Taylor S.'s research

There was a lot of German history to choose from, so I chose to look at the fall of the Holy Roman Empire in Germany. I learn the best by looking at a time line of events, so that's is what I've done for this area of time.

1683: The Ottomans are defeated and Hungary becomes a place of German vacationing.

1701: elector Frederick of Brandenburg is named King in Prussia, and from then on makes Prussia into a very centralized state.

1763: Prussia becomes a major world power after the Peace of Hubertsburg. Also, an "enlightened absolutism" is established to quell a rebellion.

1792: Austria and Prussia declare war on France during the French Revolution, but Napoleon beats Austria and takes Vienna.

1799: France goes to war with Prussia again in the War of the Second Coalition.

1805: War again with France called the War of the Third Coalition; Austria loses Bavaria.

August 6, 1806: Holy Roman Empire officially dissolves because the Emperor Francis II resigned.

Taylor S.'s journal entry

My first thoughts about Germany are that I expect it to be kind of dull and colorless. I feel like everything should be on the gray side, that including the buildings and the weather and the people. I know that its probably wrong but I dont expect there to be colorful skylines or a lot of nature. I think that it will probably just be a lot of cement and tall buildings that are made of out of metal or something gray like that. I also expect that it will be sort of quiet. Where as American streets are always filled with some sort of loud and potentially annoying chatter, I expect streets in Germany to be pretty quiet and stuffy. I also think that the people will be stricter and a little bit pushy.

Kai's journal entry

Vergangenheitsbewältigung

Vergangenheitsbewältigung, a German term meaning “coming to terms with the past” is quite relevant for the citizens of modern day Germany. Since the terrible events of the Holocaust in the 1930s/1940s, Germans have had to cope with having one of history’s worst genocides take place (for the most part) in their home country. While no one in modern day Germany is to blame, naturally Germans must feel some sort of responsibility. Having Dachau, a Nazi killing camp in their country were [millions] of Jews were murdered, in their country cant be easy to live with. As far as Americans coming to terms with the past, the only things I can think of are either the Japanese internment during WW2 or the small scale massacre in the town of My Lai during the Vietnam War. Neither can even compare to the scale of the Holocaust, but both were violations of basic human rights. I believe that the term Vergangenheitsbewältigung is strictly a German problem. While there have been instances in American history that modern day Americans should come to terms with, no one does. The average American has no knowledge of the Vietnam War or of Japanese Internment, and it is because of this ignorance that there is nothing for them to come to terms with. Maybe it is because of the American lifestyle, or maybe it is because Americans have yet to do anything as appalling as the Holocaust. Lets hope that Americans never do anything that would require Vergangenheitsbewältigung.

Clarissa's journal entry

1) I think that there are a couple of things that modern Germans have to come to terms with. But coming to terms does not just mean fixing the wrongs you did, it also means forgiving and overcoming misfortunes that hurt you. The Berlin wall and both world wars both hurt and were used to benefit Germans. While the Berlin wall helped protect the west Germans from being taken over yet again, it also isolated them and locked in the east Germans. There are still many scars from this event, and Germany has yet to come to terms with it. The rise of the Nazis, too, fits the category. They used the Jews (some of them German) as a scapegoat in order to save the country from economic crisis.

2) I think everyone has things they need to come to terms with, be it country, or individual. America did some horrible things, and there were horrible things that have happened to America. Many people feel like the Iraq war was and still is a pointless war, yet hundreds of thousands of people are dying over there. It's not that easy to just bounce right back from something like that. This isn't just a German problem. I can guarantee that every single person out there has been the subject of injustice, or has done something unjust to another. If you haven't, you probably aren't thinking hard enough.

Zoë's journal entry

Vergangenheitsbewältigung:

I think modern Germans, most prominently need

to come to terms with the Holocaust. It's something

that's very difficult to comprehend and understand,

and even more difficult to come to terms with. I think

Germans need to come to terms with the Holocaust

by not forgetting what happened, not letting others

forget, and understanding why and how it happened

in order to prevent any similar even from happening

ever again. Germans also need to come to terms

with world war two. It cost many lives and was very

destructive. Germans need to take what happened

and use it to prevent future wars. Modern Germans

should see WW2 as a duty to promote and practice

peace.

Americans have a lot to come to terms with: Slavery,

the slaughter of Native Americans, Japanese

internment camps, the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima

and Nagasaki, civil rights, women's suffrage, and, in

the future, gay rights. I think we should remember that

at one point, the majority of Americans were in support

of the positions on these issues that we now clearly

view as immoral. I personally believe that the opposers

of gay rights will eventually be looked at like those who

opposed civil rights. Coming to terms with the past is

definitely not uniquely German, although I think

Germans have arguably the most serious history to

reconcile. Pretty much all of Europe has to com to terms

with slavery and imperialism. Japan has the events of

the Rape of Nanking. China has the famine and terrible

conditions as a result of communism, whether or not

the government or the people of China will recognize

it, and their treatment of Tibet. Turkey has the Armenian

genocide. No country or people is innocent. I think the

countries that deny things that they should come to

terms with or have grossly inadequate methods of

doing so are insulting to those they have hurt. I think

Germany does the best job (that I have seen) of

respectfully and effectively coming to terms with the

past.

