German Word of the Day
Good morning Berlin and Beyond! New week, new German word of the day. With the inevitably wide choice of funny, fascinating or plain baffling pieces of Teutonic vocabulary, it’s never easy to decide. But since Christmas stands right around the corner and seasonal decorating madness is about to go into full swing, let’s got for RAUSCHGOLD. Or what you will find on most Berlin Christmas trees and tables.
Rauschgold - literally “euphoria-gold” - is German for “Dutch metal” or “Schlagmetal” (clear German/Dutch origin of the word here). It is also known simply as tinsel or “fools’ gold”.
Originally made of very thin sheets of a copper-and-zinc alloy (with a sprinkle of arsenic, if the client wished said sheets to be white instead of gold and/or planned to bump off a family member over the holiday), they served as imitation of much more pricey gold leaf, and were used to coat wooden Christmas decorations. Probably the best-known example of those are the Rauschgoldengel, little angel figures first produced in Nuremberg in mid-eighteenth century.
Although the most common Rauschold pieces of Christmas decorations have always been “gilded” walnuts and apples.
If you want to find Rauschgold in Berlin today, please take the U6 underground line to Kreuzberg, get off at U-Bhf Mehringdamm and walk south on the western side of the street up to the Number 62. You will find yourself standing in front of one of the most popular gay bars in Berlin.
