Germany [antikvár]

INTRODUCTION The Federal Republic of West Germany was formed after the Second World War from the three western zones of Germany then occupied by France, America and Britain, which split from the eastern sector, occupied by the USSR. The former capital, Berlin, though completely surrounded by Soviet-dominated East Germany, was divided too and in 1949 Bonn became the capital and seat of the new German Parliament. Berlin, despite its history, is a vital and stimulating city and after nearly thirty years it still remains the capital in the hearts and emotions of many Germans. Politically and geographically the Federal Republic is made up of the following regions, or Länder, each of which sends delegates to the Upper House of Parliament: Schleswig Holstein and Lower Saxony, which lie within the vast German-Polish northern plateau and consequently have a predominantly flat landscape; North Rhine Westphalia and Hesse, commonly called the Mittelgebirge - the land of the medium-sized mountains; Saarland, the main industrial area; the Rhineland-Palatinate, a romantic region of ancient castles and terraced vineyards; Baden-Württemberg, the home of the Black Forest with its many spas and health resorts; and Bavaria, the largest of the Länder and the main holiday region of Germany. Since the Second World War, Germany has emerged as one of the most prosperous and technologically advanced countries in Europe, a fact that can be attributed, at least in part, to the hard work and conscientiousness of her people. Industry is booming and major exports include electrical equipment, chemicals, motor vehicles and textiles. Coal is mined from the large coalfields of the Ruhr and the Saar and shipbuilding is another important industry. Hard work, though, is only part of the German way of life. Culturally, her greatest contribution has been in the field of music, and the list of German composers is a remarkable one: Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Handel, Richard Strauss, Wagner and many more. The Germans appreciate their musical heritage; there are 97 state and city theatres and opera houses which all perform opera regularly to well-attended houses. German literature reached its peak at the turn of the 18th century with the works of such men as Goethe and Schiller, and philosophers such as Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche have all had a tremendous impact on world thought. Wherever the visitor to Germany goes he will be aware of the wealth of stories and legends that are attached to the places around him, from the Pied Piper in Hamelin and Till Eulenspiegel in Brunswick to the Lorelei on the Rhine and the Witches of Brocken in the Harz Mountains. Legends and stories are tremendously important in the German way of life, and, apart from the tales of the Brothers Grimm, perhaps the best Imown and best loved is the story of the Ring of the Nibelungen, which provided the inspiration for Richard Wagner's great operatic cycle. If the visitor is conscious of the legends of the places he sees then he must also be aware of the influence of history upon them. In the Rhineland, for instance, nearly every castle is either ruined or has had to be restored or rebuilt as a result of the destruction caused by the Thirty Years War and the Orleans War a few years later. The Thirty Years War which started in 1618 was a mainly religious conflict and caused Germany to become the battlefield of Europe, ravaging nearly the whole country. The Orleans War took place after the Elector Palatine, Karl Ludwig, married his daughter to Philip of Orleans, brother of Louis XIV, in the hope of ensuring peace in the Rhineland. In 1685, Karl Ludwig died without heir and Louis claimed the Rhineland territories under the terms of the marriage treaty The resulting war devastated the area and destroyed many Rhineland castles as well as the entire towns of Heidelberg and Mannheim. The bombing of the Second World War has had a more recent and equally damaging effect upon the face of Germany. The German hausfrau was once a traditional figure, with her preoccupation with the three K's - Kinde (children), Küche (cooldng) and Kirche (church) and while German women have become liberated along with their European sisters it is certainly true that many are excellent cooks and German food is always wholesome and plentiful. A local speciality is the sausage (Wurst) which varies from region to region and comes in all sizes. Perhaps the most well-known are the Bratwurst of Nuremberg and the Franldurter. Many people think of Germany as the beer centre of the world, and the beer centre of Germany is Munich. Every year a huge festival is held there, called the Olrtoberfest, and enormous beer halls are erected and brass bands play Beer is drunk from mugs which hold a litre, the only measure allowed on the grounds. Germany's other national drink is her wine, which comes from two main areas, the Rhine and the Mosel. These two are the most northerly vineyards of any importance in the world, and it is surprising that they are also the most ancient, dating back to Roman times. Queen Victoria was especially fond of Rhine wines and obtained her supply from vineyards at Hochheim near Mainz, which is how in England Rhine wine came to be known as hock. Germany now exports much of her wine and it is justly famous throughout the world. Left: Darmstadt