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TOPSTORIES/GERMANY

SOC IETY

GermanyfromAtoZ
Importanttopicsinanutshell.ThirtyeighttipsforunderstandingGermanyandthe
Germans.

FindmoreinformationinDW'sGermanyGuideforrefugeeshere
Army
TheGermanmilitaryhasabout180,000activetroops.Armeddeploymentsmustbeapprovedby
parliament.Rareexceptionssuchasimmediatedefenseneedsallowfordeploymentwithouta
Bundestagvote.AbattlewearyWestGermanycautiouslybuiltitsnewarmyintheaftermathoftwo
losingWorldWarsinthefirsthalfofthe20thcentury.Thearmywasformallyestablishedin1955,six
yearsafterthefoundingoftheFederalRepublicofGermanyandwithmuchcontention.Duringthe
ColdWar,thesolepurposeoftheWest'sarmywasnationaldefense.Inthe1990s,aunitedGermany
sentitsmilitaryabroadonpeacekeepingmissions,generallyincooperationwithNATO,ofwhich
Germanyisamember.

Asylum
Asamatterofprinciple,Germanygrantsasylumtopeoplewhoarepolitically,religiouslyorethnically
persecuted.Applicationsaresubjecttoathoroughverificationprocess.Officialswilldenyasylumto
thosewhotheydeterminedonotmeetthestandards.Applicantsmustthenleavethecountrywithina
specifiedtimeperiod.

Associations
Germanyisalandofassociations,withthenumberquintuplingoverthepast40yearstoabout
600,000nowregisterednationwide.However,therateofmembershiphasnot:In199062percentof
citizensbelongedtoaclub,by2000thatnumberhaddroppedto53percent,andin2014onlyabout
44percentheldmembershipinanassociation.Germansareespeciallyfondofsportsclubs,withabout
oneinfiveholdingmembershipinone.However,therearealsoassociationsdedicatedtohobbiesand

Auschwitz
ThecampinoccupiedPolandwasoneofsevenexterminationsitesusedbyGermanyduringthereign
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LIVEBLOGS

interests,musicandsinging,gardeningandanimalbreeding,andbowling.

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ofAdolfHitler.Nearly1millionJewsweremurderedatAuschwitzcompoundfrom1940to1945,in
additiontotensofthousandsofPoles,Roma,Sovietprisonersofwarandothers,foratotalof1.1
millionpeople.TheSovietRedArmyliberatedAuschwitzonJanuary27,1945,adatethathasbecome
knownasInternationalHolocaustRemembranceDay.TheNaziskilledmorethan11millionpeople
duringtheHolocaust,including6millionJews,butalsoRoma,LGBTpeople,politicalopponents,
Slavsandpeoplewithdisabilities.

ThefamousluxurybrandstillbearsthenameofGermanautomotiveinventorCarlBenz

Automobiles
TheGermanCarlBenzisknownastheinventorofthemodernautomobile.Andtheautomobile
industryisanessentialbranchofthenationaleconomy.Germancarsareinternationallyrenowned.In
2014,about44millioncarswereregisteredinGermany.Twooutofeverythreeadultsisanautomobile
ownerinacountrythatdrivesontherighthandsideoftheroad.

Bread
BreadisconsideredabasicelementofGermany'sfoodpyramid,andthereisalargevarietyofit.
Germanbakeriesoftenoffershelfaftershelfofbread,withdifferentgrainsandgraincombinations
andseveralmethodsofbaking.SouthernGermansenjoy"breadtime,"amealbetweenmealsmadeup
ofbread,butter,cheeseand/orsausageoftenwasheddownwithaliterofbeer.

Carnival
Aswintermakesitsexit,theRhinelandandpartsofsouthernGermanysuitupforCarnival.It'san
exuberantbingebeforeLent,the40dayCatholicfastingperiodaheadofEaster.Inthemain
celebrationcitiesofCologne,DusseldorfandMainz,Carnivalfeaturesseveraldaysofstreetfestivals
beginningonthelastThursdaybeforeLentandendingonAshWednesday.Millionsputoncostumes
overthecourseoftheweek.

