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German Classes from 192 € per month. Study at Berlino Schule. New classes start next week

April 24, 2019/0 Kommentare/in Blog/von Berlino Schule

Summer is coming and social life is growing! That is why Berlino Schule has come up with new German courses: intensive, evening, private and Skype classes. Don’t skip any of these opportunities!

It is your first time in Berlin, or you have been living in Berlin for quite a lot of time, but you still have the feeling you cannot speak German fluently? Don’t worry. You are neither the first nor the last to experience this. This is why it is extremely important to rely on the right school. Berlino Schule provides you with qualified teachers, who have been teaching German for lots of years. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn “this (not) impossible” language in an international environment!

Berlino Schule has the best quality-price ratio: it can provide you with a proper language education, with qualified and German native teachers from just 4€/hour. Moreover, whether you are in need of an accomodation, we can help you find the right one for you.

Berlino Schule provides students with three kinds of German course: intensive (morning and afternoon), extensive (evening) and private lessons.

Our German intensive courses

Our intensive courses are held in the morning. Classes will take place 4 times a week, from 8.45 to 11.15 or from 11.40 to 14.20. The course will last four weeks, for a total amount of 48 hours.

Price: 192 euro + 20 euro registration fee

Our German intensive courses – May

A1.1 30 APRIL – 24 MAY (Tue-Fri 11.40-14.10)

A1.2 30 APRIL – 24 MAY (Tue-Fri 8.45 -11.15)

A2.1 30 APRIL – 24 MAY (Tue-Fri 11.40-14.10)

A2.2 30 APRIL – 24 MAY (Tue-Fri 8.45 -11.15)

B1.1 30 APRIL – 24 MAY (Tue-Fri 11.40-14.10)

B1.2 30 APRIL – 24 MAY (Tue-Fri 8.45 -11.15)

B2.2 30 APRIL – 24 MAY (Tue-Fri 8.45 -11.15)

Our German intensive courses – June

A1.1 28 MAY – 21 JUNE (Tue-Fri 8.45 – 11.15)

A1.2 28 MAY – 21 JUNE (Tue-Fri 11.40 – 14.10)

A2.1 28 MAY – 21 JUNE (Tue-Fri 8.45 – 11.15)

A2.2 28 MAY – 21 JUNE (Tue-Fri 11.40 – 14.10)

B1.1 28 MAY – 21 JUNE (Tue-Fri 8.45 – 11.15)

B2.1 28 MAY – 21 JUNE (Tue-Fri 8.45 – 11.15)

C1.1 28 MAY – 21 JUNE (Tue-Fri 11.40 – 14.10)

Our German intensive courses – July

A1.1 25 JUNE – 19 JULY (Tue-Fri 11:40-14:10)

A1.2 25 JUNE – 19 JULY (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

A2.1 25 JUNE – 19 JULY (Tue-Fri 11:40-14:10)

A2.2 25 JUNE – 19 JULY (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

B1.1 25 JUNE – 19 JULY (Tue-Fri 11:40-14:10)

B1.2 25 JUNE – 19 JULY (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

B2.2 25 JUNE – 19 JULY (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

Our German intensive courses – August – 3 weeks

A1.1 22 JULY – 9 AUGUST (Mon-Fri 8:45-11:25)

A1.2 22 JULY – 9 AUGUST (Mon-Fri 11:40-14:20)

A2.1 22 JULY – 9 AUGUST (Mon-Fri 8:45-11:25)

A2.2 22 JULY – 9 AUGUST (Mon-Fri 11:40-14:20)

B1.1 22 JULY – 9 AUGUST (Mon-Fri 8:45-11:25)

B1.2 22 JULY – 9 AUGUST (Mon-Fri 11:40-14:20)

B2.1 22 JULY – 9 AUGUST (Mon-Fri 8:45-11:25)

Our German intensive courses – August – 3 weeks

A1.1 12 AUGUST – 30 AUGUST (Mon-Fri 11:40-14:20)

