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General information



Population : 82 milion people (16th in the World,2nd in Europe)
Total Area : 357,168 km^2 (62nd in the World,7th in Europe)
Official languages : German
Official currency : Euro(EUR)
Capital : Berlin
Population density : 227 people/km^2 (58th in the World,8th in Europe)
Top 5 biggest cities : Berlin, Hamburg, München, Cologne, Frankfurt

Germany is a federal, parliamentary, representative democratic republic. The German political system operates under a framework laid out in the 1949 constitutional document known as the Grundgesetz.
Germany comprises sixteen federal states which are collectively referred to as Bundesländer. Each state has its own state constitution and is largely autonomous in regard to its internal organisation. Two of the states are city-states consisting of just one city: Berlin and Hamburg. The state of Bremen consists of two cities that are separated from each other by the state of Lower Saxony: Bremen and Bremerhaven.



National sport : Football






National animal : Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)




National tree : Oak





The significance of the 3rd of October

For knowing the exact significance of this day we will have to go back and have a short history lesson. All started in 1945 at the end of WW2 (World War 2) and the surrender of Germany, moment in wich Germany was divided into 2 : Western and Eastern. This thing divided Europe in 2 blocs after The Federal Republic of Germany (commonly known as West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic(commonly known as East Germany and not very democratic despite its name) were founded.
The next history lesson will include the Cold War and the famous Berlin Wall ("defined by a continuous line of high metal fences and walls, barbed wire, alarms, anti-vehicle ditches, watchtowers, automatic booby traps and minefields and guarded by several thousands of East German guards”) builded by the Eastern Germany that had the role to stop people pasing from one country to the other and to separate the ideologies: capitalistic and liberal in West and socialist/communist in Easte.
Time passes and we reach 9 November 1989 , the date known as the Fall of the Berlin Wall, after Günter Schabowski, an official of East Germany's ruling party, "improvised a slightly mistaken answer to a press conference question, raising popular expectations much more rapidly than the government planned so that massive crowds gathered the same night at the Berlin Wall, forcing its opening after 28 years".
What happened next was the change of the system of East Germany and its transition to a parliamentary democracy known today as the Peaceful Revolution. East Germany held its first (and only) actually free elections on 18 March 1990. On 20 September, this freely elected parliament voted to accept the unification treaty that would unite West and East Germany into one state.

So know the moment we all waited , 3 October 1990 , the signing of the treaty known also as the Day of German Unity.




Time for a few german stories.. I will only make the summary of one of them and give you a list that you will surely enjoy (but I think most of them you read already).

The kings Gunther, Gernot and Giselher, and their sister Kriemhild live at the court in Worms, which is the capital of the kingdom of Burgundy. They are surrounded by loyal liegemen such as Hagen of Troy, the minstrel Folker from Alzey, Ortlieb of Metz, Dankwart and many others. One night, beautiful Kriemhild dreams of a falcon rent to pieces by two eagles. Her mother, Uta, interprets the falcon as her lover, so Kriemhild decides never to fall in love. But far from it. Soon after, Siegfried of Xanten, curious to see the fabled charming queen, arrives at the Worms court. On his way, he had captured the Treasure of the Nibelungs, including the sword Balmung and the Cloak of Darkness (which makes its bearer invisible), and made himself ruler of the Nibelungs. He had also killed a dragon and bathed in his blood, which made him invulnerable.

At first Siegfried decides to be Gunther's vassal, takes the field in the Saxon wars for him and gains his confidence. When Gunther asks him to win strong Brunhild of Isenland for him, he agrees, on condition that he may marry Kriemhild. The Cloak of Darkness makes it easy for Siegfried to overwhelm Brunhild in a sort of combat sports game in Isenland, and so the Burgundians return to Worms in triumph. A double wedding is performed. But Brunhild senses that the man entering her bedchamber is not her true husband. She ties him and hangs him up at the wall. Siegfried helps once again, taking her girdle away from her. The conflict seems resolved. Siegfried and Kriemhild set off for Xanten.

