Overview of German 110

I was a little hesitant to take the class at first; I had almost no idea what to expect the class structure to be like. This would make any student a little nervous. Going into the class I had hoped to get a general knowledge of Germany and its culture and we were able to just that. After taking the class I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed being apart of it and glad that I signed up. We were able to learn and cover quite a few topics about Germany and its culture which is exactly what I had hoped for. I found the topic/presentations about the different areas throughout the decades particularly interesting. One of the more surprising areas that we covered is the whole nudist thing. I found interesting that how different our countries view nudity in public. I also loved how the course its self was set up. I also that Prof. Roland was a very easy to approach man and he also allowed the class to be even more enjoyable. He allowed for students to stay on top of things with ease. Not to mention that he also allowed us to save and arm and a leg by not having to purchase a textbook :^). I wouldn't structure the class any different than its current state. The only thing that was bad was having to go to class so late, which couldn't be helped.

Germany and its Immediate Neighbors: The East

France:

France-Germany relations have always been a touchy subject. It roots back to the to powers being the biggest empires to stretch across Europe at the time. Having struggles back and forth over land, politics, and power.  France would go so far as to seek out allying countries to attempt to shut out Germany from the outside world. Their failed attempts to do so would loosen their ties even more so.  Most of France's policies were in fact brought about as a result of direct fear of the Germans. With their pasts struggles it won't be until after the Second World War that Germany and France will finally see any any sort of peace between the two. It takes the soviet threat to bring them together. 

Belgium:

Belgium has almost always remained neutral throughout times of war. Belgium has historically been the route of invading armies from its larger neighbors. With virtually defenseless borders, Belgium has traditionally sought to avoid domination by the more powerful nations which surround it through a policy of mediation. This, however, didn't work during the two World Wars. Germany didn't care that their policy was to remain neutral during war time and they took over Belgium both wars. Fed up with staying neutral, in 1948, Belgium signed the Treaty of Brussels with the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, and one year later became one of the founding members of the Atlantic Alliance.

My Character for All is Quiet

If I had to take the role of a character from the book I would easily take over the roll of Katczinsky. Kat always seems to find a way to make the best of their situation. And while he may not look it or even act like it at times, he always steps up to raise moral or lead the group when the time needs him. Without him the group of friends would have never made it as far as they did. He was a friend to all and for a very good reason.

My Expectations

What do I expect to get out of this class:
I expect to get a better understanding and knowledge about Germany in it's past and present. I, as many other students taking this class, have some background in Germany through family relations. This is part of the why as to me taking this class. I also have just been interested in Germany as a country. Germany has been the focus of so much attention and has gone through so much change throughout the years due to war and other movements. I find it fascinating that they can recover time and time again.

Günter Grass

Günter Grass is a German novelist, poet, playwright, illustrator, graphic artist, sculptor and recipient of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Literature. He is often referred to as Germany's most famous writers that are still around today

Early Years:

Born in 1927 he spent his youth living in the Free City of Danzig (which is now Gdank, Poland). It wasn’t until 1945 that he came to West Germany as a homeless refugee because of the war. Grass was unable to return home for the Soviet Army expelled all Germans from the area. Soon after being removed from his home, he worked in a mine and received training in stonemasonry in 1946 and 1947.

Beginning of a Career:

For many years he studied sculpture and graphics, first at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, then at the Berlin University of the Arts.

  With his built up training that he acquired piece by piece throughout his life, Grass worked as an author, graphic designer, and sculptor, travelling frequently. He married in 1954 and since 1960 has lived in Berlin as well as part-time in Schleswig-Holstein. His first marriage ended in 1978, he remarried in 1979. From 1983 to 1986 he held the presidency of the Berlin Academy of the Arts.

His Major works:

  Grass has published many famous works in his lifetime. One of his most famous pieces, for English-language readers, is the trilogy known as Danzig Trilogy. The three works (being published from 1959 to the latest one in 1963) consist of: Die Blechtrommel, Katz und Maus, and Hundejahre or The Tin Drum, Cat and Mouse, and Dog Years. The trilogy deal with the rise of Nazism and the the war experience in the unique culture setting of Danzig area.

