Tag Archives | Background

Ein Bier, Bitte: The Zeitguide to German Beer

By on September 11, 2011 in Germany

According to an old German saying, Das Bier ist gesund, zu jeder Stund (Beer is healthy at any hour).  Take an early morning stroll through a beer-loving city like Dresden, Munich, Bamberg or Berlin and you’ll catch sight of residents sipping beer instead of coffee to prepare themselves for the day. Indeed, a classic Bavarian breakfast consists of Weisswurst (veal sausage), a Bretzel (soft pretzel) and a foamy Hefeweizen beer. Germany accounts for the vast majority of European beer production, but the state of the industry in the country has German beer brewers very worried. Healthier habits, the appeal of more exotic drinks, and a shrinking population means that Germans are consuming less beer every year. Since reunification in 1990, beer sales have been showing a gradual downward trend. In 2010, German breweries sold only 98.3 million hectoliters of beer, down 1.7 percent from 2009. The same year, Germans only consumed 83.4 million hectolitres of beer, down 2.9 percent from the last year. (For more information, read this Deutsche Welle article.)

Pure History
Invented in Persia and refined in Egypt, the art and craft of beer brewing had already made its way to Europe by the 1st century, when the tribes that occupied present-day Germany drank beer, in contrast to their wine-drinking contemporaries south of the Alps. Brewing eventually became the domain of monks, who perfected beer-making in the monasteries that studded the German countryside. They used only the purest ingredients–water and yeast, as well as hops, barley or wheat–to produce the beverage that was consumed on a daily basis instead of water, which was unsafe to drink. (more…)

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Mark Your Calendars: German Holidays

By on June 21, 2011 in Germany

Germans take holidays seriously: shops close, museum hours are modified and restaurants and cafes fill up with relaxed families and groups of friends. The vast majority of museums close up tight on the major holidays in Germany: New Year’s Day, Easter Monday and Christmas; the rest of the year, they either close or switch to Sunday hours when a holiday strikes. It is worth checking ahead with the tourist information office to find out whether or not an attraction you have in mind will be open on a specific holiday. Catholic and Protestant holidays, as indicated below, are only celebrated by predominantly Catholic (southern) or Protestant (northern) states.

Major Holidays

January 1 – New Year’s Day

January 6 - Epiphany (Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Saxony-Anhalt)

March 21 - Good Friday

March 24 – Easter Monday

May 1 – Labor Day

May 1 – Ascension Day

May 12 – Whit Monday

May 22 – Corpus Christi (Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland. In some parts of Saxony and Thuringia)

August 15 – Ascension of the Virgin May (Bavaria and Saarland)

October 3 – Day of German Unity

October 31 – Day of Reformation (Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia)

November 1 – All Saints Day (Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland)

November 19 – Repentance Day (Saxony)

December 25 – Christmas Day

December 26 – Boxing Day

Have you ever spent a holiday in Germany? Comment on this post to share your experience.

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Party Time: Germany’s Government & Politics

By on March 11, 2011 in Germany

Between 1945 and 1989, Germany consisted of two separate countries with two vastly different political systems: federal West Germany and Communist East Germany. Only since East and West united to form a single federal republic in 1990  has the country as a whole enjoyed a stable, democratic system that strives for the advancement of human rights, the protection of the environment, and the assurance of economic prosperity for all.

Organization

Germany’s constitution, the Basic Law, was first enacted on May 23, 1949. It defines the roles of the  two leaders of the Berlin-based Bundesregierung (federal government, www.bundesregierung.de)–the Bundeskanzler (federal chancellor) and the Bundespräsident (federal president).  It also establishes the rules of the two legislative bodies, the Bundestag (federal parliament) and the Bundesrat (federal council), and the Bundesverfassungsgericht (federal constitutional court, www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de). The Basic Law also lists the rights of each German citizen. The document’s cornerstone is human dignity: One of its most important declarations is that “human dignity shall be inviolable. To respect and protect it shall be the duty of all state authority.”

Bundeskanzler & Bundespräsident

Modeled after Great Britain’s prime minister, the Bundeskanzler is the executive leader of the federal government. In addition to assigning cabinet ministers who overlook the country’s many agencies, which include ministries responsible for Foreign Affairs, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, and Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety, the chancellor sets the country’s domestic and international agenda. Angela Merkel, who replaced Gerhard Schröder in 2006 to serve as the country’s first woman chancellor, has served two terms. The next election will take place in September or October of 2013.  The Bundespräsident, who serves a five-year term, is an official figurehead who works with the country’s foundations, hands out official prizes, and serves as a liaison between government bodies. Christian Wulff is the current president. While the Bundeskanzler works in the contemporary Bundeskanzleramt (Chancellor Building), the president works in the historic Schloss Belvedere (Belvedere Palace).

