Lektionsüberblick

Did you know that it is considered bad luck to offer birthday congratulations before the actual birthday in German-speaking Europe? Or that a 40-year-old bachelor (Junggeselle ) in Germany may be sent through the streets seated backwards on a donkey by his friends, because he is now ein alter Esel (an old donkey = an old man)? (That same Junggeselle receives a steer skull in parts of Austria.)

Learning about Traditionen (traditions), Feiertage (holidays), and Bräuche (customs) can often be one of the most interesting parts of getting to know the culture behind the language you are learning. At the same time, some of our strongest childhood memories may center around our own Traditionen, Feiertage, or (Bräuche).

In this lesson, we will focus on learning how to talk about birthday traditions and compare our traditions with those from German-speaking Europe. You may be surprised about the specific similarities and differences. In the end, you will be able to talk about 1) your childhood birthdays, 2) giving and receiving presents, 3) your birthdate and how you celebrate your birthday now, and 4) you will learn about a variety of birthday traditions in German-speaking countries.

1) Der Kindergeburtstag

Listen to and read along as Sofia Müller talks about one of her childhood birthday parties.

2) Schenken

At the end of her story, Sofia says this “Meine Eltern haben mir einen sehr coolen Aquariumbausatz geschenkt.” Do you remember what it means? Let’s look at more examples of giving gifts.

— Be sure to click through both sets of arrows —

3)Mein Geburtstag

While we may or may not have fond memories of our childhood birthdays, the way we celebrate tends to change as we get older. In the US, the 18th and the 21st birthdays mark legal majority and the legal drinking age, respectively. In German-speaking Europe, the equivalently significant birthdays are the 16th and 18th birthdays marking the legal drinking age (beer and wine) and legal majority, respectively.

Das Geburtsdatum

Before we talk more about celebrations and traditions, let’s first review how to say birthdays and birthdates. Let’s see how Julia and Max respond to questions about their birthdays/-dates. Note the differences between the way these questions are asked in German vs. in English.

	Wann hast du Geburtstag?	Wann wurdest du geboren?
Julia: 2. 3. 1991.	Ich habe am zweiten März Geburtstag.	Ich wurde am zweiten März neunzehnhunderteinundneunzig* geboren.
Max: 23. 10. 1984	Ich habe am dreiundzwanzigsten Oktober Geburtstag.	Ich wurde am dreiundzwanzigsten Oktober neunzehnhundertvierundachtzig* geboren.

*It is not important that you learn how to write out long numbers. They are written out here so that you can more easily see how they are pronounced.

These numbers that show their order are called Ordinalzahlen (ordinal numbers). Just like Julia would never say in English that her birthday is on March two, but instead March second, in German we use the ordinal number to state our birthdate. Going further: You can also use this to state the month. That means, instead of Julia saying “Ich wurde am zweiten März 1991 geboren,” she could say “Ich wurde am zweiten dritten 1991 geboren.” The dritten is the third month, March.

Let’s practice more birthdates!

Wie feierst du? Interviews über Geburtstagstraditionen

In the following video, Evi and Karl talk about how they celebrate their birthdays. Watch their interviews and check your listening comprehension with the questions that follow.

4) Geburtstagstrivia

Die Geschichte des Geburtstages

The following entry from Klexion, “Wikipedia’s little sister” provides a brief history of birthday celebration traditions. Read the text and check your reading comprehension with the questions that follow. (Here is the rest of the article, if you want to read more.)

Geburtstagstraditionen in der Schweiz, Deutschland, Österreich, und Liechtenstein

Der 16. Geburtstag marks the first legal drinking age for beer, wine, and champagne. Mit Sekt anstoßen, to raise one’s glass to someone’s health, is a common tradition in German-speaking Europe and the birthday child may do so for their first time on their 16th birthday. Einmehlen or panieren (breading) is a more recent 16th birthday tradition in some areas of Northern Germany. Geburtstagskind receives flour (Mehl) dumped on their head. Sometimes the flour is mixed with beer and/or eggs. You can read more about Einmehlen here.

