Facts about Facts about Germany Facts about Germany On the Internet with additional is a reference book offering all sorts of up-to-date and reliable infor- facts and information mation about Germany. In the course of eleven chapters, renowned www.facts-about-germany.de authors offer insights covering all aspects of modern life in Ger- many – be it business, culture, or politics. The keynote articles are rounded out by numbers and facts. Facts about Germany

E Facts about Germany Foreword

Did you know that Germany is the third largest economy in the world? That Germany places in the Top 3 preferred locations for foreign students? Or that Germany is ever more Imprint popular as a travel destination? “Facts about Germany”

Publishers: invites you to get to know Germany. It offers exhaustive Societäts-Verlag, Frankfurt/Main, in collabora- basic information and numerous points of orientation – tion with the German Federal Foreign Office, designed specially for our foreign readers whose interest in contemporary Germany extends beyond coincidental data Societäts-Verlag Concept and chief editor: to be found in the daily flood of news items. Peter Hintereder In 11 wide-ranging chapters, renowned authors Project coordination: Andreas Fiebiger Editors: Janet Schayan, Dr. Sabine Giehle focus on the major political, social and economic trends in Translation: Jeremy Gaines Germany today. These keynote essays offer a well-structured Art direction and design: Bruno Boll, Katharina Rudolph review of the complexities of current German society and Production: Jörn Roßberg illustrate what models and solutions are being discussed in

Societäts-Verlag an age of economic and social change. Frankenallee 71–81 Special emphases in the text and key words that are 60327 Frankfurt/Main Germany to be found in all chapters together form an ongoing index Internet: www.fsd.de and thus an additional level of information. The “Facts – E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] compact” pages offer discerning graphic documentation Federal Foreign Office on the key facts and a timeline for the respective topic, Directorate-General for Culture and Communication along with any number of maps, illustrations and contem- Werderscher Markt 1 porary documents. Cross-links in the body of the text as 10117 Berlin, Germany Internet: www.auswaertiges-amt.de well as the extensive index at the back facilitate swift and E-mail: [email protected] systematic access to information. The expanded, compre-

Printing: Werbedruck GmbH Horst Schreckhase, hensive range of online offerings round out the content in Spangenberg, Printed in Germany 2008 the printed version, providing in-depth and constantly up-

Deadline for copy: December, 2007 dated information on Germany in numerous different lan- ISBN: 978-3-7973-1091-0 guages (www.facts-about-germany.de).

All rights reserved in copy and images. The publishers would like to take this opportunity to Reprinting only with permission and if the thank everyone who contributed ideas, insights and encour- source is stated. agement and thus played a constructive part in making this “Facts about Germany” appears in the follow- issue of “Facts about Germany” a reality. ing languages: Arabic, Chinese, Czech, English, Farsi, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish and Ukranian

“Facts about Germany” can be accessed on the Internet in several language versions: www.facts-about-germany.de 1 3 5 7 9 11 p. 6 Facts and p. 26 Past and p. 70 Foreign policy p. 106 Environment, climate, p. 134 Society p. 176 Modern figures present and energy life

2 4 6 8 10 p. 14 Federal states p. 50 Political p. 88 The economy p. 116 Education, science, p. 154 Culture system and education www.facts-about-germany.de Contents

page 6 page 26 page 70 page 106 page 134 page 176 1 Facts and figures 3 Past and 5 Foreign policy 7 Environment, 9 Society 11 Modern life Basic information on the present Germany in the world climate, and energy German society – modern, On enjoyment and celebration, Federal Republic of Germany Farewell to the German Gregor Schöllgen Paths to a modern pluralist and open-minded travel and living – everyday On Germany – the key currentfacts and fig- Question – Looking back at On the new foreign policy responsibil- and sustainable climate Rainer Geißler culture and the way of life ures, infoon the state and national sym- the long journey West ityafter the end of the Cold War and energy policy On developmental trends in German socie- Constanze Kleis bols, on German geography and the popu- Heinrich August Winkler page 79 Joachim Wille ty and its values, living conditions in East On the nicer sides to life, on trends in Ger- lation, industry and commerce, R&D, com- On Germany’s path to a free constitu- Germany in Europe On the challenges of global climate and West Germany and the challenges of man cuisine, via Germany as a travel desti- munications and culture. Includingselected tional state: Between Unityand liberty – Josef Janning change, Germany’s strategies to avoid demographic change. Social security: nation to new shapes and ideas in design Internet addresses relating to Germany from the Paulskirche movement to On the as the back- greenhouse gas emissions, specific promo- reforms to the social security system and architecture German unification bone of German foreign policy tion of renewable energy sources and Facts – compact: Facts – compact: Facts - compact: Facts - compact: international climate cooperation Life in Germany design and architecture in Germany Stages of German history the European Union at a glance page 116 page 154 page 14 8 Education, science, 10 Culture Facts on the Internet 2 Federal states page 50 page 88 and research The German cultural world www.facts-about-germany.de The country and the people: 4 Political system 6 The economy The international competition By A. Conrad, E. Hassel-von Pock, The Web site accompanying the book A portrait of the 16 federal states. The state, the legal system Germany as an economic hub for the best brains G. Moritz, S. Müller, offers you basic insights into Germany in Klaus Viedebantt and the citizens Thomas Straubhaar By Martin Spiewak M. Sandhack, and R. Schaper 15 languages, including info-graphics, links On the many sides to the German federal Jürgen Hartmann On the world’s third largest economy On the increasingly international character On themes and types of literature, art and and countless images. states, their countryside, citiesand sights, On the political system and theconstitu- and its position in the global market. An of Germany as a center of higher educa- culture in Germany You can likewise find more detailed back- different mentalities and cultural high- tional structure of the Federal Republic of analysis of Germany’s economic prowess tion, new degrees the key university Seite 170 ground information and in-depth articles lights – from Baden-Württemberg to Germany: a social model for successand its and a glance at the most innovative sec- reforms and the successful The media on the Internet, specifically as regards the Thuringia key foundations in the Basic Law tors in the world’s leading export nation research centers in “Land of Ideas” By Jo Groebel chapters on: the federal states; Germany Facts – compact: Facts - compact: Facts - compact: Facts – compact: From newspaper to the Internet past and present; education, science, and UNESCO World Heritage sites in Germany The political system at a glance The German economy – facts and figures innovations “made in Germany” Facts – compact: German artists research; society; and culture.

4 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 5 1

Germany has many strong suits: The country is renowned for the quality of Facts and its products with the trademark “made in Germany” – and it is also a country with a great lifestyle, highly diverse figures countryside and open-minded inhabi- tants. An increasing number of foreign students enjoy the academic climate at Germany’s universities. International investors appreciate the know-how and superior training of the workforce. The art and cultural scene is brimming over with a zest for experimentation and surprises. This is true of all 16 federal states and in particular of Berlin, as the capital – the country’s political and creative heart.

6 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 7 1 Facts and figures

Federal Republic of Germany Landscape From the North Sea to the Baltic Sea in the North to the Alps in the South, Germany is structured geographically as follows: the State Democratic parliamentary federal democracy since 1949 North German lowlands, the Mittelgebirge ridge, the Southwest Capital city Berlin, 3.4 million inhabitants German subdued mountains and terraced landscape, the South National flag Three horizontal stripes in black, red, gold German piedmont and the Bavarian Alps Emblem Stylized eagle Climate Moderate oceanic/continental climatic zone with frequent Anthem Third verse of August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben’s ”Das changes in weather and primarily westerly winds Lied der Deutschen” to a melody by Joseph Haydn “Kaiserhymne“ State holiday October 3, Day of German Unity Population Parliament (16th legislative period: 613 MPs) Time zone CET/CEST Inhabitants With 82.3 million inhabitants (of which 42.0 million are women) Currency Germany is a member of the , EUR 1 = 100 cents Germany has the largest population of any EU member state. Phone dial code +49 Around 7.3 million foreigners live in Germany (8.8 percent of the Internet TLD .de (one of the ten most frequent top-level domains) total population) and of them 1.7 million are Turks Official language German. German is the mother tongue of 100 million people. Population density With 231 inhabitants per square kilometer Germany is one of the German is the mother tongue spoken most frequently in the most densely populated countries in Europe European Union Births On average 1.3 children per woman Population growth –0.1% Geography Age structure 14% less than 15, 20% over 65 Life expectancy With an average life expectancy of 77 years for men and 82 for Location Central Europe women (born in 2006) Germany is above the OECD mean Size 357,021 km2 Urbanization 88% of the population live in cities and conurbations. In Germany, Borders 3,757 km there are 82 cities with a population of over 100,000 Coastline 2,389 km Religions Just under 53 million people profess to be Christians (26m Neighboring states Germany is at the heart of Europe and has nine neighbors: Catholics, 26m Protestants, 900,000 members of the Orthodox Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, churches), 3.3m are Muslims, 230,000 Buddhists, 100,000 Jews, Luxembourg, the , , and Switzerland 90,000 Hindus. The Basic Law guarantees freedom of thought, Highest mountain Zugspitze 2963 m conscience and religion. There is no state religion Longest rivers Rhine 865 km, Elbe 700 km, Danube 647 km (in Germany) Immigration Since 2005, the new Immigration Act regulates immigration Largest cities Berlin 3.4 million inhabitants, (1.8m), Munich (1.3m), (1.0m), Frankfurt/Main (662,000) Political system

Legislation Bicameral system: in addition to the Bundestag, the Bundesrat (consisting of delegates of the state governments to uphold the states’ interests) participates in legislation State structure Germany is a federation consisting of 16 federal states, each with its own constitution, parliament and government. The highest Berlin state authority is exercised by the federal government. Through German Federal flag German Federal emblem the agency of the Bundesrat, the states are represented at the federal level and participate in federal legislation. Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit Suffrage Universal, equal and secret suffrage as of 18 years of age für das deutsche Vaterland! (in the case of municipal elections in part as of 16), elections Danach lasst uns alle streben to the Bundestag are held every four years. brüderlich mit Herz und Hand! Federal President Prof. Dr. Horst Köhler (CDU) since 2004 Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit Dr. (CDU) since 2005 sind des Glückes Unterpfand. Federal Chancellor Blüh im Glanze dieses Glückes, Party system Multi-party system, parties have a special constitutional status, blühe, deutsches Vaterland! receive state financial support, can only be prohibited by the Federal Constitutional Court Text of the German national anthem Germany is a federation made up of 16 federal states, each of which has independ- ent if constrained state authority Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 9 1 Facts and figures

Parties represented Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), German Christian Structure Alongside internationally active corporations, SMEs form the in the Bundestag Democratic Union (CDU), Christian Social Union (CSU), Bündnis backbone of the German economy. Around 70% of all employees 90/Die Grünen (The Greens), Free Democratic Party (FDP), work in small and medium sized enterprises Die Linke (The Left) Key sectors Car-making; mechanical, electrical and precision engineering; Legal system Germany is a social constitutional state. It is based on the principle chemicals; environmental technology; optics; medical of a division of powers and the lawful administration. All organs of technology; biotech and genetic engineering; nanotechnology; state are subject to the constitutional order. The Basic Law guaran- aerospace; logistics tees every individual citizen basic and human rights. The Federal Investment magnet Germany strongly attracts foreign investors. The world’s Constitutional Court watches over adherence to the Basic Law. All 500 largest corporations are present here, a total of 22,000 the other organs of state are bound to uphold its rulings foreign companies with a total staff of 2.7 million. Foreign direct investments amounted to US$ 503 billion in 2005. Germany in the world Infrastructure Germany has a highly developed infrastructure that is growing dynamically. Its rail network covers 36,000 km, and the road International Germany joins its European and transatlantic partners in champi- network 230,000 km. The country boasts one of the world’s most cooperation oning peace, democracy and human rights the world over. Germany modern phone and communication networks is a member in key European and other international organizations Trade fairs About two thirds of all the world’s keynote trade fairs take place European Union The Federal Republic of Germany is a founding member of the - in Germany (about 160 international trade fairs) pean Union (EU). Germany contributes around EUR 22 billion or some 20% of the EU budget and is thus the single largest contributor. Research and Development United Nations Germany has been a full member of the United Nations (UN) since 1973. Germany contributes just under 9 percent of the regular Patent registrations Germany is Europe’s no. 1 in terms of patent registrations. UN budget and is third largest contributor. Germany is a state with Together with Japan and the United States, Germany, with a UN seat: Since 1996 Bonn has had the title of “UN City”; 16 UN its 11,188 triad patent registrations, is among the world’s three organizations are based there most innovative countries. Other organizations Germany is a member of the NATO defense alliance Leading Since 1948, 17 Nobel prizes have been won by Max Planck and alliances (since 1955), the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Research institutes Society scientists. Likewise internationally renowned: Development (OECD), the Organization for Security and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft for applied research, the Leibniz Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the World Bank and the Gesellschaft and the Helmholtz Association with 15 internationally International Monetary Fund (IMF) leading large research institutions Federal Foreign Office The Federal Foreign Office, which is headquartered in Berlin and its network of 226 foreign representative offices represents Communications Germany in the world. Germany currently maintains diplomatic relations with 191 countries Freedom of opinion The Basic Law guarantees the freedom of the press and Out-of-area The German Armed Forces are committed to nine peace-keeping freedom of opinion operations and humanitarian operations outside the country, all of which Press Around 350 daily newspapers with a total circulation of are under UN mandates and are carried out in the framework of 24 million copies and coverage of 73% of the population. NATO and the EU. It is one of the countries providing the largest Largest nationwide subscription newspapers: Süddeutsche number of troops for international crisis prevention and conflict Zeitung, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Die Welt. With a management missions circulation of 3.6 million, “Bild”-Zeitung has the largest print run in Europe. Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) is the world’s Economy fourth largest news agency Magazines , Stern, Focus Economic Germany is the largest economy in the European Union and Internet 95% of companies and 61% of private households have access prowess the third largest in the world. With the highest GDP and the to the Internet largest number of inhabitants in the EU, Germany is Europe’s Radio, TV Two-prong system: alongside the public (license-based) most important market. Gross Domestic Product comes to radio and TV stations (ARD, ZDF) there are private EUR 2,423 billion (2007), GNP per capita is EUR 29,455 (ad-financed) channels. ZDF is the largest broadcasting Export Germany is the world’s leading exporter: the volume of goods station in Europe. Germany’s foreign radio station exported came to EUR 969 billion in 2007. Key trading partners: is (DW-TV, DW-Radio, DW-world.de and France (9.5%), USA (8.7%), Great Britain (7.2%), Italy (6.6%) DW-Akademie)

Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 11 1 Facts and figures

Germany in the Internet Social system

Social security Germany has an elaborate network of social security systems www.deutschland.de (pension, health, healthcare and unemployment insurance), Official portal of the Federal Republic of Germany. It provides access in Arabic, financed in equal measure by employees and employers alike English, French, German, Russian, and Spanish to link lists for all areas of society Health Almost all Germany’s inhabitants have health insurance (88% on statutory and just under 12% in private insurance schemes). www.bundesregierung.de Given total outlays on health of 10.7% of GDP, Germany is well The comprehensive German federal government Web site, including topical above the OECD average of 9.0% news on government policies (English, French and German)

Higher education www.auswaertiges-amt.de Information on aspects of German foreign policy and addresses of the German Higher education There are 383 institutes of higher education in Germany, 103 of missions abroad (Arabic, English, French, German and Spanish) them universities, and 176 universities of the applied sciences. 947,000 or 48% of the total of some two million students are www.invest-in-germany.de women. Whether tuition fees are charged and the scale difference The Web site of the Invest in Germany GmbH provides informa- from one state to the next. In seven states, fees of about EUR 500 tion on Germany as a business hub (in six languages) per semester are charged for new students, and fees are levied almost everywhere for students who have exceed ten terms or www.goethe.de are studying for the second time. The Goethe-Institut Web site provides information on language courses and Foreign 246,000 foreign students are enrolled at German institutes of events at the 142 institutes as well as on German culture and society (English students higher education. After the United States and Great Britain, and German) Germany is thus third most attractive country world-wide for for- eign students www.ifa.de Degrees Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D., State Examination, Diploma, Magister, The Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa) offers an overview of topics relating Promotion to international cultural exchange (English, German, Portuguese and Spanish)

Culture www.daad.de The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides information on funding Tradition German writers, composers and philosophers such as Goethe, and exchange programs for students, graduates and scientists (in 22 languages) Schiller, Bach, Beethoven, Kant and Hegel have strongly influ- www.dw-world.de enced cultural epochs and are acclaimed figures the world over German foreign broadcasting station Deutsche Welle (DW) provides a wealth of Culture federalism Germany’s federal structure and the cultural sovereignty of each topical editorial information (in 30 languages) federal state ensure that the country boasts a wealth of different cultural institutions and a vibrant cultural scene. Berlin, as the www.deutschland-tourismus.de capital city, is a spectacular case in point, with three opera hous- The German National Tourist Board Web site offers a wide range of details on es, 120 museums, more than 50 theaters and a lively art communi- Germany as a holiday destination (English and German) ty that also attracts many young foreign artists Cultural institutions 5,000 museums (of them 500 art museums), 300 theaters, over www.land-der-ideen.de 100 musical theaters and opera houses, 130 professional orches- The “Germany. Land of Ideas“ initiative champions Germany as a center and, tras, 7,500 libraries among other things, runs a special media service (English and German) Festivals Richard Wagner Festival , Bachfest Leipzig, Berlin Interna- tional Film Festival (Berlinale), Theatertreffen Berlin, Rock am Ring www.destatis.de Books 95,000 new publications or new editions each year Web site of the German Federal Statistical Office (English and German) UNESCO Germany features 32 natural and cultural heritage sites protected World Heritage under the UNESCO World Heritage program www.magazine-deutschland.de Web site of “Deutschland” magazine, with articles on current topics, a service section and a media corner for journalists (in ten languages)

12 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 13 2

16 federal states, preceded by more than twice as many kingdoms, principalities Federal states and small manorial towns – Germany is a country rich in history. It also has a wide range of different landscapes: sandy beaches on the North and Baltic Seas, and the snow-covered Alps in the south.

The Germans, be they from Bavaria, Sax- ony, Friesia or Hesse, bring this portrait to life with their dialects and traditions. And it thus comes as no surprise that some 24 million people visit Germany every year. Many of them do not just come once. In their case, the typical Ger- man farewell greeting actually comes true: Auf Wiedersehen – See you again!

14 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 15 2 Federal states

The Baltic Sea, a vacation paradise: The pier at Sellin on the island of Rügen The country and the people: A portrait of the 16 federal states

By Klaus Viedebantt

Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg Capital: Stuttgart People in Baden-Württemberg tend not to talk in Population: 10,739,000 superlatives, even though the state continually sets Surface area in km2: 35,751.65 records. It is no. 1 in Europe for high-tech, German GDP in billion euro: 337.12 www.baden-wuerttemberg.de leader for patent registrations, and famed for its inventors, first and foremost among them Gottlieb Daimler, Carl Benz and Robert Bosch. Today, it is not only Bosch, Daimler, Porsche and Boss, but also mid caps like Fischer (rawl plugs), Stihl (saws) and Würth (screws) that make it the world champion in the export rankings. And when they’re not working, they’re enjoying the fact that the state boasts more starred cooks than any other. And the local wines are Majestic: Schlossplatz in so good as to be an inside tip. Stuttgart

Bavaria Bavaria Capital: Munich The “beer state” of Bavaria also produces fine wine in Population: 12,493,000 the Franconia region. The Oktoberfest, Neuschwan- Surface area in km2: 70,549.19 stein Castle and the magnificent Alpine scenery GDP in billion euro: 409.48 www.bayern.de attract more foreign tourists than does any other federal state. Yet the slogan “Laptop and Lederhose” demonstrates that there is more to Bavaria than just a lively tradition. Its economy, which is stronger than that of Sweden, boasts glob- al brands such as BMW, Audi, Siemens, MAN and EADS (Air- Romantic: Neuschwanstein bus). Munich, the state capital, is home to more publishers Castle, built by Ludwig II, than any other German city. And even outside Munich, Ger- King of Bavaria many’s largest state is thriving: the annual Wagner Festival in Bayreuth is sold out every year, as is the Passion Play in Oberammergau, held once every ten years.

16 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 2 Federal states

Berlin Berlin 1,900,000 vehicles annually. The state’s cultural life is also Capital: Berlin Once a year, during the Berlinale film festival, the influenced by commerce: The Überseemuseum (Over- Population: 3,404,000 Surface area in km2: 891.75 world of the silver screen focuses on Berlin. And the seas Museum) and the Schifffahrtsmuseum (Maritime GDP in billion euro: 80.62 city’s inhabitants are used to global interest. After all, Museum) attract visitors from all over the country. The www.berlin.de the people of Berlin have lived in a capital city since 1458. merchants’ wealth led to the birth of a truly beautiful Maritime: Yachts However, there is also a shady side to the city’s history: the architectural ensemble: the town hall market square with in Bremerhaven rule of the National Socialists and the East German regime, its Baroque and Renaissance buildings, a tribute to the city’s which built a wall right through the heart of the city. Since rich history, which began when it was awarded market 1990, Berlin has once again been the undivided capital city. rights back in 888. The , the Berlin Philharmonic and some 150 theaters ensure the city is unique. The “scholarly capital” Hamburg Hamburg Capital: Hamburg Metropolitan: boasts 20 institutes of higher education, while also being In the city and state of Hamburg it is the port that is Potsdamer Platz Population: 1,754,000 home to outstanding firms such as Bayer Schering Pharma the power-house of the economy, though with Air- Surface area in km2: 755.16 or Philip Morris. And the ITB, the world’s largest tourism fair, bus, Otto Versand and Beiersdorf also located here, GDP in billion euro: 86.15 highlights the fact that “Berlin is well worth a visit”. this is not immediately apparent. With its tanker terminals, www.hamburg.de the port is home to all the major oil-refining companies. For Brandenburg pleasure-seekers, there is the entertainment district of St. Capital: Population: 2,548,000 The densely forested state of Brandenburg surrounds Pauli. Yet Hamburg’s reputation as a media and science cen- Surface area in km2: 29,477.16 the capital city of Berlin and benefits from the latter’s ter is of greater importance to its inhabitants. The demand GDP in billion euro: 49.49 “gin and martini belt”. However, with its numerous for culture is correspondingly high, and is satisfied by www.brandenburg.de lakes and forests it also has several trump cards of its own. renowned institutes such as the Kunsthalle and just under With the Hohenzollern castles, and in particular Sanssouci 40 theaters – including the state opera company with world Commercial: Castle, which is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Her- ballet star John Neumeier. On a national basis Hamburg in Hamburg itage List, the heart of the Kingdom of possesses jew- leads the way when it comes to musicals, which every month els of courtly architecture. Indeed Potsdam is considered one bring thousands of visitors thronging to the city. of Germany’s most beautiful cities, featuring many architec- tural highlights. Today the citizens of Brandenburg boast Hol- Hesse Hesse Historical: lywood productions in the film-producing town of Babels- Frankfurt am Main is really the only city in Germany Capital: Wiesbaden Sanssouci Castle Population: 6,075,000 berg, the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt an der that has an international feel to it: The tallest build- Surface area in km2: 21,114.72 Oder and more than 280 foreign companies, including the ings, the largest airport, and the most banks in conti- GDP in billion euro: 204.28 German HQ of Ebay. nental Europe (including the European Central Bank). And www.hessen.de the list of superlatives does not stop there; for example, there Worldly: The Bremen Bremen is the railroad station and the interstate intersection, both of skyline in Capital: Bremen Frankfurt/Main Population: 664,000 The Hanseatic city of Bremen arose through classic which boast the highest volume of traffic in Germany. All this, Surface area in km2: 404.23 maritime trading, in particular with coffee. In the despite the fact that the city has a mere 662,000 inhabitants GDP in billion euro: 25.31 smallest of the federal states (divided into the city of and is not even the capital of Hesse. The elegant city of Wies- www.bremen.de Bremen, and Bremerhaven, some 60 kilometers to the baden has claim to that title. Otherwise the state of Hesse is north) the port accounts for every third job. The largest rather unassuming, with a densely forested upland range of employer, however, is Daimler; and the ports turn around

18 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 19 2 Federal states

mountains, blessed with Riesling in the Rheingau region, and North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia industry throughout. Opel in Rüsselsheim and VW near Kas- Nowhere in Germany has more inhabitants, and there Capital: Düsseldorf Population: 18,029,000 sel are the major industries, whereas ESA in Darmstadt is is a correspondingly large number of cities: Cologne, Surface area in km2: 34,083.52 responsible for a large share of the European space program. with its Gothic cathedral; Bonn, the Federal Republic’s GDP in billion euro: 501.71 first capital city; Düsseldorf, the fashion-conscious state capi- www.nordrhein-westfalen.de Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania tal; Aachen, under Charlemagne the capital of Europe; Duis- Capital: Schwerin Population: 1,694,000 It need not be from outer space, even from a plane burg, with Europe’s largest inland port; the business centers Surface area in km2: 23,174.17 Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, with more than of Krefeld and Bielefeld; not to mention Essen and Dortmund, GDP in billion euro: 32.51 2,000 lakes, numerous waterways and lush green in- the two major cities in the Ruhr region. They bear witness to www.mecklenburg-vorpommern.de between looks particularly attractive. Together with its 350- the changes in Germany’s largest industrial area: Coal mining kilometer-long Baltic coastline, this Northeastern state is the and steel production area now flanked by bio-chemicals and major venue for water sports enthusiasts in the whole of Cen- high-tech. Yet “NRW”, as the state is fondly known, not only tral Europe. Small wonder, then, that tourism is the state’s has Europe’s most concentrated research network, but main source of income. To make certain this remains the case, according to UNESCO is alongside New York and one of Asymmetrical: The Gehry around one fifth of the state’s total surface area is a nature the world’s major cultural regions. buildings in Düsseldorf conservation area. Away from the tourist centers on the coast, Imposing: shipbuilding and agriculture are otherwise the main sources Rhineland-Palatinate Rhineland-Palatinate The chalk cliffs on of employment in this, the country’s most thinly populated The Rhine valley between Bingen and Koblenz, a gem Capital: the island of Rügen Population: 4,053,000 state. Northern Europe’s two oldest universities and several that is for the most part located in Rhineland-Palati- Surface area in km2: 19,847.39 innovative R&D facilities make the state one of the most nate, is a key item on the UNESCO World Cultural GDP in billion euro: 100.72 dynamic regions for high-tech, bio-tech and medi-tech. Heritage List. A center of wine and sparkling wine produc- ww.rheinland-pfalz.de tion, the state is also referred to as “Wineland-Palatinate”. Lower Lower Saxony Yet from an early date it has been committed to advanced Capital: Hanover The state of Lower Saxony has the shipbuilders in technology, a prime example being chemicals giant BASF. Population: 7,983,000 Surface area in km2: 47,618.24 Papenburg to thank for its regular global TV appear- The state has always been innovative, be it on a very long- GDP in billion euro: 197.09 ances – every time the Meyer shipyard pilots a new term basis thanks to Johannes Gutenberg, who invented the www.niedersachsen.de luxury liner down the narrow River Ems. Yet the major first printing press with moveable type in Mainz, or on a industry in this state, which stretches from the holiday more temporary basis with the work of Karl Marx from . Touristy: Vineyards islands on the North Sea coast to the Harz Mountains, is the Culture and joie-de-vivre are celebrated in all the larger Ger- on the Rhine auto industry, including such names as Volkswagen in man cities that have Roman history. The 50-plus festivals Wolfsburg and Continental in Hanover, likewise the hub of staged each year attest to this. TUI’s vast operations, one of Europe’s largest tourism corpo- rations. Furthermore, twice a year the eyes of the world Saarland focus on the state capital: for the Hanover Industrial Trade Saarbrücken’s film festival for German-speaking up- Capital: Saarbrücken Population: 1,043,000 Forward-looking: Fair and CeBIT, the world’s largest IT trade fair. Indeed, and-coming talent has been the launching pad for Surface area in km2: 2,568.65 Autostadt in Wolfsburg Hanover has been an international city for a long time now, many a career, as Franka Potente and Til Schweiger GDP in billion euro: 28.01 after all between 1714 and 1837 the rulers of Hanover were have proved. The state has over the last 200 years changed www.saarland.de also the kings of . nationality eight times and the French influence is highly

20 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 21 2 Federal states FACTS – COMPACT

Lübeck The Medieval heart of the The World Heritage 17 town is exemplary for 17 and Bremen the Hanseatic cities along The Old Towns of both Hanseatic cities Testimony to the past and unique elements The statue of Roland in 18 the coast of the Baltic Sea 17 of our : 32 of the UNESCO- front of the Town Hall is 18 Lübeck the town’s landmark Old Town with the Town Hall, Fortified selected monuments to our World Cultural Stralsund and Wismar Monastery, Holsten Gate and Salt Silos and Natural Heritage are in Germany Elaborately decorated merchants’ homes shape 19 Berlin The Old Town is one 1 the face of these two Museum Island with the Pergamon of the largest standing Baltic towns Museum and the Nationalgalerie 1 Bremen monuments in Germany Town Hall and Statue of Roland 20 Potsdam and Berlin 2 Quedlinburg Essen Berlin Palaces and parks in Potsdam’s Collegiate Church, Castle and Old Town The “Ruhr Region’s Eiffel Tower”: 19 An island of culture is Sanssouci district and Berlin The Zollverein coal mine was founded formed by the unique 3 Essen 21 around 1850 and is an industrial and 20 ensemble of buildings “Zollverein” coal mines Romanesque St. Michael’s architectural monument 21 on the Museum Island and industrial complex Church and St. Mary’s Cathedral Aachen 22 4 Aachen 23 22 Contemporaries Cathedral and Palatinate Chapel 2 Dessau Old Town and historical considered Charle- 25 23 24 Walter Gropius’ silver mines 5 Cologne magne’s Palatinate 3 ”Academy of Design” Chapel a “marvel of High Gothic Cathedral was sought out 23 and architecture” 6 Brühl 26 by many avant-garde Luther Memorials including Castles of Augustusburg architects as the the house where he was born and Falkenlust place of learning Upper Middle 5 30 24 Dessau and 7 Upper Middle Rhine Valley Rhine Valley 4 27 The School of Architecture Beautiful and highly diversified The valley between 6 28 Eisenach and its sites cultural landscape Bingen, Rüdesheim 24 The is associated and Koblenz is consid- 25 Dessau-Wörlitz 8 Trier with Martin Luther, The ered the epitome of Garden Kingdom of the Roman monuments, Cathedral Minstrels War, and the Dueling the Romantic banks of Prince of Anhalt-Dessau of St. Peter and Church of Our Lady Fraternity Festival the Rhine 26 9 nr. Darmstadt 13 German/Polish cultural heritage site: 7 Weimar Fossil site with a wealth of Eocene Muskau Park/Park Muzakowski 9 Classical Weimar is the city of Goethe finds Völklingen 29 8 and Schiller, of Herder and Wieland The Völklinger Hütte 27 Eisenach 10 Lorsch ironworks stands 10 Wartburg Castle, Monumental entrance to the former for a century-long symbol of German unity Benedictine Abbey and the ruins of history of labor 11 Würzburg 12 the Altenmünster monastery and steel-making The Residence of the Lord Bishops 28 Weimar is considered the jewel of South Unique testimony to 11 Völklingen Classical Weimar Maulbronn German Baroque Völklinger Hütte ironworks 15 The monastery is the 31 29 Würzburg 14 12 Speyer best preserved Medieval Würzburg Residence, including the Romanesque Imperial Cathedral monastery complex marvelous Court Gardens North of the Alps Together with Hadrian’s Wall, 13 the German section of the defensive 30 Dresden Old Town of the Bishopric and Imperial wall of the , forms Elbe Valley between Übigau Castle City on the banks of the River Regnitz a cross-border World Heritage Site Reichenau and the Elbe Isle in the Southeast 14 The monastery island Steingaden Historic old town attests to the key role 31 Roman Limes in Germany The Church of “Wies” at the foot Benedictine monasteries 550 kilometers long, the longest 15 Maulbronn 32 of the Alps is one of the most played in Medieval times 16 monument on the ground in Europe Cistercian monastery complex perfect examples of Bavarian Rococo art 16 Reichenau 32 Steingaden Monastery island on Lake Constance www..de Church of “Wies” 2 Federal states

evident. Mining is now no longer the key industry, with steel Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein and car-making competing with IT for the number one slot. The most feared mythical figure in Schleswig-Hol- Capital: Kiel Population: 2,834,000 The steel industry bequeathed a fascinating attraction: Völk- stein is “Blanker Hans”, who stands for the destructive Surface area in km2: 15,763.18 lingen Ironworks, which is included in the UNESCO World forces of the sea. After all, the most northern of the GDP in billion euro: 69.86 Cultural Heritage List. The state’s most famous name, howev- federal states is bordered by two seas, the North Sea and the www.schleswig-holstein.de Picturesque: er, has to be that of Villeroy & Boch, a global player in the Baltic Sea. Since time immemorial, ship-building and fishing The “Saarschleife” porcelain market. have been correspondingly important, with two thirds of the German fishing fleet registered here. Nowadays, however, Saxony Saxony the main source of income is tourism and agriculture. The Capital: Dresden Meissen may well be a small town but, thanks to its North Sea island of Sylt is a fashionable holiday destination. Population: 4,250,000 Surface area in km2: 18,413.91 porcelain, is as well known as the state capital Dresden Kiel, the state capital and the Hanseatic city of Lübeck, now Idyllic: The broad skies over Schleswig-Holstein GDP in billion euro: 88.71 and Leipzig, the trade-fair city. The Free State is one of immortal thanks to Thomas Mann, vie for the status of most www.sachsen.de the most dynamic economic regions in , in par- important city. Alongside Puttgarden they are the state’s ticular in IT; precision watch-making and car-making are typ- most important ferry ports for the Scandinavia routes. Par- ical of this new gearing, symbolized by the restored allel to developments in Eastern Europe the state also bene- Frauenkirche in Dresden’s Baroque center. As in the past, Sax- fits from the Baltic Sea economic region. ony’s culture is highly influential in the world of music, rep- resented by the Semper opera house in Dresden and the Thuringia Thuringia Capital: Erfurt Splendid: The banks of almost 800-year old Thomaner Choir in Leipzig, where Johann The mountains in the Thuringian Forest provide a Population: 2,311,000 the Elbe near Dresden Sebastian Bach was once a cantor. Is he the greatest Saxon backdrop for one of Germany’s most beautiful trails, Surface area in km2: 16,172.14 ever? Bach at least has a serious rival – in the person of Richard the 160-kilometer long Rennsteig. It is just as much a GDP in billion euro: 45.99 Wagner. trademark of the state as its long thin sausages, the historic www.thueringen.de Wartburg and the Weimar poets Goethe and Schiller. How- Saxony-Anhalt Saxony-Anhalt ever, Thuringia not only has a culinary and literary tradition, Capital: Magdeburg In honor of its most famous former inhabitant, Georg it was always a state of researchers. Zeiss and Schott found- Population: 2,442,000 Surface area in km2: 20,445.26 Friedrich Handel, every year Halle stages a major fes- ed the modern optics industry in Jena; alongside the car- GDP in billion euro: 50.14 tival. However, the composer plays second fiddle to maker Opel and turbine manufacturer Rolls-Royce, Jenoptik www.sachsen-anhalt.de Martin Luther, the reformer from Eisleben who transformed is nowadays one of the most important companies there. the Christian world. As such the town of Wittenberg is one Erfurt, the state capital, is proud of the flourishing bio- and of the most popular tourist spots in a state that boasts a solar technology there, in addition to the excellent educa- wealth of castles but is also renowned for its chemicals indus- tional opportunities offered by four institutes of higher edu- Klaus Viedebantt try. Since reunification, the state has been highly successful cation. • The journalist was head of section at the “Zeit“ and “FAZ“ in attracting investors. Today, Total maintains a refinery in newspapers and has written Central: The Leuna, Dow Chemical has a production facility in Schkopau, numerous travel guides. Handel monument as does Bayer in Bitterfeld. While nature enthusiasts are in Halle drawn to the 1141-meter high Brocken mountain, with its myth-shrouded peak: on the eve of every May 1st witches congregate here to dance.

24 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 25 3

Germany’s path to a liberal constitu- tional democracy and a functioning Past and involved many historical ruptures: particularism in the early years of the Modern age, the fail- present ure of the March Revolution and the Weimar Republic through to the “flaw in history” caused by National Socialism.

Unity and liberty, key concepts since the 19th century, also occupied Ger- mans during the nation’s division after the Second World War. Not until reunifi- cation in 1990 was the “German issue” resolved.

26 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 27 3 Past and present

Peaceful Revolution: On November 9, 1989 the Berlin Farewell to the German Wall, the symbol of a divided Germany, comes down question – Looking back at the long journey West

By Heinrich August Winkler

It existed for 184 years, the German Question. It arose on August 6, 1806 when Franz II, the last Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, bowed down to an ulti- matum from , laid down his crown, relieved the Estates of their duties and thereby dissolved the “Old Empire”. The German Question was resolved on October 3, 1990, with the approval of the four former occupying powers, when the German Democratic Republic acceded to the Federal Repub- Reunification lic of Germany. At a state act in the Berlin Philharmonie Following the peaceful overthrow of the East German regime in Richard von Weizsäcker, the German President, described the 1989, reunification of the two historical importance of reunification in a sentence that has Germanies moved that step clos- gone down in the annals of German history: “The day has er. In the summer of 1990 negoti- ations about the reunification come on which for the first time in history the whole of Ger- treaty commenced in Berlin. On many takes a permanent place among Western democracies.” October 3, 1990 on the basis of Between 1806 and 1990 there were indeed periods in Article 23 of the Basic Law, East Germany acceded to the territory which Europe was not concerned by what we call “the German of the Federal Republic of Ger- Question”. Between 1871 and 1914, the peacetime of the many. On December 2, 1990 Kaiserreich, nobody would have referred to an unresolved Ger- the first all-German elections to the Bundestag took place. man Question. There can be no denying that the German Ques- tion resurfaced at the latest on May 8 and 9, 1945 when the German Reich surrendered unconditionally to the victors of the Second World War. The division of Germany into two states was a preliminary answer to the German Question. The final answer came with the merger of the two states and recogni- tion under international law of the borders of 1945. Since Octo- ber 3, 1990 it has been irrefutably laid down where Germany lies, what belongs to the country and what does not.

