German Democratic Republic (GDR): history, capital, flag, coat of arms. Unification of the GDR and the FRG, historical facts

Germany - the most detailed information about the country with a photo. Landmarks, cities of Germany, climate, geography, population and culture.

Germany

Germany is a state in Central Europe. One of the largest and richest countries of the European Union is washed by the North and Baltic Seas and borders with Denmark in the north, with the Czech Republic and Poland in the east, with Austria and Switzerland in the south, with France, Belgium, Holland (Netherlands) and Luxembourg in the west. Germany consists of 16 federal states and is a federal state with a parliamentary form of government. The official language is German. The majority of the population professes Christianity.

Germany is one of the most popular holiday and travel destinations. The country is extremely diverse: from the sandy beaches of the Baltic and North Seas to the mountain ranges of the Alps in the south, from the gloomy forests and picturesque nature of the Black Forest to the endless fields of agricultural regions, from the vineyards of the Rhine Valley to the chalk cliffs of Rügen. Here you can find a place to your liking for everyone: the ancient cities of Bavaria - Nuremberg, Regensburg, Bamberg or the famous Hanseatic cities - Bremen, Rostock, Lübeck, modern metropolises - Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Frankfurt am Main or other popular tourist centers - Dresden , Hannover , Cologne .

Useful information about Germany

1. The official language is German.
2. Currency - euro.
3. Visa - Schengen.
4. The standard of living is high.
5. The population is over 82 million people.
6. Area - more than 357 thousand square meters. m.
7. The capital is Berlin.
8. Tipping is customary to leave 5-10% of the bill.
9. Time zone +1. Relative to Moscow time -1 in summer and -2 in winter.
10. The form of government is a federal parliamentary republic.

Geography and nature

Northern Germany is a plain. The central part of the country is mainly forested hills and foothills. The southern part of Germany is mountainous. Here the Alps begin and the highest point is located - Mount Zugspitze (2962 m).

A huge number of rivers flow through Germany. The largest of them: Rhine, Danube, Elbe, Oder. The largest lake is Constance, with an area of ​​​​more than 500 square meters. km and a maximum depth of 250 meters.

The north of Germany is washed by the North and Baltic seas. Here are the main seaports and sea resorts. In the coastal zone there are a large number of islands, the largest of which is the island of Rügen.

The nature of Germany is typical for a temperate climate. Most of the territory (32%) is covered with deciduous and mixed forests, dominated by spruce, pine, oak and beech. In arid places, there are heather plains, a small part of the territory is covered with swamps, in the mountains you can find alpine and subalpine meadows. Half of the country is agricultural land: fields and pastures. In the Rhine Valley - vineyards. The animal world is typical for the forest zone, with the exception that there are no large mammals left in Germany: elks, brown bears, wolves, etc.

Climate

Germany is located in the temperate zone. In the north, climate and weather are largely determined by the proximity of the sea. In the south, the climate is closer to temperate continental. The weather in Germany is often quite changeable. Warm days can alternate between cool and rainy. In general, the seasons of the year are clearly distinguished and some extreme weather events (heat, severe frosts and hurricanes) are quite rare and transient. The average summer temperature is 15-20 degrees. In winter, the temperature is close to zero or slight frosts. In the mountains, of course, it is colder. 600-800 mm of precipitation falls per year (it all depends on the region).

Best time to visit

Germany is a country that can be visited almost all year round. It all depends on the season you like. Germany is magical at Christmas and in winter, covered in snow, blooming in spring, green in summer and beautiful in autumn. The ideal time to visit is from May to August. This is the time of the highest tourist season. The transitional period with comfortable weather conditions is March-April and September-October. Late autumn and winter (except Christmas holidays) is the low tourist season, which is not bad for economical travel.

Story

The name of the country in Russian comes from the Latin name of the tribes living beyond the Rhine valley and dates back to the times of the Roman Empire. The Romans called these tribes "Germans". The official name of the country in German is Deutschland. Used since the 15th century.

The first mention of the Germanic tribes belong to the period of Ancient Greece. Further references to the Germans are found in ancient Roman documents. From Antiquity to the 10th century, most of the territory of Germany was inhabited by Slavic tribes. After the collapse of the Roman Empire in Western Europe, a kingdom was formed by the Frank. In the 9th century, Charlemagne created a new empire that did not last long. The grandsons of Charles divided the empire into three kingdoms. The Kingdom of the East Franks subsequently became Germany.

The date of foundation of Germany as a state is considered to be 962, when the king of the Eastern Franks, Otto I, became the king of the Holy Roman Empire. The Holy Roman Empire was a confederation of lands with broad powers. They had their own coin, an army. The emperor was chosen by a special council. The interests of the land were represented in the Reichstag.

In the 12th-14th century, the lands where the Slavs lived, one way or another, became part of the Empire. The Slavic population was forced out or assimilated.

The Holy Roman Empire ceased to exist in the early 19th century during the Napoleonic Wars. After the Congress of Vienna, the German Confederation was formed, which was ruled by the Kaiser. In 1866 the German Confederation collapsed. In 1877, the North German Confederation was formed, which later became the German Empire. At the end of the 19th century, Germany became one of the leading countries in Europe. Culture, science and philosophy are flourishing in the country.

