Question for Class about Germany

Did the German people know what was happening with the Concentration Camps in Nazi Germany?

the RAF

According to Wikipedia, the RAF (Rote Armee Faktion)  described itself as a communist and anti-imperialist "urban guerrilla" group engaged in armed resistance against what they deemed to be a fascist state.  There were three generations of RAF members.  the first generation of members were the original founders.  Then when those members got in trouble or thrown into jail, the second generation started up and would try to get them out of jail.  The next generation, the third, would do the same as the previous generation, but this third generation also ended the group on April 20th, 1998.  They ended the violence by typing an 8 page letter and faxed it to the Reuters News Agency, according to Wikipedia.  The letter was signed "RAF" with the logo of the group.  The letter confirmed the the group had broken apart and dissolved.   I feel like the RAF did a lot of violence for political reasons.  I feel like the terrorists that we hear about today are doing it against people that they don't like, not so much on a political level.  I could be very wrong about this but I just feel that groups of people are doing it to each other just out of hate.

Red Army Faction- Wikipedia
RAF Picture

Baader-Meinhof Complex

The movie we watched on Monday was... interesting.  There were some things that I didn't really like about the movie.  There were so many characters to keep up with and I never knew who was who and who was doing what.  I really like that we got to watch the movie in German.  I really like being able to watch the movie in the language it was produced.  It made me feel like the movie was more unique than the movies we are all used to watching here.  I understand that the movie had a lot of characters and that they were all demonstrating for the same cause but I just found it very confusing.  The movie had a lot of unique situation and scenes.  One of my favorite scenes was when they left the country to train.  I think it was funny how they were naked on the roof and all the men were staring at them.  The movie was informational, never boring and kept my attention.  It was a very long movie, but by the time I looked at the clock, it was already 7 and I was still hooked.  I think it was a great idea to show this movie to the class.  I think when most people think about terrorists and violence, they think of the middle east, which is sad but true.  I'm glad that we got the opportunity to see how violence around the world is different and how it has changed from over the years.  Overall, I enjoyed the movie and would definetly watch it again.

18th Century Inventions, non-violent

Alcohol Thermometer- 1709

• Earliest 
• Efficient
• Less toxic than Mercury, but evaporates fairly quick

Mercury Thermometer- 1714

•  Easier to read
• More modern
• Still used today

Both thermometers were invented by Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit

Celsius was developed in 1742.  The founder of Celsius was Anders Celsius.

Alcohol Thermometer
Alcohol Thermometer Photo
Mercury Thermometer
Mercury Thermometer Photo
 Celsius
 

German Art in the 18th Century

The Baroque Period

Paintings:

• Dynamic movement
• Overt emotion
• Self confident characters
• Encouraged by the roman catholic church

Sculptures:

• Spiraled around an empty vortex
• Reached outwards into surrounding space
• Had multiple ideal viewing points
• Added extra sculptural elements

The Rococo Period:

•  A decorating style
• The room was the artwork, not just something hanging on a wall

 Neoclassicism:

Paintings:

• Sharp Lines
• Sharp Color

Baroque Source
Bernini Sculpture
 German Art Baroque
Rococo
 Rococo Room
Guy getting clubbed
neoclassicism
 Neoclassicism

Rulers and Government in the 18th Century. America vs. France

During the 18th century, America was still fighting for its independence from Great Britain.  The 13 original colonies were founded, businesses and the population were starting to increase. It wasn't until 1776 that America was independent and free of British control. The American Revolution lasted from 1775-1781.  This was during the time of the Enlightenment.  George Washington is elected in 1789 and remains president until 1797.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/18th_century#World_leaders.2C_politicians.2C_military 

Anna Louisa Karsch

Anna Louisa Karsch (Anna Luise Karsch) – 1 December, 1722 to 12 October, 1791

·         Father was a beer brewer, mother was an inn-keeper; very poor

·         She was an autodidact, meaning she taught herself.