28 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 29 3 Past and present

Holy Roman Empire 1830–1848: The Vormärz and Paulskirche demanding unity and freedom for the Germans first of all The term used for the empire, parliamentary movement needed to clarify what was actually to be part of Germany. which emerged from the East- Franconian Empire as of 962, In the first freely elected parliament, the National Assembly, with the coronation of Otto I For the Germans there were always two sides to the German which convened in the Paulskirche in Frankfurt/Main, the as Emperor; as of 1512 it was offi- Question: that of territory and that of constitution, or to be fact that a German nation state should include the German- cially called the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation – more precise, the question of the relationship between unity speaking part of the Habsburg monarchy was initially expressing, on the one hand, and freedom. At the heart of the territorial question was the beyond dispute. It was only as of fall 1848 that a majority of a claim to power as the successor problem of a “larger Germany” or “smaller Germany”. If it the Deputies came to the conclusion that it was not within to the “Imperium Romanum“ of Antiquity, and on the other, high- were possible to replace the Holy Roman Empire with a Ger- their power to break up the multi-nation state of Austria- lighting the religious role of man national state, would it have to include German-speak- Hungary. Accordingly, as a “large” German state that includ- the Emperor. The “Reich“ sur- ing Austria or was a solution to the German Question possi- ed Austria could not be established, all that remained possi- vived for more than eight hun- dred years until in 1806, shortly ble without these territories? The question of the constitu- ble was a “small” German national state without Austria, and after the formation of the tion related primarily to the distribution of power between as things stood that meant a Reich under a hereditary Pruss- Confederation of the Rhine and the people and the throne. In a united Germany who was to ian Emperor. Paulskirche 1848 at the instruction of Napoleon, call the shots: the elected representatives of the Germans or The German state which, according to the will of the The “March Revolution“ that Franz II, the Habsburg monarch, occurred between March 1848 laid down the imperial crown. the princes respectively their most powerful choice? National Assembly in Frankfurt/Main, would have been and the summer of 1849 was Unity and freedom first emerged as issues in the wars headed by Frederick William IV of Prussia, would have been a national, democratic civil upris- German Confederation of liberation against Napoleon. The French Emperor was beat- a liberal constitutional state with a strong parliament that ing such as was taking place in The loose association of sover- several parts of Europe at that eign German states and free en but the removal of the foreign rulers brought the Germans had the government under its control. As German Emperor, time. It was a first attempt to cre- cities was created at the 1815 neither a united Germany nor liberal conditions in the states the King of Prussia, of the House of the Hohenzollern, would ate a free, democratic and uni- Congress of Vienna. It initially of the German Confederation that in 1815 replaced the Old have had to forego the divine right of kings and succumb to fied German nation state. The comprised 41, and ultimately “German Revolution“ enforced 33 members. The purpose behind Reich. Yet the call for unity and freedom could no longer be being the executor of the superior will of the people. It was the appointment of liberal gov- the confederation was primarily suppressed permanently. In the early 1830s it once again a notion that on April 28, 1849 the monarch finally reject- ernments and pushed through the internal and external security became louder, the French having won their struggle for a ed, effectively sealing the fate of the revolution, which had elections to a National Assembly of all its members. The Confeder- to draw up a constitution; it was ation had a single organ: The liberal constitutional monarchy in the July 1830 revolution. thus brought the Germans neither unity nor freedom. What convened in the Paulskirche in Federal Assembly in Frankfurt/ And although in Germany the old rulers were once again able remained among the bourgeois Liberals was a feeling of Frankfurt/Main. By July 1849 the Main. The conflict with Austria, movement had been violently which had been gaining to get their way, from now on the Liberals and Democrats no political failure: they had, or so it seemed retrospectively, th suppressed by the troops of the in strength since the mid-19 longer remained silent. Inspired by events in France in Feb- chased down countless illusions in that “mad year” and the German princes and the status century, led to the demise ruary, in March 1848 there was a revolution in Germany, too: realities of power proved them wrong. quo ante for the most part of the German Confederation. restored. It was dissolved in 1866. Unity and freedom were once again what the forces that knew It was not by chance that a few years after the 1848 historical progress was on their side demanded. revolution, “Realpolitik” was to become a political catch- To make Germany both a nation and a constitution- word: The term’s international career began with a pamphlet The “Hambacher Fest”, 1832: al state was a far more ambitious goal than that the entitled “The Principles of Realpolitik. Applied to Conditions A highlight of bourgeois French revolutionaries had set themselves in in the German States”, which the Liberal journalist Ludwig opposition to “Vormärz” 1789, as their starting point was a nation state, August von Rochau brought out in 1853. The Paulskirche which, albeit somewhat pre-modern, already had in fact already pursued a policy of “Realpolitik” when it existed and they therefore planned to place ignored the right of self-determination of other peoples (the it on a completely new, civil basis. Anyone Poles in the Prussian Grand Duchy of Posen, the Danes in

30 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 31 3 Past and present

Otto von Bismarck (1815–1898) North Schleswig, and the Italians in “Welsch Tyrol”) and the age of majority. This was in line with the Reich Consti- The unification of Germany decided to define the borders of the future German Reich in tution of 1849, which never actually came into power and under Prussian supremacy was the avowed aim of Otto von line with supposedly German national interests. As such, gave the Germans more democratic rights than those Bismarck, whom King Wilhelm I unity was for the first time given a higher standing than enjoyed at the time by the citizens of liberal model monar- had appointed Prime Minister of freedom. The freedom of other nations still had to play sec- chies such as Great Britain and Belgium. Prussia in 1862. Following the 1866 war against Austria, the ond fiddle to the goal of German unity. As a result one can talk of a partial democratization German Confederation was dis- of Germany in the 19th century, or in relation to the total life solved and replaced by the North span of the German Reich, of dissynchronic democratiza- German Confederation, which 1871: Founding of the German Reich comprised 17 small German tion: Suffrage was democratized relatively early on, the sys- states under Prussian leadership. In the 1860s, however, Germany likewise took the decision tem of government in the narrow sense, late. The victory over France in 1870/1 to prioritize unity over freedom. This was the result of the led to the foundation of the “revolution from above”, by which Otto von Bismarck,the Second German Reich and the 1914–1918: The First World War proclamation in Versailles of Wil- Prussian Prime Minister, solved the German Question in his Before the Battle of Verdun, 1916: helm I as German Emperor. own way. The Prussian constitutional conflict, which lasted It was not until October 1918, when there could no longer Over 700,000 German and Bismarck remained Prime Minis- French soldiers lost their lives ter and also became Reich Chan- from 1862 to 1866, enabled him to solve the question of be any doubt about Germany’s military defeat in the First cellor. The Reichstag was restruc- domestic power in favor of the Executive and against Parlia- World War, that the decisive change to the constitution tured as the people’s elected ment; in terms of foreign policy a solution to the question of occurred, making the Reich Chancellor dependent on the representation, albeit with restricted rights. Bismarck led a power was delivered by Prussian victory in 1866 in the confidence of the Reichstag. This act of making him respon- bitter fight against leftwing “smaller Germany” war, i.e., the exclusion of Austria, and in sible to Parliament was intended to encourage the victorious liberalism, political Catholicism the Franco-Prussian war of 1870/1, against the France of Western democracies to condone a lenient peace agreement and social democracy, but in the The First World War 1880s was also responsible for Napoleon III, the power that until then had vetoed the cre- and preempt a revolution from below. It failed on both When it began the First World the most progressive welfare leg- ation of a German nation state. counts, but from then on it was easy for the opponents of War (1914–1918) was fought islation in the whole of Europe. One goal of the 1848 Revolution had thus been democracy to denounce the parliamentary system as ”West- between the Conflicts with Emperor Wilhelm II, and Austria, on the one side, who had been in power since achieved: unity. However, the demand for freedom, inas- ern” and “un-German”. and the Triple Entente of 1888, led in 1890 to the dismissal much as it denoted a government responsible to parliament, The revolution from below broke out in November France, Great Britain, and Rus- of the “Iron Chancellor”. remained unfulfilled. Even if it had been his intention Bis- 1918 because the October Reforms proved to be nothing sia together with Serbia, on marck would have been unable to solve the freedom ques- more than a piece of paper: Large parts of the military were the other. As it progressed, other countries in Europe, tion in the interest of the Liberals: Ceding power to Parlia- unwilling to subordinate themselves to political control by Asia, Africa and America also ment fundamentally contradicted not only the interests of Reich leaders that were responsible to Parliament. However, joined in, including in 1917 the The Iron Chancellor: Otto von the ruling classes in old Prussia – of his dynasty, his army, the the German Revolution of 1918/9 cannot be considered as USA, whose entry was to Bismarck shaped politics for prove decisive. The War result- almost three decades landed gentry, and high-ranking civil servants. It also con- one of the major or classic revolutions of world history: Ger- ed in almost 15 million casual- tradicted the interests of the other German states, at the many around 1918 was already too “modern” for a radical ties. The military defeat of the top of the list Bavaria, Saxony, and Württemberg. In the break with its political and social fabric along the lines of the German Reich was followed by political upheaval: As a form of the Bundesrat they were entitled to a major share of 1789 or the October Revolution of 1917 direct consequence of the rev- of the executive power in the German Reich and were not in Russia. In a country that at a national level had enjoyed olution in November 1918, inclined to forego this power and grant it to the Reichstag. universal and general suffrage for men for some 50 years, Emperor Wilhelm II signed a declaration of abdication. The Reichstag was elected on the basis of universal the issue could not be to establish a revolutionary educa- The monarchy ceded to a and equal suffrage by men who had reached tional dictatorship but more democracy. In concrete terms republic.

32 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 33 3 Past and present

The Weimar Republic that meant: the introduction of women’s suffrage, making Dance on the Volcano: Otto Dix captured Bohemian life in Berlin On November 9, 1918 Philipp suffrage democratic in the individual states, districts and Scheidemann, a Social Democrat, (“Großstadt“, 1927) proclaimed the republic. It was communities and the establishment of governments answer- later named after the city of able to parliament. Weimar, where the National Assembly that drew up the con- stitution convened. During the 1919–1933: The Weimar Republic Weimar Republic (1919–1933) the German Reich – as the country There was in fact considerable continuity between the Ger- continued to be called – was a democratic federal state, a mix- man Reich and the Weimar Republic, which emerged fol- ture of presidential and parlia- lowing the fall of the monarchy in November 1918 and the mentary systems. This second January 1919 elections to the German National Assembly, attempt to set up a liberal democracy along Western lines which was to draw up a constitution. To a certain extent in Germany also failed. Ridden by the institution of the monarchy simply persisted in a dif- strife, it ended in the National ferent form: The office of Reich President, who was elected of which were justified by citing the guilt of the German Socialists seizing power, which resulted in a totalitarian dictator- by the people, came with such powers that there was very Reich and its allies for the Great War. Berlin in the “Golden Twenties “ ship. quickly talk of a “substitute Emperor” or a “replacement The fact that Austria was forbidden to unite with Ger- Between 1924 and 1929, the peri- od of economic upswing and Emperor”. many was likewise considered to be unjust. Once the downfall political calm led to a brief but Nor was there any ethical break with the German of the Habsburg monarchy had removed the major obstacle to highly productive period, whose Reich. The question of responsibility for the war was not a solution for a greater Germany, the revolutionary govern- presence was felt most of all in the capital city Berlin. The addressed in a serious manner even though (or because) Ger- ments in Vienna and Berlin had spoken out in favor of the two metropolis became one of many’s actions spoke a very clear language: Following the German-speaking republics uniting. They could be assured of Europe’s cultural and scientific assassination on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo of the successor to the popularity of the demand in both countries. hot spots. Technological advances and artistic experimen- the Austrian-Hungarian throne, the leaders of the Reich The fact the Treaties of Versailles and Saint Germain tation in architecture, theater, deliberately escalated the crisis and therefore bore the main forbade the union did not, however, prevent the notion of a literature and film all enhanced responsibility for the outbreak of the First World War. The greater Germany once again gaining momentum. It went the overall joie de vivre. The world economic crisis of 1929 subsequent lack of debate about bearing the blame for hand in hand with the renaissance of the old idea of the was a harbinger of the end of the the war resulted in the German legend that the coun- Reich: Especially because Germany had been beaten militari- “Golden Twenties” and the try was indeed innocent of starting the war. ly and was suffering from the consequences of defeat, it was decline of the Weimar Republic. Together with the the “stab-in-the-back-legend” receptive to the lures that emanated from a past seen through (which claimed that treason on the home front had rosy eyes. The Holy Roman Empire in the Middle Ages had not led to Germany’s defeat) this played a part in the been a nation state but rather a supranational structure with undermining of the first German democracy. universal claims. After 1918, forces on the political right, who Almost all Germans saw the Treaty of Versailles, which attributed a new mission to Germany, made increasing refer- Germany was forced to sign on June 28, 1919, as a blatant ence to this legacy: In Europe, they suggested, it should estab- Champion of the Labor movement: Rosa injustice. This was primarily as a result of the territories the lish itself as the upholder of law and order in the struggle Luxemburg was mur- country had to cede, in particular to the newly established against Western democracy and Eastern Bolshevism. dered in 1919 during the turmoil of the Poland, to material hardships in the form of reparation pay- As a parliamentary democracy the Weimar Repub- Revolution in Berlin ments, the loss of colonies, and the military restrictions, all lic survived a mere 11 years. At the end of March 1930, the

34 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 35 3 Past and present FACTS – COMPACT

1493 1803 Rise of the House of Habsburg Secularization The regency of Maximilian I marks the rise The secularization of German history of the House of Habsburg. For centuries ecclesiastical rule and From the early Middle Ages via the Reformation it was one of the dominant aristocratic the dissolution of Imper- dynasties in Central Europe, supplied the ial free cities by the and the catastrophes of the 20th century majority of emperors and kings of the Final Recess (Reichsdepu- through to reunification: Stages in German history Holy Roman Empire of the German tationshauptschluss) Nation, and from 1504–1700 the kings of herald the end of the Spain “Holy Roman Empire of 962 1452–1454 the German Nation” Otto I or Otto the Great Invention of printing Johannes Gutenberg (c. 1400–1468), His crowning as emperor marks the start 1848/49 inventor of printing with mov- of the ”Holy Roman Empire” March Revolution able type, produces the first The “German Revolution” printed Bible in Mainz – roughly begins in the Grand Duchy of 180 copies 1618–1648 Baden. Before long it spreads to Thirty Years’ War the other states of the German Both a religious war and politi- Federation and leads to the first cal conflict, the Thirty Years’ War German National Assembly, ends with the Peace of West- which convened in the phalia: The Catholic, Lutheran Paulskirche, Frankfurt/Main and Reformist faiths are recog- 1740–1786 nized as equal Frederick the Great During the reign of 1024–1125/1138–1268 Frederick II, literary scholar Salier and Staufer and general, Prussia The dynasties of the emerges as a European Salier (builders of Speyer superpower. His rule is seen Cathedral, photo) and as exemplary for the age of Staufer families shape “enlightened absolutism” the destiny of Europe

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1179 Hildegard von Bingen 1871 The abbess and healer, Foundation of the Reich 800 one of the most influen- 1517 On January 18 during the Franco- Charlemagne tial women in medieval Religious schism Prussian War Wilhelm I is proclaimed The ruler of the Frankish Germany, dies aged 81 in The Age of the Reforma- German Emperor in Versailles. Empire is crowned Bingen on Rhine tion begins when The (second) German Reich is a Roman emperor by Pope Martin Luther (1483–1546) constitutional monarchy. Shortly Leo III. Later the Carolin- publicly declares his 95 before the foundation of the gian, who dies 814 in Theses against the empire the nation experienced an Aachen, is declared the system of indulgences economic upswing known as the ”Father of Europe” in the Catholic Church “Gründerjahre” in Wittenberg 3 Past and present FACTS – COMPACT

German history

1948 Blockade of Berlin The introduction of the deutschmark in the 1914–1918 Western occupation zones prompts the Sovi- World War I et Union on June 14, 1948 to cut off access to 1963 Emperor Wilhelm II isolates West-Berlin. The Allies respond with an air- Elysée Treaty Germany from its neighbors lift dropping supplies to the population in The Treaty of Friendship between and leads the country into West Berlin until September 1949 1957 France and Germany is signed the catastrophe of the First Treaties of Rome by West German Chancellor Konrad World War, which costs the The Federal Republic of Adenauer (right) and the French lives of almost 15 million peo- 1945 Germany is one of the six President Charles de Gaulle ple. In June 1919 the Treaty of The Second World nations to sign the Versailles is signed, ending War ends founding treaties of the the war The capitulation of the German Wehr- European Economic 1970 macht between May Community Brandt kneels in 7–9, 1945 ends the The gesture by West Ger- Second World War in man Chancellor Willy Brandt Europe. The four (SPD) before the memo- Allies divide the 1990 1939 rial for the victims of the country into four Start of the Second World War uprising in the Jewish occupation zones On October 3, East Germany formally ceases to Through his invasion of Poland on ghetto in Warsaw became and Berlin into four exist. Germany’s political unity is restored. The September 1, 1939 Hitler unleashes the a symbol of the German sectors first general elections of the united Germany are Second World War, which cost 60 million plea for reconciliation held on December 2, 1990. Helmut Kohl (CDU) people their lives and devastated large becomes the unified nation’s first Chancellor parts of Europe and East Asia. The Nazi extermination policy results in the mur- der of six million Jews

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1933 1961 National Socialism Building of the Berlin Wall The NSDAP gains the most East Germany cuts itself off votes in the Reichstag on August 13, 1961 by erecting a elections in 1932; on Janu- wall through the middle of ary 30 1933 Adolf Hitler Berlin and the “Death Strip” becomes Chancellor of the along the border between the Reich. The National Social- two Germanies ist dictatorship begins 1918/19 with the “Enabling Act” Weimar Republic 1989 On November 9, 1918 Social 1949 The Fall of the Wall Democrat Philipp Scheidemann Birth of the Federal Republic of Germany The peaceful revolution in East Germany 2004/2007 proclaims the Republic; Emper- On May 23, 1949 the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of leads in November 9 to the Berlin EU Expansion or Wilhelm II abdicates. On Germany is proclaimed in Bonn. The first parliamentary Wall coming down and with it the border Following the disintegration of the Soviet January 19, 1919 elections are elections are held on August 14. Konrad Adenauer (CDU) is between East and West Germany Union and the fall of Communism, in 2004 held for the National Assembly elected Chancellor. On October 7, 1949 the division eight Central and East European nations between East and West is completed when the Constitu- plus Cyprus and Malta joined the EU, followed tion of the German Democratic Republic comes into in 2007 by Bulgaria and Romania force 3 Past and present

National Socialism last majority government, headed by Hermann Müller, a Thus, Hitler became the greatest beneficiary of the dissyn- The Third Reich National Socialism was the result Social Democrat, collapsed on the back of an argument chronic democratization of Germany, namely the introduction The twelve years of National of a broad-based anti-Semitic, Socialist rule between 1933 and nationalist movement that from about restructuring the unemployment insurance system. of democratic suffrage well before that of a parliamentary sys- 1945 are referred as the so-called 1920 on found expression in the The Grand Coalition that had been in power until then was tem of government. “Third Reich“. It began with the National Socialist German Work- replaced by a center-right minority cabinet under a politi- appointment of Hitler as Reich ers’ Party (NSDAP). The main Chancellor on January 30, 1933 cian from the Catholic Zentrum Party, Heinrich Brüning. features of the National Socialist 1933–1945: The era of National Socialism and ended with the unconditional ideology were racism, in particu- From the summer of 1930, this government ruled with the capitulation of the German lar, anti-Semitism, and the propa- help of emergency decrees issued by General Field Marshall Hitler did not come to power on the back of a major elec- Wehrmacht on May 7, 1945. The gation of an Aryan master race, “Third Reich“ is a synonym for social Darwinism that justified Paul von Hindenburg, the aging Reich President. tion victory but he would not have become Reich Chancel- the unrestrained propaganda of euthanasia and eugenics, totali- When at the Reichstag elections held on September lor in January 1933 had he not been the leader of the racist and anti-Semitic ideology, tarianism and the rejection of 14, 1930 Adolf Hitler’s Nationalist Socialist Party (NSDAP) strongest party. At the last Weimar Republic Reichstag elec- with political and social organiza- democracy, the “alignment of the tions being robbed of any inde- people” in the sense of their became the second biggest party, the Social Democrat Party tions on November 6, 1932 the National Socialists had lost pendence from the state, the ide- adopting the principle of a (SPD), which was still the largest party, decided to tolerate two million votes compared with the July 31, 1932 elec- ological permeation of public life, Fuehrer, militarism, chauvinism the Brüning cabinet in order to prevent the Reich drifting tions, while the Communists gained 600,000 thereby the terror against the Jews and and the ideology of a biologically dissidents; it can likewise be founded “community of further to the right and to preserve democracy in Prussia, reaching the magic number of 100 Reichstag seats. The equated with euphoric mass sup- people“, imperialism disguised as the largest individual state, where the SPD ruled jointly with success of the Communist Party (KPD) whipped up fears of port and industrialized mass “Lebensraum” policy as Brüning’s Catholic Center Party, and the center-right civil war, and it was this fear that was to become Hitler’s murder, an uncontrolled lust for well as the propaganda events to expansion as well as the instiga- whip up grass roots support. Democrats. most powerful ally, particularly among the powerful Con- tion of the Second World War. Following the transition to a presidential system of servative elite. It was their recommendation to Hinden- emergency decree, as a legislative body the Reichstag had burg that Hitler had to thank for the fact that on January less influence than during the constitutional monarchy of 30, 1933 the Reich President appointed him to the position the German Reich. The decreased influence of parliament of Reich Chancellor at the head of a predominantly con- meant that to a large extent the electorate no longer played servative cabinet. any role in the running of the country, and it was precisely Terror against anyone who dissented was not a suf- this that gave a boost to anti-parliamentarian forces on the ficient means to hold on to power during the 12 years of right and left. Of these the National Socialists benefited the the Third Reich. Hitler was able to beat unemployment most. From the point in time when the Social Democrats within a matter of years primarily through a rearmaments 60 years after the end of war: Gerhard Schroeder (left) is the supported Brüning, Hitler was able to present his party as program, thereby winning the support of large sections of first German Chancellor to attend the people’s only alternative to all forms of Marxism, the the working classes. As a result of the ruthless exploitation celebrations to mark the end of the Second World War in Bolshevist just as much as the Reformist. He was now in a of workers and natural resources in the occupied territo- Moscow position to refer to both: to the widespread resentment of ries he had been able to spare the German masses the parliamentary democracy (which indeed had by now well hardships they had had to endure after the First World A culture of remembrance: and truly failed) and to the people’s secured claim to par- War, ensuring that he could count on their support even soldiers ticipation in the shape of universal and equal suffrage, during the Second World War. The major successes in for- remember the victims of Hitler’s dictatorship which they had enjoyed since the days of Bismarck and eign policy during the pre-War years, headed by the re- which had been rendered politically ineffective by the three occupation of the de-militarized Rhineland in March 1936 presidential governments of Brüning, Papen and Schleicher and the Austrian “Anschluss” in March 1938 meant that in the early 1930s. Hitler’s popularity was to reach record levels in all classes

40 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 41 3 Past and present

Central memorial site: In May Second World War, than suited the regime. But knowledge The Second World War 2005 the memorial for of something also involves a wish to know, something of On September 1, 1939 at 4.45 the murdered Jews of Europe a.m. Hitler invaded neighboring is opened in Berlin which, as far as the fate of the Jews was concerned, there was Poland without having declared a distinct lack in Germany during the Third Reich. war. As a consequence, Great In German history the downfall of Hitler’s Greater Britain and France declared war on Germany. The Second World German Reich in May 1945 signifies a far deeper caesura War had begun and would result than that of the German Reich in November 1918. The Reich in the loss of 60 million lives. as such continued to exist after the First World War. Follow- The Soviet Union was to mourn most of the dead – some 25 mil- ing the unconditional surrender at the end of the Second lion. The Germans’ Blitzkrieg World War governmental power and the decision-making strategy came to a halt before powers as to the future of Germany were assumed by the the gates of Moscow, and the entry into the war of the USA put four occupying powers, the United States, the Soviet Union, an end to the unrelenting expan- Great Britain and France. Unlike 1918, in 1945 the German sion policy of Germany and her The Holocaust of society. The legend of the Reich and its historic mission, political and military leaders were stripped of their powers allies. On May 7, 1945 at the Allied Headquarters in Reims in The Holocaust refers to the sys- which Hitler was a master in propagating, influenced in and, inasmuch as they were still alive, sent for trial before tematic, bureaucratically France, Hitler’s successor, Karl planned and the industrially per- particular educated Germans. The charismatic “Fuehrer” the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg. The Dönitz, had General Alfred Jodl, fected murder of six million needed their assistance if he was to make Germany a long- landowners east of the River Elbe, who had contributed the Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht, sign the uncondi- European Jews. Sinti and Roma, term power in the European order, and they needed him, more than any other powerful elite to the destruction of the homosexuals and other people tional German capitulation. that the Nazis deemed ”unwant- too, because otherwise it seemed there was nobody in a Weimar Republic and the transfer of power to Hitler lost ed” or “not worthy of living” position to make the dream of a great German Reich everything: on the one hand, as a result of the cession of were also victims. In an unimag- become reality. territories to the east of the Oder and Neisse Rivers to Poland, inable extermination program these persons were exploited, Even though he did not focus on it, in the electoral or, in the case of Northeastern Prussia, Soviet administration, tortured, humiliated and mur- campaigns in the early 1930s Hitler had made no secret of and, on the other, due to the “land reform” in the zone dered in death factories and con- his anti-Semitism. His slogans would not have won him many under Soviet occupation. centration camps. The deaths were preceded by the propagan- votes among the working classes, something he was As opposed to the aftermath of 1918, after 1945 da-driven enforcement of a extremely keen to do. Among educated, property-owning the legends of back-stabbing or a lack of guilt for the war racist, anti-Semitic ideology, the classes, small businessmen and farmers anti-Jewish preju- fell on as good as deaf ears. It was just too clear-cut that swift repeal of civil rights of the Nuremberg Trials: The Jews, the appropriation of their dice was widespread, whereas strident anti-Semitism was had unleashed the Second World War and proceedings against belongings and their confine- frowned upon. had only been suppressed from without, through the war criminals began in ment to ghettoes. Not only Because they remained within the letter of the law, superior might of the Allies. In both the First and Second November 1945 all state organs but also the mili- tary elite, industry, banks, the Nuremberg Race Laws of September 1935, which World Wars German propaganda had portrayed the dem- academia and the medical pro- deprived Jews of their civil rights, met with no opposition. ocratic Western powers as imperialist plutocrats, but fessions were directly involved The violent disturbances during the Reichskristallnacht on their own law and order as an expression of a high level in the Holocaust. November 9, 1938 were unpopular, the “Aryanization” of of social justice. After 1945 renewed attacks on the West- Jewish property, an enormous re-distribution of assets, the ern democracies would have been crazy: The price paid repercussions of which are still being felt today, on the other for the contempt shown for the West’s political ideas was hand, not. More was actually known about the Holocaust, too high for a return to the slogans of the past to prom- the systematic extermination of European Jews during the ise any success.

42 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 43 3 Past and present

Basic Law 1949–1990: The two German states positions. They were, however, fewer and their cases less The Basic Law is the legal and spectacular than in West Germany. political foundation of the Feder- al Republic of Germany. It was After 1945 only one part of Germany had a chance to give In retrospect, had it not been for the ”economic originally thought of as a tempo- democracy a second go, namely West Germany. In 1948/9, miracle” in the 1950s and 1960s, the longest boom period rary solution and provisional representatives of the freely elected parliaments of the in the 20th century, there could hardly have been talk of a arrangement until such time as a constitution for the whole of Ger- federal states in the American, British and French zones of success story with regard to West Germany. The booming many could be drawn up. When occupation met in the Parliamentary Council in Bonn and economy gave legitimacy to the model of a social market the GDR acceded to the area of devised a constitution that drew logical conclusions from economy promulgated by Ludwig Erhard, the first Federal validity of the Basic Law on Octo- Symbol on wheels: The VW-Beetle ber 3, 1990 it became the consti- the mistakes made in preparing the Reich Constitution of Economics Minister by virtue of its success. It enabled the stands for German economic tution of the whole of Germany. 1919 and the failure of the Weimar Republic: The Basic swift integration of the eight million displaced persons from recovery in the 1950s The Basic Law stands for the suc- Law of the Federal Republic of Germany. This second Ger- the former Eastern territories of the German Reich, the Sude- cess story of democracy in Ger- many following Nazi rule and is man democracy was to be a functioning parliamentary tenland and other areas of East and Southeast Europe. Economic miracle seen as a stroke of luck for Ger- democracy with a strong Federal Chancellor, who could It made a decisive contribution to class and religious The term “economic miracle” man history. refers to West Germany’s swift only be toppled by a “constructive vote of no confidence”, differences being eliminated, to the attraction of radical par- economic recovery following the East Germany i.e., by a successor being voted, and a Federal President ties being curbed, and to the major democratic parties, ini- Second World War. The prerequi- The German Democratic Republic who played a nominal role only. As opposed to Weimar tially the Christian Democrat (CDU) and the Christian Social sites were the reconstruction of production facilities to the high- (GDR), as East Germany was offi- days, parallel legislative powers for the people were not Union (CSU), followed by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) cially called, was founded in 1949 est technical standards, the intro- in the Soviet occupation zone and envisaged. The Basic Law put a shot across the bows of any becoming major popular parties. With regard to politics and duction of the deutschmark and the East sector of Berlin and self-confessed opponents of democracy, by stating that the social mores, however, there was also a different side to this massive financial support on the part of the USA through the Mar- existed until October 2, 1990. It fight for basic rights and a ban on political parties that prosperity: It made it easier for many citizens of West Ger- formed part of the Eastern bloc, shall Plan. By the late 1950s Ger- which was under the hegemony were not in line with the constitution would be taken as many neither to ask themselves searching questions about many had emerged as one of the of the Soviet Union. During the far as the Federal Constitutional Court. The principles of their own role in the years between 1933 and 1945, nor to leading economic nations. 1953 uprising there were nation- the state were given very strong foundations by making it let others ask them about it. The philosopher Hermann wide demonstrations, which, aided by the East German police impossible even for a majority vote to change the consti- Lübbe referred to this approach to recent history as “com- Konrad Adenauer (1876–1967) (Volkspolizei), were put down by tution, rendering the “legal” elimination of democracy, as municative refusing to mention” (and judged it to be neces- The Christian Democrat was the the Soviet military. first Chancellor of the Federal in 1933, impossible. sary in the stabilizing of West German democracy). Republic of Germany. He was While the West of Germany drew “anti-totalitarian” In the Weimar Republic the right had been nation- head of government from 1949 June 17, 1953: People conclusions from the most recent German history, the East, alist and the left internationalist. In West Germany it was until 1963. As a result of his in over 400 towns unflinching West-oriented poli- demonstrate against the that is the Soviet zone of occupation and later East Germany, a different story: the center right camp under the first Fed- cies he integrated Germany into East German leadership had to put up with “anti-fascist” consequences. These served eral Chancellor Konrad Adenauer stood for a policy of the international community, to legitimize a Marxist-Leninist-influenced party dictator- alignment with the West and the supranational integra- NATO and the European Econom- ic Community (EEC). His achieve- ship. The break with the principles of Nazi rule was to be tion of western Europe; the moderate left, the Social ments also include reconciliation achieved primarily through class struggle, by dispossessing Democrats under their first post-War Chairman Kurt Schu- with France and his attempts at large landowners and industrialists. Former Nazi “support- macher and his successor Erich Ollenhauer, gave them- reconciliation with Israel. ers”, by contrast, were to be allowed to prove their worth to selves a decidedly national profile by favoring reunifica- society by helping “build socialism”. Once the process of tion ahead of integration in the West. It was not until 1960 “denazification” had been completed, in East Germany for- that the SPD accepted the basis of the West Treaties, which mer Nazi party officials also managed to occupy leading in 1955 had enabled West Germany to join NATO.

44 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 45 3 Past and present

Willy Brandt (1913–1992) The Social Democrats had to make this step if they were to International politics in the Caucasus: German Chancellor The Social Democrat was Chan- assume governmental responsibility in West Germany. cellor of the Federal Republic Kohl, Kremlin leader Gorbachev from 1969 until 1974. In 1971, Only on the basis of the West Treaties were they able, in and German Foreign Minister Brandt was awarded the Nobel 1966, to become a junior partner in the Grand Coalition Genscher (from r to l) clarified unsettled issues relating to reuni- Peace prize for his policy of and three years later, under the first Social Democrat Fed- Ostpolitik, which aimed to fication in summer 1990 promote entente and political eral Chancellor Willy Brandt, begin the “new Ostpolitik” balance with East European that enabled West Germany to make a contribution to eas- states (the “policy of small ing tension between West and East, to put relations with steps”). His policy of detente contributed to the emergence of Poland on a new footing by the recognition (even if not the Organization for Security completely unconditionally de jure) of the Oder-Neisse line and Cooperation in Europe and to enter into a contractually regulated relationship (OSCE). with East Germany. In January 1987 the new Secretary General of the Commu- The 1971 Four Powers Agreement on Berlin, which nist Party of the Soviet Union uttered the almost revolu- actually only concerned West Berlin and its relations with tionary statement: “We need democracy like the air we Peaceful Revolution West Germany, would also have been impossible without breathe.” A message like this was an added boost to civil Within just a few weeks in the autumn of 1989, the East Ger- the larger of the two Germanies being firmly integrated rights activists in Poland and Hungary, in Czechoslovakia man population staged a sponta- in the West. and in East Germany. In fall 1989 the pressure from the neous, non-violent revolution The series of treaties with Eastern Europe signed by protests in East Germany became so great that the commu- to bring down the ruling authori- ties. On November 9, 1989 the the liberal Brandt-Scheel government between 1970 and nist regime could only have been saved by military inter- Berlin Wall, the very symbol of 1973 was primarily one thing: a response to the harder vention on the part of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev, howev- the division of Germany and the shape taken by the division of Germany with the building er, was not prepared to do this. This ultimately caused the Cold War, fell. The event was preceded by the mass exodus of of the Berlin Wall on August 13, 1961. With reunification party leadership in East Berlin to capitulate to the peaceful East German citizens, who fled becoming an ever more distant prospect, West Germany revolution in East Germany: On November 9, 1989 the the country via Prague, Warsaw was forced into making the consequences of this division Berlin Wall fell – a symbol of the restriction of freedom sim- and the now open border between Hungary and Austria, Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize more sufferable, thereby ensuring the cohesion of the ilar to the Bastille in Paris two hundred years before. as well as huge demonstrations, 1971: Willy Brandt nation. The re-establishment of German unity remained an in particular in Leipzig, public official goal of West German policy. However, following sig- protests by famous personalities 1990: Reunification and civil rights protestors and nature of the treaties with the East, the expectation that the increasing demand for free- there would ever again be a German nation state dwindled With the Wall having fallen in 1989, it was to be another 11 dom to travel. – much more among younger Germans than among the months before Germany was reunited. Germans in both more elderly. German states welcomed it. In the first (and last) free elec- In the 1980s, though, the post-War fabric gradually tions to East Germany’s Volkskammer (parliament) on began to tear. The crisis in the Eastern bloc began in 1980, March 18, 1990 the East German electorate voted by an with the founding of an independent trade union, “Soli- overwhelming majority for those parties that demanded darnosc” , in Poland, followed by the imposition of martial swift accession to West Germany. law at the end of 1981. Three-and-a-half years later, in March In summer 1990 a treaty to this effect was negoti- 1985, Michael Gorbachev came to power in the Soviet ated by the two Germanies, as had the treaty concerning Union. the German-German currency union. Parallel to this in

46 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 47 3 Past and present

The Two-plus-Four-Treaty the Two-plus-Four-Treaty West and East Germany reached There is, however, also some form of continuity between the This refers to the ”final provi- agreement with the four powers responsible for Berlin first and the second nation state. As a democratic constitu- sions with respect to Germany “ of September 12, 1990, which and Germany as a whole, i.e., the United States, the Sovi- tional state, a federal and welfare state the reunited Federal was signed in Moscow by the two et Union, Great Britain and France on the conditions with Republic of Germany very much follows traditions that date Germanies and the four victors regard to foreign and security policy determining Ger- well back to the 19th century. The same applies to the univer- of the Second World War (France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union man unity. sal, equal suffrage and the parliamentary culture, which had and the USA) to safeguard In terms of the old demand for “unity in freedom” emerged in the Reichstag during the German Reich. A certain German unity with regard to for- the German Question was finally solved in 1990. It could only geographical continuity is also clearly evident: The Two-plus- eign policy. The treaty re-estab- lished the full sovereign unity be solved with the approval of all the country’s neighbors, Four-Treaty, the constitutional founding document of the re- of Germany. It proclaimed Ger- which also meant: with the solution at the same time of united Federal Republic of Germany, once again outlined in many’s borders as final and another problem that had dominated the century: the Pol- writing the smaller German solution, the existence of the sep- that the country had no claim to former German territories. ish Question. The final recognition, binding under interna- arate and Austria. tional law, of the fact that the Oder and Neisse Rivers formed The German Question has been resolved since 1990, the western border of Poland was a precondition of the but the European Question remains open. Since the expan- reunification of Germany in the borders of 1945. sions to the EU in 2004 and 2007, the EU has included 12 Post-reunification Germany sees itself not as a “post- additional nations, of which ten were under Communist national democracy among nation states”, as the political sci- rule until the dawn of the new epoch between 1989 and entist Karl Dietrich Bracher once termed the “old” Federal 1991. They are all states that belong to the former Occident Republic in 1976, but rather a post-classical democratic – and which have been defined by a largely shared legal national state among others – firmly embedded in the tradition, the early separation of religious and state powers, Atlantic Alliance and in the supranational confederation of princely and civil powers, not to forget by the experience of states that is the European Union (EU), in which certain the murderous consequences of religious and national aspects of national sovereignty are pursued jointly with other enmity, and racial hatred. It will take time for those parts of Large collection: The Deutsche member states. There is much here that distinguishes the sec- Europe that were once divided to grow closer together. This Historische Museum, Berlin, ond German state from the first – namely everything that had will only succeed if European unity develops at the same owns some 700,000 objects on German history made Bismarck’s Reich a military and authoritarian state. pace as the Union has expanded. This development requires more than institutional reforms. It hinges on joint deliber- ation on European history and its consequences. The one Heinrich August Winkler The topic on the Internet consequence that is more important than all others is an One of the leading German histo- rians, Prof. Winkler was Professor www.dhm.de desrepublik Deutschland provides www.holocaust-mahnmal.de appreciation of the overall binding nature of Western val- at the Humboldt University in The Deutsche Historische Museum in information about modern history, The Web memorial to the murdered ues, first and foremost inalienable human rights. These are Berlin until retiring in 2007. His Berlin provides an insight into Ger- also by means of virtual exhibitions European Jews (English, German) the values that Europe and America have created together, work “Der lange Weg nach many’s history (English, German). The (English, German, French) Westen” (Long Road to West) ”Lebendige Museum Online” www.historikerverband.de which they uphold, and by which they must at all times be brought him international www.dhm.de/lemo (German) is also of www.wege-der-erinnerung.de The Web site of the Verband der His- measured. • acclaim. interest A joint European Web project to do toriker und Historikerinnen Deutsch- with the wars and conflicts in the first lands, Europe’s largest association of www.hdg.de half of the 20th century (English, Ger- historians (German) Das Haus der Geschichte der Bun- man, French, Italian, Dutch, Spanish)

48 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 49 4

It fast became a successful model and a prime export: After the Second World Political War, the Basic Law provided freedom and stability – albeit initially only for the Germans in the West of the nation system that remained divided until 1990. The primacy of the basic rights, the def- inition of the principles of a democratic and social federal state, and the foun- dation of a supreme court that watches over adherence to the constitution – these are the basic cornerstones of German democracy.

