No. 1: Demographics and Culture in Germany

What is the population of Germany?
There are about 82 million people in Germany, with its fertility rate at 1.41 children per woman.

What are the major languages?
German is the official and main spoken language in Germany. Some native minority languages that are spoken in Germany are Danish, Frisian, Romany and Sorbian. The most-used immigrant languages are Turkish, Polish, the Balkan languages, and Russian.

Explain the structure of the government in Germany.
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 Basic Law. Amendments to the Basic Law generally require a two-thirds majority of both chambers of the parliament; the articles guaranteeing fundamental rights, the separation of powers, the federal structure, and the right to resist attempts to overthrow the constitution are valid in perpetuity and cannot be amended. Despite the initial intention, the Basic Law remained in effect after the German reunification in 1990, with only minor amendments.

The Chancellor is the head of government and exercises executive power, similar to the role of a Prime Minister in other parliamentary democracies.
The President is the head of state, invested primarily with representative responsibilities and powers. He is elected by the Federal Convention, an institution consisting of the members of the Bundestag and an equal number of state delegates.

The second highest official in the German order of precedence is the President of the Bundestag, who is elected by the Bundestag and responsible for overseeing the daily sessions of the body.
The third-highest official and the head of government is the Chancellor, who is nominated by the President of the Bundestag after being elected by the Bundestag. The Chancellor can be removed by a constructive motion of no confidence by the Bundestag.

Since 1949, the party system has been dominated by the Christian Democratic Union and the Social Democratic Party of Germany.

What are the different / main religions in Germany?
The main religion in Germany is Christianity, with Christians making up 64% of the population. 26.5 million are Protestants and 25.5 million are Catholics. The second largest religion is Islam with 4.3 million devotees, followed by Buddhism and Judaism, both with around 200,000 devotees. Hinduism has some 90,000 devotees and Sikhism 75,000. About 24.4 million Germans (29.6%) have no registered religious denomination.

Explain the education system in Germany.
Kindergarten education is provided for all children between three and six years old. After that, school attendance is compulsory for at least nine years. Primary education in Germany usually lasts for four years.

Secondary education includes four types of schools based on a pupil's ability as determined by teacher recommendations. The Gymnasium enrols the most gifted children and prepares students for university studies, and attendance lasts eight or nine years depending on the state; the Realschule has a broader range of emphasis for intermediate students and lasts six years; the Hauptschule prepares pupils for vocational education, and the Gesamtschule or comprehensive school combines the three approaches.

The University of Heidelberg was established in 1386.

The Programme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by the OECD, assesses the skills of 15-year-olds in OECD countries and a number of partner countries. A special system of apprenticeship called Duale Ausbildung allows pupils in vocational training to learn in a company as well as in a state-run vocational school.

To enter a university in Germany, high school students are generally required to take the Abitur examination, typically done in the Gymnasium at the age of 18 or 19. Students possessing a diploma from a vocational school may also apply for admission to university in certain subjects. Nearly all German universities are public institutions, charging tuition fees ranging from €50–500 per semester for each student.

Describe German cuisines.
German cuisine is different in different regions. Pork, beef, and poultry are the main varieties of meat consumed in Germany, with pork being the most popular. Among poultry, chicken is most common, although duck, goose, and turkey are also enjoyed. Game meats, especially boar, rabbit, and venison are also widely available all year round. Lamb and goat are also available, but are not as popular. Throughout all regions, meat is often eaten in sausage form. More than 1500 different types of sausage are produced in Germany. The most popular vegetables are potatoes, cabbage, carrots, turnips, spinach, and beans.

A popular German saying has the meaning: "Breakfast like an emperor, lunch like a king, and dine like a beggar." Breakfast is usually a selection of breads and rolls with jam and honey or cold meats and cheese, sometimes accompanied by a boiled egg. More than 300 types of bread are sold in bakery shops across the country.