Years later, Brunhild presses them to return for a visit, wondering why Gunther's vassal hasn't been at the court for such a long time to serve his master. Shortly after their arrival, the furious quarrel breaks out between the ladies, which peaks in front of the Cathedral. When Brunhild, being the King's wife, claims to enter the church in front of the vassal's spouse, Kriemhild reveals that it was Siegfried who defeated her and shows her the girdle to show proof. Dismayed by Brunhild's grief, Hagen decides to avenge the humiliation of his king's wife. He fakes a war and talks guileless Kriemhild into sewing on Siegfried's coat a patch marking the only spot where the hero remained vulnerable, since a linden leaf stuck there when he was bathing in the dragon's blood.

The so-called war quickly turns into a hunting contest in the nearby Odenwald forest. When Siegfried bends to sip the water of a fountain, Hagen kills him from behind with his spear. The next day Kriemhild finds the corpse in front of her chamber. When Hagen later passes the bier in the Cathedral, the wounds of the dead body open up again, and Kriemhild recognises the murderer.

The desperate widow swears to herself to take the Treasure and find new friends and avengers. To avert this, Hagen steals the Treasure and throws it into the Rhine. Kriemhild stays mourning for many years until Rudeger of Bechelaren pays a visit to Worms and asks for her hand on behalf of Etzel, king of the Huns. She goes to the land of the Huns and becomes Etzel's wife. Years later, she invites her brothers and their followers to Hungary.

Although Hagen warns them not to go, the Burgundians, whom the poet from now on calls Nibelungs, set off. While they are crossing the Danube, three wise water nymphs tell him that none of the Burgundians but the chaplain will survive the travel. To see for himself whether it is true, Hagen throws the chaplain into the Danube, but with God's help the chaplain manages to swim to the other side. After a pleasant stay in Bechelaren, the Nibelungs arrive at Etzel's castle. Kriemhild gives them a cool welcome, and it is obvious that she still thinks of revenge.
Hagen and Folker can frustrate her first plans, but eventually a brutal massacre takes its course, only sparing Gunther and Hagen on the Burgundian side. To make Hagen tell her the place where he lowered the Treasure, Kriemhild has her brother Gunther beheaded. But when Hagen still says nothing, she kills him with Siegfried's sword. Horrified to see this, Hildebrand, Dietrich of Berne's armour bearer and mentor, cuts her head off. This is where the Nibelungenlied ends, or, in the original language: "Das ist der Nibelunge Lied"


* I hope you enjoyed the story and if you want more just look up “The Brothers Grimm”, here are some of their stories: "Cinderella", "The Frog Prince", "Hansel and Gretel" , "Rumpelstiltskin", “Rapunzel” and many more. (if not for you, then for you kids, they will surely enjoy them)







Top 5 visited places by tourists


Berlin

*Brandenburg Gate


*Reichstag



A federal state and the capital city of Germany, Berlin is widely associated with its World War II history and former division of East and West Germany by the Berlin Wall during the Cold War. Since the fall of the historic wall in 1989, Berlin today is now a vast, unified city diverse in ethnic groups and abundant in sightseeing attractions, culture and nightlife. Many tourists are drawn to Berlin’s famous historic structures, which include the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag. Although most of the Berlin Wall was demolished, there are some portions still standing near Checkpoint Charlie and Reichstag.



München
*Oktoberfest



Best known as the origin of the world famous Oktoberfest, München is one of the best places to visit in Germany with a great culture scene. Munich is home to several sophisticated opera houses and theaters like the National Theatre. The city center is an attractive blend of classic and modern architecture, teeming in historic churches, medieval walls and royal palaces as well as bustling shopping centers and nightlife venues. München’s Oktoberfest began in 1810 with a royal wedding celebration. Today, this famous beer festival draws millions of visitors every year to take part in the revelry that involves several gigantic beer tents, delicious Bavarian food and millions of liters of beer.


Neuschwanstein




The most photographed building in Germany, Neuschwanstein Castle, is also one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations. Nestled among the breathtaking beauty of the Bavarian Alps near the town of Fussen, this fairy-tale castle served as the inspiration behind Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle. Constructed in the late 1800s, Neuschwanstein Castle was never built for defense purposes as most castles.