Christianity
About60percentofGermansconsiderthemselvesChristianthebulkofthemmembersoftheofficial
CatholicorProtestantchurches.However,Germanyisofficiallysecularandreligionisconsidereda
privateaffair.Still,ChristianitypervadesGermany,withmostholidayshavingabiblicalbasis.Several
"other"religionshavealsofoundahomeinGermany,whichishometoaboutnearly4.5million
Muslims,orupto5.5percentofthepopulationanother1percentcomprisesacombined270,000
Buddhists,200,000Jews,120,000Hindus,60,000Yazidi,5,000to10,000Sikhsand6,000Bahai.

Clocks
Germanyisalandofclocks.They'realloverthestreetscapefromthetowersofchurchestothe
watchesonsomanywrists.Punctualityisavirtue,andtardinessisextremelyuncivil.Keeping
appointmentsisobligatory.Oneshouldinformtheotherpartyifonecannot.

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Constitution
EnactedonMay23,1949,Germany'sBasicLawsetsforththerightsofficiallyenjoyedbythecountry's
citizens.ItwaswrittenwiththeabusesofNazisminmind,aswellasthefailuresoftheinterwar
WeimarRepublic.Theconstitutionforemostemphasizeshumandignityforcitizens:therighttofree
personaldevelopment,individualfreedom,lifeandphysicalintegrity.Intheory,theserightsarea
citizen'sfirstdefensesagainststatetransgressions.Theconstitutionalsoemphasizesbinarygender
equalityandforbidsdiscriminationonreligious,politicalormostothergrounds.TheConstitutional
CourtinKarlsruhedecidesonconstitutionalmatters.

Culture
Germanyisacountryrichinculture,withlongtraditionsoftheater,opera,museums,publishingand
festivals.Officially,cultureisamatterhandledbyindividualstates.Thefederalgovernmentonlyholds
swayoverafewculturalinstitutions.

Deutschland
TheGermannameforGermany,hometo80millionpeopleandthemostpopulousmemberofthe
EuropeanUnion.ThecountrywasdividedintotheeasternGermanDemocraticRepublicandwestern
FederalRepublicforfourdecadesfollowingWorldWarII.ReunificationonOctober3,1990,
integratedtheformerEastGermanyintotheFederalRepublic.Germanyhas16states,eachwiththeir
owngoverningbodiesforeducation,cultureandpolice.ThecountryboastsEurope'slargesteconomy.
AsafoundingmemberoftheEU,Germanyhelpedbringabouttheeuro.

Education
Compulsoryforallchildrenaged6andolder,educationisveryimportantinGermany.Abasic
educationgenerallyconsistsof10yearsofschooling,which,alongwithbooksandotherlearningand
teachingmaterials,isfundedbythestate.Highereducationisalsogenerallyfunded.Onemayapply
foruniversityorcareertrainingafteratleast12yearsofbasiceducation.ParticulartoGermanyisa
systemthatplacesstudentswithacompanyforonthejobtraininginadditiontostudiestoprepare
foracareer.

Equality
InGermany,whichappointeditsfirstfemalechancellorin2005,menandwomenhaveequalrights
andallformsofdiscriminationareofficiallyforbidden.Authoritiesandaidorganizationsareatthe
readytohelpthosewhoexperiencedomesticviolence.Manycitieshaveemergencysheltersforwomen
whohaveexperiencedabuse.

EuropeanUnion
TheEuropeanUnionistheonlybodyofitstypeintheworld,with28memberstatescedingaportion
oftheirsovereigntytoasupranationalauthority.With500millioninhabitants,theEuropeanUnionis
theworld'slargestcommonmarket.However,theEUismorethananeconomicbody:Ithasthe
importantfunctionofmaintainingpeaceinEurope,whichexperiencedcontinentwidewartwiceina
30yearperiodintheearly20thcentury.