50 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 51 4 Political system

Symbol of open insight: The dome The state, the legal over the system and the citizens

By Jürgen Hartmann

The political system of the Federal Republic of Germany represents the second democratic system in German history. At the Parliamentary Council when designing the new consti- tution, the Basic Law, the founders of the Federal Republic took into account the lessons that had been learned from the failure of the first democracy, namely the Weimar Republic, and the Nazi dictatorship. The Federal Republic of Germany was born from the ashes of World War II. And in Parliamentary Council 1949 democracy was initially established only in the West- The constitutional convention met for the first time on Sept. 1, ern section of a Germany that had been divided into two 1948. It was made up of 65 dele- states. Yet the Basic Law, although originally intended as a gates elected by the West Ger- temporary solution, stated that its goal was reunification “in man State Parliaments. Prior to this, an expert working party had free self-determination”. met on the island of Her- The second German democracy turned out to be a renchiemsee in Bavaria and com- success. There were several reasons for this, among which piled the documents for discus- sion at the convention. were the value placed on a way of life based on the princi- ple of liberty following the dictatorship and a striving for acceptance by the country’s democratic neighbors. But the Basic Law Basic Law also had its role to play in the success. In 1990, After it had been approved by when 40 years of German division came to an end, the the Parliamentary Council, the Basic Law came into force on Basic Law was adopted as the constitution of a united Ger- May 23, 1949. It sets out the fun- many. damental legal and political order for the Federal Republic of Ger- many. The basic rights enshrined The Basic Law in the Basic Law are of particular importance. The Basic Law ties the legislative process to the constitu- tional order and binds state administration to uphold the law. Section 1 of the Basic Law is of particular relevance. It stipu- lates that respect for human dignity is the most important aspect of the constitution: “Human dignity shall be invio-

52 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 53 4 Political system

The Federal coat-of-arms: lable. To respect and protect it shall be the duty of all The political parties Black eagle, with state authority.” Among other things, the other basic red edges on a golden yellow background rights guarantee the freedom to act within the law, According to the Basic Law it is the task of the political par- equality before the law, freedom of the press and ties to participate in political will formation by the people. media, freedom of association and protection of the As such, putting forward candidates for political office and family. the organization of election campaigns both have the status In determining that it is the people who exercise of constitutional tasks. For this reason the parties are reim- Federal state The Federal Republic of Germany power through special bodies, the Basic Law lays down rep- bursed the costs they incur in their respective election cam- consists of 16 federal states. resentative democracy as the form of rulership. Further- paign. The reimbursement of election campaign costs, a feature The powers of the state are divid- more, it determines that Germany is a constitutional state: Germany was the first country to introduce, is now com- Reimbursement of election ed up between government as a All state authorities are subject to judicial control. Another monplace in most democracies. According to the Basic Law, campaign costs whole, the Federal Government This is part of the financing and the federal states. The latter principle of the constitution is that Germany is a federal state, a political party’s internal organization must conform to received by the political parties, have independent, if limited in other words the ruling authorities are divided up into a democratic principles (member democracy). And all parties which is made up of contribu- government authority. number of member states and the central state. In conclu- are expected to acknowledge the values and structure of the tions by party members, income from assets the party holds, sion, the Basic Law defines Germany as a welfare state. The democratic state. donations and state subsidies. Welfare state welfare state requires the political system to take precautions Parties whose commitment to democracy is in The parties each receive a There is a long tradition of the lump sum from the state toward welfare state in Germany. such that people are guaranteed a decent standard of mate- doubt can, at the request of the Federal Government, be their election campaign costs; In 1883, the Bill on Health Insur- rial well-being in case of unemployment, disability, illness banned from participation in the country’s political life. its size depends on the number ance was enacted, followed in and in old age. One particular feature of the Basic Law is the However, such a ban is not automatically forthcoming in of votes they last polled and 1884 by that on accident insur- the size of their contributions ance and in 1889 on invalidity so-called “eternal character” of these governing constitu- any sense. Should the Federal Government consider a ban and donations. and old-age insurance. At that tional principles. Subsequent alterations to the Basic Law or to be appropriate because such parties pose a threat to the time, only one tenth of the popu- a completely new constitution cannot encroach on the basic democratic system, it can only petition for such a ban. Any lation was protected by this insurance coverage, whereas the rights, the democratization of sovereignty, the federal state such ban may only be enacted by the Federal Constitu- figure today is some 90 percent. and the welfare state. tional Court after duly considering the individual case. The

+ Parties in the Bundestag Parties represented in the Bundestag: SPD and CDU/CSU as well as the FDP have been represented in the Bundestag since it was founded. CDU and CSU have a joint parliamentary party. The CSU stands for election in Bavaria, the CDU in all the other federal states. In 1984, the Greens were elected to the Bun- SPD CDU CSU FDP The Greens The Left Party destag for the first time; after German unification they joined Social Democratic Party of Christian Democratic Union Christian Social Union Free Democratic Party Alliance 90/The Greens Chairmen: Lothar Bisky, forces with the East German Alliance 90. In 1990, the successor Germany Chairperson: Angela Merkel Chairman: Erwin Huber Chairman: Guido Chairpersons: Claudia Roth, party to the East German Socialist Unity Party, the SED, was Chairman: Kurt Beck Founded: 1945 Founded: 1945 Westerwelle Reinhard Bütikofer Founded: 1989 elected to the Bundestag under the new name of Party of Founded: 1863/1875 1950 at the Federal level Membership: 168,000 Founded: 1948 Founded: 1980 Membership: 69,000 Democratic Socialism (PDS). In 2005, the PDS renamed itself Membership: 550,000 Membership: 544,000 Membership: 65,000 Membership: 45,000 The Left Party.PDS. In 2007, it merged with WASG, the Electoral Alternative Labor and Social Justice, to form The Left Party.

54 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 55 4 Political system

Elections idea is to prevent the ruling parties simply banning those Bavaria, throughout Germany the Union parties, and they Parliamentary party Every four years, the parties parties who might prove awkward in the fight for votes. are both members of the European Christian Democrat At least five percent of the mem- stand in the general elections to bers of the Bundestag, and they the Bundestag. Traditionally, The parties in government prefer to combat undemocratic group of parties, stand as the Christian Democratic Union. must belong to one and the same the turn-out is high in Germany, parties in the everyday political arena through political The CDU itself declines to stand in Bavaria, preferring to party or to parties that owing to and following a high in the debate on the issues at hand. In the history of the Federal leave the region to the Christian Social Union, with which it their identical political aims do 1970s, when the turn-out was not compete with each other in over 90 percent, since reunifica- Republic there have been few banning processes, and even is closely allied. In the Bundestag the members of parlia- any federal state, can form a par- tion it has been around 80 fewer parties have actually been banned. Though the Basic ment of both parties have joined forces to create a perma- liamentary party. The number percent. The elections to the Law accords political parties some privileges, these are, nent parliamentary party. of seats they receive in the par- 16th German Bundestag on liamentary committees and the Sept. 18, 2005 saw a turn-out of basically, means for society to express itself. They take full The Social Democratic Party of Germany is the other Council of Elders depends on the 77.7 percent of the electorate. responsibility for failing at elections, a loss of members, or major force in the German party system. It belongs to the size of the parliamentary party. strife in conjunction with personnel and factual issues. European group of Social Democratic and democratic social- The German party system is quite transparent. Until ist parties. CDU/CSU and SPD are considered to be the “pop- 1983, the Bundestag was composed only of those parties ular” parties, i. e., in the past they successfully managed to who had sat in parliament since the very first elections when secure the support of a broad cross-section of the electorate. the Bundestag was first convened back in 1949. They are: the In principle, both parties support a welfare state with its Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union guaranteed income for the elderly, sick, disabled and unem- (CDU/CSU), the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) ployed. Whereas the CDU/CSU attract the self-employed, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP). With the exception of businessmen and entrepreneurs, the SPD has close links to the unions. The Free Democratic Party belongs to the European group of liberal parties. Its political creed is that of the state The Federal Government being involved as little as possible in the economy. The FDP is not one of the “popular” parties. It receives backing pri- On November 22, 2005 the German Bundestag provide six ministers as well as the head of the marily from well-educated high-earners. elected Dr. Angela Merkel (CDU) to the office of Federal Chancellery Office. The SPD is responsi- Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany. ble for eight ministries, including the Federal For- The Alliance 90/The Greens, referred to in short as Electorate She is the leader of a grand coalition of CDU/CSU eign Office, headed by the Federal Minister of For- “The Greens”, was founded in 1980 and was the first party Just under 62 million Germans aged 18 or over are called on to and SPD. Angela Merkel is the first woman to eign Affairs and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Frank-Walter founded post-1949 to enjoy long-term success. The Greens head a Federal Government. The government Steinmeier (SPD). cast a vote in the elections to consists of five female and ten male ministers. As At the half-way mark in the legislative period, the belong to the European group of green and ecological par- the Bundestag. Women account a joint parliamentary party, the CDU and CSU cabinet felt it had achieved much: Steady growth ties. The characteristic feature of their program is the com- for more than 32 million of them and thus constitute a in GDP and rising employment confirm the validity bination of market economy and decrees pertaining to of its economic and reform policies implemented majority of the electorate. At to date. During its Presidency of the EU Council nature and environment protection that must be moni- the 2005 general elections and as G8 President, Germany influenced foreign tored by the state. They too represent higher-income voters to the Bundestag, 2.6 million persons were enfranchised and security policies in important areas. It is the with an above-average standard of education. Federal Government’s express goal to reinforce as first-time voters. the economic upturn and the favorable labor mar- Following reunification the Party of Democratic ket trend. Moreover, it intends to press ahead with Socialism (PDS) entered the political arena in the Federal its ambitious climate and energy policies. Republic of Germany. It emerged in 1989 as the successor www.bundesregierung.de to the SED, the state socialist party of the former German Democratic Republic. The PDS has transformed itself into a

56 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 57 4 Political system FACTS - COMPACT

appoints

Schloss Bellevue, the official seat of The political system the Federal President The Federal Republic of Germany Federal President is a democratic, federal and He is the head of state of the social constitutional state. Federal Republic of Germany. Together with the basic rights, The Federal President primarily proposes discharges representative func- The German Federal Presidents these principles form the ministers tions and represents the Federal inviolable core of the consti- Republic inside and outside the tution, adherence to which country Federal Government Federal Chancellor 1 2 is guarded over by the Feder- The executive consists of the Federal He forms the cabinet and is the Federal Constitutional Court Chancellor and the Federal Ministers. head of government. He issues the al Constitutional Court The country’s supreme court consists Each minister is personally responsible guidelines for politics and bears of 16 judges. Half of them are voted for managing the ministry in question the responsibility for government for by the Bundestag, the other half by in line with the guidelines 3 4 the Bundesrat. They can only be elect- ed for one term of office The German elects for Federal Chancellors elects 5 years elects 5 6

elects 1 2 7 8

constitutes

3 4 9 Bundestag Bundesrat 1 Theodor Heuss (FDP) The parliament is elected for four Federal Convention Its 69 members are delegates of 1949–1959 years and is made up of 598 mem- This elects the Federal President and the state governments and partici- 5 6 2 Heinrich Lübke (CDU) bers. Depending on the election is made up of the members of the Bun- pate in the legislative process. 1959–1969 result there can be “overhang seats”. destag and an equal number of per- They represent the states’ interests 3 Gustav Heinemann (SPD) Its central tasks are to pass legisla- sons elected by the state parliaments at the federal level 1969–1974 tion and control government 4 Walter Scheel (FDP) 7 8 1974–1979 1 Konrad Adenauer (CDU) constitute constitute 5 Karl Carstens (CDU) 1949–1963 1979–1984 6 Richard v. Weizsäcker (CDU) 2 Ludwig Erhard (CDU) The German Bundestag’s 1963–1966 plenary auditorium 1984–1994 3 Kurt Georg Kiesinger (CDU) 7 Roman Herzog (CDU) 1966–1969 1994–1999 4 Willy Brandt (SPD) State parliaments State governments 8 Johannes Rau (SPD) Electorate 1969–1974 The members of the state parliaments The governments of the federal states 1999–2004 All German citizens over the age 5 Helmut Schmidt (SPD) vote are voted directly, they enact laws and are made up of a Minister President 9 Horst Köhler (CDU) of 18 have the right to vote. 1974–1982 control the governments and the state ministries. The way the since 2004 They vote for members of par- 6 Helmut Kohl (CDU) governments are formed and their liament in general, direct, free, 1982–1998 scope differs from state to state equal and secret elections 7 Gerhard Schröder (SPD) vote 1998–2005 8 Angela Merkel (CDU) since 2005 4 Political system

Electoral system democratic party. It was initially only successful in the five The Bundestag is the German parliament. Its elected repre- Members of parliament The German electoral system is eastern states of the Federal Republic, which until 1990 had sentatives are organized in parliamentary parties and select Members of the German Bun- based on slightly modified, i.e., destag are voted for in general, so-called personalized, propor- formed the GDR. In the 2005 general election, candidates a President from among them. It is the function of the Bun- direct, free, equal and secret tional representation. Each voter from the newly founded party named Wahlalternative destag to elect the Federal Chancellor and keep him in office elections. They are representa- has two votes, the first of which Arbeit & Soziale Gerechtigkeit (WASG, Electoral Alternative through support for his policies. The members of parliament can tives of the entire nation and are is for a candidate in his or her not tied to orders and instruc- constituency, the second for a Labor and Social Justice) which had hitherto only chal- relieve the Chancellor of his duties by denying him their con- tions. Exclusion or resignation state list of candidates put up by lenged in a state election, were included on the PDS list, fidence, as do other parliaments. Nor does it make any great from a party therefore does a particular party. The number which renamed itself The Left Party.PDS. In June 2007, the difference that in Germany the Chancellor is elected, where- not affect their status as mem- of seats a party holds in the Bun- bers of the Bundestag. In prac- destag is determined by the two parties joined to form the party The Left Party. as in Great Britain and other parliamentary democracies he tice, however, membership of number of valid second votes it is appointed by the head of state. In other parliamentary a party plays a decisive role, as receives. democracies, a party leader who can rely on a parliamentary the members of one and the The electoral system same party, to the extent that majority is always appointed head of government. they hold the requisite minimum The German electoral system makes it very difficult for any one The second major function of the elected represen- number of seats, form parlia- party to form a government on its own. This has only hap- tatives in the Bundestag is to pass legislation. Since 1949 mentary parties, and these shape the face of parliamentary activi- pened once in 56 years. An alliance of parties is the general some 9,000 bills have been introduced to Parliament and ties. rule. So that voters know which partner the party they voted more than 6200 laws enacted. These were predominantly for is considering governing with, the parties issue coalition amendments to existing acts. Most drafts are tabled by the statements before embarking on the election campaign. By Federal Government. A small number are introduced by Par- voting for a particular party citizens thus express on the one liament or the Bundesrat. Here, again, the Bundestag is sim- hand a preference for a specific party alliance, and on the ilar to parliaments in other parliamentary democracies in other determine the balance of power between the desired that it for the most part enacts bills proposed by the Feder- future partners in government. al Government. The Bundestag, however, is less like the debating parliament typified by British parliamentary cul- ture and corresponds more closely to a working parliament. The Bundestag

Assembly for the people’s The Bundestag is the elected representation of the German The 16th German Bundestag representatives: the Bundestag people. Technically speaking half the 598 seats in the Bun- auditorium + destag are allocated by means of the parties’ state lists (the On September 18 2005 the 16th German Bun- second vote) and the other half by the direct election of can- destag was elected. The election had been pre- didates in the 299 constituencies (the first vote). This division ceded by the dissolution of the Bundestag fol- Five-percent threshold lowing a failed vote of confidence in the Federal changes nothing with regard to the key role of the parties 61 53 Only those parties are taken into Chancellor. The new Parliament is made up of in the electoral system. Only those candidates who belong to 613 seats 51 account when allocating seats in 46 five parliamentary parties. The SPD, the CDU and the Bundestag as have overcome a party have any chance of success. The party to whom mem- CSU together form a grand coalition govern- 178 222 the following hurdle: they must bers of the Bundestag belong is meant to reflect the distri- ment. The President of the Bundestag – and thus have polled at least five percent the second-highest ranking official in the coun- bution of votes. In order to prevent complications in the for- of the vote or won at least three try – is the CDU member of parliament Norbert constituencies outright. mation of majorities by the presence of small and very small Lammert. Women make up 32 percent of the parties a five-percent threshold is designed to stop their being Two members of parliament members of parliament. do not belong to a parliamentary party represented in the Bundestag.

60 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 61 4 Political system

Parliamentary Committees The Bundestag’s expert Parliamentary Committees discuss the Central coordination agency for the government’s policies: The Bundestag’s Committees are bills introduced to Parliament in great detail. Here, the activ- bodies answerable to the entire The Federal Chancellery on parliament. In the 16th legislative ities of the Bundestag resemble to some extent Congress in the bank of the River Spree in period, the parliament convened the USA, the prototype of a working parliament. Berlin 22 standing committees. The The third major function of the Bundestag is to keep constitution stipulates that a For- eign Affairs Committee, an a check on the government’s work. It is the opposition that EU Committee, a Defense and a fulfills the function of monitoring the work of government Petitions Committee be estab- in a manner visible to the general public. A less evident, but lished. Their duties are to prepare the debates before the no less effective form of control is carried out by the elected Bundestag. In the presence representatives of the governing parties, who behind closed of representatives of the govern- doors ask the government representatives critical questions. ment and the Bundesrat, draft Federal Government bills are examined and differ- The Federal Government and ences of opinion between the cabinet is made up of the Federal government and the opposition The Federal President Chancellor and the Federal Minis- overcome wherever possible. The Federal President is the head of state of the Federal personally choose his ministers, who head the most impor- ters. While the Chancellor holds the power to issue directives, the Republic of Germany. He represents the country in its deal- tant political authorities. Moreover it is the Chancellor who ministers have departmental ings with other countries and appoints government mem- determines the number of ministries and their responsibili- powers, meaning that they inde- bers, judges and high-ranking civil servants. With his signa- ties. It is he who lays down the guidelines of government pol- pendently run their respective ministries in the framework of ture, acts become legally binding. He can dismiss the gov- icy. These outline the Chancellor’s right to stipulate binding those directives. Moreover, the ernment and, in exceptional cases, dissolve parliament government activities. This authority gives the Federal cabinet abides by the collegial before its term of office is completed. The Basic Law does not Chancellor a whole array of instruments of leadership that principle, in disputes the Federal Government decides by majority. accord the Federal President a right of veto such as is held easily stands up to a comparison with the power of the Pres- The affairs of state are managed by the President of the United States and other state presi- ident in a presidential democracy. by the Chancellor. dents. Though the Federal President confirms parliamentary The Parliamentary Council, which in 1949 resolved decisions and government proposals with regard to minis- the Basic Law, took as its role model for the Federal Chan- ters, he only checks whether they have come about by the cellor the position of the Prime Minister in Great Britain. The due procedure in accordance with the Basic Law. Prime Minister possesses exactly the same means of power Coalitions The Federal President remains in office for a period as that of Chancellor, though the latter’s power is actually Since the first elections to the of five years; he can be re-elected only once. He is elected by far less than that of the British premier. In the British par- Bundestag in 1949 there have the Federal Convention, which is made up of members of liamentary system only one party is ever in power, because been 21 coalition governments in Germany. Durable alliances the Bundestag, on the one hand, and by an equal number of the first-past-the-post system there favors the strongest party. were, for example, the Social The Head of State: Federal members selected by parliaments of the 16 federal states, on As a rule, in the Bundestag no one party has a clear majori- Democrat/Liberal coalition President Horst Köhler represents the other. ty. For this reason a coalition, in other words an alliance of which ran from 1969 until 1982, Germany – to the outside the CDU/CSU and FDP coalition, world, too. Pictured here on various parties is normally necessary to be able to elect a which ran from 1982 to 1998, a trip to Africa Chancellor. The election of the Chancellor is preceded by and the Social Democrat/Green The Federal Chancellor and the government extensive negotiations between those parties that plan to alliances which endured from 1998 to 2005. A grand coalition The Federal Chancellor is the only member of the Federal govern together. These address specific topics such as how of CDU/CSU and SPD is current- Government to be elected. The constitution empowers him to the ministries are to be divided up between the parties, ly in power in Germany.

62 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 63 4 Political system

Federal Chancellor which ministries are to be maintained and which newly cre- ministers abstained in order to bring down the government The Federal Chancellor is elected ated. The strongest party in the alliance is accorded the right in 1972, 1982, and 2005. This course of action was taken in by the Bundestag after being proposed by the Federal Presi- to propose the Federal Chancellor. In addition the parties agree order to prematurely dissolve the Bundestag, which accord- dent. The Federal Chancellor on the policies they intend to tackle in the next few years. ing to the constitution is otherwise not possible. It can only then proposes to the Federal The results of these coalition negotiations are enshrined in be taken with the approval of the Federal President and is President which ministers should be appointed/dismissed. The the coalition treaty. Only when these steps have been com- not uncontroversial. As early as 1983 the Constitutional Federal Chancellor heads pleted is the Chancellor elected. Negotiations between the Court stressed that this was a questionable process not in the Federal Government in keep- government parties prepare the decisions taken by the Fed- keeping with the intentions of Constitution. In 2005, an ing with rules of procedure authorized by the Federal Presi- eral Government and accompany them afterwards. Should appeal was again made to the supreme court, but in this The Basic Law as a work of art: dent. He bears responsibility there no longer be political consensus between the parties case the constitutional judges again rejected the petitions of Installation by Dani Karavan near the Reichstag building for the Government vis-à-vis the before general elections for a new Bundestag are due, two elected representatives of the Bundestag. Bundestag and in the case of national defense is supreme removing the Chancellor from office becomes an alterna- commander of the German tive. Should a constructive vote of no confidence result in the The federal structure Armed Forces. current Chancellor indeed being removed from office, a new Chancellor must be elected at the same time. This repeal of The German federal state is a complex entity. It consists of a parliamentary confidence forces the parties represented in central Federal Government and 16 federal states. The Basic the Bundestag to form a new, functioning gov- Law lays out in great detail which issues fall within the ambit ernment majority before they bring down the of the Federal Government and which devolve to the feder- Chancellor. There have only been two previ- al states. As such the federal system in Germany is similar to ous attempts to bring down the Chancellor, that of other federal countries. Public life in Germany is pre- only one of which succeeded, namely in 1982 dominantly based on central laws. In accordance with the Principle of subsidiarity when a vote of no confidence was passed principle of subsidiarity citizens, on the other hand, deal almost Subsidiarity is a core concept against the Chancellor Helmut Schmidt (SPD), exclusively with state and local authorities acting on behalf in a federal structure. According to it, the smallest unit of the who was replaced by Helmut Kohl (CDU). of the federal states. The reason for this is the aim of the social community capable of However, at any time the Federal Basic Law to combine the advantages of a unified state with handling problems shall bear One of the most frequented Chancellor himself can also propose a vote of no confidence those of a federal state. In everyday life citizens of other responsibility and take the deci- sions – starting from the indi- buildings in Germany: The in the Bundestag to test whether he still enjoys the unlimit- countries have far more frequent dealings with representa- Reichstag, seat of the German vidual and working upwards via Bundestag ed support of the governing parties. Should the Chancellor tives of central government. the family, associations and lose the vote this indicates that parts of the government The Basic Law stipulates that it be possible to com- local authorities to the states, the nation as a whole, and majority are drifting away from the Chancellor, leaving the pare living conditions throughout Germany. Essentially the European Union and the Federal President to decide whether the Bundestag should these are determined by economic and social policy. For this United Nations. be dissolved and a general election held. The Federal Presi- reason central laws mainly regulate this particular field. To dent can also request the parties represented in the Bun- this extent the German federal state resembles a centralized destag to try and form a new government. state. Nonetheless it is the federal states that control the In the history of the Federal Republic there has never major part of pan-state administration. This means that fed- been a genuine defeat in a vote of no confidence. There have eralist elements dominate the state administrative systems. on three occasions been previously arranged defeats: The First, as is typical of a federal state, its own administrative sys- elected representatives of the government parties or the tem enforces the laws that apply in that particular state. In

64 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 65 4 Political system

addition they also execute most central laws, which is untyp- those with the highest populations up to six. Bremen, the ical of federal state systems. As such, formulations such as smallest state has a mere 660,000 inhabitants, the largest, “unitarian” are used to characterize the German federal North Rhine-Westphalia over 18 million. Local self-government state. The Bundesrat plays a part in the passing of federal According to the Basic Law, There are three pan-state functions that the individ- legislation. Here, it differs from the Second Chamber of other the cities, municipalities and dis- tricts have the right themselves ual federal states exercise on their own: schooling (to a large federal states. The Basic Law envisages two forms of partici- to regulate local affairs within the extent tertiary education, too), internal security (including pation. Central laws that cause the federal states additional framework of the law. This right policing) as well as the organization of local self-government. administrative costs or replace existing central laws require of self-administration specifically covers public local transport, Thanks to the wide-ranging rights pertaining to guaranteed the approval of the Bundesrat: The latter is required to public road-building, water, gas participation they enjoy in the Bundesrat, the federal states endorse laws passed by the Bundestag for these to become and electricity supplies, sewage receive a form of compensation for the fact that central gov- legally binding. In this regard, the Bundesrat enjoys the same disposal services and town planning ernment is the primary body determining legislation. rights as the Bundestag in terms of being a legislative organ. Currently more than 50 percent of all laws passed require the approval of the Bundesrat. Since federal laws are in principle The Bundesrat enforced by the administrative bodies of the federal states, The link between the Federal The Bundesrat represents the federal states and alongside the most important and most costly laws involve the admin- Government and the federal states: The Bundesrat in the for- the Bundestag is a form of Second Chamber. It is obliged to istrative sovereignty of the federal states. A difference should mer Preussisches Herrenhaus at deliberate on each federal law. As the chamber of the fed- be made between these approval laws and the appeal laws. the heart of Berlin eral states, the Bundesrat has the same function as those Sec- Participation in the ond Chambers in other federal states that are mostly legislative process: Bundesrat referred to as the Senate. The Bundesrat is made up exclu- plenary session The legal system sively of representatives of the federal state governments. The number of votes each state holds is aligned in a sense to the size of its population: Each state has at least three, and The Federal Republic of Germany is a democratic Thereupon the litigation goes before a “higher” constitutional state that guarantees stable laws, court and a ruling is handed down. Not until the the protection of liberties, and equality before the third level has been reached is there no longer any law. This is essentially ensured by the Basic Law, as right of appeal and the litigation thus comes to an Distribution of seats in the Bundesrat the principles of a democratic constitutional state end. + are enshrined in the constitution. The German Justice is passed down by some 21,000 independ- The Bundesrat is one of the five permanent constitu- supreme court, namely the Federal Constitutional ent judges who are bound only to the law and are, Baden-Württemberg Thuringia tional bodies in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is Court monitors maintenance of these rights and as a rule, appointed for life. They may not on prin- involved in the legislative process and thus takes part the preservation of justice. ciple be removed from office. Moreover, there are Bavaria Schleswig-Holstein 6 4 in Federal decision-making and in European Union In Germany, the administration of justice is divided some 5,000 public prosecutors in Germany and 6 No. of votes 4 matters. Its 69 members are delegates of the 16 state Berlin Saxony-Anhalt into five branches: ordinary, labor, administrative, more than 100,000 lawyers. 4 per federal 4 governments. The votes each state has depends on social and financial courts. In a normal case there In surveys on political and legal stability, foreign 4 4 Brandenburg state Saxony the size of its respective population. Each state can are three higher tiers investors put Germany second only to Great 3 3 only vote unanimously. The office of President of the that can re-assess Britain. This legal stability attracts foreign compa- Bremen 3 4 Saarland Bundesrat is held for one year by the Minister Presi- court decisions. The nies and is to the benefit of investments and entre- 5 3 6 6 dent of each state; the sequence is determined by the plaintiffs and the preneurial activity in Germany. Hamburg Rhineland-Palatinate size of the states’ respective populations. accused can appeal Hesse North Rhine-Westphalia against a court ruling. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Lower Saxony

66 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 67 4 Political system

Though the Bundesrat can reject the latter, the Bundestag parties – as well as federal state governments. In “constitu- Reform of the federal system can overrule the objection with the same majority as in the tion-related” disputes, the Constitutional Court acts to pro- Since September 1, 2006 provi- sions concerning reform of the Bundesrat – a simple, an absolute or a two-thirds majority. tect the division of powers guaranteed in the Basic Law and federal system have been in If one considers that the activities of the Bundesrat are the federal state. In order to enable parliamentary minori- place. The most comprehensive spread across the shoulders of the 16 state governments, it ties to be able to appeal to the Constitutional Court, one reform to the Basic Law since 1949 enhances the ability of both becomes clear that the federal state governments are impor- third of the elected representatives of the Bundestag is suf- the Federation and the states tant players in the nation-wide political arena. For this reason, ficient to submit a complaint against a valid law (“abstract to take decisions and to make the the state prime ministers, being the heads of the federal state judicial review”). division of political powers clear- er. This reform reduces the governments, are known far beyond the borders of their own Furthermore, the Basic Law empowers individual cit- number of federal laws requiring individual states. Since September 2006, the reform of the feder- izens to launch a “constitutional complaint” should they feel the consent of the Bundesrat al system has recalibrated the respective scope of central gov- that the state has infringed their basic rights. Year after year from about 60 percent to 35-40 percent. At the same time, how- ernment and of the individual federal states. The goal of the thousands of citizens register a complaint against the con- ever, some powers have been Federal Constitutional Court reform: to improve the decision-making abilities and scope for stitution. However, the Court reserves the right to select from transferred to the states, above This is based in Karlsruhe and action of both central government and the federal state gov- the mass of petitions submitted only those that can be all as regards education policy. consists of two senates, each The Federation also gained pow- with eight judges, one half ernments, and to more clearly assign political responsibilities. expected to result in verdicts that point the way ahead in ers in the fields of environmental of whom is elected by the Bun- terms of the validity of basic rights. Ultimately every German policy and waste management. destag, the other half voted court is obliged to submit a petition for actual assessment of by the Bundesrat. Each judge The Federal Constitutional Court is appointed for 12 years and is the normative basis to the Constitutional Court should it not eligible for re-election. The Federal Constitutional Court is a characteristic institution of consider a law to be un-constitutional. The Federal Constitu- post-war German democracy. The Basic Law accorded it the tional Court holds a monopoly on interpretation of the con- right to repeal legislation passed as part of the legitimate stitution with regard to all jurisdiction. democratic process should it come to the conclusion that such legislation contravenes the Basic Law. The Constitu- Germany and Europe tional Court only acts in response to petitions. Those entitled to lodge a complaint include the federal bodies Federal Pres- Germany shares the same basic features of its political system ident, Bundestag, Bundesrat, Federal Government and their with most members of the European Union (EU). Its system of constituent parts – elected representatives or parliamentary government is one of parliamentary democracy, in other words, government policy is determined by the head of gov- Jürgen Hartmann The topic on the Internet ernment and the ministers, and not by the head of state. Given Professor Jürgen Hartmann lectures in Political Sciences at www.bundespraesident.de offers access to Web casts of debates www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de the high standards with regard to the constitutional state and the German Armed Forces This Web site provides information on (English, French, German) In addition to general data, all ver- democracy as a result of the Basic Law, the Federal Constitu- Helmut Schmidt University in the person and office of the Federal dicts since 1998 by the Federal Consti- tional Court is also a player in the European political arena. Hamburg. He has authored President and publishes speeches and www.bundesrat.de tutional Court can be downloaded countless textbooks and intro- interviews (English, French, German, Daily agendas and parliamentary from its Website (German, English) The court has illustrated on several occasions that European ductions to various areas of Spanish) printed matter are to be found on this law must satisfy the criteria of the Basic Law if Germany is to political science. home page alongside extensive infor- www.bundesregierung.de relinquish to the EU the rights to draw up its own laws. In this www.bundestag.de mation on the work of the Bundesrat This portal is a source of information The Bundestag Web site describes the (English, French, German) about the most important political respect to a certain extent the “eternal guarantee” of applica- parliamentary parties and MPs, and topics (English, French, German) ble principles with regard to the Basic Law vie with the Basic Law’s commitment to European integration. •

68 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 69 5

In the age of globalization, foreign poli- cy is, more than ever before, the world’s Foreign policy domestic policy. States, societies and economic zones are all becoming net- worked. The end of the East-West con- flict has opened up new opportunities for German foreign policy – both within Europe and worldwide. Germany has accepted the international responsibili- ty that has evolved for the country in the wake of dramatic changes with regard to world politics, and, together with its European and transatlantic partners, is deeply committed to the causes of democracy, human rights and the dialog between cultures. The prime objective of Germany’s foreign policy is to maintain peace and safety in the world.

70 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 71 5 Foreign policy

Germany – a partner worldwide

By Gregor Schöllgen

The 20th century was characterized by quite unprece- dented disruption. Three global conflicts, namely the two World Wars and the Cold War as well as a series of revolu- tionary upheavals left a deep mark on nations and peoples alike. This is especially true of Germany, if only because the country at the heart of Europe was both responsible for the developments that led to the outbreak of both world wars Foreign policy and was affected to an unusual degree by the Cold War and The primary goal of German foreign policy is to preserve peace the gradual dissolution of the bipolar world order at the and security in the world. The end of the 1980s. expanded concept of security cov- When the old order collapsed, Germany faced a ers not only questions of conflict prevention, defense, disarmament new situation as regards domestic and foreign policy. Here, and arms controls, but also eco- the country benefited from the dynamism that culminated nomic, ecological and social issues in the disbandment of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991. as well as human rights. This includes a committed effort on For this led not just to the unification of East and West Ger- behalf of human rights world-wide many, but also for the first time in almost 50 years to com- and a global economy that creates plete sovereignty. opportunities for everyone, of fos- tering cross-border environmental For united Germany, a new era of exceptional chal- protection and an open dialog lenges began. First, the new domestic situation had to be between the cultures. Foreign cul- mastered and second there was a new, unusual role to be tural and education policy forms an integral part of German foreign played in foreign policy. The expectations associated with policy. Its practical implementa- Germany were great precisely because the country had tion is largely handled by interme- profited from global trends and achieved its express goal diary agency organizations such as the Goethe-Institut, the Ger- with unification. This was as true of its longstanding allies man Academic Exchange Service as it was of both the former members of the Eastern bloc, (DAAD), the Alexander von Hum- and the peoples and countries of the Southern hemisphere, boldt Foundation, the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (ifa) th which since the end of the 20 century has been under- and the German UNESCO Com- going emphatic transformation. It was likewise no coinci- mission (see page 162).

72 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 73 5 Foreign policy

dence that these peoples and nations looked to Germany. from breaking out or going it alone; and it was also fos- Transatlantic partnership The German Reich had lost all its colonies in World War I, tered by the Germans’ elementary need for peace, securi- The Transatlantic partnership forms the basis of German and and after World War II no people in Asia, Africa or the ty, prosperity and democracy, as well as the recognition European security. A close and Pacific rim thus had to struggle with East or West Germany that the integration of their country formed the basis for trusting relationship to the Unit- to obtain independence. its unification. ed States continues to be of outstanding importance for Ger- History proved them right, and it is thus no coinci- many’s security. However, the dence that after the end of the Cold War precisely the Ger- Transatlantic partnership is far Fundamentals of German foreign policy mans focused on those international organizations that more than a purely political and military alliance. The close links Cooperation at the United As a result, united Germany found itself back at the center had already given the “old” Federal Republic support, to the United States have a Nations: Federal Foreign Minister of the world political stage almost overnight. This realign- namely the European Union (EU), the North Atlantic Treaty strong history, rest on shared Frank-Walter Steinmeier with ment was successful thanks to the fundamentals of German for- Organization (NATO), the United Nations (UN), and the cultural roots, and are an expres- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sion of a profound community eign policy as had firmly evolved since the foundation of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE). of values and interests. Federal Republic of Germany. One of the key features of However, these alliances were shaped by the Cold War, in Germany’s political culture has always been its focus on a other words by a past era. While the organizations of the broad consensus on foreign policy issues and on maintain- communist world dissolved in 1991 and the CSCE was ing continuity in specific areas. renamed the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Fundamentals of foreign policy Since the days of Germany’s first Federal Chancel- Europe (OSCE), since the end of the Cold War the West and German foreign policy comes lor Konrad Adenauer these have included the Transatlantic the United Nations have faced the need for reform. under the sign of continuity and reliability. It is shaped by cooper- partnership and European integration, the wish for good ation in a spirit of partnership neighborly relations – primarily with France, something and a wish to balance interests. German foreign policy has sought to achieve since the The key parameters of German International peace operations foreign policy can be described early 1950s – and the difficult process of reconciliation by the twin lodestars of “never with Israel, which Germany commenced at an early date. again” and “never alone“. “Never This may sound obvious, but against the backdrop of Ger- Germany is engaged in finding man Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) occurs only in again” is to be seen against the solutions to international collaboration with allies and partners as part of a th background of German history man policy, war-waging during the first half of the 20 conflicts and promoting civil NATO, EU or UN operation. In June 2007, there and understood as a rejection of century, and the rigid Cold War, but was far from easy. As societies in several locations were more than 8,000 German troops on active authoritarian and expansion- of the end of the 1960s, in particular since Willy Brandt’s throughout the world. Both as international peace-keeping missions. oriented politics as well as pro- a member of multilateral forces and at the national found skepticism against the chancellorship (1969–1974), the westward focus has been level Germany makes great efforts to improve the The spectrum ranges from the fight against terror- means of military power. “Never supplemented and advanced by a policy of conciliation arsenal of crisis prevention instruments. These ism as part of “Enduring Freedom” in the Horn of alone” signifies Germany’s firm with Poland and the other countries of East and Eastern include United Nations’ peace-keeping missions as Africa to peace-keeping missions in the Balkans embedding in the community well as projects that assist the process of demo- (KFOR, EUFOR) and Afghanistan (ISAF), German of Western democracies. Ger- Central Europe. Indeed, Germany is now allied with Russia cratization and the posting of civil personnel. In Armed Forces operations in Sudan as part of the many’s integration into a Europe in a strategic partnership. 2002, the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin founded UNMIS Observation Mission, to humanitarian aid. that is growing ever more closely The bedrock of German foreign policy, as steadily the Center for International Peace Operations Since the first deployment of German forces in together and its firm roots in the (ZIF) with the aim of specifically preparing civilian Cambodia in 1992, 200,000 German troops have North Atlantic Treaty Organiza- created by all the different Federal Governments, has been helpers for international operations organized by been involved in the preservation of peace and sta- tion comprise the cornerstones the country’s comprehensive integration into multilateral the UN, the OSCE and the European Union. A swift bility in crisis regions. of its orientation in foreign policy. cooperation. This was fostered after the experience of two response by Germany to crises and conflicts in the www.bundeswehr.de Germany is involved in many form of armed operations on the part of the Ger- ways in organizations for multi- world wars by the unequivocal will of the country’s neigh- lateral cooperation. bors to include and control it, and thus deter the Germans

74 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 75 5 Foreign policy

Foreign policy in the age of globalization that the European Union is willing to assume in the Bal- ESDP/CFSP kans can also be gauged from the fact that its has commit- A common approach in the field of foreign and defense poli- Germany is one of the advocates of appropriate reform to ted a 1,800-strong international civil EULEX mission to cy is expected to enable the EU the international organizations, for which there are good Kosovo, designed to contribute to establishing rule-of-law member states to respond more reasons: First, no other comparable country is so embed- structures there. swiftly to international crises and conflicts, to speak with a sin- ded in multilateral political, economic and military coop- The Federal Government first made use of its new gle voice in terms of foreign poli- The Crisis Response eration. scope for foreign policy as a unified state since 1990 after cy and more effectively assert Center in the Federal Foreign Second, German foreign policy takes into account the turn of the millennium: The German statement on the its international interests. In the Office organizes help, provides framework of the Common information, and coordinates the far greater international responsibility which Ger- terrorist attacks of September 11 2001 was not only Foreign & Security Policy (CFSP), matters many now has at the request of the world community: In prompt, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder went further than the EU has developed a common this context Germany is pushing for a comprehensive any of his predecessors and promised America Germany’s European Security and Defense policy (ESDP). The member reform of the UN’s organizational structures, including a “unconditional solidarity”. states provide up to 60,000 Security Council troops within 60 days for human- December 2004 saw the end wish for a permanent seat in the Security Council. Needless to say, the Federal Government also sup- itarian tasks, rescue missions, of Germany’s fourth term as an Moreover, for German foreign policy the formation ported the decision by NATO on October 2, 2001 to invoke peace-keeping measures and elected member of the UN Secu- of an independent identity for European security consti- for the first time in its history Article 5 of its charter. The combat. Since January 2007, rity Council since it joined the each half-year two “battle United Nations in 1973. In order tutes a key side to strengthening the European pillar of subsequent deployment of German soldiers to the Hin- groups” (RDFs) of about 1,500 to adjust the United Nations to NATO. When in December 2004 NATO transferred leader- dukush had a political side: the Bonn Conference on soldiers each are ready for the new political realities, in the ship of the troops (which have since operated as EUFOR) Afghanistan and the agreements reached there on the deployment. context of a comprehensive reform of the organization Ger- in Bosnia-Herzegovina to the ESDP (European Security and legal and political basis for a transitional government for many advocates expanding the Defense Policy ) and the Europeans thus for the first time Afghanistan. And it had a military side: since January 2002, Security Council and ensuring endeavored to control a flashpoint using their own financ- the German Armed Forces have made a strong contribu- its deliberations are even more transparent. ing and resources, this marked a new stage in the trans- tion to ISAF, the International Security Assistance Force for formation of the transatlantic alliance. The responsibility Afghanistan.

