Final Project

This semester I wasn’t sure what I was going to learn. The class is about the culture of Germany, yes, and while culture can be defined differently to each individual person, it remains pretty consistent throughout. I wasn’t sure what to expect and came to class each night with an open mind. I learned about some culture during my German classes in high school, but what I learned there versus here was quite a bit different. We only scratched the surface of the largest cities in Germany and very little else. In my world history class in high school, we read All Quiet on the Western Front. With that, I had a small understanding of what the culture was like; not too dissimilar to ours during a wartime period.

Much of what I learned was information I didn’t expect Germany to necessarily have. Their politics, for example, aren’t as interested in the little wedge issues as our government is, their population is much more outspoken than ours, and basic human rights are a primary topic brought up in each bill. I wasn’t expecting to find out that something that is similar to my spiritual beliefs would be housed and have started primarily in Germany. Anthroposophy is a big reason why I would be interested in moving to Germany, should I move out to Europe. I was definitely not expecting to learn that Germany is one of the most open towards homosexuals in the world, Berlin being one of the largest homes and advocates for it.

I really enjoyed the fact that the only text book we had was a wonderful novel that didn’t cost me an arm, a leg, and my first born child. Aside from that, the movies we watched I thought were pretty dang good, even though I don’t speak German fluently enough to watch without subtitles. It’s pretty amazing that Berlin Calling hits a particular genre of people so hard on the head in terms of accuracy. I wouldn’t have expected it from one of the engineering capitals of the world. I also liked how the groups were set up; mostly of our own choice but some randomness. A pretty large amount of information learned was from us instead of you and you directed the information as needed. I believe that that method is a much better way to get information to stick and have quality information instead of quantity information. I wouldn’t necessarily change anything in the class. I felt that everything was laid out in a manner that taught us what you wanted to while giving us the chance to actually learn and retain said information.

I also learned that aging is to be avoided.

German 110 Expectations

I’m coming to class to learn more about what Germany is like in more day-to-day terms. I have thoughts to leave Minnesota, and possibly the United States and am looking for potential places to live. I’d like to learn a bit about the history so I know more of how Germany is and what kind of role it takes when it comes to politics, immigration, religion, and other topics that tend to cause mishaps within a body’s day. If I am to move somewhere, I don’t want surprises as to that kind of information. I’m hoping to be able to get enough of a breakdown of the culture that will directly apply to me whilst also getting the vague information of the remainder so it’s not completely new either.

With All Quiet on the Western Front being one of my favorite books, I’ll be expecting a good project out of it. I thoroughly enjoyed it the first time around, and I’m sure I will enjoy it this time just as much.

The Role of Women in Germany in the 20th and 21st centuries

Pre-WWI: Traditional role of women prior to WWI can be summarized by the “four K;” Kinder (children), Kirche (church), Küche (kitchen), and Kleider (clothes).

WWI: Women filled the vacancies left by the mobilized male workers. Many of the jobs were factory or farm related.
Post-WWI: Obtained suffrage in 1919 and began filling up other positions traditionally held by men that were not available during the wartime.

WWII: Nazi Germany tried to reverse the rights given to women and once again push the old tradition of child-bearing and –rearing, though many women helped bring Nazi Germany to power. In the later years of the war, women were required to be working in mobilized factories. In addition, roughly one million women had volunteered for auxiliary forces in the army, including aerial defense.

Post-WWII: Labelled as,

“Trümmerfrauen or "women of the rubble" because they took care of the "wounded, buried the dead, salvaged belongings," and they participated in the "hard task of rebuilding war-torn Germany by simply clearing away" the rubble and ruins of war.”

-Wikipedia

In West Germany, the Basic Law was passed in 1949 stating the equality of men and women. This did not take root in civil positions until 1957 when the civil code was amended for this. Women were pushed back to being homemakers and housewives and urged out of working positions where migrant workers and immigrants took up the working positions. In East Germany, however, women remained heavily in the work force due to government requirements. Education and vocational schools were opened to allow women whilst still allowing them to maintain their homes. The government created childcare networks and even funded first trimester abortions. Women made the primary of the workforce because it was mostly men who were escaping over to West Germany.