·         Sent to live with her great-uncle, who taught her to read despite protests of her grandmother

·         Mother took her home to hinder to education, convinced it would drive her “insane”

·         When she was 10, she met a sheepherder who gave her books to read, but she had to hide them from her family

·         Married young but her husband was abusive; separated and married again soon after, to an abusive drunkard

·         A poem written for the widow and daughter of a nearby innkeeper got her recognition from a schoolmaster

·         Began to write poems for weddings and celebrations

·         Wrote many praises of Frederick, the Prussian King

·         When her two youngest children died, she wrote “Klagen einer Witwe” (Complaints of a Widow), which gained her the notice of Frederick, who took her and her children to Berlin

·         Most known for her correspondences rather than her poems, especially with Johann Wilhelm Ludwig Gleim (30 years longs correspondence)

·         Gained attention from writers such as Lessing, Mendelssohn, Herder, and eventually Goethe

·         Though promised financial security by Frederick, he did not deliver, and it was not until Frederick II that she had a house built for her where she lived till she died

·         Known to her contemporaries as “Die Karschin”

·         Authored or participated in 14 publications

o   Die Sapphischen Lieder (The Sapphic Songs)

o   An die Natur (To Nature)

o   Gedichte (Poems)

o   Neue Gedichte (New Poems)

o   Auserlesene Gedichte (Exquisite Poetry)

o   Gedichte und Lebenszeugnisse (Poems and Life Testimonies)

o   Die Letzten Leiden des Erlösers (The Last Sufferings of the Redeemer)

o   O, mir entwischt nicht, was die Menschen fühlen (Oh, I don’t escape what people feel)

o   Herzgedanken (Heart Thoughts)

o   Die Karschin (The Karschin)

o   Die Gedichte der Anna Luise Karschin mit e. Bericht ihres Lebens (The Poems of Anna Louisa Karsch with a report of her life)

o   Die Karschin, Friedrichs des Grossen Volksdichterin (The Karschin, Frederick the Great’s People’s Poet)

o   Die Spazier-Gänge von Berlin (The Walking Course of Berlin)

o   Ausgewählte Gedichte (Selected Poems)

http://sophie.byu.edu/literature/index.php?p=author.php&authorid=66

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.wortblume.de/dichterinnen/karsch_b.htm&ei=sijHTLf_AY__ngeJ7tSiAQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=3&sqi=2&ved=0CCAQ7gEwAg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Danna%2Blouisa%2Bkarsch%26hl%3Den%26prmd%3Divo

            https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgpOrBEFyo28kLsvB2_-Dq45qTSahCmV0-9clbZezwyirS2YSz-YNpZJg7gqp2iijR5oX-1xd8UudE6SNsoG2PekGBjCypBAIPMLRtWgh1surFRE9CnHWr8o-DjjZ75rcI7V_hWUA4lI/s400/439px-Karschin_bild.JPG

Gender Roles of the 18th Century

France;

• Women had no property rights
• Men had the task of completing activities, outside of the household, in order to earn income. 
• Women were seen as fragile, and remained at the home to care for the children and tend to the upkeep of the home.
• Lower class women stayed in the home and often worked around the farm, milking cows.
• Even women in  privileged positions were often held back from independent action by traditional cultural and social norms of behavior.

England; 

• Under the common law of England, an unmarried woman could own property, make a contract, or sue and be sued. But once she married, the woman, defined as being one with her husband;
• gave up her name
• virtually all her property came under her husband's control.

• Queen Victoria was regarded as being a paragon of virtue, a woman that always carried out her duties without fuss and maintained all the traditional gender roles that a wife and mother were supposed to carry out. 
• Queen Victoria and those around her tended to portray the royal family as a fine example of a traditional family with traditional values not only in Britain but across its vast Empire as well. The British monarchy was all in favor of conserving society just as it was to maintain its prestigious status although it was the elected government that carried out policies intended to conserve or to transform society.