A1.2 12 AUGUST – 30 AUGUST (Mon-Fri 8:45-11:25)

A2.1 12 AUGUST – 30 AUGUST (Mon-Fri 11:40-14:20)

A2.2 12 AUGUST – 30 AUGUST (Mon-Fri 8:45-11:25)

B1.1 12 AUGUST – 30 AUGUST (Mon-Fri 11:40-14:20)

B2.1 12 AUGUST – 30 AUGUST (Mon-Fri 8:45-11:25)

B2.2 12 AUGUST – 30 AUGUST (Mon-Fri 8:45-11:25)

Our German intensive courses – September

A1.1 3 SEPTEMBER – 27 SEPTEMBER (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

A1.2 3 SEPTEMBER – 27 SEPTEMBER (Tue-Fri 11:40-14:10)

A2.1 3 SEPTEMBER – 27 SEPTEMBER (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

A2.2 3 SEPTEMBER – 27 SEPTEMBER (Tue-Fri 11:40-14:10)

B1.1 3 SEPTEMBER – 27 SEPTEMBER (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

B2.2 3 SEPTEMBER – 27 SEPTEMBER (Tue-Fri 11:40-14:10)

C1.1 3 SEPTEMBER – 27 SEPTEMBER (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

Our German intensive courses – October

A1.1 1 OCTOBER – 25 OCTOBER (Tue-Fri 11:40-14:10)

A1.2 1 OCTOBER – 25 OCTOBER (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

A2.1 1 OCTOBER – 25 OCTOBER (Tue-Fri 11:40-14:10)

A2.2 1 OCTOBER – 25 OCTOBER (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

B1.1 1 OCTOBER – 25 OCTOBER (Tue-Fri 11:40-14:10)

B1.2 1 OCTOBER – 25 OCTOBER (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

B2.1 1 OCTOBER – 25 OCTOBER (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

Our German intensive courses – November

A1.1 29 OCTOBER – 22 NOVEMBER (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

A1.2 29 OCTOBER – 22 NOVEMBER (Tue-Fri 11:40-14:10)

A2.1 29 OCTOBER – 22 NOVEMBER (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

A2.2 29 OCTOBER – 22 NOVEMBER (Tue-Fri 11:40-14:10)

B1.1 29 OCTOBER – 22 NOVEMBER (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

B1.2 29 OCTOBER – 22 NOVEMBER (Tue-Fri 11:40-14:10)

B2.1 29 OCTOBER – 22 NOVEMBER (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

Our German intensive courses – December

A1.1 26 NOVEMBER – 20 DECEMBER (Tue-Fri 11:40-14:10)

A1.2 26 NOVEMBER – 20 DECEMBER (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

A2.1 26 NOVEMBER – 20 DECEMBER (Tue-Fri 11:40-14:10)

A2.2 26 NOVEMBER – 20 DECEMBER (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

B1.1 26 NOVEMBER – 20 DECEMBER (Tue-Fri 11:40-14:10)

B1.2 26 NOVEMBER – 20 DECEMBER (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

B2.2 26 NOVEMBER – 20 DECEMBER (Tue-Fri 8:45-11:15)

Look at our calendar to find out our German intensive courses!

Our German afternoon courses

Our afternoon courses are held in the afternoon. Classes will take place 4 times a week, from 14.30 to 17. The course will last four weeks, for a total amount of 48 hours.

Price: 192 euro + 20 euro registration fee

Our next German afternoon courses

A1.1 30 April – 24 May (Tue-Fri, 14:30-17:00)

Look at our calendar to find out our German afternoon courses!

Our German evening courses

Evening German courses last 8 weeks, for a total amount of 48 hours: classes take place twice a week (Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday), 3 hours per day, from 19.15 to 21.40.