In 1914 Germany entered the First World War. In 1918, as a result of the revolution, the King of Prussia abdicated, and Germany became a Socialist Republic. In 1933, the National Socialist Party, led by Adolf Hitler, came to power. In 1939 the Second World War was unleashed. After the end of the war and the defeat in it, the country was divided into two parts - the FRG and the GDR. In 1990, Germany became unified. The GDR became part of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Administrative division

Germany consists of 16 federal states:

1. Baden-Württemberg - Stuttgart city center
2. Free State of Bavaria - the center of Munich
3. Berlin (capital)
4. Brandenburg - the center of Potsdam
5. Free Hanseatic City of Bremen
6. Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg
7. Hesse - center of Wiesbaden
8. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern - the center of Schwerin
9. Lower Saxony - center of Hannover
10. North Rhine-Westphalia - center Düsseldorf
11. Rhineland-Palatinate - center of Mainz
12. Saarland - the center of Saarbrücken
13. Free State of Saxony - the center of Dresden
14. Saxony-Anhalt - center of Magdeburg
15. Schleswig-Holstein - center of Kiel
16. Free State of Thuringia - center of Erfurt

Population

The population of Germany is more than 82 million people. The country is one of the largest in terms of population in Europe. 92% of the population are Germans. Of the largest diasporas stand out: Turkish, from the countries of the former Yugoslavia and the post-Soviet space. The majority of the population professes Christianity. 90% of Germans live in cities. The official language is German. Many people (especially young people) speak English. Approximately 6 million people understand Russian.

The Germans are a neat, serious and disciplined nation. They try to stick to the rules, they like order, they are serious about everything and sometimes even overly pedantic. Regarding openness - it all depends on the person. In general, the Germans are quite open and friendly. It seemed that the population of West Germany was more open than that of East.

Transport

The transport infrastructure in Germany is one of the best in Europe and the world. One of the main advantages of the transport network are the famous autobahns. These are high-speed highways with excellent road surface. Some of them don't even have speed limits. Considering that the highways connecting Germany with neighboring countries are free of charge, while the cost of fuel here is slightly cheaper than in France, Austria and Italy, traveling around the country by car is very fast and comfortable. One of the minuses is perhaps traffic jams near large cities and rather dense traffic flows, which slightly increases travel time.

Quite a lot in Germany and international airports. They connect the country with almost all states of Europe and the world. The largest airports in Germany are located in Frankfurt am Main, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Cologne, Dresden, Nuremberg.

Germany also has a well-developed rail network. The length of railways is more than 35 thousand km. High-speed trains are integrated into the European transport system.

Cities in Germany

The capital of Germany is the city of Berlin, located in the northeastern part of the country on the banks of the Spree River. This is one of the largest cities in Europe. Berlin became the capital during the German Empire. From 1961 to 1989 it was separated by a wall, which became one of its main attractions and symbols.

The economic center of Germany is the city of Frankfurt am Main. It is also probably the most modern city in the country with skyscrapers and many new buildings. The former capital of Germany, Bonn, also deserves attention.

One of the largest cities in Germany and the main seaport is Hamburg. Very interesting are the ancient Hanseatic cities of Northern Germany - Bremen, Lübeck, Lüneburg, the Black Forest, the island of Rügen and much more.

There are 34 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany.

Germany has a large number of castles. The most famous of them are Kaiserburg in Nuremberg, Neuschwanstein, Hohenzollern, Heidelberg, Wartburg, Hohenschwangau.

Very famous are the monuments of sacred architecture - ancient cathedrals and churches. Grandiose Gothic masterpieces have been preserved in Northern Germany and Bavaria.

Germany is an extremely interesting country for tourists. Despite two world wars, almost every ancient city can surprise you with interesting sights and old architecture.

Accommodation

In Germany there is a huge number of hotels, hotels, boarding houses of different price categories. The average room rate is much higher than the neighboring Czech Republic and Poland and is approximately on the same level with France, Austria. Although if you plan your trip in advance, you can find very economical and convenient options. Many places include breakfast in the price, which is usually very good. In principle, a good double room in almost any region of Germany can be found for 50-70 euros.

Kitchen

German cuisine is a synthesis of Eastern European and Western European dishes. At the same time, there are differences in the cuisine of the north and south. Traditional regional cuisine can be found in Northern Germany and Bavaria.

The cost of food in Germany is not the cheapest. The average bill for two in an inexpensive restaurant is approximately 50 euros.

The main drink in Germany is beer. At the same time, the quality and production volumes of the foamy drink are in no way inferior to the Czech Republic. In the historical region of Franconia there are wine-growing regions that produce very good wine.

Video

Square 248,577 km2 (1990) Population 63.25 million people (1990) Form of government parliamentary republic Internet domain .de Telephone code +49 heads of state Federal President of Germany 1949-1959 Theodor Heuss 1959-1969 Heinrich Lübke 1969-1974 Gustav Heinemann 1974-1979 Walter Scheel 1979-1984 Carl Carstens 1984-1990 Richard von Weizsäcker Federal Chancellor of Germany 1949-1963 Konrad Adenauer 1963-1966 Ludwig Erhard 1966-1969 Kurt Georg Kiesinger 1969-1974 Willy Brandt 1974-1982 Helmut Schmidt 1982-1990 Helmut Kohl

Story

Germany in the first years after the surrender

After the occupation of Germany by the troops of the allies ("Four Powers" - the USA, Great Britain, France and the USSR), its territory was divided into four zones of occupation - Soviet, French, British, American and the city of Berlin with a special status (also divided into four zones). By 1949, the Western powers consolidated the administration of their zones of occupation into Trizonia. The eastern part of Germany was still under the control of the Soviet Union.