Heidelberg



With historic treasures like the medieval Old Bridge, the Heidelberg Castle, the Church of the Holy Spirit and the Knight St. George House, it is no wonder that Heidelberg is a popular tourist attraction. The city center’s main street, Haupstrasse, is packed with pubs, restaurants, museums, art galleries, shops and markets selling the likes of beer steins, cuckoo clocks and German sausages. Home to Germany’s oldest university, Heidelberg’s long academic history can be retraced along the Philosopher’s Walk, a scenic footpath often walked by many earlier philosophers and professors.


Cologne




Situated on the Rhine River in the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Cologne is one of the most popular places to visit in Germany. The city offers a vibrant array of attractions, buzzing nightlife and a stellar arts and culture scene. Cologne also packs impressive landmarks such as the city’s informal symbol, the Cologne Cathedral, a stunning Gothic church. Moreover, the Twelve Romanesque Churches are magnificent examples of medieval architecture.





Top 3 locations suggested by the locals

Mannheim Palace




Mannheim Palace is a large Baroque palace in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was originally the main residence of the Prince-electors of the Electorate of the Palatinate of the House of Wittelsbach. Part of the palace is used by the University of Mannheim. The State of Baden-Württemberg offers tours of parts of the reconstructed and restored Baroque palace, which features tapestries, furniture, paintings, porcelain and silverware.

Burg Stolzeneck






Castle Stolzeneck is the ruin of a hilltop castle above the Neckar near Eberbach in Baden-Württemberg. It was built somewhere around the year 1200 and was from 1284 on given as a tenancy of the Electoral Palatinate to noble families in the service of the Count Palatine. After 1610, the castle and its community, Krösselbach, have been abandoned.


Rugen Island






Located in the Baltic Sea, Rugen Island is the largest island in Germany, connected to the mainland by the Rugen Bridge and Rugen Causeway. Charming villas, romantic seaside resorts and beautiful beaches all draw tourists to Rugen Island, but the star attraction is the Jasmund National Park, famous for its unique chalk cliffs rising 161 meters over the sea. Another notable feature of Rugen Island is Cape Arkona, East Germany’s northernmost tip, where tourists can visit an old lighthouse, remnants of a Slavic castle and a picturesque fishing village.





Inventions Germany gave to the world


*Printing Press!



*Aspirin!




*MP3 format!

MP3 is an audio coding format for digital audio. It uses a form of lossy data compression to encode data using inexact approximations and partial data discarding to reduce file sizes, typically by a factor of 10, in comparison with a CD while retaining a sound quality comparable to uncompressed audio. Compared to CD quality digital audio, MP3 compression commonly achieves 75 to 95% reduction in size.

*X-Rays!



*Jeans!







Famous people from Germany

Angela Merkel - a German politician and the Chancellor of Germany since 2005. She has also been the leader of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) since 2000. Merkel has been widely described as the de facto leader of the European Union, and the leader of the Free World.
(born 1954)

Karl Marx -was a German philosopher, economist, political theorist, sociologist, journalist and revolutionary socialist.Marx's theories about society, economics and politics—collectively understood as Marxism—hold that human societies develop through class struggle. In capitalism, this manifests itself in the conflict between the ruling classes (known as the bourgeoisie) that control the means of production and working classes (known as the proletariat) that enable these means by selling their labour power in return for wages.
(1818-1883)

Martin Luther - a German professor of theology, composer, priest, monk and an important figure in the Protestant Reformation. Luther came to reject several teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. He strongly disputed the Catholic view on indulgences as he understood it to be, that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money.
(1483-1546)

Otto von Bismarck - was a conservative Prussian statesman who dominated German and European affairs from the 1860s until 1890. In the 1860s, he engineered a series of wars that unified the German states, deliberately excluding Austria, into a powerful German Empire under Prussian leadership.
(1815-1898)

Ludwig van Beethoven - a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential of all composers. His best-known compositions include 9 symphonies, 5 piano concertos, 1 violin concerto, 32 piano sonatas, 16 string quartets, his great Mass the Missa solemnis, and one opera, Fidelio.
(1770-1827)








Traditional food


Labskaus



Labskaus is a culinary specialty from Northern Germany and in particular from the cities of Bremen, Hamburg, and Lübeck. The main ingredients are salted meat or corned beef, potatoes, and onion. Some recipes put beetroot, pickled gherkin, or even herring into it, while others have these ingredients as side orders.

