Germany’s ethno-cultural diversity and the plurality of its life-style, preferences and way of thinking make it an open-minded and tolerant society. Despite various social changes, family continues to be a significant unit of identity and pride. Good education, high standard of living, considerable freedom and the spirit to live life fully, give the country a positive force to face transitions and challenges.
German Culture
Germany has a vibrant, rich and an interesting cultural life. Names like Goethe, Beethoven and Bach are already identified with the traditional culture of the country. Even in the present era, names like the painter, Gerhard Richter, director, Fatih Akin, etc. are fast becoming synonymous with the cultural identity of Germans. People here are quite fond of and love to participate in fun games, sports, concerts, contests, etc. while simultaneously appreciating the nuances of a traditional or modern ballet, painting, theatre and music Apart from the works of great German poets, painters and musicians, its rich cultural heritage is also visible in its magnificent architectural wonders. Germany is probably one of the best examples where one can find simultaneous existence of historical buildings and modern constructions.
It also has a well established German Culture Council (Deutscher Kulturrat e.V.), which is the umbrella organisation, coordinating the activities of the Federal Culture Associations. It acts as a mediator or connecting link between the Federation on one hand and the European Union on the other, in all matters related to cultural policy.
Structure of German Society
Majority of the German workforce is engaged in the services sector. In 1970s, West Germany switched from an industrial economy to the one dominated by the services sector. By the end of 1980s this sector included about two-thirds of the entire workforce. In contrast, during the same period, East Germany was still lagging behind this transition. Majority of its workforce was engaged in industry and agriculture than in the services sector.
According to the analysis of Rainer Geissler, a German sociologist, by the end of the 1980s West Germany's largest group (i.e. 28 percent of the population) was an educated salaried middle class, employed either in the services sector or in the manufacturing sector as educated, white-collar employees. Some members of this group earned very high salaries while others earned skilled blue-collar wages. This professional class has expanded at the expense of the old middle class, which then amounted to only 7 percent of the population. A less educated segment of the services sector, or of the white-collar employees, amounted to 9 percent of the population. Geissler divided the working class into three segments: an elite of the best-trained and best-paid workers (12 percent), skilled workers (18 percent), about 5 percent of whom are foreigners, and unskilled workers (15 percent), about 25 percent of whom are foreigners. A section of this last group lives below the poverty line. Farmers and their families make up 6 percent of the population. At the top of his model of the social structure, Geissler has put an elite class of less than 1 percent. He has examined Germany’s social structure in the light of the economic changes that have taken place in the postwar era.
Women In German SocietyDue to a patriarchal family structure considerable obstacles to equality of both the sexes are still prevalent in the German society. Yet the German women have managed to carve a niche for themselves. It was not until 1919 that they received the right to vote. The Basic Law of 1949 (in the then West Germany) declared that men and women were equal, but it was only in 1957 that the civil code was amended to conform the validity of this statement. A significant change was witnessed during and after World War II, when due to shortage of men, women came to hold positions and performed tasks initially meant only for men. In East Germany however, due to Soviet influence, women actively remained in the workforce. Here, as early as in 1950, marriage and family laws had been reframed to accommodate the needs of working mothers. They went for higher learning and became a part of the country’s workforce, simultaneously maintaining their homes. Due to such awareness, in 1988, women constituted a little more than one-third of the total membership of the ruling Socialist Unity Party of Germany.
In 1977, even West German women succeeded in substantiating legislation for equal rights in marriage. A national office for women's affairs was created in West Germany in 1980 and gradually women came to occupy positions of power and prestige. Some notable examples of women in respectable positions since the era of 1990s are Rita Süssmuth, president of the Bundestag, Birgit Breuel who assumed the leadership, after the assassination of Detlev Rohwedder of the Treuhandanstalt (Trust Agency), Marion von Dönhoff, co-editor of Die Zeit and Elizabeth Noelle-Neumann, director of the Allensbach Public Opinion Institute.
German Religion
Roman Catholicism and Protestantism are the two main religions of Germany. Roman Catholicism originated from the 18th century missionary work of Saint Boniface. It gradually made converts and spread eastward. The 12th and 13th centuries witnessed its spread along the southern Baltic Coast and into Russia by the use of force by the Knights of the Teutonic Order. In 1517, Martin Luther challenged papal authority and opposed the sale of indulgences, which were papal grants for reduced punishment in the next life, including releases from purgatory. The reformation movement that followed altered the course of world history and laid the foundations of another major faith-Protestantism.
Religious differences played a significant role in many wars and finally in the division of Germany into pockets of different faith. The southern and western German states were followers of Roman Catholicism while Protestantism was more prominent in the northeastern and central regions. Under the Prussian leader, Otto von Bismarck, Protestantism was strengthened and Roman Catholic influence was weakened by anti-Roman Catholic campaign, the Kulturkampf.
German Language
The German language or Deutsch, one of the major languages of the world, is a West Germanic language and is closely related to English and Dutch. German is spoken by approximately 100 million native speakers and about 30 million non-native speakers. It also has the credit of being the language which has the maximum written translations into and from a language, as mentioned by the Guinness Book Of World Records. German language is also the fifth most commonly spoken language in American homes.
German Houses
Due to the high costs of land and home financing, especially in larger cities, Germany's rate of home ownership is the lowest in Europe. Most Germans live in a rented apartment or flat. Only about 42 percent of German families own the place they live in as compared to a rate of about 70 percent in the USA and Britain. Even if they own their home, a typical German family prefers living in a condominium or row house instead of in a detached single-family house.
German Wines
Germany's wine growing regions are concentrated in the southwestern part of the country. It were the ancient Romans who conquered the German region in about 100 B.C. and started the cultivation of grapes in the area. Due to its unique soil structure and climate, the country is credited to produce the best tasting and most delicate German white wines in the world. They are low in alcohol and perfectly balanced. About 81 percent of the cultivation area is planted in white grape varieties and only 19 percent in red grape varieties. Some of the white grape varieties are Riesling, Muller-Thurgau, Silvaner, Kerner, Scheurebe and Rulander/ Grauburgunder, differentiated on the basis of their taste, aroma, acidity, etc. On the contrary German red wines are light and have more of a fruity flavour. The names of some of them are Spatburgunder, Portugieser, Trollinger, etc. The major wine growing regions are Ahr, Mittelrhein, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, etc. The degree of ripeness at the time of harvest determines the quality of the wine.
German FashionGerman fashion statement may be described as one, which is very judicious or careful. German designers prefer to remain anonymous or at least a little less significant as compared to the world famous brands or labels they work for. For example, the most famous German fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld, works for renowned fashion houses like Chanel and Fendi from Italy. German fashion is generally concerned with everyday wear and is quite unlike American dresses flaunting a sporty look. German fashion has been internationalised to merge with the French and Italian collections. After the end of the Second World War, the Institute for Clothing Industry was established in 1952, in East Germany. In West Germany independent designers were busy establishing themselves. Since the unification of Germany, many internationally renowned companies, such as Gucci, Prada, Chanel, Hermes and Versace have started expanding their business here. Since 1999, the “Berlin Creators’ Week” is held once a year in Berlin. In Düsseldorf, large fashion trade fairs are organised to rope in business. Germany has become a modern fashion nation having huge volumes of import as well as export in it.
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