culture and customs of germany by eckhard bernstein, 2004
wolrd cultures:germany by ian roberts, 2004
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Disneyfication
Oktoberfest is being merchandised all over the world and a commercialised event to promote beer.Originally a cultural festival unique to the Germans it is now a form of celebration to drink beer and get "high" and party.
Some examples even here in Singapore is the recent "oktoberfest" celebrated by many clubs and pubs in October.One such event was the event Roktober held by Timbre@substation .
Some examples even here in Singapore is the recent "oktoberfest" celebrated by many clubs and pubs in October.One such event was the event Roktober held by Timbre@substation .
Leisure Activities
Three of the main activities that Germans do during their free time are German Wanderlust, sports and going to clubs (vereine).Basically these activities are not out of the ordinary activities but instead rather common throughout the world. German Wanderlust explains that Germans love to chill and relax. They love travelling, meeting up with friends for some beer and wine and love being outdoors. Germans have become the world champions for travelling overseas. Some places that they like travelling to are Spain, Italy, Turkey, Austria and France. The second leisure activity is sports. The Germans love all kinds of sports be it as a participant or spectator.26 million Germans, almost a third of the population, belong to the 86000 sport clubs. The top rated sports for Germans are soccer, gymnastics followed by tennis. Lastly, the vereine would be another place where the Germans spend their leisure time in the company of others. There are basically clubs to suit every interest whichever appeals to them.Compared with other countries in the world,the Germans generally spend more time playing then working,it is then questionable if they are still able to keep up in an increasingly competitive global market economy.
Education
Germans value education. They have excellent school system the “dual system” that combines on the job training with schooling in a vocational school. Germany has one of the world's highest levels of education, technological development, and economic productivity. Since the end of World War II, the number of youths entering universities has more than tripled, and the trade and technical schools of the Federal Republic of Germany (F.R.G.) are among the world's best. They value education as they have come to realise that their export trade and resource poor country can only compete with the world market if they have highly trained, well educated and skilled workforce.
Language
Germany’s official language is German. It is also spoken in other part of Europe like in Switzerland and Luxembourg. It is the most widely spoken language in the European Union with about 100 million people speaking the language. As a language German belongs to an Indo- European group of languages, the language spoken in large land mass stretching from India to western Ireland.
Germans however do also have their own dialects reflecting the variety of historical regions.Some of the dialects spoken are:Plattdeutsch and Schwyzerdutsch. Recently, in the past decade there has also been a trend in the revival of dialects which indicate the trend towards regional loyalty.
Besides dialects, over the years a standardised language evolved. This was called Hochdeutsch. This enabled everyone to be able to communicate with one another. This standardisation was mainly an influence from the media however their personal dialects were also used together with Hochdeutsch.
Her People
Germans are descendents from the several Germanic tribes that inhabited the German- speaking part of Europe in the past which is now known as Germany. These tribes emerged during the Middle Ages from the multi-ethnic Holy Roman Empire the Peace of Westphalia (1648) which left a core territory that was to become Germany. That was how the ethnic people of Germany came to be.
Thus, most inhabitants of Germany are ethnic German. There are, however, more than 7 million foreign residents, many of whom are the descendents of "guest workers" (foreign workers, invited to Germany in the 1950s and 1960s to fill labour shortages) who remained in Germany and settled down. Germany has a sizable ethnic Turkish population (2.4% at the beginning of 2010) thus them being the largest community. Germany is also a prime destination for political and economic refugees from many developing countries.
Thus, most inhabitants of Germany are ethnic German. There are, however, more than 7 million foreign residents, many of whom are the descendents of "guest workers" (foreign workers, invited to Germany in the 1950s and 1960s to fill labour shortages) who remained in Germany and settled down. Germany has a sizable ethnic Turkish population (2.4% at the beginning of 2010) thus them being the largest community. Germany is also a prime destination for political and economic refugees from many developing countries.
German Festivals
Music Festivals
Annually about 100 music festivals are held in Germany between spring and fall. The more popular ones are the Munich Opera Festival, the Dresden Music Festival and the Berlin Jazz days. But the top music festival is the Richard Wagner Festspiele in Bayreuth which draws the most crowd.