Grass received many rewards and honors for his works. In 1999 he achieved the highest literary honor: the Nobel Prize in Literature. The Swedish academy noted his as a writer "whose frolicsome black fables portray the forgotten face of history”.

en.wikipedia.org/Guten_Grass

nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature

'Berlin Calling' Reflection

1. To Ickarus drugs are a way to chill out. At the begging of the film hes sees them as the only way possible for him to regain his creativity for his music. Blinded by the drugs it has become all he knows for a source of inspiration and relaxation.
2. His fans do drugs whenever, wherever, whatever and however. Although Ickarus may not be directly promoting drug use, it is very likely that his fans see this and 'want to be like him' and they follow suit.
3. not sure answer this one :(
4. The biggest difference I notice is the variation in authority. While someone getting caught here will almost likely see some sort of time behind walls of some sort, here they take a different approach and instead try to fix the problem instead of just punishing the problem. This approach to drug use makes a lot more sense to me.
5. I think that every generation has the ability to change their country. Some might say that with access to all new technologies and such that they have the power to change their country ideal for them even more so than previous generations.
6. I havnt seen any movies similar to this. Im more of a sci-fi kind of movie watcher.

I really enjoyed this film. It does such a good job depicting what it would actually be like to be in this scenario. I have a family member who has also had bad go ins with drugs and still struggles to this day with them and they are no joke. One of the biggest differences that i noticed was again how they handle individuals that are caught with drug use. Although I dont know enough to know if every delinquent is handled this way the ones in this film that are seem to be handled in a way that makes way more sense than it does get handled here. Here its very unlikely that one will go directly to a rehab center. This is the exact opposite of what we see in the film

German Gymnastics

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1je8OvnjJPYaXXjf9vLdeplsvyfOE0nflRxgi8nYhTwU/edit?usp=sharing

All is Quiet..

All if Quiet on the Western Front is one of those books that will stand the test of time and will continue to be an important and discussable read for many years to come. The book follows around a German boy, who at the time was still in school and considered quite innocent by most standards. That all changed when war broke out with Germany right at the center of it all. That’s really what the book does a fantastic job of doing. The loss of innocence and much more along with it. All is Quiet on the Western Front gives just a glimpse of how harsh war really is. It shows us how even those who survive the terrors of war come out almost less human. It’s because of how the book does such a fantastic job at showing how there is not a shred of glamour in war that was being fed to future soldiers at the time. Going past the direct scene of the cruelty of war, I believe that the book does a good job of showing how life it’s self is cruel. Even the simple pleasures that were sought out were soon stripped away from them. Even in times of peace this can be seen by some individuals. While the effects of war on soldiers and the horrors of war are clearly seen throughout the book, what isn’t noticed nearly as much is the power, or misuse of, of nationalism. The book shows nationalism as something that is almost meaningless and is simply a means of a way to control the populous. Overall I find this book to hit so many topics about war in such a way the it sticks with you.

Political - CSU

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1k7BUWF_f4yOdCGbZwKlIMimmRiDA3tbB_efr8sZ1V-Y/present?slide=id.p

The purpose of this presentation was to inform the class about the CSU political party that is present in Bavaria.

All is Quiet - Chapter 10

There were many key things that can be taken out of each chapter that all have a great deal of significance. For chapter 10 there were several key topics that we took away after reading the chapter. The first of which was when the main group in the story come across food that they have been deprived of ever since they joined the army and partook in the war. Because of how the soldiers reacted when they had the food is what we found to be the most astonishing part. They treated the food in higher value than their lives. These men were willing to risk a lot just to have that pleasure in life that they once knew. Another topic that the book highlights about war in this chapter is life is cruel and won’t stop for anything. This is shown when the soldiers were all at the village. While there they all thought that they could finally take a break from the war and relax. This sigh of relief ended almost as soon as it begun. The group was soon thrust back into the harsh reality that is war. We also noticed that the author had Baumer talk to the reader in his mind saying how even after thousands of years people still haven’t stopped killing each other and that the reality of war will be around as long as there are men starting them. Another topic that we believed to be of significance was when he was wondering what him and the other men were going to do once the war was over. He said how their first commitment to life as adults was to kill and after so long it was the really the only thing they knew how to do. This sends an emotional message to the reader and helps him or her really understand the effect the war had on all of these men.  

