Spring is finally here, but let’s not get overly excited, as temperatures will still take a few weeks to rise.
Although the trees will only begin to bloom in April, nature blesses us with the most beautiful flowers, like the cheerful Crocus, the elegant Narcissus and the stunning Tulips. These flowers can be seen in most gardens and meadows, adding a touch of colour and beauty to our surroundings.
There is also the anticipation of the upcoming Easter celebrations, and most houses and gardens will be decorated accordingly, creating a festive and welcoming atmosphere.
Another great thing about March is the increase in daylight, which gives us more time to enjoy the beautiful scenery around us. Every day the sun comes up a minute or two earlier and sets a bit later.
Keep in mind that some places may still have snow, especially in the mountains. So, let’s embrace this transitional period with open arms and cherish all the little joys that come with it!
| Season | Spring |
| Time | Central European Time (CET), one hour behind South Africa until the last Sunday of March, when Summertime starts (26 March 2022). |
| Weather | The temperatures average between 0.2 °C and 7.4 °C. Depending on the location, it could be warmer or colder. The average daily sunshine is 3.8 hours. |
Here is a list of food traditionally eaten in Germany over the Easter period
Gründonnerstag:
Gründonnerstag sounds like green Thursday although it is derived from the old German word greinen, which means crying. Thus many people celebrate by eating green dishes, such as the following:
– Seven herb soup / Sieben Kräutersuppe
– Chervil soup / Kerbelsuppe
– Eggs in green sauce / Eier in grüner Sauce
Karfreitag:
Church bells are silent on Good Friday. Families may go to church and in some towns, such as Bensheim you will see processions.
Dancing is not allowed on Good Friday, neither are weddings. The shops are closed.
It is a tradition to eat fish at dinner with your family.
– Fish cakes with green sauce / Fishfrikadellen mit grüner Sauce
Ostersamstag:
In Northern Germany, people light Easter fires (das Osterfeuer) as a symbol of light in the darkness.
These fires are sometimes lit on Good Friday or Easter Sunday.
Ostersonntag:
Families come together to celebrate. They may go to church together and then have a big brunch or a festive dinner.
The main dish is often lamb.
Children hunt for Easter eggs.
– Colorful boiled eggs / Bunte Frühstückseier – served with Black Forest ham and Emmentaler cheese
– Easter bunny brioches / Osterhasebrioches
– Roast leg of lamb with juniper berry sauce / Lammkeule mit Wacholderbeerensauce
– Biennenstich cake. Click on this link for other Easter cake recipes
– Easter lamb cake
– Hefezopf
– German Sweat Bread nests
Ostermontag:
Easter Monday is a day of remembrance and reflection.
Other Foods:
Before Easter, you will find Easter bread (das Osterbrot) in most bakeries.
Brightly colored boiled eggs and of course beautiful chocolate easter eggs in the bakeries
The asparagus season (die Spargelsaison) starts in the middle of April.
Traditionally the white variety is eaten with hollandaise sauce, potatoes, and ham.
To find out how to buy and store asparagus, as well as some recipes, read our page about the German white gold.
Plan your month
everything you need to know
Festivals
During the festive season of Easter, several towns organize colourful Easter Markets and embellish the town fountains with eggs. Known as Osterbrunnen, these intricately decorated fountains are a sight to behold. But that’s not all, people also adorn trees and dried sticks with eggs, creating enchanting Easter egg trees, also known as Ostereierbäume.
Snow Info
Looking for information on the latest snow conditions? Check out these resources:
Holidays
| Holiday | Date | Information | States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Holidays | |||
| International Woman's Day | 2024-03-08 | Berlin, MV | |
| Good Friday / Karfreitag | 2024-03-29 | Karfreitag | All |
| Easter Sunday / Ostersonntag | 2024-03-31 | Ostersonntag | Brandenburg |
| Observations | |||
| Meteorological start of Spring | 2024-03-01 | All | |
| Josefstag / Saint Joseph's Day | 2024-03-19 | BY | |
| Astrological start of Spring | 2024-03-20 | All | |
| Palm Sunday / Palmsonntag | 2024-03-24 | The Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem | |
| Maudy Thursday / Gründonnerstag | 2024-03-28 | Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday is the day during Holy Week that commemorates the Washing of the Feet and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles, as described in the canonical gospels | All |
| Karsamstag | 2024-03-30 | Six days before Ash Wednesday More info | All |
| Start of Summer time | 2024-03-31 | Clocks are turned forward by one hour | All |
| Festivals and events | |||
| St Patrick's day | 2024-03-17 | The St Patrick's day parade in Munich is one of the biggest in Germany. There is also one in Berlin. | |
| School Holidays and Terms | |||
| Easter Holidays | Various | School Holidays | All |
Events listed on our website
Lucy Kruger and The Lost Boys
17/05/2024 @ 7:00 pm – 11:45 pm – Lucy Kruger and The Lost Boys, an art-pop noise project, will do an intense show at the Orange Blossom Festival at Glitterhouse Garten, Beverungen, North- Rhine Westphalia (NRW) on 17 May 2024. With her calm voice South African-born and Berlin-based musician, Lucy Kruger fronts the band, whose music is melancholic and unreal thanks to its […]
Bongeziwe Mabandla in Berlin
