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.