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german, germans, krauts, germany, travel to Broschures and leaflets about germany are available from: Deutscher Fremdenverkehrsverband e.V., Bertha von Suttnerplatz 13, 53111 Bonn, Phone: +49(0)211-985220, Fax: +49(0)211-698722.

or from other tourist information offices and state tourist information offices. Climate Facts and Figures Area: 137,838 square miles (slightly smaller than Montana). Population: 84,068,000 (Berlin, 3,478,000; Hamburg, 1,704,000; Munich, 1,251,000; Cologne, 966,000). Language: German Festivals Health/emergencies Money Motoring National Parks Events 23-Oct. 17: 25th National Garden Show. Magdeburg (Germany). Gardeners from around the world convene. 12-16 May: Bach Festival. Leipzig (Germany). The moving sounds of Johann Sebastian will be heard in various locations around the city. 15-31 October: Bremen Free Market. (Germany). Huge folk festival in this north German city. 18-Oct. 3: Oktoberfest. Munich (Germany). The worldÕs largest beer festival draws visitors from around the globe. 28 August: 250th Birthday of Goethe. The climax of GermanyÕs celebration of its greatest poet and writer. Celebrations in Frankfurt, his birthplace, and in Weimar, his longtime home and this yearÕs Cultural Capital of Europe. 11 August: Solar Eclipse (Throughout Europe). The 70-mile wide path of totality runs from LandÕs End, England (11:10 a.m. Greenwich summer time) to Reims, France / Munich, Germany / Salzburg, Austria / Lake Balaton, Hungary / Varna, Bulgaria / Diyarbakir Turkey (2:40 p.m. local summer time). A high degree of partial eclipse will be experienced throughout Europe. 28-April: Festival Days 1999. Berlin. In the Deutsche Staatsoper (German State Opera). February: Gras Carnival. In the Rhineland (Dusseldorf, Koeln, Mainz) and Bavaria, itÕs called Fasching, famous for the Rose Monday parades in major cities. Best Parade on sunday in Colone Suedstadt (secret hint!) and Rose Monday in Colone!!! Public holidays Rail travel Ruins and Castles Shop opening hours Souvenirs Telephoning Tourist routes Travel dokumentsPowerâ cities Rothenburg ob der Tauber ======================== A medieval town within its original town walls. Nearly all buildings within the walls are medieval. The Reichskrimalmuseum shows the history of Crime and Justice in Germany. This can be very funny... for us. (The medieval villains found it probably less entertaining.) Also worth a visit are the Spitalbastei (a combination of hospital and castle) the cathedral and the many towers. But there are also the gates and the town walls... the whole town is very enjoyable. (May well be crowded in summer, though.) Ulm === This town is half Bavarian half Swabian and belongs to two German states (Baden-Wrtemberg and Bayern). The border is marked by the river. Its easy to find out which side belongs to Bavaria: the one with the Biergartens. The promenade between river and town wall is nice, the Münster and the Fischerviertel with the tall fishermen's houses right at the river are also worth a look. There are many Cafes and good Restaurants (the Reblaus is a good place to stay). Erfurt ====== The Krämerbrücke (=traders bridge) is really brilliant (around 60 tiny houses on this bridge, most of them indeed shops). The church has a very unusual architecture, too. It was built on a hill and covered the top completely. So when the townspeople extended the church they had to extend the hill as well. Speyer ====== The Dom in Speyer is a fabulous building. The work on it started around 1024 and contains many unique style elements. Speyer has also good organ concertos. Heidelberg ========== The Schloss and the huge wine barrel are the best known attractions. Heidelberg is a student town and has a very good night life. (So I've been told.) There are usually excellent classical concerts, too. Also many pubs and cafes. Vogtsbauernhöfe =============== An open air museum in a way. Its a museum for farm buildings. These have been collected from various places in the black forest and reassembled at this place. Many different building styles are shown and also dresses, tools, music instruments which were in use when those houses were built. The black forest has many impressive farm houses, and this is very well demonstrated in this museum. Freudenstadt ============ A black forest towns surrounded by ... black forest. A very good place for short walks in a beautiful forest. Furtwangen ========== The "Deutsches Uhrenmuseum" documents clock making in the black forest. Some exhibits are quite funny to watch, I especially like the "dumpling eater". Nürnberg ======== The castle and the shops around there (selling sausages and sauerkraut) are very nice. München ======= Lots of nightlife, of course. And Biergartens. The one I liked best is the Hofbräukeller Biergarten (this is not the Hofbräuhaus) the Biergartens in the Englischer Garten are also nice. Try Wei§würste and Brezeln. The huge Brezels are best when they are still warm. (On a busy day the bakers deliver them every hour to the Biergarten). The "Deutsches Museum" is the best technical museum I know. It has lots of interesting