+ Involvement in international organizations European United NATO OSCE WTO IMF Union Nations

Since 1957 Germany has been one of The United Nations was founded in 1945 with The North Atlantic Treaty Organization With its 56 member states, the Organiza- The World Trade Organization (WTO) The key task of the International Mone- the six founding members of today’s the goal of safeguarding world peace. With was founded in 1949. Today, this defense tion for Organization and Co-Operation was founded in 1995 and serves to imple- tary Fund (IMF) in Washington, D.C., is to EU. Since 2007, it has consisted of 27 192 member states, almost all the countries alliance has 26 member states; Ger- in Europe (OSCE) is a comprehensive ment the existing treaties on interna- promote the macroeconomic stability member states and the euro is the offi- in the world belong to the UN. Germany has many joined in 1955. The German Armed forum for cooperation at the pan-Euro- tional trade. It is likewise a forum for of its 185 member states. Germany’s cap- cial tender in 15 of them. Germany been a member since 1973 and following the Forces have since March 1999 been part pean level. OSCE missions are active negotiation on liberalizing global trade. ital quota is 6.0 percent, making it contributes EUR 22.1 billion to the EU United States and Japan is the third largest of NATO’s mission in Kosovo, with 2,230 above all in conflict prevention and man- In the present Doha round Germany one of the key IMF members; through budget of EUR 115.5 billion (2007). contributor to the UN budget. Since 1996, soldiers stationed there at year-end agement. Germany makes a substantial has been expressly championing better a German executive director it also Günter Verheugen is Vice- has been one of the UN countries 2007, and 3,140 soldiers on the NATO-led contribution to finance and man-power. integration of the developing countries participates in IMF decision-making. the responsi- that is home to UN institutions; among oth- operation in Afghanistan. NATO’s HQ is www.osce.org into world trade. www.imf.org ble for Enterprise and Industry. ers, the UNFCCC Climate Change Secretariat in Brussels; its highest body is the NATO www.wto.org www.eu.int has been based in Bonn. www.un.org Council. www.nato.int

76 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 77 5 Foreign policy

In total, this century up to 10,000 German soldiers have Germany in Europe By Josef Janning been posted on international missions – despite the fact that the German Armed Forces have by no means com- Can a country that shares borders on all sides with other pleted their transformation from a territorial army to a European countries, namely Germany with its nine neigh- flexible deployment force. These wide-ranging responsibil- bors, afford not to actively pursue a European policy? The ities were also a key argument when it came to justifying answer is self-evident: With its central location at the heart why Germany did not take part in the campaign in Iraq in of today’s European Union (EU) the Germans have a special NATO – central forum 2003. The fact that German foreign policy took this situa- interest in living in peace and harmony with their neigh- for security and cooperation tion into account and set sovereign priorities sheds some bors. As the EU member state with the largest population, a light on the country’s new role. strong economy and central geographical position, united ISAF German foreign policy also promotes introducing Germany has an overriding interest in being closely includ- Originally, the deployment of the International Security Assistance civil society structures; it is committed to helping over- ed in the development and advancement of European inte- Germany and Europe: Force for Afghanistan was a mili- come natural disasters, asserting democratic and human gration and its future expansion. Integration in a united Europe is anchored in the Basic Law tary operation. With its rulings rights, and to the war on terror. In fact, Germany also uses It is in Germany’s interest for Europe to be a vibrant of April 1993 and June 1994 the Federal Constitutional Court its new role to secure human rights, peace, and dialog – continent. In the past, the integration process has proved to in Karlsruhe cleared the path for both in the Middle East and elsewhere. be a suitable basis for ensuring peace, prosperity and securi- deployment by the German The fact that Germany can live this role stems ty. By means of common policy, Germany has forged firm Armed Forces on such missions; since December 2004 the Act from the trust carefully nurtured over the decades. Ger- links to partners who are its neighbors and with Europe it has on Parliamentary Participation man politics is measured not against the yardstick of the on Decisions to Deploy Armed destructive apparatus of the Third Reich, but against its Forces Abroad sets out the Bun- destag’s powers in such cases. achievements in development and integration. And here Development policy Today, under a UN mandate the Germany has demonstrated that it knows how to assume ISAF supports the Government such responsibilities. • of Afghanistan in providing and German development there the greatest efforts are required to realize maintaining a secure environ- policy as a constituent the Millennium Development Goals. During its ment and facilitating the recon- part of a global struc- presidency of both the Council of the European struction of the country. tural and peace policy Union and the G8 in 2007, Germany succeeded endeavors to improve in ensuring partnership with Africa was accord- living conditions in ed a central place both in the EU and the G8. partner countries. It That said, Germany will continue to support concentrates on creating social justice, enhanc- other regions, such as Latin America. ing economic output and achieving political stability through peace, human rights, democ- Germany adheres to the commitments and racy, and equal rights. goals of the United Nation’s Millennium Decla- ration, the Monterrey Consensus and the Gregor Schöllgen A key objective is to protect the environment. Johannesburg Plan of Implementation. By the The Professor of Modern and The guidelines and concepts underlying German year 2010, Germany therefore intends to devote Contemporary History at development policy are devised by the Federal at least 0.51 percent of gross domestic prod- the University of Erlangen- Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Devel- uct and by 2015 as much as 0.7 percent to over- Nuremberg has been visiting opment (BMZ), which collaborates with some 70 seas development aid. professor in Oxford, New York partner countries. Africa is a focal region as www.bmz.de and the London School of Economics.

78 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 79 5 Foreign policy

European integration both once again achieved unification and also gained respect The bodies of the European Union The European unification process and a voice in the world. For the Germans, the peaceful bal- + The European Council formu- is one of the major keystones of lates the general political guide- German foreign policy. The par- ancing of interests with its neighbors and the world has thus lines of the European Union. ticipation of the Federal Republic The Heads of State or Govern- become the recipe for success in European integration, the European Council European in a united Europe is anchored European Court of ment of the member states as importance of which was re-emphasized by the German Pres- Justice Heads of State or Government Court of Auditors in the Basic Law. With the acces- and the President of the well as the Commission Presi- Commission sion of Bulgaria and Romania idency of the Council of the European Union in first-half dent convene in the European in 2007, the European Union has 2007. Federal Chancellor Merkel and Foreign Minister Stein- Council at least twice a year. grown to 27 member states. meier skillfully used Germany’s respect and trust in Europe Council of the European Union Accession negotiations have Council of Ministers started with Turkey and Croatia. to solve the institutional crisis. Germany laid the foundations Committee Economic and Social The Former Yugoslav Republic for the Lisbon Treaty and gained the approval of all EU mem- of the Regions Committee of Macedonia is an official acces- ber states to strengthen the EU as regards its decision-mak- European Commission sion candidate, while the other President and Commissioners Western Balkan states are poten- ing, policy formulation and institutional capabilities. tial candidates. th March 2007 marked the 50 anniversary of signa- European members from the EU member states ture of the Treaty of Rome. In 1957, this treaty on establish- Parliament ing a European Economic Community spelled the beginning of the success story of European integration. As opposed to the Treaty of Rome concentrated neither on monitoring indus- initial steps, namely from the European Coal and Steel tries such as coal and steel, nor on bundling defense powers. European Commission Community to the European Defense Community, the Instead, it focused on developing the economies of Western The European Commission is headquartered in Brussels and is Europe by strengthening and deepening cooperation and a politically independent supra- promoting trade among the founder nations. The idea national body that represents behind the resolutions of 1957 still applies today – the Treaty and safeguards the interests of Lisbon EU Reform Treaty the entire EU. The EU Commis- of Rome forms the basis of a customs union and the EU’s sion has the right to table pro- common trade policy. The treaty thus sought to create a posals (right of initiative) for all In December 2007, the EU heads of state and of Ministers. This will obtain for a transition common market with no trade barriers. And this decision common legal acts; as “guardian governments signed the EU Reform Treaty in period through 2017. The rotating chair of the of the treaties” it ensures that Lisbon. Following ratification, the Reform Treaty Council of Ministers will be retained in the had a greater impact on the pace of European unification common law is adhered to and in is scheduled to come into force in all member form of an 18-month team presidency made up than any other political declaration of recent decades: The addition enjoys executive pow- states in 2009. It puts the EU on a new contrac- of three member states. As of 2014, the num- goals behind the notion of a “common market” required an ers, for example with regard to tual footing and is meant to make it more demo- ber of commissioners will be reduced to two the budget and monopolies laws. cratic, transparent and efficient. The treaty en- thirds the number of member states. Moreover, authority that created a specific order – the European Com- Finally it publicly represents visages profound reforms. Thus, in future there there will be a “High Representative of the mission as an administrative organ above the interests of indi- the interests of the community. will be a permanent EU president to strengthen Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy”, vidual states, as a guardian of the treaty. The treaty required The Commission is headed by continuity in EU action. EU resolutions will be who will be responsible for the EU’s foreign the Commission President, since simplified as in future many instances where a affairs. The Reform Treaty also strengthens the dismantling of internal borders and thus the complete 2004 José Manuel Barroso of unanimous vote has hitherto been required will democracy and protection by basic rights by freedom of goods, services, capital and labor – the program Portugal. One of the Vice-Presi- be abolished, with decisions by qualified majori- expanding the role of the , that resulted in the single European market in 1992. On this dents is a German, Günter Ver- ty to be extended to several dozen areas. As of the inclusion of the national parliaments into heugen. Each member state is 2014 EU Council decisions will in principle be the European legislative process, and by mak- basis, it became necessary to shore these foundations up represented by a Commission taken by “double majority”, meaning that 55% ing the Charter of Fundamental Rights manda- with monetary policy – this eventually led to the euro, which member. The division of commis- of member states and 65 percent of the popula- tory (exemptions have been granted to Great was introduced as legal tender in 2002. sioners’ tasks follows the princi- tion must be behind resolutions by the Council Britain and Poland). ple of collective responsibility – The institutional consequences of these economic in other words: Each member is linkages stimulated the various reform stages that led to allocated certain tasks.

80 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 81 5 Foreign policy FACTS – COMPACT

Stages of European unification 2003 The over 50 years of European unification form The Convent on the Future of Europe presents a very special success story. It is a story that has 2004 a Draft Treaty for a The Eastern enlargement of the EU: brought durable peace and prosperity to an European Constitution On May 1, Cyprus, the Czech Repub- entire continent, where for centuries almost every lic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, nation had waged war against the others Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia join the EU. With more than 450 million inhabitants and economic output of EUR 10.7 1958 2001 trillion, the EU thus becomes the The Treaty of Rome comes into With the Nice Treaty, the world’s largest single market. On force. The EEC, EURATOM and European Union laid October 29, 2004 the Heads of ECSC communities have two 1979 the basis for the acces- State and Government sign the common organs: the Court and For the first time, direct sion of ten further Constitutional Treaty for Europe elections to the European member states. The the Parliamentary Assembly. 1992 Parliament are held treaty also envisages At this time, it had 142 mem- The Treaty of Maastricht founds the Euro- new rules for EU bers and gave itself in 1962 the pean Union (EU). The “Community organs and on how 2005 name of European Parliament method” has since also applied to coop- 1950 they function On May 29 and June 1, eration between governments of the On May 9, French Foreign the French and then the member states in the areas of “common Minister Robert Schuman Dutch voted against the foreign and security policy” as well as announced his plan to unite Draft Treaty for a Con- “justice and home affairs” Europe in peace 1967 stitution, causing reflec- The Council and Commission, tion on the EU’s future. until then separate entities for 1981 In October, the European each of the three communities, The Community grows Commission initiated become united bodies southward, as Greece becomes accession negotiations a member state with Turkey and Croatia

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20th century 21st century

1986 With the agreement on the Single European Act, the basis is laid 2007 1957 for completing the single market Europe now has In Rome, the six ECSC and for the commencement of 27 member states. member states sign the European political cooperation. On January 1, Bul- Treaties establishing 1951 The Community’s enlargement garia and Romania the European Economic In Paris, Belgium, the Federal southwards continues with the accede to the Community (EEC) and Republic of Germany, France, accession of Spain and Portugal European Union. the European Atomic Italy, Luxembourg and the In December, the Energy Community 1999 Netherlands sign the Treaty heads of state (EURATOM), which 1973 The euro is officially introduced as a establishing the European Coal and government become known as the The number of Euro- 1995 currency of deposit in 11 member and Steel Community (ECSC) sign the EU Reform Treaty of Rome pean Community mem- The EU grows to have states, and in 2002 is launched as Treaty destined to ber states grows from 15 members with the legal tender. In May, the Treaty of Ams- replace the failed six to nine: Denmark, accession of Austria, terdam comes into force, renewing EU Constitution Great Britain and Finland and Sweden and appreciably expanding the Ireland join ambit of the European Parliament 5 Foreign policy

Euro integration – from the expansion of the Commission and the Likewise, it also applies to the magnetic appeal EU has had European Parliament The euro is the currency of adoption of majority resolutions by the Council of the Euro- on the new democracies in the emerging market The European Parliament is the the European Monetary Union parliamentary organ of the Euro- and after the US dollar the pean Union (see p. 87) via the direct election of the European economies of Eastern Central Europe and South-East pean communities. It is made up second most important member Parliament and the extension of common areas of responsi- Europe. Just as was the case for the fledgling Federal of 785 members (750 as of 2009 of the international currency sys- bility through to major reforms in the form of the Treaties Republic of Germany in the 1950s, the young democracies when the EU Reform Treaty is tem. Together with the national enacted), who are directly elect- central banks, the European Cen- of Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice. Thus, the treaty con- in the south and east of Europe rightly see accession to the ed by the population of the 27 tral Bank (ECB), headquartered cluded in 2007 in Lisbon is a result of the Treaty of Rome and EU as due recognition and assurance of the political member states for five years. in Frankfurt/Main, is responsible a consequence of the so-called “spill-over” of economic link- achievements they have made in overcoming dictatorship Each member state is allocated for monetary policy with a certain number of seats regard to the euro. The euro is ages into the political arena. and despotism. German European policy has uncondition- depending on the size of its pop- the official currency in 15 of Without wanting to play down how important it is ally supported the ever-deeper integration process, its ulation. Germany, the largest the 27 EU member states. The that Europe grow together politically, we should no doubt extension to the North, South and East as well as the estab- member state of the EU, has 99 euro was physically introduced MEPs, and Malta, the smallest, in “Euroland”, including Ger- consider the economic dynamism triggered by integration lishment of the relevant institutions. The strength of Ger- 5 (as of 2009 Germany will have many, on January 1, 2002, hav- and the attractiveness of the major market to be the key man foreign policy has laid in ensuring Franco-German 96 seats, the smallest countries ing served as a currency driving force prompting other European states to accede. relations were firmly aligned to EU policy, on the one hand, like Malta and Luxembourg have of deposit since the beginning 6 seats). The members of the of 1999. This applies to the accession of Great Britain, Denmark and and the close ties specifically to the smaller member states, European Parliament represent Ireland in the 1970s, that of Greece, Spain and Portugal in on the other. Repeatedly, numerous hurdles to decisions a total of almost 500 million citi- the 1980s, and of Austria, Sweden and Finland in the 1990s. have been overcome and key stages in the history of the EU zens. They form parliamentary groups independent of their own have been successfully tackled as a result of Germany’s nationality. The Parliament has The European Union at a glance efforts and its willingness to compromise. legislative, budgetary and moni- + toring powers, though no right of initiative in legislation. The Par- Enlargement of the European Union 1 2 liament sits in Strasbourg; plena- The European Union has successfully Germany – a constructive EU member ry sessions and committee meet- grown from 6 to 27 member states ings also take place in Brussels. (2007). Croatia and Turkey are appli- 6 Today the basic principles of German EU policy remain 7 cant countries, with whom accession 5 8 characterized by all-party consensus. The Germans desire a negotiations have been initiated. 3 Europe that is capable of acting while remaining both The former Yugoslav Republic of 4 11 9 Macedonia is an official access can- 12 10 democratic and transparent – and with a strengthened 13 14 didate, the other Western Balkan 15 16 European Parliament. Like many other Europeans they states potential candidates. 20 17 18 19 24 reject the idea of a European super-state, preferring clear-

23 25 er delineation of areas of responsibility. Germany supports 30 22 the pragmatic approach to integration taken with the EU EU states 21 26 28 Accession negotiations Reform Treaty, but remains interested in further advances. agreed The Germans know that they benefit economically and Accession candidates 27 29 politically from Europe, the Common Market, the euro and 1 Sweden 7 Latvia 13 Luxembourg 19 Croatia 25 Bulgaria from the EU’s enlargement. The central position in the 2 Finland 8 Lithuania 14 Czech Republic 20 France 26 Greece 3 Ireland 9 Poland 15 Slovakia 21 Portugal 27 Malta world’s largest single market explains to a large extent Ger- 4 United Kingdom 10 Germany 16 Austria 22 Spain 28 Turkey many’s prowess in the export league tables. In addition, 5 Denmark 11 Netherlands 17 Hungary 23 Italy 29 Cyprus 6 Estonia 12 Belgium 18 Slovenia 24 Romania 30 FYR Macedonia today the economic relations with the country’s neighbors in Eastern Central Europe can be fostered in line with the

84 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 85 5 Foreign policy

rules of integration. In each of these markets Germany is an alliance. For this reason German European policy has Council of the European Union the largest foreign trading partner and usually German championed the strengthening of the European ability to The Council, frequently referred to as the “Council of Ministers”, industry is the most important investor. At the same time act, which involves strengthening the common foreign, is the EU’s most important leg- Germany bears the consequences of European union in a security and defense policy. This is being implemented islative committee. The Council particular way. It cannot protect its market in the east of with the creation of the office of a “High Representative and the European Parliament share legislative powers and the country from competition from EU partners. Germany of Foreign and Security Policy” who will be responsible for responsibility for the EU budget. carries a large part of the infrastructural burden of the new the EU’s foreign affairs. In addition the Council concludes international treaties negotiated The European Union facing open borders because the major European transportation The European Union has a strong interest in deep- by the Commission. Decisions major challenges: Federal axes run through the country. In line with the country’s er partnership with the states of Central Asia. The Ger- Chancellor Angela Merkel and can be made unanimously or EU Commission President José gross domestic product the Germans provide some 20 per- man federal government therefore initiated an EU Cen- with a qualified majority. In some Manuel Barroso cent of the EU budget. tral Asia strategy as part of its presidency of the EU Coun- policy areas, resolutions have to be unanimous. Otherwise, cil in 2007. For the firs time, EU member states have decisions are taken by qualified defined their interests with regard to this important majority. The weighting of votes The EU’s future tasks region and have set the key parameters for a future depends on the size of a coun- try’s population, but the smaller European energy and climate policy Since the development of European political cooperation common policy. states have a disproportionately In March 2007, during the Ger- one of Germany’s wishes for the European Union is that Germany and its partners will face new chal- high number of votes. Germany man EU Council Presidency, the the role the latter plays in world politics be strengthened. lenges. The key coalitions and constellations of past holds 29 of the total of 345. European Union laid new founda- The Chair (the Presidency of the tions for Europe’s energy and From a German point of view the security of EU members decades will change, and a new balance of interests will Council) rotates every six months. climate protection policy. in the face of new types of threat is a joint task. In the glob- test the ability of European politicians to forge compro- On the institutional changes The heads of state and govern- al political arena the voice of Europe carries more weight mises. In global economic terms there will be a shift, too the EU Reform Treaty triggers ment resolved to enhance EU as of 2009 see page 80. energy efficiency by 20 percent than that of its individual member states. Like hardly any – Europe’s economy faces global competition. The EU’s by 2020, to boost the propor- other state, Germany’s foreign policy has made use of the external borders interface with zones typified by low eco- tion of renewable energy in the total consumed to 20 percent EU as the basis for representation of its own interests and nomic, political or social stability. The European Union over the same time span, to promote these. must therefore field a trustworthy, active policy of devel- and to cut greenhouse gas emis- For many years now a steady majority in German opment and partnership, not least for the countries on sions by at least 20 percent compared with the 1990 level public opinion has supported the idea that it is better to the Mediterranean rim. (the “20/20/20 goals”). approach foreign and security policy questions as part of Europe is not the place for small ideas. Without the European Union, welfare and security, those elementary Information on the Internet services provided by the state, would no longer be possible. www.auswaertiges-amt.de www.swp-berlin.org itself as a European center of compe- As such the policy of integration, the processes and the Josef Janning Wide range of information from the Interesting scholarly Web site of the tence based in Germany’s capital and institutions are all part of Europe’s political fabric and not The political scientist and expert Federal Foreign Office, also covering German think-tank Institute for Inter- offers countless outstanding conven- on European affairs is a member mere frills. bilateral relations (Arabic, English, national and Security Affairs (SWP) tions and seminars (English, German) of the Board of the Bertelsmann French, German, Spanish) with articles and research findings on Any major theme concerning European societies Foundation. international politics and security pol- www.eu.int also addresses the EU’s contribution to the issue, as there www.dgap.org icy (English, German) The European Union’s information por- is hardly any issue that does not involve the European Website of the German Council on tal covering all aspects of the commu- Foreign Relations (DGAP) – a network www.eab-berlin.de nity (23 languages) level. Germany, at the heart of political Europe, continues for foreign policy (English, German) The European Academy Berlin sees to view the European Union as the primary field of action for its international policy. •

86 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 87 6

Daimler, Siemens, Porsche, Lufthansa, SAP. In the international arena German The economy companies have an excellent reputation. They represent “Made in Germany”, known as a seal of quality the world over. They represent innovation, quality and cutting-edge technology. Yet the world’s third largest economy does not consist solely of global players, but also of numerous world market leaders who are actually small and medium-sized enterprises, the powerhouse of the Ger- man economy. They all benefit from the sound economic conditions in the “land of ideas”, not to mention the excellent qualifications of the workforce. Foreign investors also value this — and see it as a major point in Germany’s favor in the age of the global economy.

88 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 89 6 The economy

The future of automobile Germany as an production: On view in the VW “glass factory” in Dresden economic hub

By Thomas Straubhaar

Germany is one of the most highly developed industrial nations in the world and, after the USA and Japan has the world’s third largest national economy. With a popula- tion of 82.3 million Germany is also the largest and most important market in the European Union (EU). In 2007, Germany’s gross domestic product (GDP) totaled EUR 2.42 trillion, which translates into per-capita GDP of EUR 29,455. This figure can be attributed primarily to foreign Exports trade. With an export volume of EUR 969 billion or one Since 1991, the ratio of exports booked by the key exporting sec- third of GDP in 2007, Germany is the biggest exporter of tors has risen appreciably, testi- goods worldwide, and as such is considered to be the fying to German companies’ “export world champion”, more of a global player than strong competitive edge. Take the mechanical engineering sec- almost any other country and more strongly linked to the tor, for example: There, between global economy than many other countries. More than 1991 and 2006 the export ratio every fourth euro is earned from exported goods and climbed from 52 percent to 77 percent, while in the chemicals services – and more than every fifth job depends on for- industry it soared from 50 per- eign trade. The most important economic centers in the cent to over 70 percent. In the country are the Ruhr region (formerly characterized by automobile industry the jump was from 43 percent to 72 per- heavy industry, it is developing into a hub for high-tech cent, and in the electrical indus- and service providers), the Munich and Stuttgart conur- try from 31 to 47 percent. The bations (high-tech, automobiles), the Rhine/Neckar overall export ratio comes to 35 percent and Germany’s share region (chemicals) Frankfurt/Main (finance), Cologne, of total world trade stands at a Hamburg (port, Airbus construction, media) Berlin and nine percent. Leipzig. Most recently, the German economy has seen a robust upturn, growing 2.5 percent in 2007. The increase in corporate investments was especially pronounced at 8.4

90 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 91 6 The economy

Economic policy percent. The economic growth, stimulated by factors both managers Germany is the leading country in Europe. On an International investors In line with the federal system, inside and outside Germany, sparked a reduction in the international country comparison, Germany does especial- Foreign firms value the structuring and coordinating strengths of the German market: economic and financial policy is number of registered unemployed. In December 2007, the ly well as regards R&D, skill levels and logistics. Moreover, it Some 22,000 international the joint task of central govern- figure was 3.4 million, the lowest December level since enjoys a central geographical position, offers strong infra- companies operate here, ment, the federal states and 1992. A series of factors contributed to the favorable structure, legal certainty, and the right workforce. From including the world’s top 500. municipalities. They cooperate Between 2007 and 2010, Span- Economic in various committees. Further- economic development and labor-market trend. 1996 to 2007, foreign direct investments (FDI) in Germany ish telco Telefónica O2 Europe more, the Federal Government policy has improved the overall conditions and companies totaled US$ 473 billion, including major commitments by alone intends to invest EUR 3.5 seeks the advice of independent have sharpened their competitive edge. Thus, ancillary corporations such as General Electric and AMD – Germany bilion in expanding its fixed-line economists. Every January and mobile phone infrastructure the Federal Government pres- wage costs have been reduced, the labor market made thus places fifth in the FDI league tables. in Germany. Among the major ents to the Bundestag and more flexible and red tape slashed. Moreover, in 2008 cor- The labor force’s high level of qualifications is seen foreign investors are Californian the Bundesrat the Annual Eco- poration was reformed, further easing the strain on as an important plus point. Some 81 percent of those in chip producer Advanced Micro nomic Report, which among Devices (AMD), which in 2006-9 other things describes the gov- corporate Germany. Companies have at the same time employment have undergone formal training, and 20 per- is investing some EUR 2 billion ernment’s economic and finan- optimized purchasing and cost structure, invested in inno- cent hold a degree from a university or institute of higher in expanding its chip factory in cial goals for the year as well as vative products, and are fitter to compete. education. The “dual system” for vocational training pro- Dresden. In 2006, a total of US$ the fundamentals of its planned 42.9 billion was committed in economic and financial policy. vides the bedrock here, combining on-the-job and college capital by foreign private corpo- One prerequisite for economic training, a policy which results in the well-known high rations in Germany. At the same An attractive location for foreign investments life in Germany being able standard of education. time, the number of registered to function is free competition, direct investment projects rose which is protected by the Germany is one of the most attractive countries world-wide 57 percent and thus faster than law against restrictions on for international investors, as is shown by recent polls of inter- in any other West European Technology leader in many sectors competition. national managers and studied by renowned international country. consultants. In a study in 2007, auditors and consultant The country is likewise one of the leading nations as Ernst & Young examined the appeal of Europe as an eco- regards several of the technologies of the future that have nomic region. They found that in the opinion of foreign exceptional growth rates. These include bio-technology,

+ The economy in facts and figures Germany ranks no. 3 in the world economy World export champions Attractive location High degree of competitiveness USA, Japan and Germany are the three countries Foreign trade as the powerhouse: The volume of German International companies put Germany among In terms of competitiveness, Germany is among the world with the biggest national economies exports makes the country the world’s no. 1 the top 5 investment targets worldwide leaders, placing no. 2 in a country comparison. Germany’s Countries that are the most attractive investment targets worldwide enforcement of ownership laws and general law and order 2006 gross domestic product (in US$ billion) 2006 Export volume (in US$ billion) (as a percentage of those polled) are considered to be particularly exemplary USA Germany 13,195 1,112 48 Japan USA USA Ranking of the world’s most competitive countries (BCI Index) 4,366 1,038 33 Germany China 2,916 969 26 China Japan Germany 2,645 650 18 USA Germany Finland Sweden Denmark Great Britain France Russia 1 2 3 4 5 2,399 490 12

OECD OECD Ernst & Young, Umfrage unter 672 ausländischen internat. tätigen Unternehmern

92 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 93 6 The economy FACTS – COMPACT

Transport routes (in kilometers) Railroads Germany 36,054 France 29,269 Germany – a place to do business I Great Britain 17,052 Germany is one of the most important countries in which Italy 16,288 Mobility and logistics Labor market to do business: with excellent conditions for entrepre- Germany boasts a highly-developed infrastructure. A closely Interstates About 40 million persons were gainfully knit network of more than 230,000 kilometers of roads, of which Germany 12,044 neurs, a modern infrastructure, and cutting-edge R&D employed in Germany at year-end 2007 – some 12,000 kilometers are interstates, as well as around France 10,379 and thus more than ever before. At the 36,000 kilometers of rail tracks, make Germany a hub for European Great Britain 3,609 same time, the number of unemployed long-distance freight. Frankfurt airport, the largest in continental Italy 6487 fell to below 3.5 million. This prime trend Europe, and a close network of regional airports, guarantee inter- was fostered by the strong economy, Inland waterways national access proactive labor market policies, lower Germany 7,565 ancillary wage costs, modest reforms to France 5,372 labor laws (in particular as regards pro- Great Britain 1,065 tection against dismissal) and stronger and welfare contributions Italy 1,477 investments in young people’s qualifica- Germany has long since ceased to be Eurostat Infrastructure tions a country with high taxation. Compared with other countries it has below-aver- age taxation and welfare contribution

levels. As regards income and earnings, Taxes in terms of economic output German Independent collective bargaining taxation levels are among the lowest of The collective wage bargaining European industrial countries partners – trade unions and Employment structure employers and employers’ associa- Labor market Income and earnings tax The vast majority of the approxi- (as a ratio of economic performance in 2005) tions – negotiate collective bar- Wages Location mate 40 million employed and gaining agreements. The state sets Germany Structure self-employed in Germany works 9.8 factors the general working conditions, in the service sector and in France though not how much workers are Qualifications manufacturing 10.4 “Made in Germany” is a quality seal paid. This and the settlement of Great Britain that attests to the fact that Germany other questions – such as vacation Labor and 14.3 Education levels is the market leader in several indus- and working hours – is left to col- employers Employment by sector (in percent) Switzerland 13.4 trial and commercial sectors. High lective bargaining. In some sec- Services tors, the state has mandated mini- 47.5 Sweden Innovation levels of education, high productivity 19.5 mum wages to be set by collective Manufacturing levels and the close networking of wage bargaining 25.4 USA industry, science and research make 12.5 Commerce, hospitality, transport this possible OECD Interests 24.9 Agriculture, forestry, fishing Share of the population with high level Trade unions and employers’ associations of schooling (2005, in percent) 2.1 The largest association of trade unions is the Deutsche Gewerkschafts- Statistisches Bundesamt R&D Germany bund (DGB), which has 6.4 million members. The DGB represents eight From the point of view of foreign com- 83 member trade unions, the largest is IG Metall. The employer associations panies Germany is the most attractive Great Britain are the unions’ partners in wage negotiations. Their umbrella organiza- 67 European country for R&D. In 2007, a tion, the Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA; France poll of international companies con- Confederation of German Employers’ Associations), represents some 66 ducted by Ernst & Young revealed that two million companies. Other business associations are: Deutscher Italy Germany was the favorite in terms of 50 Industrie- und Handelskammertag (DIHT; Association of German Cham- R&D facilities Spain bers of Industry and Commerce), Bundesverband der Deutschen 49 Industrie (BDI; Federation of German Industries) Attractive in terms of R&D in Europe OECD The largest trade unions (in millions of members) (as a percentage of those polled) IG Metall Germany 15 2.3 Great Britain 8 ver.di France 4 2.2 Netherlands 3 IG Bergbau, Chemie, Energie 0.7 Ernst & Young ver.di, IG Metall, IG BCE 6 The economy

Bright outlook: Germany The key industrial sectors Cluster offers rosy prospects A critical mass of companies for high-tech companies located in close proximity to one Industry accounts for 87 percent (2006) of total exports and another is referred to as a clus- is thus the engine driving foreign trade. The key industrial ter. Clusters are networks of sectors are car-making, electronics, mechanical engineering manufacturers, suppliers and research institutes created along and chemicals. Some 2.88 million people are employed in one and the same value-added these four sectors alone, which book sales of EUR 767 billion. chain. With regard to future As is the case in all western industrial nations, for several technologies in particular clus- ters are considered to be the years now German industry has been in the midst of struc- powerhouses driving innovation. tural transformation. Some traditional industries (steel, tex- Examples of successful clusters tiles) have in partly shrunk considerably in recent years, with are the automobile industry in Baden-Württemberg, the con- target markets now elsewhere and strong pressure from low- centration of medical technology nano-technology, IT and the numerous high-tech divisions wage countries, or, as in the case of the pharmaceuticals firms in Tuttlingen, the chip belt in individual sectors (aviation and aerospace, electrical industry, through M&As have come under foreign ownership. girdling Dresden and the bio- technology cluster in the Berlin/ engineering, logistics). Companies specializing in environ- Yet, industry continues to be the backbone of the German Brandenburg region, which Information and communications mental technology (wind energy, photovoltaic power and economy and in comparison with other industrial countries considers itself to be the leading technology (ICT) biomass generation) have emerged as front runners. The such as Great Britain and the USA is extremely broad-based life-science hub in Germany. Germany is a leading country in German environmental technology branch (wind energy, – eight million people work in industrial companies. ICT, with computer technology in place in 84 percent of compa- photovoltaics, bio-mass) is also well established in interna- nies and 71 percent of private tional markets, with manufacturers of wind energy plants homes. Germany is well above boasting a 50% share of the market (see chapter 7). Today, the European average, with 76 Information and communications technology SMEs, the backbone of the economy percent of the population using follows car-making a PC and 69 percent surfing and electronics/electrical engineering as the third largest the Internet. Today, Germany is sector of the economy. As regards bio- and genetic engi- The German economy is ing that the majority shareholder and manage- also the biggest mobile phone characterized first and fore- ment of the company are frequently one and neering, Germany is second to the United States world- and online market in all of most by around 3.6 million the same. Companies are often handed down Europe. 94 percent of house- wide and already has a knowledge edge in many fields of small and medium-sized from one generation to the next. Around 95 holds have a land line, and 81 nanotechnology. enterprises as well as the percent of German companies are family-owned percent at least one mobile self-employed and the independent professions. and almost every third company now has a However, it is not only major corporations such as phone, too. About 475,000 per- Some 99.7 percent of all companies are small woman at its head. In 2006 alone, 471,200 new sons work in the German ICT Siemens, Volkswagen or BASF that lay the foundations for and medium-sized enterprises. These are firms companies started up (compared with 430,700 sector, with Germany account- the German economy to be competitive in the international with annual sales of below EUR 50 million and a cases of bankruptcy). ing for six percent of the global payroll of less than 500. Around 70 percent of arena, but also tens of thousands of small and medium-sized ICT market. all those in employment work in this type of In support of SMEs the Federal government enterprises (so-called SMEs, with up to 500 employees) in the SME. enacted a bill creating more scope for SMEs, manufacturing sector, in particular mechanical engineer- easing the red tape they face and simplifying A look at the various economic sectors reveals procedures overall. The strengths of SMEs ing, the components industry as well as nano- and bio-tech- that 48.9 percent of all SMEs operate as service include the swift realization of marketable pro- nology, which frequently form clusters. With over 20 million providers, 31.4 percent in manufacturing, and ducts, an international focus, a high degree of employees these SMEs together easily constitute Germany’s around 19.7 percent in commerce. Most SMEs specialization and the ability to successfully are managed by the owners themselves, mean- claim niche positions in the market. biggest employer. They also provide the lion’s share of traineeships for young people.

96 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 97 6 The economy

Innovations Car-making: The strongest sector Electronics and chemicals: innovative and Vehicle construction has a sig- nificant lead in terms of sales lev- international els booked with new products. Car-making is one of the most important sectors in Ger- It alone accounts for almost man industry, accounting as it does for every seventh Companies in the electronics and electrical engineering sec- 28 percent of all sales of innova- employee and 17 percent of all exports. Thanks to its six tor are active in a whole host of areas, from electronic appli- tive products in the German economy. New products account renowned manufacturers VW, Audi, BMW, Daimler, ances via measuring technology to chip production. The for a full 56 percent of overall Porsche and Opel (General Motors), Germany takes its scale of research outlays here reflects the pronounced focus sales in the vehicle construction place alongside Japan and the USA as one of the top three on innovation. The figure came to EUR 9.4 billion in 2006, sector. automobile manufacturers in the world. Each year some with Siemens registering almost 1,500 international patents six million new cars roll off German lines, and German that year, placing third world-wide. The chemicals industry Modern production facilities for top-quality products: marques produce an additional 5.5 million vehicles out- is likewise a champion, and primarily makes intermediate Flexibility is prioritized in the side the country. products. Indeed, Ludwigshafen-based BASF is the world’s BMW works in Leipzig. In In particular, customers set great store by the tech- largest chemicals corporation. the factory the machines run for up to 140 hours a week nical innovations which vehicles “made in Germany“ fea- ture. All the car makers are now busy developing eco- Service providers: The single largest sector friendly engines such as a new generation of diesel motors, hybrid drives and further electrification of power Almost 28 million people work in the flourishing service sec- transmissions. tor in the broadest sense – around 12 million of them are

Reforms for economy and society Innovation for the future

The Federal government’s health, security, and mobility. The Federal German companies and the firms in Europe around 50 percent come from express aims are to buttress government seeks to tackle them with an over- researchers are busy trail- Germany. the upturn, continue public arching “high-tech strategy”: The worlds of blazing in all key industries of There are also more than 600 German compa- budget consolidation and science, business and politics are to join forces tomorrow. Nanotechnology nies operating successfully in the highly diverse unleash additional intrinsic to boost Germany’s technological prowess. In is considered to be “the” sector of biotechnology. Alongside other projects economic growth drivers. One of the tools to 17 “fields of the future”, such as bio-, nano- and technology of the future. It comprises research they address the development of new methods achieve this is a future fund of EUR 25 billion eco-tech, or ICT, alliances between science and construction in extremely small structures – and processes in biomedicine technology, bioma- that through 2009 will enable investments in and industry are set to tap new markets or a nanometer is a millionth of a millimeter. Nano- terial research, the food industry, pest control key areas such as traffic infrastructure, educa- expand existing ones. To this end, joint projects technology is working on the fundamentals for and innovations in the pharmaceutical and chem- tion, research, technology, as well as family between the two communities will be promot- ever smaller data memories delivering ever ical industries. promotion. Investment incentives are to be ed, with research findings being implemented greater capacity, for example for photovoltaic win- Germany is also a leader in environmental tech- strengthened and Germany’s appeal on an faster and tests for their economic feasibility dows, for tools that can be used to produce ultra- nology, accounting for some 19 percent of world international fiscal comparison are to be boost- involving less red tape. In pursuit of this goal, light engines and body parts in the automobile trade with its exports of goods for environmental ed by reducing bureaucracy, clearly cutting the Federal government is making some industry, and for artificial limbs that thanks to protection, and leads the way in the registration tax rates for companies, and simplifying compa- EUR 15 billion available through 2009. organic nano-scale outer surfaces are more com- of eco-patents with the European Patents Office. ny succession arrangements as regards inheri- patible with the human body. At a rough estimate, In order to build on these achievements, the fed- tance tax. The other major challenges of the the USA and Europe have the same amount of eral government is investing EUR 6 billion through day are climate protection, energy provision, companies engaged in nanotechnology. And of 2010 in R&D in the “technologies of tomorrow“.

