Posts
It is time to look at another country and this week it is
Germany, the capital of which is Berlin with a population of around 84 million.
It is the most populated country in the European Union and globally ranks 19th,
its official name is the Federal Republic of Germany.
The flag is a tricolour flag of black, red and gold which was
first adopted way back in 1919, this flag holds a lot of historical and
symbolic meaning for Germans.
Of course, during the second world war the flag was replace with
a reg flag with a white disk in the centre with a black swastika. This flag was
used from 1939 to 1945, it is now banned in Germany. Prior to this flag the black,
red & gold flag was replaced with the black, white and red one of the
German Empire
Germany is
a Western European country with a landscape of forests, rivers, mountain ranges
and North Sea beaches. It has over 2 millennia of history. Berlin, its capital,
is home to art and nightlife scenes, the Brandenburg Gate and many sites
relating to WWII. Munich is known for its Oktoberfest and beer halls, including
the 16th-century Hofbräuhaus. Frankfurt, with its skyscrapers, houses the
European Central Bank.
Germany is
a democratic and federal parliamentary republic, where federal legislative
power is vested in the Bundestag (the parliament of Germany) and the Bundesrat
(the representative body of the Länder, Germany's regional states).
The head
of the government is the chancellor who’s like a Prime Minster or President. The voting age is from 16.
One thing
Germany if famous for is Oktoberfest which this year will be held between 21 September
and 6 October. It is the world’s largest Volksfest featuring a beer festival and
a travelling carnival with more than six million international and national
visitors.
It is also
known for its beer, castles and Albert Einstein.
Between 1949
and 1990 the country was dived into two parts East under control of the
Russians and West under the control of the allies. In 1961 the Berlin was built
and was in place till 1989 when it was torn down.
This post
is about Germany now and not during the time of Hitler, which is the only mention
he will get in this post.
Interesting study - I do have a lot of German in my ancestry.
ReplyDeleteCool, no German in my ancestry as far as I know
DeleteFor years I was told I had German ancestry and I never identified with that ancestry as I am mostly Scottish. All it took was a DNA test and the confirmation that the German father was not my mom’s father. But there was the one member of my mom’s family she thought was hers, I felt compelled to adopt since he died in Dachau. Currently I am requesting records and am waiting. It’s hard to get past their history; at least it is for me. I will say they have done much in the way of reparations and laws but too little too late. Currently many pockets in Germany are engaging in antisemitism as is elsewhere. It makes me sick. The evil spirit of the man you won’t mention, sadly lives on.
ReplyDeleteYeah sadly such an evil spirit lingers and it is hard for many of us to get past their terrible history.
DeleteI never paid attention to their flag. It is very plain, but striking--just three stripes. I can't believe I didn't know that. :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't know what the flag looked like either
DeleteMy favourite area to visit were the towns of Speyer, Worms and Mainz which fortunately were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2021. The old cemeteries, synagogues, cathedrals, medieval architecture etc are fantastic.
ReplyDeleteIt would be an interesting country to visit
DeleteDespite its horrid actions during WWII, Germany as certainly turned the corner for the better. Blessings, Jo-Anne!
ReplyDeleteThat would have been a hard corner to turn but they have done it
Delete
ReplyDeleteA neighboring country.
Austria, like Germany, bore a lot of guilt at the time.
I wish you a nice new week!
Yes that doesn't surprise me, my week has kicked off well
DeleteInteresting to read this insightful post. I learned so many things. I've been to Austria and Germany and to think I never thought about it all.
ReplyDeleteI am pleased you liked the post
DeleteA good Oktoberfest is a quite tasty beer. Most of the American versions miss it by that much...
ReplyDeleteI don't drink beer but many in my family do and I think I would find Oktobeferst interesting not that I will ever go
Delete