exhibits (many planes, ships, a planetarium etc.). For real bavarian food try "Zur Brezn" at the U-Bahn station "Münchner Freiheit" (line U3). Switzerland Rheinfälle bei Schaffhausen ============================ The Rhein is one of the biggest rivers in Europe and this waterfall of the Rhein is quite impressive. You can get on a boat which lands at a rock right in the middle of the waterfall. You can then climb up the rock for some impressive views. Stein am Rhein ============== While you are in the area you could give this town a visit. It s a nice medieval town with many paintings on the houses. Attractions Alte Pinakothek, Munich. Reopened in 1998 after a four-year renovation, its treasures include German and Flemish masters (Rubens in particular). Neue Pinakothek, Munich. A gallery of new masters based on the collection of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, comprising paintings from the 18th through the 20th centuries. The Zwinger, Dresden. This significant example of the High Baroque architectural period was originally designed as an orangery and place for court entertainment. During the 19th century, a building in the Italian Renaissance style was added. Today it houses the Old Masters' Gallery and the Porcelain Collection. Gemäldegalerie, Berlin. The new gallery on the edge of the Tiergarten brings together many important paintings separated for more than a half century. Pergamon Museum, Berlin. Large collection of antique art and the Pergamon Altar, a temple that occupies an entire city block and which was transported, stone by stone, from the ancient Turkish city of Pergamum. Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin. An impressive modern art museum has opened in this old railway station. New and Old State Galleries, Stuttgart. The New Gallery features a large collection of works by Picasso, including The Bathers. In the Sculpture Courtyard are works of Henry Moore (Lying Woman), Rodin and Maillol. The Old Gallery has paintings from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. Goethehaus, Frankfurt. The 18th-century townhouse where Germany's foremost writer was born is furnished with many period pieces. The museum contains Goethe's manuscripts and other documents. Berlin, continues to remake itself, from the new Potsdamer Platz office towers to the bright glass dome of the Reichstag (which will soon accommodate the national legislature). Visit the west for thriving nightlife, shopping on the famed Kurfürstendamm and landmarks such as the Reichstag and Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. Go to the east and stroll the wide Unter den Linden Boulevard and see the new Potsdamer Platz complex. Explore the Pergamon Museum and the restored Nikolai Quarter with its townhouses and romantic restaurants. Last year, the Allied Museum opened on the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Berlin Airlift. This November, the city will mark the 10th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Sixteen miles away is Potsdam, famous for the Sanssouci and Cecilienhof palaces and Royal Gardens. Dresden has regained its reputation for elegance. The Baroque Zwinger Palace contains three art museums; the Semper Oper is a neoclassical gem; and the Frauenkirche cathedral is being restored; and a new synogogue is under construction.. Nearby is Leipzig, a city of commerce and culture, where Johann Sebastian Bach was choir director at St. Thomas Church. Weimar, in Thuringia, was home to Goethe, whose 250th birthday is being celebrated during the year; poet Friedrich von Schiller and composer Franz Liszt. Hannover will host more than 170 countries and international organizations during Expo 2000, which promises to be one of the world's biggest millennium events. The Expo site is already attracting visitors who also come to enjoy the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen. Rostock, the largest Baltic harbor town, incorporates Warnemünde, a seaside resort. Lübeck's old district is known for its great churches and Gothic brick architecture. Münster, a city of old churches and burgher houses, is in Westphalia, the northwestern land of romantic, moated castles and lakes. Bremen is a terminus of the Fairy Tale Road; a monument to the Grimm Brothers delights visitors. Bonn relinquishes its role as the seat of government this year, but remains among the most charming of Rhine cities, famous as Beethoven's birthplace. In Düsseldorf, Germany's fashion capital, you can stroll the elegant Königsallee. Cologneis a university town with a famous Gothic cathedral. Numerous museums include the Wallraf-Richartz (old masters), the Ludwig (modern art), the Roman Germanic and the Popdom (a fun look at the '60s and '70s). Trier, on the Moselle, is the oldest town in Germany, featuring spectacular Roman architecture. The Rhine vineyards, as well as those of the Moselle, the Saar and the Ruwer, are famous for fine wines. Frankfurt, cosmopolitan center of business and finance on the river Main, is the home of the new European Central Bank. Heidelberg, celebrated in The Student Prince, has world-famous castle ruins. Baroque Würzburg owes its fame in part to the genius of Balthasar Neumann, architect of the Residenz. Nuremberg, known for toys and its annual Christmas Market, was immortalized in Wagner's opera Die Meistersinger. Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a preserved medieval town with nooks and crannies, alleyways, old townhouses and magnificent edifices. In Augsburg, Jakob Fugger, patrician founder of a merchant dynasty, established the world's first social housing settlement in 1510. Stuttgart, a historic university town, is home to Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Bosch and its eponymous ballet. Freiburg, gateway to the Black Forest, includes a splendid cathedral among its outstanding buildings. From Regensburg, the intact medieval city on the Danube, warm-weather cruises go to Walhalla, the German Temple of Fame. Munich, fun-loving capital of Bavaria, is the gateway to the German Alps and their world-class winter sports, summertime hiking and biking. The city has a flair for fashion and gemütlichkeit, especially at Oktoberfest. Baden-Baden, one of Germany's great spas, opened a new festival theater in 1998 which will feature operas and concerts with international artists. Opening a bottle of wine means removing the cork. For this, you need a corkscrew. A good corkscrew will neatly extract the cork; a poorly designed one can shred the cork, leave cork particles in the wine, or even push the cork into the bottle. There are four steps involved in removing a cork from a bottle of wine: Remove the foil and clean off any debris Insert the worm Extract the cork from the bottle Remove the cork from the corkscrew Removing the foil. Some corkscrews have a knife to peel off the foil, or a slim blade designed to rotate near the bottle rim and slice it through. Old corkscrews often have a stiff-bristled brush to get rid of any debris or fungus that might have accumulated on top of the cork. Since most contemporary wines have some chemical to prevent bacterial growth, fungus is no longer a big problem. As it happens, a damp paper towel serves the purpose better, so there's no real advantage to a corkscrew with a brush. Inserting the worm. The worm should be 1 1/2 to 2" long, in order to grip the length of the cork. The worm should be helical, with round, not sharp, edges. Worms with sharp, flanged edges will slice the cork, a particular disaster with wines with old corks grown soft in the middle. The point of a worm should indeed be a point and follow the shape of the helix so that it opens a path in the cork through which the rest of the worm can easily slide in without damaging the cork. Some worms end with the point in the middle. These are easy to center - place the point in the center of the cork and start turning. The disadvantage to these is that the succeeding rounds of worm cannot follow the curve of this point and, thus, "break new ground" all the way down through the length of the cork, as it were. The effect inside the cork of such a point is like an auger's, drilling a hole through the cork as the worm penetrates. Credit for these insights goes to Leon D. Adams of the Wine Institute in San Francisco, and his research colleague, a famous physicist, Dr. Leonard B. Loeb. In 1944, these gentlemen tested every shape of corkscrew they could get their hands on and published their findings in a paper, "Corkscrews that Work", in the Wine Review, May, 1946. Many corkscrews are designed to help position the worm so that it's centered. There are closed, open, and split frames that seat on the bottle's rim and assist or even assure centering. A contemporary Swiss corkscrew made by Zyliss is a particulary good example of this. Extracting the cork. A cork is compressed to get it inside the bottle and, once inside, expands to grip the neck of the bottle. Breaking this grip and removing the cork requires a pull equivalent of lifting about a hundred pounds. What makes corkscrews interesting is that for over three centuries, people have designed various mechanisms--simple and elaborate--to reduce the amount of force you have to apply. With a few notable exceptions, all of these mechanisms can be classified into two categories: leverage, wherein a simple or a compound lever reduces the amount of force you have to apply, and torque, where a turning handle, acting like a nut on a bolt, provides the mechanical advantage. There are also two mechanisms that don't use a worm at all. One relies on two prongs that grip the cork and pull it out with a turn of the handle, and the other, the Swiss Corky, pumps air into the bottle, forcing the cork upwards. Removing the cork. For the most part, it's "hold the cork" and "twist". Some corkscrews have an open or a split frame so that your fingers can hold the cork as you turn the handle to remove it from the worm. Some have flanges inside the frame that "grip" the cork so that instead of struggling with the cork you can hold the frame. When you're looking for a dependable corkscrew to neatly take the cork out of a bottle of wine, consider the essentials! For Germans wishing to be loved by the Americans the results of a recent poll don't contain much