them!

21/08/2026

: GCSE Results edition!

A great year again for GCSE German, congratulations to the over 30,000 students who sat the subject, and thank you also to the fantastic teachers who taught them!

20/08/2026

We’re saddened to have heard about the future plans to scrap GCSE and A-Level German by NI’s CCEA.

If you would like to sign a petition showing your support of continuing the subject, click on the link below:

https://c.org/4NwNQdytZB

19/08/2026

We love this! Which of the states have you managed to visit, and would you add any other ‘icons’ into the graphic to highlight even more unforgettable places and fixtures?

Germany's 16 Bundesländer, federal states, with their capitals in red and just a few of the things each is famous for... like Karneval, carnival, in Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia) and a spicy sausage in Thüringen (Thuringia).

Do you have a favourite city or State? Perhaps one is on your "one day..." list.

Photo credit: Allemand Facilement

13/08/2026

12/08/2026

: Today is a good day to look up into the sky! The Perseid meteor shower will be reaching its peak of around 100 shooting stars (or Sternschnuppen) tonight, but not before a (partial) solar eclipse - Sonnenfinsternis - that will reach its peak at 7:12pm.

‘Sternschnuppe’ is made up of both stern (star) and Schnuppe (‘snuff’, a burnt candle wick). It’s a great description of how a shooting star looks, and sounds particularly sweet.

‘Sonnenfinsternis’ is made up of Sonne (sun) and Finsternis (darkness).

Both words aren’t just connected to astronomical phenomena, they can also be used in slightly negative and sassy ways. You can say:

“Es ist mir schnuppe” - I couldn't care less
“Jemanden finster ansehen/blicken” - To glower at someone

Enjoy the sights tonight, and keep those eyes safe with proper protective measures!

07/08/2026

Really looking forward to seeing more of this series throughout August - a great way to highlight those unique 🇬🇧🇩🇪 relations since Operation Marriage 80 years ago!