Price: 240 euro + 20 euro registration fee

Our German evening courses – May/June

A1.1 6 MAY – 26 JUNE (MON and WED 19.15 – 21.40)

A1.2 7 MAY – 27 JUNE (TUE and THU 19.15 – 21.40)

A2.1 6 MAY – 26 JUNE (MON and WED 19.15 – 21.40)

A2.2 7 MAY – 27 JUNE (TUE and THU 19.15 – 21.40)

B1.1 7 MAY – 27 JUNE (TUE and THU 19.15 – 21.40)

B1.2 6 MAY – 26 JUNE (MON and WED 19.15 – 21.40)

Our German evening courses – July/August

A1.1 2 JULY – 22 AUGUST (TUE and THU 19:15 – 21:40)

A1.2 1 JULY – 21 AUGUST (MON and WED 19:15 – 21:40)

A2.1 2 JULY – 22 AUGUST (TUE and THU 19:15 – 21:40)

A2.2 1 JULY – 21 AUGUST (MON and WED 19:15 – 21:40)

B1.1 2 JULY – 22 AUGUST (TUE and THU 19:15 – 21:40)

B2.1 1 JULY – 21 AUGUST (MON and WED 19:15 – 21:40)

Our German evening courses – August/October

A1.1 26 AUGUST – 16 OCTOBER (MON and WED 19:15 – 21:40)

A1.2 27 AUGUST – 17 OCTOBER (TUE and THU 19:15 – 21:40)

A2.1 26 AUGUST – 16 OCTOBER (MON and WED 19:15 – 21:40)

A2.2 27 AUGUST – 17 OCTOBER (TUE and THU 19:15 – 21:40)

B1.2 27 AUGUST – 17 OCTOBER (TUE and THU 19:15 – 21:40)

B2.2 26 AUGUST – 16 OCTOBER (MON and WED 19:15 – 21:40)

Our German evening courses – October/December

A1.1 22 OCTOBER – 12 DECEMBER (TUE and THU 19:15 – 21:40)

A1.2 21 OCTOBER – 11 DECEMBER (MON and WED 19:15 – 21:40)

A2.1 22 OCTOBER – 12 DECEMBER (TUE and THU 19:15 – 21:40)

A2.2 21 OCTOBER – 11 DECEMBER (MON and WED 19:15 – 21:40)

B1.1 22 OCTOBER – 12 DECEMBER (TUE and THU 19:15 – 21:40)

C1.1 21 OCTOBER – 11 DECEMBER (MON and WED 19:15 – 21:40)

Look at our calendar to find out our German evening courses!

Conversation course

24 April – 22 May (once a week, every Wednesday, 18.30 – 20.45)

Price: 230 euro

Our German super-intensive courses (Summer School)

Do you want to give a boost to your summer? Would you take advantage of the summer holidays to improve your German, a language which is getting more and more important in the labour market? Are you looking forward to coming to Berlin, a city full of culture, art and nightlife?

Summer School of Berlino Schule is the study trip you are looking for. If you choose to enroll to our classes, you will have the possibility to attend super intensive courses of 5 hours per day (from Monday to Friday) for 2 weeks, in a lively and international district of Friedrichshain.

That’s not all! Students attending the courses at Berlino Schule will be offered the chance to join in afternoon activities, related to the German language (i.e. cineforum, walking tours, museums, conversation activities, etc) for a total amount of 8 hours per week.

When. Summer School courses will be held from the 8th of July to the 30th of August and will be every 2 weeks: 8-19 July, 22 July-2 August, 5-16 August, 19-30 August, every day, from 14:30 to 18:45.

Accomodation. Mission impossible? No panic! Berlino Schule has established some agreements with some landlords to make your studying holiday as easier as possible. If you are interested, you can contact the school and we will provide you with a list containing all the info you need.

Price: 230 euro

Wanna book the whole package? You would like to attend a super-intensive course, but it is rather difficult for you to find an accomodation? We can provide you with an a single room in some hotels just nearby Berlino Schule (15 nights) and you can have the chance to get 2 weekly tickets (AB zone). Ask for a price quotation!