As a country with many immigrants, Germany has adopted many international dishes into its cuisine and daily eating habits. International burger chains, as well as Chinese and Greek restaurants, are widespread. Indian, Thai, Japanese, and other Asian cuisines have gained popularity in recent decades. German restaurants have become the world's second most decorated after eateries in France.

Although wine is becoming more popular in many parts of Germany, the national alcoholic drink is beer. German beer consumption per person is declining but it is still among the highest in the world. Among 18 surveyed western countries, Germany ranked 14th in the list of per capita consumption of soft drinks in general, while it ranked third in the consumption of fruit juices. Carbonated mineral water and Schorle (its mixture with fruit juice) are very popular in Germany.

German Beer

German Buffet


German Sausages and Cheese

German Currywurst

German Rouladen

German Sauerbraten

Rote Grutze With Custard

Ice Cream inspired from Spaghetti - Spaghettieis

What are some German festivals?
Some German festivals are the Oktoberfest, Carnival, Love Parade Berlin, Rhine In Flames Festival, Carnival of Cultures in Berlin and Walpurgisnacht Festivals.

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest is a 16-day festival held each year in Munich, Germany, running from late September to early October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and the world's largest fair, with some six million people attending every year, and is an important part of Bavarian culture. The ceremonial opening happens at noon. The mayor arrives in a festive coach followed by a decorated horse-drawn brewer's cart. Guests, staff and the numerous brass bands are all wearing traditional costumes (lederhosen and dirndls) for the occasion. At the end of the parade the major taps the first keg of beer and shouts, "o'zapft is!" (The keg is tapped).

Carnival

Carnival typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, masque and public street party. People often dress up or masquerade during the celebrations, which mark an overturning of daily life. It is a time when the typically orderly Germans let loose and party. Parades, costume balls, and other such festivities take place throughout the country, often varying widely according to local traditions. Cologne, for instance, is well-known for its Rosenmontag celebration, when elaborately decorated floats, tractors, bands and marchers cohere to parade down a 6 kilometer route through the city center.

Love Parade

The Love Parade is a popular festival and parade that originated in 1989 in Berlin, Germany. The love parade is seen to be louder and more crowded than most concerts. The parade consists of the sound trucks that usually feature local clubs and their DJs. It has become a rule that only trucks that have sponsors from a techno related field, such as clubs, labels or stores, are allowed, but advertising space was increased after the 2006 event to offset the high costs of equipping a truck. The trucks are usually open on top and feature dancers, with box-systems mounted on the side or rear. Love Parade is a place where some exhibit and enjoy other people's exhibitionist tendencies. Often the crowd is imaginative in terms of clothing (or lack thereof) and appearance. One famous picture from the Love Parade is people sitting and dancing on streetlamps, trees, commercial signs, telephone booths, which gave the event's nickname "the greatest amateur circus on earth".

Walpurgisnacht Festivals

Carnival of Cultures in Berlin

What are some German folktales?
Some German folktales are the Golden Key, The Seven Swabians, Silver Fir Cones by Sheryl Ann Karas, Juniper Tree, Hertha Lake, Melusina and Old Woman In The Wood.

One-Eye! Two-Eyes! Three-Eyes!
A tale of the Brothers Grimm, retold by Aaron Shepard.

Once there were three sisters who lived alone in a cottage in the woods. They had been there as long as they could remember, and they never saw anyone else.

Now, the oldest sister was no different from other people. Her name was One-Eye. She had just one eye, right in the middle of her forehead.

The middle sister was also quite ordinary. Her name was Three-Eyes. She had one eye in her forehead, and one on each side of her face.

But the youngest sister was different. Her name was Two-Eyes, and that’s just what she had.

Because Two-Eyes was not like others, her older sisters were ashamed of her and picked on her all the time. They dressed her in ragged hand-me-downs and only let her eat leftovers.