From the early 1950’s on, women in West Germany didn’t get much educational or professional equality. It took until the ‘80’s until women in West Germany reached a comparable number of entrants to men. In East Germany, the number was already comparable between the two sexes by the mid 1960’s in terms of post-secondary education.

Outside of the education industry, women still have only been receiving around three-quarters the wages of men and even less of upper level positions, including, but not limited to, management, political leaders, professors, and specialty doctors and physicians. Following the unification of Germany, many women in the former East Germany were pushed to part time or unemployment entirely. That the supplements the government used to provide were taken away, like the after school centers and daycare for children, many of the women chose to be sterilized, which was a major factor for the dramatic birth rate decrease from 12 per 1000 to 5.3 per 1000. 

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Germany

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Germany

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminism_in_Germany

http://womenshistory.about.com/library/ency/blwh_germany_women.htm

Germany and Its Immediate Neighbors in the 18th and 19th Centuries

Denmark:

First Schleswig War: Fought in 1848-1851 over Schleswig and Holstein and their rightful owners after King Christian VIII died without an acceptable heir. Germany didn’t want to split the two duchies and Denmark thought they should be split due to Schleswig being primarily Danes and Holstein being primarily Germans. Denmark came out victorious.

Second Schleswig War: Fought in 1861-1864 over the Schleswig-Holstein Question. The second war was fought for the same reason as the first.

Netherlands:

Relations between Germany and the Netherlands formally began in 1871 following the unification of Germany. Obtained from Wikipedia. Little other information is given between the two countries during this timeframe.

Belgium:

No information has been given between Belgium and German relations during this time frame.

France:

The rise of Prussia as a power created conflict between France and Germany. Frederick the Great led the Prussian armies against France, though France was fighting on the same side as most of the German states. These conflicts didn’t end until well past the timeframe of which this little research project is aimed at, post-World War II.

Switzerland:
Germany and Switzerland have been trading and investing partners for a relatively long period of time.

Austria:

While the Holy Roman Empire existed, Germany and Austria were controlled by the Empire. Within the HRE, Prussia and Austria constantly struggled for control over Germany. After the Napoleonic Wars and the HRE died off, the German states united into the German Confederation. Prussia and Austria continued to war over whom would unify Germany. Prussia succeeded and was able to create the German Empire that excluded Austria.

Czech Republic:

Little is given between the Czech Republic and Germany, though the ethnic and linguistically German citizens wanted to turn Czechoslovakia into a German nation-state, whereas the Czechs wanted to keep the Bohemian kingdom out of it.

Poland:

Poland didn’t have a stable state until after World War I, and thus was being controlled by various groups up until then. Prussia was one of the combatants in the fighting for control of Poland.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denmark%E2%80%93Germany_relations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Schleswig_War

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Schleswig_War

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Germany

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austria%E2%80%93Germany_relations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany%E2%80%93Switzerland_relations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France%E2%80%93Germany_relations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_Republic%E2%80%93Germany_relations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany%E2%80%93Poland_relations

Berlin Calling reaction

1. What do drugs mean to Ickarus?
To Ickarus, the drugs were being used as a method to invoke deep creativity. While working on his latest album, he often found himself unable to complete a few songs due to the infamous writer's block. To "counteract" the block, Ickarus would take the drugs to relax and go into a more "creative trance" type of thing.

2. Why, when, and how are his fans taking drugs, and which drugs do they take?
The fans would take drugs in order to feel more relaxed and to enjoy the electronica style more deeply. They would take drugs more often around the times they would party or be at a concert.  The various drugs would be smoked, snorted, or ingested. Marijuana, meth, cocaine, heroine, and various types of pills were the most common.