Our German super-intensive courses – July

A1.1: 8 JULY-19 JULY (Mon-Fri, 14:30-18:45)

A2.1: 8 JULY-19 JULY (Mon-Fri, 14:30-18:45)

B2.1: 8 JULY-19 JULY (Mon-Fri, 14:30-18:45)

Our German super-intensive courses – July/August

A1.2: 22 JULY-2 AUGUST (Mon-Fri, 14:30-18:45)

A2.2: 22 JULY-2 AUGUST (Mon-Fri, 14:30-18:45)

B2.2: 22 JULY-2 AUGUST (Mon-Fri, 14:30-18:45)

Our German super-intensive courses – August

A1.1: 5 AUGUST-16 AUGUST (Mon-Fri, 14:30-18:45)

B1.1: 5 AUGUST-16 AUGUST (Mon-Fri, 14:30-18:45)

C1.1: 5 AUGUST-16 AUGUST (Mon-Fri, 14:30-18:45)

Our German super-intensive courses – August

A1.2: 19 AUGUST-30 AUGUST (Mon-Fri, 14:30-18:45)

B1.2: 19 AUGUST-30 AUGUST (Mon-Fri, 14:30-18:45)

C1.2: 19 AUGUST-30 AUGUST (Mon-Fri, 14:30-18:45)

Look at our calendar to find out our German super-intensive courses

Skype/private classes

We want learning to be accessible to everyone, even if you don’t live in Germany or don’t have the time to come to our school. Our individual and Skype classes are made up for beginners (A1.1) and advanced learners (C1). An attendance certificate will be given to you at the end of your eLearning classes. If you want to take individual classes, no previous knowledge is required. Our flexible schedule will meet your specific linguistic needs and working hours. The attendance will be define with the school. The price is 28 € per hour (45 minutes).

Our teachers

The courses are held by teachers with certified experience in the language teaching field. At the end of the course a certificate of attendance will be released on demand.

Info and registration

Send an email to info@berlinoschule.com and we will reply with all the information you need. Check also our website to know more about Berlino Schule.

Berlino Schule

Gryphiusstraße 23, 10245 Berlin

030 36465765

info@berlinoschule.com

Lipsi, when DDR created a new dance to stop rock’n’roll

April 17, 2019/0 Kommentare/in Blog/von Annalisa Gioioso

Listening to new rock bands was actually impossible for youngsters who lived in Soviet bloc

All western bands were strongly censored by the regime, above all rock’n’roll, which was not tolerated at all. Although listening to Elvis, Rolling Stones or Beatles was a weighty matter, the ban could be bypassed and their albums made it into DDR. The Soviet party’s chiefs worried about the fact that youngers were listening to this kind of music, so they decided to think a new dance up. The newborn dance was created to be caught on as opposed to rock’n’roll: Lipsi was born.

Soviet’s reply to the degenerate and vulgar Western rock’n’roll

Soviet leaders felt disconcerted by dances which kept spreading out since the end of the 50s. They believed that Elvis‘ basin movements were almost pornographic; besides, a tête-à-tête dancing between teenagers was a not-well-identified danger for the social order. In order to prevent the leverage of this new kind of music over DDR teenagers, Soviet leaders were determined to compose new music and a dance, both to be suitable for the (chaste) education of Socialist youngsters. About Lipsi, René Dubianski composed the music, whereas the dance section was created by Christa and Helmut Seifert dancers. As reported by J.Elke Ertel in his book entitled „Walled In – A West Berlin girl’s journey to freedom„, the name was not chosen by chance. All three authors came from Lipsia, which was obviously situated in the Soviet bloc. Adapting the Latin name of the city, Lipsiens, they created an original name: not without good reason, they thought that the final „i“ would have given an „American“ and new-fashioned guise, more fashionable for teenagers. Once music was composed and the dance was created, the strict Soviet censorship let it pass: the challenge against the capitalist West could begin on the dancing floor, too.