Maultasche



Maultaschen is a traditional German dish that originated in the region of Swabia (in Baden-Württemberg). It consists of an outer-layer of pasta dough which encloses a filling traditionally consisting of minced meat, smoked meat, spinach, bread crumbs and onions and flavoured with various herbs and spices (e.g. pepper, parsley and nutmeg).

Currywurst



Currywurst is a fast food dish of German origin consisting of steamed, then fried pork sausage typically cut into slices and seasoned with curry ketchup, a sauce based on spiced ketchup or tomato paste, itself topped with curry powder, or a ready-made ketchup seasoned with curry and other spices. The dish is often served with French fries.

Potato salad



Potato salad is a dish made from boiled potatoes and a variety of other ingredients. It is generally considered a side dish, as it usually accompanies the main course. Potato salad is widely believed to have originated in Germany from where is spread widely throughout Europe and later to European colonies.

Mett




Mett is a preparation of minced raw pork that is popular in Germany. In Belgium and the Netherlands, a similar preparation is made from beef. The name originates from mett, either meaning "chopped pork meat without bacon", or the Old Saxon meti, meaning "food". It is normally served with salt and black pepper, and sometimes with garlic, caraway or chopped onion, and eaten raw, usually on a bread roll.

Sauerkraut



Sauerkraut is finely cut cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria.

Schupfnudel



Schupfnudel is the name of a type of dumpling or thick noodle in southern German and Austrian cuisine, similar to the more internationally familiar Italian gnocchi.

Traditional deserts

Aachener Printen



Aachener Printen is a pastry and a type of Lebkuchen originating from the city of Aachen in Germany. The term is a protected designation of origin and so all manufacturers can be found in or near Aachen.

Berliner Pfannkuchen



A Berliner Pfannkuchen is a traditional German pastry similar to a doughnut with no central hole, made from sweet yeast dough fried in fat or oil, with a marmalade or jam filling and usually icing, powdered sugar or conventional sugar on top. They are sometimes made with chocolate, champagne, custard, mocha, or advocaat filling, or with no filling at all.

Bethmännchen



Bethmännchen is a pastry made from marzipan with almond, powdered sugar, rosewater, flour and egg. It is a traditional cookie usually baked for Christmas Day and is widely available in chocolate shops around Frankfurt.


Donauwelle



Donauwelle is a traditional sheet cake popular in Germany and Austria that's prepared with sour cherries, buttercream, cocoa, chocolate and layered batter, like a marble cake.

Prinzregententorte



Prinzregententorte is a Bavarian cake, which consists of at least six thin layers of sponge cake interlaid with chocolate buttercream, with a dark chocolate glaze.

Traditional drinks

Beer



Beer is the oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic drink in the world, and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea.] Beer is brewed from cereal grains — most commonly from malted barley, though wheat, maize (corn), and rice are also used.

Rumtopf



Rumtopf is literally rum pot, a German and Danish drink, traditionally served around Christmas.

Glühwein



Glühwein is made of red wine, spices, cinnamon, orange peels and sometimes lemon. The mixture is heated up and typically served in mugs.






Interesting facts about Germany:

1.65% of the Autobahn (highway) has no speed limit.
2.Donaudampfschifffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft is the longest word to be published. It is 79 letters long.(it means Association for subordinate officials of the head office management of the Danube steamboat electrical services)
3.Germans are the second largest beer consumers in the world, after the Irish.
4.The Christmas tree (Tannenbaum) tradition came from Germany.
5.German is the third most commonly taught language worldwide.




My 5 words when I hear about Germany:
#Beer,#Arbeit,#Oktoberfest,#wurst,#Merkel


What are your 5?




Special thanks to n0s3 and the eGerman community (was the best colaboration for this series I have had) , and message for the comunity:


Waiting for feedback , comments , opinions and if there is anyone that thinks I missed something , I could do something better or just wants to help me with this project , PM me !

Special thanks to Kariky for the spacers !!



Hope you enjoyed and see you next time!

P.S. Article 18/74!


P.S.2. Don't forget to push the flags !