German Culture
German-speaking people are a diverse bunch, coming from countries that include Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. They've made some of the most important contributions to the sciences, arts, and business. Below, students from AP German chronicle some of the most interesting aspects of German culture, from the important customs and food to the major corporations to current trends in environmentalism and business. —Nik Philipsen ('10)
Customs and Holidays of Germany
The Germans are well known for their propensity to celebrate, and what better way to celebrate than on holidays? Like most other places, the Germans begin their year with New Year’s Day, or simply Neujahr. One of the most interesting traditions about this day is their choice of movie. That’s right, there is a traditional New Year’s movie to be watched, which in Germany, ironically enough, is the English language short Dinner for One, originally created in Britain. It is simply a short about a 90-year old celebrating New Year’s with friends, except all of her friends are in fact dead and so she can only really celebrate alone.
Read more about the Customs and Holidays of Germany »
Food and Drink in German-speaking Countries
When most people think of German foods, they may think of Wurst, Wienerschnitzel, and beer. While these are definitely traditional German foods, they are by no means the only options when one visits Germany or any other German-speaking country. In truth, Germany is one of many options for satisfying your culinary desires. There are numerous nearby countries like Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Denmark, and all of these have their own traditional foods and drinks.
Read more about Food and Drink in German-speaking Countries »
German Business & Companies
The German economy is the 5th largest in the world, and the largest in Europe. Germany's economy is very export-based: in fact, Germany's the biggest exporter in the world. Germany's economy is 70% service-based, with tourism being a major componant. There are 5 large, worldknown corporations that we discuss below. They are Bayer, Siemens, Adidas, BMW, und Volkswagen. These 5 corporations produce medicine, technology, clothes, and cars.
Read more about German Business »
Environmentalism in Germany - A Case Study
German citizens constantly strive to promote environmental awareness. From the foundation of the Green party to widespread recycling, Germany has quickly become of the world's "greenest" places. In Vauban, Germany, for example, local citizens have banded together to officially "give up" their automobiles.
Vauban is a community located just outside of Freiburg, near the French and Swiss borders. Without cars, the people of Vauban prefer biking and walking as a means of transportation. While cars are not allowed in Vauban, car ownership is permitted. To maintain ownership of an automobile, one has to purchase a parking space at the edge of the town. Parking spaces cost up to $40,000. Few complain about the town's policy. In fact, over 70 percent of the families do not even own a car. Over half of the families actually sold their car to move into Vauban. Currently 5,500 people have moved into this one square mile community.
Read more about German Environmentalism »
Holidays in Switzerland
Among all the Swiss traditions, there are two that stand out: August 1st and Sechseläuten. Just like the United States has an Independence Day on July 4th, Switzerland has National Day on August 1st. It became a national holiday only recently, although it has been celebrated since 1891. Sechseläuten is unlike August 1st in that it is just celebrated in the Swiss city of Zürich, not all across the country. Held in mid/late springtime, Sechseläuten has been observed since 1904.
Read more about Holidays in Switzerland »
Goethe: Germany's Greatest Man of Letters
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born on August 28, 1749. He was born in Frankfurt am Main. As a child, he learned many languages, including Latin, Greek, French and English. He was interested in literature, such as books by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock and Homer. Although he studied law in Leipzig, he had little interest in it. Instead, he studied poetry. He met Käthchen Schönkopf, and wrote poems to her. In 1770 he published Annette, which was his first collection of poetry.
Read more about Johann Wolfgang von Goethe »
Friedrich Schiller
Friedrich Schiller is considered second only to Shakespeare in the pantheon of European playwrights, and he may have surpassed the earlier master had he lived longer than a young 45 years. Schiller was prolific and precocious – he wrote his first play – Die Räuber – while still studying medicine under the auspices of the Duke of Württemberg, Karl Eugen, at the Karlsschule Stuttgart, a military academy founded by the Duke.
Read more about Friedrich Schiller »
MUSIC PLAYER
ABOUT THIS PROJECT
These entries about German culture—written in both English and German—were created by students in AP German at Maggie Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies in Richmond, Virginia, for their end-of-year project. Many thanks to Frau Dawn Grois, head of the MLWGS German Program, who edited for grammar and clarity. Compiled by Nik Philipsen ('10). Music compiled by Norris Guncheon ('10).
more about the german program »
By using this Site, you agree to be bound by it's Terms of Service.