Der 18. Geburtstag marks the Volljährigkeit (legal majority) for the Geburtstagskind. They may now imbibe all kinds of alcoholic beverages, but, even more importantly, they may vote. Volljährigkeit means more privileges and responsibilities in der Schweiz, in Deutschland, Österreich, Liechtenstein. (Since spring 2024, one significant difference between the four countries: recreational use of cannabis is legal only in Germany.) The driving age used to be 18 in German-speaking Europe, but in the last 15-20 years it has been moved to younger ages. In Switzerland, Germany, and Liechtenstein, a 17-year-old can earn a learner’s permit (Führerschein auf Probe), which allows them to do “Begleitetes Fahren” (attended driving), whereby the attendant must be at least 30, have had a driver’s license for at least 5 years, and few or no points on that license. In both Germany and Liechtenstein, once a person turns 18, they can earn their “full” Führerschein and drive alone. In Switzerland, a new driver between the ages of 17-20, must complete one year of begleitetes Fahren before they can qualify for a regular Führerschein. In Austria, a 17-year-old can drive without an attendant, once they have completed 3000km (ca. 1900mi) of begleitetes Fahren.

Der 25. Geburtstag – wenn man unverheiratet ist (when one is unmarried) – In some parts of Germany, unmarried people are jokingly poked fun at for their single status, with men, now an alte Socke, receiving a wreath of old socks and women, now an alte Schachtel, receiving a wreath of old cartons, like empty cigarette packs. There is even a website specializing in the sale of these Sockenkränze and Schachtelkränze! (The authors are earning no kick-backs for this mention.) As attitudes about marriage change, this tradition has morphed into one marking the birthday of any friend you may deem an alte Socke or alte Schachtel, regardless of marital status.

Der 30. Geburtstag – wenn man unverheiratet ist – All over Germany and Austria (and perhaps beyond), unmarried newly 30-year-old men are jokingly poked fun at or publicly shamed for not being married or engaged. The tradition began in 1890 in Bremen with unmarried men having to sweep the steps of the Bremer Cathedral, which prompted the tradition to be called Domtreppenfegen (Cathedral steps sweeping), although many other kinds of steps, or even city squares or bridges, can be swept. In this tradition, sand and sawdust are spread out for the man to sweep up with a broom that is missing most of its brushes. He can only be freed by a kiss from an unmarried woman. This tradition has spread to Austria, where it is called Kehren (another word for Fegen), and even to Barcelona and Boston.

Der 30. Geburtstag – wenn frau unverheiratet ist – Women generally do not do Treppenfegen or Kehren, except during Schaltjahr (leap year) in some areas. Instead, the tradition for the unmarried 30-year-old woman is Klinkenputzen, whereby she must clean the Türklinken (door knobs) of the Cathedral (or other location) until she is freed by a kiss from an unmarried man. Naturally, neither of these traditions can take place without the Geburtstagskind agreeing to it and local authorities approving of the steps or door knobs being made messy.

Der runde Geburtstag, the birthday ending with a “zero”, especially as one gets older. The birthday celebrations in Germany are generally organized by and paid for by the Geburtstagskind. If you are invited by a Geburtstagskind to a dinner on their birthday, you will usually not be allowed to pay for your meal. You are also expected to bring in some kind of sweet treat to work or school on (or after, never before) your birthday. The “round” birthdays can be celebrated in a much larger way with people traveling significant distances to spend the day, evening, and into the night with their loved one.
In parts of Austria such as Kärnten, the runde Geburtstag is celebrated with Niederlegen. In the night before the birthday, the Geburtstagskind is brought ein Nachtgewand (pajamas), eine Zahnbüste, einen Nachttopf (chamber pot), and eine Kerze (candle) as well as food and beverages. Before the friends enter the house, they sing Ständchen (serenade). Then they dress the Geburtstagskind in the pajamas and they ceremoniously handover the chamber pot and candle. At the end of the Niederlegen, the Geburtstagskind uses the toothbrush and the friends sing lullabies. Naturally, no-one says “Alles Gute zum Geburtstag” until midnight.
Another Austrian tradition for the runde Geburtstag are the creation of Strohpuppen, straw dolls like scarecrows, which are dressed up and posed to resemble the Geburtstagskind. You can see a picture of this tradition here.

Reinfeiern, when the party starts on the birthday eve. The Niederlegen from Austria is a Reinfeiern. Celebrating this way is especially popular when one is younger and when the birthday is on a Sunday. Then you can have your birthday party on Saturday, but no-one congratulates you until midnight. They are really very strict about this!

Media Attributions

• Song “Wie schön, dass du geboren bist” adapted from Einar erklärt Eisenbahn, licensed under CC International License.
• Julia and Max profiles and practice activity adapted from Grenzenlos Deutsch, licensed under CC BY-ND-SA 4.0 International license.
• Geburtstag text adapted from Klexikon, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 International license.
• Klexikon reading comprehension activity adapted from Grenzenlos Deutsch, licensed under CC BY-ND-SA 4.0 International license.
• Geburtstage video and activity adapted from Grenzenlos Deutsch, licensed under CC BY-ND-SA 4.0 International license.