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Fröhliche Weihnachten! The DANK Haus Collections and Archives stores several Christmas and winter holiday-related objects, such as these German Christmas greeting cards. Unfortunately, neither of these cards are dated. The Weihnachten card featuring a smiling Santa alongside animals, however, has a message from a Heir Schaefer, which reads, “Ein frohes Weihnachtsfeir und alles Gute im Neuen Jahr.” 

The DANK Haus archives also holds a collection of German records and albums, including some Christmas-themed ones, like “Fröhliche Weihnacht,” a record printed in Austria that features Christmas songs in German like “Stille Nacht, Helige Nacht” and “Träume unterm Christbaum.” 

In addition to German records, our collections catalogs music programs from German-American choirs in Chicago, including concerts from the Deutsch-Amerikanischen Kinderchoir, such as this program from the 57th Weihnachtskonzert that took place in 1992 at the Irish-American Cultural Center in Chicago. The first Deutsch-Amerikanischen Kinderchoir Weihnachtskonzert was in 1935.

Lastly, the DANK Haus archives is home to many German toys and games, some of which could have been given as Christmas gifts, like these two small plastic dolls, or the game “Mensch ärgere Dich nicht,” which is described as a “klassische Familienspiel,” or classic family game for two to four players. 

Interested in learning more about the DANK Haus archives or visiting our museum? Contact Museum Director Sarah Matthews at sarah@dankhaus.com. 

What is our staff loving this month? Let us tell you!

Our Office & Events Assistant Stephanie Dal Porto returned from Berlin and is in love with the döner! Not heading to Berlin anytime soon? No worries! Order locally from Dönermen in Chicago.

Toni Erdmann is one of our Summer Language School Marketing Intern, Max Peckman's, all-time favorite movies. A hard-working woman reluctantly agrees to spend time with her estranged father when he unexpectedly arrives.

Watch the trailer here!

Have you checked out any of our staff's recommendations? Let us know what you thought!

It's been a few months since our last set of staff picks, but we're back with more recommendations for you! 

The sun is out - it's high time to get outdoors again. For tips all around running, jogging, hiking, and more, our language school director Carina recommends the magazine "Running - das sportliche Laufmagazin."

Are you looking for some more things to do right here at home? Our Marketing & Events Director recommends following @bored_in_chicago - a TikTok account that checks out various spots in the city. You can even spot a familiar place in this video!

Have you tried out one of our recommendations? Let us know what you thought about it!

Sachertorte, Kaffee und Geschichte? All of this can be found in Wien, Austria. But, we can't always be there, so our language program director Carina recommends to take Wien on a walk, with the Podcast "Erzähl mir von Wien." Servus!

You can find so many German music playlists online! Our staff member Samantha is still a Beginner when it comes to German, but she enjoys putting on German playlists while working or when out for a walk. In the last few months, she has been able to recognize more words! Her favorite playlists on Spotify are Top 50 - Germany, Best of German Music, and NDW - Neue Deutsche Welle.

Have you tried any of our staff suggestions? Let us know what you thought!

We're back with another round of staff suggestions!

Interested in learning about what life is really like in Germany? Samantha recommends checking out DW's Meet the Germans. She especially loves their Instagram, where the hosts dive into everyday life in Germany!

Do you need a minute to just laugh about life? Our language program director Carina recommends "Helga und Marianne" who discuss world issues across their Gartenzaun (fence between two yards). Simply search for "Helga und Marianne" on YouTube!

Rosa recommends the WDR app (or browser streaming). It has several stations, like 1LIVE (pop music) and WDR5 (news and some kids programs).

Have you tried out any of our staff's suggestions? Let us know! We'd love to hear what you thought!

This month Rosa suggests the book Ich bin dann mal weg: Meine Reise auf dem Jakobsweg, the true recollection of German comedian Hape Kerkeling, who completed the 800 km (500 miles) Camino de Santiago pilgrimage hike. Kerkeling humorously tells about his interesting fellow pilgrims, sleeping badly in hostels on the route, and connected to his spirituality.

Our language school director Carina recommends Kim Schmidt's "Local Heroes" comics/caricatures about the North of Germany and its people.

What are you reading, watching, or listening to this month?

Are you an intermediate or advanced German speaker looking for an intellectually engaging podcast? Museum & Development Director Rosa recommends Lage der Nation. The two hosts (a Deutschlandfunk reporter and a law scholar) talk about current events (mostly German news, some global). Occasionally they have a guest on. They often have healthy disagreements with that classic German bluntness.

