Germany: Culture, Language, and Geography

Germany

Culture

Germany shares a lot of culture and traditions with neighboring countries, especially the Germanic-speaking Austria and Switzerland. The country has a rich history marked by pivotal moments and events that have shaped its culture and the entire European continent. Some of these moments include Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, which reshaped religious beliefs across Europe, and the Enlightenment period, fostered by philosophers such as Immanuel Kant.

The German people are known for their love of beer, hardworking nature, punctuality, and affinity for cars. The country is also home to timeless classics like Goethe’s “Faust” and “The Sorrows of Young Werther,” and literary greats such as Kafka. Germany has a rich history in philosophy with influential thinkers like Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Nietzsche, Edmund Husserl, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and Martin Heidegger shaping philosophical discourse and exploration.

Language

The official language of Germany is 'Deutsch' (German). Most Germans are taught 'Standarddeutsch' (standard German) in school, also known as ‘Hochdeutsch’ (high German). However, there are varying regional accents and dialects across the country. For example, those in many areas of northern Germany speak a West Germanic variation known as 'Plattdütsch' (low German). The pronunciation and features of this dialect have similarities with the language spoken in the Netherlands. Meanwhile, the Germanic dialect of the southern border, ‘Bayrisch’ (Bavarian), is similar to the Austrian Germanic dialect. Despite some differences in phrases and meanings, Germans from all regions can usually understand one another.

Geography

Germany is Europe's largest country by area, covering approximately 137,847 square miles (357,199 km²). It encompasses a wide variety of landscapes including the tall, sheer mountains of the south; the sandy, rolling plains of the north; the forested hills of the urbanized west; and the plains of the agricultural east. At the spiritual heart of the country is the magnificent city of Berlin, which rose phoenixlike from the ashes of World War II and now, after decades of partition, is the capital of a reunified Germany.

The Rhine River, which flows northward from Switzerland, is celebrated in visual art, literature, folklore, and song. Along its banks and those of its principal tributaries such as the Neckar, Main, Moselle, and Ruhr stand hundreds of medieval castles, churches, picturesque villages, market towns, and centres of learning and culture. These include Heidelberg, the site of one of Europe's oldest universities founded in 1386, and Mainz, historically one of Europe's most important publishing centres. All are centrepieces of Germany's thriving tourist economy, which brings millions of visitors to the country each year drawn by its natural beauty, history, culture, and cuisine. Germany is also home to over 1,500 nature parks, 16 UNESCO world heritage sites, and numerous other attractions.