15 German Superstitions You Don't Know About 🌙🔮 Get Germanized

Many strange beliefs exist in the world and today I'm going to open your mind and teach you about the most fascinating ones from Germany. The supernatural, occult practices performed by witches and pagans and the wicca religion have all made it to Germany a long time ago already. You might even be able to find a witch doctor if you look hard enough. While Germany is no Salem and a stereotypical witch, Poltergeist or "Hexen" can mostly only be found during Halloween time or the Walpurgisnacht, there are still some mysterious traditions that the German people abide by. Some have their advent in religion while others come from deep-rooted fears. Let's explore what awaits together and we shall see whether all of this is mere "Aberglaube" or something else entirely. Get Germanized and find out!

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[MarissaJoyClark]

I also love the old Russian superstition that before every trip you should sit down quietly in your house for at least 5 minutes before you leave. It makes total sense to give yourself a chance to remember anything you might have forgotten to pack and put your mind into “travel mode.”

[kuromiscreaming]

as someone of german heritage who grew up in america this is super cool, learning about my culture is nice :)

[doreenfarley]

This video was fun! When you give a wallet as a gift, put one dollar in it for good luck. Give a house plant as a housewarming gift, so the house will always be filled with life.

[fushi]

As a french person, I can tell you that the eye contact during the glass thing is also common in France, I always found it weirs (especially when you live with anxiety lol) but now it makes more sense ! Thanks for the little historical point behind it :)

[MarissaJoyClark]

The phrase “break a leg” comes from the way you used to take a bow as an actor in Shakespeare’s time. It was more like a knee bend/curtsy or “breaking one leg.” So wishing someone to break a leg meant you hope the performance would be a success and the actors would get to have a chance to take a bow (not always a for sure thing back then when people threw rotten fruit at you if they thought you sucked).

[swordsmanschagrin]

As a German this has made me realize how strange a lot of the traditions I have been living with for years are.

[justinwamsley]

Also ive been following your channel since I was 15, and not only did I learn a little bit of German, but I was introduced to music like Rammstein, Die Artze, Oomph, Deichkind, Casper, Eisbrecher, and Tokio Hotel all came from your channel and influence.. And for that I thank you.. I am currently stationed in Spain and plan on going to Germany soon I hope i get to meet you there..

[rickyb]

After you explaining the thumb superstition, I feel mean giving you a thumbs up👍. Youtube needs a daumen drücken button now😀

[lauraDWR]

Great video, Dominik. Really informative and really made me laugh too. Per example, “7 years of bad sex, slightly worse than poisoning” 😂😂😂

[irfanmanzoor]

I am not a superstitious person but this was an interesting video. lol... I am from Pakistan. Here are a few common superstitions.
1. about sneezing....we believe the same....like someone is thinking about you when you sneeze. Also thanking God after sneezing...maybe because scientifically, sneeze is the only moment apart from death when our heartbeats stop for fractions of seconds and resume after we sneeze, so we owe a thank to God to be still alive.
2. Breaking of glass is considered to be a sign of fortune
3. A black cat crossing your way is unfortunate (doesn't matter right or left)


1. It is believed in our culture if we sweep the floor after evening then it may bring bad luck so better to sweep only in the morning. (from old times probably because sweeper was used only in old times)
2. Another interesting superstition you would be surprised and laugh to know getting the wedding dates fixed, the girl/boy is not supposed to travel (especially NOT to cross any river), supernatural/evil powers may occupy them if they do so :D lol
3. And the funniest superstition is....if you don't cover your mouth while yawning, then devil pees into your mouth :D :D :D (its probably religious :D)
4. Quenching the candle by a whiff of air from mouth brings poverty, always quench it quickly squishing the candle using your hand/fingers.

[sarahroberts]

The housewarming gift of bread and salt reminds me of first footing in Scotland ... the first person to enter a household in the new year brings all the luck (good or bad) in to the house for the whole year. The first footer is supposed to bring a gift of bread, salt, coal, a coin and a dram of whisky. I love this tradition!

