Final Post!!

http://ge110brittanyba.blogspot.com/colorful

This blog drew my interest because of the colorful background, and the quality of the blogs that were on it. Brittany seemed to show a lot of interest in her blog, and I can tell because they were very well put together and she must have spent a lot of time on them. I would rate this blog as an overall 5 for both the information and the readability. Compared to my blog, I would say that this one is slightly better!

http://ge110jamesot.blogspot.com/

            This blog drew my interest because I have never worked with James and I wanted to see what his blog had to offer. James did not seem to show very much interest in his blog, and this is evident because he only completed two posts. I would have to rate this blog as an overall 2 for information and readability because it did not offer much. Compared to my blog, I think this one is worse.

 

http://ge110calvinsm.blogspot.com/

            This blog drew my attention because of the detail that was incorporated into it. Calvin seemed to show interest in his blog because he completed all of the posts, and they were done very well. I would rate this blog as an overall 5 for information and readability. Compared to my blog, I would say they are about the same!

 

 

            I learned so many new things throughout the semester in this class. I enjoyed that it covered so much German history. As a person with German descent I was very excited and willing to learn about these things. We studied the different states in Germany and what they are known for and how they contribute to society. Also, we learned about the different aspects of the economy. It was interesting to learn so much about the lifestyle and customs of a place other than the United States.

 On the side of critiquing, I would not do some many group projects. They tend to become a hassle especially when certain group members do not live on campus, and cannot always attend every day. I do however think that the blog posts are appropriate and a solid way to learn new material.   Also, I would rather post about something after we talked about it, instead of researching it beforehand. These were the only downfalls that I came across. Overall, I took this class to fulfill a credit, but I did come to enjoy it. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys history and other cultural backgrounds. I would rate this class 8/10.

The Baader Meinhof Complex:

The Baader Meinhof Complex:

            This is a German film made in 2008 by Uli Edel. This film is based on the 1985 German best selling non-fiction book of the same name, written by Stefan Aust. “It retells the story of the West German far – left militant group the Rote Armee Fraktion (Red Army Fraction, or RAF) from 1967 to 1977.” The film began production in August 2007. It was subsidized for 6.5 million (European).

            Here is a short summarization of the plot:  

“Germany in the 1970s: Murderous bomb attacks, the threat of terrorism and the fear of the enemy inside are rocking the very foundations of the yet fragile German democracy. The radicalised children of the Nazi generation lead by Andreas Baader, Ulrike Meinhof and Gudrun Ensslin are fighting a violent war against what they perceive as the new face of fascism: American imperialism supported by the German establishment, many of whom have a Nazi past. Their aim is to create a more human society but by employing inhuman means they not only spread terror and bloodshed, they also lose their own humanity. The man who understands them is also their hunter: the head of the German police force Horst Herold. And while he succeeds in his relentless pursuit of the young terrorists, he knows he's only dealing with the tip of the iceberg.”

 

              This film was nominated for the best foreign language film at the 81^st Academy Awards. It was also nominated for the Golden Globe Award!

20 and 21 Century: German Inventions and Industries

                                      

20 and 21 Century: German Inventions and Industries

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development:

                 The contract was signed on December 14, 1960, and went into use on September 30,1961. The organization promotes policies designed to:

 

– to achieve the highest sustainable economic growth and employment and a rising

standard of living in Member countries, while maintaining financial stability, and

thus to contribute to the development of the world economy;

 

– to contribute to sound economic expansion in Member as well as non-member

countries in the process of economic development; and

 

– to contribute to the expansion of world trade on a multilateral, non-discriminatory

basis in accordance with international obligations

 

             The original Member countries of the OECD are Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

 

              The Second Industrial Revolution was characterized by the building out of railroads, large scale iron and steel production, widespread use of machinery in manufacturing, greatly increased use of stem power, use of oil, beginning of electricity and by electrical communications. The Second Industrial Revolution saw rapid industrial development, primarily in Britain, Germany, and the United States.