3. While we can see that his drug habits get him ill and into a psychosis, and while we witness his relapse and inability to work successfully, why does the subculture Ickarus belongs to focus on drugs?

This question is best answered by understanding electronic music. Without lyrics, every beat, rhythm, and note resonate throughout the body.  The idea is that the music can change your mood. With nothing but the music to focus on, and since there is so many different things going on within the song, focus becomes difficult on the whole piece, so the best way to listen is to take it in without focus and hear with your whole body. The drugs, supposedly, lessen the sharp edge that consciousness brings and makes it easier to not focus on the song, but just to listen and go with it. That last bit is my theory on drugs. I have no personal experience with the interaction between any illegal substance and electronica music. I do, however, have experience with the genre and do listen to it, in almost all of it's varying forms and subgenres, as much as I listen to normal music. The genre is similar to classical music, but almost opposite in terms of how it should be listened to. Classical music has a focus, usually on the primary instrument. Electronica does not. It should be taken in at once, though can be appreciated and broken down to enjoy like classical by those who are more interested in such bits of information.


4. Compare the standards you know from your home society with the people you see depicted in this movie. Which are the stark differences and contrasts?
Well, I'm the first person in my family to like electronic music, whereas those before me prefer music with lyrics, with a story or purpose you could say. With that, just the music itself is a big difference. Aside from that, no one in my family does drugs or the sort, save the few occasional people who smoke. Parties do not happen often around me or my family.



5. Germany is considered a strong industrial nation the world over. Do you think that the youth culture as depicted here could change that? How about work ethics of Ickarus and of Alice, the label director who fires and then re-signs him?
Using America here as an example, I don't think that the youth culture could change it. As rowdy as they are, the ones who would excel and succeed will take over the industries and just modernize them to fit more of the culture as it was when they lived in the time. The people and low lives depicted here that do nothing but drugs and a few jobs to live off welfare end up being the factory workers that don't go anywhere with their lives. Fortunately, the successful and ambitious people are the one who change the world, not the lazy drug addicts. The work ethic, on the other hand, I believe will change a bit more towards the lenient end. Times are not like they used to be where hard work day in and day out was a happy life.
















6. Which similar "cult movies" of US origin have you seen, if any?
I do not believe I have seen any "cult movies." If I were given some as examples, I could say yes or no to them if I've seen them, but I don't believe I have.


I'm part of an online community where raves and lightshows are popular. The music of the movie is very much what I'm used to. Because the community is primarily online and only in the real world for things like cons and various raves/concerts, there isn't a clearly defined culture, especially since it's so heavily diverse. The real differences between the two is the excessive drug use to relax, as an outlet, or just to have fun. It is true that while some people would and do use drugs in the same manner, such are very few and very far between. Those who do typically tend to stay in their own groups and keep it there, being more social without bringing in the subject of their drug life. As such, Berlin Calling didn't have too much of a culture split between me and the video. Even in the real world, the situation is more around the same to me as it is online. Those who do the drugs stick to their groups and keep it within them. The music isn't as popular, but it is growing and light shows and raves are still quite common. Much of the movie in terms of how the drug users and alcoholics would live and interact is about how it is here. While they do, they don't do it as much in public and keep it on the down low. They often live off welfare and in poverty and hang out mostly with others who like to party, drink, and get high. It is a part of culture I cannot stand.

About everything that happened in the movie is something I can definitely see happening here in the US. Given my own struggle with depression, I can understand Ickarus' dependence on drugs to get something done. It is a very painful and difficult situation. I saw the parts when Ickarus was down and could definitely imagine myself being in that position had I been just a little bit more impulsive. It was rather disturbing how close I am to that yet still so far.

Peculiar German practises: Anthroposophy

Anthroposophy is a philosophy that states that spiritual enlightenment of a sort can be obtained through natural means aside from pure meditation and self-reflection. Evolution plays a role in this, and does have a specific view of "good." Methods used in anthroposophy include biodynamic agriculture, anthroposophical medicine, education, and various forms of art, primarily in architecture and eurythmy.