A guideline to dance Lipsi, for a perfect party in Eastern German style

Surely, you are now curious to know how to dance Lipsi, which is essential to organize a DDR themed party. The lyrics, composed by Dublansky and reported by Anna Funder in Stasiland: Stories from behind the Berlin Wall, go like this: «These days all the youngsters dance Lipsistep, just it; These days all of them want to learn Lipsistep: it is hip rhythm! Rumba, Boogie and Cha Cha Cha are old-fashioned; out of the blue, a new rhythm has come from nowhere and it is about to be still». The piece is in 6/4, as it was a speedy waltz. The Seiferts created a very simple choreography which is quite similar to a rumba blended with waltz as defined by Ertel, so that it could be easily and quickly learnt by the youth. The most curious aspect was that any kind of basin movement was strictly forbidden, only chest movements were permitted. Dancers almost never got close to each other, keeping safe distance: all that contributed to create an „innocent“ choreography. But even though it was beaten the drum for it, Lipsi didn’t hit the big time. Socialist teenagers continued to prefer Western rock’n’roll with its own unfettered rhythm and, listening to Lipsi, we can’t argue with them. If you want to learn more about the history of this questionable dance and about the everyday life during those years, you could visit the DDR Museum in Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse, Berlin.

Cover image: A Lipsi step – Screenshot from Youtube’s video

Johann Trollman, the Sinti boxer who challenged the Nazi regime

April 16, 2019/0 Kommentare/in Blog/von federicazep

Who is Johann Trollman?

Johann Trollman was a Sinti boxer who started his career during the Nazi regime. On the ring, he used to wear a pair of shorts on which the tiny word “Gypsy” had been sewed. Trollman was born in 1907 in Hannover, it was also known as “Rukeli,” which means „tree,“ due to his prominent figure and his curly hair. Although he was a professional boxer, he has always been branded as “nomad.” Trollman was known for his original way to fight like a dancer. Disparaged by the press because of his approach to competitors, he was exempted from the Olympic team of ’98 beacuse of his gipsy origins.

He stepped into the ring dressed up as a true Arian to mock the regime

When Hitler rose to power, Germany’s boxing clubs were reorganized, and non-Arian fighters were excluded. To obtain the middle weight title, Trollman had to fight against the German Adolf Witte. Even if he won the match, Nazi authorities stripped him of his title eight days later and gave it to Gustav Eder. Trollman took up the challenge and fought against the new champion. However, German authorities forced Trollman to change his original way of fighting. As a response, the gypsy boxer arrived on the ring after having dyed his hair blonde and covered his body with flour, to mock the regime.

The Sinti boxer had to pay up for teasing Nazis

Due to Gustav Eder’s match, Trollman lost both his chance to regain the title and his fighting license. Furthermore, his failure forced him to work as a waiter for a living. After being threatened, the Sinti boxer had to leave his family and underwent a sterilization. In 1942 he was arrested and forced to join the eastern front. Later, he was deported in Neuengamme, a concentration camp where German soldiers forced him to make illegal fights over the night. Trollman was moved again into Wittenberge, where he had his last illegal match. His victory stirred up general unrest among German soldiers, who killed him. Today the German boxing federation recognizes his value and apologizes to the family for what happened during those years.

Kokeshi75 CC0

Hermannplatz returns to its former beauty thanks to David Chipperfield

April 12, 2019/0 Kommentare/in Blog/von federicazep

The department store located in Hermannplatz (Berlin – Neukölln) will be redesigned by David Chipperfield

The legendary building located in Hermannplatz, which dates back to the 1920s, will be knocked down and rebuilt by David Chipperfield. The palace can be found between Kreuzberg and Neukölln. In 1929 Karstadt wasn’t just a shopping center: it represented also a tourist attraction in the Weimar Republic. After the Second World War, the building was destroyed and later on built up. Today the facility belongs to an Austrian billionaire called Renè Benko. Now the billionaire wants to restore Karstadt’s builing and bring it to its former beauty.