Proclamation of the Federal Republic of Germany

Political status and claims to all German territory

The government of the Federal Republic of Germany from the very beginning considered itself as the only legitimate representative of the entire German people, and the Federal Republic of Germany - as the only state-follower of the German Empire, and therefore had claims to all territories belonging to the German Empire as of December 31, 1937 (before the start of the military expansion of the Third Reich), including the territory of the GDR, West Berlin and the “former eastern regions” that seceded to Poland and the USSR. The preamble to the German constitution emphasized the desire of the German people for reunification in a single state. In the early years, the government of the FRG avoided any direct contacts with the government of the GDR in every possible way in order to avoid the possible interpretation of such contacts as recognition of the GDR as an independent state.

The German state, which did not cease to exist after the collapse, persists after 1945, even if the structure created on the basis of the Basic Law is temporarily limited in its effect on part of the territories of this state. Thus, the Federal Republic of Germany is identical with the German Empire. Judgment of the Constitutional Court, 1957 - BVerfGE 6, 309 (336 ff., Zit. Abs. 160, Abs. 166)

Britain and the United States were also of the opinion that the FRG was the successor to the German Empire, but France supported the idea that the German Empire completely disappeared as a state in 1945. US President Harry Truman opposed the signing of a peace treaty with Germany, since, in his opinion, this would mean recognition of the existence of two German states. At the New York conference of the foreign ministers of the three powers in 1950, the status of the FRG was finally officially determined. The states recognized the claims of the government of the FRG to the right of the sole legitimate representation of the German people, but refused to recognize the government of the FRG as the government of all Germany.

Due to the non-recognition of the GDR, German legislation recognized the continued existence unified German citizenship, which comes from the citizenship of the German Empire, therefore called its citizens simply German citizens and did not consider the territory of the GDR abroad. For this reason, the German citizenship law of 1913 continued to operate in the country, and a new law on German citizenship was not adopted. It is curious to note that the same German citizenship law of 1913 continued to operate in the GDR until 1967, and the Constitution of the GDR also recognized the existence of a single German citizenship. In practice, this situation meant that any "German citizen" from the GDR could officially obtain a passport in Germany, once on its territory. To prevent this, the government of the GDR by law forbade its residents to obtain passports in the FRG. Only in 1967 in the GDR, instead of German citizenship introduced its own citizenship of the GDR, which was given to all German citizens who lived in the territory of the GDR at the time of its creation and did not lose the right to citizenship of the GDR for a number of reasons. In Germany, the existence of a special citizenship of the GDR was officially recognized only in October 1987, when the Constitutional Court of the FRG ruled that any person who received citizenship of the GDR by naturalization automatically receives German citizenship (essentially citizenship of the FRG).

The non-recognition of the existence of the GDR was also reflected in the designation of the borders of states in geographical atlases. So, in the maps published in 1951 in the FRG, there is still a single Germany within the borders of 1937. At the same time, the border between the FRG and the GDR, as well as the Oder / Neisse line (the new border with Poland) and the border between Poland and the USSR in East Prussia are indicated by barely visible dotted lines; the territories ceded to Poland and the USSR are still part of a unified Germany, although they are signed as “territories under Polish and Soviet administration”, and the toponyms located on them still bear the old German names. The existence of the GDR is also out of the question. In the 1971 edition, these borders are already indicated by a clearer dashed line, but still differ from the line denoting state borders.

Domestic development

With help from the United States under the Marshall Plan, and as a result of the implementation of the economic development plans of the country, developed under the leadership of Ludwig Erhard, rapid economic growth was achieved in the 1950s (German economic miracle), which lasted until 1965. To meet the need for cheap labor, Germany supported the influx of guest workers, mainly from Turkey.

Since 1954, "Day of German Unity" has been celebrated in the country on June 17, in honor of the performances on June 17, 1953 in East Berlin. With the abolition of the occupation regime on May 5, 1955, the Federal Republic of Germany officially became a sovereign state. At the same time, sovereignty extended only to the areas of application of the "Basic Law" and did not include Berlin and other former territories of the German Empire.

Until 1969, the country was ruled by the CDU party (usually in a bloc with the CSU and less often with the FDP). In the 1950s, a number of emergency laws were developed, many organizations were banned, including the Communist Party, and professions were banned. The internal political course related to denazification was continued, that is, the elimination of the consequences of the Nazis being in power, preventing the revival of Nazi ideology and organizations. In 1955, Germany joined NATO.

Foreign policy and relations with the GDR

The government of the FRG not only did not recognize the existence of the GDR, but for a long time (from September 1955 to October 1969) adhered to the doctrine, according to which all diplomatic relations with any states were broken (the only exception was the USSR due to its belonging to the Four Powers), officially recognizing GDR. In practice, the break in diplomatic relations for this reason occurred twice: in 1957 with Yugoslavia and in 1963 with Cuba.

