#WordyWednesday: In German, “Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof” (“I only understand train station”) means “I’m totally confused”. English says “It’s all Greek to me,” French/Spanish/Swedish use Greek or Chinese… but Germany? They opt for the train station! 🚉

#WhyLearn German? German shares many familiar words with English, making vocab a breeze! But beware of false friends, gift is not the same in German! ☠️ Which German word has made learning easier, or caused a funny mix-up for you?

#FunFactFriday: Hamburg has around 2500 bridges, more than Venice, Amsterdam & London combined! 🌉 Check out Speicherstadt, the historic warehouse district and UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its iconic red-brick buildings, canals & bridges. #Hamburg #DiscoverGermany

Join us 24 Nov 2025, 6:30pm GMT for an exclusive BGA online event with @juergenthebread.bsky.social Jürgen Krauss and Abigail Abesamis Demarest celebrating The German Christmas Cookbook. Festive bakes, expert tips, Christmas inspiration! 🎄✨Register here: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

#WordyWednesday 🍺 Ever notice how languages say the same thing in different ways? English: “It’s not my business”. German: “Das ist nicht mein Bier” (“That’s not my beer”). Same meaning, German style!

#WhyLearnGerman? Because German words often explain themselves. Many long words are built from smaller parts you already know. Just think of Staubsauger (“dust-sucker” = hoover). This structure makes new vocab easy to decode. What are your favourite examples?

The German Academic Scholarship Foundation celebrated their 100-year anniversary last weekend in London with a full programme – including a networking fair at King's College. The BGA was delighted to take part. Thank you to Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes for the invite!

#FunFactFriday: Christmas Markets are popping up across the UK: Manchester and Birmingham are in full swing, and Hyde Park’s #WinterWonderland opens today. But did you know 🇩🇪 has over 150 cities and towns with established Christmas markets? Berlin alone has more than 70! ✨🎅

Great turnout last night at Edinburgh Uni for “Still a Model? What We Can (and Can’t) Learn from German Federalism” — a joint BGA & @ccc-research.bsky.social event. Thanks to @angusrobertson.bsky.social, Elke Heins, David Smith, and everyone who joined us! 🙌📸 #GermanFederalism #Edinburgh

#WordyWednesday: Last night in 🇩🇪, lanterns jingled and swayed for St. Martin’s Day, with children singing “Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum!”. These mimetic words echo how languages hear the world: like English’s ding-dong and German’s kling-klang. Do you have a favourite sound-word?

#WhyLearnGerman? 🇩🇪 Even knowing the basics can turn your next TV watch into a language lesson! Switch your Netflix or Prime shows to German audio/subs and pick up vocab + grammar naturally. Low effort, high reward. 📺

#FunFactFriday: Next Tuesday, 11 Nov, holds meaning in both 🇩🇪 & 🇬🇧! In Germany, it’s St. Martin’s Day – lanterns, songs & kindness. In the UK, it’s Remembrance Day – honouring those who served. Different traditions, same spirit of compassion & remembrance.

📢 #BGAEvent: It is not too late to book for our first in-person event in Edinburgh, organised jointly with @ccc-research.bsky.social. We're honoured that @angusrobertson.bsky.social will share this thoughts on German federalism. Register here: eventbrite.co.uk/e/still-a-mo...

Yesterday's #GermanLinksQuiz question was this: buff.ly/L2fRUFv And here's the answer 💡 Congratulations to everyone who got it right ❗️

#GermanLinksQuiz: our series explores British-German links by asking what connects familiar aspects of UK life with Germany. Questions on a Wednesday, answers on a Thursday. Feel free to post your guesses below 👇 Enjoy and be kind in your comments!