Alex's journal entry

Most of my stereotypes were wrong about both Germany and its citizens. One of my stereotypes had to do with relating the harshness of the German language to its people. I thought most Germans would be stern and rude because what they sound this way. There are definitely some people who are rude and mean, and their language only added to their demeanor. But most of the people I meet, like the waiters or the people working at shops, are very nice and welcoming. Most speak the harsh-sounding language with friendly smiles and appreciate our attempts at speaking their language with them.

My other preconception about Germany was that everything would be completely foreign and different from America. This is also quite untrue. Almost all the Germans we meet speak fluent English, making it easy for us to interact with them. The country itself is also not much different from the US, especially because there are McDonalds and Burger Kings around every corner. One main difference though is Germany’s history and the famous landmarks we have visited.

Coming to Terms with the Past

Germans have come to terms with the outcomes of WW1, the Treaty of Versailles and the Holocaust. They lost so much and had to accept full responsibility for the outcomes of World War One. Also, Germans have had to deal with the fact that the leader of their country murdered 6 million people in the Holocaust. The German population accepted fascism/Nazism and I am sure they deal with the regret of allowing the murder of their fellow Germans. The world has this illusion that even in current day, all Germans are Nazis and I am sure they struggle to deal with that fact. However, Germans, especially in Dachau, Germans have come to accept the fact that the Holocaust occurred in their country and they are willing to share their dark history with the world. It seems to me that Germans are trying to help prevent the Holocaust from ever happening again by showing the world how awful this is to have happened.

Final Thoughts on Germany

What surprised you about Germany?

My list of stereotypes had been short but sweet:

Germany Stereotypes- Heavy food, Strict/Rule-Following, I associate it with Russia

The first two stereotypes were met head on. All we ate was wurst (sausage) and schnitzel (fried meat). The food did not taste bad, but my meals in California generally consist of Korean food (super healthy), Sprout salads, Fraiche frozen yogurt, and an occasional Tiger Spice Chai tea from Coupa Cafe and for dessert, fruit. But I remember for one meal, we ordered a salad with the hope of tasting green again, but the salad itself was more of a side dish (make way for the crispy mozzarella sticks!) The dressing was also a thick coat of a mystery mayonnaise. And for dessert, our taste buds usually met up with nutella or some sultry waffles.

I had also anticipated the people to be a little less passionate and free-spirited than what I have come to expect of the French or Italians. Not a lot of the storeowners or people on the streets smiled back or did welcoming gestures; they were very down to the core, not earth, core!

However, my last stereotype was not met. I had been hearing about political struggles and instability in Russia and how frightening of a country it is, and I was for some reason associating Germany with that sense of disarray. Despite the lack of color and flair within the people and places, Germany looked and felt a lot like Western Europe, with some streets that reminded me of the Champs-Elysees and certain plazas in Florence--no sign of fear.

Ok, I'm getting bus-sick...peace

Journal Entry

What do you think Germany will be like? 

I think Germany's scenery will portray its rich history.  Because East and West Germany were so separate, I think there will be a considerable difference in the look of both parts.  

How do you imagine the people? 

My grandpa was born and raised in Germany, and I assumed that the German people would be a lot like him.  For the most part, they were.  They were all very kind and helpful, and always spoke decent English.

Any stereotypes about Germans/Germany?

One big stereotype is that many Germans drive an expensive car.  Also, Germany is well-known for its chocolate and meat.  

Emily

First Journal Entry

1. If you haven't been to Germany before, what do you anticipate it being like? How do you imagine the people? If you have been to Germany before, what do you think will be different about this trip.

I have never been to Germany, and I am very excited to go. I anticipate that Germany will be a very serious country, and that it will have a very stern and rule following atmosphere. The trip should still be exciting and I anticipate that scenery will be beautiful.

2. What are some stereotypes you have of Germans and/or Germany?

Some stereotypes that I have of Germans is that they are a very disciplined culture and that they are very serious. Also, they are not always friendly towards foreigners, especially Americans, and that they are big on following rules.

Longest German Word(s)

Donaudampfschiffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerk-
bauunterbeamtengesellschaft is the longest word in the German language at 79 letters,

but is truly an impractical word that will never actually be used in day to day conversation.

It means "association of subordinate officials of the head office management of the

Danube steamboat electrical services." The word was made just to lengthen the word

Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän which means "Danube steamship company captain."

