11 sure signs autumn has arrived in Germany

Even without looking at the calendar, Germans are beginning to notice that fall is in the air: it's time to pack up the shorts and t-shirts, and pill out socks and sweaters as the days and nights are cooler. Pumpkin dishes appear on menus, children collect chestnuts for school projects, funfair operators set up ferris wheels and other attractions at fall fairs across the country and winemakers harvest their grapes.

And that's not all: Check out the picture gallery for other events that mark autumn in Germany.