98 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 99 6 The economy FACTS – COMPACT

Germany – a place to do business II CeBIT With 160 international trade fairs, Germany is an impor- Digital worlds: With over 6,000 exhibitors (50 per- cent of them from abroad) and 280,000 square tant “marketplace” for goods of all descriptions meters of exhibition space, CeBIT, which has been held for many years every spring in Hanover, is con- sidered to be the world’s leading IT trade fair www.cebit.de IAA The largest German industrial corporations Focus on mobility: With numerous worldwide pre- Who are the “biggest” in the country? With sales totaling over EUR 151 billion in 2006, The stock exchange and banks mieres and almost one million visitors the IAA Inter- DaimlerChrysler has a clear lead over its competitor Volkswagen (at the end of 2007 Frankfurt/Main is the leading banking national Automobile Show in Frankfurt/Main is the Daimler shed Chrysler). In terms of payroll Siemens leads the way. With 475,000 center in continental Europe, with largest and most important car show worldwide. It members of staff, the company is the largest private employer in Germany over 100 of the Top 500 bank institutes is held every two years, with the next event sched- based there. It is the seat of the Euro- uled for 2009 The largest German industrial companies in terms pean Central Bank (ECB), the German www.iaa.de of sales in 2006 (in EUR million) Bundesbank and the Frankfurt stock DaimlerChrysler AG exchange. Major German corporations 151,589 are traded on the Deutscher Aktien

Volkswagen Automobile 104,875 Index (DAX). Germany’s largest bank is Hanover Trade Fair IT Siemens Deutsche Bank, with a balance sheet The Hanover Trade Fair is the 87,325 total of EUR 1,126 billion and about showcase for industry: More Industry IFA Companies E.ON AG 69,000 employees than 6,400 exhibitors from Electronics Representatives of the entertain- 64,197 around 70 countries regularly ment and communications tech- BASF Group take part in the Hanover Trade nology sector meet each year at 52,610 Finance Fair. Every April they make the Germany - BMW Group the IFA International Broadcast- 48,999 fair one of the world’s most home to ing Fair in Berlin. With more than Thyssen Krupp AG important events for technology, trade fairs 1,200 exhibitors and over 47,125 featuring everything from Top brands from Germany 220,000 visitors, the IFA show- Robert Bosch GmbH process automation and pipeline Mercedes, BMW, SAP, Siemens, Volkswa- cases innovative entertainment 43,684 technologies to micro-system Best of gen, Adidas-Salomon and Porsche are technology RWE AG technology www.ifa-berlin.de 42,871 Germany among the highest valued brands www.hannovermesse.de Deutsche BP AG worldwide. In the international league Tourism 41,569 table of most valuable brands of 2007 Organization F.A.Z.-Archiv (Business Week) German companies are listed ten times, making them the sec- Brands ond largest group after the USA in the ITB Top 100 global trade marks Travel fever: The International Tourism Exchange Berlin is the name of the inter-

Service providers national tourism industry’s leading special- The large service providers ist trade fair. Every year more than 10,000 Deutsche Telekom AG (EUR 61.3 billion) exhibitors attend (80 percent of them from and Deutsche Post AG (EUR 60.5 billion) AUMA abroad) not to mention more than 175,000 clearly lead the way in terms of service AUMA, the German business community’s exhibitions and visitors providers with the highest sales. With The largest service providers in terms of sales trade-fair committee, is the leading association in the German www.itb-berlin.de 520,000 employees, Deutsche Post is (in EUR million in 2006) trade-fair segment. Its key task is to strengthen German trade also the largest employer in this busi- Deutsche Telekom AG fairs at home and abroad. AUMA also coordinates German busi- ness sector. Deutsche Bahn, the travel 61,347 ness’ trade fairs outside the country, among others on behalf company TUI from Hanover, the media Deutsche Post AG of the approx. 230 export platforms supported by the Federal 60,545 Group Bertelsmann and Deutsche government each year. The organizers under the AUMA umbrel- Deutsche Bahn AG Lufthansa, with sales totaling EUR 20 30,053 la also arrange over 200 annual trade fairs of their own in key billion and some 95,000 employees, TUI AG foreign growth regions follow 20,515 www.auma-messen.de Deutsche Lufthansa 19,849 F.A.Z.-Archiv 6 The economy

32,500 R&D staff in ahead of their competitors in terms of quality. To this end East Germany is catching up more than 30 countries: Germany currently commits around 2.5 percent of its Siemens is seen as the Productivity key innovation driver in GDP to research and development (R&D), considerably GDP per employed, Germany more than the EU average of around 1.8 percent (2006). in respective prices The Federal Government plans to increase spending on Old states New states R&D to three percent of the country’s GDP by the year 1991 45,235 20,150 2010. Moreover, Germany is also a leader as regards com- 2006 61,417 48,277 pany-financed R&D, where the figure comes to some USD

45 billion. Fixed asset investments The spirit of invention continues to thrive: In 2006, per citizen in euro investors and companies from Germany accounted for over Old states New states 11.7 percent of patents worldwide – putting the country at 1991 4,800 3,300 active in private and public service providers, almost ten mil- no. 3 in the international rankings. 2006 4,800 4,000 lion in commerce, the hospitality industry and transporta- tion, with six million working in financing, leasing and cor- Successful: Germany in the global economy porate services. The sector is another characterized by a Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Arbeit large number of SMEs, which account for a good 40 percent Given its high level of exports, Germany is interested in of the companies operating in it. open markets. The most important trading partners are Of total gross value added of EUR 2,094 billion in the country, private and public service providers already con- tribute EUR 468 billion (2006) and companies involved in Aufbau Ost – economic reconstruction in the East financing, leasing and corporate services generate an addi- tional EUR 618 billion. A key pillar of the services sector: bank- ing and insurance companies. They are concentrated in Following reunification of the Berlin/Brandenburg. The manufacturing indus- two German states in 1990 try has established itself as the new powerhouse Frankfurt/Main, which is home to both the European Central Germany faced a challenge driving growth. Production rates continue to be Bank (ECB), the guardian of the euro, the German Bundes- that was unique in history. high. As unit labor costs are lower than the West bank, and Deutsche Börse. Another sector is gradually emerg- The aim was to bring living German average and almost only cutting-edge conditions in both East and West closer together. technology is used, standards in this particular ing as a big hitter: culture. Also known as the creative indus- As almost the entire East German industry was sector are almost on a par with those in the old tries, the sector includes music, literature, art, film and the outdated, enormous efforts were called for to federal states. In 2005, per capita disposable performing arts, not to mention radio/TV, the press, adver- modernize it. Since reunification around EUR 80 income was around EUR 14,400 (EUR 18,500 in billion or around three percent of the GDP of the the old federal states) and has doubled since tising, design and software. Although there is no statistical entire country have been transferred annually. 1991. Nonetheless, fighting unemployment in base yet available, the creative industries have emerged as a However, the convergence process is proving to East Germany is still a challenge. Totaling EUR stable economic factor in many regions, such as Berlin. be more long-term than originally foreseen. In 156 billion, Solidarity Pact II, which came into the meantime, a small but efficient industrial force in 2005, provides the financial basis sector has developed in various high-tech cen- for the advancement and special promotion ters, so-called “beacon regions” in the five of federal states in East Germany until 2019. R&D as a driving force new federal states. These include the regions around Dresden, Jena, Leipzig, Leuna, and As Germany is a so-called high-wage country, it is partic- ularly important for German companies to be one step

102 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 103 6 The economy

Social market economy France, the USA and Great Britain. In 2006, goods and Operating worldwide: German companies are intimately famil- The Basic Law of the Federal services worth EUR 85 billion were exported to France, Republic of Germany does iar with the global market not call for any particular eco- EUR 78 billion to the USA and EUR 65 billion to Great and are well positioned in it nomic order. Yet it is firmly Britain. anchored in the principle of the In addition to trade with the original European welfare state and therefore excludes a purely free market Union member states, since the EU’s expansion eastwards economy. Since the founding (2004 and 2007) there has been a pronounced increase in of the Federal Republic of Ger- trade with the east European EU member states. In total, a many in 1949 the country’s eco- nomic policy has been hinged good ten percent of all exports go to these countries. The on the notion of the social mar- importance of trade and economic relations with emerg- ket economy. This concept is ing nations in Asia such as China and India is growing con- an attempt to find a happy medi- um between a pure market tinually. While German exports to these regions came to economy and socialism. The EUR 33 billion in 1993, the figure has now more than unions and employer associations is enshrined in the social market economy was tripled to EUR 104 billion (2006). The number of German institutionalized settlement of conflicts as outlined in developed and implemented by Ludwig Erhard, the first Minister companies in Asia rose over the same period from 1,800 to the collective labor law. The Basic Law guarantees the of Economics and later German 3,500, with direct investments more than quadrupling over social partners independence in negotiating wages, and Chancellor. The fundamental the same period. they accordingly have the right themselves to select the idea is based on the principle of freedom of a market economy, Germany is a social market economy, in other words: working conditions. • supplemented by socio-political The state guarantees the free play of entrepreneurial methods for keeping a due bal- forces, while at the same time endeavoring to maintain ance in society. On the one hand, the system is designed to the social balance. This concept is another strong reason enable market forces in principle why Germany enjoys such a high degree of social har- to develop freely. On the other, mony, something reflected in the fact that labor disputes the state guarantees a welfare network that protects its citizens are so rare here. On average between 1996 and 2005 the from risks. work force went on strike for on just 2.4 days per 1,000 employees and thus less than even Switzerland, which saw 3.1 days of strikes. The social partnership of trade

Information on the Internet

www.invest-in-germany.de Technology Web site provides data www.german-business-portal.info Thomas Straubhaar The Web site of the Invest in Germany from quality management to e-com- The BMWI services and information The Swiss professor of eco- GmbH federal agency provides legal, merce, infos and links (English, French, focus on the international community nomics is Director of the Ham- business and sector data, coordinates German) (English) burg Institute of International location processes with local partners, Economics (HWWI) and one and helps companies contact the right www.ahk.de www.ixpos.de of the most prominent econo- people (in six languages) The Web site of the German Chambers Ixpos presents a overview of services mists in Germany. of Commerce Abroad provides informa- promoting German foreign trade www.bmwi.de tion for German companies planning (German) The Federal Ministry of Economics and to invest abroad (English, German)

104 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 105 7

Changes in the atmosphere and climate system are among the greatest environ- Environment, mental and political challenges of the 21st century. Climate change, which has largely been caused by human activity, climate, energy is the global challenge. For many years now, Germany has been making efforts to avoid greenhouse gas emissions by way of anticipatory national climate change policies and by promoting renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. In the international arena, Germany is a forerunner in climate and energy policies and seeks to achieve ambitious emission-reduction goals.

106 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 107 7 Environment, climate, energy

Paths to a modern and sustainable climate and energy policy

By Joachim Wille

The protection of the environment and climate is among the global challenges of the 21st century and is accorded a prime status in German politics, media and civil society. Ger- many is internationally considered one of the forerunners in climate protection and a pioneer in developing renewable energies. And the government assumes an active role in envi- ronmental protection, climate-friendly development strate- Framework Convention on gies and energy partnerships at the global level, too. The Sec- Climate Change In global terms, the United retariat which supports the operation of the United Nations Nations Framework Convention Framework Convention on Climate Change is headquartered in on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Bonn. Since 1990, Germany has reduced its greenhouse gas and the Kyoto Protocol linked to it are the only internationally emissions by almost 20 percent and thus is already very close legally binding regulations on cli- to its obligations outlined in the Kyoto Protocol of a 21-percent mate protection. The 189 signa- tory countries at present meet Renewable energy is a must reduction by 2012. Germany places second in the global Cli- annually at the UN Climate if we want to save the cli- mate Change Performance Index 2008, compiled by inde- mate. It will play an impor- Change Conference. The best- tant role in the energy mix pendent environmental protection organization “German- known of these conferences took of the future watch”. For many years now, Germany has been following a place in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan and resulted in the Kyoto Proto- course which unites climate and environmental protection in col. It fixed the reduction of terms of sustainable management. The key: a dual strategy to greenhouse gas emissions of all increase energy and resource efficiency and to develop developed countries at a certain level. At present, the so-called renewable energies and raw materials. This promotes the post-Kyoto process is starting, development of innovative energy technologies both on the and will include negotiations on supply side, in power stations and renewable energy plants, climate change policy from 2012 until 2020. and on the demand side, where energy is used, for example, in household appliances, cars and buildings. Nature conservation (“the conservation and protec- tion of the natural foundations of life”) has been enshrined

108 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 109 7 Environment, climate, energy

as a state objective in Article 20a of the Basic Law since 1994. ited and they release no emissions which are damaging to Renewable Energy Sources Act Intact natural systems, pure air and clean waterways are pre- the climate. Renewable energies now make up 8.4 percent The Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) is intended to advance conditions for a high quality of life and of the environment (2007) of all German energy consumption and as much as 14 the development of energy sup- in Germany. Environmental indicators are pointing in a pos- percent of electricity consumption. Experts project a sys- ply facilities driven by self- itive direction as regards the prevention of air and water pol- tematic increase in the latter to a level of 25 to 30 percent renewing sources. The goal is to increase the percentage of lution, because many emissions have been considerably by 2020. With almost 30 percent of global wind energy out- renewable energies in electricity reduced in recent years. Greenhouse gas emissions from road put, Germany is considered the “world champion in wind consumption from the current traffic have been decreasing since 1999, despite a significant energy”. Photovoltaic technology, which is used to turn the level of 14.3 percent to a target corridor of 25-30 percent in increase in traffic; indeed, in 2005, for example, they were at sun’s rays into electricity, is likewise demonstrating a swift 2020. The EEG guarantees pro- the same level as in 1990. Outfitting motor vehicles with cat- rate of development and innovation. And biomass fuels such ducers compensation at fixed alytic converters is, along with other measures, partly respon- as biodiesel and bioethanol are being mixed with petrol in rates. The law, which came into force in 2000, is one of a series sible for a roughly 50 percent reduction in nitrous oxide emis- increasing quantities. of measures aimed at reducing sions. Sulfur dioxide emissions from coal and lignite power dependence on fossil fuels and “World champion in wind ener- stations were able to be slashed by 90 percent owing to the energy imports from outside Successful and exemplary: State subsidies policy the EU. 47 other states have gy” Germany: No other country mandatory flue gas desulfurization process. In recent years, produces a similar amount of adopted the basic features of electricity from wind power the daily per capita rate of drinking water consumption has The subsidies policy implemented as far back as the begin- the German EEG. also decreased from 144 liters to 126 liters, the second lowest ning of the 1990s makes the use of renewable energy Greenhouse gas emission rate of all industrialized countries. attractive and economical. The Renewable Energy Sources Act Roughly two thirds of global Fossil fuels still make up the backbone of the energy warming caused by humans (anthropogenic) can be attri- mix both in private households and for traffic and industry.

buted to carbon dioxide (CO2) With a 36-percent share, petroleum is the most important Nature conservation and biological diversity emissions. The gas is produced primary energy source, followed by natural gas, coal, when the fossil fuels gas, oil and coal are burned. They all nuclear fuel and lignite. Nuclear power, which is only used contain carbon (C) which com- in the electricity sector, where it accounts for around 25 per- There are around 45,000 by 2010. The 9th Conference of the Parties to the bines with atmospheric oxygen native animal species and Convention on Biological Diversity took place in cent of total generation, is being gradually phased out, in over 30,000 native species of Bonn in 2008. (O2) to form CO2. According to studies by the International accordance with a “nuclear consensus” concluded in 2000 land plants, mosses, fungi, Nonetheless, there is still much work to be done. Energy Agency (IEA), energy- between the federal government and electricity providers. lichens and algae in Germany. Around 40 percent of animal species and 20 per- related anthropogenic activity Nature conservation is a state goal in the Federal cent of plant species in Germany are deemed releases over 26 billion tons Republic and is entrenched in Article 20a of the endangered. The reasons include the destruction Basic Law. There are thousands of designated and disintegration of their habitats by housing of CO2 into the atmosphere Trailblazing and efficient: Renewable energy every year. In addition to car- nature conservation areas in Germany, as well as estates and road construction, the intensification 14 national parks and an equal number of bios- of agriculture and forestry, pollution and excess bon dioxide, other greenhouse Against the background of the consequences of climate gases regulated by the Kyoto phere reserves. In addition, Germany is party to fertilization. The percentage of organically man- Protocol are nitrous oxide, change, which science has described in vivid detail and nine global, 11 regional and almost 30 internation- aged areas has continually increased in Germany methane, fluorocarbons and which include increases in temperature, floods, droughts, al agreements which strive to conserve the envi- from 4.9 percent in 2006 and is projected to rise sulfur hexafluoride. ronment. In Johannesburg the heads of state and to 20 percent in the medium term. Consumers are accelerated melting of the polar icecaps and species extinc- government pledged to significantly reduce the also recognizing the value of organic products; in tion, as well as the constantly increasing global consumption current rate of loss of biological diversity by 2010. late 2007, a total of 42,825 notifications of organ- of fossil fuels, renewable, climate-friendly alternatives are At the Göteborg Summit in 2001, the EU was even ic products had been sent to the Bio-Siegel infor- more ambitious resolving to stop biodiversity loss mation center for official recognition. becoming increasingly more significant. The availability of wind, water, sun, biomass and geothermal energy is unlim-

110 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 111 7 Environment, climate, energy

Integrated Energy and (EEG), a market incentive program to foster the use of markets. Now, every third solar cell and almost every sec- Climate Program renewable energy, is considered the driver of the boom in ond wind turbine come from Germany. In 2007, more than The Federal government intends to reduce German greenhouse climate-friendly energy sources and many countries have 250,000 people were working in the renewable energies gas emissions by 40 percent by adopted its basic features. The increased use of renewable industry. In addition, there are around one million more 2020 with an Integrated Energy energy and a more efficient use of energy also form the jobs in environmental technology, which includes water and Climate Program. The pro- gram encompasses measures in core of the Integrated Energy and Climate Program, which the purification, filter technology, recycling and renaturaliza- 29 fields ranging from the pro- German government adopted in late 2007. The objective of tion. Another job driver are companies, too, which in motion of co-generation (facili- the climate program, which has several stages, is to further times of rising energy prices are focusing on energy effi- Environmental technologies ties which generate electricity as job drivers: The eco-industry and heat at the same time) and separate economic development from emissions, to signif- ciency technologies (power stations with higher levels of is projected to be one of the of renewable energy to the con- icantly increase energy efficiency and to guarantee safe efficiency, combined generation of electricity and heat, most important job sectors in tinued development of carbon energy supplies. This self-set climate package is intended to energy efficient construction, energetic building renova- only 15 years time capture and storage technology (CCS), i.e., the separation and ensure that CO2 emissions are reduced by 40 percent of the tion, energy-saving cars). According to information from storage of carbon dioxide which 1990 level by 2020. Germany has thus put itself at the top the International Energy Agency (IEA), Germany is accumulates in the power-gen- of the international leader board; no other comparable already in the top group of countries which demonstrate eration process. The Federal government is pursuing three industrialized country has a similarly ambitious and con- a substantial economic performance with relatively low central goals with the Climate crete program. energy use. A study by the renowned corporate consult- Program, namely, improving ants Roland Berger states that by 2020, the environmental safe energy supplies, cost-effec- tiveness and lowering environ- Innovative and good for exports: Green technologies industry may provide more jobs than the machine con- mental impact. struction and automobile industries, which still employ a These measures not only serve to protect the environment, great many people today. Moreover, two thirds of the pop- but also to promote the development of an innovative ulation are convinced that consistent environmental poli- future industry, which is a real job creator, is highly inter- cies have a positive influence on the competitiveness of nationally competitive and increasingly active in foreign the economy.

+ Energy and the environment in facts and figures Greenhouse gas reduction: Europe is making headway Energy intensity: Efficient Germany “World champion in wind energy”: Germany Carbon dioxide: emissions avoided

The EU still has to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approx- With an energy input of 98 kilograms of oil equivalent, Germany With an installed capacity of 20,622 megawatts, Germany In 2007, renewable energies reduced CO2 emissions in imately 11.5 percent in order to achieve a 20 percent reduction achieves an industrial added value of USD 1,000 is the world’s largest market for wind energy Germany by 115.3 million tons – and it is set to increase on the 1990 level. On comparison, the EU is doing well Germany 98 Japan 99 EU-27 Germany 115.3 11.5% United Kingdom 99 20,622 101.3 Japan Italy 131 Spain 85.1 24.9 % 11,615 France 140 USA USA 30.9% USA 152 11,603 Australia Australia 188 India 36.0% Spain 191 6,270 Canada South Korea 192 Denmark

UNFCCC, IEA/OECD, Global Wind Energy Council, BEE Council, Energy Wind Global IEA/OECD, UNFCCC, 36.8% 3,136 2005 2006 2007 Poland 278

112 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 113 7 Environment, climate, energy

Necessary: International cooperation on the climate as China, India, South Africa, Brazil and Mexico in pro- UN Climate Council IPCC tecting the climate too. This is a decisive point, for accord- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is an Climate change, the hole in the ozone layer and the pollu- ing to forecasts by the United Nations Climate Council IPCC, international group of hundreds EU climate protection objectives tion of the seas do not stop at national borders, therefore the global CO2 emissions must be halved by 2050 if global of experts and representatives of In early 2008, the EU Commis- protection of the environment and climate is an important warming is to remain manageable in this century. As over 100 states, who analyze sion presented its proposals for climate change on Earth for the realizing the EU climate and task for the international community of nations. such, it is necessary to prevent the average global tem- United Nations and propose energy package in national quo- Thus the German EU and G8 presidencies in 2007 perature rising by more than 2°C. This goal will not be measures to counter it. The tas. Germany will make an made climate protection objectives and energy policy two of their achieved by the Kyoto Protocol, which came into force in fourth report of the IPCC was above-average contribution to published in 2007. Fundamental- cutting greenhouse gas emis- main goals. The European Council, with its challenging res- February 2005 and in which only the industrialized coun- ly, it stated that man is exacer- sions in Europe. In the sectors olutions in March 2007 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, tries were bound to a CO2 reduction of 5.2 percent by bating the greenhouse effect and traffic, buildings and agriculture, and the declaration of the G8 Summit in Heiligendamm, Ger- 2012. As part of the “post-Kyoto process,” the German gov- increasing the temperature of a reduction of 14 percent in the planet and must take decisive carbon dioxide emissions by many, where heads of state and government pledged “to ernment is calling for a successor protocol with more action to counteract these 2020 is projected for the Federal seriously test” the objective to halve greenhouse gas emis- demanding obligations to reduce emissions. It would occurrences. Many scientists Republic. The percentage of sions by 2050, were important steps towards a global answer expire in 2020 and achieve a reversal of the trend on a from Germany have contributed renewable energy in Germany’s to the UN IPCC’s climate report. entire energy consumption is to climate change. Accordingly, the EU intends to reduce global scale. In late 2007, the UN Climate also projected to double, from emissions of greenhouse gas such as CO2 by at least 20 per- The Climate Change Conference in Bali in late 2007 Panel was awarded the Nobel 9 percent (2007) to 18 percent, cent compared to the 1990 level by 2020, or by 30 percent if laid the foundations for this. After complex negotiations, Peace Prize together with Al by 2020. Gore. Leading German institutes other industrial nations commit to similar reductions. It also over 180 countries agreed to a negotiation framework for which focus on climate change intends to increase the share of renewable energy to 20 per- a regime that will succeed Kyoto. The developed nations include the Max Planck Institute cent and lower energy consumption by 20 percent by means want to significantly increase their efforts and, for the first for Meteorology, the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and of improved energy efficiency. Emissions trading with CO2 time, developing and emerging nations also want to take Marine Research, the Wuppertal pollution rights for industry and electricity providers is to be measures to control their CO2 emissions. In addition, in Institute and the Potsdam Insti- an efficient and precise instrument in achieving these objec- 2008 an adjustment fund was started, designed to help tute for Climate Impact Research. tives. The EU has been testing this measure since 2005, which developing countries combat the consequences of global covers around half of greenhouse gas emissions. warming. The adjustment fund, managed by the World The German Federal Government’s seeks to active- Bank and the Global Environment Fund (GEF), is projected ly involve economically advanced emerging nations such to hand out an annual sum of USD 300-500 million by 2012. In cooperation with the Federal Ministry for Development, The topic on the Internet during the German G8 Presidency 2007, the World Bank www.bmu.de on the environment regarding virtual- PIK is part of the Leibniz Association created a “Forest Carbon Partnership Facility,” to which Joachim Wille The Federal Ministry for the Environ- ly all issues of environmental protec- and is supported equally by the Feder- Germany has committed EUR 40 million. It is intended to is editor of the politics ment, Nature Conservation and tion. The UBA Web site provides infor- al Republic of Germany and the State department and reporter compensate developing countries if they stop felling trop- Nuclear Safety (BMU) presents on its mation on relevant environmental of Brandenburg (German, English) for the daily newspaper Web site the most important political topics (German, English) ical rainforests. “Frankfurter Rundschau.” fields of action (German, English) unfccc.int States have given themselves until the end of 2009 to www.pik-potsdam.de Website of the United Nations Frame- pave the way for a new climate change agreement. Then www.umweltbundesamt.de The Potsdam Institute for Climate work Convention on Climate Change The Federal Environment Agency Impact Research (PIK) investigates cli- with relevant information (English, they plan to pass the successor to the Kyoto Protocol in (UBA) is Germany’s central authority mate change in all its complexity. The French, Spanish) Copenhagen. •

114 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 115 8

Germany is a land of ideas. Education, science and research play a central role Education, here. In a Europe free of borders and a world of globalized markets, education lays the basis enabling us to exploit the science and opportunities open borders and world- wide knowledge networks offer. The German education and university sys- research tem is undergoing a profound process of renewal that is already bearing fruit: Germany is one of the countries most preferred by foreign students, a hub of cutting-edge international research and a constant source of new patents.

116 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 117 8 Education, science and research

Innovative research: Germany is blazing The international the way in many technologies of the future competition for the best brains

By Martin Spiewak

Famed minds such as Humboldt and Einstein, Hegel and German universities Planck laid the foundations for Germany’s reputation as a In Germany there are currently some 1.98 million students land of scholars and as the “country of thinkers and poets”. enrolled at institutes of higher As early as medieval times, scholars from all over Europe education, of which 946,000 are made the pilgrimage to the newly founded universities in women (48 percent). There are 383 such institutes, including 103 Heidelberg, Cologne and Greifswald. Later, following the universities and 176 universities university reforms carried out by Wilhelm von Humboldt of the applied sciences. As insti- (1767–1835), the German universities actually became consid- tutions the state universities are run by the individual federal ered the ideal example followed by discerning academics states. Together with the USA elsewhere. and Great Britain, internationally Humboldt conceived of the university as a venue for Germany is one of the most pop- ular countries in which to study. the independent pursuit of knowledge. It was there that research and teaching were to meld in a single unit, i.e., only those professors were meant to teach students who There are now almost as many had themselves through their own research work pene- female as there are male students trated to the core of their discipline. Humboldt felt this would guarantee the due depth and breadth of knowledge. At the same time, professors and students were to be free of any state censorship and able to dedicate themselves solely to science and scholarship. Anyone wanting to make a career for themselves in science had to have spent some time as a student in a Ger- man laboratory or lecture hall. In the early 20th century, about one third of all Nobel Prizes were won by German scientists. Their innovations changed the world: the theory of relativity and of nuclear fission, the discovery of the tuber- culosis bacillus or of X-rays.

118 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 119 8 Education, science and research

“Heading for the future Among other things, the United States has German society is at present undergoing such major changes as is University ranking on the basis of a Oldest university: Ruprecht long-standing tradi- researchers to thank for the fact that today it is the the education system. Karls University, Heidelberg, tion”: The Ruprecht leading scientific nation on earth. Hundreds of Ger- The goal of the reforms: to strengthen research founded in 1386 Karls University in man scholars, many of them, such as Albert Einstein, and teaching to better face the ever fiercer international Biggest university: Cologne Heidelberg University, with 45,600 students Jews, found a new home at an American university or competition and to reclaim Germany’s leading position. Most attractive university for top research institute when fleeing the Third Reich. By contrast, Changed legislation on universities grants each university international research: University of Bayreuth, according to the Important degrees for the German research community, their emigration was greater scope, and established professors are being paid Alexander von Humboldt Founda- Bachelor’s a severe loss that is still felt today. more clearly according to their performance. Each big- tion-based research ranking Master’s name university tries to give itself a keener profile, and Universities with greatest research Diploma activities: Technical University of Magister various rankings on university quality and popularity Reforms to meet the international competition Munich and the University of Hei- State examination enhance competition. delberg according to CHE Doctorate Globalization is also creating new challenges for the Ger- The so-called “Excellence” initiative for German uni- research ranking man scientific and university community. The policymak- versities also furthers this goal, too. For five years, the univer- Biggest private university: Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt ers and universities have taken the initiative, with a series sities selected by an independent group of experts together with 4,800 students Bachelor’s and Master’s of reforms to adapt the university system to the new inter- receive just short of EUR 2 billion. The money is dedicated to In many cases in practice both German Research Foundation old and new courses and degrees national standards. These innovations are in the process promoting post-grad schemes, outstanding centers in specific (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) are at present on offer at the of fundamentally shaking up the German academic world. fields of research (excellence clusters) and the research port- The DFG is science’s central self- governing organization. It sup- same time. In winter semester Be it the switch to staggered degrees such as Bachelor’s and folios of nine top universities. This “elite” includes the LMU 2007-8 a total of 6,886 Bache- ports research projects, whereby lor’s and Master’s courses Master’s degrees or the introduction of tuition fees and and TU in Munich, TU Karlsruhe, RWTH Aachen and the uni- funds are channeled primarily were on offer at German uni- selection tests, be it the emergence of private facilities for versities of Konstanz, Göttingen, Heidelberg, Freiburg, and into institutes of higher edu- cation. It also promotes collabo- versities, meaning that about academic training or the stronger strategic alliances the FU Berlin. 61% of all courses have now ration between researchers been switched over to the new between universities and institutes outside the higher edu- The German Research Foundation (DFG) is the main and advises parliaments and structure. cation system – it is safe to say that hardly a section of financial backer and primarily responsible for organizing authorities.

+ Studying in Germany – the key facts at a glance

The most popular subjects Appealing to the international elites of tomorrow Most popular countries to study in Increasingly international degrees Of the approx. 300,000 new students enrolled for the winter In the winter semester 2006-7, about 250,000 foreign students were Worldwide a good 2.73 million students attend foreign univer- Most students opt to graduate with a Magister or a Diploma, but Bach- semester 2006-7, around 146,000 were women enrolled at German universities, and around 55,000 were studying at sities . Germany is one of the most popular places to study elor’s and Master’s programs are becoming ever more popular one of the ten universities most favored by international students: Business administration Teacher-training Bachelor's LMU Munich 6,793 USA 21.6% graduates 22,917 5.7% Frankfurt/Main 6,081 Great Britain 11.7% 10.0% Master's 4.2% Mechanical Engineering Duisburg/Essen 5,962 Germany 9.5% 14,168 Ph.D.s and Literature TU Berlin 5,655 France 8.7% 9.1% 13,086 Cologne 5,535 Australia 6.5% Law TH Aachen 5,363 Japan 4.6% Degree/Magister 11,664 37.3% Hamburg 5,217 Russia 3.3% Business Engineering 9,645 FU Berlin 4,936 Canada 2.8% The new Bachelor’s and Master’s Heidelberg 4,840 New Zealand 2.5% Degrees from uni- programs are not yet reflected in graduation figures. In 2003 only Mainz Belgium 1.7% versities of the 4,596 applied sciences 5,500 such degrees were awarded, in 2006 26,000-plus. No. of foreign students 2005 31.0% Quelle: Statistisches Bundesamt, OECD Bundesamt, Quelle: Statistisches

120 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 121 8 Education, science and research

this Excellence Initiative. One section of the latter in partic- ing distance or large and spread across a pulsating ular promises to have a long-term impact: The idea is to metropolis – today almost every larger German city has its reward reform concepts put forward by a university and out- own college or university. The state of North Rhine-West- lining how in the years to come it intends to emerge at the phalia alone has over 15 universities, 27 universities of the pinnacle of international research. In other words, gone are applied sciences and 8 art academies. Many of them were Research at higher education institutes the days when the university system was based on largely founded in the 1960s and 1970s, the age of major expan- Based on the principle of “the egalitarian principles and research and teaching were essen- sion in tertiary education, when within the space of only unity of research and teaching”, tially on an equal footing in every German university. two decades, the number of students exploded by a factor German universities are not only establishments for teaching stu- of five, with the figure for female students rocketing most. dents, but are also engaged Today, they have almost overtaken the number of their The tertiary education system in top-level research. A pre-requi- male counterparts. site for this is close collaboration between scientists and research After the Second World War, an academic community Today, some two million young people study in Ger- institutes both inside and outside arose that was more broadly diversified than ever before, many. More than one third of every age set enters tertiary A university degree – the launchpad Germany. The universities are a fact stimulated by German reunification in 1990. Anyone education, and the ratio is growing. Nevertheless, Germany financed by public funds, founda- for a successful career tions and research work commis- wanting to study in Germany is able to choose between is still below the international average, firstly owing to the sioned by third parties. 383 higher-education institutions that are spread across relatively low ratio of pupils who obtain a high-school the entire country. Be it in cities or in the countryside, tra- leaver’s certificate and secondly as just one third of the lat- ditional or highly modern, small with everything in walk- ter group opt for vocational training in the tried-and-true dual system (see p. 129). This provides training for many pro- fessions that would require a university degree in other countries – such as for crafts/technical careers or for techni- School education cal and auxiliary medical jobs. Again, unlike many other countries, private universities Good initial opportunities for Realschule covers grades 5 to 10 and is halfway play a comparatively subordinate role: 96 percent of stu- Private universities everyone are a key prerequi- between Hauptschule and a Gymnasium. The chil- dents attend public institutions that are subject to state In addition to the non-state fund- site for education and achieve- dren leave with a “Mittlere Reife” certificate. ed, denominational institutes ment. German schooling is Gymnasium provides in-depth education. Pupils supervision and control and are essentially open to anyone of higher education, a number of th th based on nine years of compul- graduate from Gymnasium after the 12 or 13 who has a high-school leaver’s certificate (or a comparable state-recognized, private educa- sory education for all children. Attendance of all grade with a High-School Certificate. certificate) that authorizes them to enter university. Since the tional establishments have been government schools is free of charge. Once chil- Lessons in German schools tend to be in the founded since the 1970s. There dren are aged six, they as a rule attend primary mornings but the Federal Government has provid- 1970s, alongside the state universities and theological col- are now 110 – mostly small – school for four years, before going on to a variety ed EUR 4 billion to support the creation of all-day leges, countless non-state-funded, non-denominational uni- non state-funded higher educa- of secondary schools: Hauptschule, Realschule, schools. Since 2003, this money has been used versities have been founded, financed by tuition fees and tion institutes, including 13 pri- Gymnasium. The standards and weighting of to support more than 6,000 schools in effort to vate universities such as the practical versus theoretical lessons differ. There upgrade or establish day-long instruction. For- donations. European Business School in are also Gesamtschulen, in which all children of ward-looking support at the pre-school level and Oestrich-Winkel, and the Private compulsory school age are taught in parallel more language classes are likewise intended to University of Witten/Herdecke, classes, depending on their particular abilities. enhance the quality of education. A Standing Con- Technical universities and universities of the as well as 15 theological universi- Children can easily move from one stream to ference of the Ministers of Education and Cultur- ties. another as they improve. In Hauptschulen, grades al Affairs of the Länder coordinates schooling, as applied sciences 5 to 9 are compulsory, and 10th grade is voluntary. each Federal state has its own school laws. While the classic university is dedicated to pure science and scholarship and covers the entire spectrum from ancient

122 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 123 8 Education, science and research FACTS - COMPACT

1876 Inventions and Innovations 1930/1931 The ideas country: From the bicycle to the MP3 format On March 25, 1876 Carl von Linde Television (1842–1934) was awarded the — German inventors and inventions shape today’s world. On Christmas Eve, 1930 Manfred patent for the first refrigerator, von Ardenne (1907–1997) was the Innovations “made in Germany” at a glance which used ammonia as a cool- first person to succeed with ing agent. In 1993, German com- an electrical television broad- pany Foron introduced the cast. Today, 95 percent of world’s first CFC-free “Green- German households have a TV. freeze” refrigerator Average viewing time per day 1854 is about 220 minutes Light bulb The clockmaker was well ahead of his day. For in 1854, when Heinrich Göbel (1818–1893) 1876 1796 caused bamboo fibers to glow in a vacu- Otto engine Homeopathy um, there was still no electrical grid. Take in, condense, ignite, work, 1891 Heal a disease with something similar Today, some 350 million light bulbs are expel: Nikolaus August Otto (1832–1891) Glider to it: This was the idea Samuel Hahnemann sold each year has gone down in the annals of He realized one of mankind’s oldest (1755–1843) used to create the principle technology as the inventor of the dreams: In 1891, Otto Lilienthal (1848–1896) of homeopathic therapy. Today, just under four-stroke engine, accelerating managed in gliding in the air for 25 40 percent of Germans have used this the pace of motorization meters. Today, some 7,850 unmotorized soft form of medicine gliders sail in Germany’s skies

1897 Aspirin On August 10, 1897 chemist Felix Hoffmann (1868–1946) synthesized a white powder that was soon to prove to be a “miracle treatment”: acetyl salicylic acid

1760 1780 1800 1820 1840 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 18th century 19th century 20th century

1817 The bicycle Karl von Drais (1785–1851) was especial- 1885 ly taken by the “two-wheeler princi- Automobile ple”. The bicycle was soon to They made society mobile: Carl become a success story world-wide Benz (1844–1929) and Gottlieb Daimler (1834–1900). Today, over 1861 46 million automobiles are reg- 1905 Telephone istered in Germany Theory of relativity The era of revolutionary He did not develop a product or invent a process. communications technology Instead he created a new idea of time and space. commenced with Philipp Reis Albert Einstein (1879–1955), who emigrated from (1834–1874). A mathematics Germany in 1933, was the first pop star of science. teacher, he was the first person His formula read: E=mc2 to transform sounds and words into electric current that could be reproduced elsewhere 8 Education, science and research FACTS - COMPACT

Innovations ”made in Germany” 1995 MP3 1957 For millions of kids today, Rawl plugs MP3 players are simply Simple but ingenious: the best. This method of This is the only way to audio compression was describe the invention 2005 developed by a team at of the plastic rawl plug. Airbus A 380 the Fraunhofer Institute For “patents world cham- A European success story under Karlheinz Brandenburg pion” Artur Fischer the with a lot of German tech- 2007 patent for his rawl plug nology: the Airbus A 380 is the Hard disk revolution was only one of over world’s largest airliner. Nine years after the discovery 5,000 that he has accu- Spring 2005 saw the maiden of the giant magnetoresistance mulated during his long flight of the giant of the air effect, Jülich-based physicist life as an entrepreneur Peter Grünberg and Frenchman 1939 Albert Fert won the Nobel Prize Jet engine for Physics. 1976 1994 As a student Hans von Ohain Liquid crystal display Fuel cell automobile (1911–1998) was already hunt- 1969 The future of monitors is As early as 1838, Christian Friedrich Schönbein ing for a new engine for air- Chipcard large and flat thanks to (1799–1868) developed the principle of craft. His vision: “thrust” was Under Patent DE 19 45777 C3 modern liquid crystals. the fuel cell. But not until 1994 did Daim- to be provided by propulsion. Jürgen Dethloff (1924–2002) and Darmstadt-based company ler-Benz AG exploit its potential for In 1939, the first jet airplane Helmut Gröttrup (1916–1981) opened Merck was the first to offer the world’s first fuel-cell powered car took off in Rostock the door wide to the informa- them for sale, in 1904. The tion society. As a check card, breakthrough came in 1976 phone card or patient card, with substances with today, your chipcard is a firm enhanced optical and part of everyday life chemical display proper- ties

1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20th century 2000 21st century

1941 Computer 1986 Because he did not like 1979 Scanning tunnel microscope maths tasks, Konrad Zuse (1910- Magnetic levitation railway It renders even atoms, the 1995) invented the first bina- The world’s first maglev ran in Ham- smallest pieces of matter, ry calculator: the Z3. The first burg. Today, the German “Transrapid” visible. German Gerd Binnig computer managed four travels at 430 kph from air- and Swiss Heinrich Rohrer were 2002 basic arithmetic functions in 1963 port to the CBD. The ingenious idea awarded the Nobel Prize for Twin elevators three seconds. It was the Scanner for magnetic levitation dates back to Physics for their invention in How can two elevator cabins move beginning of the digital age. The inventor of the precursor to fax machines Rudolf work in 1933 by engineer Hermann 1986. It was the decisive independently in one and the same Today, 240 million PCs are Hell (1901–2002) had first thought of dividing texts Kemper (1892–1977) breakthrough into the nano- shaft? They can thanks to a hyper- sold each year, alone eight and images into dots and lines back in the 1920s. His world modern control mechanism by the million of them in Germany Hell telegraph system was the first to transfer texts Thyssen Krupp company. Twin elevators and images over long distances. In 1963, he invented create a new dimension in facilities the first scanner for inputting color images management 8 Education, science and research

Wilhelm von Humboldt: 1995. Today, more than every tenth student comes from DAAD In Germany, he established abroad, the largest numbers coming from eastern Europe The German Academic Exchange the university as a home Service (DAAD) is an organiza- for the independent pur- and China. Germany is the third most preferred host coun- tion run jointly by the German suit of knowledge try for international students, following the United States institutes of higher education. Its and Great Britain. purpose is to promote relations between higher education insti- This success German universities have had in interna- tutes in Germany and abroad, tionalization is the product of the joint efforts of each and especially through exchange every university and politicians. Thus, an image campaign schemes between students and academics. As a rule its pro- for German universities was launched a few years ago grams cover all disciplines and together with university organizations. Moreover, with gov- countries and are open to Ger- Technical universities ernment support several universities have participated in man and foreign students in Universities with an especially equal measure. The DAAD sup- strong technical focus operate as founding partner universities in other countries, including ports a worldwide network of Technical Universities (TU) or studies through to economics, the technical universities (TU) Singapore (TU Munich), Cairo (Ulm and Stuttgart universi- offices, lecturers and alumni Technical Colleges (TH). They focus on engineering and the natural sciences. The TUs ties) and Seoul (the Weimar Academy of Music). As a rule, associations and provides infor- attach greater importance to mation and advice on a local basic research than do universi- have a sterling reputation as the forges of German engi- the DAAD, German Academic Exchange Service, lead man- basis. ties of applied science. The nine neering know-how and are especially popular among for- ages such foreign initiatives – it is dedicated to internation- leading TUs have joined ranks to form the TU9 Initiative. They eign students. al exchange programs for students and scientists alike, and have an especially strong inter- Since the late 1960s, another special institution has supports offices, lecturers or alumni associations in over 100 national focus and coordinate evolved in the German education system: the university of their countless study export offerings outside Germany. the applied sciences (FH). More than a quarter of all students in Germany attend a FH, or a so-called vocational academy Two-track vocational training as it is known in some German states – these collaborate closely with corporations. Students are attracted to the uni- versities of the applied sciences above all by the fact that the Germany’s two-track voca- wages, while the government bears the costs of track to a job is shorter – an FH degree course lasts three tional training system is quite the vocational schools. At present, 482,000 com- special internationally speak- panies, the public sector and the free professions years as a rule – and the curriculum is more practically ori- ing. On completing school, are busy training young people. Small and medi- ented. Stringently organized courses and regular examina- some 60 percent of young um-sized business provide more than 80 percent tions ensure that the average time spent obtaining a degree people in Germany move on to learn one of the of all traineeships. Thanks to the Two-Track Sys- 350 officially recognized vocations included in tem, in Germany the number of young people is less. This does not mean that there is any shortfall in schol- the Two-Track System. This entry into profession- without a profession or traineeship is compara- Internationalization arship – the approx. 176 universities of the applied sciences al life differs from vocational training based only tively low, and is only 2.3 percent of those in the There are currently 250,000 also conduct research, albeit with a strong focus on poten- in colleges such as customary in many other 15-19 age bracket. This combination of theory foreign students enrolled at Ger- countries. The practical part of the course takes and practical work guarantees that the craftsmen man higher education institutes, tial applications and industry’s needs. part on 3 or 4 days of the week in a company; the and skilled workers have prime qualifications. of whom approximately one in other 1 or 2 days are spent with specialist theoret- Vocational training is also a launchpad for a four gained the right to study ical instruction in a vocational school. The courses career that can, via advanced training, lead to there in Germany itself. However, International Orientation take 2-3.5 years. In-company training is support- participants becoming master craftsmen and there are also some 76,000 ed by courses and additional qualification facilities women. A new qualification track: advanced Germans studying abroad. Germany appeals to young people from all over the world outside the companies. Training is financed by the training alongside the job that can lead even as The most popular countries are companies, which pay the trainees/apprentices far as a university Master’s degree. Holland, Great Britain, Austria as a place to study. About 250,000 foreign students are and the USA. enrolled at German universities, 70 percent more than in

128 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 129 8 Education, science and research

Bologna Declaration countries. It also played a role in setting up hundreds of In 2005, a Federal Constitutional Court ruling overturned Admission restrictions In 1999 in Bologna, Germany, foreign-language courses (frequently in English) at German the traditional taboo on tuition fees. Hitherto, in Germany Given immense demand for some together with its European neigh- courses, nationwide admission bors, set itself the target of universities. it was (almost) only the state that paid for tertiary education. restrictions (numerus clausus) establishing a common European Moreover, an increasing number of departments are Since 2007, seven federal states have from the first semester hold. Since 2005, degree courses university system by the year switching their courses over to culminate in internationally onwards charged tuition fees, albeit relatively modest ones by subject to national admission 2010. This reform has resulted in restrictions are subject to pro- the transformation of degree recognized Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. By 2010, all uni- international comparison. Other Federal states also levy portional entry (“20-20-60”): 20 courses into the two-tier Bache- versities should have adopted this new degree policy – as tuition fees for students who have exceeded ten semesters or percent of places go to students lor’s and Master’s degree courses stipulated in the ”Bologna Declaration”, to which all European have opted after graduation to study another subject. with the best high school leavers’ and the introduction of credits in certificates, who can chose a uni- accordance with a system that is states are signatories. The idea is not only to facilitate stu- versity, and 20 percent are allo- recognized throughout Europe. dent exchanges throughout the continent, but also to make cated on the basis of how long Research in industry Europe a more interesting prospect for overseas academics. students have been waiting for a Albert Einstein place. Universities can restrict revolutionized our under- What has long since been the norm at art and music While it is the universities that are solely responsible for cours- access to 60 percent of places by standing of time and space academies is, according to the plan, in future also to be the es of study, needless to say in Germany research is also under- both average school leaver’s cer- practice at every university. Until recently, only a small num- taken outside the university. Thus, German industry is strong- tificate grades and criteria of their own. ber of departments chose their own students. A central ly engaged in research: Germany easily outpaced the other

office, the ZVS, handles allocation to universities of students European countries in the league table, with 24,000 registra- Tuition fees to those subjects with admission restrictions – nationwide tions for patents submitted to the European Patent Office. In Since 2007, the Federal states of these are at present Biology, Medicine, Pharmacology, Psy- the form of Siemens, Bosch and BASF, three German corpora- Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hamburg, Hessen, Lower Saxony, chology, Veterinary Medicine and Dental Medicine (and tions are among the world’s Top 7 in the international patent North Rhine-Westphalia and there are also special state-wide restrictions in North Rhine- registration league table. Germany is also well up in the glob- Saarland levy tuition fees as of Westphalia). An increasing number of universities are also al patent registration rankings for applied technologies such enrollment. Most have set the fees at EUR 500 per semester, issuing their own specific restrictions, and first testing or as automobile, mechanical, environmental, chemical, power but offer secured loans to interviewing applicants before awarding them places. and construction technologies. As regards registrations of finance them.