Now, the sisters owned a goat, and every day Two-Eyes took it to the meadow to graze. One morning, when she’d had hardly anything to eat, she sat in the grass and cried her two eyes out.

All at once, an old woman stood before her. But the biggest surprise was that this woman had two eyes, just like Two-Eyes herself.

“What’s wrong, my dear?” asked the woman.

“It’s my sisters,” Two-Eyes told her. “They never give me enough to eat.”

“Don’t worry about that!” said the woman. “You can have as much as you like. Just say to your goat,

‘Bleat, goat, bleat.
And bring me lots to eat!’

Then you’ll have plenty. When you don’t want any more, just say,

‘Bleat, goat, bleat.
I’ve had so much to eat!’

Then the rest will vanish. Just like this.”

And the old woman vanished—just like that.

Two-Eyes couldn’t wait to try. She said to the goat,

“Bleat, goat, bleat.
And bring me lots to eat!”

The goat bleated, and a little table and chair appeared. The table was set with a tablecloth, plate, and silverware, and on it were dishes and dishes of wonderful-smelling food.

“This sure is better than leftovers!” said Two-Eyes.

She sat down and started in hungrily. Everything tasted delicious. When she’d eaten her fill, she said,

“Bleat, goat, bleat.
I’ve had so much to eat!”

The goat bleated and the table vanished. “And that,” said Two-Eyes, “is better than cleaning up!”

When Two-Eyes got home, she didn’t touch her bowl of leftovers. Her sisters didn’t notice till she’d gone off to bed. Then Three-Eyes said, “Look! Our little sister didn’t eat anything!”

“That’s strange,” said One-Eye. “Is someone else giving her food? I’ll go tomorrow and watch her.”

Next morning, when Two-Eyes started out, One-Eye said, “I’m coming along to make sure you tend the goat properly.” Then she followed Two-Eyes to the meadow and kept a careful eye on her. So Two-Eyes never got to use the old woman’s rhyme.

When they got home, Two-Eyes ate her bowl of leftovers. Then she went off to the woods and cried her two eyes out.

The old woman appeared again. “What’s wrong, my dear?”

“It’s my sisters. The goat can’t bring me food, because One-Eye is watching me.”

“Don’t worry about that!” said the woman. “You can stop her if you like. Just sing her this song.

‘Is your eye awake?
Is your eye asleep?
Is your eye awake?
Is your eye asleep?’

Keep singing that, and she’ll sleep soon enough.”

Then the old woman vanished.

Next morning, when Two-Eyes went to the meadow, One-Eye again went along. Two-Eyes said, “Sister, let me sing to you.” And she sang to her over and over,

“Is your eye awake?
Is your eye asleep?
Is your eye awake?
Is your eye asleep?”

One-Eye’s eyelid began to droop, and soon she was fast asleep. Then Two-Eyes said to the goat,

“Bleat, goat, bleat.
And bring me lots to eat!”

The goat bleated, the table appeared, and Two-Eyes ate her fill. Then she said,

“Bleat, goat, bleat.
I’ve had so much to eat!”

The goat bleated again, and the table vanished. Then Two-Eyes shook her sister, saying, “Wake up, sleepyhead!”

When they got home, Two-Eyes didn’t touch her leftovers. After she’d gone off to bed, Three-Eyes asked, “What happened?”

“How should I know?” said One-Eye. “I fell asleep. If you think you can do better, then you go tomorrow.”

So next morning, when Two-Eyes went to the meadow, Three-Eyes went along and kept three careful eyes on her. “Listen,” said Two-Eyes, “and I’ll sing to you.” And she sang to her, over and over,

“Is your eye awake?
Is your eye asleep?
Is your eye awake?
Is your eye asleep?”

As Two-Eyes sang, the eye in her sister’s forehead went to sleep—but her other two eyes didn’t! Three-Eyes pretended, though, by closing them almost all the way and peeking through. She couldn’t quite hear what Two-Eyes told the goat, but she saw everything.