Karstadt from the 1920s to the 1950s

In the past, the Art Decò building stood on Hermannplatz, extending over 32 meters with 7 floors. The whole palace was made of limestone. Karstadt recalls New Yorkers’s store. During the 1940s the façade was destroyed. In the second half of the 20th century, the building has been refurbished. It didn’t, however, regain its glory.

David Chipperfield’s project

The British architect David Chipperfield will handle Karstadt reconstruction project. His aim is to give a modern interpretation of the building. As planned for the project, two columns will be reactivated. Furthermore, an observation deck will be added. Both in the first and second floor, a day care and a library are to be put up. The new structure will appear smaller than the older one even though gyms, offices and a covered market won’t be missing. On the top of the building, a restaurant and a hotel will be added. Construction works will last 3 years, starting from 2021.

Photo: © Visualisierungen von der Vision des Projekts am Hermannplatz. Das Copyright der Renderings liegt bei David Chipperfield Architects.

How Dresden was rebuilt by its citizens, after being bombed in 1945

April 12, 2019/0 Kommentare/in Blog/von federicazep

Dresden after the Second World War

February 1945. A few months before the end of Second World War, the city of Dresden was bombed. As a result of the conflict, Germany was occupied by Soviets. Just right after the Reunification of Germany and the Fall of the Berlin Wall, a tough work of reconstruction took place over the country. A group of Dresden citizens cleaned the rubble up and a lot of blueprints were drawn up thanks to the work of architects and urban planners. People wondered how the new city could appear and how it could be possible to rebuild it. In 1993, refurbishing works started in Dresden; almost ten years later, in 2005, the Lutheran church called Frauenkirche – which was considered the emblem of the city – returned to its people. Its wreckage has always represented a memoir against the war. Thanks to the citizen’s efforts, several important buildings were restored such as the Zwinger Palace and the Semper Opera House.

What happened during the bombing period

In February 1945, both Britain and U.S. Armies decided to drop two pounds of explosive and a thousand firebombs over Dresden. The air strike lasted two days no stop. The city of Dresden was destroyed by the flames. According to historians, 370000 people passed away during the attacks. The attacks in Dresden were known for their atrocity and then depicted in a novel called “Slaughterhouse-Five” by Kurt Vonnegut.

Women called “Trummer Frauen” rebuilt Germany

The “Trummer Frauen” were a group of women who helped with the reconstruction of German destroyed cities. War reduced men’s workforce: husbands and sons died or never returned home. On their behalf, women took the reins of Germany’s cities restoration, being almost 7 million more than men. With their help, women freed cities from debris. The age of the so-called Trummer Frauen goes from 15 until 50. Moreover, allied powers issued an order for women to help get rid of rubble. A lot of volunteers joined and supported them. In different German cities like Berlin, Leipzig, Magdeburg e Nürnberg set out a plan for rubble removal. In Dresden, almost 492 men and 512 women took part in disposal operations. At the end of the 1946, the number of working women reached 580.

Photo: Wikilmages CC0

Nabokov lived in Berlin for 15 years, but he never integrated in the German society

April 12, 2019/0 Kommentare/in Blog/von Annalisa Gioioso

Vladimir Nabokov moved to Berlin in 1922 and lived there for 15 years

Nabokov’s family moved to Berlin in 1920. In those days, many people left Russia because of the Civil war, and from 1922 to 1923 more than 300.000 Russians reached Berlin. Immigrats was mainly concentrated in Wittenbergplatz and Charlottenburg (this latter was ironically called Charlottengrad). Vladimir Nabokov was among those who arrived in 1922. His arrival was quite tragic: after just a few weeks, his father passed away while trying to save Pavel Miliukovl, a notable Russian politician, during an attack.

Life in Berlin

Nabokov spent his time within the Russian community, as he has never been able to integrate in the German society. In fact, he then admitted he could not stand Berlin. “Upon moving to Berlin I was beset by a panicky fear of somehow flawing my precious layer of Russian by learning to speak German fluently…”, as he wrote in his work Strong opinions, published in 1973. He stayed in Berlin till the late 1930s, when the rise of the Nazi party pushed him to move to the United States.

