Kultur Post Kapital 9

These are the responses to Kapitel 9 Kultur Articles—I accidentally did the Kapital 10 ones last time.. 

The first article is a particularly interesting article on German documentation.  The article highlights the fundamental difference in mentality when it comes to German vs. American ways to authenticate schooling, training or any other accomplishments.  In America we tend to have three or four essential documents: our resume, our transcripts, our diploma and whatever certificate of achievement we get from our college.  In Germany, the list is MUCH longer.  Whether the certificate is for passing drivers ed with honors or winning best camper at school camp, there will be a piece of paper saying you accomplished it.  Overall the mentality seems to be “papers or it didn’t happen”.

The second article was about neighbors (and neighborhoods) in Germany.  Although we might have similar issues with neighbors here in the United States, Germany has actual rules to follow when it comes to how you act within the confines of your own backyard.  For example, a mandatory quiet time used to take place between 1 and 3 PM every day and Sundays were required to be silent in the neighborhood.  This official rule was removed a year ago, but there are still unwritten rules (between 8PM and 7AM is another quiet time).  There are also strict guidelines on grilling; once per month is the general consensus.  All of these rules may seem quite stifling, but all are in place to make sure that the neighborhood lives in harmony. 

The last article was by far the most interesting yet.  IT had to do with German patriotism.  Obviously in the early 1900s until the 40s, Germany had a pride that lead it to attempt to conquer all of Europe.. twice.  Now, if one looks around the capital city, you can’t even find the German flag waving in the sky.  German patriotism, after the 1940s, all but disappeared from the countries mentality.  In America, we have many monuments dedicated to our soldiers; the men who helped found our nation.  There is a great pride in what we have done as a nation.  Not so in Germany.  Most of their monuments are dedicated to things that they are not proud of; many monuments are dedicated to murdered Jewish Europeans.  If one asks an American if they are proud of their country, they would attain a response most liklely close to “AMERICA! *#%$ YEAH!”  If one were to ask a German, “no” is often the answer.