 

 

The German Empire came to rival Britain as Europe's primary industrial nation during this period. Since Germany industrialized later, it was able to model its factories after those of Britain, thus making more efficient use of its capital and avoiding legacy methods in its leap to the envelope of technology. Germany invested more heavily than the British in research, especially in chemistry, motors and electricity. The German concern system (known as Konzerne), being significantly concentrated, was able to make more efficient use of capital. Germany was not weighted down with an expensive worldwide empire that needed defense. Following Germany's annexation of Alsace-Lorraine in 1871, it absorbed parts of what had been France's industrial base.

By 1900 the German chemical industry dominated the world market for synthetic dyes. The three major firms BASF, Bayer, and Hoechst produced several hundred different dyes, along with the five smaller firms. In 1913 these eight firms produced almost 90 percent of the world supply of dyestuffs, and sold about 80 percent of their production abroad. The three major firms had also integrated upstream into the production of essential raw materials and they began to expand into other areas of chemistry such as pharmaceuticals, photographic film, agricultural, chemicals, and electrochemicals.      Top-level decision-making was in the hands of professional salaried managers, leading Chandler to call the German dye companies "the world's first truly industrial enterprises". There were many spinoffs from research—such as the pharmaceutical industry, which emerged from chemical research.

18th and 19th Century: Poets and Writers

                                                    18th and 19th Century: Poets and Writers
                  German literature was a huge part of this historical time period, as well as now, it is still very researched and used today.
                  This time period is known as Romanticism or the Romantic Era. It is a time of artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th century. It was embodied most strongly in the visual arts, music, and literature, but had a major impact on history, geography, education, and the natural sciences.
                   German literature in the 19th century was written against a background of political aspirations for nationhood, democracy, and freedom of speech.
                    Here are a few of the most famous authors from this time period:
                Heinrich Heine - A great poet whose works explored his own deeply divided consciousness.
                              

I LOVE THIS WHITE AND SLENDER BODY
by: Heinrich Heine (1799-1856)

LOVE this white and slender body,

These limbs that answer Love's caresses,

Passionate eyes, and forehead covered

With heavy waves of thick, black tresses.

 

You are the very one I've searched for

In many lands, in every weather.

You are my sort; you understand me;

As equals we can talk together.

 

In me you've found the man you care for.

And, for a while, you'll richly pay me

With kindness, kisses and endearments--

And then, as usual, you'll betray me.

            Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - A German writer and statesman. His works include epic and lyric poetry written in a variety of styles.
        
      

THE DANCE OF THE DEAD
by: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

HE warder he gazes o' the night

On the graveyards under him lying,

The moon into clearness throws all by her light,

The night with the daylight is vying.

There's a stir in the graves, and forth from their tombs

The form of a man, then a woman next looms

In garments long trailing and snowy.

 

They stretch themselves out, and with eager delight

Join the bones for the revel and dancing --

Young and old, rich and poor, the lady and the knight,

Their trains are a hindrance to dancing.

And since here by shame they no longer are bound,

They shuffle them off, and lo, strewn lie around

Their garments on each little hillock.

 

Here rises a shank, and a leg wobbles there

With lewd diabolical gesture;

And clatter and rattle of bones you might hear,

As of one beating sticks to a measure.

This seems to the warder a laughable game:

Then the tempter, low whispering, up to him came:

"In one of their shrouds go and wrap thee."

 

'Twas done soon as said; then he gained in wild flight

Concealment behind the church portal,

The moon all the while throws her bright beams of light

On the dance where they revel and sport all.

First one, then another, dispersed all are they,

And donning their shrouds steal the spectres away,

And under the graves all is quiet.

 

But one of them stumbles and fumbles along,

'Midst the tombstones groping intently;

But none of his comrades have done him this wrong,

His shroud in the breeze 'gins to scent he.

He rattles the door of the tower, but can find

No entrance -- good luck to the warder behind! --

'Tis barred with blest crosses of metal.

 

His shroud must he have, or rest can he ne'er;

And so, without further preambles,

The old Gothic carving he grips then and there,

From turret to pinnacle scrambles.