good news. Americans like Germans much less than say Canadians, the English or even Italians, but they do rate a bit higher than the Russians, Haitians or North Koreans. Back in 1990, however, Germany was the most important nation for Americans. That hurts the Germans. Workshops, discussions and symposia should help to clarify the reasons. That's how the Atlantic Bridge, an organisation not affiliated with any particular party would like to change the situation. The organisation has sent a dozen academics and journalists to Washington to dissect the image of Germans in the USA. In such an elite circle, one would like to believe the German ambassador, Juergen Chrobog when he staes that the image of Germany in the states is still very good. But then again. what should he be expected to say. Which salesman voluntarily describes the flaws of his wares. On this point American journalists are far more to the point. Germans are quite simply put, plain boring and that they know of far more exciting subjects. "The Hitler Channel" If anyone hopes to find out more about Europe's largest and most important state on US Tv, then they're in for a big disappointment. Since the end of the cold war, Germany is not a subject in America's most loved medium, at least not the Germany of today. Most reports are concerned with archive material reinforcing the old cliches and prejudice. Castles, Octoberfest and happy bavarians running around lederhosen. The only channel where good old Germany really comes to the fore is the History Channel, or the "Hitler Channel" as it is sometimes called here. On this channel run the ols documentaries about Nazi Germany. In this context, Americans can once again remind themselves of the victory over "made in Germany" evil. Whoever looks at the news from Germany statistics might understand how Germany's image is not likely to change soon; in 28% of all newspaper articles regarding Germany, the word Nazi pops up. From an American point of view, it's not hard to see how they might think that the Nazis are enjoying a revival over here. Jakob Heilbrunn, editor at the 'New Republic' has a trivial, yet shocking explanation: "Nazi stories make for good headlines, and are considered fun journalism." Frederik Kempe from the 'Wall Street Journal' sums up the reasons as being simply that Americans are interested in moral stories and this explains the dealth of Nazi-related subjects. In fact there doesn't seem to any nations which are less interesting for the journalists than Germany. Hardly any American publishing house or network has a permanent Germany correpsondent. Many are located in Berlin for reasons of vicinity to other countries, but only in order to report on eastern European countries. A typical example is that of Gregorty Katz from the Dallas Morning News, the eighth largest daily in the United States. He lives in Berlin but in the last 7 weeks has spent a total of 3 days there simply because he's been spending his time in more exciting countries. The opinion of most foreign correspondents is that Germany is quite simply boring. Fifteen years of the same government, the same chancellor, a couple of quarrals over pension reform and taxes and a couple of million unemployed. All this considered doesn't add up to grounds for amazement on their part. Since the wall fell, Germany is no longer the front line dividing the evil communist empire and the good capatalist world. Since then, the excitment is gone and the country between the Rhein and the Oder rivers has fallen into a sleeping beauty state. So it's not surprising that Joe American doesn't have a rosey, let alone euphoric image of Germany. The picture is somewhat different among Americans who were stationed here or who have realtives who have worked in Germany. Among this group the positive image of Germans as clean and disciplined worker bees has survived the new opinions. Unfortunately, Germany is not high on the list of exchange students favourite places to study. American youth considers Germany pretty uncool. Not just the media, but also the politicians are to blame for the sate of affairs. Even in the Congress there is a definate and detectable weariness with Germany. A few years ago there were indeed senators who were pro Germany, but most are now gone. Young politicians who are more concerned with getting voted in again, know well that votes cannot be won through emphasis on foreign affairs and certainly not through an emphasis on Germany. One of the best examples to demonstrate how disinterested American politicians are in Germany is the fact that in 1996, not a single delegation of American politicians visited Germany while hardly a week passes in which German politicians don't make refernce to events in Washington. A small compensation is the fact that Bill Clinton is always ready to reassure Helmut Kohl that Germany is the USA's most treasured ally in Europe and that the chancellor is his most favoured dinner partner. "Whatever you do, don't upset anyone" Dr Gerald Livingston, one of the most respected Germany experts in the United States sees the Germans as responsible for their own standing in the USA. "The