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Germansaremadaboutfootball

Football
Germanywonthe2014WorldCupandthreebeforethat:1954,1974and1990.Soccerasitis
knownintheUSisthenationalsport.About7millionchildren,youthsandadultsareregisteredwith
theGermanFootballAssociation(DFB)asactiveplayers,makingittheworld'slargestsportauthority.
ThemostsuccessfulGermansoccerteamisBayernMunich,whichhaswon25national
championshipsandfiveChampionsLeaguetitles.Withmorethan250,000members,theBayern
Munichfanclubistheworld'ssecondlargest.

Forests
AlthoughGermanyisverydenselypopulated,32percentofthecountryiscoveredinforest.With42
percentoftheirlandcoveredbywoods,thestatesofHessenandRhinelandPalatinatehavethemost
forest.SuchgreenspacesareveryimportanttoGermany'slumberindustryandalsotothecountry's
spirituallife.Forestswereafrequentthemein19thcenturyRomanticism,paintedbothasatributeto
nature,butalsoasaformofworship.Inadditiontolumber,forestsprovideaplaceforrestand
relaxation.

Freedom
FreedomistheprevailingspiritinGermany.Statepaternalismandconstraintsarefrowneduponand
toleranceispreached.It'sacountrywheresomepeoplecanrememberthelessonsoftherepression
underNationalSocialismortheformerGermanDemocraticRepublic.Sincethe1960sand'70s,
variousstudentandliberationmovementsledbyfeministsandLGBTpeoplehavefoughttokeepsuch
repressiveregimesfromrepeatingthemselves.

Holocaust
TheHolocaustwasthemassmurderofabout6millionJewsand5millionotherpeoplebyNazi
Germanybetween1940and1945,primarilyinsevenindustrializedexterminationcamps,mostof
whichwerelocatedoutsideoftraditionallynationalbordersinCentralEurope.Germanyadditionally
ranabout1,000concentrationcampswithinitsbordersandtheterritoriesitcontrolled.Themost
notoriousofthesewastheAuschwitzexterminationcompound.

Homeland(Heimat)
Homelandisanoftromanticizedvisionofone'splaceoforigin,upbringingoridentity.Itisoften
closelytiedtoregions:theRhineland,CentralGermanUplands,coastormountains,forexamples.

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LGBTcouplesenjoylimitedadoptionrightsinGermany

Homosexuality
GermanshaveageneralsocialacceptanceofLGBTpeople,andmostformsofdiscriminationare
officiallyforbidden.Registeredpartnershipsoffermostbenefitsofmarriage.

Immigration
Foryears,Germanleadershadspokenoutagainsttheideaofthecountryasalandofmigrants.This
stancewasespeciallyapparentintheuseoftheterm"guestworker,"whichwaslongusedtodescribe
theSouthEuropeanswhobegancomingtoGermanyinthe1960sforofficiallytemporaryindustrial
sectorjobs.Asaresult,thecountryhasbecomeadefactolandofmigrants,thoughnotinthesame
sensethattheUnitedStatesorCanadais.Businessesseekingskilledworkershavelongadvocatedfor
moreimmigration,andthesocialsecuritypaymentsmadebyforeignemployeeshavehelpedallay
strainsonthecountry'sagingpopulation.

Incometax
Whetherselfemployedorcontracted,allworkersinGermanyaremeanttocontributeincometax,
whichisgenerallyautomaticallywithheldfromwagesbytheauthorities.Rentandinvestmentincome
arealsosubjecttotax.Taxevasionisseverelypunished.

Integration
Overthedecades,peoplefrommanypartsoftheworldhavemigratedtoGermany.Toavoidthe
emergenceof"parallelsocieties,"Germanyhascreatedanintegrationregime,offeringcoursesin
language,nationalvalues,politics,economics,landandpeople.Civilsocietiesandassociationsalso
playanimportantroleinintegration.Thefederalgovernmenthasanintegrationcommissionerand
severalstateshaveaministerdedicatedtointegration.