Alas for the warder! all's over, I fear;

From buttress to buttress in dev'lish career

He climbs like a long-legged spider.

 

The warder he trembles, and pale doth he look,

That shroud he would gladly be giving,

When piercing transfixed it a sharp-pointed hook!

He thought his last hour he was living.

Clouds cover already the vanishing moon,

With thunderous clang beats the clock a loud One --

Below lies the skeleton, shattered.

Georg Buchner- The most important dramatist of the mid 19th century. Today, Germany's most prestigious literary prize, the Buchner - Preis, is named after him.

 

Danton's Death --- Plot Summary: The play follows the story of Georges Danton, a leader of the French Revolution, during the lull between the first and second terrors. Georges Danton created the office of the Revolutionary Tribunal as a strong arm for the Revolutionary Government. With this, to be accused of anything real or imagined was to be condemned to death without trial, proofs, evidence or witnesses. Within months he knew this power was a terrible mistake and fought to have it ended. Robespierre stopped him and used the Tribunal to have Danton and all opposition killed, consolidate his power and slaughter uncounted thousands of French men, women, and children. Ultimately he followed Danton to the guillotine. Witnesses describe Danton as dying bravely comforting other innocents executed with him.

 

---- These are only a few of the works that these men created. They are magnificent!!

Berlin Calling

Berlin Calling:

            Berlin Calling is a movie that depicts the life events of a famous DJ. Here are the answers to some of the questions that have been asked:

Question 1: What do drugs mean to Ickarus?

            Drugs mean everything to Ickarus. All day long he is on them, because they allow him to stay awake and perform well in the daily tasks of his busy life. Being on these drugs for so long just make it something that he was to do, he thinks he needs them.

Question 2: When, why, and how are his fans taking drugs, and which drugs do they take?

            Many of the fans at the night clubs are doing drugs in the bathrooms during and after his performance. So far, I have seen people shooting up heroin and snorting cocaine in the stalls. Some are smoking weed and some are just straight up popping pills.

Question 3: While we can see that his drug habits get him ill and into psychosis, and while we witness his relapse and inability to work successfully, why does the subculture Ickarus belongs to focus on drugs?

            Drugs make you sort of leave this world and feel as if you are on “Cloud 9.” The fact that he is in the art of making music makes it feel that much more needed. The mind will hallucinate and wander in these types of situations.

Question 4: Compare the standards you know from your home society with the people you see depicted in this movie. Which are the stark differences and contrasts?

            It seems sort of acceptable to being doing these types of drugs there. In the U.S., or at least around here, doing these drugs in public would never fly.  The places that they do these drugs are dirty, run down places and they look super sketchy. Not a place that I would ever want to go.

Question 5: Germany is considered a strong industrial nation the world over. Do you think that the youth culture as depicted here could change that? How about work ethics of Ickarus and of Alice, the label director who fires and then resigns him?

            The society that is depicted in this movie just looks like an economy run by drug money and based on a society of users. The work ethic of Ickarus is sometimes really good, and sometimes very poor. Sometimes when he is on drugs, they help him to go for hours on end working on things, and sometimes they make him groggy and not productive. You can tell that Alice is worried about him, and she wants him to stop using.

Question 6: Which similar “cult movies” of US origin have you seen, if any?

            To the best of my recollection, I don’t recall seeing any cult movies, ever.

So far the movie has been culturally interesting, there are some many differences here than there are there. I think the difference that shocked me the most, was how many people did such serious drugs and how they acted as if they were nothing. They do these drugs in public places, not really worrying if they get caught or not.

Top 10 German Foods (Pictures)

                                                                     1. Apfelstrudel

                                                                          2. Eintopf
                                                 
                                       
                                                                  3. Kasespatzle

                                                                          4. Wurst

5. Brezel

6. Katoffelpuffer

                                                                        7. Sauerbraten

8. Schnitzel

9. Rote Grutze

10. Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte

 

Foods and German Cuisine