Cultural Scrapbook (: Germany

1. Cultural Scrapbook (:Germany By: Taylor Rae

2. Population -Germany’s population of 82.3 million and is decreasing slightly -91.5 percent of Germany’s population is ethnic German

3. Ethnic Makeup -Minority ethnic groups include Turkey, the former Yugoslavia, Italy, Greece and Poland

4. Language -The dominant language in Germany is German -German taught in schools is different from the German used in media -Which both differ from the German dialect used in daily conversation.

5. Language Cont. -Some people use dialects to color their accents -In German every noun written is capitalized -In the eastern states most understand and speak Russian

6. Religion -One third of German religion is Roman Catholic -The next third are Protestants, mostly Lutheran Four percent of Germans are Muslim -Catholic Church in Germany

7. Religion Cont. -The divisions of religion in Germany are visible -Catholic citizens live in the South and West -Protestants mainly live in the North and East

8. Interpersonal Relation -German’s can be described as industrious, thrifty, orderly, and honest -They believe in traits like punctuality, privacy, intelligence, and skill/ability -After World War Two class distinctions were broken down because so many people lost their possessions and had to start over.

9. Interpersonal Relation Cont. -Most Germans have strong formal education -German is a country with a heritage full of classical music, history, science, and art -Eastern Germans have most nurtured their heritage though parts have changed after four years in communism

10. Holidays -Germans Consider themselves “Weltmeisters” or “World Champions --Schools, companies, and government employees get thirteen weeks of vacation every year -When a woman is pregnant in Germany she can take up to six weeks of maternal leave before the baby is born and up to a year after the baby is born

11. Holidays Cont. -Christmas is widely celebrated in Germany but the religious roots of the holiday are showing less and less -Most Families put up Christmas trees in their homes -They usually decorate with painted glass balls and candles often in the colors red or gold -Traditional Christmas Meal is goose

12. Holidays Cont. -While we celebrate New Year’s Eve Germans are celebrating Sylvester -Festivities include fireworks and parties, which are followed by the public holiday on the 1st -Most Germans celebrate New Years Eve and New Years day abroad in Austria, France, or Switzerland -Most Germans enjoy hiking and skiing during this snowy season

13. Greetings -One common greeting in Germany is a simple handshake -If there are several people you do not shake hands right away crossing one persons arms of the others is inappropriate -Guten Tag is the most common greeting meaning good day -Traditionally only family members and close friends call each other by first name

14. Gestures -Chewing gum in public is considered inappropriate -If you have you hands in your pocket while talking to someone that’s thought of as rude -People cross their legs one knee over the other with out both feet on the ground to be proper

15. Rites of Passage -One rite of passage is the Celebration Of Birth -When a child is born his/her family will hold a large feast to celebrate the joy that the birth has brought to the family. -After the feast visitors would come to wish the baby well -The first well wisher wishes him/her kindness, the second wisdom, the third beauty

16. Food -Dishes vary by the region you are in -Potatoes, vegetables, noodles, dumplings, sauces, and pastries are common in Germany -Pork is just as popular of a meat as beef and chicken -The areas by the sea have a lot of sea food -Lunch consists of soup and a main dish

17. Food Cont. -Breakfast consists of of rolls and different kinds of jams, honey, meat and cheese -It is also served with coffee, milk, or tea -Cereal served hot or cold are both popular as well

18. Traditional Clothing -Women wore dirndl, a dirndl is a bodice worn over a blouse, a full skirt and an apron -This design can be changed to go along with the season that the woman is wearing in it -Men wore lederhosen, lederhosen are leather trousers that go down to the knees with straps that hook to the top of the pants and go around the mans shoulders

19. Modern Clothing -Germany’s modern dress is similar to the clothes we wear everyday -Men and Women along with teenagers still occasionally dress traditionally for large parties and important festivals

20. Recreation/Sports -Germans enjoy hiking, swimming, skiing, cycling, touring in cars, and playing tennis, along with other things -Many business deals are made on the golf greens, wealthy Germans do the most golfing -Garden plots and gazebos are fun places to relax and have barbeques -Germans also enjoy watching TV and getting together with friends and family

21. Recreation/Sports Cont. -Soccer or “Fußball” is the most popular sport in Germany -Most Germans are faithful fans and members of local soccer clubs -Millions of fans flock to stadiums every weekend to see their favorite games -The most popular team in the country is Bayern München -Germany placed third in the the 2010 FIFA World Cup

22. Art -In Germany classical arts are important -Arts like music and theater -Festivals and performances draw large crowds throughout all of Germany -Local arts include weaving, wood carving, and wood-block printing -Some of the world’s most renowned composers, artists, and philosophers are German