Landshuter Furstenhochzeit
When translated in means The Landshut Wedding of the Prince. This is a splendour festival celebrated in Germany to commemorate the wedding of the Bavarian Prince. Since 1903 the wedding has been re-enacted every three years right down to the processions and medieval tournaments.
Berlin's Love Parade
This modern folk festival which is a celebration for the techno music fans takes place in the German capital on the second Saturday of July since 1989. This festival, like Oktoberfest, has become an export hit. Love parades are now celebrated in places like Vienna and Mexico City.
Wine and Beer Festivals
The largest wine festival in the world and also celebrated by Germans is in Bad Durkheim in the Palatinate. Ironically being called Wurstmarkt (Sausage Market) it attracts half a million people annually.
However the most popular and widely recognised festival Germany is known for is hands’ down Munich’s Oktoberfest. In terms of size of the event and popularity, Oktoberfest is Germany’s largest alcoholic festival in the world which last for 16 days in the last two weeks of September. This festival attracts about seven million people a year.
Annually about 100 music festivals are held in Germany between spring and fall. The more popular ones are the Munich Opera Festival, the Dresden Music Festival and the Berlin Jazz days. But the top music festival is the Richard Wagner Festspiele in Bayreuth which draws the most crowd.
Landshuter Furstenhochzeit
When translated in means The Landshut Wedding of the Prince. This is a splendour festival celebrated in Germany to commemorate the wedding of the Bavarian Prince. Since 1903 the wedding has been re-enacted every three years right down to the processions and medieval tournaments.
Berlin's Love Parade
This modern folk festival which is a celebration for the techno music fans takes place in the German capital on the second Saturday of July since 1989. This festival, like Oktoberfest, has become an export hit. Love parades are now celebrated in places like Vienna and Mexico City.
Wine and Beer Festivals
The largest wine festival in the world and also celebrated by Germans is in Bad Durkheim in the Palatinate. Ironically being called Wurstmarkt (Sausage Market) it attracts half a million people annually.
However the most popular and widely recognised festival Germany is known for is hands’ down Munich’s Oktoberfest. In terms of size of the event and popularity, Oktoberfest is Germany’s largest alcoholic festival in the world which last for 16 days in the last two weeks of September. This festival attracts about seven million people a year.
Food, Wine & Beer Cont.
Wine
Germany has 13 wine growing regions which is surprisingly many despite of Germany's northern location. Most are located around Rhine as it is the par t of Germany that receives the most sunshine. However it is in Pfalz, Palatinate that produces the largest annual vintage. But when high quality wines are concern Mosel valley is well known for them.
Beer
Germany is a beer-lover’s paradise. Famous for Oktoberfest a beer festival, Germany has a total of 1270 breweries with around 5000 different beer labels and produces 10 percent of the world’s beer supply. Beer drinking is deeply rooted in their culture; they drink the second largest amount of beer per capita after the Czechs.
Germany has 13 wine growing regions which is surprisingly many despite of Germany's northern location. Most are located around Rhine as it is the par t of Germany that receives the most sunshine. However it is in Pfalz, Palatinate that produces the largest annual vintage. But when high quality wines are concern Mosel valley is well known for them.
Beer
Germany is a beer-lover’s paradise. Famous for Oktoberfest a beer festival, Germany has a total of 1270 breweries with around 5000 different beer labels and produces 10 percent of the world’s beer supply. Beer drinking is deeply rooted in their culture; they drink the second largest amount of beer per capita after the Czechs.
Brewing for more than 1000 years
Disco edition
Oktoberfest
Food, Wine & Beer
What does a typical German eat and drink? Looking into their food and drink is important as these two elements are significant manifestations of culture. This post will cover Germany's culinary landscape, wine and most importantly beer cultures.
German Cuisine
German cuisine has Mediterranean influences from immigrants who have set up restaurants all over country that date back since the 1960s. This is what makes German cuisine so interesting with the blends and mix of Greek, Italian, Spanish, Turkish and Yugoslavian cooking.