Bundestag & Bundesrat

The German government’s two legislative bodies, the Bundestag, which meets in the Reichstag, and the Bundesrat, which meets in an elegant Leipziger Strasse palace, are composed of elected officials. Not all representatives are directly elected by voters, however: Of the 598 representatives who make up the more powerful body, the Bundestag, only 299 officials are directly elected. The rest are named by their respective political parties, which include those groups that received at least five percent of the vote. The Bundestag elects the Bundeskanzler and helps the chosen chancellor to iron out policies and pass laws. If, at any time, the Bundestag no longer believes that the chancellor is a competent ruler, the body can call for a vote of confidence. Members of the Bundesrat represent each Land (federal state); depending on its population, each state gets between three and six representatives. The primary task of this body is to deliberate on and vote for new laws—especially those that impact state governments.

Bundesländer

Germany is divided into 16 Bundesländer (federal states), including three independent city-states: Baden-Württemberg, Bayern (Bavaria), Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse (Hessen), Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Mecklenburg Vorpommern (Mecklenburg–Lower Pomerania), Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine–Westphalia), Rhineland Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate), Saarland, Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt), Sachsen (Saxony), Schleswig-Holstein, and Thuringia. Like U.S. states, each Land has its own state capital, where the Ministerpräsident (state president) and state parliament work, and the power to set its own laws that govern education and schooling. In many cases, states act in their own interest when promoting trade and business abroad. For more information and links to each state’s website, visit the information-packed Das Deutschland Portal (Germany Portal, http://www.deutschland.de/)

Political Parties

The dozens of political parties that take part in Germany’s political system represent diverse—and sometimes offbeat—interests: the Deutsche Familienpartei (Family Party of Germany), Mensch Umwelt Tierschutz (Humanity, Environment and Animal Protection), and the Partei für Soziale Gleichheit (Social Equality Party) are among the many parties that champion special interests. Only six parties, however, dominate the country’s vibrant political scene: the center-right Christlich Demokratische Union (CDU, Christian Democratic Union) and its partner party, the Christlich Soziale Union (CSU, Christian Social Union); the center-left Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD, Social Democratic Party), the liberal economic Freie Demokratische Partei (FDP, Free Democratic Party), the environmentally minded Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (Alliance 90/The Greens), and the leftist Die Linke (The Left). It is very rare for one party to dominate the government; rather, power-sharing alliances and coalitions between or among parties share leadership. For example, all parties involved in the coalition get a share of federal cabinet posts. Currently, the CDU/CSU and FDP have a ruling agreement. In most cases, parties with extreme views, such as the far right Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands (NPD, National Democratic Party of Germany) and the far left Marxistisch-Leninistische Partei Deutschlands (Marx and Lenin Party, MLPD) play only a marginal role in the national government.

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Bring an Umbrella: Germany’s Climate

By on March 6, 2011 in Germany

Don’t visit Germany for the weather. The country has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons: warm, occasionally damp summers, brisk and brief falls, chilly, sporadically white winters, and anything goes springs, when the weather can be soggy and chilly one day and warm and sunny the next. With an annual average temperature of 9°C (48°F) and unpredictable, sudden changes in weather conditions year-round, the weather will be difficult to predict for your stay. There are between 7 and 15 wet days each month; winter and spring are the dampest and most humid, while fall and summer are the driest. Your best chance for warm, sunny weather falls between mid-May and mid-October. But there is still no guarantee that the sun will shine—even in July, when the average temperature is only 20°C (68°F). Indeed, some summers come and go without a single 30°C day, which is a scorching hot temperature for Germans.

Your chance of fine weather increases in the sunny southwest (between the Rhineland Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg)—on average, the region is five degrees warmer and almost always sunnier than the rest of the country. Freiburg and Ludwigslust (in that order) are Germany’s warmest, sunniest cities, and the Rhine and Moselle river valleys have the grapevines, lemon trees, and fig trees to prove their gentler climes. In contrast, Berlin, Brandenburg, and Saxony, huddled in Germany’s northeast corner, tend to be chillier, foggier, and overcast. If you ascend the Alps, expect the temperatures to drop with the rise in altitude. Even in the dead heat of summer, it is brisk at the top of the Zugspitze. Don’t visit Hamburg, Lübeck, and other coastal cities without an umbrella and a rain jacket. Rain is so common that residents don’t bat an eyelash when it starts to drizzle—or pour. Winters in northern, coastal areas are warmer on average than in the south, where it snows earliest and heaviest. If you’re visiting a Christmas market and want to have a winter wonderland backdrop, head to the mountains: The Alps and Erzgebirge usually deliver wintertime snow.

