From Around the Web: 9 Awesome Finds Made in Germany

According to eDiplomat, German people value order, privacy and punctuality. They are thrifty, hard working and industrious. Germans respect perfectionism in all areas of business and private life. (High standards, I know!)

Germans are known for being practical and innovative. Think Mp3, electric drill, coffee filter, adhesive tape, Christmas trees, etc. That’s their invention!

They have an excellent reputation for the products they manufacture. This kind of reputation is earned with time and consistent delivery of results.


During a time when Made in China is a flop, it’s countries like Germany that get the spotlights for doing it right. In this post I will share my best kept secrets.

Every day products and brands that are made in Germany you should try

  1. Lifestyle: Birkenstocks, Leuchtturm Notebook, Fountain Pens (Pelikan, Mont Blanc were brands born in Germany)
  2. Household: Frosch, Shoe Care products by Collonil
  3. LONG LASTING PANTRY Food:
    1. Mestemacher Bread. Actually over 300 kinds of bread are made in Germany.
    2. Canned Fish, Herring Filet Ruegen
  4. Personal Care: Lavera, Dr Wolffs, Elmex
  1. Frosh Cleaning Products: On Amazon or on their official US website: https://froschusa.com It’s environmental friendly and it is effective. I particularly love their lemon toilet bowl cleaner (US Toilets are terribly designed for the most part, so anything to help clean them effectively is going to help) Their laundry detergent is all I use. I don’t trust “Tide” (Too much chemical) and these American brands, their eco versions are not effective and it’s just too pricy for the quality. I only use Frosch 
  2. Mestemacher Bread For French people, the love for baguette runs deep but in terms of gut health German bread is better. If you are trying the ketogenic diet, they have a version high in fibers and with low net carbs. I highly recommend it toasted for breakfast, it’s just delicious: our favorite are the Almond and the Walnut breads. Abendbrot or Jause must haves!
  3. Shoe Care products. In NYC having proper shoes and care for them is essential. Once you become a true New Yorker, you will look for a quality shoe repair store. A great line is by Collonil
  4. Casual shoes such as Birkenstocks. They are quite popular now, everyone got used to their iconic looks. Fashion bloggers refer to them as “Approved Ugly Shoes” https://www.whowhatwear.com/birkenstock-outfits/slide2 I have been wearing them since childhood (Influenced by spending summer times in Bavaria) as well as in high school where I got weird looks for wearing the “Boston” to German class. (My german teacher even made a comment once, trying to make sure I was aware they were actually slippers. Teen rebel me confirmed it was a statement as a boarding school student and that I was aware indeed: School and home being pretty much the same place)
  5. Superior Oral Care: Elmex Toothpaste, one of the best of sensitive teeth I ever tried, it’s not cheap when you get it in the U.S but it’s totally worth it. Technically it’s Swiss, but it’s a classic for German families. Check out Dental Revelation’s review
  6. Lavera Skin Care: A natural skincare line, their Amazon store and website offers most of the selection you can find in German stores
  7. Stationary NotebooksLeuchtturm 1917 vs. Moleskine (Moleskine vs Leuchtturm | What’s the Difference?Moleskine is French; Leuchtturm German
  8. Pelikan Pens: writing with a fountain pen is classy, try it!
  9. Herring Filet Ruegen Fish: I can’t believe I am recommending fish on this blog; but it’s really good. We find this one at our local deli, it’s just amazingly delicious for a fish in a can.

GERMAN PROVERBS YOU CAN RELATE TO IF YOU MOVED ABROAD

“Anfangen ist leicht, Beharren eine Kunst.”
Literal translation: “Starting is easy, persistence is an art.”

It is often easier to start something than to see it through to the end. To see it being completed takes persistence and will power. The enthusiasm we have a the beginning tends to wear off and it takes conscious effort to keep the end in mind and stay self-motivated. Also, in my view, the journey is often the lesson to be learned. Germans might see this will to stay motivated as an art form that needs to be cultivated. I find that people who are capable of achieving this are often more successful in life as it takes self-discipline. Self-disciplined people thrive.

“Aller Anfang ist schwer.”
Literal translation: “All beginnings are hard.”

Beginnings are exciting but they can also be challenging. Moving abroad is courageous but once the natural order of things settles, it can be hard to adjust. It’s important to keep going, and to overcome the hurdles often experienced at the early stages.

“Aus Schaden wird man klug.”
Literal translation: “Failure makes smart.”

I find it inspiring to one side has high standards but another side allows failure and see it as a necessary process on the journey of learning and experience. Mistakes are opportunities to learn and make it right.

Berlin Houses

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