 
A traditional 18th Century English Family

The roles of women changed greatly during the enlightenment.  According to sparknotes.com,  ”The Enlightenment was a sprawling intellectual, philosophical, cultural, and social movement that spread through England, France, Germany, and other parts of Europe during the 1700s.”  At that time, the opportunity for education expanded but decreased in quality.  During the enlightenment, education was shown to be very important.  Women in the high and middle class were offered an education, but it definitely was not as high of an education as a man.  Enlightenment thinkers believed that Science and Philosophy were for men.  So women were given training in areas that were going to help their husbands and families. Things like music, drawing, singing and painting were taught to the women.  Women began working as productive laborers with the family around the age of six or seven.  Most of the time, that meant working light farm labor, in agricultural areas. If the family lived in an urban setting, women could find low-level, low-wage jobs in many industries.  This kind of work, for both men and women, was harsh, cruel and paid less than most jobs.  In general, women's lives were oriented around the running of the household rather than the entire family.  The women's marriage and children were put behind the household.

Sources:
http://www.wic.org/misc/history.htm

http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/ENLIGHT/WOMEN.HTM

http://www.sparknotes.com/history/european/enlightenment/context.html

http://socyberty.com/history/what-influence-did-changing-gender-roles-throughout-the-18th-19th-century-have-on-the-position-of-women-in-the-practice-of-midwifery-and-gynaecology/#ixzz12urt2Ph0

18th Century

The roles of women changed greatly during the enlightenment.  According to sparknotes.com,  ”The Enlightenment was a sprawling intellectual, philosophical, cultural, and social movement that spread through England, France, Germany, and other parts of Europe during the 1700s.”  At that time, the opportunity for education expanded but decreased in quality.  During the enlightenment, education was shown to be very important.  Women in the high and middle class were offered an education, but it definitely was not as high of an education as a man.  Enlightenment thinkers believed that Science and Philosophy were for men.  So women were given training in areas that were going to help their husbands and families. Things like music, drawing, singing and painting were taught to the women.  Women began working as productive laborers with the family around the age of six or seven.  Most of the time, that meant working light farm labor, in agricultural areas. If the family lived in an urban setting, women could find low-level, low-wage jobs in many industries.  This kind of work, for both men and women, was harsh, cruel and paid less than most jobs.  In general, women's lives were oriented around the running of the household rather than the entire family.  The women's marriage and children were put behind the household. 

http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/ENLIGHT/WOMEN.HTM

http://www.sparknotes.com/history/european/enlightenment/context.html

Top 3 Blogs

1.  Kelsey Kubiak- http://kelseykgerman110.blogspot.com/
 Kelsey's blog is organized very well.  It is easy to read and is not completely covered in text.  It has a very nice color scheme and I really like how your can choose to buy German music if you wanted to.  100/100

2. Shelby Gunderson- http://shelbygerman110.blogspot.com/
Shelby's blog is also very organized.  The blog shows a lot of information without overwhelming the reader.  There are many pictures, which are very clear and neat.  Everything is centered and looks great!  98/100

3. Connor Otte- http://connergerman110.blogspot.com/
Connor's blog is very sleek and modern.  I like how he has linked all his sources right on the page.  It looks great, is very organized, but would maybe recommend more pictures. 95/100

Saarland

Saarland is located on the western side of Germany and borders France in the south and Luxembourg in the west.  Saarland is one of the smallest states in Germany and has the smallest amount of population, just over 1 million.  German is the official language of Saarland, but French is also spoken quite frequently.  The capital of Saarland is Saarbrücken. Saarland has always been a struggle for territory between France and Germany.  In 1920, Saarland was occupied by France and Britain under the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles. In 1933, a large number of communists and political opponents of National Socialism fled to Saarland because it was the only state still under foreign occupation after world war one. On January 13th 1935, a vote was held for citizens to decide which country they would like to join, 90% of the votes went to Germany.  After world war two, Saarland went under french occupation once again. In 1954, France and West Germany developed the Saarstatut, making Saarland independent, but was then rejected one year later.  In 1956 the Saar Treaty declared Saarland a part of Germany.  It stayed this way until the Fall of communism when East and West Germany became one.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saarland
http://www.saarland.de/index.htm

