Facts about Germany - 30 things you (might) not have known

Writer: Peter Bergström

Updated: August 2026 | Most people know Germany quite well. We might think of the Autobahn, bratwurst, beer, football and big car brands. But the country also offers a lot of unexpected history, strange records and inventions that have influenced the rest of the world.

Here are 30 fun and interesting facts about Germany – from fairy tale brothers and sports shoes to the world's narrowest street and an almost thousand-year-old brewery.

1. Adidas and Puma were founded by two brothers

Adidas and Puma have their roots in the same family. Brothers Adolf ”Adi” Dassler and Rudolf Dassler first made sports shoes together in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria. After World War II, they fell out and went their separate ways. Adi founded Adidas and Rudolf started the company that became Puma. The small town of Herzogenaurach is still the hometown of both companies today.

2. Gutenberg revolutionized the art of printing

Johannes Gutenberg of Mainz developed a method of printing using movable metal type in the 15th century. The technology made it possible to produce books much faster than before and became enormously important for the spread of knowledge in Europe.

His most famous work is the Gutenberg Bible, which was printed around 1452–1455. Today, Mainz houses the Gutenberg Museum, where two copies are preserved.

3. The Brothers Grimm collected some of the world's most famous fairy tales

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm became famous for their collections of folk tales. Among the stories are Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood. The fairy tales were not always the kind children's stories we know today - many of the original versions are considerably darker.

4. A German-Brazilian inventor developed a precursor to the Walkman

In the 1970s, Andreas Pavel developed a portable cassette player that he called the Stereobelt. The idea was that you could carry your music with you and listen to it on headphones while you were moving. A few years later, Sony launched its Walkman. Pavel and Sony ended up in a long patent dispute that was eventually resolved through a settlement.

5. Germany consists of 16 federal states

Germany is a federal republic consisting of 16 states, or Federal states. They have their own parliaments and governments and are responsible for, among other things, parts of education and cultural policy. Three of the federal states are also city-states: Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen.

6. Berlin has more than a thousand bridges

Berlin is crisscrossed by rivers, canals and other waterways and therefore has an impressive number of bridges. Exactly how many depends on what counts as a bridge, but there is no doubt that Berlin is a real city of bridges. Among the most famous bridges is the Oberbaumbrücke over the Spree.

7. Escaping from prison is not a crime in itself

It almost sounds like a myth, but escaping from a German prison is not criminalized in the same way as in many other countries. The reasoning is usually linked to the natural human desire for freedom.

That means, of course, not that a prisoner can simply walk away without consequences. Crimes committed during the escape – such as violence, vandalism or theft – can be punished, and the person must still serve their original sentence.

8. Sunday is still a special day in Germany

Anyone looking to shop on a regular Sunday in Germany may be disappointed. The main rule is that shops are closed, although there are exceptions for example certain shops at stations, airports and tourist resorts, as well as special Sundays open for sale.

Sunday rest has a strong position in Germany, and there are also rules about disturbing noise that can differ between different locations and states.

9. The world's narrowest street is in Reutlingen

In Reutlingen in Baden-Württemberg, there is Spreuerhofstraße, which is according to Guinness World Records the world's narrowest street. At its narrowest point, the passage is only 31 centimeters wide. It arose after a city fire in 1726 and looks more like a narrow gap between houses than a street.

10. Germany has nine neighboring countries

Germany borders nine countries: Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. This makes the country a natural hub for those traveling through Europe – especially by car or camper.

11. The modern Christmas tree has strong German roots

The tradition of decorating Christmas trees is strongly associated with the German-speaking parts of Europe. Over the centuries, the custom spread to other countries and eventually became one of the most international traditions of Christmas.

The famous song ”O Tannenbaum” also has German origins. The version that forms the basis of today’s Christmas carol was written by Ernst Anschütz in 1824.

12. Many everyday inventions have German connections

Germany has a long history of research and invention. Things with German origin or a strong German history of development include printing with movable metal type, aspirin, the diesel engine, and the modern car.

The gummy bear also has German origins – Hans Riegel founded Haribo in Bonn in 1920 and a few years later created the predecessor to today's gummy bears.

13. A historic tavern in Stralsund dates back to the 14th century

I Stralsund beam To the ferry, a historic tavern with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is often described as one of Germany's oldest taverns.

14. Germany has a huge beer culture

Beer is much more than Oktoberfest in Germany. The country has a large number of breweries and an impressive variety of beer styles – from Bavarian Weissbier and Helles to Kölsch from Cologne, Altbier from Düsseldorf and smoked beer from Bamberg.