German Nobel Prize winners in the natural sciences and medicine

Leading the Patents table The total of 135,183 registrations for patents with the European Patents Office in 2006 can be subdivided as follows

Germany 24,867 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 France 8,010 Netherlands 7,327 USA 25.7 % Switzerland 5,418 Of the total 78 German Nobel Prize win- German Nobel Prize winners famed well 1 1901 Conrad Röntgen Great Britain 4,721 ners to date, 67 won the prize for serv- beyond their field. Christiane Nüsslein- 2 1905 Robert Koch Italy 4,197 ices to the natural sciences or medi- Volhard (Medicine), Horst L. Störmer, 3 1932 Werner Heisenberg Europe 48.5 % Total Sweden 2,550 cine. The first Nobel Prize for Physics Herbert Kroemer, Wolfgang Ketterle and 4 1995 Chr. Nüsslein-Volhard Belgium 1,817 went in 1901 to Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen Theodor Hänsch, Peter Grünberg (all 5 1998 Horst L. Störmer Japan 16.4 % Finland 1,678 for ”a new type of ray”. Robert Koch, Physics) as well as Gerhard Ertl (Chemi- 6 2000 Herbert Kroemer Max Planck, Albert Einstein, Werner cals) were recent German winners of 7 2001 Wolfgang Ketterle Denmark 1,248 Other 9.3 % Heisenberg and Otto Hahn were also this pinnacle of scientific recognition. 8 2007 Gerhard Ertl Austria 1,134 Quelle: Eurostat, 2003/Europäisches Patentamt 2003/Europäisches Quelle: Eurostat,

Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 131 8 Education, science and research

Max Planck Society patents for environmental protection, Germany leads the way What is rare at an MPI is by contrast the very source of life Leibniz-Gemeinschaft The Max Planck Society was world-wide, followed by the USA and Japan. for the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft institutes, namely close collab- Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz founded on February 26, 1948 – (1646–1716) was one of the last as the successor to the Kaiser oration with industry. There are about 80 such research facil- all-round scholars. The scientific Wilhelm Society set up in 1911 for ities, and they conduct applied research primarily into engi- range covered by the 83 mem- Research outside the universities the promotion of science. Max neering-related fields. Fraunhofer experts have one foot in ber institutes is correspondingly Planck Institutes undertake basic broad, extending from the hu- research in the natural sciences, Cutting-edge research is also being done at hundreds of the lab and the other in the factory, as their projects are as manities and economics through bio-sciences and social sciences scientific institutes that are grouped together in organiza- a rule commissioned by companies, specifically mid-sized to mathematics. The focus is on as well as the humanities. tions such as the Helmholtz Association, the Fraunhofer- corporations. applied basic research. The Leib- Together with partner universi- niz institutes employ more than ties, MPG has founded 49 post- Gesellschaft and the Leibniz Association. Precisely these The 83 member institutes of the Leibniz-Gemeinschaft 13,000 staff and have a total graduate and international Max- research institutes outside the universities offer leading are not only strong in the life and natural sciences, but also budget of about EUR 1.1 billion. Planck Research Schools. Half of research minds optimal working conditions that are as good trend-setters in the humanities, the social sciences and eco- the doctoral students come from outside Germany. as unparalleled the world over. Here, some of the most fruit- nomics. They include ifo-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, ful German minds are busy undertaking research and pub- which regularly publishes a business climate index, lishing highly original articles. This is especially true of the Deutsches Museum in Munich, one of the world’s leading Helmholtz Association With 15 research centers, an Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft 78 Max Planck Institutes (MPI). Be it searching for water on science and technology museums, the Bernhard Nocht Insti- annual budget of around EUR The society is engaged in applied Mars, the human genome project, or exploring human tute for Tropical Medicine in Hamburg, and Mannheim’s 2.3 billion and 26,500 members research. Its projects are com- behavior, the MPIs are at the forefront of things when it Institute of German Language, that provides scholarly sup- of staff the Helmholtz Associa- missioned by industry and serv- tion is Germany’s largest scientif- ice providers as well as state-run comes to exploring virgin scientific terrain. Since the Max port for advances to the German language. ic organization. It conducts institutions. Some 12,500 mem- Plank Society was founded in 1948 its scientists have won 17 A total of 15 high-tech German research facilities research into energy, the earth bers of staff are employed in Nobel Prizes and many other international awards. In 2007, are joined under the aegis of the Helmholtz Association; they and the environment, health, around 56 research facilities key technologies, the structure throughout the whole of Ger- the Nobel Prize for Chemistry was won by MPI Director Ger- are large and often extremely expensive institutions that of material as well as traffic and many. The amount spent on hard Ertl. The Max Planck Society is so appealing to them are well known internationally, such as the Gesellschaft outer space. research annually totals EUR 1.2 because of how it sees research: Each institute defines its für Schwerionenforschung (GSI), the German Cancer billion. Fraunhofer supports offices in Europe, the USA, Asia, own topics, is equipped with superb working conditions, and Research Center (DKFZ), the Deutsche Elektronen-Syn- and the Middle East. has a free hand when selecting staff. For many a scholar, chrotron in Hamburg (DESY) or the Alfred Wegener Insti- being appointed Director of an MPI is the pinnacle of his or tute for Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven. Every her career. year, the Helmholtz institutes attract thousands of foreign researchers, who wish to conduct physical or medical The topic on the Internet experiments in what are often facilities that are unique www.das-ranking.de www.hochschulkompass.de www.dfg.de worldwide. DAAD, the CHE Centrum für Hoch- This Web site offers information on Information on the German Research The Federal Government has a policy of targeted schulentwicklung and “DIE ZEIT” university study, Ph.D. courses and Foundation (English, German) support with which it wishes to get Germany moving for- Martin Spiewak offer a database with a detailed international collaboration in Ger- The journalist is the scientific ranking of German universities many (English, German) www.daad.de, www.studieren-in.de ward faster. Through 2010 three percent of GDP will be com- editor of ”Die Zeit”, a German (English, German) The German Academic Exchange Ser- mitted to R&D (2005: 2.51 percent). Moreover, the funding weekly. www.forschungsportal.net vice Web site provides information for for research institutes will by raised by three percent annu- www.bildungsserver.de Search engine run by the Federal Min- foreign students in Germany and on The information portal on the German istry of Research on research findings, scholarships (in 24 languages) ally through 2010 and EUR 6 billion will be invested in nano-, education system (German, English) Ph.D. theses (English, German) bio- and information technology. •

132 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 133 9

Germany has about 82 million inhabi- tants. It is by far the largest country in Society the EU in terms of population. Germany is a modern, cosmopolitan country. Its society is shaped by a plurality of life styles and truly different ethno- cultural diversity. Forms of coexistence have become more varied, and the scope individuals enjoy has become greater. Traditional gender roles have been dispensed with. Despite the social changes, the family remains the most important social reference unit and young people have very close bonds with their parents.

134 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 135 9 Society

German society – modern, pluralist and open-minded

By Rainer Geißler

German society is a modern, open-minded society: Most people – both young and old – are well-educated and enjoy a high standard of living, as well as sufficient freedom to be able to plan their lives as they themselves see fit. The nucle- us of their lives is the family, which is constantly adopting new forms. Yet society is faced with the challenge of solving important problems such as population trends – the ageing of society as well as immigration, which is increasingly var- ied in terms of ethnic culture. And there is one thing the Ger- mans still have to overcome: the effects of the 45 years dur- ing which the country was divided. Since political reunifi- Standard of living cation in 1990 much has happened, and yet restoring the Germany is one of the countries with the highest standard of liv- social unity of Germany will remain an important issue for ing in the world. According to the the foreseeable future. UN’s HDI Index, Germany is one of the most developed countries in the world in terms of life Population expectancy, degree of literacy and per-capita income. The With reunification Germany became the country with by healthcare system enables com- prehensive medical care, where- far the largest population in the European Union. Around by the social security systems 82 million people live on German territory, almost one fifth of the statutory health insur- of them in what was formerly East Germany. Three trends ances, care and accident insur- ance and unemployment sup- are characteristic of demographic developments in Ger- port protect people against many: a low birth rate, increasing life expectancy and an existential risks. ageing society. For 30 years now Germany has been witnessing few births: With slight fluctuations, since 1975 the num- ber of newborn infants has been approximately 1.3 chil-

136 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 137 9 Society

Life expectancy dren per woman. This means that for 30 years the gener- now: The traditional ”cross-generational contract“ is becoming While the average life expectancy ation of children has been smaller than that of their par- less and less affordable, such that private individuals are sup- in the early 20th century was about 46, a boy born today can ents. High rates of from other plementing it by making their own provisions for old age. In expect to reach the age of 77 societies prevented the overall population from shrinking addition, family-related measures to increase the number of and a girl as much as 82. accordingly. At the same time life expectancy has risen children are also being implemented. continuously, and is now 77 years for men and 82 years for women. Cross-generational contract Families The rise in life expectancy and, to an even greater This is the name of the system used to finance statutory pension extent, the low birth rates are the reason for the third trend: The family is still the first and most important social group insurance: employees today pay The ratio of young people in the overall population is of people and one of the most significant social institutions. proportional contributions decreasing, that of elderly people rising: In the early 1990s Over the years its importance as the nucleus of life has if any- toward the pensions of the gen- eration of retirees in the expecta- there were almost three people of an employable age for thing increased rather than decreased. For almost 90 per- tion that the coming generation every person over the age of 60. In the early 21st century, the cent of the population the family comes first in their list of will then pay for their pensions. ratio was only 1 to 2.2 and calculations indicate that within personal priorities. Young people also value it very highly: The first mandatory regulations on old-age security were made as the next decade the ratio will already be less than 1 to 2. The 72 percent of 12 to 25-year olds are of the opinion that being long ago as 1889. Today about ageing of society is one of the greatest challenges facing wel- happy is dependent on having a family. 80 percent of employed persons fare and family policy. For this reason the pension insurance Yet ideas about what form families should take, as pay into the statutory pension system. Alongside contributions scheme has been undergoing re-structured for some time well as their structure, have changed dramatically in the by the employers and employees, wake of social change. In the traditional family, the roles today the system is also funded played by a couple that was married for life, and bringing by government subsidies. Since 2002, statutory pensions have up several children, were strictly divided: the father was the been supplemented by state-sup- A sporting nation breadwinner, the mother a housewife. This “breadwinner” ported, private capital-backed model is certainly still lived out – for example in the lower old-age provisions. In addition to In 2006, Germany and guests ball in the 21 state federations. Their goal: the the state pension for employees, social classes, by migrants, or for a certain period of time, as from all over the world cele- Bundesliga, one of Europe’s strongest leagues. other forms of pensions and brated a “summer fairytale”: DFB is a member of DOSB, the German Olympic long as the children are still small – but it is no longer the insurances secure old age provi- The World Cup kindled a mar- Sports Confederation, which with its 27-million- predominant way of life. sions for civil servants and the velous mood in the stadiums odd members in 90,000 clubs is the world’s self-employed. A far wider range of forms of cohabitation has and streets among fans and largest sports organization. DOSB supports not others alike. And a continuation only high-performance but also mass sports. emerged. There is now far greater leeway in choosing beckons soon: In 2011, the FIFA Women’s The best-loved leisure time sports are, other between various family forms and even deciding not to World Cup will be held in Germany, which is the than football, gymnastics, tennis, shooting, ath- have a family at all. This is in no small way connected to defending champion. And the event is bound letics and handball. This sporting enthusiasm to be another great football party. As will be constantly produces new leading sports per- the altered role women play: Nowadays some 64 percent the IAAF 2009 Athletics World Championships sonalities who are at the forefront of things at of mothers are in employment. Families have become in Berlin. Football is Germany’s no. 1 sport: with the European and World Championships, not smaller. There are more instances of single-child families more than 6.5 million people in 26,000 clubs, to mention the Olympic Games. Germans are DFB, the German Football Association, is especially successful in the fields of athletics, than those with three or more children. Two-child fami- the world’s largest sports association. And it swimming, rowing, canooing, and riding. lies are typical. There are also increasing numbers of peo- is especially young people who are active: And Germany is one of the leading nations ple living alone or as a couple with no children. Almost More than 2.3 million boys and girls play foot- in the all-time medals table. one third of women born in 1965 still have no children today.

138 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 139 9 Society

The family continues to Despite the fact that nowadays instances of three genera- Equal rights be the key social institution tions of one family living under the same roof are very rare, In Germany, equal rights are enshrined in the Basic Law, it is there are strong emotional bonds between grown-up chil- legally impermissible to discrim- dren and their parents and between grandparents and their inate by gender as regards grandchildren. working conditions and pay, and there are numerous laws guaran- teeing the rights of women. Moreover, Germany is firmly Women and men committed to equal rights for both genders – relying on a wide- In Germany, as in other modern societies, there has been ranging network of state and Ways of life tremendous progress with regard to the equal rights for private institutions in this regard. There are many different ways women stipulated in the Basic Law. As such, with regard to With the introduction of gender mainstreaming, women’s politics of life in Germany, but most peo- education girls have not only drawn level with, but have ple, or almost 67 million, live has been integrated as a cross- in multi-person households, and indeed now overtaken boys. At grammar schools they disciplinary function into all gov- 16 million live on their own. Not only the ways of life, but also basic moral attitudes are account for 56 percent of graduates; the share of young ernment and local departments and agencies. Thus, the state More than 42 million live as par- undergoing change. Faithfulness to one’s partner remains women embarking on degree courses at university totals ent/child combinations, includ- is proactively advancing the cre- ing about 20 million children. an important value, but the norm of staying together for life almost 54 percent. Of the apprentices who passed their ation of equal conditions for Just short of 23 million people has become more relaxed. The expectations associated of a final examination in 2006, 43 percent were young women. men and women. These meas- live as couples, but without ures are being successful: Ger- partnership, on the other hand, have risen. This is one of the And more and more women are embarking on careers. th children. The latter includes pri- many places 9 best world-wide marily 39,000 men and 23,000 reasons for some 40 percent of marriages over the past few And the alimony laws in the case of divorce in force from in the UN’s GEM Index which women who live in a home with years ending in divorce. As a rule most people marry again 2008 make it all the more important for women to be measures women’s participation in business and politics. their same-sex partners. In of find another partner. There has also been a marked employed. Nowadays 67 percent of women in Western Ger- total, there are estimated to be some 160,000 same-sex part- increase in the number of couples living out of wedlock. many and 73 percent in Eastern Germany work. Whereas nerships in Germany. This form of cohabitation without actually being offi- as a rule men are in full-time employment women, espe- cially married is particularly popular with young people and cially those with small children, work part time. those whose marriage has recently failed. As a result the number of illegitimate children has also risen: In West Ger- Women in Germany many about a quarter and in East Germany more than half + Single parents of all children are born to unwed mothers. One result of this Girls with the best education Population (2006): 42.0 million of 82.3 million In around 90 percent of the 1.6- change is an increase in the number of step-parents and sin- 51.0% million families in which a single In recent years, major steps have been taken to ensure gle-parent families: One fifth of all households with children not only equal rights, but also factual equal opportuni- Traineeships (2006): 203,658 of 479,575 parent brings up the children, 42.5% that person is the mother. Many have single parents, and as a rule these are single mothers. ties for women. For many women, having a job is very of them are not employed or Over the past few decades the relations within fami- important. Two thirds of women are now in gainful High school leavers (2006): 136,874 of 244,010 employment, and this figure does not change greatly if 56.1% work part-time. In order to make lies themselves have also progressed. As a rule the relation- it easier for them to work, the they become mothers. Great progress has been made Graduates (2006): 134,069 of 265,704 50.4% plan is to further improve all-day ship between parents and children is exceedingly good and in training and education for girls – the key basis for care for children and care facili- for the most part is no longer characterized by obedience, their finding jobs. The number of young women holding Employed persons (2006): 16.9 million of 37.3 million higher qualifications and degree is now higher than 45.2% ties for the under-3s. subordination and dependence but rather by involvement that of their male counterparts. MPs/Bundestag (2007): 194 of 613 and equal rights, support, affection and being brought up to 31.6% be independent. Bundesamt Statistisches

140 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 141 9 Society FACTS – COMPACT

The three largest areas of Civil commitment Living in Germany voluntary service (in percent) Sport and Work and leisure time, family and commitment: Sport 11 Women in social Workers 19.7 Workers Self-employed 7.5 Civil servants 5.0 How Germans structure their everyday life, how Salaried staff 66.2 employment Upbringing 7 commitment (in percent) they spend their time, what is important to them Social causes 5.5 TNS Infratest and things they support More commitment Sport 70 percent of all Germans older than 14-years are active members of groups, clubs or organizations. Statistisches Bundesamt Furthermore, 36 percent undertake voluntary duties High proportion of women in employment In Germany there are some 37 million people in employment, The most popular types of sport (in million members) of which 7.4 million live in the new federal states and 17 million The Germans are a very sporty nation female. Women now account for 45 percent of those in employ- Sport is very popular in Germany. There are around 90,000 sports Soccer 6.3 Trend to more part-time work ment – in Eastern Germany as much as 47 percent. In other clubs with 27 million members. Football is the most popular sport. Gymnastics 5.1 More and more people are working words, about 68 percent of employable women are in jobs With a total of 26,000 clubs and 176,000 teams the German Football Tennis 1.7 part time: In spring 2006 these Association (DFB) is the largest individual body in the German Those in employment totaled 8.6 million, and now account Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB). Sport is financed by means Shooting 1.5 for 26.2 percent of those working of state funding and state contributions, voluntary service, private Athletics 0.9

for an employer. The majority of sponsors and membership fees Deutscher Sportbund those in part-time employment are women – mostly mothers – who do Work time 82 percent of all such jobs. This results in average weekly working hours for The major men of over 40 hours, and for women of Work and consumer leisure time expenses in only just 30 hours private house- holds Living is the biggest expense (in ) On average, private households in Germany have Statistisches Bundesamt Leisure time activities EUR 2,820 in monthly income at their disposal. Germans spend most of their money on accom- modation. However, a good 10 percent of income goes on the car and mobility in general, and the The most popular leisure time activities (in percent) same figure again on food and drink Almost one in three people lives in a big city Relaxing at home 70 Germany is one of the most densely populated Mobility 305 Food 263 Living 697 DIY/gardening 38 countries in the world. Munich has almost 4,200 timeLeisure 261 Going out 38 and Berlin 3,800 inhabitants per square kilometer, while in Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania there Sport 25 are only 73. Around 29 million persons or a good Cinema 25 35 percent, lives in small towns of up to 20,000 Culture 15 inhabitants. More than 30 percent live in big GFK cities with a population of more than 100,000, Statistisches Bundesamt of which there are 82 in Germany Six hours leisure time Home owners 39.1 Living Expenses Tenants 52.7 Nowadays people in Germany have more leisure time than ten years ago – on average The largest cities in Germany around six hours a day. They prefer spending (population in thousands) Home owners and tenants (in percent) this time at home, and relax for some two Berlin 3,404 hours watching TV or listening to music. Men Statistisches Bundesamt Hamburg 1,754 have almost half an hour more leisure time Living and than women Munich 1,295 residing Residing Home ownership Cologne 1,000 For Germans, owning the four walls they live in is still one of the most important ways of providing for old age. Today around 15 million of more than 38 million Frankfurt/M. 662 apartments are owner-occupied. The highest ratio of home ownership, namely 65 percent, is in communities with a population of less than 5,000

Statistisches Bundesamt 9 Society

Women in the world Women are well established in politics. In the SPD and CDU, of work: Women now account for 45 per- the two main parties, almost every third and fourth member cent of all employed respectively is female. The rise in the proportion of women persons in the Bundestag is nothing if not remarkable: Whereas in Peer groups: Central reference 1980 they made up just eight percent of all members of par- point for young people liament, in 2005 this figure had risen to almost 32 percent. The same year Angela Merkel became the first woman to become German Chancellor.

Youth

With regard to wages and salaries there continue to be Alongside their peers of the same age, whose importance differences between the sexes: Female workers, for exam- has risen appreciably, the main group to which young peo- ple, earn just 74 percent of their male counterparts’ pay, ple relate is the family. Never before have so many young- and salaried staff a mere 71 percent. For the most part sters – 73 percent of 18 to 21-year-olds – lived at home for so Top jobs this is due to the fact that women frequently work in long. Almost all 12 to 29-year-olds state that they have a very Women account for some 21 per- cent of leading executives in Ger- lower positions. Even though nowadays they are fre- good, trustworthy relationship with their parents. many, and every third manager quently getting to occupy top jobs on the career ladder, in One reason for staying at home so long is that more Standard of qualification is a woman. In Eastern Germany, doing so they still encounter considerable hurdles. As an and more young people are staying in the education system Around 60 percent of young the ratio of female to male man- people go into vocational training agers is far more even. There a example, almost 50 percent of students are women but for longer and longer. Their standard of qualification has risen for a state-recognized profession good 42 percent of managers are only a third, research assistants, and just 15 percent pro- considerably. In total, 43.4 percent of each year-group (18 to either on the dual vocational women and as many as 29 per- fessors with tenure. 20-year-olds) are entitled to study at a university, and 36 per- training system or as school cent of the key executives are training in a vocational college. women. In Western Germany, the One of the main obstacles to climbing the career lad- cent of each year-group opt for such study in the medium A good 36 percent enroll in one figures are only 32 and 20 per- der is the fact that the network of childcare facilities partic- term. In particular young people from lower social classes of the 383 universities. cent respectively. The opportuni- ularly for small infants is not so good on a European com- ties for women to assume man- agement responsibilities depends parison, not to forget that relatively little has changed with Value priorities among young people strongly on the sector. It is high- regard to the division of domestic labor between men and est in the service industry, where + women. In 75 to 90 percent of all families it is women who 53 percent of managers are Friends and family increasingly important women. In the construction do the core of traditional housework. And although 80 per- Compared with the 1980s, young people in Germany Friendship industry, by contrast, the figure cent of fathers would like to spend more time with their chil- have become decidedly more pragmatic. The young 97% is only 14 percent. generation focuses on achievement, commitment and Personal responsibility dren, women, even those in employment, invest twice as 89% goals. Today, the 12-25 year-olds attach great value to much time looking after children as men. To date it was friends and family. Given an increasingly sensitive per- Family 89% almost exclusively women who have taken parental leave. ception of social problems (especially as regards their Creativity Yet in the first nine months after introduction of parental own career opportunities), they seek security and sup- 83% port. 69 percent are worried that they might lose their support (see p. 151), the proportion of fathers who have Security jobs or not find adequate employment. 81% taken leave to concentrate on childcare has almost trebled Diligence and ambition to 9.6 percent, whereby half of the men only want to stay at 81%

home for two months. Shell Jugendstudie 15.

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and immigrant families represent problem groups for the The elderly education system. In comparison with earlier generations of young In Germany, approximately every fourth person is over 60 people youngsters have become more pragmatic and not years old. Because of the long-standing low birth rates and only have a good relationship with their parents’ generation increasing life expectancy, after Japan and Italy German but also with democracy: The pessimistic protest and “can’t society has the third-largest proportion of elderly people be bothered” attitude of the 1980s has for the most part worldwide. Their ways of life and lifestyles have changed a given way to a non-ideological, optimistic pragmatism. lot over the last decades. Nowadays the vast majority of eld- Today’s young generation is success-oriented and prepared erly people lead independent lives. For the most part they to work hard. Their maxim of life can be reduced to the for- live close to their children, with whom they are in close con- Life style of the elder generations Senior citizens are not only grow- Social commitment mula “getting on instead of getting out”. tact. Health-wise the “young elderly”, who are younger than ing older, but are healthier, fitter Social commitment among With regard to the traditional left-wing/right-wing 75 or 80, are mostly in a position to carry on living inde- and more active than in the past. young people in Germany is grat- They are also economically bet- ifyingly high. Indeed, 36 percent divide, today’s youth is typically positioned somewhat to the pendent lives with new goals and actively decide how to ter off: the over-60s hold almost of the young people in the 14-24 left of the population as a whole; only very occasionally are make use of their leisure time. a third of total purchasing power. year age bracket do voluntary there instances of political extremism. On the other hand Financially speaking the elder generation is for the The life style of the 50+ genera- work. They are active on behalf tion has changed considerably, of sports, leisure time, school, there is a high degree of willingness to get involved with most part taken care of: The 1957 pensions reform gradual- and the silver-agers increasingly cultural and church affairs or in social commitment. Some three-quarters of all youngsters are ly gave pensioners a full share in the nation’s wealth. Today prioritize active leisure time. the emergency services. The actively committed to social and ecological interests: elder- it is even possible for them to give their children financial According to an SWR study, here proportion of young people in they emphasize nurturing social some areas is so high that with- ly people in need of help, environment and animal protec- support to start their own family. Poverty in old age has not contacts. Alongside almost daily out their commitment the ser- tion, the poor, immigrants and the disabled. Interest in pol- been done away with entirely, but the risk of being poor in viewing TV (news), listening to vices would collapse – for exam- itics, political parties and trade unions, on the other hand, old age is lower than that of other age groups. radio (classic) and reading the ple in the field of sports. Half paper, they like to do sports. of all young people are members is on the decline. Only about 30 percent of 12 to 25-year old Increasingly seldom do families of three generations of clubs, a quarter dedicated to youngsters claim to be at all interested in politics, whereas live under one and the same roof, but there are strong emo- large social organizations, espe- among young adults and students the figure is considerable tional bonds between grown-up children and their parents cially to the churches. higher, namely 44 and 64 percent respectively. and between grandparents and grandchildren. A Federal Government specimen project seeks to strengthen cross-gen- erational ties. Thus in coming years each district and munic- ipality in Germany will seek to establish a so-called multi- generational house. To date, 460 such houses are receiving financial support, forming a point of contact, network and hub for family advice, health support, crisis intervention and care planning. Foreign population 1961 0.7 Statistisches Bundesamt Immigration and integration 1974 4.1 1984 4.4 Ever since the 1950s post-war boom the German economy 1994 7.1 Young people: Helping others is a self-evident has been dependent on immigrant workers. The majority of 2007 7.3 part of their lives those who were at the time referred to as “guest workers” in millions

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Immigration have now returned to their home countries in South and also 1.5 million foreigners who have taken German citizen- th As early as the 19 century Ger- Southeast Europe, but many have stayed on in Germany to ship, and some 4.5 million repatriates. In total, around 15 many attracted a large number of immigrants and since the earn their keep. Many of the Turkish immigrants who came million people in Germany have an “immigrant back- 1950s has emerged as the Euro- to Germany at a later date have also remained in the coun- ground”, which the German Statistics Office defines, among pean country with the largest try. This has resulted in Germany gradually developing from other things, as including naturalized foreigners as well as immigrant population. In 1950, there were about 500,000 a country that accommodated guest workers to a country children with one foreign parent. Among the foreigners, foreigners in Germany, account- with regulated immigration. some 1.7 million persons with Turkish citizenship form the ing for a mere one percent or Repatriates of German descent, who for generations largest group, followed by the Italians with 530,000. so of the population. This has changed emphatically: Today, have been living in the states of the former Soviet Union, Over the past two decades progress has been made some 7.3 million foreigners live in Romania and Poland, are a second major group of immi- with regard to the integration of immigrants: Acquiring Ger- Germany, or 8.8 percent of the grants. Since the collapse of the communist systems they man citizenship has also been facilitated, contacts between population, including 2.2 million EU citizens. About every fifth have been returning to Germany in increasing numbers. immigrants and Germans are closer, and there is more wide- foreigner living in Germany was These two groups of immigrants resulted in the per spread acceptance of ethnic cultural variety. And the new Ethno-cultural diversity: born here and is a second capita rate of immigration to Germany in the 1980s being con- immigration law provides for the first time an all-embracing About every sixth inhabitant is or third-generation immigrant. an immigrant or a member siderably higher than that of classic immigration countries legal framework that considers all aspects of immigration of a family of immigrants such as the USA, Canada and Australia. There are more than policy. And yet integration remains a challenge for politi- seven million foreigners, in other words almost nine percent cians and society alike. The Federal Government considers of the population, living in Germany. In addition there are the integration of foreigners living in Germany to be a focus of its work, and is foregrounding improving language skills, Immigration law education and integration into the labor market. In July In early 2005 the first Immigra- tion Act in German history 2006, Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel initiated the first came into force. It distinguishes Religions Integration Summit inviting representatives of all social between limited residence per- groups impacting on integration to attend. The result was a mits and unlimited right of residence. At the same time, it About two thirds of the living in Germany are of the Muslim faith. “National Integration Plan”, presented in mid-2007. It con- population in Germany About 3.3 million Muslims from 40 different sets out measures to integrate state that they are of the countries live in Germany, which is why tains clear goals as well as over 400 concrete measures for immigrants, such as mandatory Christian faith. About such importance is attached to the dialog government and non-government actors. Thus, a network of language courses. half of them are Roman with Islam. “education patrons” are to support children and young peo- Catholics, the other half The Basic Law guarantees the freedom of reli- Protestants. Almost one gion and to exercise one’s faith. There is no ple from immigrant families in their education and training, third do not belong to a state church in Germany, but the state partici- and the business federations have agreed to offer young religious community, something that can mainly pates, among other things, in financing denomi- migrants better training opportunities. Implementation of be attributed to reunification and the fact that national kindergartens and schools. The church- citizens in the East German states are mainly es levy a church tax which the state collects on the plan is to be monitored on a regular basis. • not members of a particular confession. their behalf: It is used to fund social services In the aftermath of the Nazi genocide, very such as advisory centers, church kindergartens, few persons of the Jewish faith lived in Ger- schools, hospitals and homes for senior citizens. many. Today, the Jewish communities have Religious instruction in schools in Germany is Rainer Geißler a good 100,000 members. Increasingly, other unique in structure: It comes under state super- Professor of Sociology at Siegen religions are gaining in importance in Ger- vision, but the churches are responsible for the University, Geißler is the author many, too. For example, many of the foreigners content. of the standard sociology textbook ”Die Sozialstruktur Deutschlands“.

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Unemployment insurance Social security financed in the long term: The increasing proportion of eld- Long-term care insurance In Germany those with no work erly people in the population in conjunction with a rela- Long-term care insurance was can claim support. Anyone who is introduced in 1995 as the “fifth unemployed and over the past Affluence for everybody and social justice: In the late tively low birth rate and trends in the labor market have pillar” of the social insurance sys- two years has paid contributions 1950s that was the goal the then Federal Minister of Eco- pushed the social security system to its very limits. By means tem. The compulsory insurance is to the state unemployment nomics Ludwig Erhard had in mind when he introduced the of extensive reforms politicians are now busy attempting to financed by equal contributions insurance system for at least 12 by employers and employees. months is entitled to unemploy- social market economy in Germany. The “German model” meet this challenge and ensure a welfare system based on There are plans to extend this ment benefit (60 to 67 percent proved to be a success story and became an archetype for solidarity for coming generations as well. financing through provisions cov- of their last net income). This several other countries. One of the pillars of this success was ered by capital. unemployment benefit is the extensive German welfare system. Today, Germany financed through the contribu- Reform of the health system tions of which employers boasts one of the most comprehensive welfare systems: 27.6 and employees each pay half. percent of the country’s gross domestic product is chan- Germany is one of the countries with the best medical care. The longest period for which unemployment benefit can be neled into public welfare spending. In comparison, the USA A wide range of hospitals, medical practices and institutions drawn is six and 24 months. After invests 16.2 percent, while the OECD average is 20.7 percent. guarantees medical care for everybody. With over four mil- that period those looking for An all-embracing system of health, pension, accident, long- lion jobs, health care is the largest employment sector in Ger- work can apply for basic support (known as “unemployment bene- term care, and unemployment insurance provides protection many. All in all, 10.7 percent of the country’s gross domestic fit II”), which is assessed accord- against the financial consequences of the risks we face in product is spent on health – 1.7 percent more than the aver- ing to the applicant’s needs. everyday life. In addition, the welfare lifeline offers tax- age in the OECD member countries. As a result of the so- financed services such as the family services equalization called cost-cutting law introduced in the wake of the reform scheme (child benefit, tax concessions) or basic provisions for pensioners and those unable to work. Germany sees itself The welfare state The principle of the welfare state as a welfare state that considers the social protection of all its A family-friendly society is enshrined in Article 20 of the citizens to be a priority. Basic Law and cannot be rescind- The welfare-state social systems in Germany have a ed, even if the Basic Law is In Germany family promo- dren as well. At the same time there are plans long tradition dating back to the industrial revolution. In the changed. In this way the Basic tion is playing an increas- to extend child care. Until now every child th Law commits the state to pro- late 19 century, Reich Chancellor Otto von Bismarck ingly important role and is has had the legal right to a place at kinder- tect, in addition to their freedom, devised the principles of the state social insurance scheme; correspondingly supported garten from the age of three until they start the natural bases of life of its citi- by the state. In order to school. By 2013, 750,000 crêche slots are It was under his aegis that the laws relating to accident and zens. Each individual, however, encourage men and women to be set up for the under-3s, thus catering also has to assume responsibility health insurance as well as provisions for invalidity and old to have more children for one third of all children children under for his own social welfare. age were passed. Whereas in those days a mere ten percent again, since 2007 the child- 3. This is intended to make it easier for moth- raising benefit has been replaced by a means- ers and fathers to combine working and of the population benefited from the welfare legislation, tested parent’s benefit financed through taxes. raising a family. nowadays almost 90 percent of people in Germany enjoy its Thus, for a period of one year one parent who The monthly child benefit is EUR 154 for each protection. interrupts his or her career to raise children child (EUR 179 as of the fourth child) until the receives 67 percent of their last net income, or age of 18. The legal right to up to three years In subsequent decades the welfare lifeline was a minimum of 300 and a maximum of 1,800 leave from work also makes an important contri- expanded and refined; in 1927, for example, insurance cov- euro. This period is extended to 14 months if the bution to supporting young parents. Further- ering the financial consequences of unemployment and, in second parent likewise stays at home for at more, as long as there are no valid company least two months. The aim here is to make it more reasons against it, young parents can choose 1995, long-term care insurance were introduced. The 21st cen- natural for fathers to take time off to raise chil- to work part time. tury calls for a fundamental structural realignment to the systems, in particular with regard to whether they can be

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High standards: Germany will commence, such as contribution-exempt insuring of the Pension insurance is one of the countries with children of insured parents, with an annual increment in the The statutory pension insur- the best medical care ance is the most important pil- support provided by the government – up to a grand total of lar of old-age provisions. Its EUR 14 billion. From 2009 onwards, there will also be com- financing is split: The monthly contributions paid by employ- Health insurance pulsory insurance for everyone: The private health insur- ees and employers pay the pen- Almost all citizens in Germany ance companies will be obliged to accept insured persons at sions of those currently in have health insurance, whether retirement. Through their con- as a compulsory member of a base rate. tributions, those insured the statutory health insurance acquire some rights when they scheme (88 percent) or a private themselves become pensioners. health insurance scheme (almost Pension reform In turn, coming generations 12 percent). The health insurance provide for these future rents companies cover the cost of Fundamental changes have also been made to provisions with their contributions (cross- medical treatment, medication, for old age. Although compulsory pension insurance will generational contract). In addi- hospitalization and preventive tion, company and private health care. Contributions to the remain the single most important pillar of income in old pensions are the second and health insurance scheme are already undertaken to the health system, Germany now age, in-company and private pension schemes are becom- third pillars of provisions for old made by employees and employ- makes the lowest per capita increase to health spending of ing more and more important. The so-called “Riester pen- age. Under certain conditions ers. Non-employed family mem- these also enjoy government bers of those in a compulsory all OECD countries: Between 2000 and 2005 spending rose sion” and the “Rürup pension” for the self-employed are support. health insurance scheme do not in real terms by 1.3 percent per annum, while the OECD models already in existence enabling by means of tax con- pay any contributions. mean was 4.3 percent. cessions private pension schemes covered by capital con- Yet there is still a need for further reform. To this end, tributions. Part of the reform involves raising the manda- 2007 saw the government resolve the reform of the health- tory retirement age from 65 to 67: Between 2012 and 2035 Accident insurance care system. The key pillar to the reform is the introduction the initial retirement age will rise by one month a year, Statutory accident insurance is a liability insurance on the part of a Health Fund: From 2009 onwards, insured persons’ con- while the “Initiative 50 Plus” will enhance job prospects Social assistance of employers in favor of employ- tributions to the statutory health insurance companies will be for older employees. Another feature of the social lifeline is social assistance, which ees who are thereby protected standardized. For each insured person, the health insurance from the consequences of is financed through taxes. It companies will receive a flat rate from the Health Fund. At an accident at work or an occu- Further reforms comes into effect when people pational disease. the same time, tax financing of health insurance services are unable to escape their plight on their own and by their own The reform of support for the long-term unemployed and means or by those of relatives. those receiving social assistance has already been imple- There is also basic support like The topic on the Internet mented. With the introduction of basic support for the social assistance, such as basic protection in old age or in the www.bmfsfj.de studying the values and life of young www.deutsche-sozialversicherung.de unemployed those who had formerly been receiving social case of long-term unemployment The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, people (German) The Web site run by the European security, as long as they were capable of working, were put as well as state help towards liv- Senior Citizens, Women and Young Peo- representative agency of the leading on a par with the long-term unemployed. The reform of the ing or to assist persons in certain ple offers information on state support www.bmg.bund.de umbrella organizations in the German predicaments. as well as the wording of laws (German) On its Web site the Federal Ministry social insurance system provides accident insurance scheme, aimed primarily at reforming the of Health makes available news, data, information on social insurance in organizational framework, is still outstanding. • www.shell-jugendstudie.de background information, and links Germany with countless links With support from the Shell corpora- to further sources relating to health (English, French, German) tion, for five decades now, scientists (English, French, German, Italian, and research institutions have been Spanish, Turkish)

152 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 153 10

There are many sides to cultural life in Germany: From North to South there are Culture around 300 theaters and 130 profes- sional orchestras. The museum world is of quite unparalleled quality – featuring 500 art museums with diverse interna- tionally renowned collections. Young German painting is equally vibrant, and is long since part of the international scene. And Germany is one of the major book nations, with around 95,000 new books and re-editions each year. The 350 dailies and thousands of magazines go to show how lively the German media world is. Moreover, German films are once again a great success at home and abroad.

