German for Beginners
Lektion 17 - Web Exercises
Im Kaufhaus - Web-Übungen
WEB EXERCISES and links to German department stores
Lesson 17.1 > Lesson 17.2 > Lesson 17.3 > Webhunts
Web-Übungen - Deutsche Kaufhäuser
Before attempting these Web exercises, you should have already studied the previous parts of this lesson. It is also assumed that you know basic clothing, shopping, numbers and other related vocabulary.
These Web exercises have been designed so that even learners with limited German skills can find and report on specific bits of information found on the Web sites of several German department stores. Note! In many cases, you just need to use plain old simple logic and reasoning to answer an exercise question. Pay attention to the context, illustrations and other hints. Don't bury your nose in a dictionary to solve these tasks! Some of the sites also have English versions. (A Wörterbuch is not verboten, but don't overdo it.)
In some cases, there is an alternate link given for an exercise. If the specific link for an exercise no longer works, then try the alternate link or "delete back" to the basic site URL. These links were current as of August 2007. Please tell me if they go bad.
NOTE: Links will open in a new browser window so you can have two windows open while doing these exercises.
Übung 1 - KaDeWe Berlin
Store Hours - Credit Cards - Go to the KaDeWe Web link given below to find that store's opening times (Öffnungszeiten). Your task here is to find KaDeWe's opening times.
1. On which days and at what times can you shop at KaDeWe?
2. What are those times in both German and English?
3. Does KaDeWe accept credit cards? If so, which ones? ("Services & Partner"/"Kundenkarte")
For item 4 below use the menu of floors (E | 1 | 2...) at the top of KaDeWe Web site pages. Go to the main KaDeWe page and select a floor (Etage). Select at least three different floors of your choice. (NOTE: Click on "Etagenplan" for more detail of each floor.)
4. Which department(s) is on each of the floors you selected? Describe 2 or 3 of the products briefly in German. Which products/departments are named in English? What do the German terms mean? (Strick, Geschenkartikel...)
LINK > KaDeWe - www.kadewe-berlin.de
Click on "Skip intro" or use this link: KaDeWe Hauptseite
Übung 2 - KaDeWe Berlin
Pressebereich - Haus - Go to the KaDeWe Web link given below to find information that answers the following questions (some files as PDF):
1. What is the name of the original architect who designed the first KaDeWe?
2. How many parking spaces does KaDeWe now have for...
(a) bicycles?
(b) cars?
3. What special feature do the bike spaces have?
4. What is the gourmet section (6th floor) called in German? Name some of the kinds of cheese (Käsespezialitäten) that are offered in the gourmet section. Other specialties?
LINK > www.kadewe-berlin.de (For 1-3: Click on "Haus," "Presse & Marketing" or other menu items to get the information you need!)
For item 5 below, click on this link: 100 Jahre KaDeWe
5. Pick any two years (1907, 1910, etc.) and name three facts about KaDeWe's history or German history that you can learn for each year.
Alternate link > www.kadewe-berlin.de/index2.php (Click on "100 Jahre KaDeWe" at top)
Übung 3 - Galeria Kaufhof
Preise - Go to the Galeria Kaufhof Web link given below to find the following information:
1. List the two most expensive products pictured on Galeria Kaufhof's main page, with their prices in euros.
2. List the two products on this page with the lowest prices, with their euro prices.
3. Click on "Filialien" at the top of the main page and find three Galeria Kaufhof stores in three different cities of your choice. Name the cities and list three similarities and three differences for the stores in the different cities.
LINK > www.galeria-kaufhof.de
Übung 4 - Galeries Lafayette - Berlin
Ein Stück Paris in Berlin - Go to the Galeries Lafayette Web link given below to find the following information:
1. Looking at the main page, what are the opening hours and days?
2. Translate the French department names (top of page) into German and English.
3. Name three items you can find under "gourmet" (in German and English). Describe them briefly in German.
LINK > www.galeries-lafayette.de
Other Online Activities - Goethe Institut
Chronik 1904 - Kaufhäuser
Kaufrausch zwischen Palmen - 1904: In Berlin entsteht ein Warenhaus nach dem anderen, groß, schön, verführerisch und "janz weit draußen" - A German reading exercise with vocabulary and exercises. Based on a German newspaper article about the development of the German department store. (NOTE: Unfortunately, this page has some missing graphics/items since it moved from InterNationes to the GI site, but the text is usable.)
Related Links
C&A Deutschland
Founded by the German brothers Clemens and August (C&A) in Holland, the first C&A Modekaufhaus opened in 1861. Later C&A began to spread across Europe. The first C&A in Germany opened in 1911. Today there are also C&A clothing department stores in Austria, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland. (C&A in English)
Galeria Kaufhof - Wiesbaden
This department store Web site provides a wealth of German vocabulary and information. From the Einkaufen-Wiesbaden.de site.
Karstadt
Karstadt operates stores under the names Hertie, KaDeWe, Wertheim... and Karstadt.
Warenhäuser - RKW Architektur
An architectural look at German department stores in Dresden, Essen, Hannover, Köln and other German cities. From the German architectural firm RKW. Click on: Deutsch > Projekte > Warenhäuser (or English).
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