Hello! To start off your Ambassador work, can you tell us about common superstitions in your country? Thank you! (If you would like a different question, let me know)!
Common german superstitionsit is then! Or, to use the german name, “Aberglaube”, literally translated “But-Belief”! But first, let us talk about the Origin of the word “Superstition” in general! The word “Superstition” comes from the latin word “Superstitio”, what meant “Overbelief”. The Romans used the word to describe the fall from the “true beliefs” and this word was later used to describe non-christian religions, giving them a demonic touch! So much to that! To be quite honest, there doesnt seem to be too many things that bring bad luck like in other cultures. Many things, like black cats or breaking a mirror, seem to be internationally accepted to bring misfortune! None the less, I was able to find a few that where more specific to Germany! So with this, I shall list what you definetly SHOULDNT do if you dont want to have misfortune: 1.) Never congratulate someone to their birthday if it isnt yet their birthday! It brings bad luck, and if the birthday is a complete failure it may be your fault! Dont bring bad luck over your german friend like that! 2.) What seems to be quite international as well, but still worthy to note.If you dont want bad luck, you are not allowed to spill salt! Salt was very expensive and rare in the past, not to mention it was always seen as pure and used to ward off evil. If you would spill, and with that waste it, it would bring bad luck! Good luck, on the other hand, would be to get salt and bread as a present when moving in a new house! Its said to bring good luck and would ward off hunger in the house in the future! 3.) Also international, but still worthy to note down. Black cats from left to right bring bad luck since the middle ages! Both the colour black and everything “left” was interpreted to bring bad luck! Small Hetalia related fact, Prussia was probably seen as a demon at that time! Left handed, which was seen as a bad omen, would have probably been interpreted that he was in contact with the devil. 4.) Friday the 13th. Now, this is also international, though if you didnt knew the origins of that myth, please let me tell. One of the many guesses on why Friday the 13th is seen as a bad luck bringing day, is that its argued that The Order of the Knights Templar is said to have been completly annihilated that day. As the myth goes The Order was betrayed and all of its Knights had been imprisoned, just to be all burned alive or horribly murdered. That is one of the argued reasons for why exactly Friday the 13th is seen to bring bad luck. 5.) To bring in a bit less serious matter again, to a less serious superstition! If you dont look the other in the eye when clinging glasses in Germany, its said you would then have bad lovers for seven years! Nobody knows the origins, and lets be honest, I dont think anyone really needs to know. 6.) The last one for the bad luck bringing superstitions! This one more serious again. You are not supposed to light cigarettes with candles! Its said that if you do, you would be at fault for killing a sailor! The Origin of that superstition is that, when Sailors would be on land and couldnt get new fishes to sell, they instead made matches in their free time! So if you would light your cigarettes with your candles instead of matches, you would be responsible for the hunger death of a sailor! With that, I hope I could be of help! I am happy to get every ask in the future and shall do my best to answer all of them properly!