Saxony-Anhalt Group 5

1. How long has the State existed, and which historical changes are important?

The state 1st materialized between 1947 and 1952. It comprised of the former Prussian province of Saxony, the state of Anhalt and a few smaller territories, which previously belonged to Brunswick and Thuringia. Saxony-Anhalt was disbanded in the GDR era and the districts Halle and Magdeburg took its place. Since Germany's reunification its current form was established as one of the new East German federal states in 1990.

2. How many people live in the State? Which bigger cities or areas are worth noting?

The total population as of 2011 was slightly over 2.3 million. The three largest districts are (as of 2011) 1) Halle (Saale) with 233,705 people 2) Magdeburg with 232,364 people 3) Dessau-Roblau with 85,838 people. The state capital and seat of government is Magdeburg.

3. What is the political affiliation? Religious and cultural heritage?

The majority of parliamentary seats belong to the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) 41, the Die Linke (former PDS / Party of Democratic Socialism) 29, and the SPD (Social Democratic Party) 26. The current president of the state parliament is Detlef Gurth (CDU). The government has been formed by a coalition of CDU and SPD with the Minister-President being Reiner Haseloff (CDU). Culture: Musicians such as George Frideric Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach lived and worked for many years in the present day Saxony-Anhalt. There are prestigious music festivals that honor their works.

4. Which UNESCO World heritage sites are in the State?

1) The Old Town of Quedlinburg. 2) Sites associated with Martin Luther (Wittenberg and Eisleben). 3) Dessau-Worlitz Garden Kingdom. 4) Bauhaus in Dessau.

*All information was retrieved from http://www.sachsen-anhalt.de/index.php?id=20916 on 1/26/2014

5. Which industries are worth noting today - in the past?

Some of the current industries located in Saxony-Anhalt are automotive, biotechnology, paper/wood/packaging, renewable energy, and mechanical engineering.  The automotive industry makes parts for the following cars: Porsche, BMW, and VW.  The paper/wood/packaging industry is growing, and the renewable energy industry is the national leader in renewable energy sources.  The mining industry started in the 19th century.

6. Any famous Germans you came across researching the State?

Martin Luther made his public speech against the Catholic church in 1517 in Wittengurg.  Also, George Frideric Handel was born here.

7. Any and all topics you find worth noting.

http://www.sachsen-anhalt.de/index.php?id=21182

( German110MarshallSs14)

Saxony!

History

The term Saxony came from the conquered territory by the German Saxon tribe. This was between the years of AD 200 and AD 700. The land that they conquered was in the area of Holstein and the area west Elbe River, which is now the current territory of Lower Saxony. After the Saxons expanded westward they were themselves conquered in the eight century by the Frankish ruler of Charlemagne. After the Charlemagne captured the area and turned it into a Christian area the land of Saxony became part of the German kingdom. During the years between 1180 and 1423 there were two areas of Saxony that were being controlled by many different rulers in different amounts of time. One region was on the lower east bank of lower Elbe and the other region was in middle Elbe. Between 1423 and 1952 the region of Saxony was very large, from Thuringia to Lusatia and bordering what is now the Czech Republic. That large space of land was Saxony. In 1990 the state of Saxony is what we see today on maps.

                   http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/526055/Saxony       Jan. 27, 2014

Geography

 As of 2006 the population of Saxony was 4,249,774. The land of Saxony is 7,109 square miles and the capital is Dresden. The present Saxony is mainly composed of hills and mountains The Ore Mountains are located in Saxony and they run for over 100 miles. The Ore Mountains also used to be mined for uranium before it was all mined out. South of this region and along the Elbe River is a region of hills and deep gorges with is called the Saxon Switzerland National park. This a major landscape that attracts many tourists. The northern part of Saxony is a very fertile region on the eastern part of Saxony. The temperature in most of Saxony is fairly temperate which should make it easier to farm. Dresden Elbe valley is in fact one of the new UNESCO world heritage sites. It is 20 kilometers and runs from the southeast to the northwest fringes of Dresden.

