Germany: Cultural Study.

Essay by jlcx2University, Bachelor'sA+, April 2003

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Germany

Germany is probably best known for its turbulent history and for its role in shaping world events, particularly during the first half of the 20th century. However, with the European Union opening up the continent commercially and the realities of unification taking hold, Germany is now considered the engine of the European economy.

Even in the recent less-than-hopeful times of stagnant production and a sluggish growth rate, the German economy exemplifies the model of a premier Western-based European market. Modeled after the American Wall Street, the German economy, and now EU economy, is guided by their largest trading bureau, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, with an organizational set up almost identical to its American cousin. With Limited Liability Companies (Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung), a Dow-Jones style stock index (Deutshcer Aktien-Index), and internationally-traded corporations (Aktiengesellschaft) driving a fervent economy, Germany is poised to lead the European Union into its endeavor in the world market.

Art & Music

A new environment of tolerance and multiculturalism coupled with surging creativity has spawned a remarkably innovative subculture in Germany's big cities over the last decade. Especially in music, theater and design, young people are finding new and original means of artistic expression. Berlin above all has become famous for its urbanity and agglomeration of artists and trendsetters. But other cities such as Hamburg, Cologne, Leipzig and Munich have also become breeding grounds for artistic creativity. Germany's decentralized federal structure contributes to the broad distribution of cultural and creative talent. Because the Federal Republic has never had a single cultural capital like Paris, London or New York, arts of all kinds have always thrived in scattered centers, such as Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne, Leipzig, and Munich (Lord, 1996).

Media

Germany has one of the vastest and most prolific media industries in the world. German-based...