Culture of Germany Has a Very Unique

Culture of Germany

Germany has a very unique culture that is shaped both by medieval realities, Cold War politics, and modern day success. Before becoming a country, Germany was made up of dozens of small fiefdoms or princeling states, territories that were German speaking but controlled by local municipal cities. Germany as a country did not exist formally until 1871 when the Prussian Kingdom defeated France, and became united with Bavaria and the West German states to form the German Empire. Otto Von Bismarck and Kaiser Wilhelm II were the leading forces behind the unification of Germany, and with the unification of Germany came great success and a rebalancing of power in Europe. The success of Germany at the end of the 19th century until the beginning of the 20th century led to power struggles that split Europe into two, causing the start of World War I in 1914. (German Culture, BBC.co.uk)

The defeated Germany was permanently weakened by the Treaty of Versailles, and suffered from this defeat, in addition to the Great Depression, in such a way that the German people elected Adolf Hitler to become Chancellor of Germany, and with it the beginning of a dreadful time of Nazi rule and subsequent destruction. The post-World War II life in Germany was that of the West and the East, with capitalism and economic success in the Western half and a continued lagging behind in the East. Germany during the Cold War was still a powerhouse in Europe, however, and became the centerpiece of the struggle between the United States and the West, and the Soviet Union and the Communist Bloc in the east. After the fall of communism in 1989, the Berlin wall was torn down and the two sides of Germany were officially united once again, creating a powerful and united Germany for the first time since 1945.

Modern day Germany has recovered fully from the devastation of both World War II as well as the Communist era, and has flourished so well as to become the most dominant country in all of Europe. This success can be attributed to both the hard working spirit of the German people, as well as the careful positioning of the country to be able to take advantage of the entire European economy as the central most country in the European Union. German culture is very rich and includes a strong art community, a big automotive industry, a still strong manufacturing base, as well as use of cutting edge technology in both the 'green' sectors as well as the energy sector. (History of German Automobiles, Mercedes-benz.de) It is a country that has had to rebuild itself many times, and that truth has turned Germany into the most industrious culture in all of Europe, with working hours longer, retirement age later, and vacation time less than any other country in Europe.