Another long German word is Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz

which is 63 letters. The word means "beef labeling regulation & delegation of supervision law." Again

it is not a very practical word, but the German language makes it possible to combine different words and

descriptions into one giant word that would normally be 4-5 words in the english language. This particular

word was the longest word in the German language in 1999 and won an award for word of the year.

My German Stereotypes

Going to Germany I expected many things that weren't true. First of all the biggest surprise to me was that almost everyone I met spoke english. It was surprising because I didn't know that German kids learn english in school as a basic class. I also expected Germany to be behind the United States Technology wise, and also to see people wearing weird clothes that I had never seen before. But It was almost the exact same as the United States. The people were nice, and most of them spoke good english, and directed us when we were lost. All the stores had the same clothes, new video games, phones, and anything else you can think of in the U.S. Another stereotype that I had was that there would be sort of a anti semitic/racist attitude due to the Nazi influence during World War Two. But I found it to be the opposite, there was no bigotry anywhere we went. One stereotype I was right about though was the influence of beer in Germany. Everywhere we went there were beer halls where people enjoyed beer and talked with each other. One of these beer halls even seat eight thousand people, and during Oktoberfest they fill every seat at the famous Hofbräuhaus Beer Hall. It seems like a very important part of there culture, going back hundreds of years. Overall the people of Germany were nothing like what I expected.

German Stereotypes

I've never been to Germany before, an honestly have never taken a particular interest in it in the media or history besides learning about the holocaust. That being said there were still certain stereotypes that came with how I pictured Germany- some positive, but also some negative. For one, I always imagined Germans to be somewhat intimidating, possibly a stereotype that came into existence from studying Nazis and the holocaust. I imagined the adults to be strict, stern, and look down on teenagers- especially Americans. As for German teenagers I expected them to be a bit rebellious, as the one German boy I knew was the epitome of teenage rebellion. As far as appearance of the overall cities I expected them to be very pristine and clean, with not much garbage or homeless on the streets. I expected gothic looking churches and houses, with many fairy-tale looking cottages. I'm sure when we actually arrive in Germany nearly all of these stereotypes will be dis-proven, but as of now, these are the first images that come to mind when I think of Germany.

Diary Entry Two

1. The thing that has surprised me the most about Germany is how good the food is. Coming in to the trip I had low expectations for the food. The food has proved to be top notch, especially the schnitzel. None of my other previous stereotypes have been dispelled thus far into the trip, if anything they have been reinforced from my experiences on the trip.
2.I have noticed that the weather in Germany drastically changes depending on where you are. The first couple days i was wearing t shirts but now i am bundling up to face the snow!

German Stereotypes

Although i had been to Germany before, i had only been to Munich and so i am interested to see what the rest of Germany will be like. We are first heading to Heidleburg. I imagine that since it is a college town it will be somewhat similar to Palo Alto. The people i would imagine to be a mixture of professors and students, with also some "townies." I think they will be friendly but mostly keep to themselves because of all of the work they will have. In general i imagine German people to be modest and keep to themselves. They are blunt, but not necessarily rude just very to the point. I grew up in Holland and i expect them to be somewhat like the Dutch. Visiting HOlland last summer i realized that people there are not at all ostentatious. After 10 years, the town looked exactly the same with a butcher and a baker to supply all the food. It was comforting to know that some places never change and i expect the Germans will be similar. They like what they know and although they probably do adjust with technology they are quite different from Americans fundamentally. INstead of adopting ever new fad, they stay modest and adopt things that are useful and practical.

Vergangenheitsbewältigung

I think one of the reasons I like Germany so much is because of the population's amazing ability to cope with all of it's history. One of the ways that I think makes it easier to cope with, is that they make everything quite public. It would be far from correct to call Dachau a tourist destination, but nonetheless it still stands open for the world to see. It is illegal to deny the Holocaust and all of it's contents and a swastika of any kind is forbidden. Parts of the Berlin Wall remain and Checkpoint Charlie has been transformed into a museum. All of these are evidence a former troubled past, but nonetheless Germany continues to function like any normal (ha!) country. Of course I was only there for less than 10 days, and I'm in no position to judge a country nor it's history. The only thing I can compare it to is the fact that I am American. Everyone has history and I'm not exception. Americans are notoriously known for dropping two A-bombs, kicking aside minorities (Native Americans) purely because we believed it was our right, and don't forget the possibility of knowing Pearl Harbor and 9/11 were going to happen but made no action to prevent either. However, all of these were the actions of a relatively small group of people and not America as a whole. The same thing goes with Germans, not all Germans were/are Nazis, not all Germans hate Jews, nor are all Germans amazing beer chuggers. Everyone has their problems and must live with the history/stereotypes it causes.