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Schlaf Schön: Germany’s Accommodations

By on March 3, 2011 in Germany

Germany is known for offering accommodations in every price range—from campsites to five-star luxury resorts—that are well cared for by conscientious innkeepers who may not always offer the friendliest welcome, but who certainly know how to clean a room from top to bottom and serve a bountiful breakfast buffet. But there are plenty of exceptions: Some hoteliers in heavily touristed areas, especially Munich, know that even if rooms and public areas aren’t as clean as they could be and customer service is virtually nonexistent, they will still fill their rooms. Common downsides of budget hotels are paper-thin walls, dinky bathrooms, outdated furnishings, scratchy sheets, and no elevator. Most hotels, including top-notch five-stars, don’t offer air-conditioning—which is a major complaint among U.S. visitors accustomed to cool rooms. Major pluses are usually spotlessly clean rooms and a big breakfast spread overflowing with rolls, cheese, meat, yogurt, and cereal.

With beaches in the north and mountains in the south, an across-the-board high or low season doesn’t exist in Germany. Beaches are packed between June  and September, ski slopes fill up between November and March, and the Christmas markets draw crowds between late November and late December. Easter, which falls either in March or April, is another busy travel time. The rest of the year, Messe (exhibitions) pack hotels in Cologne, Nürnberg, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Leipzig, and Cologne. Thanks to six-week summer school holidays that differ from state to state, there is never a big summertime rush when highways, airplanes, and beaches are packed—but it’s still useful to know when each state has its school holidays, so you can avoid hitting the road the weekend before school starts. Go to the Germany Tourism site (www.germany-tourism.de) and click on “Travel Planning,” then “School Breaks and Holidays” for a list of school holiday dates.

When booking a room, confirm whether or not breakfast is included. If breakfast isn’t included in the price, the meal can cost as little as €2.50 in youth hostels and a much as €20 in four- or five-star properties. If you’re in the middle of a city or town during the week, a bakery or café isn’t hard to come by; if you’re waking up on a Sunday morning, it is a good idea to have breakfast in your hotel or buy something the night before. When you are booking a double room, note the difference between two Einzelbetten (single beds) and a Doppelbett (double bed)—which, in most cases, means two single beds pushed together.

Hotels

Hotels cost between €40 and €400 in Germany. With a variety of options, from a privately owned country inns to design-conscious chain hotels, finding a room that fits your taste and budget isn’t a major challenge. Using the reliable Deutsche Hotelklassifizierung (German Hotel Classification, www.hotelsterne.de) star-ranking system, you can narrow down your options based on your budget or amenities needs. One-star tourist rooms are very basic: a private bathroom, a telephone, and color television; two-star standard hotels include towels, a touch more furniture, and a breakfast buffet; three-star comfort properties are guaranteed to have 24-hour reception, a restaurant, and bilingual employees; four-star first-class hotels include a mini-bar or room service, Internet access, laundry service, and a restaurant and bar; and five-star luxury properties offer the whole spread: IT support, a personalized welcome for guests, a concierge, and luggage service. “Mystery checks” done by the classifiers ensure that hotels at the top of the scale stay up to snuff. Unless they come highly recommended, it is best to avoid one- and two-star properties; these low-ranking spots tend to have lower standards of cleanliness, customer service, and safety. If you’re on a limited budget, go for a pension, a guesthouse, or a private room in a youth hostel instead.

If you are after basic, clean rooms and reliable service, a three-star is the ticket. In addition to a host of wonderful privately run options, there are a handful of cheap and dependable chains that are either in the thick of things or in the middle of nowhere. These include Ibis (www.ibishotel.com), Motel One (www.motelone.de), and Etap (www.etaphotel.com).

If you have the budget for fine hotels and prefer charming, privately operated properties with lots of local character, tap into the Europe-wide network of Romantik Hotels (www.romantikhotels.com). On the other end of the look-and-feel scale, nearly every city offers a “design” hotel with chic, streamlined rooms. Some of these properties are listed (and bookable) on the international Design Hotels (www.designhotels.com) website. Some four-star chain hotels charm business and leisure travelers alike with well-designed rooms and excellent service. Radisson SAS (www.radissonsas.com), Best Western (www.bestwestern.com), NH (www.nh-hotels.com), and Mercure (www.mercure.com) are all reliable options. If you’re stuck without a hotel, the modern, basic InterCityHotels (www.steigenberger.com) located next door to the train stations in major cities make a decent backup option.

