What I learned in intro to German culture

I learned some stuff bout Germany. read all posts below for elaboration.

my research finding involving the RAF

The RAF was a German terrorist organization that in its early stages was known as the Baader-Meinhof Group.  the Baader-Meinhof Group was created sometime after the second world war and their goal was to change the fascist nature of the German government in the seventies and to get the German government to stand up against wars such as the ones that were going on involving Israel.

One of the main factors that caused conflicts leading to the creation of the Baader-Meinhof Group was the generational gaps between these students and young people and the government.  The new generation was much more concerned with social and individual liberties such as womens rights and racism.  One of the main contributing factors of the creation of the terrorist groups comes from this generational gap.  The new generation of young adults grew up relating all mistakes and bad events to the third Reich or the Nazi's.  These individuals soon realized that a lot of people who were very active in the former Nazi regime were still in power now ans that these people were still calling some of the shots in their country.

The second generation of RAF was formed after members of Socialist Patients Collective joined.  The third generation of RAF existed in  the 80's and 90's was just a continuation of the previous group.  Each generation was more brutal and did less morally acceptable acts then the one before it.  In 1998 there was a paper sent to Reuters news agency declaring the RAF dissolved.  

The main differences between the RAF and current day terrorists is the level of brutality that is involved.  Today's terrorists will do anything and everything in their power to harm their targets and their seems to be no question of morality or value placed in human life.  This is in contrast to the RAF because the RAF did value human life, or at least the first generation did.  Also the RAF never participated in suicide bombing which is a common occurance in terrorist attacks today.

My response to Baader-Meinhof Complex

The film Baader-Meinhof Complex, without getting into the history or statement of the movie, was overall a well made film with good acting and a firm plot.  I really enjoyed the character development as well, especially the second and third generation of the RAF and how the movie explained that some of these members didn't even know the original members of the militant group.  Watching these characters develop, and seeing the events take place that shaped these individuals into terrorist soldiers who hijack a plane and kidnap a government representative was an enlightening experience that taught me a lot about how these terrorist organizations can become so brutal so quickly.
The movie, in my opinion, might have glamorized the life of the terrorist group with scenes like the one with them driving down a freeway shooting a pistol and racing in stolen cars.  In the beginning  of the movie there was a very notable effort to make the main players of RAF seem cool and trendy.  This was done mostly to make the film more entertaining in my opinion and it is less likely that this is an accurate representation of those characters.  These factors notwithstanding, this was an excellent movie that portrayed well, the other side of terrorist activity and organizations.  The movie did an excellent job of really trying to make you understand the futility, frustration, and disillusionment that is felt by these terrorists who believe in their very souls that they are on the side of justice and greater morality.  After watching Baader-Meinhof Complex I also understand what an unyielding opponent a government can be when it comes to trying to make a change to a country.  The main lesson I got out of the movie is if you truly believe that the ends justify any means, then the acts taken up by terrorists are explainable and understandable (but only if you believe that the ends justify the means which i do not).

20th Century Inventions and Industry

The fifth Group Presentation

Music Theater and Dance of the 19th century

The presentation itself

Why the EU will continue to be a pivotal organization for Germany in the 21st century.

1. The EU acts as a cheap international marketplace were other countries can effectively buy German goods which in turn has lead to Germany being very prosperous.

2. Within the protection of the EU the German population does not need to fear tariff or trade wars. Allowing them to sell their goods as competitively as they can and if other countries cant keep up then too bad for them.

3.The EU gives Germany a good reputation with other countries that would otherwise hate them for past transgressions.

4. The EU provides the Euro to Germany which unites them with the rest of Europe through currency.

5. The EU allows and has allowed free movement for citizens of all nations in the EU to all other nations of the EU meaning even if Germany wanted to separate and reorganize it would be difficult to get all the Germans back in Germany and all of the non Germans out of Germany.

6. Being involved with the EU is what will allow Germany to remain a global competitor with the rest of the world.

Work Cited

Specht-Jarvis, Roland. Class Lecture. 8 Nov, 2010.

This is my second group presentation on authors and poets of the 20th century

this is the presentation. It covers a wide array of 20th century authors

New group presentation

This is a presentation that was done by my group on the roles of men and women in the 19th century

Top three blogs

1. David Overall appearance 29
Completeness 20
Solid Blogging 20
Pictures 9
My criteria 16
overall 94

2. Kelsey Overall appearance27

completeness 20

solid blogging 20

pictures 7

My criteria 15

overall89
3. Krystal Overall appearance 23
completeness 20
solid Blogging 17
pictures 7
my criteria 20
overall 87

Discussion on Monday

We discussed All Quiet on the Western Front in class on Monday.  We discussed how the book was incredibly popular in a time when very few books were getting international attention. One of the factors that caused the books success was the fact that it went so global.  In class the professor asked us if we thought the book was an anti-war book and our answer was a nearly unanimous yes.  We discussed how the death of every character in the book and the cause of the lost generation being the war.  All in all this book is undoubtedly one of the most influential novels of all time and is without a doubt relevant in some way to any person on earth.