Sami's recommendation is to follow Feli from Germany! Recently we had the pleasure of visiting with Feli, a German youtuber and social media influencer living in the Midwest! She has a whole host of channels you can follow her on - YouTube, Instagram, and even TikTok! Check out her podcast, "Understanding Train Station." Hear her talk about Germany, and her experiences as a German living in the American Midwest! Sami really enjoys Feli's TikTok account and her podcast!

Our language school director Carina recommends Latte Igel und der Wasserstein for readers and listeners 6+: There's no more water in Latte Igel's forest, and so he sets out to find the water stone that will fix it all. But he has to steal it back from... well, find it out yourself! Available through most major bookstores.

Looking for a good German movie? Carina recommends to try

 theTelescopefilm Website! This site lets you filter for genre, decade, language and more, and also tells you where you can stream it!

Are podcasts more your taste? Rosa recommends the podcast Gemischtes Hack, a comedy podcast where two German guys shoot the breeze: comedian Felix Lobrecht (from Berlin) and author/moderator Tommi Schmitt (from Cologne). "One of our DANK Haus teachers suggested it and it's hilarious! They discuss a range of topics in a stream-of-consciousness way. It's also funny to hear how they integrate American words into their slang," says Rosa.

Do you find yourself scrolling hours away on TikTok? Samantha, who is still a German language beginner, recommends following @easygerman for bite size German videos that will help you with your listening skills and put your scrolling to good use!

If you check out any of these resources, let us know! Tag us on social media or send us an email at dank@dankhaus.com to let us know what you think!

It’s Halloween week and you know what that means? CANDY! But did you

know that you can THANK A GERMAN for a festive fall favorite? That’s right, we’re talking about Candy Corn! 

According to the National Confectioners Association and oral history records, Candy Corn was first invented by George Renninger, an employee at Wunderle Candy Company in Philadelphia. While many companies at the time were creating mellowcreme candies in various shapes, the corn kernel with its layered colors was new. In 1888 Wunderle became the first company to produce and sell this sweet treat, but it was the Goelitz Confectionery Company that really popularized candy corn.

The Goelitz Confectionery Company was founded in 1869 by Gustav Goelitz, a 24 year old German immigrant. In 1894 the family candy making tradition continued when Goelitz’s sons took over the company. In 1898 the brothers acquired the candy corn recipe and began to make history. Initially marketed as “chicken feed,” candy corn was produced alongside many other mellowcreme shapes including pumpkins, chestnuts, turnips, and more. Though it had the same taste and ingredients as other mellowcreme candies, candy corn was unique and widely recognized for its three bright colors.

Today we associate Candy Corn with fall and Halloween, due to its seasonal popularity and the harvest color theme, but it wasn’t always that way. Candy Corn was initially offered as a “penny candy,” cheap candy that could be bought in bulk. As trick or treating became more popular and Halloween became a time to hand out individual packages of candy, Candy Corn became more strongly associated with the spooky season. 

The Goelitz company continued to create sweet treats for generations and is still active today. Though you may know them by a different name...does Jelly Belly ring a bell? The Jelly Belly Candy Company, once the Goelitz Confectionery Company, still produces Candy Corn today, though Brach’s, another company founded by a German immigrant, has emerged as the primary producer of this “chicken feed” candy!

October 30th is National Candy Corn Day - Thank a German while you enjoy this sweet treat!

This Austrian composer is heralded as one of the most influential musical prodigies of all time. He authored operas, concertos, symphonies, and sonatas with poignant emotion and remarkable sophistication. 

Born in 1756 in Salzburg, Austria, it was clear from a young age that Mozart was destined for a life in music. His teacher was his father, Leopold, who quickly picked up on Mozart’s extraordinary gift for music and worked to refine his son into the musical genius we know him to be. By 5, he had already taken to composing. He was a brilliant pianist and violinist from an early age, and as he started traveling for performances, soon all of Europe agreed. 

Despite achieving acclaim and financial success, Mozart found himself in financial strains during the mid-1780s. He was known for his lavish tastes and extravagant lifestyle. Eager to start earning more money, Mozart set his eyes on a court appointment. In 1787, his ambitions were realized. Emperor Joseph II awarded Mozart the position of “chamber composer” in 1787.

His financial situation, however, did not improve. He was forced to move his family and himself into a more affordable part of Vienna. His lavish spending did not change, prompting Mozart to borrow money from friends. The 1870s were a difficult period for Mozart, finding himself in depression and prolonged financial troubles.

Although the early 1790s proved a creative, productive, and somewhat lucrative period for Mozart, he saw his mental and physical health coming apart. On December 5, 1791, Mozart died from what is speculated to be some sort of fever. He was 35 years old.

Written by DANK Haus intern, Kat M.