Group 2 questions

1.       When and where did German scientists recently discover a new species of ape?Answer: In Asia on Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Source: http://www.watoday.com.au/breaking-news-world/german-scientists-discover-rare-ape-species-in-asia-20100921-15lkn.html

2.       What city is known as the salt capital of Germany? When did the salt production end?
Answer: Lüneburg, a German city in the state of Lower Saxony, is known as the salt capital of Germany.  It was not until 1980 that the production of salt in the Lüneburg Saline finally closed.
Source: http://worthgem.blogspot.com/2010/09/german-salt-museum-at-luneburg.html

3.       What type of schooling is forbidden?
Answer: Homeschooling
Source: www.german-way.com/educ.html

German History

1.       What was the difference in population in Germany from 1939 to 1946?
Answer: 4 million less people from 1939 to 1946

2.       In the early and middle eleventh century the Saxon kings were able to defeat which Germanic tribes thus strengthening the Elbe Saale frontier?
Answer: The Magyars and the Slavs

3.       What Germanic tribe held onto their tradition of worshiping heathen gods the longest?Answer: The Saxons

German Media

1.       What date did the "television contract" (Fernsehvertrag) get signed?
Answer: March 27, 1953
Source: pg 91 of "The Mass Media of the German Speaking Country" by John Sandford

2.       The Deutsche Welle first began broadcasting is what year?
Answer: 1953
Source: pg 39 of "The Mass Media of the German Speaking Country" by John Sandford

3.       What German newsmagazine is on the rise while its predecessor is on the decline?
Answer: The Focus is on the rise while Der Spiegel is on the decline.
Source: http://www.germanculture.com.ua/library/facts/bl_newspapers.htm

German States: Bavaria

1.       Who are the three primary Germanic tribes to inhabit Bavaria in history?
Answer: Bavarians, Franks, and Nordgau

2.       Pope Benedict was born in town of Marktl Bavaria. Where did he live his adolescence?
Answer: Traunstein
Source: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/biography/documents/hf_ben-xvi_bio_20050419_short-biography_en.html

3.       The Hofbrauhaus is a famous beer hall in Munich Bavaria. What family still owns and operates this historic site?
Answer: The Gerdas
Source: http://www.aviewoncities.com/munich/hofbrauhaus.htm

German States: Schleswig-Holstein

1.       Where was the chief base for the Third Reich's navy operations?
Answer: Kiel
Source: pg 259-260 of “Discover Germany” by Jack Altman

2.       Schleswig-Holstein was part of Denmark until what year?
Answer: 1866
Source: pg 259-260 of “Discover Germany” by Jack Altman

3.       What is the world famous annual rock fest that takes place in Schleswig-Holstein?
Answer: Wacken Open Air
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Rhine-Westphalia

German print media reviewed

The newspapers seem to be more global instead of focused just on Germany.  It seems that the German  newspapers are more focused on whats going on around them, where in America we are more focused on what going on here and what is going on in our area.  It also seems that the papers have less information about celebrities and famous people.  The information is there, its just not the highlight of the whole paper.  Culture also seems to be a fundamental part of all the news papers.

Bodensee Facts

The Bodensee shares borders with Germany, Austria and Switzerland.  With a total of 273 Kilometers of shoreline, most of it is German, with 173 Kilometers.  72 Kilometers are Swiss and the remaining 28 Kilometers borders Austria.  International lawyers consider the Bodensee to be the only lake to never have clearly defined borders.  The bodensee is the third largest lake in central Europe and reaches depths of 250 meters, but a large majority of the lake is not that deep.  The lake has 11 islands, one of which, Reichenau, is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. The lake almost never freezes thoroughly.  The lake has only frozen thoroughly 32 times since 875 A.D.  The last reported freezing was in 1963.

http://www.tourmycountry.com/austria/bodensee.htm

http://blogs.gonomad.com/wp-content/blogpics/beourguest/P8090074-763661.JPG

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiemce/worldtrip2006/1149786000/tpod.html

