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.