Hamburg dialect

Hamburg, officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, is Germany’s second-largest city and one of Europe’s most important port cities. Located on the Elbe River in northern Germany, Hamburg has a long maritime tradition and was a key member of the Hanseatic League during the Middle Ages. Its history as a trading hub is reflected in its impressive architecture, from the historic Speicherstadt warehouse district to the modern Elbphilharmonie concert hall. The city is also known for its vibrant cultural life, including world-class theaters, museums, and music venues. Hamburg boasts a strong media industry, a bustling nightlife centered around the Reeperbahn, and scenic green spaces such as the Alster lakes and Planten un Blomen park.

The language of Hamburg

Linguistically, Hamburg is home to a regional dialect known as Hamburgisch, a variant of Low German (Plattdeutsch). Unlike Standard German (Hochdeutsch), which evolved from High German dialects spoken in southern Germany, Low German belongs to the West Germanic branch of the Germanic languages, which in turn is part of the Indo-European language family. It is neither Saxon in the sense of modern Upper Saxon (a Central German dialect), nor Franconian. Instead, it descends from Old Saxon, making it a close relative of Dutch and English. Hamburgisch retains many archaic features lost in modern High German and differs significantly in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. Today, it is spoken mostly by older generations and in rural areas around Hamburg, though it remains an important cultural marker for the region.

Asterix in Hamburg

Fans of Asterix will be pleased to learn that two albums have been translated into Hamburgisch, capturing the spirit of the Gaulish adventures in the local dialect. The first, “Hammonia‑City”, adapts Die Trabantenstadt (The Mansions of the Gods) and was released in 2000 as part of the Mundart series . The second, “Asterix boaie Briedn”, adapts Asterix bei den Briten (Asterix in Britain) and was released in 2017. Both were published by Ehapa Verlag (Egmont), bringing playful translations filled with Hamburg‑flavored expressions, local turns of phrase, and linguistic charm. These editions celebrate not just the humor of the original albums, but also the cultural identity and linguistic heritage of Hamburg.

Hammonia City?

Hammonia is the personification of the city of Hamburg, similar to how Britannia represents Britain or Marianne represents France. She is often depicted as a classical goddess-like figure, wearing a mural crown (symbolizing city walls) and holding symbols of trade and freedom.

The name “Hammonia” is a Latinized form of Hamburg and has been used in poetry, art, and civic symbolism since the 18th century.