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Overview
Germany and its capital, Berlin, were the fulcrum of geopolitics in the twentieth century. After the Second World War, Germany was a divided nation. Many German citizens were born and educated and continued to work in eastern Germany (the former German Democratic Republic).
This title in the Understanding Modern Nations series seeks to explain contemporary life and traditional culture through thematic encyclopedic entries. Themes in the book cover geography; history; politics and government; economy; religion and thought; social classes and ethnicity; gender, marriage, and sexuality; education; language; etiquette; literature and drama; art and architecture; music and dance; food; leisure and sports; and media and pop culture. Within each theme, short topical entries cover a wide array of key concepts and ideas, from LGBTQ issues in Germany to linguistic dialects to the ever-famous Oktoberfest. Geared specifically toward high school and undergraduate German students, readers interested in history and travel will find this book accessible and engaging.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781440864537 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Publication date: | 03/29/2022 |
| Series: | Understanding Modern Nations |
| Pages: | 464 |
| Product dimensions: | 7.40(w) x 10.30(h) x 1.25(d) |
| Age Range: | 12 - 18 Years |
About the Author
Katharina Barbe, PhD, professor emerita, was chair of the department of world languages and literatures at Northern Illinois University.
Table of Contents
Series Foreword xiii
Preface xv
Introduction xix
Chapter 1 Geography 1
Overview 1
Biosphere Reserves and National Parks 5
Bodies of Water 8
Cities 9
Climate Policy and Recycling 11
Demographics 13
Mountain Ranges 15
Transportation 16
Chapter 2 History 19
Overview 19
Timeline 24
Adenauer, Konrad (1876-1967) 33
Berlin Wall 35
Bismarck, Otto Von (1815-1898) 37
Catherine the Great (1729-1796) 39
Charlemagne (748-814) 40
Clausewitz, Carl Von (1780-1831) 42
Frank, Anne (1929-1945) 43
Hindenburg, Paul Von (1847-1934) 44
Hitler, Adolf (1889-1945) 46
Honecker, Erich (1912-1994) 47
Marx, Karl (1818-1883) 48
Wilhelm II (1859-1941) 50
Chapter 3 Government and Politics 53
Overview 53
Armed Forces 58
Citizenship 59
Constitutions 62
Die Wende 64
Foreign Policy 65
The German Welfare State 66
Germany and the European Union 68
Germany and the United States 69
Government and Politics in the German Democratic Republic 71
Merkel, Angela (1954-) 72
Political Parties 75
Regional Government/Federalism 77
Sports and Government 79
Tax Policy 80
Chapter 4 Economy 83
Overview 83
Agriculture 88
Banking 89
Corporations in Germany 90
Currency 92
Energy 93
Equal Pay Act 95
Frankfurt Stock Exchange 96
German Automobile Industry 99
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) 101
Guest Workers 103
Manufacturing 105
Services Industry 106
Trade 109
Working in Germany 110
Chapter 5 Religion and Thought 113
Overview 113
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich (1906-1945) 117
Contemporary Attitudes toward Religion 118
Germanic Religions 119
Holocaust 121
Islam in Germany 123
Judaism in Germany 124
Luther, Martin (1483-1546) 125
Pope Benedict XVI (1927-) 127
The Reformation 129
Religious Wars 131
Saint Boniface (675-745) 132
Chapter 6 Social Classes and Ethnicity 135
Overview 135
Aristocracy and the Elites 139
The Grey Culture 142
Immigration 143
Jews in Germany 144
Nationalism 146
Poverty 147
Refugees 149
Roma and Sinti 151
Sudeten Germans 153
Turks in Germany 155
Chapter 7 Gender, Marriage, and Sexuality 159
Overview 159
Child Custody Laws 163