With all these influences from globalisation, there are still a few traditional food staples that are unique to the German diet. The three staples are bread, sausages and potato – Kartoffel.
There are about 200 kinds of bread of which their styles range from light and crusty, with nuts or sunflower seeds and many other different varieties.
Germany is just as famous for their sausage, the Wurst. Just like German bread, there hundreds of different kinds of sausages. About 1500 varieties of sausages are said to be existed.
To see how Wurst are made: Sausage Making.
The last staple which is the Kartoffel , is cooked in basically any way. The Germans have come up with dozens of creative ways to cook this lowly vegetable.
Now that the staples have been identified, what are some typical German dishes?
German Cuisine
German cuisine has Mediterranean influences from immigrants who have set up restaurants all over country that date back since the 1960s. This is what makes German cuisine so interesting with the blends and mix of Greek, Italian, Spanish, Turkish and Yugoslavian cooking.
With all these influences from globalisation, there are still a few traditional food staples that are unique to the German diet. The three staples are bread, sausages and potato – Kartoffel.
There are about 200 kinds of bread of which their styles range from light and crusty, with nuts or sunflower seeds and many other different varieties.
Volkornbrot
Leinsamenbrot
Pumpernickle
Roggenbrot
Germany is just as famous for their sausage, the Wurst. Just like German bread, there hundreds of different kinds of sausages. About 1500 varieties of sausages are said to be existed.
To see how Wurst are made: Sausage Making.
The last staple which is the Kartoffel , is cooked in basically any way. The Germans have come up with dozens of creative ways to cook this lowly vegetable.
Now that the staples have been identified, what are some typical German dishes?
1. Sauerbraten (marinated beef pot-roast served with red cabbage and dumplings)
2. Rinderouladen (Beef rolls)
3. Schweinshaxn (roast pork knuckle)
Federal Republic of Germany
Germany lies at the very heart of Europe. With its extraordinary variety of natural landscapes varying from flat plains dotted with small lakes, marshes, heaths and undulating hills to the complicated patchwork of mountain, rivers and valleys. These picture postcard landscapes are a breathtaking, significant part of Germany.
Populated by 82 million inhabitants in a 356,959 square kilometre area, Germany is very densely populated on top of that being a developed country it is surprising that only 14% of its natural environment is built up. The rest of the natural landscape has managed to still be intact. This could be due to the fact that in general Germans are more environmentally conscious. The German term for it would be Umweltbewusstsein. A country where recycling is top priority, it can be considered as part of the German culture.
Germany has a fairly temperate climate. Within Germany however there are great variations in the climate; in some parts like the Moselle and Rhine valleys they have a relatively mild climate while the southern, eastern, as well as higher elevation areas have colder winters.
Because of its natural beauty, rich culture and historical landmarks, and being a developed country, Germany has always been a tourist county.
Populated by 82 million inhabitants in a 356,959 square kilometre area, Germany is very densely populated on top of that being a developed country it is surprising that only 14% of its natural environment is built up. The rest of the natural landscape has managed to still be intact. This could be due to the fact that in general Germans are more environmentally conscious. The German term for it would be Umweltbewusstsein. A country where recycling is top priority, it can be considered as part of the German culture.
Germany has a fairly temperate climate. Within Germany however there are great variations in the climate; in some parts like the Moselle and Rhine valleys they have a relatively mild climate while the southern, eastern, as well as higher elevation areas have colder winters.
Because of its natural beauty, rich culture and historical landmarks, and being a developed country, Germany has always been a tourist county.
Uncovering Germany's Culture and Tradition
In the earlier video, Travel Germany, it depicts the front tourist space of Germany.How Germany markets herself to the world as a tourism destination. However the next few upcoming post will be uncovering the true essence of the culture and tradition of Germany.
Some of the content which will be covered would be:
Some of the content which will be covered would be:
- Germany's culture and traditions
- Indigenous groups in Germany
- Their languages
- Their mode of education
- Types of Leisure Programmes
- What Germany is known for?
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
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