German print media reviewed

The first thing I noticed in the comparison of German media:  Newspapers, is that they have a higher demand of the population that reads a newspaper on a daily basis, 78 %.  I know that the demand for newspapers have gone down in extremes over the past decade.  The reason I know this is because my dad is a StarTribune carrier for the past 20 years, and he has commented how "people just don't want to read or purchase newspapers."  I feel that this is because the media with internet and other online features, that make it easier to read a paper.  The second thing I noticed was that they have a barcode on the bottom of the front page, and this is different then America.  The newspaper also seems to be in the shape of a magazine rather then a typical "newspaper" or the one that I am use to seeing all the time.  This is interesting how this can be different but then they do have different "news" from where we are located.  For instance, they have different laws that make different stories and such.

My observations about the top 20 Radio stations in Germany

When asked to do this assignment, I didn't really understand the purpose, until I got into listening to the radio stations.  I found it very interesting to experience different cultures radio stations and especially german because I could pick up some of the words that were in german. I would listen to certain stations for longer then the 3-5 mins, just as if it were the radio in Saint Cloud.

Listening to the top twenty German radio stations, I noticed that the majority of these sites are techno, fast beated, dance, mixes that were played in english.  The commercials were in German however, and this kinda amazed me because I would think that these would be sung in the german language because they were based in Germany.  I also noticed that some of the stations had different genres just like American radio stations.  There was slow mixes, oldies, hip hip, and techno.  The last thing on my observations is that Germany plays the same songs that are popular in America.  I can listen to the VMA award winner, Lady Gaga, in Germany and also in my car driving to work.  I found that to be pretty interesting!

All in all, I feel like radio is radio no matter where you are in the world.  The only difference would be the language, sometimes, and the broadcasting channel.  This assignment taught me a lot about radio and what happens around the world.  Even though people are a couple thousand miles away from me, they can be jamming out to the same thing that I am.


Most popular and Least Popular States wit Radio Stations

• Bavaria has 78 radio stations making it the most of Germany
• Bremen and Mexklenburg-Vorpommenboth have the fewest with only 6 radio stations

Natural Wonder of Germany-Black Forest

The Natural wonder of Germany-  Black Forest

The Black Forest, in german known as "Der Schwarzwald," is located in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.    The Black Forest hails a few famous german exports.  For instance, the delicious Black Forest cake you probably have enjoyed originated from the Black Forest.  The forest contains profitable wood, to help fulfill the woodwork industry in Germany, silver and ore.  This covered the profit for the forest.  However, the ore and silver have slowly diminished.  The famous cuckoo-clock replaced the profits since the 17th century.  Traditional German hats called "Bollenhut" are now worldwide and were used only on special occasions in the past.  Black Forest region is a popular vacation destination, even for Germans.  The important university ton of Freiburg is also located in the Black Forest region, along with the quaint villagers that occasionally dress traditionally.  Black Forest is known for its highlands, scenery, and woods.

    

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/german_interest/61434

http://www.about-germany.org/regions/blackforest.php

http://www.tompgalvin.com/places/de/baden_wuerttemberg/black_forest.htm

German Topics

(listed favorite to least)

Kevin A and Kevin S:  U-bahn and the S-bahn

Lacey R and Kayla S:  Nightlife in Berlin

Breanna B and Vaughn M:  Popular sights and activities in Luebeck, Germany

Danielle O:  Places seen in Video

Conner O:  Sports

Andrew G and Shelby G:  Berlin Buildings

Pat D and David G:  Staatsoper unter den Linden

Alexia B and Matt S:  Art and German culture before 1920 and present

Sion O and Kyle W:  Reichstag

Steven J and Kyle L:  Berlin during WWII and now

Khrystyna P and Jessica N:  Berlin during WWI

The Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate is now the only remaining gate in a series that used to lead into the city. It is the monumental entry to ‘Unter der Linden,’ the famous boulevard of linden trees which used to lead to the city palace belonging to the Prussian monarchs. It is now one of the most recognizable symbols of Berlin and of Germany.

The Brandenburg Gate is located west of the city center near the junction Unter der Lilden and Ebertstraβe. It was constructed between 1788 and 1791 by Carl Gotthard Langhans, and was commissioned as a sign of peace by King Frederick William II of Prussia.  The Gate was designed based on the Propylaea, the gateway to the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, to be consistent with the architectural classicism in Berlin’s history. Facing East on the top of the Gate rides Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory, in her Quadriga, or chariot drawn by four horses. This piece was designed by Johann Gottfried Schadow.

Though it has played a number of different political roles in history, the design of the Gate remains largely unchanged. After the Prussians were defeated in Berlin in 1806, Napoleon took the Quadriga to Paris, but it was restored in 1814 after his defeat. When it was returned, Victoria’s wreath of oak leaves gained a new addition – the new symbol of Prussian power, the Iron Cross. When the Nazis seized power, they used the gate as a party symbol. By the end of the war, the Gate was damaged with holes in the columns due to nearby explosions and bullets. The governments of East and West Berlin repaired it as a joint effort afterward, but the damage was visible for many years. 