Justice
Germanyhasenshrinedtheseparationofpowers,givingjudgesmaximumindependence.Judicial
securityishighlyvaluedandprotected,andcourtsalsocriticallyexaminetheactionsofauthorities.
Shouldcircumstancesrequire,citizenscanalsoappealjudicialdecisionstohighercourts.

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Kohlhada10pointplanforreunification

Kohl,Helmut
Bornin1930,HelmutKohlwaschancellorfrom1982to1998.Havingservedduringthefallofthe
BerlinWallonNovember9,1989,heisbestknownasthe"ChancellorofUnity,"bringingthecountry
backtogetherafterfourdecadesofEastWestestrangement.PassionateabouttheEU,Kohlalso
helpedbringabouttheeuro,thecurrencynowusedin19of28memberstates.

Merkel,Angela
BornintheGermanDemocraticRepublicin1954andeducatedasaphysicist,AngelaMerkelassumed
thechancellorshipin2005.ShehadledtheChristianDemocratssince2000.AnEastGerman
Protestant,MerkeleasilytookchargeoftheWestGermanconservatives,introducingseveralchanges,
suchasanendtocompulsorymilitaryorpublicserviceandunpluggingthenuclearenergysector.

Nationhood
GermanycameaboutinawayverydifferentfromEuropeannationssuchastheUnitedKingdom,
FranceorSpain.ThefirstGermanstatewasdeclaredin1871,underReichChancellorOttovon
Bismarckastestifiedtobyhundredsofmonumentstothemanacrosstheyoungcountry.Inthe
centuriesleadinguptoBismarck'sdeclaration,Germanslivedinseveralsmallerstatescontrolledby
variouslocaldynasties.And,ofcourse,noteightdecadesintoitsexistence,thecountrywasdivided
again,until1989,intoEastGermanyandtheFederalRepublic,onlytoreunitein1990.

Ottomotor
NamedaftercoinventorNicolausAugustOttoandpatentedin1877,theOttomotoristhefirsttwoor
fourstrokecombustionengine.TheGermaninventionisnowfoundunderthehoodofseveralmillion
carsworldwide,aswellasinmillionsofmotorcycles.

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OnNovember10,1989,EastandWestGermanscelebratedenmassetogether

Partition,German
AfterWorldWarII,GermanyspentfourdecadesdividedonColdWarlines:inthewest,thecapitalist
FederalRepublic,amemberofNATO,andintheeasttheSovietinfluencedGermanDemocratic
Republic,aWarsawPactmember.WithpeopleleavingtheEastindrovesby1961,authoritiesbuilta
walltokeepthemin.TheGermanDemocraticRepublicorderedsoldierstoshootanyonetryingtoflee
overthehighlymilitarizedborderbetweenthetwocountries.Eighthundredandseventytwopeople
wereshot.TheGermanDemocraticRepublicopenedtheborderonNovember9,1989.OnOctober3,
1990,EastandWestreunitedtoformthecompleteFederalRepublicofGermany.Sincethen,October
3hasbeenanationalholiday.

Physicalpunishment
Spankingsandotherformsofcorporalpunishmentofchildrenrarelycomeupineveryday
conversationtheyarenolongerallowed.Germanyusedtopermitacertainlevelofcorporal
punishment,butofficialshavesincedeterminedthatchildrenhavearighttoaviolencefree
upbringing.Partnersarealsoforbiddenfromabusingoneanother,andcorporalpunishmentisnot
allowedinschools,youthcorrectionalfacilitiesorthemilitary.