Last month, 30 people from Königslutter (DE) visited their twin town Taunton (UK). The partnership has been going since 1992. A week-long programme included local trips, museum visits, a reception given by the Mayor & quintessentially West Country experiences such as cream tea. (1/2)

Other recent #BGAEvents now available to watch online include 𝗥𝗶𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗵𝗹 (youtu.be/q71_Zlx9QJ0) and 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗸 (youtu.be/i3TIGm94ll4). (1/2)

Yesterday, we hosted an online event celebrating our Royal Patron, HRH The Duke of Kent, to mark his 90th birthday, in partnership with the Dresden Trust, @bloodcanceruk.bsky.social & the Scouts. If you missed it, you can now watch a recording here: youtu.be/YJ8brwkQysc @royalfamily.bsky.social

#WhyLearnGerman? Because spelling in German is easier than in most other languages! It's largely phonemic, meaning that the same spelling indicates the same sound, and vice versa. Even the use of the (in)famous "ß" follows a simple rule. Here it is ❗️

Yesterday's #GermanLinksQuiz question was this: buff.ly/aja6Xzj And here's the answer 💡 Congratulations to everyone who got it right ❗️

𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗥𝗛 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝘂𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝟵𝟬 - A lifetime of service, supporting 140+ charities & causes. Join us 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟯 𝗢𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝟲𝗽𝗺 on Zoom as charities honour his legacy, with insights from royal biographer Hugo Vickers and others. Register here: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi... @uk.diplo.de

Wishing our Royal Patron, HRH The Duke of Kent, a very happy 90th birthday! @royalfamily.bsky.social

#GermanLinksQuiz: our series explores British-German links by asking what connects familiar aspects of UK life 🇬🇧 with Germany 🇩🇪 Questions on a Wednesday, answers on a Thursday. Feel free to post your guesses below 👇 Enjoy and be kind in your comments!

Yesterday's #GermanLinksQuiz question was this: buff.ly/hXW3VfT And here's the answer 💡 Congratulations to everyone who got it right ❗️

The Odenwald Association (which supports Falkirk’s twinning link with 🇩🇪) will be celebrating their 50th anniversary this weekend with an Oktoberfest evening (Fri 3rd), an exhibition in Falkirk & a ceilidh in Airth (Sat 4th). For details, contact Anne on [email protected].

#GermanLinksQuiz: our series explores British-German links by asking what connects familiar aspects of UK life with Germany. Questions on a Wednesday, answers on a Thursday. Feel free to post your guesses below 👇 Enjoy and be kind in your comments!

#TwinningTuesday: earlier this month, 𝗕𝗮𝗱 𝗚𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗺 (DE) welcomed visitors from its twin town 𝗦𝗸𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 (UK) to mark 10 years of "Two Voices" - an installation consisting of an iconic British phone box & seaside bench which represent the cultural dialogue between the two towns. (1/2) @uk.diplo.de

#FunFactFriday: Hanna Steinmüller this week became the first lawmaker to address the German parliament while carrying her baby, earning praise from the (female) President of the Bundestag. As recently as 2021, Stella Creasey was rebuked for doing the same in the House of Commons.

Yesterday's #GermanLinksQuiz question was this: buff.ly/ZRztNr6 And here's the answer 💡 Congratulations to everyone who got it right ❗️

A great pleasure to meet @mayorofgm.bsky.social Andy Burnham & German Honorary Consul Sandra Morrison (pictured here with BGA Chairman Peter Barnes) at the 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿-𝗥𝘂𝗵𝗿 Innovation Summit today, marking the next step in this UK-German regional partnership initiated by the BGA in 2021.

#GermanLinksQuiz: our series explores British-German links by asking what connects familiar aspects of UK life with Germany. Questions on a Wednesday, answers on a Thursday. Feel free to post your guesses below 👇 Enjoy and be kind in your comments!

📢 #BGAEvent: 𝗥𝗶𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗵𝗹 - @theguardian.com journalist @kateconnolly.bsky.social in conversation with director 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗩𝗲𝗶𝗲𝗹 📅 Thu 25 Sep, 6.30pm 🗺️ On Zoom 👉 Join the BGA & register here: britishgermanassociation.org/event/riefen...

#TwinningTuesday: the brilliant @jayforeman.bsky.social & @markcooperjones.bsky.social at #MapMen have just published a fun potted history of twinning in the UK (& beyond)! Not limited to UK-Germany, but well worth a watch - and a light-hearted yet sincere reminder of why twinning remains relevant ❤️

#WhyLearnGerman? To discover 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻! Thanks to its love for compound words, German has some great terms for things you've always known but never knew how to say. Here are some fun examples 👇

#OnThisDay in 1990, the 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 in central Berlin, seat of the East German parliament, was closed due to asbestos contamination. It was controversially demolished from 2003 and replaced with a replica of the Royal Palace that had stood on the site until 1950.