Booking Services

To book accommodations that you won’t find listed on U.S.-based online travel sites (www.travelocity.com, www.expedia.com, www.orbitz.com, www.priceline.com, and www.hotwire.com), try checking German sites. The popular Hotel Reservation Service (www.hrs.de) is stocked with exclusive deals. In most cases, you have the option of holding a room until 6 p.m.; if you chose not to show up, the hotel will give the room away and you won’t be charged. In addition to maps, Falk (www.falk.de) offers a hotel booking service that specializes in budget hotels, and Odopo (www.odopo.de) lists hotels and vacation apartments. Most Tourist Information offices offer online, telephone, and walk-in booking services for all kinds of accommodations.

Pensions & Guesthouses

Pensions (pronounced “pen-see-owns”) and guesthouses offer simple, privately owned rooms with basic fittings in an apartment building or freestanding house (pension) or above a restaurant or café (guesthouse). In most cases, rooms come with a sink, but not all properties provide a private bathroom; instead, you share the toilet and shower in the hall with other guests. Most pensions and guesthouses, however, give you the choice of rooms with or without private bathrooms; unsurprisingly, ensuite rooms are more expensive. In some cases, pension and guesthouse rooms are indistinguishable from one- and two-star hotel rooms, but telephones, televisions, soap, and a reception desk are not always available. Sometimes, in the case of guesthouses, you’ll check in with waiters in the ground-floor restaurant or café. But you can expect daily cleaning service, a lamp, and maybe a chair or side table, as well as breakfast. Pensions and guesthouses are most charming—and typical—when they are stocked with a hodgepodge of worn, mismatched furniture. The recently debuted G-Classification (www.g-klassifizierung.de) system for pensions and guesthouses gives you an idea of what you can expect from these quirky and unpredictable accommodations.

Bed-and-Breakfasts & Private Rooms

Even less formal than pensions and guesthouses, bed-and-breakfasts and private rooms are essentially spare bedrooms in someone’s apartment or house. The benefits are low prices and the opportunity to ask a local for advice about what to see and do. The drawbacks are the unpredictability of the room and the host; you can expect fresh towels and a clean room, but bathroom situations vary. You may or may not be free to use the kitchen. For safety and reliability, your best bet is to book through the local Tourist Information office or an approved online agency. Bed-and-breakfast.de provides a databank and booking service for private rooms throughout the country. Once you’ve settled on a room, the agency will forward the host’s email address to you, so you can inform them of your arrival and they can provide detailed directions. After you’ve had a chance to look at the room, you are usually expected to pay up front in cash.

Jugendherberge

In the country that invented Jugendherberge (youth hostels), these spare accommodations popular among the under-26 set are a standard way to spend the night on Teutonic adventures. There are two types of Jugendherberge: the 550 hostels that are members of the Deutscher Jugendherbergswerk (DJH, www.jugendherberge.de) and a smattering of privately run hostels. The majority of DJH hotels are stocked with multibed dorm rooms intended for twentysomethings, but a handful of hostels cater to small groups and families with private rooms and apartments. (Some youth hostels specify on their websites that they target individual travelers and families, rather than big groups.) The best DJH youth hostels are either brand-new or located in protected landmarks, including castles. To overnight in a DJH, you must be a member of DJH or Hostelling International (HI, www.hihostels.com); membership varies by country. Unregulated private hostels (which don’t require membership fees) also appeal to a younger—or at least youthful—crowd and don’t always abide by high cleanliness standards. Most hostels, however, are laid-back accommodations where you can get to know other travelers, check your email, and grab breakfast. You should check to see if sheet and towel rental is available; most hostels do not provide linens without a fee.

Castles

A handful of Germany’s castles have been transformed into atmospheric hotels. Most castle hotels are luxurious, but there are a handful of budget-friendly options in these historic abodes. You can book a room (or even buy a castle!) on the Culture and Castles (www.culture-castles.de) website. In addition to running reliable hotels in several cities throughout Germany, Ring Hotels (www.ringhotels.com) also offers a selection of three- and four-star castle hotels. Gast im Schloss (Guest in a Castle, www.gast-im-schloss.de) lists hotels that range from quirky to luxurious—but they certainly beat run-of-the-mill accommodations.

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