154 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 155 10 Culture

For the True, Beautiful and Good – the German cultural world

Land of the poets and thinkers. Goethe was German, as were Beethoven and Bach. And yet this land of culture still has no national authority with overall responsibility for cul- ture for the country as a whole. According to the Basic Law, culture is the responsibility of the individual federal states. These see themselves as the guardians and supporters of cultural federalism in Germany. Why is it that cultural affairs in Germany are something that the nation itself as a whole can- Conducting the Berlin Philharmonic: Sir Simon Rattle not, or is not meant to, govern? Ever since the era of Kaiser Wilhelm II in the late 19th century, German culture as the Cultural federalism expression of a single German nation was suspected of being Given its federal structure, in the reflection of a craving for status. The disaster of National Germany culture is the core area where the 16 states possess sov- Socialism ultimately resulted in a re-alignment. Following the ereignty. The Basic Law accords Second World War the opinion gradually gained sway that the Federal Government few Germany would only be able to return to the world commu- powers on cultural questions, and thus most cultural institutions nity if it avoided all semblance of exaggerated emotionalism are maintained by the states and as regards the national culture, which in turn led to a rejec- municipalities. This independent tion of any form of national cultural policy in Germany. cultural life in the states has led to cultural centers arising all over Yet in Germany cultural institutions are more wide- the country. There are world- ly spread than in most other countries. Cultural federalism class cultural offerings to be kindles the ambitions of the individual federal states. Cul- found even in smaller cities. The German Cultural Council func- tural policy is local policy. The state of Baden-Württemberg tions at the national level as the uses culture as a “soft factor” in its promotional activities. politically independent working Film promotion has also become an instrument of federal party of the Federal cultural associations and discusses cross- government. Money flows from wherever films are pro- disciplinary matters of cultural duced. Since the late 1990s the Ruhr region, the mining and policy. steelworking district in North Rhine-Westphalia, has been re-inventing itself as a successful cultural region. Only since

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State Minister for Culture and Media 1998 has a State Minister for Culture and Media been part of the Literary buffs from the Since in Germany culture comes Federal Chancellery in Berlin. Since then Germany has once world over meet at Frankfurt’s under the ambit of the states, International Book Fair there is no federal ministry of again seen this or that cultural matter as being something culture. A State Minister for Cul- the entire country should be involved with. ture coordinates activities in the Federal film production was re-organized, and the field of cultural policy. German Federal Cultural Foundation founded. Berlin is increas- ingly turning into a cultural magnet and has already become a unique cultural force, a melting pot of cultures, German Federal Cultural Foundation whose museums are a reflection of the entire history of The German Federal Cultural humanity. The Holocaust Memorial in the heart of the city events became major, and authors turned into pop stars you Foundation was established in 2002 and acts nationally and is testimony hewn in stone to how Germany as a cultural could actually meet. And today? What is the dominant force Book market internationally. By supporting nation is dealing with its history. It is impressive proof of a in the German book market? Writers such as Sten Nadolny, Books and the culture of read- ing continue to be held in high relevant projects, it focuses form of national cultural policy that has become necessary Uwe Timm, F. C. Delius, Brigitte Kronauer and Ralf Roth- primarily on the challenges of regard in Germany. In 2006, art and culture in the 21st cen- since the dawn of the new century. Cultural federalism can mann, who emerged before the 1990s, honor the continua- the German book market gener- tury. The German Federal likewise be maintained; it continues to act as guarantor for tion of high-quality narrative traditions. The anguish of pres- ated sales estimated at some EUR 9.3 billion. The entire output Cultural Foundation is based a highly diverse, sophisticated cultural scene in Germany. ent-day life, art as a last refuge for self-assertion: Botho in Halle an der Saale. of items produced for the book Strauss is moving in this direction. trade by German publishers While the literature of the younger generation was comes to around 970 million Literature books and similar printed matter. less intensively read in the 1980s and 1990s, with the excep- In Germany there are more than Germany is a book country: With around 95,000 titles pub- tion of Patrick Süskind’s international bestseller “Perfume” 4,000 book stores and 7,500 lished or re-published annually, it is one of the world’s lead- and Bernhard Schlink’s “The Reader”, since the beginning of libraries, with the major publish- ing cities being Munich, Berlin, ing book nations. The licenses for almost 9,000 German the new millennium things have changed noticeably. Today, Frankfurt/Main, Stuttgart, books are sold to foreign companies annually. In the fall of there is a new thirst to tell stories, with authors such as Daniel Cologne and Hamburg. each year, the publishing world gathers in Germany at the Kehlmann, Thomas Brussig, Katharina Hacker, Julia Franck world’s largest meeting of the trade, the International Frankfurt and Ilja Trojanow also captivating German readers, who are Book Fair. Held each spring, the Leipzig Book Fair is a small- now dedicated to German literature almost more than ever International Frankfurt Book Fair er event that has now become well established. before. Clear proof of this are the number of copies published The International Frankfurt Book Fair has taken place every Despite the Internet and TV, Germans still love to of Kehlmann’s “Measuring the World”, a novel which in 2006 autumn since 1949 and is the read. A lot of water has recently passed under the literary was one of the world’s best-selling books, and Trojanow’s outstanding annual international bridge. Although the generation of leading post-war German “Der Weltensammler”. As regards books for children and book trade get-together. The highpoint of every book fair is authors such as Hans Magnus Enzensberger, Siegfried Lenz, young people, one of the most successful authors is Cornelia the award-giving ceremony for Christa Wolf and Literature Nobel Prize winner Günter Grass Funke (“Inkheart”). The German Book Prize ensures the win- the Peace Prize of the German New story-tellers: is still revered, nonetheless, at the beginning of the 21st cen- ners greater national and international exposure. Book Trade, which has been won by the likes of Václav Havel, Daniel Kehlmann and tury their work no longer stands for aesthetic innovation. What is striking is that the former lines dividing Julia Franck (“Die Jorge Semprún and Susan Son- Mittagsfrau”), winner Whereas after the Second World War there was a highbrow literature and entertaining works are becoming tag. Since 2005, to mark the of the German Book quest for moral answers and, following on from 1968, a pre- blurred. The in-label in the review pages is “new legibility. beginning of the Book Fair, the Prize 2007 German Book Prize is present- ponderance of social analyses, the years following the fall of Gone are the days of a close link between politics and liter- ed for the best novel written the Wall were defined by mass culture, whereby even minor ature. Dreams of revolt and obstinacy still abound. What in German.

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Anne-Sophie Mutter The violin virtuoso: Wim Wenders Anne-Sophie Mutter, The master of the silent image: born in 1963, is a star of Multiple award-winning director, Leading the way – classical music celebrat- born in 1945, made “Paris, yesterday and today ed the world over. She Texas” and “Wings of Desire” was supported from an Celebrated classics, courageous visionaries: early age by conductor The history of German art and culture is rich in men and Herbert von Karajan Pina Bausch women renowned for extraordinary achievements. and is highly regarded as a Mozart expert Creator of modern dance theater: Many are household names outside the country, too Pina Bausch, born in 1940, invented a new body language for dance Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Friedrich von Schiller Poet, playwright, scholar: Champion of liberty: Theater Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Sebastian Bach was the passion of Friedrich (1749–1832) is regarded as Virtuoso Baroque church music: Johann von Schiller (1759–1805). The the “all-round genius” and the Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) perfected the author of ”The Robbers“ and classic of German literature “Wilhelm Tell“ was one of the stringent “art of the fugue”, writing more first to put politics on stage than 200 cantata and oratories

Film

Music Ballet Ludwig van Beethoven Pioneer of Romanticism: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) focused full Music on form while bringing a 21st century Literature completely new measure of personal expression and Music sensibility to bear in music Literature Literature Karlheinz Stockhausen Music Composer of serial and electronic music: Karlheinz Photography Joseph Beuys Visual Arts Stockhausen (1928 – 2007), Inventor of the is one of the major con- th th “expanded concept of 15 – 20 temporary composers century art”: ”Every person is Günter Grass an artist” was his most Author of “The Tin Drum”: Literature famous saying. Joseph Nobel Prize Winner Günter Grass, born Literature Beuys (1921–1986) in 1927, is unparalleled in his ability to caused a real stir with turn history into literature. In 2006 it his spectacular Action became known that as a 17-year-old he

Visual Arts and Environment art was a member of the “Waffen-SS”. Bernd and Hilla Becher Visual Arts Photographers as Concept artists: With their architectural Thomas Mann photographs the couple Master of the novel and Albrecht Dürer has created an artistic form of the novella: Thomas German Renaissance artist: documentation and strongly Mann (1875–1955) won the Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) influenced the younger gener- Nobel Prize for Literature revolutionized wood-cutting and ation of German photo artists for his family epic copper engraving techniques “Buddenbrooks” Gerhard Richter Of all living artists, his works are the most expen- sive: Gerhard Richter, born in 1932, constantly sur- prises us with new techniques and topics, his breadth ranges from photorealism to abstract art 10 Culture

Authors counts, however, is authenticity. The functions have shifted Wuppertal dance theater: The Pina Bausch ensemble is Young authors with immigrant and perceptions changed because there is a lack not only of roots contribute new themes and famous worldwide stimuli to German language and authors producing ambitious literature for society, but also of literature. They include Ilja Tro- readers that wish to read it. janow, Wladimir Kaminer, Sasa Stanisic, Terézia Mora or Feridun Zaimoglu. Theater

Outside the country, German theater frequently has a repu- tation for being brash and self-absorbed. It is, however, theater Theater scene with a system behind it that is admired the world over. Even German theater is considered one of the most experimental small towns boast opera houses and ballet troupes as well as world-wide. German companies theaters; overall there is a distinct theater world, a well-estab- have set the standard not least Theater world lished network of state, municipal, traveling, and private the- is a luxury, especially as box office takings amount to a mere as regards dance theater. One of With 120 public theaters with the key protagonists of modern more than 750 stages and 185 aters. As the student revolts of 1968 died down a broad-ranged 10–15 percent of theater expenses. Private theaters are also dance is Pina Bausch, acclaimed private theaters, Germany is theater scene also emerged: the fringe groups – who even today included in the public system of subsidization – for example as the major female choreogra- a theater giant. The best-known are the symbol of an uninterrupted passion for theater that the famous Berliner Schaubühne, which was founded and pher of the day. Another interna- venues include Thalia Theater tional dance theater star is Sasha in Hamburg, the Berlin Ensemble wants to take the limelight. In Germany a lot goes into this sys- heavily influenced by renowned director Peter Stein. Admit- Waltz – born in Karlsruhe she is and Munich's Kammerspiele. tem: in terms of stimulus, attention and money. For many this tedly the system has long since reached its zenith and is now a choreographer and dancer at in a difficult position because time and again art is measured the Berliner Schaubühne. in terms of the material requirements. For a long time Peter Stein was considered to be a Foreign Cultural Policy unique figure in German theater. As opposed to other direc- tors he created an oeuvre that is clearly recognizable by virtue Alongside classical and discussions. ifa is primarily engaged in cul- of the continuity of repeated motifs, themes and authors. A diplomacy and for- tural dialog. Since 2003, in cooperation with the eign economic poli- Federal Foreign Office and non-profit foundations theater of memory, with a directing style that takes its cue Creative industry cy, foreign cultural it has financed cultural centers above all in the from the text. There are worlds between today’s up-and-com- Imagination and creativity are a key factor driving the German and education policy Middle and Eastern Europe. German schools ing generation of dramatists and a Peter Stein, Peter Zadek is the third pillar of abroad are also of great importance. There are 117 economy. Art, film, music, fash- German foreign policy. The goal: to provide a up- of them, with a total of 70,000 pupils (53,000 are and Claus Peymann, the head of the Berliner Ensemble. Con- ion, media and lifestyle: Account- to-date image of Germany in the European integra- not German nationals). With the “Schools: Partners temporary theater can no longer be portrayed using the ing for 800,000 jobs and gross value added of EUR 35 billion, in tion process and to participate in fostering mutual of the Future”, the Federal Foreign Office is specifi- vocabulary of the 1968 rebels. Terms such as enlighten, understanding between peoples. The German cally supporting school work abroad. Here, for Germany this dynamic sector Federal Foreign Office only implements part of the example, a network of partner schools is to be instruct, expose, and intervene sound antiquated. The theater places between the chemicals cultural policy, tending instead to commission established in which German is taught as a foreign of today’s young people no longer sees itself as being avant- and power industries, and gener- ates a key proportion of gross intermediary agencies such as the Goethe-Institut language. Following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, garde; it strives for independent forms of expression. or the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa). 2001 the Federal Foreign Office launched a special domestic product. The Goethe-Institut runs 147 cultural institutions program entitled “European-Islamic Cultural Following the euphoria with youth of the 1990s, in 83 countries, 13 of them in Germany. They offer Dialog” to help improve mutual understanding. when names such as Leander Haußmann, Stefan Bachmann German lessons, assist foreign teachers of Ger- www.goethe.de, www.daad.de, www.avh.de, www.ifa.de, and Thomas Ostermeier grabbed the headlines, a phase has man, organize readings, theater and film events, www.auslandsschulwesen.de emerged in which directors such as these have become the- ater managers.

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The Schaubühne in Berlin: academies, music lovers attend the festivals – from the Wag- Festivals In the late 1960s it saw the ner Festival in Bayreuth to the Donaueschingen Festival of Alongside festivals for classical radical revival of German music, contemporary music is theater under directors such as Contemporary Music. There are 80 publicly financed con- well represented in Germany: Peter Stein, Luc Bondy and cert halls in Germany, the most important being in Ham- with more than 100 special festi- Klaus-Michael Grüber burg, Berlin, Dresden and Munich as well as Frankfurt/Main vals, concert series and studio productions by the opera houses. and Leipzig. In recent times in the race for the annual crit- The Donaueschinger Musiktage ics’ “Opera House of the Year” prize it was Stuttgart that most are seen as the world’s single frequently came out on top. The Berlin Philharmonic, under most important contemporary music festival. The latest devel- the star British conductor Sir Simon Rattle, is considered to opments in music theater be the best of around 130 symphony orchestras in Germany. are presented at the Biennial in The Frankfurt “Ensemble Modern” is a fundamental engine Munich, and the International Music Institute in Darmstadt room behind contemporary music production. Every year it with its famous “Holiday cours- masters some 70 new works, including 20 premieres. In es” stands for debate on Together with his Berliner Volksbühne, Frank Castorf, well addition to maestros such as Kurt Masur and Christoph cutting-edge developments in music. known for taking plays apart, and dismantling and putting Eschenbach, of the young conductors Ingo Metzmacher and text together again, has become a role model for this new Christian Thielemann in particular have come to the fore. Of generation of dramatists. Christoph Marthaler and the artists, the soprano Waltraud Meier, baritone Thomas Orchestras Christoph Schlingensief also represent a different interpre- Quasthoff and clarinetist Sabine Meyer are among the best There are around 130 German tation of what theater is about, namely a platform that in the world. The violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter even has an professional orchestras, first and foremost among them the Berlin- The Berliner Ensemble am responds to the displacements following the end of the Cold enormous following beyond classical music enthusiasts. Philharmonic under Sir Simon Schiffbauerdamm: Once Bertolt War and the emergence of global capitalism. Directors such Karlheinz Stockhausen, the pioneer of electronic Brecht was active here, today Rattle, the Berlin Staatskapelle it is the domain of star interna- as Michael Thalheimer, Armin Petras, Martin Kusej, René music and his traditionalist opposite number, opera compos- under Daniel Barenboim, the tional directors such as Robert Pollesch and Christina Paulhofer have created styles of er Hans Werner Henze, have had a resounding influence on Gewandhausorchester under Ric- Wilson cardo Chailly, the Bamberg Sym- directing that prioritize style over content; traditional nar- contemporary music since the 1950s. Nowadays there are a phonic under Jonathan Nott rative methods that stick close to the text are not something wide array of stylistic trends: Heiner Goebbels combines and the Munich Philharmonic they are necessarily familiar with. What determined Ger- music and theater, while Helmut Lachenmann takes the pos- under Christian Thielemann. man theater for some 250 years, the confrontation with sibilities of instrumental expression to the extreme. Wolf-

Berliner Theatertreffen society, has given way to colorful variety, as is demonstrat- gang Rihm reveals how in the way it is developing it appears Berliner Theatertreffen is organ- ed by the annual Berliner Theatertreffen. Theater, however, has possible for music once again to become more comprehensi- ized by the Berlin Festival and is never ignored the era in which it is played. It has to create ble. On the other end of the musical spectrum, pop singers Christian Thielemann: the single most important German images of our life. And it is remembrance work. This is why such as Herbert Grönemeyer have been enjoying success General Musical Director of theater festival. Held each year the Munich Philharmonic since 1964 in May, it showcases theater is subsidized: for this very public function. with songs in German for years now, as have the Punk the ten “most striking produc- rock band “Die Toten Hosen“, the Hip-Hop group “Die tions” of the season, selected by Fantastischen Vier” and “Tokio Hotel”. Furthermore, a jury of theater critics from Music around 400 performances. In over the past few years young artists such as the singer addition, the Theatertreffen pro- Germany’s reputation as a musical nation is still based on Xavier Naidoo (of the group “Söhne Mannheims”) vides a platform for young playwrights to present their new names like Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Handel and Richard have been successfully basing their work on work at a “script shop”. Strauss. Students from around the world flock to its music American soul and rap. Most recently, the

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German bands success of the Berlin band “Wir sind Helden” has influenced Others” (2007) tells the story of life and suffering in East The most successful exports a whole new wave of young German bands. The founding of the Germany’s police state. German films are successes by German Pop and Rock bands include: Scooter, Seeed, Nena, “Pop Academy” in Mannheim clearly demonstrated the wish because they use national themes when telling universal Kraftwerk, Rammstein, Tokio to put German pop music on an international footing. stories. And the filmmakers filter the stuff of which their Hotel, Juli and Mia. movies are made from the history and difficulties in their own country. Cinema German cinema Fatih Akin, a Hamburg citizen with Turkish roots, German national film produc- Shortly before the dawn of the new millennium a firework tells the story of life in Germany at breathtaking speed. In tions have clearly picked up at the box offices of late. And there woke the slumbering German film industry: Tom Tykwer’s his prize-winning movie “Head-On” (2004), which among are now once again magnetic 1998 film “Run Lola Run”. The experimental comedy about others won the B.I.F.F, Golden Bear, he offers us the love stars pulling the crowds into the the redhead Lola, fate, love and chance captures the spirit of story of two Turks brought up in Germany, and how they movie theaters: Alexandra Maria Lara, Martina Gedeck, Julia the late 1990s. The global audience saw Lola’s daredevil race are crushed between the two cultures. The story is bru- Jentsch, Daniel Brühl and against time through the streets of Berlin as a metaphor for tally precise, but deliberately not a tear-jerker. And in Director Florian Henckel von Moritz Bleibtreu. The industry’s the restlessness of an era. “Run Lola Run” proved to be an 2007 in his “Edge of Heaven” Akin tells the story of six Donnersmarck with the Oscar for greater self-confidence is his film “The Life of Others” reflected in the German Film international breakthrough for director Tom Tykwer and people in Germany and Turkey, whose lives are tied up by Academy, founded in 2003, Franka Potente, who played the leading role. destiny. which now awards German For the German cinema it marked the beginning of a The Gold “Lola” in 2007 went to the jailhouse Oscars once a year: the Lolas. New German films have also revival. For the first time since the era of the great Rainer drama “Vier Minuten” by Chris Kraus. And Monica Bleib- scored successes internationally: Werner Fassbinder (died 1982), foreign commentators The second Oscar in five years once again began to enthuse about German cinema, which for a German production went in 2007 to Florian Henckel von is now enjoying international success. In 2002, Caroline Berlin International Film Festival Donnersmarck for “The Life of Link won an Oscar for “Nowhere in Africa” and in 2007 Flo- Others”. In 2007, Fatih Akin won rian Henckel von Donnersmarck won the cherished trophy the prize for best filmscript at for his film “The Life of Others”, and the same year the Ever since 1951, the Berlin in Berlin, films from all around the globe vie for the International Film Festival in International Film Festival the awards. Cannes and the European Par- Cannes International Film Festival awarded its prize for has been held every Febru- Alongside the competition, the Berlin Film Festival liament’s LUX film prize for his best script and its special prize to Fatih Akin for his film ary. Following the Cannes also features a fest of children’s films, a forum for film “The Edge of Heaven”. “The Edge of Heaven”. In 2007, Tom Tykwer’s film of festival, that in Berlin is German film, and an international forum for the second largest film festi- young film. Moreover, the festival includes both a Patrick Süskind’s best-selling novel “Perfume” won the Ger- val in the world and “the” retrospective and an homage to the oeuvre of Berlin band “Wir sind man Film Prize in six different categories. showcase for German film. an outstanding person in film. All in all, each year Helden”, with lead singer While at the beginning of the new millennium it For two weeks art, glamour, about 400 films are screened. The federal govern- Judith Holofernes parties and business all interweave in the ment contributes EUR 7 million and thus about was comedies that surprisingly boosted German movies’ heart of Berlin, centering on Potsdamer Platz. 40 percent of the total budget, with the rest is prospects – such as Hans Weingarten’s “Die fetten Jahre Each year, some 430,000 filmgoers and raised from entrance tickets and sponsors. Since sind vorbei“ (2004) – by the end of the first decade atten- 19,000 trade visitors attend – film stars, film 2003, each year around 350 young film talents producers, distributors, buyers, financers from all over the world are invited to attend the tion focused on serious films. The themes have and journalists. Each Berlin Film Festival Berlin Film Festival Talent Campus where they remained the same, however: The tragicomedy “Good climaxes with the international jury acquire new insights and can swap ideas. Dieter Bye, Lenin!” (Wolfgang Becker, 2003) was a success awarding the “Bears”, the main prizes. Kosslick (photo) is director of the With their world or European premieres Berlin Film Festival. www.berlinale.de in almost 70 countries because it portrayed the fail- ure of socialism, and Donnersmarck’s “The Life of

Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 167 10 Culture

German Film Prize treu received the German Film Prize for the best lead nothing to do with the market economy. The interest shown documenta The German Film Prize takes actress for her role in this dramatic tale of two women and in art in Germany can be witnessed at the documenta, the The documenta in Kassel is pride of place among federal cul- the world’s most important con- tural support for film. It has a piano. The renaissance of German film has a strong foot- leading exhibition of contemporary art worldwide held temporary art exhibition. Found- been bestowed ever since 1951 ing. So the prospects for the German film industry are every five years in Kassel. ed on the initiative of painter for outstanding achievement great. As opposed to the Fine Arts – whose importance is Arnold Bode, it was first held in in German film. In 2007, Tom Tyk- 1955, and then every five years wer’s film version of Patrick underlined by the boom in the foundation of new private for 100 days. The show was Süskind’s best-selling novel “Per- museums – photography in Germany had to struggle for a swiftly a world success, and will Fine Arts th fume” bagged a total of six long time to be accepted as an art form in its own right. take place for the 13 time in awards in different categories. 2012. Since the 1990s German painting and photography have Katharina Sieverding, who in her self portraits sounds out been enjoying international success. Abroad, this new Ger- the boundaries between the individual and society, is con- man painting revelation is known under the label “Young sidered to be a 1970s pioneer. German Artists“. The artists involved come from Leipzig, The breakthrough came in the 1990s with the suc- Berlin and Dresden. Neo Rauch is the best known repre- cess of three young men who studied at the Düsseldorf Acad- sentative of the “New Leipzig School“. His style is charac- emy of Art under photographer duo Bernd and Hilla Becher: terized by a new realism that has emerged, free of all ide- Thomas Struth, Andreas Gursky and Thomas Ruff portray in Art scene ology, from the former “Leipzig School” of East German their pictures a double-edged high-gloss reality and possess Older-generation major interna- art. The paintings reveal for the most part pale figures that such a trailblazing influence that internationally they are tional artists include among others painters Gerhard Richter, would appear to be waiting for something indefinite; a simply referred to as “Struffsky“. Authors Georg Baselitz, A. R. Penck, reflection, perhaps, of the situation in Germany at the The Kulturzeit editorial desk at 3sat: Dr. Eva Hassel-von Pock, Jörg Immendorff, Anselm Kiefer, beginning of the new millennium. So-called “Dresden Markus Lüpertz and Sigmar Armin Conrad, Dr. Gudula Moritz, Polke. Then there are sculptors Pop“, propagated among others by Thomas Scheibitz, ref- Dr. Rainer M. Schaper, Ulrich Rückriem and Jochen erences the aesthetics of advertising, TV and video to play- Dr. Monika Sandhack and Stefan Müller (not present). Gerz as well as performance fully deal with the aesthetics of finding certainty in the artist Rebecca Horn – all prime examples of contempo- here and now. rary German art. For most young artists, dealing with the Nazi era, as was the case in the works of Hans Haacke, Anselm Kiefer and Art fairs and cultural events Joseph Beuys, belongs to the past. Rather, a “new interiori- + ty” and an interest in spheres of experience that collide with Berlin Film Festival Art Cologne one another are emerging in the art scene: The works of The Berlin Film Festival places Art Cologne is the world’s old- second to Cannes in the world Neo Rauch Number 1 Jonathan Meese and André Butzer reflect depression and est art fair and the most impor- film event rankings “Young German Artist“ compulsive phenomena; they are seen as representatives of tant one in Germany Leipzig Book Fair “Neurotic Realism“. The subject of Franz Acker- Despite strong competition, the mann’s “Mental Maps”, in which he points out Leipzig Book Fair has established a great reputation for itself the disasters behind the facades, is the world as a global village. Tino Seghal, whose art exists Frankfurt Book Fair Bayreuth Festival The Bayreuth Festival on the only at the time it is performed and is not The Frankfurt Book Fair is the world’s no. 1 book event “green hill” is the event par excel- allowed to be filmed, is aiming for forms of lence for “Wagner” enthusiasts production and communication that have

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Media By Jo Groebel Popular print products: In terms of newspapers density (no. per 1,000 inhabitants), at 298 copies Germany is considered to be a country of books, of deep Germany is in the upper middle thought, and of highbrow media. However, Germany has of the European league tables. Germans spend an average 28 also become a country of DJs and daily soaps. In popular Ger- minutes a day reading the paper man culture music and TV series, blockbusters in the cine- ma and the tabloid press are just as important as in other countries – and as the highbrow culture of the poets, the the- ater and the opera. There are some 60,000 full-time Naturally enough there are also some characteristics journalists in Germany; in Berlin that are peculiar to the media scene in Germany. These Media usage by hour alone almost 1,300 accredited Germans use the various media correspondents rub shoulders at include the emphasis on federal sovereignty in cultural 10 hours a day. First the Foreign Press Club or the affairs and broadcasting and the dual existence of public would have been unimaginable without the mass media and foremost: radio and TV Government Press Conference and private media, something that cannot be taken for that had emerged in the 19th century. The idea of freedom Radio 221 min. granted in other countries. As regards freedom of the press of opinion and equal rights was disseminated through books TV 220 min. and speech, in international terms Germany comes off very and the daily press. Internet 44 min. well. There is pluralism with regard to opinion and infor- Newspapers 28 min. Books 25 min. mation. The press is not in the hands of the government or The press Magazines 12 min. political parties, but rather in that of societal players. For more than fifty years now the freedom of the press and speech In addition to books, for some 500 years now newspapers Freedom of the press and speech has been the common property of everyone and protected and magazines have been a medium that as regards con- In Germany, freedom of com- by the Constitution. Article 5 of the Basic Law expresses how tent, form and dissemination may well have been constant- munication also means that pub- lic agencies are obliged to pro- the Constitution interprets the freedom of the press: “Every ly modernized, but whose basic structure has remained vide journalists with information. person shall have the right freely to express and disseminate more or less the same, despite the continued emergence of The rights of the press are his opinions in speech, writing and pictures and to inform new media. Now, as ever, the press stands for in-depth encoded in the press laws of the federal states. These include himself without hindrance from generally accessible analysis and background reporting, addressing specific top- the duty to publish an imprint, sources. (...) There shall be no censorship.” ics, and comment. The partial dissolving of fixed ideologi- journalists’ duty to take due care In general the structure of the German media can be cal convictions in German society along the traditional in their research and their right explained by the specific conditions of recent German his- spectrum of left and right was accompanied in part by the The largest German news agency to refuse to stand witness or is Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa). disclose sources. The German tory. On the one hand the country has experienced extraor- disappearance of a clear cut political allegiance on the part It ranks 4th worldwide after Press Council is the voluntary dinarily troubled times over the past centuries. Many of the of the press. The German newspaper market is character- Reuters, French agency AFP and journalism and publishing watch- Associated Press (AP) dog: it monitors violations of theories behind changes in society emerged in Germany or ized by a large number of publications and regional differ- the duty to take due care actually took place there. The Enlightenment, Communism, ences. Alongside 333 regional daily newspapers there are in research and of the ethical Modernism: All these upheavals, at intervals of less than 30 ten national dailies, alongside ten quality publications and sides to stories. years – Democratization, the First World War, the Weimar nine so-called popular newspapers that concentrate on gen- Republic, the Third Reich and Second World War, the East- eral interest matters. In this category the influential “Bild”- West conflict and the Cold War, the student revolts and Zeitung, which is published by Axel Springer Verlag and has reunification always had a media side to them, indeed a circulation of 3.6 million, is the only national newspaper

170 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 171 10 Culture

Media concentration to play an outstanding role. Overall the total circulation themselves been the subject of important discourse, are Despite the diversity of titles figures for some 350 German daily newspapers come to 24 among the most widely-read publications. Of these, and products, the number of independent publishing houses million. “Spiegel“, a political journal with perhaps the greatest long- has steadily dwindled since However, the financial footing of the classic daily term influence of any weekly publication, is outstanding. the mid-1950s. The leading pub- press is under pressure: The younger generation is reading The biggest publishers of popular magazines are Heinrich lishers in terms of business muscle and technology have fewer newspapers, advertising revenue is declining, and all Bauer Verlag, Axel Springer Verlag, Burda and Gruner+Jahr, squeezed out competitors manner of content is nowadays procured from the Internet, which is part of the Bertelsmann Group. Springer and Ber- in various regional markets. which among almost all age groups has now advanced to telsmann are also the two media corporations that by virtue Market leader Deutsche Telekom Economic trends in the press become a leading medium. Almost two thirds of all Ger- of owning successful radio and TV stations, as well as Inter- has 16.6 million Web clients. In market have led to the emer- Germany, at the end of 2007 gence of large publishing corpo- mans are meanwhile “online” – or 48.7 million people over net activities, generate sales in the billions, triggering a dis- more than half of all households rations. As regards daily news- ten years. Nevertheless there is one sold newspaper for cussion about media concentration and the trans-media con- had a high-speed broadband papers, it is above all Axel Internet connection. Springer Verlag, which holds a more than every third German, and the number of readers centration of opinion. share of some 40 percent is even higher. In terms of politics and culture several pub- of the advertising market for lications are considered to be highly influential, for exam- newspapers. Internet and user-generated content ple national quality newspapers such as “Frankfurter Allge- Popular Web sites The most frequently visited Inter- meine Zeitung“, “Süddeutsche Zeitung“ and the traditional As in most other countries, the German media world faces net pages with editorial content weekly “Die Zeit“. fundamental challenges by the Internet and mobile com- in Germany include Spiegel An increasing number of special interest publica- munications. First, technically speaking so-called conver- Online, bild.de, and Kicker Online (measured in terms of IVW-certi- tions have been appearing alongside the popular maga- gence is now a reality, meaning one device or platform fied hits). The sites recording the zines. The entire range of popular magazines includes some unifies telephony, Internet access, video, music and TV. most visits as at the end of 2007 2,300 publications and boasts a total circulation of more Second, the lines between customized communication for in absolute terms were T-Online Content, MSN and Yahoo, fol- than 120 million. “Stern“, “Focus“ and “Spiegel“, news mag- the individual and mass communications thus get lowed by the student platform azines that play an active role in discussion in society or have obscured. StudiVZ.

+ How Germans use the media The major quality papers The most popular current general interest magazines The most appealing TV stations Internet domain registrations The “Süddeutsche” and the “F.A.Z.” are the German dailies In Germany, about 2,300 mass-market magazines and The public-network ARD and ZDF channels compete After “.com” “.de” is the most popular top-level domain. “.net” sees 10.4 m, most frequently read (by copies sold) 3,600 trade journals are published with the private stations (by market share) “.org” 6.1 m and “.info” 5.0m registrations

Süddeutsche Zeitung Spiegel ARD .com 431,421 1,078,981 14.2 % 73,445,512 Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung Stern ZDF .de 360,915 1,007,724 13.6 % 11,335,201 Die Welt Reader’s Digest ARD Third Channels .cn 275,399 800,851 13.5 % 7,150,945 Frankfurter Rundschau Bunte RTL .uk 152,166 756,472 12.8 % 6,286,464 Handelsblatt Focus SAT.1 .eu 143,415 728,104 9.8 % 2,579,457

Financial Times Deutschland Super Illu PRO7 2006 figures in market .nl 103,489 III/2007 481,455 III/2007 6.6 % share, viewers aged 3 and upward 2,565,573 9/2007 IVW, VDZ, media control, Denic media control, VDZ, IVW,

172 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 173 10 Culture

Public and private stations The customary professional press and radio products still (radio) and the 1950s (television) as public network institu- In Germany, there are in princi- tend to constitute the lion’s share of media content. Yet tions, since the 1980s the colorful spectrum of a dual sys- ple two different forms of TV and radio as well as of financing above all the younger generation is increasingly using com- tem made up of public network channels and private stations for them. The private stations munity communication, such as blogs, as an alternative has emerged. Nowadays some 460 radio stations, for the exist almost exclusively from ad information source alongside the traditional media. As at most part local and regional in character, compete with billings – the public stations are financed by license fees and the end of 2007, according to the German “Blogcharts”, the each other. Some 75 public network radio stations vie with advertising; they are duty- most frequently linked blogs in Germany include Basic- around 385 commercial stations. Overall, in its history bound to uphold a programming thinking.de, bildblog.de (which focuses critically on the radio has undergone a change of function. After the intro- “Deutsche Welle“ (DW), which agenda set out in law. There are newspaper “Bild”) and spreeblick.com. Today, the majority duction of television it tended to develop more as a paral- is part of ARD, is responsible for nine public stations: They are broadcasts abroad. Its mission structured by state and all come of active blog-users states that these sources are more credi- lel medium, and in terms of listening hours achieves about is to paint a wide-ranging por- under the aegis of the ARD, the ble they believe than the usual journalism. The result: In the same figures as TV. trait of German political, cultural Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Rund- and economic life, and to present funkanstalten in Deutschland. many German media houses forms of products are arising There are differences in the television structure on and outline the German angle Together, they are responsible that combine in a new unit the customary work of editors, two levels, national and regional, and between general and on key issues for programming by Erstes with its strong craftsmanship and sense of trust, with so- special interest channels. Germany has some of the largest Deutsche Fernsehen (Das Erste), but also broadcast their own called user-generated content. Thus, in the best case, Ger- public (ARD and ZDF) and private (RTL, Sat1, ProSieben) TV and radio programs. ZDF is man media’s professional standards are upheld and married broadcasting houses in Europe and the world. Depending on another public station, but it to the “democratic” and spontaneous elements of media the technical platform (terrestrial, satellite, cable, broad- offers no regional programming and is only a TV station. products created by the public itself. Under the heading of band, mobile), and on whether reception is analogue or dig- “Digital Germany”, not only the communications scene is ital, more than 20 different public TV channels can be changing, but political participation, culture and the coun- viewed, including the two national channels ARD and ZDF, try’s digitalization-driven economy are being linked ever as well as regionally produced offerings broadcast nation- more closely to current international trends. wide, such as WDR, MDR, BR and special interest channels like docu-channel Phoenix and kid’s TV KIKA. Then there are three international broadcasters: Deutsche Welle, Franco- Broadcasting German arte, and Austro-German-Swiss cultural channel Radio and television also play their part in the overall 3sat. The digital strategy pursued by ARD and ZDF also reach of the German media. Having begun in the 1920s endeavors to provide a TV media library available round-the- clock and new online and mobile products. Here, there is a The topic on the Internet constant threat of conflict with the private channels, who www.dw-world.de www.litrix.de www.kulturstiftung-des-bundes.de fear competition will be distorted by the strong influence in Jo Groebel Online service of the German interna- Information portal for the worldwide Web site of the Federal Cultural Founda- the market of the “subsidized” stations. • A media expert, Prof. Groebel is tional broadcaster with up-to-date dissemination of contemporary Ger- tion with detailed information about Director of the German Digital news in 30 languages man literature (English, German, Chi- project sponsorship (English, German) Institute in Berlin; he also teaches nese, Arabic, Portugese) communication science at the www.kulturportal.de www.museen.de University of Amsterdam. Database run by the Federal Government’s www.filmportal.de Profiles and addresses of several Commissioner for Culture with info on Main Internet platform for information museums in German-speaking countries events, institutions and persons from the about German films and film makers as well as dates of current exhibitions; worlds of art and culture (German) (English, German) in-depth search function (German)

174 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 175 11

What makes everyday life worth living? Great cuisine and fine wines, relaxing Modern life in Mother Nature, festivals and celebra- tions, vacation, design and fashion, inspiring architecture. Germany has plenty of all to offer – and is far removed from all the clichés that might still abound about lederhosen and sauerkraut. But then the numerous visi- tors from abroad who are increasingly discovering that Germany is an inter- esting vacation destination already know this. Not just because of the wealth of German cultural and historical sights, but also because of the wide- ranging regional cuisine and the chang- ing landscapes. In fact, although the Germans are the undisputed world champions when it comes to foreign travel, they still prefer to holiday between the North Sea and the Alps.