Yesterday's #GermanLinksQuiz question was this: buff.ly/S1ERmNf And here's the answer 💡 Congratulations to everyone who got it right ❗️

#GermanLinksQuiz: our series explores British-German links by asking what connects familiar aspects of UK life with Germany. Questions on a Wednesday, answers on a Thursday. Feel free to post your guesses below 👇 Enjoy and be kind in your comments!

#TwinningTuesday: 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗹 (UK) has been twinned with 𝗥𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗻 (DE) since 1991. The voluntary organisation supporting the twinning, 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗹-𝗥𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗻 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, is inviting other UK-German twinnings in North-West England to a lunch on 18 October! Further details below 👇 (1/2)

📢 #BGAEvent with @ccc-research.bsky.social: 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹? 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗻 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗻'𝘁) 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺 with Cabinet Secretary @angusrobertson.bsky.social MSP 📆 Tue 30 Sep, 6pm 🗺️ Old College, Edinburgh EH8 9YL 👉 More info & register here: britishgermanassociation.org/event/still-...

#WhyLearnGerman? Because 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 is easier than you think! 😯 It's largely phonemic - meaning that what is spelled the same sounds the same - and most German sounds also exist in varieties of British English. Here are some examples! 👇

#OnThisDay in 1990, 35 years ago, the two German states and the four victorious powers of WWII (including the UK) signed the "Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany", aka the 𝟮+𝟰 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘆, confirming Germany's modern borders and paving the way for German reunification.

Last night, the BGA hosted a reception at the home of our Trustee Andrew Gilchrist and his wife, Rachel Portman OBE, to welcome the new Deputy Head of Mission at @uk.diplo.de, Christian Doktor. Guests included Nick Pickard, Director of Europe at the FCDO, and other close friends and supporters.

Yesterday's #GermanLinksQuiz question was this: buff.ly/6aygRZD And here's the answer 💡 Congratulations to everyone who got it right ❗️

#GermanLinksQuiz: our series explores British-German links by asking what connects familiar aspects of UK life with Germany. Questions on a Wednesday, answers on a Thursday. Feel free to post your guesses below 👇 Enjoy and be kind in your comments!

#WhyLearnGerman? German is the most in-demand additional language among UK employers - but you may be surprised to learn in which industries German is most sought-after. Here's a list 👇 Whether your interest is in technology or banking, studying German can boost you career!

At an event at the 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗛𝘂𝗯 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻 last week, BGA members enjoyed fascinating talks by barrister 𝗠𝗮𝗵𝗻𝗮𝘇 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗸 on the history of the Temple district & by artist 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮 𝘃𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗴, whose work is showcased at the Hub. Many thanks to Alex Altmann and Stephanie Warren for hosting!

We are delighted that 𝗛.𝗘. 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗻, the new @germanambuk.bsky.social, has agreed to succeed H.E. Miguel Berger as 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗚𝗔. We look forward to continuing our close working relationship with @uk.diplo.de to promote friendship & mutual understanding between the UK & Germany.

A pleasure to speak to Members of the Bavarian State Parliament, academics from @lmumuenchen.bsky.social & representatives of the Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung today about Scottish-Bavarian town twinnings, during their visit to Edinburgh.

#FunFactFriday: did you know that Germany's 𝗛𝗮𝗺𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗴 𝗔𝗶𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 is the world's oldest international airport still in operation? Opened in 1911, it's named after German chancellor Helmut Schmidt. From the UK, you can fly direct to Hamburg from Manchester, Stansted, Heathrow & Gatwick.

📢 #BGAEvent: The BGA is proud to be hosting its first in-person event in Edinburgh, organised jointly with @ccc-research.bsky.social! We're honoured that @angusrobertson.bsky.social will share this thoughts on German federalism. Please register here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/still-a-mo...