After the construction of the Berlin Wall by the GDR authorities in 1961, discussions began to appear more and more often in the FRG about the possible recognition of the GDR as an independent state. With the accession of Willy Brandt to the post of Chancellor of the FRG in 1969, a new stage begins in relations between the FRG and the GDR and between the FRG and the socialist countries of Eastern Europe in general. The Moscow Treaty, signed in 1970, according to which the FRG renounced its claims to the former eastern regions of the German Empire, which had ceded to Poland and the USSR after the war, marked the beginning of the era of the "new eastern policy".

The most influential political parties:

• Communist Party of Germany ( Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands, KPD, KKE) - the most left of the influential parties, did not vote for the Bonn constitution, insisting on the convening of the Parliamentary Council representing all the lands, including 5 eastern lands, in 1956 the German Communist Party, created in 1968 instead of it, was banned ( Deutsche Kommunistische Partei, DKP, NKP) did not have a significant impact
• Social Democratic Party of Germany ( Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, SPD, SPD) - to the right of the KKE, supported the Bonn constitution, but to the left of the FDP, the left wing sympathized with the KKE
• Free Democratic Party ( Freie Demokratische Partei, FDP, FDP) - to the right of the SPD, but to the left of the CDU, supported the Bonn constitution
• Christian Democratic Union ( Christlich Demokratische Union, CDU, CDU) - to the right of the FDP, supported the Bonn constitution
• German Conservative Party - German Right Party ( Deutsche Konservative Partei – Deutsche Rechtspartei) - the most right-wing of the influential, did not support the Bonn constitution, in 1950 joined the German Imperial Party ( Deutsche Reichspartei, DRP) in 1964 is banned, created in 1964 by the National Democratic Party of Germany ( National Demokratische Partei Deutschlands, NPD) did not have much influence

Judicial system

The highest court is the Federal Court ( Bundesgerichtshof), courts of appeal - Oberlandesgericht ( oberlandesgerich), courts of first instance - landgerichts ( landgericht), the primary link of the judicial system is the amtsgerichts ( amtsgericht):

• Schleswig-Holstein Oberlandesgericht ( Schleswig-Holsteinisches Oberlandesgericht) (Schleswig-Holstein)
• Hanseatic Oberlandesgericht ( Hanseatisches Oberlandesgericht) (Hamburg)
• Kammergericht ( Kammergericht) (West Berlin)
• Oberlandesgericht Celle ( Oberlandesgericht Celle) (Lower Saxony)
• Oberlandesgericht Braunschweig ( Oberlandesgericht Braunschweig) (Lower Saxony)
• Oberlandesgericht of Oldenburg ( Oberlandesgericht Oldenburg) (Lower Saxony)
• Hanseatic Oberlandesgericht of Bremen ( Hanseatisches Oberlandesgericht Bremen) (Bremen)
• Oberlandesgericht Hamma ( Oberlandesgericht Hamm) (North Rhine-Westphalia)
• Oberlandesgericht of Düsseldorf ( Oberlandesgericht Düsseldorf) (North Rhine-Westphalia)
• Oberlandesgericht of Cologne ( Oberlandesgericht Koln) (North Rhine-Westphalia)
• Oberlandesgericht of Koblenz ( Oberlandesgericht Koblenz) (Rhineland-Palatinate)
• Palatinate Oberlandesgericht ( Pfalzisches Oberlandesgericht) (Rhineland-Palatinate)
• Oberlandesgericht of Frankfurt an der Oder ( Oberlandesgericht Frankfurt am Main) (Hesse)
• Saarland Oberlandesgericht ( Saarlandisches Oberlandesgericht) (Saarland)
• Oberlandesgericht Karlsruhe ( Oberlandesgericht Karlsruhe) (Baden-Württemberg)
• Oberlandesgericht of Stuttgart ( Oberlandesgericht Stuttgart) (Baden-Württemberg)
• Oberlandesgericht of Munich ( Oberlandesgericht Munich) (Bavaria)
• Oberlandesgericht of Nuremberg ( Oberlandesgericht Nürnberg) (Bavaria)
• Oberlandesgericht of Bamberg ( Oberlandesgericht Bamberg) (Bavaria)

The highest court of administrative justice is the Bundesferwaltungsgericht ( Bundesverwaltungsgericht), courts of appeal of administrative justice - Oberferwaltungsgerichty ( Oberverwaltungsgericht), courts of first instance of administrative justice - Verwaltungsgerichty ( Verwaltungsgericht):

• (Joint) Oberferwaltungsgericht of the states of Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein ( (Gemeinsames) Oberverwaltungsgericht für die Länder Niedersachsen und Schleswig-Holstein) (Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony)
• Oberferwaltungsgericht of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen ( Oberverwaltungsgericht der Freien Hansestadt Bremen) (Bremen)
• Oberferwaltungsgericht of North Rhine-Westphalia ( Oberverwaltungsgericht für das Land Nordrhein-Westfalen) (North Rhine-Westphalia)
• Oberferwaltungsgericht Rhineland-Palatinate ( Oberverwaltungsgericht Rheinland-Pfalz) (Rhineland-Palatinate)
• Oberferwaltungsgericht of Saarland ( Oberverwaltungsgericht des Saarlandes) (Saarland)
• Hessian Administrative Court ( Hessischer Verwaltungsgerichtshof) (Hesse)
• Administrative Court of Baden-Württemberg ( Verwaltungsgerichtshof Baden-Württemberg) (Baden-Württemberg)
• Bavarian Administrative Court ( Bayerischer Verwaltungsgerichtshof)