23/05/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:45 pm – After his sold-out concert on 3 March, award-winning South African musician Bongeziwe Mabandla is back in Berlin on 23 May hours at the Kulturbrauerei. Mabandla is a South African award-winning singer, musician and songwriter from the rural town of Tsolo in the Eastern Cape. He has recorded four highly acclaimed albums and has performed on […]
Bok van Blerk & Riaan Benade
17/10/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:45 pm – Welcome, music lovers, to an evening dedicated to the unforgettable sounds of Riaan Benade and Bok van Blerk. From the vast plains of South Africa, these two extraordinary artists come together to enchant us with their unique voices and enchanting melodies. These artists enjoy world fame in their home country, so prepare yourself for an […]
Fokofpolisiekar / Die Heuwels Fantasties
12/07/2024 @ 7:00 pm – 11:45 pm – After a sold-out show in 2023, Fokofpolisiekar is back. This time they bring their friends from Cape Town, Die Heuwels Fantasties, as support. There is no better live combo showcasing the best of African rock and African alternative music than these two acts. It will be energetic, melodic and full of nostalgia as these two […]
Voting Abroad – 2024 – Berlin
18/05/2024 @ 7:00 am – 7:00 pm – Casting of votes at a foreign mission A person who wants to cast a special vote at a foreign mission in terms of section 33(3) or (4), may do so on 17 May 2024 and 18 May 2024, between 07:00 and 19:00, depending on the host country’s dominant religious and cultural practices. In practice, this […]
Voting Abroad 2024 – Munich
18/05/2024 @ 7:00 am – 7:00 pm – Casting of votes at a foreign mission A person who wants to cast a special vote at a foreign mission in terms of section 33(3) or (4), may do so on 17 May 2024 and 18 May 2024, between 07:00 and 19:00, depending on the host country’s dominant religious and cultural practices. In practice, this […]
Trevor Noah Tour – Berlin
01/08/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:45 pm – Trevor Noah Off the Record Tour. The actual time is not published yet, estimated it will be in the evening We are not the organisers of this event it is shared for information purposes only Tickets via the Trevor Noah website – this will take you to the Eventim Website
Trevor Noah Tour – Stuttgart
03/08/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:45 pm – Trevor Noah Off the Record Tour. The actual time is not published yet, estimated it will be in the evening We are not the organisers of this event it is shared for information purposes only Tickets via the Trevor Noah website – this will take you to the Eventim Website
The African Picnic Festival at the Goethe Institute in Schwäbisch Hall
31/05/2024 – 02/06/2024 @ All Day – The African Picnic Festival at Goethe Institute in Schwäbisch Hall, Baden-Württemberg, is the brainchild of Mthunzi Fesi, a young South African, who is also a promoter for South African artists touring Europe. The festival was first hosted on 16 June 2014. This year, the ninth edition of the festival will take place from 31 May […]
Schalk Bezuidenhout keeping up – Berlin
25/09/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm – Newly married, Schalk feels older, wiser and much more mature (possibly), but all he wants is to stay “hip with the youth”. Can he do it? Can he Keep Up? As seen on Netflix and Comedy Central and fresh from supporting Trevor Noah on his arena tour. This is an external event, we are not […]
Kearsney College Choir
29/06/2024 – 06/07/2024 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm – The renowned Kearsney College Choir and Rainbow Agency, KwaZulu Natal, have the honour to inform you that former Federal President Professor Dr Horst Köhler is the patron of the choir’s concert tour to Germany from 28 June to 6 July 2024. Professor Dr Köhler will attend a concert of his choice. Kearsney College Choir has […]
Thabile – Read my lips – Hannover
24/05/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:30 pm – @Thabilé is a South African-born singer and was rightly chosen as “Artist of the Year 2023” at the African Festival Award (AFA) in Würzburg. Today, Thabilé lives in Stuttgart and campaigns for better coexistence, especially for the rights of women, who are not only oppressed in South Africa. Her songs tell of difficult living conditions […]
Some foods and drinks to try
01.
Bärlauch
02.
Mussels
During the months that contain the letter “r,” which typically run from September through the beginning of spring, seafood lovers can indulge in a variety of delicious options including oysters, scallops, and clams. Be sure to savour these delectable treats to the fullest during March!
03.
Spinach
The delicious, nutrient-packed leaf spinach (Blattspinat) season typically begins in the month of March.
04.
Morel (Morcheln)
Morels, also known as Morchella, are a delicious and versatile type of sac fungi that can add incredible flavour to any dish. Here are some recipe ideas
05.
Starkbier is as the name suggests a strong beer. Starkbierzeit is called the 5th season. It is during Lent (From Ash Wednesday (14.02.2023) to Easter). Read more here
Fruit and Veggies in Season
Vocabulary
| Spring | der Frühling |
| Wild garlic | der Bärlauch |
| Morels | die Morcheln |
| Chervil | der Kerbel |
| Turnips | die Steckrüben |
| Radish | der Rettich |
| Lamb’s lettuce | der Feldsalat |
| Scallops | die Jakobsmuscheln |
| Oysters | die Austern |
| Clams | die Venusmuscheln |
Sources
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