Bodensee and Berchtesgaden

Bodensee

The Bodensee or Lake Constance is a lake at  the northern foot of the Alps.  It  has three parts the Obersee or upper lake, the Untersee or lower lake, and the  Seerhein which is a stretch of the Rhine. The Bodensee is located in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.  The lake is 39 miles long and 9 miles wide at it’s widest. It has an elevation of 1,296 feet. The lake was formed by the Rhine Glacier during the Ice Age. The shores are lined by orchards,vineyards, meadows, and pastures along with a few ancient towns and villiages.

http://www.interchalet.co.uk/

Berchtesgaden National Park                                          http://www.hfholidays.co.uk/holidays/

Berchtesgaden National Park is the lone alpine national park to be found in Germany. In this national park the Watzmann massif can be found, which is the third highest peak in the nation. Only very skilled climbers dare to attempt to climb this mountain. There is also Koenigssee, which is a glacier lake. This lake was well-loved by the Bavarian royal family; in fact, the name – when translated into English – is King’s Lake. The water in this lake is the most pure in all of Germany, and only electric boats are the only powered crafts allowed on it. The geography of this park features the Berchtesgaden Alps, many valleys, and abundant forest. The animals and wildlife in the national park include golden eagles, red foxes, roe deer, and griffon vultures. The best time to visit is in summer. This national park is relatively remote, with the closest town (Berchtesgaden) being three miles – or five kilometers – away.

                                

walking-in-germany.co.uk

Berlin in Order of Interest

1. Brandenburg Gate by Nicole and Kelsey
2. Reichstag by Sion and Kyle
3. Berlin During WWII by Steven and Kyle
4. Berlin During WWII by Khrystyna and  Jessica
5. Berlin Buildings by Andrew and Shelby
6. Berlin Structures by Jen and Krystal
7. Unter den Linden by Patrick and David
8. Popular Sights and Activites in Lübeck by Breanna and Vaughn
9. Nightlife in Berlin by Lacey and Kayla
10. Berlin Tram by Ryan
11. Places Seen in Video by Danielle
12. Art and German Culture 1920's- Now by Matthew and Alexia
13. Sports by Connor

Berlin

The U-Bahn opened in 1902 and has 173 stations stretched across 9 lines with a total length of 91 miles.  The U-Bahn trains run every two to five minutes during the day and every ten minutes during the night and on sundays.  The lines are rarely late and show up almost exactly on the time posted.  The U-Bahn was constantly being expanded until the Berlin wall was constructed.  When the Berlin Wall went up, the system remained running, but most trains stayed on their side.  All East Berlin lines were not allowed to go through West Berlin, but West Berlin had two lines that could go through East Berlin.  When those two lines went through East Berlin, they didn't stop.  The system reopened after the Berlin Wall went down.  After 34 years of being seperated, the East and West Berlin lines opened together in October of 1995.  Today the U-Bahn carries 1,400,000 passangers daily and travels speeds from 19-45 mph. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_U-Bahn
http://chrisabraham.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/berlin-map.gif

S-Bahn
The Stadtschnellbahn or S-Bahn meaning “Urban rapid railway” was started in 1924 when old steam railways were turned into electric railways. The S-Bahn kept expanding until WWII when parts of it had to be closed down due to war damage. During the Cold War, the S-Bahn became a place of tension and hostility for travelers in Berlin’s divided east and west sectors. The S-Bahn ran two separated lines (run by the west and the east) until 1994 when the separate companies merged into one as a subsidiary under the Deutsche Bahn.
The S-Bahn carries up to 1.3 million passengers every workday. It has 332 kilometers of railway in its network with 166 stations and 15 different lines. It is customer oriented and has 3000 employees whose work ranges from customer service centers to platform staff. The S-Bahn company is also involved with community organizations aimed towards children and young adults. The S-Bahn connects with other train systems at the Berlin Hauptbahnof that houses 15 platforms on two levels. This makes train switching much easier for passengers travelling through Berlin, Germany, and Europe. The trains provide eco-friendly commuter and leisure transportation.
http://www.s-bahn-berlin.de/englisch/service/company.html
http://www.s-bahn-berlin.de/englisch/arrival-and-departure/main-station.html