Bodies of prosecutorial supervision - the Bundes Prosecutor General at the Federal Court ( Generalbundesanwalt beim Bundesgerichtshof), the Prosecutor's Office of the Bavarian Higher Regional Court, the Prosecutor General's Offices and the Prosecutor's Offices:

• Schleswig-Holstein Attorney General's Office ( Schleswig-Holsteinische Generalstaatsanwaltschaft) (Schleswig-Holstein)
• Attorney General Hamburg ( Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Hamburg) (Hamburg)
• Attorney General's Office Berlin ( Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Berlin) (West Berlin)
• Attorney General Celle ( Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Celle) (Lower Saxony)
• Prosecutor General's Office of Oldenburg ( Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Oldenburg) (Lower Saxony)
• Attorney General's Office of Braunschweig ( Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Braunschweig) (Lower Saxony)
• Attorney General Hamm ( Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Hamm)
• Attorney General's Office Düsseldorf ( Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Düsseldorf)
• Attorney General's Office Cologne Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Koln)
• Attorney General's Office Koblenz ( Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Koblenz)
• Attorney General's Office Zweibrücken ( Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Zweibrucken)
• Attorney General Saarbrücken ( Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Saarbrücken)
• Attorney General's Office Frankfurt am Main ( Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Frankfurt am Main)
• Attorney General's Office Karlsruhe ( Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Karlsruhe)
• Attorney General of Stuttgart ( Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Stuttgart)
• Attorney General Munich ( Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Munich)
• Attorney General Nuremberg ( Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Nürnberg)
• Attorney General Bamberg ( Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Bamberg)

In 1988-1989, the number of representatives of the legal profession in Germany was:

• Professional judges - 17627 people. (294 people per 1 million population);
• State prosecutors - 4560 people. (75 people per 1 million population);
• Lawyers - 54107 people. (902 people per 1 million population).

• A large number of lawyers. In the GDR, there was 1 lawyer for 2 public prosecutors and 2 judges, while in the FRG there were 3 lawyers for 1 judge;
• Much more professional judges. In the FRG, there were 294 judges per 1 million people, and in the GDR - 90 judges.

At the same time, the number of public prosecutors in the GDR and the FRG in 1988-1989 was comparable - 75 people per 1 million population.

Strong structure

Economy

Monetary unit - mark ( Deutsch Mark) (32 kopecks of the USSR, 1 US dollar - 2 marks 75 cents) was presented

The following regional state savings banks were subordinated to the Bundesbank:

• Bavarian State Bank ( Bayerische Landesbank)
• State Bank of Stuttgart ( Landesbank Stuttgart)
• Hessian Land Bank ( Hessischen Landesbank)
• State Bank of Rhineland-Palatinate ( Landesbank Rheinland-Pfalz)
• State Bank Saar ( Landesbank Saar)
• Western Land Bank ( Westdeutsche Landesbank)
• Hamburg State Bank ( Hamburgische Landesbank)
• Bremen State Bank ( Bremer Landesbank)
• Lower Saxony Land Bank ( Niedersachsische Landesbank)
• State Bank Schleswig-Holstein ( Landesbank Schleswig-Holstein)
• Berlin Savings Bank ( Berliner Sparkasse)

Of the private banks, the 3 largest banks played the main role:

Rail transport operator - Bundesbahn ( Bundesbahn), air transportation - "Lufthansa" ( Deutsche Lufthansa), postal and telephone communications - Bundespost ( Bundespost).

Mass media

Supra-regional dailies:

• "Frankfurter Allgemeine" ( "Frankfurter Allgemeine"), published in Frankfurt am Main;
• "Welt" ( "Die Welt"), came out in Bonn;
• "Unsere Zeit" ("Unsere Zeit") - a daily newspaper, the Central Organ of the GKP, was published in Essen
• Union in Deutschland (CDU weekly)
• Deutsches Monatsblatt, a monthly magazine, organ of the CDU, published in Bonn;
• Bayern-Kurier, weekly newspaper, organ of the CSU, published in Munich
• Deutsche Wochen-Zeitung, a weekly newspaper published in Hannover

• "Bundesanzeiger" ( Bundesanzeiger) - the state newspaper, the land state newspapers were also published:
  • "Niedersechsischer Staatsanzeiger" ( Niedersächsischer Staatsanzeiger) (Lower Saxony)
  • "Staatsanzeiger für Rhineland-Palatinate" ( Staatsanzeiger fur Rheinland-Pfalz) (Rhineland-Palatinate)
  • "Staatsanzeiger für Baden-Württemberg" ( Staatsanzeiger für Baden-Württemberg) (Baden-Württemberg)
  • Bayerische Staatszeitung ( Bayerische Staatszeitung) (Bavaria)
• "Bundesgesetzblatt" ( Bundesgesetzblatt) - a bulletin of laws, land bulletins were also published:
  • "Hamburgishes Gesetz- und Ferordnungsblatt" ( Hamburgisches Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt) (Hamburg)
  • "Niedersachsishes Gesetts- und Ferordnungsblatt" ( Niedersächsisches Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt) (Lower Saxony)
  • "Gesetz- und Ferordnungsblatt fur Berlin" ( Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt für Berlin) (West Berlin)
  • "Gesetzblatt der Freien Hansestadt Bremen" ( Gesetzblatt der Freien Hansestadt Bremen) (Bremen)
  • Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt) (North Rhine-Westphalia)
  • Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt of Rhineland-Palatinate ( Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt für das Land Rheinland-Pfalz) (Rhineland-Palatinate)
  • "Amtsblatt des Zaarlands" ( Amtsblatt des Saarlandes) (Saarland)
  • "Gesetz- und Ferordnungsblatt" ( Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt) (Hesse)
  • "Gesetzblatt für Baden-Württemberg" ( Gesetzblatt für Baden-Württemberg) (Baden-Württemberg)
  • Bayerisches Gesetz- und Ferordnungsblatt ( Bayerisches Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt) (Bavaria)