That night, when Two-Eyes had gone off to bed, One-Eye asked, “What happened?”

“Our sister knows a charm to make the goat bring wonderful food,” said Three-Eyes. “But I couldn’t hear the words.”

“Then let’s get rid of the goat,” said One-Eye. And they drove it off into the woods.

Next morning, One-Eye told Two-Eyes, “You thought you could eat better than your sisters, did you? Well, the goat is gone, so that’s that.”

Two-Eyes went down to the stream and cried her two eyes out. Again the old woman appeared. “What’s wrong, my dear?”

“It’s my sisters. The song didn’t work on Three-Eyes. She saw everything, and now they’ve chased away the goat.”

“Silly girl! That charm was just for One-Eye. For Three-Eyes, you should have sung,

‘Are your eyes awake?
Are your eyes asleep?’

But don’t worry about that. Here, take this seed and plant it in front of your cottage. You’ll soon have a tall tree with leaves of silver and apples of gold. When you want an apple, just say,

‘Apple hanging on the tree,
I am Two-Eyes. Come to me!’

It will fall right into your hand.”

Again the old woman vanished. Two-Eyes went home and waited till her sisters weren’t looking, then dug a small hole and planted the seed.

The next morning, a tall tree stood before the cottage with leaves of silver and apples of gold. Two-Eyes found her sisters gaping at it in astonishment.

All at once, Three-Eyes cried, “Look! A man!”

Riding toward them was a knight in full armor, his visor over his face.

“Quick!” said One-Eye. “Hide our little sister!” So they lowered an empty barrel over Two-Eyes.

“Good morning, ladies,” the knight said as he rode up. “Beautiful tree you have there. I would dearly love to have one of those apples. In fact, I would grant anything in my power to the lady who first gave me one.”

The two sisters gasped. They scrambled over to the tree and jumped up and down, trying to grab the apples. But the branches just lifted themselves higher, so the apples were always out of reach.

Meanwhile, Two-Eyes raised her barrel just a little and kicked a stone so it rolled over to the knight.

“That’s odd,” he said. “That stone seems to have come from that barrel. Does anyone happen to be in there?”

“Oh no, sir,” said One-Eye, “not really. Just our little sister.”

“She’s different,” said Three-Eyes, “so we can’t let anyone see her.”

“But I want to see her,” said the knight. “Young lady, please come out!”

So Two-Eyes lifted off the barrel.

“My word!” said the knight. “She’s the loveliest young lady I’ve ever seen!” He raised his visor for a better look.

“Oh no!” screamed One-Eye and Three-Eyes together. “Two eyes!”

Sure enough, the knight had two eyes, just like their sister.

“Dear lady,” said the knight, “can you give me an apple from that tree?”

“Of course!” said Two-Eyes. Standing under it, she said,

“Apple hanging on the tree,
I am Two-Eyes. Come to me!”

An apple dropped right into her hand, and she gave it to the knight.

“My thanks!” he said. “And now I will grant anything in my power.”

“Well, to start with,” said Two-Eyes, “you can take me away from these horrid, hateful sisters!”

So the knight took Two-Eyes back to his castle. And since they had so much in common—after all, they both had two eyes—you can be sure they lived happily ever after.

As for One-Eye and Three-Eyes, day after day they stood under that tree and repeated their sister’s words.

“Apple hanging on the tree,
I am Two-Eyes. Come to me!”

But the apples never fell for them, and they never did figure out why.

credits : http://www.pilotguides.com/tv_shows/planet_food/food_guides/germany/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany
http://www.germanbeerguide.co.uk/hefeweiz.html
http://www.germanbeerguide.co.uk/images/gose2.jpg
http://www.chd-expert.de/pm_27_neue_deutsche_kueche.php
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=204&sid=3759696
http://www.about-germany.org/festivals/oktoberfest.php
http://www.aaronshep.com/stories/051.html
http://quovadisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/oktoberfest-03.jpg