Nordhein Westfallen!

Kyle and I made a presentation depicting some of the Awesemness that is barely contained by the borders of Nordhein Westfallen! The link is here!

Questions for the competition

These were my teams questions and answers, we were the victors!!!

Life in Germany

1.     When and where did German scientists recently discover a new species of ape? Answer: In Asia on Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Source: http://www.watoday.com.au/breaking-news-world/german-scientists-discover-rare-ape-species-in-asia-20100921-15lkn.html

2.     What city is known as the salt capital of Germany? When did the salt production end?
Answer: Lüneburg, a German city in the state of Lower Saxony, is known as the salt capital of Germany.  It was not until 1980 that the production of salt in the Lüneburg Saline finally closed.
Source: http://worthgem.blogspot.com/2010/09/german-salt-museum-at-luneburg.html

3.     What type of schooling is forbidden?
Answer: Homeschooling
Source: www.german-way.com/educ.html

German History

1.     What was the difference in population in Germany from 1939 to 1946?
Answer: 4 million less people from 1939 to 1946

2.     In the early and middle eleventh century the Saxon kings were able to defeat which Germanic tribes thus strengthening the Elbe Saale frontier?
Answer: The Magyars and the Slavs

3.     What Germanic tribe held onto their tradition of worshiping heathen gods the longest? Answer: The Saxons

German Media

1.     What date did the "television contract" (Fernsehvertrag) get signed?
Answer: March 27, 1953
Source: pg 91 of "The Mass Media of the German Speaking Country" by John Sandford

2.     The Deutsche Welle first began broadcasting is what year?
Answer: 1953
Source: pg 39 of "The Mass Media of the German Speaking Country" by John Sandford

3.     What German newsmagazine is on the rise while its predecessor is on the decline?
Answer: The Focus is on the rise while Der Spiegel is on the decline.
Source: http://www.germanculture.com.ua/library/facts/bl_newspapers.htm

German States: Bavaria

1.     Who are the three primary Germanic tribes to inhabit Bavaria in history?
Answer: Bavarians, Franks, and Nordgau

2.     Pope Benedict was born in town of Marktl Bavaria. Where did he live his adolescence?
Answer: Traunstein
Source: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/biography/documents/hf_ben-xvi_bio_20050419_short-biography_en.html

3.     The Hofbrauhaus is a famous beer hall in Munich Bavaria. What family still owns and operates this historic site?
Answer: The Gerdas
Source: http://www.aviewoncities.com/munich/hofbrauhaus.htm

German States: Schleswig-Holstein

1.     Where was the chief base for the Third Reich's navy operations?
Answer: Kiel
Source: pg 259-260 of “Discover Germany” by Jack Altman

2.     Schleswig-Holstein was part of Denmark until what year?
Answer: 1866
Source: pg 259-260 of “Discover Germany” by Jack Altman

3.     What is the world famous annual rock fest that takes place in Schleswig-Holstein?
Answer: Wacken Open Air
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Rhine-Westphalia

German States: Westphalia

1.     The Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia convenes to which city in Westphalia? 
Answer: Dusseldorf  
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schleswig-Holstein

2.     Where can the best soil in North Rhine-Westphalia be found?  (specific place)
Answer: The fertile, deep loessial soil of the Köln Bay.
Source: pg 12 of “North Rhine-Westphalia” by J. A. Hellen

3.     What are the names of the two broad trails, one a road the other a trading route in North Rhine-Westphalia that can be traced back to prehistoric times?  Answer: Rhine (Road) and Hellway (Trade Route)
Source: pg 18 of “North Rhine-Westphalia” by J. A. Hellen

Berlin

1.     What animal infestation did the U.S. Army eradicate in Berlin? 
Answer: Rats
Source:  “The Berlin Wall: How it Rose and Why it Fell” by Doris M. Epler

2.     What is this and what does it stand for? (Picture Link:http://www.planetware.com/i/photo/berlin-d1434.jpg)
Answer: The Soviet War Memorial; it was built in memory of all the Soviet soldiers who died in the battle of the conquest of Berlin. (WWII)
Source: “The Berlin Wall: How it Rose and Why it Fell” by Doris M. Epler

3.     What was the full birth name of the mayor of West Berlin who was in office during JFK’s “Ich bin ein Berliner Speech?”
Answer: Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm

Final Category – Poetry & Cars

1.     “At Bacharach on the Rhine, Lorelei is lingering” is the English translation of the first line of whose poem?
Answer: Hans Rudolf Hilty – poem’s title Lorelei
Source: pg 131 of Contemporary Germany Poetry: An Anthology

2.     “I greet Berlin as three times
I band my head, three times
against one of the walls” is the English translation of whose stanza?
Answer: Günter Grass – poem’s title Brandmauern
Source: pg 147 of Contemporary Germany Poetry: An Anthology

3.     