In Germany, regional television and radio centers operated:

• North German Radio ( Norddeutscher Rundfunk) (Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony and Hamburg)
• South German Radio ( Suddeutscher Rundfunk) (part of Baden-Württemberg)
• West German Radio ( Westdeutscher Rundfunk) (North Rhine-Westphalia)
• Southwest Radio ( Sudwestfunk) (part of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate)
• Hessian Radio ( Hessischer Rundfunk) (Hesse)
• Bavarian radio ( Bayerischer Rundfunk) (Bavaria)
• Bremen radio ( Radio Bremen) (Bremen)
• Saar Radio ( Saarlandischer Rundfunk) (Saarland)

2 nationwide TV programs were broadcast:

Radio stations broadcast abroad:

• Deutsche Welle ( Deutsche Welle) in 3 languages;
• Deutschlandfunk ( Deutschlandfunk) in 14 languages, also broadcast another program within Germany.

Religion

Most of the Lutherans and some of the Calvinists were represented by the Evangelical Church of Germany ( Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland), consisting of:

• Evangelical Unionist Church ( Evangelische Kirche der Union), uniting both Lutheran and Calvinist communities, which in turn consisted of:
  • Bremen Evangelical Church ( Bremische Evangelische Kirche)
  • Churches of Lippe ( Lippische Landeskirche)
  • Evangelical Church of Westphalia ( Evangelische Kirche von Westfalen)
  • Evangelical Church of the Rhineland ( Evangelische Kirche im Rheinland)
  • Evangelical Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck ( Evangelische Kirche von Kurhessen-Waldeck)
  • Evangelical Church of Hesse and Nassau ( Evangelische Kirche in Hessen and Nassau)
  • Evangelical Church of Baden ( Evangelische Landeskirche in Baden)
  • Evangelical Church of the Palatinate ( Evangelische Kirche der Pfalz)
  • Evangelical Reformed Church ( Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche)
• United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands), which in turn consisted of:
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church of Schleswig-Holstein ( Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche Schleswig-Holsteins)
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hamburg ( Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche im Hamburgischen Staate)
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lübeck ( Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Lubeck)
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover ( Evangelisch-lutherische Landeskirche Hannovers)
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church of Oldenburg ( Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Oldenburg)
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church of Braunschweig ( Evangelisch-lutherische Landeskirche in Braunschweig)
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church of Schaumburg-Lippe ( Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche Schaumburg-Lippe)
  • Evangelical Church of Württemberg ( Evangelische Landeskirche in Württemberg)
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bavaria ( Evangelisch Lutherische Kirche in Bayern)

A minority of Lutherans were represented by the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church ( Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche), part of the Calvinists - the Union of Evangelical Reformed Churches in Germany ( Bund Evangelisch-reformierter Kirchen Deutschlands).

The Catholics were represented by the dioceses united in the Fulda Conference of Catholic Bishops:

• Archdiocese of Munich-Freising
  • Archdiocese of Munich and Freising
  • Diocese of Regensburg
  • Diocese of Passau
  • Diocese of Augsburg
• Metropolia of Bamberg
  • Archdiocese of Bamberg
  • Diocese of Eichstätt
  • Diocese of Würzburg
  • Diocese of Speyer
• Archdiocese of Freiburg
  • Archdiocese of Freiburg
  • Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart
  • Diocese of Mainz
• Metropolis of Cologne
  • Archdiocese of Cologne
  • Diocese of Münster
  • Diocese of Trier
  • Diocese of Aachen
  • Diocese of Limburg
  • Diocese of Osnabrück
• Archdiocese of Paderborn
  • Archdiocese of Paderborn
  • Diocese of Fulda
  • Diocese of Hildesheim

Jews were represented by the Central Council of Jews in Germany ( Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland), consisting of:

• State Federation of Jewish Religious Communities in Bavaria Landesverband der Israelitischen Kultusgemeinden in Bayern)
• Jewish Religious Community of Württemberg ( Israelitische Religionsgemeinschaft Württemberg)
• Jewish Religious Community of Baden ( Israelitesche Religionsgemeinschaft Baden)
• Jewish Community of Saar ( Synagogengemeinde Saar)
• Land Federation of Jewish Communities of Hesse ( Landesverband der Jüdischen Gemeinden in Hessen)
• State Federation of Jewish Communities of Rhineland-Palatinate ( Landesverband der Jüdischen Gemeinden von Rheinland-Pfalz)
• State Federation of Jewish Communities of the Northern Rhineland ( Landesverband der Jüdischen Gemeinden von Nordrhein)
• State Federation of Jewish Communities of Westphalia-Lippe ( Landesverband der Jüdischen Gemeinden von Westfalen-Lippe)
• State Federation of Jewish Communities of Lower Saxony ( Landesverband der Jüdischen Gemeinden von Niedersachsen)
• Jewish community of Hamburg ( Judische Gemeinde Hamburg)
• Jewish Community of Bremen ( Judische Gemeinde im Lande Bremen)
• State Federation of Jewish Communities in Schleswig-Holstein Landesverband der Jüdischen Gemeinden von Schleswig-Holstein)

Ideological background in the use of names

The name of the German state also called the country the "Federal Republic of Germany"

After 1990, the form "Federal Republic of Germany" is used in Russian I”, emphasizing the completeness of the process of unification of the German people in a single state - Germany. In modern sources, the FRG of that time is called both the "Federal Republic of Germany" and the "Federal Republic of Germany". Including RIA Novosti uses both options.