Kind of random, but sort of related...I recently read a book titled "How to Steal a Car." It wasn't about the actual logistics of stealing a car, but it was a YA novel about a teenager who gets into car stealing. Initially it started off with just picking up someone's keys and taking the car for a spin, but because of that one time she immediately because im/famous for stealing cars and gets sucked into the business. Or so she says, she could have really liked the high from stealing cars...I dunno just thought to get that out there.

Journal Entry: Dachau

I decided to post my journal entry that we were given after touring Dachau. My feelings after Dachau were mixed. I wasn’t sad, and I definitely wasn’t happy. Not being Jewish definitely has a part in it. Since I am not Jewish I didn't feel a connection to the prisoners. My relatives weren’t affected by the Holocaust, so I don’t feel the same connection as someone whose relatives might have been hugely affected by it. But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t feel anything and wasn’t connected at all. We as humans all feel connected, if one of us dies everyone feels pain. So seeing pictures of all the prisoners killed, injured, or even sick gives us great sadness. Being able to go to a place where thousands of people were killed is crazy. It really puts everything into perspective. At one point I walked up next to one of the fences and saw a picture of a man laying dead, shot trying to escape, right where I was standing. Once you see it first hand it changes everything, it takes something that you have only heard about or read about and it makes you fully realize that it actually happened. It sort of proves that it happened because you are witnessing where it took place. I would say that the trip to Dachau did change me a little bit. It made me realize what happened at that point in history and how horrible it truly was. It showed me that you can’t really learn everything from books, you really have to go out and experience it on your own.

Journal Entry 4: What do German's have to come to terms with in history? What do Americans?

There are a lot of things in Germany's past that the country has to come to terms with. An obvious and prominent example of this is World War II and the Holocaust. The old concentration camps such as Dachau serve as a reminder of the crimes committed by the Germans 70 years ago. As we found in our past discussions, most people viewed Germans as strict, serious, and focused. This stereotype seemed to come from World War II, and is a reputation that Germans have to try hard to change or come to terms with and accept. Germans are also burdened with guilt from the Holocaust, even a majority of the people living in Germany today weren't alive during the War. Living in a country were so many people were killed, and still being associated with the Nazi party is a hard history to come to terms with. German people in Berlin also try to come to peace with very recent political unrest, as only 20 years ago the Berlin Wall came down. Such influential events like these are hard for any country to accept and move on from, while still working to maintain history.

The United States definitely has past history that the people still need to come to terms with. A historical event very similar to the Holocaust was the slave trade, in which an entire race was persecuted and exploited. Even though this was a long time ago, evidence of the racism that occured is still prominent in our culture and lifestyle. Americans have to come to terms with their inhumane treatment of Africans in some way because racism is still influential throughout the country. Evidence of World War II was also seen in Germany, such as the concentration camps that are still standing. However, Germany does a good job of coming to terms with their past by opening the camps (such as Dachau) for people to see, and allowing their history to be remembered in the future.

A Reflection on the Past

Prompt: Do you think there is any part of our history that modern Americans, as a people, have to come to terms with? Or do you think this is a strictly German problem?

Dealing with consequences of the past is a situation that all groups of people have to deal with as we all do things we are not exactly proud of. For example, while Germans have the heavy burden of dealing with the Holocaust, Americans must remember that the soil which they have built their wealth on was forcibly taken away from Native Americans who inhabited the land for many generations. It may be wrong to compare the Holocaust to Indian Removal in the United States, but both consist of unlawful removal of ethnic groups from their homes and many deaths during the process of removal.

I believe that both Germans and Americans have learned to come to terms with the past. Like I noted during the discussion following the visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp, Germans have allowed the camp to stay intact for public viewing. To me, that decision by itself is reason enough to believe that modern Germans have accepted history as they have nothing to hide. The acceptance of the American problem may not be as obvious, but continued efforts to provide Native Americans with rights and protection illustrates that Americans and their government recognize the problem made almost 200 years ago and are working to alleviate it.

These two incidences in history show that we should not dwell on the past, but rather remember the past as an indication that we have the power to make amends and move on.

On the Plane

3.30.10

While I sit here on the plane next to the oddly smelling man in 7B, I am trying to picture what Germany will be like. I think that the architecture will be similar to Italy, a mix of baroque and renaissance styles, but with modern influence. The inside of each building will be intricate in the small towns, but in the bigger cities, the western cultures’ influence will be more prominent. I imagine the people of Germany to be less friendly to Americans on the streets, because that is normally the case when you travel to a foreign country. In relation to the Holocaust, I believe that Germans have come to terms with their history and have moved on. If they wanted to completely forget and “cover it up” I think they would have just gotten rid of the concentration camps and memorials. Overall, I think traveling is about experiencing the country based on what you know, not what other people thought of. So when I travel, I always leave stereotypes behind when it comes to people so it doesn't alter my experience.