Beer culture also varies greatly between different parts of the country, making it difficult to speak of a single ”typical German beer”.

15. Oktoberfest is the world's largest folk festival

Oktoberfest in Munich is described by the organizer as the world's largest folk festival and attracts millions of visitors. The first party was held in 1810 in connection with the wedding of Bavaria's Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese. Despite the name, a large part of Oktoberfest takes place in September.

16. Beethoven and Bach were born in what is now Germany

Two of the greatest names in classical music have their roots in modern-day Germany. Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach in 1685 and Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn in 1770.

17. Germany has 55 World Heritage Sites

Germany has 55 sites and areas on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2026. They range from cathedrals and castles to industrial monuments, Roman remains and natural areas. Among the most famous are Cologne Cathedral, Museum Island in Berlin, the Hanseatic cities Lübeck, Wismar and Stralsund as well as Roman remains in Trier.

18. Germany has won Eurovision twice

Germany participated in the very first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956 and has participated almost every year since then. The country has won twice: Nicole with ”Ein bißchen Frieden” in 1982 and Lena with ”Satellite” in 2010.

19. Germany has hundreds of different types of sausages

Bratwurst, Weisswurst, Thüringer Rostbratwurst, Nürnberger Rostbratwurst, Bockwurst and Blutwurst are just a few examples. And then there is of course Currywurst – a sausage with curry-spiced tomato sauce, strongly associated with Berlin.

20. Levi Strauss was born in Bavaria

The man behind Levi Strauss & Co. was born Löb Strauss in Buttenheim, Bavaria, in 1829. As a young man, he emigrated to the United States, where he eventually became a central figure in the history of modern blue jeans. His birthplace in Buttenheim now houses a Levi Strauss museum.

21. The Beatles played hundreds of concerts in Hamburg before their breakthrough

Before the Beatles became world stars, they spent long periods in Hamburg. Between 1960 and 1962 they played in clubs around the Reeperbahn and St. Pauli. According to Hamburg's own history, the band played 281 concerts and spent around 1,200 hours on stage. in the city. The intense Hamburg years are usually seen as very important for the band's development.

22. Regensburg has a sausage kitchen with over 850 years of history

At the famous stone bridge in Regensburg is the Historische Wurstkuchl. Food has been served there for more than 850 years. The history goes back to the time when the stone bridge was built between 1135 and around 1146 and a kitchen served food to the workers. The current building is younger and the specialization in grilled sausages came much later.

23. Germany has some of Europe's most fairytale castles

Germany is full of castles, fortresses and castle ruins. One of the most photographed is Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, which King Ludwig II had built in the 19th century. Other famous examples are Wartburg, Burg Eltz, Heidelberg Castle, Schwerin Castle and Burg Hohenzollern.

24. The Autobahn has sections without a general speed limit

Germany is known for its Autobahn and above all for the fact that some stretches lack a general mandatory speed limit for passenger cars.

However, this does not mean that you can drive as fast as you want everywhere. Many routes have posted speed limits and the recommended maximum speed, Target speed, is 130 km/h.

25. Weihenstephan calls itself the world's oldest still-operating brewery

Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan is located in Freising, north of Munich, and lists 1040 as the year the monastery was granted the right to brew and sell beer. The brewery describes itself as the world's oldest still-operating brewery.

26. The first practically usable contact lenses were developed by Adolf Gaston Eugen Fick

The German-Swiss ophthalmologist Adolf Gaston Eugen Fick developed and tested early glass contact lenses in 1888. They were large, uncomfortable, and covered significantly more of the eye than today's contact lenses – but the work became an important step in the development of the contact lens.

27. Berlin Zoo is Germany's oldest zoo

Zoologischer Garten Berlin opened on August 1, 1844 and is Germany's oldest zoo. Zoo Berlin also describes itself as the world's most species-rich zoo, meaning the zoo with the most different species.

28. Riesling is Germany's major wine grape

Germany is primarily known for its white wines, and Riesling has a special position. The grape is grown in several of the country's 13 wine regions. Moselle is perhaps the most famous wine region internationally, with steep vineyards along the river, but Riesling is also important in Rheingau, Palatinate and Rheinhessen, among others.

29. Germany was the first to introduce daylight saving time nationally

During World War I, in 1916, Germany introduced daylight saving time to reduce energy consumption. Austria-Hungary also introduced the system at the same time, and several other European countries followed suit.

30. The Zeppelin is named after a German count

The zeppelin airship is named after the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, who worked on the development of steerable airships.

His first zeppelin, LZ 1, made its first flight on July 2, 1900 over Lake Constance. The airship later became a symbol of a completely new form of long-distance travel.

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