"The Rainbow Fish" by Marcus Pfister
Marcus Pfister calls Switzerland home. He was born in Berne in 1960. He studied graphic design in his home town. His breakthrough to worldwide fame came in 1992 with the publication of his book “Regenbogenfisch” which we all know as “The Rainbow Fish.” Linked below are a short biography on Marcus Pfister and a site with many of the well known books by him.
"The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke
Cornelia Funke was born in the heart of Germany in 1958. Her books became big hits in this country when they were translated into English. Find out more about Cornelia Funke at her official fan website below. And check out the titles of many of her books available in this country at the Barnes and Nobles site, too.
Diddl
Is a jumping mouse character created by the German artist Thomas Goletz. Diddl, like our Mickey Mouse, has achieved international fame. In fact, Disney has sort of adopted Diddl as part of their family of famous animated characters. Check the official websites below.
Schnappi, das kleine Krokodil
Schnappi became world famous in 2005. He is a cartoon character that was created for the German TV show “Sendung mit der Maus.” A song was produced about his life in Egypt. Once it hit the Internet its popularity spread like wildfire. You can do a simple Google search to find video clips of Schnappi singing songs known to German speaking children of all ages.
"The NeverEnding Story" by Michael Ende
The “NeverEnding Story” is another famous book written by a German author. Michael Ende was born in Garmisch-Partenkirchen at the foot of the Bavarian Alps. The first movie was filmed in the Bavarian Film Studios in Munich.
Nena
The New Wave singer Nena is best know for her hit song “99 Luftballons” which crossed the ocean to become a hit in America. This was a rare song that is well known both in its original German and English versions. A quick search on the Internet will offer videos and lyrics to this popular song.
Xavier Naidoo
Xavier Naidoo is a popular contemporary singer whose ethnic background shows the diversity that is modern Germany. His parents are from South Africa with German, Indian, and Egyptian ancestry. He grew up in Mannheim which appears in the name of his band, “Söhnen Mannheims.” His latest CD, “Telegramm für X” sold over a million copies. You can flip through the pages of his official website and watch some videos from his latest CD.
Bavarian Alps
This photo was taken by a family with three children who went through the German program at FMS. They had a wonderful time visiting Germany this past summer. Maybe one day you will get to travel to some of these beautiful places in the German-speaking world.
Albert Einstein
Everyone knows the famous physicist Albert Einstein. But did you know that as a middle-school-aged student in the 1890’s he was sitting in a classroom in Munich, Germany? Today Germany is among the leading countries in all kinds of scientific research. Sites for two research institutions, the Max Planck Society and the Helmholtz Association are below.
German Cars
Just look around the highways and byways of the USA and you'll see these cars built by Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, and Volkswagen. Nikolaus Otto, Gottlieb Daimler, Karl Benz, and Rudolf Diesel from Germany were pioneers in developing the car engine.
Timbered Houses
"Fachwerkhäuser" can be found in many towns in Germany. I took this picture in February 2007 when we visited the town of Annweiler at the foot of the Trifels castle. In fact, on the "Let German take you there" site you see Mrs. Schoonover, GHS math teacher, under the arch and me, Frau Hill, in the window of this fascinating castle that is over 800 years old. Knowing German has opened up many fascinating opportunities that are off the beaten track. Check the castle's website below.
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