Of course, Germany is well known for its role in World War II but besides that Germany has so much more to offer which we want to show by presenting you 42 incredible fun facts about Germany. Have you ever heard the origin story of the “Made in Germany” label or why Germany is the reason that we can now drink Fanta? If you want to find out more about Germany and its unbelievable facts, you should definitely continue reading. Have fun.
1. During the First World War, a unique event took place on the western front. On Christmas Eve, allied troops stopped their fighting and started singing Christmas carols. The Germans responded by shouting “Merry Christmas”. Some of the English then came out of their trenches and ran to the Germans to greet them and shake hands, and then the soldiers even exchanged cigarettes.
2. To keep the German soldiers away from the British night vision technology, the United Kingdom spread the lie that eating lots of carrots helped British soldiers to increase their eyesight during night. A myth was born. Are you looking for even more war facts? We have an incredible article only about such historical facts from past wars so make sure to read it.
3. On average, German women have their first baby at the age of 29.
4. In 2016, the first German championship in mermaid swimming was held. Both men and women pull a kind of tail fin over their legs, and their time over a certain distance is measured.
5. Because it was impossible to transport the ingredients needed for Coca Cola to Nazi Germany, the Coca Cola Company designed a beverage especially for the German market: Fanta. Read more about this story here in our article.
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6. About 83 percent of German women would abstain from sex for 100,000 Euros.
7. Ransom payments to abductors can be written off as taxes in Germany.
8. Most books stolen in German universities are legal books. The second most commonly stolen books are books with a theological background.
9. When in 1940 Adolf Hitler banned the public display of colored people in Germany, he was the first state leader to take action against the so-called “human zoos”.
10. Germany was the first country to implement summer time. That’s not the only historical fact you can find here. If you are looking for even more historical facts from us you just have to click on that link.
11. During the Nuremberg Trials, a psychological test and an intelligence test were carried out on many accused Nazi functionaries and high-ranking military personnel. All Nazi leaders (except for Julius Streicher) displayed above-average intelligence, and some even had an IQ of 140. The former commander of the German Air Force, Hermann Göring, for example, had an IQ of 138.
12. College education in Germany is free even for internationals.
13. In Germany it is a crime to publicly deny the Holocaust.
14. The label “Made in Germany” was originally intended to warn British people of inferior items from Germany.
15. The first printed book was published in German. It was the Bible.
16. In the 1890s Bayer, a pharmaceutical company in Germany, advertised heroine as a medicine.
17. There is no general speed limit on highways in Germany.
18. Worms, officially the oldest city in Germany, was inhabited as early as 5,000 BC.
19. Financially, World War I did not end for Germany until 2010, when the last of the reparations payments under the Treaty of Versailles was made.
20. Berlin is almost 9 times bigger than Paris and has even more bridges than Venice.
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21. The most common cause of death in Germany for men and women is coronary heart disease.
22. The glass globe above the German Reichstag building symbolizes that politics should always be transparent and that the people stand over the government.
23. The Christmas tree was invented in Germany.
24. According to the Global Age Watch Index 2014, Germany is the third best country on earth after Sweden and Norway, for humans to get as old as possible.
25. On the basis of number of viewers, Disney’s Jungle Book was the most successful movie in Germany.
26. About 31 percent of Germany’s surface is covered by forest. If you like that fact make sure to also check out our article with 500 facts about our world.
27. The German term “Bombenwetter” (literally: “bomb weather”) can be traced back to the fact that this weather offers ideal conditions to make out targets when bombing a city. The word originated during the Second World War.
28. In Germany, there is a woman named “Pepsi-Carola”. Shortly after her birth on 4 May 1959, while still at the hospital, she was sponsored by PepsiCo. Under this special promotional campaign, she received an educational endowment insurance of 6,000 Deutschmarks, while her parents received a cash sum of 4,000 Deutschmarks.
29. Most board games are sold in Germany.
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30. Ten percent of all Germans don’t know why they celebrate Christmas.
31. With more than 100 million records sold, the Scorpions are the most successful German band.
32. Germany shares its borders with nine other countries. Poland, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
33. In Germany, prisoners who are to be released in January can apply for a Christmas amnesty. If the request is granted, the prisoner is allowed to leave the prison earlier in order to spend Christmas with his family.
34. Nazi Germany was the first country in the world to launch an anti-smoking campaign. Soldiers, for example, were forbidden to smoke while on duty.
35. The oldest high-school graduate in Germany is 73 years old.
36. To date, 43 Germans have won an Oscar and 81 have been awarded the Nobel Prize.
37. In terms of the number of museums, theatres and libraries, Germany is the country with the most opportunities for cultural activities.
38. In Germany, almost each second marriage ends in divorce.
39. When Erich Honecker, a GDR politician, first visited the Federal Republic of Germany, his red carpet was 8 inches shorter than usual, because the Federal Republic did not want to show him the same respect as other citizens and friends.
40. During the Second World War, the city of Constance was largely spared from Allied bombing raids. Unlike other German cities, Constance did not cut off electricity at night. Allied pilots could therefore hardly distinguish the city from neighboring Switzerland, where the lights also remained on at night. In order to avoid mistakes, no bombs were dropped in the region.
41. The Chancellor’s office in Berlin is known as the “washing machine” due to its shape of a washing machine.
42. Nearly one in five Germans regularly use a laptop on the toilet.
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General Facts about Germany
Apart from be above listed fun facts about Germany you might also be interested in some more general facts about that country. See them here:
| Capital | Berlin |
| Largest City | Berlin |
| Total Area | 137,988 sq mi (357,386 km²) |
| Population (2018) | 83,019,200 |
| President | Frank-Walter Steinmeier |
| Chancellor | Angela Merkel |
| Currency | Euro |
Last Update: December 1st 2019.