16 German States!

Berlin- Berlin has the worlds largest Zoo.  Berlin also has the largest train station in Europe.
Schleswig-Holstein-  Two thirds of Germany's fishing fleet are registered through Schleswig-Holstein. Schleswig-Holstein is the furthest north state in Germany.
Hamburg- Hamburg has over 40 theatres, which is quite a lot for a state so small.  Hamburg has a reputation of being the center for Media and Science.
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern- Mecklenburg- Vorpommern has over 2.000 lakes and many waterways.  Two of Europe's oldest Universities are located here.
Bremen- Bremen is the smallest state in Germany. It also has a large Daimler production line.
Niedersachsen- Volkswagen is based in Niedersachsen, in the town of Wolfsberg.  Hannover, located inside of Niedersachsen, is one the world's most important fair-trade locations.
Brandenburg- Brandenburg completely surrounds the capital of Germany. Brandenburg is also home to the German Headquarters of Ebay.
Sachsen-Anhalt- Sachsen-Anhalt has a large Chemical industry.
Thüringen- Thüringen is the home of literary and culinary tradition.  It also is home to Rolls-Royce.
Hessen- Apfelwein originated in Hessen. Also, over 90% of Germany's stock market trade is done here, in Frankfurt.
Rheinland-pfalz- Karl Marx was born in this German State.   The first printing press with movable type was invented here.
Saarland- Saarland has changed nationality 8 times with the french.  There is a very large french influence in Saarland.
Baden-Wurttemburg- Baden- Wurttemburg has the lowest crime rate of all of Germany.  It also has one of the lowest unemployment rates out of all the german states.
Bayern- Bayern is the home of the famous Neuschwanstein castle and the birthplace of Oktoberfest.
Sachsen- Porcelain is very popular in Sachsen.  Leipzig and Dresden are very well known towns in Sachsen.

Parks and Palaces of Berlin

Botanical Garden and Museum- The Botanical Garden and Museum is spread over 108 acres and contains more than 20000 different plants from around the world.  There are many Hothouses and 16 large greenhouses. Each greenhouse focuses on a different region of the world.  Included with the Garden is a Museum, with facts and information about all the plants that are featured in the garden.  The gardens are over 100 years old.

Tierpark in Berlin- This park contains the Schloss Friedrichsfelde.  After WW2, some animals from the Tierparkzoo, which is near the castle, were housed there until repairs were made.  There are over 8000 animals in the Tierparkzoo today.


Peacock Island- The gardens of Peacock Island were built in the 19th Century.   The Garden surrounds the castle on the Island, Schloss Pfaueninsel. The castle was built for King Friedrich Wilheim II and his mistress, The Castle still looks very much like it did when it was built.  The Gardens are the main attraction here, and many people find it to have a very romantic atmosphere.

Berlin zoological Garden- The gardens opened in 1844 and since then, they have become the worlds largest zoo. It has 14.000 animals and 1700 different species.  After WWII, the zoo was rebuilt to create the environment that was closest to the animals living there.  The zoo is located in the south-western corner of Berlin.

World Heritage List

Cologne Cathedral
Monastic Island of Reichenau

Hanseatic City of Lübeck
Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin
Wartberg Castle

Major German Events in the Past 100 Years

1914-1918 WW1. WWI – Battle in Europe between the Allies (U.S., France, UK and Russia) and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungry, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria).  The war erupted due to power tensions in Europe that caused different kingdoms and countries to form alliances with and against one another, with the end result being the Allies and the Central Powers. When a Serbian (Serbia was part of the Allies) assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Heir to the throne of Austria, Germany, obligated in their alliance with Austria-Hungry, attacked France and Belgium, while Austria invaded Serbia. This power shift dragged all the other countries into the war, which became known as the Great War, lasting from 1914 to 1918. The war ended in an Allied victory and several peace treaties, most renowned being the Treaty of Versailles. This treaty set restrictions on German military power and required Germany to forfeit land (mainly to France) and make war reparations to the Allied Powers. The heavy war debt from this treaty along with the restrictions on Germany’s government and military are some of the factors that lead up to the beginnings of WWII.

