What is often thought of as a peculiarly British word is actually borrowed from the Germans. It may have come into use during the era of Romanticism, which thrived in Germany and saw many an awe-inspired poet seeking the sublime on the kind of mountain walks that it would have been foolhardy to attempt without a rucksack of provisions. In Germany itself, the rucksack is often called a “body bag,” which doesn’t sound quite so wholesome