Meanwhile, in Germany the theory of two states was rejected. From the very moment of its creation, the FRG did not recognize the GDR as a subject of international law and considered itself the only full-fledged follower of the German Empire. This was also reflected in the press. For example, until 1989, the magazine Die Welt, when mentioning the GDR, took this name in quotation marks - "GDR". The abbreviation FRG (German: BRD) in West Germany has also been deprecated since at least the 1970s due to ideological considerations, as this abbreviation clearly does not contain the word "Germany". In May 1974, this abbreviation was generally removed from official use by a government decree. It was prescribed either to use the full name, or to use the abbreviation FR Germany(German B.R. Deutschland). The word is also used as a short form. Bundesrepublik .

In the GDR, in relation to the FRG, both the abbreviation "FRG" and the form "West Germany" and even the "German Federal Republic" (GFR) were used, by analogy with the GDR. In the Soviet press, until the mid-1950s, the GFR (German Federal Republic) variant could also be used. For example, the name "German Federal Republic" was used in the reports for the 1955 football match between the USSR and the FRG.

Until 1974, both the FRG and the GDR continued to use the international automobile code introduced back in 1910. D(Deutschland), which created some confusion. From January 1, 1974, the GDR began to use the code DDR(Deutsche Demokratische Republik), while Germany was able to defend the sole right to continue using the international code D. The same applies to official Internet domains: the domain .de (1986) was allocated for the FRG, and .dd for the GDR (it was never used in practice).

In modern Germany, the term is often used to refer to the old FRG. alte Bundesrepublik("old federal republic").

Berlin question(GDR) Explanatory Dictionary ", adopted in 1971, considered the western sectors of the city outside the zone of the German constitution. The name East Berlin was not officially used either in the FRG or in the GDR. In unofficial documents, the names used to designate the eastern part of the city in Germany and in West Berlin Berlin (Ost) and East-Berlin.

What is remarkable about this country? What is the area of ​​Germany? And what are the Germans interested in? You will find answers to all these questions in our article.

Territory of Germany: area and geographical location

The country of beer, football and pedantry is located in the center of Europe, within the hilly Central European Plain. It borders on nine other states, and in the north its territory is washed by the cool waters of the Baltic and North Seas.

What are the figures for the population and area of ​​Germany? It is worth mentioning right away that the country is among the leaders in Europe in these two indicators.

The total area of ​​Germany is 357 thousand square kilometers. Almost all of its territory is favorable for the life and economic activity of people (except for the high-mountainous regions in the southeast). The climate here is temperate, its humidity decreases with advancement to the east and southeast.

The total length of the state borders of Germany is 3785 km. The longest border is with Austria, and the shortest is with Denmark.

Population and economy: common features

Hitler's Germany, which lost in World War II, was divided into two parts: Western (FRG) and Eastern (GDR). The Germans lived in this position for 40 years, until November 9, 1989, when the famous Berlin Wall fell. Curiously, the area of ​​western Germany was almost three times larger than the area of ​​its eastern part.

Today there are about 85 million people. Every year, demographers record, albeit insignificant, but still population growth - about 0.1%. Germany occupies one of the first places in the world in terms of urbanization. Only 7% of its inhabitants live in rural areas. The largest cities in the country are Hamburg, Munich, Berlin, Cologne and Farnkfurt am Main.

Modern Germany is an economically developed and powerful state, one of the five leading countries in terms of GDP. The foundation of the national economy is made up of four industries: engineering, chemical, electrical engineering and coal mining. Germany maintains its leading position in the world in car exports.

5 surprising facts about Germany

Tourists and guests of this European country, as a rule, are most impressed and amazed by the following:

1. The country is clean and well-groomed. A typical German town square is a polished area with no litter, cigarette butts or spit. In this country, it is not even customary to take off your shoes in the house - it is so clean and tidy on the streets of German cities.
2. German and English are very closely intertwined in Germany. There is even a special philological term: "Denglish". Das ist unbelievable! - such phrases are very popular in colloquial speech among the Germans.
3. Sunday in Germany is really a holy day. "Holy" in terms of rest and relaxation. On this day, most German boutiques, shopping centers and even restaurants are closed.
4. German schools have a very unusual (for a Russian person) grading system: the highest score is “one”, and the worst score is “6”.
5. By and large, in Germany you can not work at all, but live on social assistance from the state. But the Germans are ashamed not to work. They also don't like to change jobs.