Literary debut

In Berlin, Nabokov wrote his first works in Russian and published them in some newspapers, which were printed by some Russian immigrants. His first book (Korol Dama Valet) was published by a Russian editor. He also translated in English a great number of books. In fact, the cultural hybridization shines through them: even though, those books belong to the English literature, styles and themes are typical of the Russian culture.

A guide to Berlin

A Guide to Berlin is one of those. This short novel, published in 1925, describes Berlin from the inside perspective, through the eyes of an unidentified character. The novelist believes in how important it is to immortalize everyday life: „So that could be reflect in gentle lens of future times“. The guidebook offers few reference points, which are concretely recognizable: narration is subjective and far away from a guidebook-style.

Here you can download Nabokov’s short novel

Photo: A Pictorial Biography, compiled and edited by Ellendea Proffer (Ann Arbor: Ardis Publishers, c1991).

Müller, Schumacher, Hoffmann: the secrets behind German surnames

April 12, 2019/0 Kommentare/in Blog/von federicazep

The invention of German surnames

The use of German surnames became popular during the Middle Ages (between the 10th and the 11th Century), with the purpose of identifying the social status of people. Surnames were selected – like everywhere else in the world – according to physical, working and family features. Using a surname was very useful for census surveys.

Only rich families could afford a surname

Originally, the surname was widely used and it was considered as a people’s first name. After that, surnames were used to recognize the families‘ origin. Having a family name was a prerogative of rich families, only. During the 12th Century, the use of surnames spread all over Europe, becoming common use everywhere.

How surnames were chosen

During the Middle Ages, Germany started to use surnames according to people’s professions. Let’s make an exemple: Meyer was first used for rather important and powerful people; it was later adopted with the meaning of „farmer“.

A list of the most famous German surnames and their translations

Wagner – a man who deals with means of transit
Becker/ Beck – Baker
Bauer/ Baumann – Peasant
Hoffmann – Farmer
Schulz/ Schulze/ Scholz – Mayor
Koch – Chef
Richter – Notary
Klein – Little
Wolf/ Wolff– Wolf
Schröder – Driver
Neumann – Newman
Braun – Brown
Werner – Defense army
Schwarz – Black
Schumacher/ Schubert/ Schuster – Shoemaker
Zimmermann – Carpenter
Weiss – White
Krüger – Potter
Lange – Long
König – King
Krause/ Kraus – a man with curly hair
Huber – Landowner
Frank/ Franke – a man who comes from Franconia
Lehmann – Servant
Keiser – Emperor
Fuchs – Fox
Herrmann – Warrior
Thomas – Twin
Peters – Stone (Greek origin)
Stein – Stone
Jung – Young
Berger – Pastor (French origin)
Martin – Belligerent (Latin origin)
Friedrich – Peaceful
Keller – Basement
Gross – Big
Hahn – Plumber
Roth – Red
Günther – Warrior (Scandinavian origin)
Vogel – Bird
Winkler – Nook
Lorenz – Laurentius (Latin origin)
Ludwig –Famous
Heinrich – A person who belongs to an important House
Otto – Heiresses
Simon – Simon (Jewish origin)
Graf – Lordship
Krämer – Trader
Böhm – someone from Bohemia
Winter – Winter
Haas – Rabbits Hunter
Sommer – Summer
Schreiber – Writer
Engel – Angel
Brandt – Fire
Busch – Bush
Horn – Horn
Arnold – someone strong like an Eagle
Bergmann – Miner
Pfeiffer – Piper
Sauer – Sour

Photo: Gellinger CC0

Why you should absolutely attend Berlino Schule’s Summer School instead of lying on the beach

April 10, 2019/0 Kommentare/in Blog/von Berlino Schule

The Summer School of Berlino Schule is the study trip you are looking for. If you choose to register for our classes, you will have the possibility to attend super-intensive courses of 5 hours per day (from Monday to Friday) for 2 weeks, in the lively and international district of Friedrichshain

Imagine a day hot as hell. You’re watching TV with your buddy lying on a sofa, while a fan is blowing on a mild breeze. Sweating buckets, pants glued on the pills… you would kill for a cold drink. Out of the blue, your buddy gets up, heading towards the kitchen.