176 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 177 11 Modern life

Enjoyment and celebrations, travel and living – everyday culture and way of life

By Constanze Kleis

“Cosmopolitan and hospitable” – this was the laudable label guests at World Cup 2006 gave Germany. According to a poll by TNS Infratest, which was commissioned by Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus, Germany and the Ger- mans were definitely rated favorably by travelers. And there is no lack of reasons for this positive appeal: the country’s modern approach, its openness, the quality of life, the multi- national diversity and the creativity with which Germany both renews and preserves its cultural identity. Nowadays a German cuisine relaxed laissez-faire attitude and a liberal sense of curiosity There is no such thing as stan- dard “German cuisine“, rather are evident in almost all aspects of life. several regional specialties For example in nutrition. Of course you can still ranging from smoked sprats from enjoy heavy regional cuisine, the hearty characteristics of Kiel to white sausage with sweet mustard from Munich. Regional the different landscapes: Roast pork with dumplings from cuisine is also very important for Bavaria or ribs and sauerkraut from Hesse. Yet several Germany’s top chefs. In 2008 new influences have also made their mark on German Michelin Guide awarded more than 200 German restaurants cuisine. It has become far more varied and health con- one or more of its coveted stars. scious, light and imaginative. In the 2008 edition of Gault The highest concentration of Millau, Klaus Erfort from “Gästehaus Erfort” in - Michelin stars is in the Black for- est community of Baiersbronn. brücken was voted “Cook of the Year”. His strong suits Among Germany’s top chefs are include “Paté de foie gras in a wafer-thin peppered Heinz Winkler (Aschau), Harald pineapple crust”. Nowadays, that too is typically German Wohlfahrt (Baiersbronn) and Dieter Müller (Bergisch Glad- cuisine – because the country is developing more and bach). more into a “World Taste Center”. In fact, the Germans are among those with the most international range of food in Europe. According to a survey conducted by the Allensbach Institute more than fifty per-

178 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 179 11 Modern life

Organic food Nonetheless, beer consumption in Germany is dwindling all Wines from Germany Organic agriculture is becoming the time, from 133 liters a year in 1994 to just 112 liters per German wines are produced in ever more popular among Ger- 13 wine-growing areas in which man farmers. Between 1996 and person today. around 65,000 vineyards pro- 2007, the number of farms work- On the other hand, the wellness boom has triggered duce a wide variety of typical ing according to organic criteria a bubble in, among other things, mineral water. Over the regional wines. Apart from Sax- soared from 7,353 to 17,557. More ony and Saale-Unstrut in the than 40,000 products on sale in last 30 years the Germans have increased the amount of min- East, the German wine-growing German supermarkets and eral water they drink by a factor of ten to 132 liters each, put- areas are concentrated in the health food shops bear the state ting them in the top group worldwide. More than 500 types southwest and south of the coun- organic seal for goods produced try. Although almost 140 types organically. There are strict of mineral water gush from 223 sources. of vine are planted, only two criteria governing the classifica- dozen, primarily the white wines tion “organic”: Foodstuffs may Riesling and Müller-Thurgau, have not be treated with chemical pes- The Riesling miracle any real market significance. ticides or be genetically modi- Of the wine produced in Germany fied and may only be produced Since the beginning of the new millennium German Ries- 65 percent is white and 35 per- from animals that have been ling wine has been enjoying a Renaissance – on the inter- cent red. About a quarter of the kept in an appropriate manner. nine million hectoliters pro- cent of all Germans chose foreign cuisine when eating out, national stage as well. The world over, it is now a standard duced annually is exported, in primarily Italian, Chinese or Greek. item in many top restaurants. In just four years the USA has particular to the USA, Great Another trend is towards healthy eating: In 2006, doubled the amount it imports. Riesling has earned the Britain and the Netherlands. sales of organic food totaled some 4.6 billion Euro. Organic enthusiasm of wine experts for the “German wine miracle” supermarkets are opening up in large cities all over the thanks to its lightness and sparkling character, characteris-

country, offering a blend of what is becoming increasingly tics that are the result of the particular climatic conditions German wine-growing regions important to Germans: Enjoyment and responsibility, and soil: because the German wine-growing regions are • Ahr lifestyle and a clear conscience. At year-end 2006, there were among the most northerly in the world. • Baden • Franconia a good 350 organic supermarkets in Germany – 50 more The long period of vegetation and moderate tem- • Hessische Bergstrasse than the prior year. peratures in summer make wines from Germany filigree and • Mittelrhein keep their alcohol content low. Different soil types and • Mosel-Saar-Ruwer • Nahe vines such as Müller-Thurgau and Silvaner also play their Less beer, more water • Pfalz part in giving German wines a reputation for being • Rheingau The European Parliament recognizes beer from Germany as remarkably varied. • Rheinhessen • Saale-Unstrut being a “traditional foodstuff”, a label only awarded to a very However, the new generation of vintners in the • Saxony few forms of nourishment. This is thanks to the famous “Puri- 13 German wine-growing regions has also played its part in • Württemberg A healthy trend drink: Mineral water gushes from ty Law” that only allows the use of certain natural ingredi- the success story, concentrating as it has done on qual- 223 German sources ents in beer. This means that even today the basics of all Ger- ity rather than quantity. Germany, traditionally a white man beers are hops, malt, water and yeast. In addition to wine country – of the wine produced in Germany 65 large breweries, smaller traditional regional breweries have percent is white and 35 percent red –, is increasingly a place in the hearts of beer drinkers. These make up 80 per- discovering red wine. cent of the adult population in Germany. They can chose The acreage used for cultivation, primarily for between 5,000 different brands produced by 1,284 brew- Spätburgunder, has already more than tripled. Could eries: a world record. this be the next wine miracle?

180 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 181 11 Modern life

The German National Tourist Board Destination Germany pher Street Day in Cologne, the Carnival of the Cultures in The German National Tourist Berlin, Fastnacht in Mainz and Carnival in Cologne have Board is headquartered in Frank- furt/Main. Its 29 sales offices, Germany is becoming increasingly popular as a travel desti- long become an international synonym for high spirits and eleven of which are representa- nation: With almost 55 million overnights by foreign guests a cosmopolitan atmosphere. tive offices, and 18 sales in 2007, the German National Tourist Board recorded a notable 3- Whereas most foreign visitors are drawn to the big cooperation outlets, plan, coor- dinate and realize its marketing percent increase on the record achieved during 2006, the cities, Germans themselves tend to visit smaller places and and sales activities abroad. World Cup year. Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt and Cologne are rural regions in their home country: The coasts of the North the most popular cities with international visitors. Most come and Baltic Seas, the Black Forest and Lake Constance are the National parks from other European countries, the USA and Asia. With most popular vacation destinations. Germany boasts no less To a large extent the 14 national parks in Germany are located regard to individual states, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia than 14 national parks, 95 nature parks and 13 biosphere in the north of the country. They and Baden-Württemberg are the preferred destinations. reserves. However, coastlines, lakes, as well as low and high are all noteworthy for their In addition to historical sights, top-quality concert mountain ranges are all becoming increasingly important as unique nature and landscape and serve to preserve the natural series, art exhibitions, theater performances as well as major a sort of open-air health club. There are all sorts of opportu- diversity of rare plants and ani- international sports events, not to mention street festivals nities available: There are as many as nine long distance mals. The largest is the and atmospheric Christmas markets are just a few of the trails stretching for 9,700 kilometers throughout the coun- Schleswig-Holstein Mud Flats National Park Wattenmeer, with Hustle and bustle: attractions that bring the visitors flocking. The Germans love try and a total of 190,000 kilometers of signposted walks. a surface area of 441,000 Over six million peoplefrom all hectares. The smallest, Jasmund over the world visit the Oktober- to celebrate, and never miss an opportunity to do so. Many And for cyclists there are 50,000 kilometers of track on National Park on the Isle of fest in Munich every year festivals such as Munich’s renowned Oktoberfest, Christo- which to discover the country. Rügen, with its famous white cliffs, is only 3,003 hectares large. In fine shape – fashion and design Wellness Holidays High fashion made in Germany is a firm feature on the inter- national catwalks. For decades now designers such as Esca- Feel-good Germany: Wellness and health have for therapy, there are any number of hotels up da and Wolfgang Joop have been global players, the latter years been the rage among tourists. The German and down the country specialized in offering New creations by the Tourism Study 2007 showed that 69 percent of wellness holidays. Especially popular are the having recently enjoyed tremendous success with his glam- star designer: Wolfgang Joop German holidaymakers would most prefer a re- long-standing sea spa towns along the Baltic orous new “Wunderkind Couture” label. Not infrequently is causing a stir with his “Wunderkind“ label laxation and wellness vacation. And an increas- coast, such as Heiligendamm (photo), the oldest the big galas and balls in Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich ing number of foreign guests choose a relaxing and perhaps most refined German sea spa town, holiday in one of the 330 recognized German with a grand hotel that was voted Europe’s best appear to be a showcase for the achievements of German spa towns and thermal springs. Be it classical beach hotel in 2007. Heiligendamm, the “white fashion-makers: On show are Escada, Unrath & Strano, Tal- massage or Qigong, Chinese energy motion town on the coast”, is also considered a gesamt- bot Runhof and Anna von Griesheim – who are popular kunstwerk of Classicist architecture. South Ger- many scores highest with a wholesome climate, not just with German high society. In everyday life, Ger- thermal springs, and “hay baths”: Baden-Baden mans tend to focus more on the down-to-earth. In addi- in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria’s Allgäu tion to functional business attire they tend to prefer region are the preferred wellness destinations. And a few insiders know that with 32 therapeu- casual sportswear, such as Boss and Strenesse. Though tic spa towns, Hesse in the heart of Germany is headquartered in , both labels have the country’s “no. 1 spa state”. long been well established in international markets. In major German cities in particular there is ample opportunity for experimenting with fashion.

182 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 183 11 Modern life FACTS – COMPACT

1972 2007 Richard Sapper was born in 1932 in Munich. The Berlin and architecture One of his most famous objects is the Week, with fashion Tizio halogen luminaire. He deliberately shows beneath Clarity and functionality are still considered to be the funda- opted for a formal idiom that oscillates the Brandenburg mental principles of typical German design and architecture. between the playful and the functional Gate, is a new Nowadays, charm and finesse also contribute to “good form“ key date in global fashion diaries 1984 The square is the trademark and leitmotif 1920 of several buildings by O. M. Ungers (b. 1926). Architect Peter Behrens The Torhaus at the trade fair grounds in 1956 (1868–1940), founder of func- Frankfurt/ Main is a striking example of his “Snow White’s Coffin“ was tionalist industrial architecture unmistakable style, which cuts across all the name of the SK4 com- and , created a fashions and schools building with in an Expression- bined radio and phono- ist idiom for the Farbwerke gram by Dieter Rams (b. 1932) Hoechst chemicals company and Hans Gugelot. Rams influenced the functional- ist style at Braun for over 40 years

1924 2003 As a 24-year old Bauhaus Konstantin Grcic, who apprentice, Wilhelm Wagen- was born in 1965 in feld (1900–1990) designed Munich, is one of the famous Classical the most successful Modernist-styletable 1931 young designers. luminaire that is still The then revolutionary simple 1382 service Chair One is a typical popular today by Hermann Gretsch (1895–1950) is on view in the Neue Sammlung, Munich example of minimal- ist design

1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20th century 21st century

1963 1971 2005 1952 For 22 years now Karl Lager- Egon Eiermann (1904–1970) created The Porsche 911, designed There is hardly any product by Ferdinand Alexander at which Berlin-born Luigi Colani feld (b. 1938) has been the the SE 18 folding chair to furnish creative mind behind the German pavilion at the World Porsche, was to become a (b. 1928) has not tried his legend on wheels. The hand. The Drop tea service Chanel. The Metropolitan Expo in Brussels. Eiermann is Museum of Art in New York considered to be one of the most concept for the sports bears witness to his typically car has hardly changed organic shapes is devoting a major exhibi- important architects of the post- tion to his work War era since at all

The 1980s and 1990s 2000 Born in 1943, at the height of With its unusual pavilion roof, the Sony 1927 her success, haute couturier Center at Potsdamer Platz, designed “Less is more“ was the famous motto Jil Sander’s style was clean- by Helmut Jahn (b. 1940), a US citizen of of architect and designer Ludwig Mies van lined and elegant German descent, has been causing a der Rohe (1886–1969). The clear, minimal- stir. It has quickly emerged as a new ist shape of his MR 10 cantilever chair has Berlin landmark lost nothing of its Modernist feel 11 Modern life

Full of wit and ingenuity, a whole host of creative fashion Spectacular: The Elbe Philharmonic Hall designed designers put up stiff competition with fashion centers such by Swiss architects Herzog as London and Paris. The Berlin Fashion Week, with shows & de Meuron is the heart of by well-established and new designers, is a key fashion event the new Hafencity Hamburg and will be commissioned in the capital. in 2010 Insiders have long been familiar with the new avant-garde, which include Thatchers, Cora- tion, Sabotage, Kostas Murkudis and Eisdieler from Berlin, as well as Blutsgeschwister from Stuttgart, Anja Gockel from Bauhaus Mainz, and Susanne Bommer from Munich. Young German Bauhaus (1919–1933) is consid- fashion designers such Markus Lupfer, Bernhard Willhelm ered to be the most famous art, design and architecture college and Dirk Schönberger have conquered even London, Paris of Classic Modernism. Founded and the fashion-conscious city of Antwerp. That said, the accords totally banal everyday objects an unfamiliar touch of by Walter Gropius it was located most famous German couturier abroad is undoubtedly Karl poetry. The newcomers from “Studio Vertijet” in Halle, Steffen in Weimar and later in Dessau. Bauhaus artists and architects Lagerfeld, who was born in Hamburg and is Creative Direc- Kroll and Kirsten Hoppert, also blend playful and analytical created a new, clear, contempo- tor of Chanel, the legendary French haute couture company. design elements in their work. rary formal language, much German product design has a reputation for creating of which still exerts an influence carefully devised, straightforward functional products. Design today. The most famous repre- Architecture sentatives of Bauhaus include made in Germany – from Bulthaup to Braun razors Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, – is held in high regard in the international arena. Companies The architectural scene in Germany has several regional cen- Lyonel Feininger, Oskar Schlem- mer and Sophie Taeuber-Arp. such as furniture manufacturers Wilkhahn and Vitra still lead ters, but since reunification it has also certainly focused on the way in terms of style, as do Lamy for writing implements Berlin. In the capital, world-class architecture can be experi- and Erco for luminaires. The traditions of Bauhaus in the 1920s enced at close quarters: Whether Lord Norman Foster, who and the Ulm College in the 1950s are still highly regarded, but converted the former Reichstag building into the new Ger- in the meantime a new generation has made a name for itself. man parliament, Renzo Piano, Daniel Libeskind, I. M. Pei or It includes Konstantin Grcic, who was born in 1965 and is one Rem Koolhaas – the list of international architects who have of the most innovative young designers. Born in Munich, he made their mark on the new face of Berlin is long. Howev- er, the elite among German master builders such as Helmut The topic on the Internet Jahn, von Gerkan Marg und Partner, Hans Kollhoff and Josef www.cma.de www.germany-tourism.de www.europarc-deutschland.de Paul Kleihues have likewise made a firm contribution to the The Central Marketing Association of The German National Tourist Board Background information and links to new capital. In the old harbors of Hamburg and Düsseldorf Constanze Kleis the German Agricultural Industry has provides extensive information about the Web sites of all 14 German national experiments are being conducted with new formal ideas. The authoress of several lifestyle recipes and a cookery encyclopedia destinations and events in Germany parks between the North Sea and the books works as a freelance ready to go as downloads (German) (numerous languages) Alps (German) And in many cities striking museum buildings have been cre- journalist for various German ated by German architects – such as Stephan Braunfels’ magazines and newspapers. www.deutscheweine.de www.bahn.de www.german-design-council.de Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, Frank O. Gehry’s Muse- Info from the German Wine Institute in The Web site of Deutsche Bahn, the The German Design Council is a center Mainz about wine-growing areas and German railroad system with lots of of expertise for anything to do with um MARTa in Herford, Tadao Ando’s Langen Foundation types of grape (English, German) information (countless languages) design (English, German) near Neuss and the Leipzig Museum of Fine Arts by Berlin architects Hufnagel Pütz Rafaelian. •

186 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 187 Picture captions Index

p.6: Boening/Zenit/laif p.70, p.72: Pierre Adenis/GAFF/laif p.138: picture-alliance/dpa A Accident insurance 153 Clusters 97 p.8: Boening/Zenit/laif (2), akg-images p.73: picture-alliance/dpa p.139: REA/laif Adenauer, Konrad 45, 58, 74 Coalition 63, 64 p.9: Volz/laif, Schapowalow, Karl-Heinz Raach/laif p.74: picture-alliance/dpa p.140: Huber/laif Admission restrictions 130 Cold War 73, 74, 76, 170 p.10: picture-alliance/dpa (2), Hensler/laif p.75: picture-alliance/dpa, p.142: picture-alliance/OKAPIA KG p.11: Fechner/laif, Zanettini/laif, Wegner/laif picture-alliance/dpa/dpaweb p.143: Societäts-Verlag/Jörn Roßberg Akin, Fatih 166, 167 Committee of the Regions 81 p.12: Elleringmann/laif, RAPHO/laif, Hughes/laif p.76, p.78: picture-alliance/dpa/dpaweb p.144: REA/laif Alliance 90/The Greens 55, 57 Conference on Afghanistan 77 p.13: Knop/laif, picture-alliance/ZB p.79: picture-alliance/ZB (2) p.145: plainpicture/Klammt, A. Architecture 187 Constitutional Court 59, 65, 68, 69 p.14, p.16: Westrich/laif p.82: picture-alliance/dpa (4), picture- p.146: picture-alliance/dpa Art scene 168 Constitutional state 54 p.17: Stuttgart Marketing GmbH, alliance/Godong, picture-alliance/akg-images p.147: Rodtmann/laif TANNER WERBUNG Touristik Kommunikation p.83: picture-alliance/akg-images (2), p.148: picture-alliance/ZB AUMA 101 Council of the European Union 81 p.18: Zielske H.D./laif, Thorsten Krüger picture-alliance/dpa (1), p.149: Gerster/laif Authors 162 Creative industry 103, 163 p.19: Archiv der BIS Bremerhaven Touristik, picture-alliance/dpa/dpaweb (1) p.151: KEYSTONE Cross-generational contract 139 Zielske H.D./laif, Boening/Zenit/laif p.86: picture-alliance/dpa/dpaweb p.152: picture-alliance/dpa CSCE 75 p.20: Zielske H.D./laif (2) p.88, p.90: Volkswagen p.154, p.156: picture-alliance/ZB B Bach, Johann Sebastian 24, 160 CSU 45, 54, 57 p.21: Zielske H.D./laif, Eisermann/laif p.91: Enercon p.157: Baatz/laif p.24: Ralf Kreuels/laif, DWT/Dittrich, p.94: picture-alliance/dpa, H.-B.Huber/laif p.158: Anna Weise, Frank Zauritz/laif Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees 120, 130 Cultural events 169 picture-alliance/dpa p.95: Daimler AG, Herzan/laif, Kruell/laif p.159: picture-alliance/dpa Baden-Württemberg 17 Cultural federalism 157 p.25: Celentano/laif p.96: AMD p.160: picture-alliance/ZB, picture-alliance/dpa (2), Basic Law 44, 53, 62, 65, 67, 68, p.26, p.28, p.29: Bundesbildstelle p.97: picture-alliance/dpa/dpaweb picture-alliance/akg-images/Erich Lessing, 69, 105, 110, 111, 148, 170 p.30: ullstein - Archiv Gerstenberg p.98: picture-alliance/ZB picture-alliance/akg-images, akg-images D p.31: akg-images, picture-alliance/dpa p.99: picture-alliance/ZB (2) p.161: picture-alliance/obs, RAPHO/laif, Bauhaus 184, 186 DAAD 73, 129, 162 p.32, p.33, S34, p.35: akg-images p.100: picture-alliance/Helga Lade GmbH, picture-alliance/dpa, akg-images (2), Bausch, Pina 161, 163 Daimler, Gottlieb 17, 125 p.36: Thorsten Krüger, picture-alliance/akg-ima- picture-alliance/dpa/dpaweb picture-alliance/dpa/dpaweb, Kolvenbach Bavaria 17 De Gaulle, Charles 39 ges/Erich Lessing, Gutenbergmuseum, p.101: IAA, Fraport p.162: Auswärtiges Amt Beck, Kurt 54 Degrees 120 picture-alliance/dpa p.102: Siemens p.163: picture-alliance/dpa, Beethoven, Ludwig van 160 Design 183, 184, 185, 186 p.37: picture-alliance/akg-images/Erich Lessing (2), p.103: picture-alliance/dpa picture-alliance/dpa/dpaweb akg-images (5) p.105: BASF, PPS Digital p.164: picture-alliance/dpa, picture-alliance/ZB Benz, Carl 17, 125 Development policy 79 p.38: Ian Haskell, picture-alliance/obs, p.106, p.108: Bildagentur Waldhaeusl p.165: picture-alliance/dpa Berlin 18, 46, 48, 103, 165, Direct investments 93, 105 picture-alliance/dpa, akg-images (3), p.109: Action Press/Jörg Eberl p.166: picture-alliance/dpa, Emi Music Ltd. 167, 182, 185, 187 Dix, Otto 35 ullstein - Archiv Gerstenberg p.110: Paul Langrock/Zenit/laif p.167: picture-alliance/dpa, Berlinale Berlin Film Festival 18, 167 Documenta 169 p.39: picture-alliance/dpa (2), photothek, p.111: Soda-Club GmbH p.168: Transit/Wolfgang Zeyen picture-alliance/ZB, akg-images, CARO/Kaiser p.113: momentphoto.de/Oliver Killig p.169: Kristina Schäfer Berlin Wall 18, 47 Dual system 93, 123, 129 p.40, p.41: picture-alliance/dpa p.115: Georg Kumpfmüller p.170: picture-alliance/dpa/dpaweb Berliner Theatertreffen 164 Dürer, Albrecht 160 p.42: Adenis/GAFF/laif p.116, p.118: Lange/laif p.171, p.173, p.175: picture-alliance/dpa (2) Beuys, Joseph 160, 168 p.43, p.44, p.45: akg-images p.119: picture-alliance/ZB p.171, p.173: Sonny Munk Carlsen Bisky, Lothar 55 p.46, p.47: Bundesbildstelle p.120: Universität Heidelberg p.180: Huber/laif, Bismarck, Otto von 32, 40, 150 E East Germany 44, 46, 47 p.48: Staubach/artur p.122: Matthias Kulka picture-alliance/Helga Lade GmbH p.49: picture-alliance/ZB p.123: picture-alliance/dpa p.181: picture-alliance/dpa/Stockfood Bologna Declaration 130 Economic and Social Committee 81 p.50, p.52: Boening/Zenit/laif p.124: Bildagentur online, Osram, Mifa AG, Siemens p.182: Kirchner/laif, Kempinski Heiligendamm Book fair 158, 159 Economic miracle 45 p.53: picture-alliance/akg-images p.125: Miele, DG-Flugzeugbau, A. Vossberg/VISUM, p.173: picture-alliance/KPA/ Book market 159 Economic policy 92 p.54: Ralf Hillebrand mtu-online, Aspirin, Daimler AG, Gerken + Ernst, Dan Lecca Bosch, Robert 17 Education 93, 96, 129 p.56, p.57: picture-alliance/dpa/dpaweb picture-alliance/akg-images p.184: akg-images, G.F.Abele/TV-yesterday, p.58: picture-alliance/dpa, Ralf Hillebrand p.126: pratt-whitney, Fischer, Transrapid Tecnolumen GmbH+CoKG, Die Neue Brandenburg 18 Einstein, Albert 119, 125, 130 p.59: picture-alliance/dpa, p.127: IBM, www.airbup.com, Andreas Varnhorn, Sammlung/Staatliches Museum für ange- Brandt, Willy 39, 46, 58, 74 Elderly persons 147 p.60: Teamwork Daimler AG, picture-alliance/Okapia KG/Ge, wandte Kunst/München (Foto: A. Laurenzo), Brecht, Bertolt 164 Elected representatives 61, 62, 68 p.62: picture-alliance/dpa Thyssen-Krupp, Rainer Weisflog picture-alliance/dpa, Porsche Bremen 18 Elections 56 p.63: Langrock/Zenit/laif p.128: Held/F1-Online p.185: Artemide, ddp, akg-images, Rosenthal AG, Broadcasting 167 Electoral system 60 p.64: Boening/Zenit/laif p.130: picture-alliance/dpa (6), Boening/laif, Schirnhofer/Agentur Focus, p.65: CARO/Ruffer picture-alliance/akg-images (2), picture-alliance/dpa Brüning, Heinrich 40 Electorate 57 p.66: Bundesrat picture-alliance/akg-images/Bruni Meya, p.186: Maecke/GAFF/laif Bundesrat 32, 61, 66, 68 Employer association 105 p.67: KEYSTONE, picture-alliance/dpa p.134, p.136: Zuder/laif p.187: picture-alliance/dpa/dpaweb, Jörg Ladwig Bundestag 60, 64, 67, 68 Energy…112 p.68: picture-alliance/dpa p.137: picture-alliance/dpa Bütikofer, Reinhard 55 Equal opportunities 141 Equal rights 141 Erhard, Ludwig 45, 58, 104 C Car-making 97, 98, 99 EU budget 86 Carstens, Karl 59 EU climate goals 114 CDU 45, 54, 56, 57 Euro 81, 85 Center for International Peace European Coal and Steel Community 80 Operations (ZIF) 75 European Commission 81 Charlemagne 21, 36 European Constitution 84 Our cordial thanks go the staff of the Cinema 166 European Council 81 Federal Statistical Office Germany and the F.A.Z.-archive for their support. Climate change 110, 114 European Court of Auditors 81

188 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 189 Index

European Court of Justice 81 German Reich 29, 32, 34, 35, 40, 43, 45, 49, 74 KPD 41 O Organic food 180 European Defense Community 80 German Research Foundation 121 Kyoto Protocol 109, 110, 115 OSCE 75, 76, 77 European Economic Community 80 German theater 162 Otto I 36 European energy and climate policy 86 Globalization 76, 120 European integration 49, 80 Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von 25, 160 L Labor market 92, 94 P Parliamentary Committees 62 European Parliament 81, 85 Goethe-Institut 73, 162 Lagerfeld, Karl 185, 186 Parliamentary Council 53, 63 European Security and Defense Policy 77 Gorbachev, Mikhail 47 Land of scholars 119 Parliamentary party 57, 61, 68 European Union (EU) 48, 69, 75, 76, Government 62 Left Party 55, 60 Parties 55, 64 79, 81, 84, 86 Grass, Günter 158, 161 Legal System 67 Parties in the Bundestag 54 Excellence initiative 121 Greenhouse gas emission 110 Legislation 61, 66 Patents 131 Export 91, 92, 99, 104, 105 Gross domestic product 86, 91, 104, 150, 151 Legislative 66 Paulskirche 31, 37 Gutenberg, Johannes 21, 36 Leibniz Association 133 Pension 147 Life expectancy 138 Pension insurance 153 F Fall of the Wall 39, 47 Lifestyles 147 Photography 169 Families 139, 140, 145, 151 H Hamburg 19 Lisbon EU Reform Treaty 80, 83, 84, 87 Population 137 Fashion 183, 185, 186 Handel, Georg Friedrich 24 Literature 158, 159, 162 Press 171, 172 Fassbinder, Rainer Werner 166 Health insurance system 152 Living conditions in East and West 103 Principle of subsidiarity 65 FDP 54, 57 Health system 151 Living standard 137 Private stations 173, 174, 175 Federal Chancellor 44, 61, 62, 64 Heinemann, Gustav 59 Local self-government 66 Federal Constitutional Court 44, 55, 67, 68, 69 Helmholtz Association 132, 133 Long-term care insurance 150 Federal Convention 62 Henckel von Donnersmarck, Florian 166, 167 Lower Saxony 20 Q Qualification 93, 95, 145 Federal Government 56, 58, 61, 62, 68 Herzog, Roman 59 Lübke, Heinrich 59 Federal President 44, 62, 64, 68 Hesse 19 Luther, Martin 24, 37 Federal State 54, 68 Heuss, Theodor 59 Luxemburg, Rosa 34 R R&D 103, 104 Federal structure 65 Hindenburg, Paul von 40, 41 Radio 171, 174 Festivals 165 Hitler, Adolf 38, 40, 41, 42, 43 Rams, Dieter 184 Fine arts 168 Holocaust 42 M Mann, Thomas 25, 160 Ranking 121 First World War 33, 34, 38, 43, 73, 74, 75 Holy Roman Empire 29, 30, 35 March Revolution 27, 31, 37 Rattle, Sir Simon 157, 165 Five-percent threshold 60 Huber, Erwin 54 Marx, Karl 21 Rau, Johannes 59 Foreign cultural policy 73, 162 Human rights 78, 79 Max Planck Society 132, 133 Rauch, Neo 168 Foreign investments 92, 93 Humboldt, Wilhelm von 119, 128 Maximilian I 37 Reich Chancellor 41 Foreign policy 73-87, 162 Mecklenburg-Western Reich Constitution 33, 44 Foreign students 128 Pomerania 20 Reich President 34, 41 Foreign trade 91, 97 I Immigration 137, 147, 148 Media 170 Reichskristallnacht 42 Foreigners 147, 148, 149 Immigration law 149 Media usage 171 Reichstag 40, 49 Founding of the German Reich 32, 37 Industry 97, 98 Merkel, Angela 54, 56, 58, 98, 145 Reimbursement of election campaign costs 55 Framework Convention on Climate Information and communications Mies van der Rohe, Ludwig 184 Reis, Philipp 114 Change 109 technology 96 Museums 155 Religion 148 Frankfurt Book Fair 158, 159 Infrastructure 95 Music 165 Renewable Energy Sources Act 111 Fraunhofer Association 132, 133 Innovations 99, 119, 124-127 Mutter, Anne-Sophie 161, 165 Repatriates 148 Frederick the Great 37 Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen 73, 162 Research 95, 103, 104, 119, 120, 121, Frederick William IV 31 Integrated Energy and Climate Program 112 N Napoleon 29, 30 122, 131, 132 Freedom of the press and speech 170 Integration 147, 149 National parks 111, 183 Reunification 29, 39, 46, 47, 48, 73, 75, Integration 148, 149 National Socialism 18, 27, 40, 41, 103, 137, 171 Internationalization 129 44, 53, 157 Revolution 32, 33, 37 G Genscher, Hans-Dietrich 47 Internet 171, 173 NATO 45, 75, 76, 77 Rhineland-Palatinate 21 German bands 166 ISAF 75, 78 Nature conservation 110, 111 Richter, Gerhard 161, 170 German Confederation 30 IWF 77 Nazi dictatorship 44, 53 Röntgen, Conrad 130 German cuisine 179 Newspaper 171, 172 Roth, Claudia 55 German Democratic Republic 18, 29, 44-48, 57 Nobel Prize 119, 130, 132 German Federal Armed Forces 75 K Kiesinger, Kurt Georg 58 North Rhine-Westphalia 21 German Federal Foreign Office 75, 162 Kohl, Helmut 39, 47, 58, 64 November 1918 33 S Saarland 21 German Film Prize 168 Köhler, Horst 59, 62 Nuremberg Race Laws 42 Saxony 24

190 Facts about Germany Facts about Germany 191 Index

Saxony-Anhalt 24 U UN IPCC 115 Scheel, Walter 59 Unemployment insurance 150 Scheidemann, Philipp 38 Unification 29, 39, 46, 47, 48, 73, 75, 137, 171 Schiller, Friedrich von 25, 160 United Nations (UN) 75, 76, 79 Schleswig-Holstein 25 Universities of the applied sciences 123, 128 Schmidt, Helmut 58, 64 Universities, private 123 School education 122 University 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 129, Schröder, Gerhard 41, 58 130, 131, 141 Schumacher, Kurt 45 Schuman, Robert 82 Second World War 29, 38, 41, 42, V Vocational academies 128 43, 158, 170 Vormärz 30 Security Council 76 Security policy 87 September 11, 2001 77 W Wagenfeld, Wilhelm 184 Service providers 91, 100, 102, 104 Wagner, Richard 24 Single parents 140 Way of life 139, 140 Small and medium-sized enterprises 97, 102 Weimar Republic 27, 34, 38, 53, 170 Social commitment 146 Weizsäcker, Richard von 29, 59 Social market economy 45, 104, 105 Welfare state 54, 150 Social partnership 105 Welfare system 150 Social security 150 Wenders, Wim 161 SPD 40, 45, 46, 54, 57 Westerwelle, Guido 54 Sports 138, 143 Wilhelm I 32, 37 Standard of living 137 Wilhelm II 33, 38 Standard of qualification 145 Wind power 110, 113 State Governments 66 Wine 181 State Minister for Culture and Media 158 Wine-growing regions 181 Steinmeier, Frank-Walter 56, 74 World Cultural Heritage List 18, 21, 22, 24 Stockhausen, Karlheinz 165 World Wars 73 Suffrage 32, 33, 40, 49 WTO 77 Symphony orchestras 165

Y Youth 145 T Teaching 119, 120, 121, 122 Technical universities 123, 128 Television 173, 174, 175 Tertiary education system 122 Theater 162 Thielemann, Christian 165 Third Reich 41, 43, 78, 170 Thuringia 25 Top jobs 144 Tourism 182 Trade union 94, 105 Treaty of Rome 80 Treaty of Versailles 34 Tuition fees 120 Two-plus-Four-Treaty 48, 49 Two-track vocational training 129 Tykwer, Tom 166

192 Facts about Germany Travel information

Accommodation Traveling in Germany Accommodation is available in all cat- From visa questions to voltage levels: Useful informa- egories: from private rooms via holi- tion and key phone numbers for travelers in Germany day apartments through to luxury hotels. Standards are set and moni- tored even in the lower price cate- gories. Tourism associations and ID cards and visas ing on the Baltic and North Seas. tourist offices provide special lists of To enter Germany, foreigners must There are likewise regular lines run- local accommodation. hold a valid passport or document ning on most major rivers, lakes, and www.germany-tourism.de issued in lieu of a passport. Nationals along the coast. For info on passenger of most West European countries travel by boat on the Rhine, Main and Youth hostels require only a valid ID card. Children Mosel rivers: There are around 600 youth hostels in must be entered in a parent’s pass- Köln-Düsseldorfer Germany, which each year provide port or bear a child ID card. Citizens of Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt AG lodgings for members of all the youth some countries require a visa to enter www.k-d.com hostel associations in the Internation- 0 50 100 Germany. For further information, Information on passenger boats on al Youth Hostel Federation. An IYHF contact the German missions abroad the Elbe river: membership card can be obtained for Kilometers (embassies and consulates). Sächsische Dampfschiffahrt GmbH a fee. www.auswaertiges-amt.de www.saechsische-dampfschiffahrt.de Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk Tel.: +49-5231-74010 By plane By car www.djh.de Table of distances Over 100 international airlines fly in Germany possesses an ultra-modern Germany (in km) and out of Germany. The global net- road network. Over 700 service and Cash and currency In Germany, longer distances work of routes connects the 25 inter- gas stations, motels and kiosks The euro (EUR 1 = 100 cents) is the are measured in kilometers. national airports in Germany with are open 24 hours, spread along the legal tender. Cash can be obtained One kilometer amounts to over 800 destinations the world over. autobahn network, which is about round the clock from ATMs using a 0.62137 miles — one mile is The largest airports are in Frankfurt/ 12,000 km long. The following unleaded eurocheque card or an international 1.60934 kilometers. Main, Munich and Düsseldorf. All the fuels are available: Normal (91 octane), credit card. In Germany, all the cus- airports boast prime connections to Super (95 octane), Super Plus (98 tomary credit cards are accepted. the local and regional transport net- octane) and Diesel. Unless road signs Prices are always stated including tax. work. indicate to the contrary, there is no www.flughafen-frankfurt.de speed limit on German interstate high- Emergency phone numbers Aachen Berlin DortmundDresden DüsseldorfFrankfurt/M.Hamburg HannoverKarlsruheKöln Leipzig MagdeburgMünchen Nürnberg Rostock SaarbrückenStuttgartWürzburg www.munich-airport.de ways. The recommended top speed is Tel.: 110 in emergencies, police Aachen • 638 154 651 80 256 482 354 346 73 569 494 631 475 663 263 518 370 www.duesseldorf-international.de 130 kph. In built-up areas the speed Tel.: 112 in the event of fire or Berlin 638 • 492 193 556 545 286 285 673 575 184 153 585 438 223 723 632 495 limit is 50 kph and it is 100 kph outside accidents Dortmund 154 492 • 507 68 224 349 210 358 95 428 350 617 428 520 321 420 338 By train such areas. No autobahn toll is levied. Dresden 651 193 507 • 581 492 495 382 581 591 140 225 491 325 444 671 525 382 Germany’s nationwide rail network Seat belts must be worn by law. Chil- Time zone Düsseldorf 80 556 68 581 • 220 392 278 341 42 500 417 611 438 562 277 401 338 features tracks that total 38,000 km in dren must sit in corresponding chil- Germany is part of the Central Euro- Frankfurt/M. 256 545 224 492 220 512 361 132 191 405 444 412 228 680 190 201 128 Hamburg 482 286 349 495 392 512• 152 631 370 391 270 781 612 133 688 658 507 length. Long-distance and local rail dren’s seats. Drivers must not have a pean Time (CET) zone. Between the Hannover 354 285 210 382 278 361 152• 489 294 247 136 661 488 320 551 534 377 timetables are coordinated to ensure blood/alcohol level of more than 0.5 end of March and the end of October, Karlsruhe 346 673 358 581 341 132 631 489• 303 521 558 271 261 809 188 80 199 good connections. Each day, over 60 per mille. The automobile clubs (ADAC, the clocks go forward one hour (sum- Köln 73 575 95 591 42 191 370 294 303• 481 422 577 422 567 282 373 289 trains leave German stations for a AvD) provide special information, and mer time). Leipzig 569 184 428 140 500 405 391 247 521 481• 88 418 260 371 588 466 408 destination in one of the neighboring the emergency breakdown service can Magdeburg 494 153 350 225 417 444 270 136 558 422• 88 511 349 321 606 559 449 countries. be contacted from the phone sets at Power • München 631 585 617 491 611 412 781 661 271 577 418 511 • 159 781 421 212 291 Deutsche Bahn AG hotline: the side of the autobahn. The German electricity system runs at Nürnberg 475 438 428 325 438 228 612 488 261 422 260 349 159 • 601 362 218 109 Tel.: +49-1805-996633 The ADAC breakdown service 230 volts. Rostock 663 223 520 444 562 680 133 320 809 567 371 321 781 601 • 851 812 694 www.bahn.de Tel.: 01802-222222; Saarbrücken 263 723 321 671 277 190 688 551 188 282 588 606 421 362 851 • 213 314 www.adac.de Stuttgart 518 632 420 525 401 201 658 534 80 373 466 559 212 218 812 213 • 149 By ship AvD emergency service Würzburg 370 495 338 382 338 128 507 377 199 289 408 449 291 109 694 314 149 • International ferries sail for Germany Tel.: 0800-9909909; Distances in km, no guarantee for accuracy from almost all the countries border- www.avd.de The following images are displayed on the front, back and inside covers (from l. to r.): Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Airbus A380, Goethe-Schiller Monument in Weimar, Berlin International Film Festival, Smart, students, violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, Artemide luminaire, high-tech lab at LMU Munich, Berlin’s Museum Isle, director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, bust of Johann Sebastian Bach, German Women’s Soccer Team, EU flag, ESA satellite, wind-power plants, chalk cliffs of Rügen, artist Neo Rauch, humanitarian assistance

Picture credits (from l. to r.): Siegfried Layda, Airbus, picture-alliance/dpa, Berlinale, Daimler AG, STOCK4B, Lillian Birnbaum/DG, Artemide, jan greune, Jan-Peter Boening/Zenit/laif, action press/Zuma Press Inc., picture-alliance/ZB, ddp, picture-alliance/ZB, picture-alliance/dpa, Paul Langrock/Zenit/laif, H. & D. Zielske/laif, transit/Wolfgang Zeyen, Paul Hahn/laif Facts about Germany Facts about Germany Facts about Germany On the Internet with additional is a reference book offering all sorts of up-to-date and reliable infor- facts and information mation about Germany. In the course of eleven chapters, renowned www.facts-about-germany.de authors offer insights covering all aspects of modern life in Ger- many – be it business, culture, or politics. The keynote articles are rounded out by numbers and facts. Facts about Germany

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