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German Leckerbissen – Part 11


      by Daniel Schwarz                500 € Banknote - Did you know  €500 had grown too popular in the
             ne  of  the  closest  words  to that  the  €500  (euro)  banknote,  the  funding and facilitation of drug traf-
             tidbit in German is Lecker- highest denomination that started to  ficking,  human  smuggling,  and
      Obissen. Literally Leckerbis- be distributed in 2002 has gone on  even terrorism! The European me-
      sen means tasty morsels or bits. The the ash heap of discontinued curren-  dia  ominously  coined  the  moniker
      following may include some tidbits cy as of April 2019, just as the 500  for the note as “the Bin Laden”. It
      of  German  culture,  foods/drinks, USD did in July 1969, but for differ-  was previously believed that orga-
      traditions,  history,  language,  and ent reasons.  You may wonder why?  nized crime relied on the U.S. dol-
      current events.                Well, it was out of concern that the  lars, especially the 100 USD notes.








                                                                                                  But while the €500 note was widely Yes,  this  game  and  beer  drinking
                                                                                                  available it took center stage. It was together has evolved, so don’t get to
                                                                                                  easier to transport, because for ex- close  to  the  action,  and  hope  they
                                                                                                  ample, with $10k worth of 100 USD run out of nails before someone gets
                                                                                                  notes it would be about 1” thick, but nailed.
                                                                                                  with the €500 notes only ¼” thick.  Did U Know (Schon Gewusst)?
                                                                                                  But  don’t  worry,  if  you  still  have –  A  tidbit  fun  fact  about  Vienna,
                                                                                                  any €500 bills, they are still valid as Austria,  as  reported  in  the  famous
                                                                                                  legal tender, they just aren’t making historic Sacher Hotel’s guest maga-
                                                                                                  any more.                      zine, that up until 1950, the Vien-
                                                                                                     Addressing  envelopes  to  Ger- nese had to pay a fee to the so-called
                                                                                                  many – Addressing an international “chairwoman  (Sesselfrauen)”  if
                                                                                                  envelope to someone in Germany is they wanted to sit in the park.
                                                                                                  somewhat  like  the  US,  except  for  German Common/Business Ab-
                                                                                                  some  minor  differences  you  will breviations  –  Some  of  the  more
                                                                                                  note  in  the  following:  first  line  – common  abbreviations  that  you
                                                                                                  persons name; second line – street may come across include: G.m.b.H.
                                                                                                  name (street is Strasse or abbreviat- is a limited liability company (Ge-
                                                                                                  ed  as  str,  and  can  be  part  of  the sellschaft  mit  beschränkter  Haftp-
                                                                                                  street  name  or  a  separate  word), flicht  -  od.  Haftung);  z.B.  means
                                                                                                  then house number; third line – post “for instance” (zum Beispiel); e.V.
                                                                                                  code  (Postleitzahl  –  PLZ,  like  our is a registered association or incor-
                                                                                                  Zip Code) which is a 5 digit number porated association such as an ama-
                                                                                                  plus a capitol “D” in front, such as teur  sports  club  or  a  charity  (an
                                                                                                  “D-67756”,  then  the  city  or  town eingetragener Verein); usw. means
                                                                                                  name; fourth line – country such as “and  so  on”  (und  so  weiter).  It
                                                                                                  “Germany”.  Also,  don’t  forget  to should be noted that after all abbre-
                                                                                                  include USA on your return address. viations there is a period, even if it
                                                                                                     Hammerschlagen  –  This  is  a occurs in a sentence.
                                                                                                  game where a nail (nagel) is ham-  ETIAS  Update  –  The  ETIAS
                                                                                                  mered (geschlagt) into either a tree (European  Travel  Information  and
                                                                                                  stump  or  thick  board.  There  are Authorization System) visa wavier
                                                                                                  many  different  versions  of  this program which will require all non-
                                                                                                  game, from solo playing to multiple EU passport holders to get pre-trip
                                                                                                  players, and the winner is the fastest permission to enter the EU bloc of
                                                                                                  to  pound  their  nail  fully  into  the countries which includes Germany.
                                                                                                  wood. Also rules for this game need It was scheduled to start this year,
                                                                                                  to be discussed before starting. This but is now proposed for 2024. This
                                                                                                  game has even been associated with requirement applies for short stays
                                                                                                  wedding  parties,  to  show  that  the (up to 90 days within every 180-day
                                                                                                  new couple can work together in a period) for tourism, business, medi-
                                                                                                  task.  The  most  basic  rules  involve cal  treatment,  or  transit  purposes.
                                                                                                  setting  the  minimum  2”  long  nail The wavier will be valid for 3 years
                                                                                                  firmly  in  place,  starting  with  the and can be obtained online. For up-
                                                                                                  hammer resting on the log, and in dated  ETIAS  information  see
                                                                                                  one  swift  movement  raising  the www.schengenvisainfo.com.  The
                                                                                                  hammer above one’s head and down US  already  has  this  type  of  visa
                                                                                                  toward the nail, hopefully down on wavier requirements in place as ES-
                                                                                                  the  head  of  the  nail.  Some  rules TA  (Electronic  System  for  Travel
                                                                                                  limit the hammer raising up to one’s Authorization) for those planning to
                                                                                                  ear.  Seems  more  civilized  doing board  a  plane  or  vessel  bound  for
                                                                                                  that. The hammer needs to be about the  US.  However,  additional  re-
                                                                                                  2  pounds  heavy  and  have  a  blunt quirements must be met in order to
                                                                                                  wedged  end  and  a  flat  edge.  The enter the US, which may include an
                                                                                                  wedged end is used for this game. actual visa.
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