 Within the philosophy, it is believed that all creatures were unspecialized. As time progressed, creatures began devolving into critters with specialties. Humans remain the least specialized of all animals, so we are the least devolved and closest to our ancient roots. It is noted that evolution accompanied earth's evolution and human evolution, not preceded by it.

The belief of anthroposophy is that there is a good between the balance of two evils. One side of the evils is the side that uses critical thinking and freedom of the mind and creativity but disregards technical usage of the world around. The other side is the exact opposite; disregarding the mind in order for physical gain and usage of the material world. By taking the usage of the material world along with the critical thinking, the balance of "good" is obtained.

Biodynamic agriculture is a natural form of farming where the livestock, soil, and the plants as a single system. It isn't terribly unique in terms of organic farming, but it is notable that much of it is based off purely organic means, including using natural manures, planting calendars, medicines for the livestock, among others to have a healthy food source free of chemicals. Some methods are mildly controversial in that they are somewhat based upon a "magic" belief.

In terms of education, Steiner had some views and applied some practices to which I believe to be very good and beneficial to youth. He had three stages for teaching: the first stage for younger kids was about being creative and working hands-on. The second stage was for the elementary age students aimed towards artistic expression and social capacities, to be both creative, analytical, and logical. The last and secondary stage was aimed towards strengthening social idealism and critical understanding. This is definitely a type of school where quality is more important than quantity.

Medicine in anthroposophy is similar to homeopathy in that it uses natural "cures" that have no concrete evidence of actually working. However, in spite of a relatively useless form of curing diseases, the anthroposophic method of healing does include a few bits which are vital to proper healing; massage, exercise, and counseling.

Interestingly enough, art is also applied in such a way by use of architecture. Unique buildings are made in ways that aren't normal and cause a body to stop and take in their surroundings. One example is a room without 90 degree angle corners. Going into such a room throws off our spacial awareness that we grow up with and rely on, to an extent. The person must actually look in order to see where they are and what dimensions the room has in order to feel comfortable, as is part of our growing up in such a society protected by cubes.

Eurythmy is an interesting form of art in that it is an expressive form of movement. Quoting Wikipedia, "

Steiner saw eurythmy as a unique expression of the anthroposophical impulse:

It is the task of Anthroposophy to bring a greater depth, a wider vision and a more living spirit into the other forms of art. But the art of Eurythmy could only grow up out of the soul of Anthroposophy; could only receive its inspiration through a purely Anthroposophical conception.

—Rudolf Steiner

 With this, he saw it as a method to physically express the soul in ways that other forms of dance did not. It was also used alongside music and speaking, examples being poems, dramas, or storytelling. In music, beats, harmony, and melody were the primary focus. Each was portrayed in specific manners.

• Harmony: Conveyed through tension and release during a piece.
• Melody: Conveyed through the change as well as specific pitches.
• Rhythm: Quick notes were given fast and short actions and performed more in the "talking" space in the front while slower notes were given slow and long actions and performed in the "listening" space in the back.

 Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthroposophy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurythmy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodynamic_agriculture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldorf_education
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthroposophical_medicine

Short Character Description

My name is Corporal Himmelstoss. I am a postman outside of the war who must suck up to others. In the war, I am a trainer. These boys don't know discipline, they won't survive five minutes without this. I will condition them so when they face the trenches and enemy fire, they won't be unprepared.
...I am at the front line. My former recruits now seasoned veterans. They are not happy to see me. It is time to charge, but I cannot bring myself to do it. I hide. Paul jumps in beside me and calls me a coward. I cannot believe how right he is. My superiors charged right by me; I cannot show them my fear. I jump out, my pants are wet with... water... and rally the men.
I survived and have seen what these men have suffered through. No longer will I be so harsh; they have seen enough. I am told that with only half of the company surviving, the rations will be given out as normal. I will not have that. Give them double. They have earned it.