1918-1933 Weimar Republic. The Weimar Republic was when Germany was known as a Democratic Republic and governed by a constitution that was created in the city of Weimar.  The Weimar Republic collapsed when Hitler was elected Chancellor and started the third Reich.  The Weimar republic lasted until 1933, during the huge recession that Germany was facing at the time.  The recession made the German people very angry and restless, and also making them doubt their government.

1925- League of Nations. In 1925 Germany joins the League of Nations. The League of Nations was formed as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919-1920. This was the precursor to the United Nations. At the time period of Sept. 1934 to Feb. 1935 it had the highest of 58 members. The main goals as stated by the covenant was to prevent war, settle disputes through negotiation, labor conditions, arms control, arms trade, prisoners of war and the protection of minorities in Europe.

1933-1945 Third Reich. The Third Reich started with the rise in power of the Nazis.  Hitler became the president of the Third reich after the death of the original president, Paul von hindenberg.  Propaganda was highly used and was encouraged. Law, education, culture and economy all went under Hitler's power.  The military even swore to an oath personally honoring him. Nazi foreign policy was centered around the belief that Germans were racially superior compared to all other peoples.  The third reich ended in 1945 at the end of World War Two.

1939-1945 WW2.  European war between the Allies (UK, France, Russia, U.S.) and the Axis (Germany, Italy, Japan) powers. Many other countries were brought into the war on both sides. WWII started in 1939, when Hitler, after resurrecting Germany from the ashes of the first world war, sought to gain greater control over Europe and extend its empire. Threatening war, Hitler was basically given several demands from the UK and France which included large sums of land that were lost in WWI by Germany. Hitler’s aggressive policies led to the German invasion of Poland and the declaration of war on Germany by the UK and France. WWII became a war not only against military power but also against civilians, such as the London Bombings by German aircrafts, the holocaust, and the nuclear weapons dropped in Japan. The war ended in 1945 when Russian troops captured Berlin, and Russian and the U.S. basically took control over Japan.


1950's Wirtschaftswunder. In the 1950's Wirtschaftswunder that is german for "economic miracle" was described as the rapid reconstruction of economies of West Germany and Austria after ww2. What they did in the beginning was the replacement of the Reichmark with the Deutsche Mark as currency. This was provided by the help of the United states and the Marshal Plan which is the European Recovery Program (ERP); which in turn helped the rehibilitation of the currency in Germany because of the high inflation of the Reichmark. The Volkswagen Beetle was the icon of West German reconstruction as well.

1961 Berlin Wall construction. Construction of the Berlin Wall began on August 13, 1961 by the German Democratic Republic (GDR). .The wall was built as a way to seperate West Berlin from East Germany. There were also guard towers along the wall. Along with the wall was a large area known as the death strip that included anti-vehicle trenches. According to the GDR the wall was built to protect its citizens against outside elements working against the socialist state in East Germany. The wall was actually built to prevent people from fleeing from East Germany into West Germany. 2.6 million East Germans escaped to West Germany from 1949-1961. There was no other way to stop the emerging East Germans or West Germans other than to build the wall. A major reason for the build was because of two different currencies in Germany. For every 1 DM West Germany equalled 4 DM East Germany. People in the West could get very cheap goods in the East

1989 The fall of the Berlin Wall. November 9, 1989 is known as the date the Wall fell. In actuality the Wall was not torn down completely on that day. Beginning that night, and continuing for weeks to come many people came to the Wall with chisels and hammers to create their own souvenirs. This created many unofficial border crossings and greatly contributed to the deconstruction of the Wall. The following weekend the creation of ten new border crossings was announced.