political class in Germany is not completely at ease with their position of power in Europe and is overly conscious of the possibility that a demonstration of power could eventually offend someone". He believes that Bonn's decision making always takes consideration of "big daddy Washington". Germany must slowly come to the realisation that America is far too busy to be concerned with a Germany that is in the meantime no longer threatened and considerably matured in the European context. Germany must now demonstrate its own independence and stop trying to please everyone all the time.William Drozdiak, correspondent for the Washington Post sees the primary problem as "the Germans afraid to change themselves". The french poet Jean Cocteau summed up the situation perfectly many years ago; "The USA will always remain the USA, but Germany would like to be both Germany and the USA". German, German gifts, german souvenirs, Presents from Germany, German Collectibles, German presents, Germany, Germans,kraut, Deutsch, Deutschland, Gifts, Mad King, Crazy King, Beauty out of Madness, Gift, buy, online, souvenir, typical, lederhosen, lederhose, leathertrowsers, stein, bier, beer, beerstein, steins, warehouse, superstore, neuschwanstein, bavaria, blackforest, japanese, japan, american, english, information, neuschwanstein, munich, munchen, octoberfest, oktoberfest, cuckooclock, cuckoo clock, castle, pyramids Unsurprisingly for a country whose land has so often been at history's crux, the moods and preoccupations of Germany's people are reflected in a rich artistic heritage: from the claustrophobic beauty of its cathedrals to some of the world's most influential philosophers, from the cream of classical composers to contemporary industrial-grunge music, from the genius of Goethe to the revolutionary theatre of Brecht, Germany has it all. The scope of German art is such that it could be the focus of an entire visit.

Arguably the finest artist Germany has produced, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) was a poet, dramatist, painter, scientist and philosopher. His greatest work, the drama Faust, is a masterful epic of all that went before him, as the archetypal human strives for meaning. The ghost of Goethe inhabits the soul of Germany, rubbing ethereal shoulders with such musical luminaries as the Bach family, Ludwig van Beethoven and Richard Wagner. Germany has also been endowed with many exceptional visual artists. The gothic sculpture of Peter Vischer and his sons, the renaissance portraiture of Albrecht Dürer and the baroque architecture of Balthasar Neumann are all magnificent examples in their fields. A steadfast commitment to excellence in artistry persists in more recent forms, with Germany a notable producer of excellent and challenging cinema from Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Werner Herzog, amongst others.

Germany's artistic diet, rich though it is, has nothing on its food. This is truly a meat-and-potatoes kind of country. Though vegetarian and health-conscious restaurants are starting to sprout, it's best to stop counting calories and cholesterol levels while in Germany. The assault begins with a good German breakfast: rolls, jam, cheese, cold meats, hard-boiled egg, and coffee or tea. Visitors to Germany commonly dream of cornflakes but they always wake up to ham and jam. Lunch is the main meal of the day, but breakfast is so big you'd be forgiven for just picking up a midday bratwurst from the ubiquitous Imbiss (takeaway-food stand). Dinner is allegedly a lighter meal, but this can still mean a plate full of sausages and dumplings. Beer is the national beverage and it's one cultural phenomenon that must be adequately explored. The beer is excellent and relatively cheap. Each region and brewery produces beer with a distinctive taste and body. Impromptu visits to small breweries are better than adding your bulk to the already crowded festivals like Munich's Oktoberfest. In winter, you can experience the glorious haze induced by Glühwein, a hot, spicy mulled wine guaranteed to take the chill away.

Despite their penchant for continual improvement and modernisation, upholding cultural traditions is dear to the German heart. Hunters still wear green, master chimney sweeps get around in pitch-black suits and top hats, Bavarian women don the Dirndl (skirt and blouse), while their menfolk find suitable occasions to wear typical Bavarian Lederhosen (leather shorts), a Loden (short jacket) and felt hat. In everyday life, Germans are fairly formal, although more so in the Protestant-dominated north than the beer swilling south. In eastern Germany many older people are relatively unused to tourists, so it's best to err towards deference. Except with very close friends, older Germans still use Herr and Frau in daily discussion. The transition from the formal Sie address to the informal du is generally mutually agreed and sealed with a toast and a handshake. You don't have to worry so much with people under about 40; in fact, exaggerated politeness will probably be laughed off as beginner's Deutsch.
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