How does the BMW logo represent the company’s history? 
Answer: Originally, the Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW or “Bavarian Motor Works”) was a German airplane engine manufacturer, which later came to focus on making sweet cars.  The BMW Logo is supposed to represent a white airplane-propeller against the blue sky; a reflection of the company’s beginnings in the early days of flight.

German Newspapers

The most surprising thing that I found out about German newspapers is that they are far more liberal then we are in the United States.  There is nudity, and swearing is not looked down upon.  According to one German professor "It is considered elegant for a German to say shit as many as three times in a sentance while reading the news."   I was also surprised to learn something about the USA while in Intro to German Culture, and that is that the United States invented the modern newspaper.  That is why German newspapers have an identical layout to an American newspaper.  Overall it seems to me that a German newspaper is nearly identical to an american newspaper.

German Radio

Is mass media more globalized then the people who consumed them?
Yes and No. Yes, in general mass media must be at least as globalized as the most globalized consumer of their product.  No, because consuming more globaliszed mized.edia makes you more global.

What does it mean when patterns across western Europe are so similar?
It means that cultures are intermingling at an increasing rate resulting in a more homogeneous continent.

Where do cultural differences survive if media do not carry them, or do they?

They survive in storytelling and in popular culture, which in my opinion is formulated independent of mass media sometimes.

What can you say about the radio in Germany?

It has the same songs that we have on our radio, The language is more liberal and there are less comercials.

This is my presentation on the Schwabische Alb

This link totally takes you to my presentation.

homework due the tenth

Bradenburg Gate
Berlin Buildings
Berlin After WWII
Museum Island
Sports
Popular Sights and Activities in Luebeck, Germany
Berlin Structures
Berlin Nightlife
Berlin Music, Art, and Literature
Art and Culture of the 1920's
Berlins public transport
Berlin During WWII

My power point presentation on Reichstag... Kyle helped

SOOOO there's this awesome capitol building in Germany with lots of history and here's a power point with details and pretty pictures :) \
Reichstag

German State
1. Baden-Württemberg 
once occupied by romans and defended by a large rampart. Is also a very popular tourist destination.
2. Bavaria
This state has the most land, and the largest population.
3. Berlin
has the greatest population density of all German states.  Consists solely of the city Berlin
4. Brandenburg
has several very popular biospheres including Spreewald. The Sanssouci palace resides in this state, a world heritage site.
5. Bremen
At the end of the roman empire Bremen became a free city state. It is now a state of germany that consists of Bremen and Bremerhaven
6. Hamburg
This is the second largest city i Germany after Berlin.  This is the alleged birth place of the hamburger!
7. Hesse
A German state with Celtic roots, was occupied by France after WW2
8. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Has the lowest population density of any state in Germany. Human settlement of this area began around 10000 BC
9. Lower Saxony

Second largest amount of land of all states. The coat of arms is a white hoarse on red ground which is the old symbol of the Saxon people.

10. North RhineWestphalia

Contributes to over 22% of Germany's GDP. It is an industrial oriented State.

11. Rhineland-Palatinate

Birthplace of the largest chemical company in the world BASF, is also a leading producer of wine.

12. Saarland

Highest concentration of roman catholics of any state.  Saarland is also an important player in the automobile industry.

13. Saxony

Known as silicon Saxony this state is one of the largest microchip producers. In 2006 Saxony was the fastest growing German Economy.

14. Saxony-Anhalt

A mainly agricultural state that was once a province of Prussia.

15. Schleswig-Holstein

This state combines both German and Danish cultures. My father and Grandfather grew up in a city named after this state calle schleshwig IOWA.

16. Thuringia

Named after a tribe that oncce occupied the land.  was created by Germany's reunification in 1990.

My reflection on the Monastic Island of Reichenau

On lake Constance there is an island that is called Reichenau.  Reichenau translates into English as blessed land.  On this island there is a monastery that has stood since 724AD that to this day is still in immaculate condition (considering how old it is).  The monastery was a Benedictine monastery which means that it was a Christian monastery that was run by monks that followed in the sect of the church that St. Benedict created.  At the time when the monastery was active it held massive influence over the realms of art, intellect and of course religion.  The walls of the monastery hold some of the most beautiful artwork that was created in its time.  Over the years there were many famous churches that were built on the island, most of them are now renowned for their pre-roman artwork.
   In order to get to the island of Reichenau you must travel along a stunningly beautiful road that has shore on both sides that is lined with trees.  This separation from most of the outside world is what has kept the island in such pristine condition.  With all the history that has gone on at this island there is no question that Reichenau deserves to be classified as world heritage.

Cool websites from heritage list!

Get your German knowledge on with these websites that i thought were cool.
Aachen Cathedral
Monastic Island of Reichenau
St Mary's Cathedral and St Michael's Church at Hildesheim
Berlin Modernism Housing Estates

Abbey and Altenmünster of Lorsch

this is my groups presentation on fifa and germany!
Presentation