When you move into a new German house or apartment and decide to have a housewarming party, the first thing you will likely receive is bread and salt.
The customary German gift is designed to ensure that the new household has enough food — and plenty of flavor! But the centuries-old tradition also symbolizes prosperity, stability and togetherness. Honey, candles, and even a broom, can accompany the gift.
You might also receive a quintessentially German household item dubbed an Eierschalensollbruchstellenverursacher, or more simply, an eggshell breaker.
The lengthy compound word literally means “eggshell pre-determined breaking point causer.” It’s a rather technical way to explain a vital German breakfast gadget that ensures maximum enjoyment of a soft-boiled egg.
Do not even enter a German house without first removing your shoes, and preferably placing a pair of Hausschuhe, or house slippers, on your feet. The house will usually be centrally heated, but the slippers are often warm and snug and have well-formed rubber soles to ensure comfort and long-wearing.
Back in the kitchen, good meal preparation demands the best German-engineered knives. Sharp Japanese blades come close of course, but are also more expensive.
German towns like Solingen, home to the acclaimed Wüsthof chef knife brand, have been hand-crafting blades with long-lasting sharpness for centuries.
Before knives, they used to forge swords that were highly valued by warriors across Europe.
When it comes to cleaning the German home, there is one mainstay: Essig, or vinegar. People in other countries fill the sink cupboard with a diversity of cream cleanser and bleaches for floors, kitchens and bathroom.
But German households will often rely on a multi-purpose vinegar-based cleaner — sometimes flavored with raspberries! Vinegar might fight limescale and even urine, but is also relatively natural and chemical-free.
Meanwhile in the bedroom, some might be surprised to see two separate single blankets or duvets on a double bed. Germans prioritize sound sleep and comfort over commingling under a cover that one partner might also steal in the night.
This article was adapted from an episode of DW’s Meet the Germans.