[l-chlorine]

Late comment, but my mother grew up around her Westphalian grandparents who always told her that being unkempt and having your hair in your face will “make you nervous” and that it is bad luck to not eat raw or pickled herring on New Year’s Eve. I also remember my German family members lifting me up on a chair when I was very young (3rd birthday I think). Anyone heard of these sayings and customs?

[Sergioz]

Here is the same about almost all superstitions you mentions about Germany plus we have one about broking the mirror and putting the wallet at the floor. Ijust watching your videos of yours while being in Germany. I hope i will visit this place once too because i respect germany in a way that they are the only one country who where ablo to unify communism and democracy in 1989. Its like if the north and south corea will able to reunite today. This is why it make me sad that right populist are just make the the humanity for the worst in a sense of degrading society. Love your locus of control eagerness and keep up the good work :)

[lindseypaputa]

I’m german too and fyi that guy behind you scared tf outta me

[melissaj]

My mom’s dad told us he was born in Germany. He raised kids in Mexico; my mom.
We never knew that until he had to apply for certain documentation..
It is amazing that we might not know where we come from and we all still share the same ideals or superstitions.

[kesmarn]

I just loved this one! So many things I didn't know about. My great-grandparents were from Germany and believed very much in the idea that you shouldn't speak of things that you did NOT want to happen. My grandmother's translation of their warning was: "Don't mark the devil on the wall." Is (or was) this ever said in Germany? Or did my grandmother make it up? :-)

[kanpaisou]

Got distracted (and even had to rewind a bit) by that super cute Chopper in the background

[Allegory_of_Wolves]

Some more superstitions (yes, I'm German, but no idea if these things are specifically from here):
- never hang clothing items on a door handle or door knob, or else someone will die.
- never sing Christmas songs outside of Christmas time, or else, again, someone might die (thank gods I'm pagan! 🤣).
- never walk under ladders. It's bad luck. Surely because something might fall on your head from whatever's being worked on above...
- don't fix/sew a hole in your garments while wearing the piece, or you might die (because only on the dead things are swen while they're wearing the item. Maybe comes from when dead sailors where stitched into canvas/cloth at sea?).
- Don't do any laundry in the days between Christmas and New Year's, as it's bad luck. Sounds Christian again, but actually comes from the pagan belief of the Wild Hunt roaming around in the days before and after the winter solstice. They would get tangled in the linens hung up to dry, steel those sheets and within the following year replace the sheets with a shroud - so, once again, you'd call death upon your house/family if you risked this incident.
- also, don't put up clothing lines (yes, yes, nowadays only Germans still don't use tumble dryers 😅) for a similar reason. The Wild Hunt might get tangled in the lines and this would incite their anger.
- breaking a mirror gives you 7 years bad luck.
- cover all mirrors with drapes when someone dies, or else their soul could get caught in a mirror.
- make sure, there are no gaps between your mirror and its frame, because that's where evil spirits might climb out from the "other side".

[jwtg]

Hey, I think that the crossed fingers behind the back is near universal in western culture. In the US cross in front would be for luck as in (I hope it works out for you) or if you didn't mean it cross in back. I was taught the the Romans at the games would use thumbs down if they wanted the Emperor to spare the gladiator or thumbs up if they wanted the gladiator liquidated. The current usage came into vogue in the 1900''s. I've had several black cats, all lucky. By the way the Berlin Instagram should lay to rest that you don't like Katzen. You're petting an almost all schwarz Katze on your lap and it looks very happy, ha, ha :D In the small rual town I grew up in (settled by German imimgrants) the midwesteern US wenn jemand niesen wurde, you would hear"Gesundheit" often followed "Gott segnr". John W.

[jalchi]

1. one weird superstition in german culture is the influence of weather on the body especially headdaches
2.not eating all the food on the plate brings bad weather
3.spilling over beer or salt is bad luck
4. horseshoaes, four leaved clover, rabbits Foods, Ladybugs bring Luck