Civil Unions and Same-Sex Marriage 165
Feminism 168
Gender Roles in Germany 170
LGBTQ Life in Modern Germany 171
Representation in Government 174
Weddings and Divorce 175
Women in the Workforce 177
Chapter 8 Education 181
Overview 181
DAAD 184
Education in the German Democratic Republic 185
German Universities and Fachhochschulen 188
Goethe-Institut 190
Libraries 191
Max Planck Gesellschaft 194
Primary and Secondary Education 195
Schultüte 199
Vocational Training (Duale Ausbildung) 200
Chapter 9 Language 203
Overview 203
Development of the Script 208
Foreign Influences on German 210
Gesellschaft für deutsche Sprache 212
Grammar 214
Important Figures in the Study of the German Language 216
Institut für deutsche Sprache 218
Language Development in Divided Germany 219
Language Development in the Third Reich 221
Orthography and Reforms 223
Sprachgesellschaften (Language Societies) 224
Standard and Dialect 226
Chapter 10 Etiquette 229
Overview 229
Etiquette for Major Life Events 233
Formal and Informal 235
Greetings and Leave-Taking 237
Knigge 239
Punctuality 241
Regional Clothing 242
Shopping 245
Chapter 11 Literature and Drama 247
Overview 247
Biedermeier (1815-1830), Junges Deutschland (1830-1850), and Vormärz (1830-1848) 251
The Early Modern Period (ca. 1550-1750) 253
The Enlightenment (Aufklärung) (1680-1789) 255
Exile Literature (Exilliteratur) 258
Expressionism (Expressionismus) and Its Successors (1905-1925) 261
Literature of the German Democratic Republic 263
The Middle Ages (ca. 718-1500) 265
Post-Wall Literature (ca. 1989-2005) 268
Postwar Literature 269
Realism and Naturalism (Realismus and Naturalismus) (1848-1899) 271
Romanticism (Romantik) (1788-1835) 273
Storm and Stress (Sturm und Drang) (1767-1785) 276
Turn-of-the-Century Literature (Jahrhundertwende) (1880-1920) 278
Twenty-First-Century German Literature 280
Weimar Classicism (Weimarer Klassik) (ca. 1772-1805) 281
Chapter 12 Art and Architecture 285
Overview 285
Architecture 289
Artists 291
Bauhaus and Walter Gropius 293
Carolingian Renaissance 295
Decorative Arts Biedermeier and Jugendstil 297
Degenerate Art 298
East German Art 301
Kollwitz, Käthe (1867-1945) 302
Museums 304
Naturalism 306
Chapter 13 Music and Dance 309
Overview 309
Bausch, Pina (1940-2009) 312
Bayreuth 314
Cabaret 315
Contemporary Popular Music 317
Dietrich, Marlene (1901-1992) 319
German Folk Music and Dance 320
Musical Periods and Composers 322
Orchestras 323
Chapter 14 Food 325
Overview 325
Beer 328
Bread 331
Cake and Coffee (Kaffee und Kuchen) 334
Food and Drink in the German Democratic Republic 335
Food Laws in Germany 336
German Sausages 338
Oktoberfest 340
Regional Specialties 341
Wine 344
Chapter 15 Leisure and Sports 347
Overview 347
Beckenbauer, Franz (1945-) 351
Becker, Boris (1967-) 352
Bundesliga 353
FIFA World Cups 354
Graf, Steffi (1969-) 355
Leisure and Sports in the German Democratic Republic 356
Olympic Games 358
Schrebergärten 359
Vereine 361
Witt, Katarina (1965-) 362
Chapter 16 Media and Popular Culture 365
Overview 365
Americanization 369
Boulevard Press 371
Fashion Designers 372
Film 374
Journalism under the Nazi Regime 377
Ostalgie 378
Media Photography 380
Rundfunkgebühren 381
Springer, Axel (1912-1985) 382
Tatort 385
Appendix A A Day in the Life 389
A Day in the Life of a Server and Cook (Doris O.) 389
A Day in the Life of a Foreign-Language Secretary (Marianne S.) 390
A Day in the Life of a Mechatronic Technician (Dieter M.) 390
A Day in the Life of a Retired Administrator (Eva L.) 391
A Day in the Life of a Student and Teacher (Irma B.) 392
Appendix B Glossary of Key Terms 393
Appendix C Facts and Figures 401
Appendix D Holidays 407
Selected Bibliography 409
Index 427