              http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/526083/Saxony    Jan. 28, 2014
              http://www.saxonytourism.com/new-unesco-world-heritage-sites   Jan. 28, 2014

Culture

After the unification, Saxony's economy has been in a little bit of a struggle. Even though the states economy may think it is in a struggle the economy is still one of the largest economies in Eastern Germany. Some of the industries that Saxony has may help with the economy a little. Some of this industries include producing things like electronics, machinery, auto parts and bodies, and along with food processing. There was one the chief factory of a textile production, however because of the high unemployment is Saxony it is no longer a top industry. Miessen is a big industry know for making porcelain, other ceramics, and even some Christmas decorations. Because Dresden is the capital and a very large one, these industries are mainly located in Dresden, along with the parliament. The state of Saxony right now is governed by a national demographic party. Along with many industries, Dresden also values their historic sites like museums and their music groups and opera house. Even though he was not born into current Saxony's state, an important musician that was born in Saxony was John Fredrick Lampe. Another thing that is interesting about Saxony is their religion. They are mainly either protestant, catholic, or non-religious. Saxony is filled with history and culture, some dating back to over a thousand years ago, some history from WW II, and the way that Saxons value history is all very mind opening and hopefully this state continues to grow.

                 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/526083/Saxony      Jan. 28, 2014

( German110haleycs14 )

Thuringia!

The state of Thuringia lies in the eastern-central part of Germany. It is bordered by the German states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, Hessen , and Bavaria, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt. Thuringia wasnt officially established in 1990 after the German Reunification, it is one of Germany's newest states founded. Thurungia is known as the "green heart of Germany" because much of it, especially in the south, is covered by forest. This, along with its mountain range found in the east, makes Thuringia a popular recreation area. It offers hundreds of miles of walking and hiking paths, as well as great winter sports facilities. The industries found most in Thuringia include the glass, ceramic, toy, lumber, textile, and metal industries, but predominantly machine and automobile production. The largest companies in the region include Opel (automobile manufacturer), Bosch (supplier of auto and machine parts), and Karl Zeiss (optics) (germanfoodguide.com Jan 28, 2014).

History

The Germanic Thuringians appeared after about ad 350 and were conquered by the Huns in the second quarter of the 5th century, but by 500 they had established a large kingdom stretching from the Harz mountains to the Danube. After many invasions and take overs, and all other sorts of land disputes, the Thuringians land was greatly reduced from its original state.. In 1920, under the Weimar Republic, several old Thuringian territories were merged into a new Thuringia, a state of republican Germany, with Weimar as its capital. After World War II all Thuringia fell to the Soviet-occupied zone of Germany. With the administrative dissolution of Prussia, an enlarged Thuringia state was constituted within East Germany, with rationalized frontiers, including the southwestern part of the former province of Saxony and all the former enclaves; the capital was Erfurt. In 1952, however, when the East German states were dissolved, Thuringia was divided between the Bezirke (districts) of Erfurt, Suhl, Gera, Halle, and Leipzig. Following the reunification of Germany, Thuringia was reconstituted as a state with boundaries similar to those of its post-World War II predecessor from the former East German districts of Suhl, Erfurt, and Gera and from small parts of Leipzig and Halle districts (britannica.com Jan 28, 2014).

The Populous

Thuringia has gone through many diplomatic changes with the rise and fall of leaders and as a result of Germany being the center of two world wars. As a result the current Thuringia now resides as a Free Democratic Party. Religious views also went under similar changes, but maybe not at the same time. Thuringia today is mostly made up of citizens that have no religious affiliations what-so-ever.  2.718 million is the population of Thuringia as of 2012. The biggest city in this German state would easily be Erfurt with a population of 200,000+, followed by Jena with only have the population (nationsonline.org Jan 27, 2014).

The Culture

Thuringia is just as much of a cultural hub as any other pert of the world. One of the most noteable places that this takes place is in Weimer. Some of the protected sights include: Goethe House, Schiller House, Goethe’s Garden House, the Duchess Anna Amalia Library, the Bauhaus Museum and the three palaces – Belvedere, Ettersburg and Tiefurt with their unique grounds (thuringia-tourism.com Jan 28, 2014).