During the separation of East and West Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate was a symbol of the divided city. Visitors could climb onto an observation platform to get a glimpse of life on the other side of the Iron Curtain. On June 12, 1987, Ronald Regan issued his command to his ‘cold war adversary,’ “Mr. Gorbachov – tear down this wall!” President von Weizsacker stated that “The German question is open as long at the Brandenburg Gate is closed.”

From 2000 to 2002, the Gate underwent extensive refurbishment. Most of Pariser Platz, where the gate lies, is now closed to vehicles and is strictly a cobblestone pedestrian zone. Today, festivals and concerts are held at and near the Gate and both the Akademie der Künste (Academy of the Arts) and American Embassy bring important traffic right next door.


There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign. -Robert Louis Stevenson

World Heritage Site-Wartburg Castle

World Heritage-Wartburg Castle

When looking through the many World Heritage sites, there was one that caught my eye. The Wartburg Castle. To me the word castle just brings beauty, integrity, history, and fantasy so I did a little research on the Wartburg Castle and found some very interesting information that was very new to me. On the World Heritage site I was able to look at different remarks from different people, famous to civilians. Reading these remarks the phrase I saw over and over was beauty, magnificent, delightful, and majestically. Now that makes me want to go visit Wartburg Castle in person. Another reason I would find it interesting to visit the Wartburg Castle is for the History.

The Wartburg Castle was founded by Duke Ludwig of Thuringia in 1067 A.D. The castle got its name when its founder first laid his eyes on the hill upon which the Wartburg now sits… He proclaimed...Du sollst mir eine Burg werde! (Wait, mountain—you should become a castle for me!)” (Guide-to- castle). Wartburg is also where Martin Luther hid out as “Knight George” from his return in 1521 from the diet of worms, living on exile for a year. It is said that Luther translated the New Testament into German, in the Lutherstube (room which Luther occupied which he translated), on his time spent at the castle. The sainted Elisabeth of Hungary also spent part of her life from 1211 to 1228 as consort of Ludwig IV (World Heritage Site). In 1777, Johann Wolfgang spent five weeks at the Wartburg Castle translating the bible also into German, and he once said that the Germans weren’t a people until Luther. “In 1817, the Wartburg Castle was the rallying site of the Burschenschaften (students protested the division of Germany into a host of tinpot principalities. Adolf Hitler engaged in a battle with local authorities to take down the cross and replace it with the swastika...Hitler proclaimed about the castle…’the most German of German castles’” (guide-to-castles).

Today the castle is a regional museum. The original furnishings are gone besides the odd exception of a whale vertebrae that lies on the floor. The museum in the Neue Kemenate has reformatted artifacts, paintings, sculptures, weapons, furniture and tapestries. The Wartburg castle has excellent representation of German architecture. “The Wartburg Castle was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999, for its association with Luther and for its role as a ‘powerful symbol of German integration and unity’” (guide-to-castle). Wartburg Castle was seen as an “outstanding monument of the feudal period in central Europe” (World Heritage Site).

As you can see the Wartburg castle has many interesting and appealing facts. Knowing some of the history makes me want to visit this castle at least once in my lifetime. There are a lot of famous Germans who visited or even stayed at this castle. I plan to learn more about this castle as German 110 explores into culture a little further.

Sources—

World Heritage Site (worldheritagesite.org)

Guide-to-Castles (http://www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com)

German States-One or Two Sentences about them

• Baden-Wurttemberg-In 2002 had a population of 10,661,000 people.  The Capital is Stuttgart.
• Bavaria-Is considered the "Beer State" and also produces fine wine from the Franconia region.
• Berlin-The Capital is Berlin. The Area in mi squared is 344.
• Bradenburg-This state is a densely forested state and surronds the capital city or Berlin.
• Bremen-In 2003 had a population of 663,000 and has the area of 404 km squared.
• Hamburg-Has just under 40 theaters including the state opera house where John Neumeier performes.
• Hesse-The capital is Wiesbaden. The german name for Hesse is Hessen.
• Lower Saxony-Has an auo industry, such as volkswagen.
• Mecklenburg-West Pomerania:  In 2002, had a population of 1,745,000 and the capital is Schwerin.
• North Rhine Westphalia-This state has the most inhabitants in Germany.
• Rhineland-Palatinate-the german name for Rhineland-Palatinate is Rheinland-Pfalz.
• Saarland-This state over the past 200 years has changed nationality, eight times.
• Saxony-Had a population of 4,337,000 in 2003. The Capital is Dresdon.
• Saxony-Anhalt:  This state stages a major festival for the most famous inhabitant, Geroge Friedrich 
• Schleswig-Holstein-The Capital is Kiel.  The area per squared mile is 6,086.
• Thuringia-This is the state of reasearchers, and the 160-kilometer Rennsteig, or trail.