stadtaachen

At least, in “The World According to Öchers”, that is. Aachen, you see, is a city that gets under your skin. Nestling in a corner of Germany up against the Belgian and Dutch borders, Aacheners have been able to retain something which so many cities have long lost: authenticity and local flair.

When two Aacheners meet a long way from home, for example, they’ll greet each other by stretching out the little fingers of their right hands – showing each other a “Klenkes”. Strangers until now, there’s an immediate common bond. This is a city where you don’t give your loved one rose. Oh no. On 1st May, you tie a birch tree to her house. And nowhere else is sympathy expressed so often or so beautifully – one heartfelt “Och härrm” and things immediately start to feel better.

Legends are sweeter than truth

This is a city discovered by Charlemagne’s horse, for goodness’ sake! Lousberg Hill was formed by the devil himself, and the recipe for our gingerbread “Printen” was stolen from Charlemagne’s grave – what Aachener has any need of reality when his folklore is so rich? When he speaks of “millions of people” he probably means thousands, and every party or celebration is the best yet in the history of the world ever. And he’s never going to darken the door of that awful football club Alemannia again (well, not till the next match anyway).

Aacheners are naturally quick to adopt useful ideas from outside the area because they add colour to their lives: “Adie da” (bye then), “Dubbele Merci” (double thanks) – Öcher dialect contains a lot of French and Dutch influences, and the attitude to life combines a calm savoir-vivre with a healthy dollop of solid reliability when the chips are down.

Öcher Platt - local dialect for beginners

• A look at Aachen’s various districts OK, so you’ve got the perfect job offer or are ...
  

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• Celebrating life, the world and everything Once a year Aachen cuts its ties with reality. Hey, ...
  
• Black-and-yellow passion The floodlights go on, a sea of black-and-yellow flags appears ...
  
• A Christmas wonderland Snowflakes fall from the sky, the smell of roast chestnuts ...
  
• Sweet Aachen Aachen’s a sweet place. Sweet little shops, sweet little pedestrian ...
  
• Crossover culture The curtain rises, the play begins and you’re drawn into ...