2. There are many theories behind the flag ‘s (pictured above) colors. One of the most widely accepted theories is that the black and gold relate to the Holy Roman Empire. When that empire fell, the colors became symbolic to Austria’s Habsburg Dynasty.

4. Germany ranks 14 th in a list of the most populous countries, with 81,802,000 (estimated in the end of December of 2009).

5. An average German lives about 79.4 years. Germany is ranked 20 th in a list of countries according to their life expectancy.

6. Christianity is the most prominent religion in Germany. The beliefs of Christians consist of believing that Jesus is the son of the one God, and that Jesus is equal to God. Also, Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary. Christians believe that anyone who believes can have salvations, and anyone who prays for forgiveness will receive it. Another basic belief of Christians is that God has created everything- including things that one may not be able to see.

7. Most Germans speak their native language, which is German. GermanEnglish Guten tag!Hello! Bitte!Please! Auf Wiedersehen!Good-bye! Wie geht es ihnen?How are you? Bitte schÖn!You’re welcome!

8. German’s celebrate neujahr, or New Year’s Day. They celebrate this holiday to commemorate the year’s past, and to look forward to tomorrow.

9. Ingredients 1 cup white sugar 1 cup shortening 1 cup honey 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking soda 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground ginger Directions 1. In a saucepan over low heat, melt together sugar, shortening and honey. Let cool. 2. Mix together eggs, vanilla, baking soda and ginger. Gradually add to cooled honey mixture. 3. Slowly add 4 cups of flour to mixture. Stir until well blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) until golden (about 12-15 minutes). Old German Honey Cookies

10. Ingredients 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided 1 clove garlic, minced 2 onions, chopped 2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons pepper 2 tablespoons caraway seed 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 7 cups beef broth 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon white sugar 1 teaspoon nutmeg 3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley Directions 1.Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic and onion, and cook until softened and translucent; remove from pan. Pour 2 tablespoons canola oil into Dutch oven. While this heats, mix the beef with salt and pepper. Sear the beef in batches until browned all over, about 5 minutes. 2.Stir in caraway seeds and flour, cook until flour is incorporated and the caraway seed is fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in beef broth; add bay leaves, sugar, nutmeg, and onion mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the meat is tender, about 2 hours. 3.Stir in the potatoes and carrots; continue cooking until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir together the cornstarch and water; stir into the stew along with the parsley. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes All Pumpkin’s Night Stew

11. Neuschwanstein Castle One of the biggest tourist attractions, the Neuschwanstein Castle is able to boast. It is the most famous castle in Germany. Many peoplevisit just to see the beautiful site, while others come to see how much of the original architecture was used as inspiration for Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland.