Hamburg

Hamburg’s full name is the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg Germany. It is a city-state located between Schleswig-Holstein and Niedersachsen. It is on the Elbe River and Alster River and is near the mouth of the North Sea. According to trueknowledge.com the population in 2010 is approximately 1,766,156. Hamburg is about 291.5 sq mi which is roughly half the size of Benton County, Minnesota. Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany surpassed only by Berlin. It is one of only three city-states in Germany. “The name Hamburg dates back to the 9^th century when Charlemagne commissioned a fort be built on a stretch of land between the Elbe and Alster rivers. The fort was named Hamma Burg.”(destination360.com) Hamburg was a member of the Medieval Hanseatic League which was an alliance of trading guilds that controlled all of the business over Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea region. In the 11^th century the city was burned down by the King of Poland. Today it is a media and industrial center. It is also known for having one of the largest ports in Europe and also it’s man made lake built in the middle of the city. Historically it is known for being a free imperial city and also it’s great trading routes thanks to its very deep port.

competition

Thursday, September 23, 2010

First 15 Questions For Class Competition (Team 1)

 Question 1. What are the two restaurants/bars in Germany where you can dine completely in the dark?
Answer. Unsicht-Bar in Berlin, Cologne, and Hamburg. Nocti Vagus in Berlin.

Question 2. Germany is the second most populous country in Europe. Which is the first?
Answer. Russia.

Question 3. On Saturday, September 25th, Munich will be hosting a pop sensation. Who is it? Where are they from?

Answer. Kate Nash, Britain.

Question 4.  What German ruler backed Martin Luther from very early on, and ensured his safety after he was declare an outlaw?

Answer. The Duke of Saxony.

Question 5. What German state rapidly rose to a first-class military power between 1670 and 1740?

Answer. Prussia.

Question 6. Who is this? (it shows a picture of a man)

Answer. Richard Wagner.

Question 7. Who is this? (it shows a picture of a woman)

Answer. Franka Potenta.

Question 8. What was the name of the movie where German actress Angelica Domroese plays the sister of a man named Jens?

Answer. Die Legende von Paul und Paula

Question 9. These three men founded a video game company located in Germany; what is the name of their company and who are they? (it shows a picture of three men)

Answer. The company's name is Crytek, and the names of the men are Cevat, Avni, and Faruk Yerli.

Question 10. Who spoke at the Ingolstaedter Muenster church in Ingolstadt, Germany on 24.4.10.?

Answer. Chancellor Angela Merkel and Defense Minister Karl-Theodorezu Guttenberg, in a service for four soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

Question 11. Why were King Ludwig the Second's castles opened up for tourism shortly after his death?

Answer. To pay for the cost of building them.

Question 12. Which of King Ludwig the Second's castles in Bavaria was the only one to be finished before his death?

Answer. Linderhof.

Question 13. What is the oldest flowering plan in Germany?

Answer. A rose bush at St. Mary's Cathedral in Hildeshein.

Question 14. What are the 7 inhabited Frisian Islands?

Borkum, Juist, Norderney, Baltrum, Langeook, Spiekeroog, Wangerooge.

Question 15. This character from the Shrek movies is based off lore from Lower Saxony.

Answer. The Pied Piper.

Question. Which political party had the greatest percent of votes in the May 9th, 2010 election in NRW?
Ansewer. Christian Democratic Union, with 34.6%

Question. What was the precursor to the treaty of Westphalia?
Answer. The Concordat of Worms

Question. What street is this building on? (picture of a building)
Answer. It is the Friedrichswerdersche Kirche, located on Werderscher Strasse in Berlin.

Question. This structure is a key location in which German film? (picture of a structure)
Answer. Run, Lola, Run or Lola Rennt

Question. Held in Berlin, what are the German equivalent to the British Pop Awards?
Answer. Echo Awards.

Question. What famous novel, anonymously written in the early 13th century, ends with the death of all key characters?
Answer. Nibelungenlied.

Question. Where is this statue and what is it depicting? (picture of statue of animals)
Answer. It is in Bremen, Germany, and it is depicting the Bremen town musicians.

Question. Which German car was the first one to be built solely outside of Germany?
Answer. The BMW Z3

German media (radio)

         I noticed while listening to German radio stations that their music is much like ours. Many stations had songs in English and some where even songs that we also have here. I realized that they mostly seemed to be listening to pop music but also had other genres. I think that mass media isn't more globalize as the people who consume them because companies wouldn't invest in advertising in a place that they don't sell their product. I think that if patterns are similar all over that it means German’s and American’s aren’t as different as they think they are. I feel that with the internet and media now days it I much easier for people to learn about others and see their customs and values. I think that much of cultural differences survive in the religious values. I think that radio in Germany is probably a very good thing for Germans trying to keep up their English speaking skills because many of the songs are in English.

German Print Media Reviewed

Overall i feel that German newspapers are a lot like papers in the United States. Some simalarities i found was that there were different sections for sports, local events, politics, and others much like we have here. I did find however that much as i antisipated the sports section was almot all soccer unlike in the U.S. I also found that German newspapers are a little less sensored in the way of nudity as I saw some pictures of people that were much more open and explicit than most of what is published in thelocal paper here. So overall i felt that the German papers are much like ours in many ways.

Bodensee and Berchtesgaden National Park

Bodensee

The Bodensee or Lake Constance is a lake at  the northern foot of the Alps.  It  has three parts the Obersee or upper lake, the Untersee or lower lake, and the  Seerhein which is a stretch of the Rhine. The Bodensee is located in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.  The lake is 39 miles long and 9 miles wide at it’s widest. It has an elevation of 1,296 feet. The lake was formed by the Rhine Glacier during the Ice Age. The shores are lined by orchards,vineyards, meadows, and pastures along with a few ancient towns and villiages.

                                                                          http://www.hfholidays.co.uk/holidays/

http://www.interchalet.co.uk/                             

http://blogs.gonomad.com/wp-content/blogpics/beourguest/P8090074-763661.JPG
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiemce/worldtrip2006/1149786000/tpod.html

The Bodensee shares borders with Germany, Austria and Switzerland.  With a total of 273 Kilometers of shoreline, most of it is German, with 173 Kilometers.  72 Kilometers are Swiss and the remaining 28 Kilometers borders Austria.  International lawyers consider the Bodensee to be the only lake to never have clearly defined borders.  The bodensee is the third largest lake in central Europe and reaches depths of 250 meters, but a large majority of the lake is not that deep.  The lake has 11 islands, one of which, Reichenau, is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. The lake almost never freezes thoroughly.  The lake has only frozen thoroughly 32 times since 875 A.D.  The last reported freezing was in 1963.

Berchtesgaden National Park                                         

Berchtesgaden National Park is the lone alpine national park to be found in Germany. In this national park the Watzmann massif can be found, which is the third highest peak in the nation. Only very skilled climbers dare to attempt to climb this mountain. There is also Koenigssee, which is a glacier lake. This lake was well-loved by the Bavarian royal family; in fact, the name – when translated into English – is King’s Lake. The water in this lake is the most pure in all of Germany, and only electric boats are the only powered crafts allowed on it. The geography of this park features the Berchtesgaden Alps, many valleys, and abundant forest. The animals and wildlife in the national park include golden eagles, red foxes, roe deer, and griffon vultures. The best time to visit is in summer. This national park is relatively remote, with the closest town (Berchtesgaden) being three miles – or five kilometers – away.

                                

walking-in-germany.co.uk

Berlin Topics

1.Berlin Buildings  
2.Berlin Structures
3.U-Bahn and S-Bahn  
4. Sports
5.Bradenburg Gate
6.Berlin Nightlife
7.Berlin Music, Art, and Literature
8.Museum Island
9.Reichstag
10.Popular Sights and Activities in Luebeck, Germany
11.Art and Culture of the 1920's
12.Berlin During WWII
13.Berlin After WWII

Berlin Buildings

Kollhoff Tower


It is 101 meters tall.
It is 23 floors.
It is a skyscraper constructed after the fall of the Berlin wall.
It has Europe’s fastest elevator in it that reaches speeds of 8.5 meters per second.
This skyscraper was completed in 1999.
The ground floor is home to many restaurants and shops while the upper floors are used as office space.
On the 24th and 25th floors there is an open-air viewing area with a history of the area and a café with an outdoor terrace.

Websites used:

http://www.panoramapunkt.de/en/views.html
http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&lng=3&id=kollhofftower-berlin-germany
Brandenburg Gate


The Brandenburg Gate was built in the 18th century as a symbol of peace.
During the cold war the gate symbolized a divided city since it was located at the border of East and West Berlin.
Since the fall of the Berlin Wall the gate has become a symbol of reunified Berlin.
The gate was designed by Carl Gotthard and commissioned by emperor Wilhelm II.
The design was based on the Propylaea, the gateway to the Acropolis in Athens.
In 1958 after world war II the gate was restored by East Berlin, while West Berlin funded the reconstruction of the Quadriga

Websites used:

http://www.aviewoncities.com/berlin/brandenburgertor.htm
 
Berliner Fernsehturm


This 1,207 foot high observation tower was built in 1969, and designed by architects Fritz Dieter and Günter Frankt. The stairway leading to the top consists of 986 steps. The tower belongs to the World Federation of Great Towers. It is the most visible structure in all of Berlin because of its height. It is the tallest building in Germany. When the suns shines down on the tower, the symbol of a cross appears. This was not intended by the atheist Soviets who ruled East Germany, and they tried desperately to stop the cross from appearing, yet they were never successful.

Websites used:
http://trendsupdates.com/berlins-television-tower-will-soon-transmit-from-space/
www.aviewoncities.com 9/3/10

http://www.wikipedia.org/ 9/3/10

Französischer Dom


This is a cathedral which was built between the years 1701 and 1705 for French Huguenot refugees. It was designed by architects Louis Cayart and Abraham Quesnay. Carl Von Gontard designed and built the dome of the cathedral in 1785. Französischer Dom is not technically a cathedral because it has never had a bishop; however, it is generally considered to be one. Other attractions in this building are a restaurant beneath the prayer hall, and a Huguenot museum.

http://www.berlin.citysam.de/fotos-berlin/franzoesischer-dom-39.htm