– Fritz Kola oder Club Mate? – he asks while he opens the fridge.

– Eh?!

– Trinkst du lieber ein Bier? –

The TV show you have been watching for hours starts talking in a strange way, it looks German…. What the hell is …

RIIING RIIING! WAKE UP, IT’S TIME TO LEARN GERMAN!

And that’s a Midsummer night’s dream, not a nightmare! Full immersion is the key to unlock the wonderful world of foreign languages, as you can immerge yourself into a new world, practice your skills, taste new food, discover new cultures. And how about doing this super exciting experience during the Summer, in a cool and buzzy city like Berlin? Keep calm and don’t dread the adventure, Übung macht den Meister as Germans say. It’s just practice that makes everything perfect. Close your eyes and imagine to bite a Berliner Pfannkuchen or Franzbrötchen for breakfast, then stroll along the Berliner Mauer, the biggest open-air gallery in the world. You can end up in a colourful Flohmarkt or enjoy a beer in one of the typical German Biergärten.

Let’s chill out and enjoy our Summer School at Berlino Schule!

If you choose to register for one of our super-intensive courses, you will have the opportunity to attend German classes every day (from Monday to Friday) for 2 weeks, in the lively and international district of Friedrichshain.

That’s not all!

Students attending the courses at Berlino Schule will be offered the chance to join extra activities, related to the German language (i.e. cineforum, walking tours, museums, conversation activities, etc) for a total amount of 8 activities per course.

Price

230 €. In case you want to attend two superintensive courses, you will pay 440 instead of 460.

Accomodation

Mission impossible? No panic! Berlino Schule has established some agreements with flats, hostels and hotels to make your studying holiday as easier as possible. If you are interested, you can contact the school and we will provide you with a list containing all the info you need.

Book the whole package!

You would like to attend a super-intensive course, but it is rather difficult for you to find an accomodation? We can provide you with an a single room in some hotels just nearby Berlino Schule (15 nights) and you can have the chance to get 2 weekly tickets (AB zone). Ask for a price quotation!

The dates

Summer School courses will be held from the 8th of July to the 30th of August and will be every 2 weeks: 8-19 July, 22 July-2 August, 5-16 August, 19-30 August, every day, from 14:30 to 18:45. Here you can find the whole calendar.

Summer School’s calendar

ROUND I

A1.1: 8 JULY-19 JULY (14.30 – 18.45)

A2.1: 8 JULY-19 JULY (14.30 – 18.45)

B2.1: 8 JULY-19 JULY (14.30 – 18.45)

ROUND II

A1.2: 22 JULY-2 AUGUST (14.30 – 18.45)

A2.2: 22 JULY-2 AUGUST (14.30 – 18.45)

B2.2: 22 JULY-2 AUGUST (14.30 – 18.45)

ROUND III

A1.1: 5 AUGUST-16 AUGUST (14.30 – 18.45)

B1.1: 5 AUGUST-16 AUGUST (14.30 – 18.45)

C1.1: 5 AUGUST-16 AUGUST (14.30 – 18.45)

ROUND IV

A1.2: 19 AUGUST-30 AUGUST

B1.2: 19 AUGUST-30 AUGUST

C1.2: 19 AUGUST-30 AUGUST

No time for super-intensive courses in the afternoon? Join our evening classes!

Our evening German courses last 8 weeks, for a total amount of 48 hours: classes take place twice a week (Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday), 3 hours per day, from 19.15 to 21.40.

Price: 240 euro + 20 euro registration fee