What do you want to know about German history?

[USincognito]

Freodin. Ever been to Valhalla?

 

[ACougar]

Sorry, I fear I can´t help you with that. None of the Germanic tribes left any written accounts, so any informations about their way of life have to be deduced from archeological finds. How they thought is lost to us.

I have to admit that I have never been very good at remembering books and authors. When I was still at university, all I had to do was visit the library and look in the shelfs I knew were relevant. There is a huge amount of special publications availiable from local research groups, but I could not name any article dealing with your question out of hand.

Another thing - they would all be in German. (I don´t know if that would be a problem.)

For example, you might visist the homepage of the organization of archeologists in Germany: www.landesarchaeologen.de
Perhaps you can find some info there, or mail them from some reference.

Usually quiet a bit can be learned from archeological evidence, I just haven't found any in-depth studies translated into English. German is a lot of work, and while I can manage an article most books in German are a little too daunting. Heck, with the exception of authors like Ronald Hutton most books on Anthropology in English are hard too read.

I'll check out the link, thanks for your help.

 

[Freodin]

Freodin. Ever been to Valhalla?

Why, yes! It´s not far from where I live - and it is even closer to where I used to live as a boy. But it´s boring.

 

[Heaven_Bound]

Freodin,

This is a awesome post.

Are the Smurfs still as popular as they where in the 80's? I still have about 50 when my dad was stationed over in Kaiserslautern (I hope I spelled it right) that have W.Germany imprinted on their feet.

One more question please.

What was the chocolate eggs called with the toys inside of them? I think they where called Kinder Eggs but that was 16 years ago.

 

[Ave Maria]

Hey Freodin, what's the largest Christian denomination in Germany? Is it Catholicism? If so, what is the largest Protestant Christian denomination?

 

[ReUsAbLePhEoNiX]

the best thing to ever come out of Germany:
RAMMSTIEN

the supreme kings of Heavy Metal , past or present.
All hail RAMMSTIEN!

 

[Freodin]

Freodin,

This is a awesome post.

Are the Smurfs still as popular as they where in the 80's? I still have about 50 when my dad was stationed over in Kaiserslautern (I hope I spelled it right) that have W.Germany imprinted on their feet.

I don´t know about "popular", but Smurfs are still around. I admit that I have a collection of over 300 myself. But the kids today are more into these Japanese monster fight thingies that I can´t even pronounce. *** sigh*** I´m growing old.

One more question please.

What was the chocolate eggs called with the toys inside of them? I think they where called Kinder Eggs but that was 16 years ago.

"Kinder-Überraschung" (Suprise) or "Überraschungseier" (In the abbreviation version: "Ü-Eier").

 

[Freodin]

the best thing to ever come out of Germany:
RAMMSTIEN

the supreme kings of Heavy Metal , past or present.
All hail RAMMSTIEN!

rammstEIn, please.

Well, I really don´t like modern music very much, but perhaps you should try "In Extremo" sometimes.

 

[Freodin]

Hey Freodin, what's the largest Christian denomination in Germany? Is it Catholicism? If so, what is the largest Protestant Christian denomination?

Sorry, I couldn´t access the offical statistics site, so I can only present an educated guess.

Protestantism would be slightly larger than Catholicism, with Lutheran as the (by far) most common protestant denomination.

Edit: Now that I could accest the webpage of the Statistisches Bundesamt again, I found that I was slightly off:

Catholicism has slightly more adherents than Protestantism. 26,466,000 vs. 26,211,000 in 2002 (newest data availiable). They didn´t distinguish between the different protestant denominations though - but here my educated guess should be correct.

link, if you are interested: http://www.destatis.de/basis/d/bevoe/bevoetab5.php

 

[hemis]

What is the perception of the German people's take on WWII? How do they teach it in schools? Was it in good intent? Do German's today feel some amount of guilt for WWII?

 

[Freodin]

What is the perception of the German people's take on WWII? How do they teach it in schools? Was it in good intent? Do German's today feel some amount of guilt for WWII?

Schools teach mostly the facts - and this includes the warmongering policies of the Nazis.

"Good intent" is a case of bad definition. What is "good intent"? In the Nazi ideology, of course that war was in "good intent". It was to strengthen the race, provide space for expansion, subdue the "lesser races"... all things that the democrats among us would not see as something "good".
So I think the answer to your question would have to be: "No, it was not in good intent".

The majority of Germans today do not feel any guilt for WWII. How could they, when they were only children, or - like my generation - hadn´t even been born? But most Germans feel shame about what happened, and a feeling of responsibility, so that something like that will not happen again.

 

[NiemandheißtBoshaftigkeit]

the best thing to ever come out of Germany:
RAMMSTIEN

the supreme kings of Heavy Metal , past or present.
All hail RAMMSTIEN!

Well, I also love them, but I would think (as Freodin kinda mentioned) you would know how to spell it. Also, I am assuming, but you don't speak a word of German do you? Anyway......"Was macht ein Mann? Was macht ein Mann? Der Zwischen mich und Tier... nicht unterscheiden kann, Was? Er....."

 

[Heaven_Bound]

Well, I also love them, but I would think (as Freodin kinda mentioned) you would know how to spell it. Also, I am assuming, but you don't speak a word of German do you? Anyway......"Was macht ein Mann? Was macht ein Mann? Der Zwischen mich und Tier... nicht unterscheiden kann, Was? Er....."

"Was a man makes? What makes a man? The between me and animal... not to differentiate can, what? It....." ??? Is that right ???

 

[NiemandheißtBoshaftigkeit]

"Was a man makes? What makes a man? The between me and animal... not to differentiate can, what? It....." ??? Is that right ???

Essentially. I would translate it as "What makes a man? What makes a man? The difference between animals and me, I can not differentiate. What? ...... (Er translates literally as he but it can be transliterated as it also)

 

[hemis]

Could you explain Germany's trend towards socialism like other European countries or is it different?

 

[Freodin]

Could you explain Germany's trend towards socialism like other European countries or is it different?

Are you American? Then I fear I cannot explain this to you - it is a completely different mindset.

 

[jgarden]

Canadians share a common border, media, language, culture, history, etc. with the Americas, and yet when it comes to views on public health, gun control, the Christian Right and capitalism, we have more in common with the Europeans. In many ways, Americans really do have an "alien" culture, which separates them from all other modern "democracies." I live within 50 miles of the border, but when I read some of the ideas expressed by the Republicans and the Christian Right in this forum, I'm stunned at how little we really have in common.

 

[NiemandheißtBoshaftigkeit]

Are you American? Then I fear I cannot explain this to you - it is a completely different mindset.

Could you explain it despite your reservations. Not all American think uniformily and I doubt hemis and I (or at least I) think as the average American.

 

[hemis]

Are you American? Then I fear I cannot explain this to you - it is a completely different mindset.

Have you sworn a secret oath to the supreme chancellor?
If you chose to maintain not to answer the question, then answer me this: How did German's deal with inflation after both Worldwars? How did they offset the large deficit? Marshall Plan? I have heard rumors that after the wars, people began to use the paper currency as kindling because the markets became so inflated.

 

[oldrooster]

That was after the first world war, after the creation of the Federal Republic, there was currency reform. The Reichsmark was withdrawn, the Deutschemark was introduced and goods started appearing in the shops again. The Marshall plan helped, the Wonderwirtshaft was a product of hard labor and sacrafice of the German people.