Happy Sliding

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In German you often hear “Guten Rutsch!” when the end of a year is near. This is the German “Happy New Year!” but it touches a little bit the geodata domain. One explanation for the origin refers to “sliding” in a positiv way: In the 19^th century Sunday trips or traveling in general were called “sliding” (e.g. by Goethe or the Brothers Grimm). Thus, “Rutsch” was used for a comfortable and short journey often by train or by sled. And because everybody hoped for an easily slide into the next year the easiness of this kind of traveling was adopted.

There is also the story that this “Guter Rutsch!” is derived from the Jewish “rosch haschone” (begin of a year) but philologist think that the phonetic distance is too huge. They believe that with the coming in of postcards and sending greetings to friends and relatives the wish for a comfortable and short journey got more and more popular.

Accordingly, GEONATIVES wishes you a sliding journey on whatever road, rail or channel you are currently traveling on. See you next year!