Politicalparties
AccordingtoArticle21oftheconstitution,Germany'sparties"participateintheformationofthe
politicalwillofthepeople."Bylaw,"theirinternalorganizationmustconformtodemocratic
principles."Withabouthalfamillionmemberseach,Germany'stwobiggestpoliticalpartiesarethe
ChristianDemocratsandSocialDemocrats.Bavaria'sChristianSocialUnionhasabout140,000
members.TheLeft,GreensandFreeDemocratshaveabout60,000memberseach.Anygroupof
citizenscanfoundapartyatanytime.Theyhavetofollowtheconstitution,formitaccordingto
democraticrules,putforthaprogramandcharterand,ofcourse,havemembers.

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Withafewexceptions,"MadeinGermany"isaninternationalmarkofexcellence

Quality
Germansarefondofbeingknownfortheirefficiencysomethingoftenreferredtobyforeigners,as
well,bywayofbothpraiseandstereotype.Bothinsideandoutsidethecountry,fordecadesthelabel
"MadeinGermany"hasbeentakenasanendorsementofaproduct'sreliability,valueandlongevity.

Stateoflaw(ruleoflaw)
Bylaw,statepowerisofficiallykeptincheckinGermany.LawsespeciallytheBasicLaware
intendedtoensurefreedominparticular.Theconstitutionhasthespecialfunctionofensuringhuman
dignity,freedom,justiceandthesecurityofrights.Inpracticalterms,thismeansthattheofficial
decisionsofalltypesofauthoritiescanbeappealedtoindependentcourts.

Xenophobia
AccordingtoWebster,xenophobiameans"fearorhatred"offoreigners.InGermany,xenophobia
manifestsinverbal,physicalandpoliticalattacksonpeoplefromelsewhereoftenagainstrefugees.
BytheendofOctober2015,Germany'sFederalCriminalOfficehadregisteredmorethan460
xenophobicattacks,morethantwiceasmanyasinthesameperiodin2014.

Yoga
YogaisaformofphysicalandspiritualexercisethatoriginatedinIndiaandhasitsrootsintheHindu
religion.Stillconsideredan"exotic"formofexerciseinthe1960sand'70s,yogahassincebecome
quitecommon.Nearlyeverycityoffersanassortmentofcoursesformanytypesofyoga,eachwithits
differentemphasesonphysicalfitness,flexibility,spiritualexerciseorsomecombinationofthose.

Zeitgeist
AwordthatneedsnotranslationlargelybecauseithasbeentakenupasisbyEnglishandsomany
otherlanguageszeitgeistreferstothespiritofthetimes,beitcultural,politicalorsocial.It'srarely
usedinthenegative,andtokeepthegoodtimesgoing,morethanafewbarsabroadhavenamed
themselvesthat.It'salsorarelyusedinthepresent,sodon'tlooktoohardforthezeitgeist:Youmight
justbemissingthemoment.

WWWL IN KS

FindDW'sGermanyGuideforrefugeeshere

Date28.10.2015
AuthorMatthiasvonHein,VolkerWagener/mkg
RelatedSubjectsAuschwitz

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KeywordsAuschwitz,Carnival,Christianity
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R EL ATED C ON TEN T

Toobig,toosmall
Colognepostponesvote,
printsnewballots04.09.2015

GermanyhonorsNazi
huntercoupleBeateand
SergeKlarsfeld20.07.2015

Thepartythatkeepsgoing
andgoingandgoing

Justdaysaheadofamayoral
electiononSeptember13,the
Cologneelectoralcommission
declaredthousandsofpostalvotes
invalid.Theproblem:thesizeof
lettersontheballotslips.The
electionhasbeenpostponed.

Acoupleresponsibleforbringing
severalNazicriminalstojusticehas
beenawardedGermany'sFederal
OrderofMerit.BeateandSerge
Klarsfeldwarnedofrenewedanti
Semitismduringtheprize
ceremony.

TheCologneCarnivalissomething
youhavetoseetobelieve.DWs
reporterGabrielBorrud,whogrew
upintheUnitedStates,still
remembershisfirstcarnivalat
leastsomepartsofit.

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