A little about the mentality of the Germans

Hardworking, punctual, disciplined... That's how most people speak of the Germans. To complete our article in an interesting and effective way, we bring to your attention 10 interesting facts about the mentality of modern Germans:

• the Germans are very sensitive to laws and regulations, they say that in this country you can safely walk along pedestrian crossings with your eyes closed;
• in Germany, even wealthy and adult people often live in rented houses or apartments;
• German humor is very different from American or, say, Russian;
• it is incredibly difficult for Germans to pronounce the sound "y";
• dinner in Germany is very often replaced by ordinary sandwiches (with ham, cheese or vegetables); the evening meal here is called Abendbrot (“evening bread”);
• oddly enough, but the most popular street dish in this country is doner kebab;
• the Germans are a very athletic nation, they are most willing to go in for running, swimming and cycling, they actively play football, bowling and handball;
• average age of first child birth for German women: 29-32;
• in Germany it is very difficult to meet a German woman in heels;
• the Germans practically do not cook the soups we are used to, but they eat bread with great pleasure (and in all its possible manifestations and forms).

Conclusion

357,021 is the area of ​​Germany in sq. km. The country is located in the central part of Europe and has wide access to the sea. Today it is a powerful and fairly developed state. Germany is one of the main players in the EU, it is part of the "Big Seven" (G7) and boasts a very high standard of living for its citizens.

Quite an interesting history of Germany. There was no state on the territory of modern Germany until the end of the 5th century. Charlemagne united the Rhine, Bavarian, Saxon, Frankish and other lands in his empire. The great state disintegrated after his death, and its eastern part turned into the German Empire. In the middle of the XII century, under Frederick I Barbarossa, the borders of the empire expanded.

A split along religious lines in Germany occurred at the beginning of the 16th century, when the activity of Martin Luther began. The result of the Thirty Years' War (from 1618 to 1648) was the split of Germany into several kingdoms and principalities, the most influential of which was Prussia. Otto von Bismarck (Prussian Chancellor) after several fairly successful international treaties and military campaigns actually restored the empire. He also declared King Wilhelm I of Prussia Kaiser (German Emperor).

What is the further history and what is the current situation of Germany? Bonn or Berlin - the capital of the state? The answers to these questions can be found in this article.

Story

Germany has always been divided into lands, but the most significant changes occurred in the XIX-XX centuries - during the periods of the Napoleonic Wars, the conflict between Prussia and Austria in 1866, as well as during the last two world wars. The consequences of the last war are the division of German territory and the disappearance of the large federal German state of Prussia.

The federal lands acquired their current appearance mainly after 1945. Before the unification of the state, which took place in 1990, the federal republic had 11 lands created in the former western areas of occupation (1946-1957). And in the Soviet occupation zone, which later became the GDR, there were 5 lands.

After the first free elections took place in 1990, a decision was made to create five new lands, mostly retaining the borders that existed before 1952. In the autumn of 1990, the unification of the FRG and the GDR took place, as well as the accession of five lands to the western part of the state.

As a result, which city became the capital of Germany - Bonn or Berlin?

Federal states of Germany

The state structure is a federal republic. Today, Germany is territorially divided into 16 federal states. Each of them is original and not similar to other parts of the country.

Before we decide which city (Bonn or Berlin) is the capital of Germany, we will present a list of federal states, each of which has its own government, parliament and constitution.

1. North Rhine-Westphalia (population over 17 million people) the capital is the city of Düsseldorf).
2. Bavaria (about 11 million people), the capital is the city of Munich.
3. Baden-Württemberg (about 10 million people), the capital is the city of Stuttgart.
4. Lower Saxony (more than 7 million people), the capital is the city of Hannover.
5. Hesse (about 6 million people), the city of Wiesbaden.
6. Saxony (about 5 million), the city of Dresden.
7. Rhineland-Palatinate (about 4 million), the city of Mainz.
8. Berlin (3.5 million), city on the rights of the land.
9. Saxony-Anhalt (about 3 million), Magdeburg.
10. Schleswig-Holstein (more than 2.5 million), Kiel.
11. Thuringia (more than 2.5 million), Erfurt.
12. Brandenburg (2.5 million), Potsdam.
13. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (about 2 million), Schwerin.
14. Hamburg (more than 1.5 million), a city on the rights of the land.
15. Saar (more than 1 million people), Saarbrücken.
16. Bremen (0.7 million people), city on the rights of the land.

Legislative power is exercised by the parliament, which consists of chambers: the Bundesrat and the Bundestag. Germany is a democratic-parliamentary federal country. Berlin is the official capital of Germany. The head of state is the federal president, and the head of government is the federal chancellor.

Berlin

Both in public life and in the architecture of the city, there is a surprisingly contrasting combination of traditional-historical and modern.

Berlin, which is one of the cultural centers of the German state, is distinguished by the latest fashion trends. The appearance of the city is characterized by a combination of traditional and creative elements. In the museums of antiquity, you can see not only samples of historical heritage, but also unique exhibits from all over the world. 170 make up the most unique cultural urban landscape, constantly replenished with new architectural objects.

Literally everything here is dominated by fashionable extravagance and avant-garde. The city is in constant motion: the youth of the world gather here to take part in a wide variety of festivals and other projects that have turned Berlin into the most famous entertainment destination in Europe.

The administrative capital of the State of Germany

The city of Bonn (the capital of the former Federal Republic of Germany before unification in 1990) is located on the Rhine River, in North Rhine-Westphalia. The population is 318,809 people. It occupies the 19th place in Germany by the number of inhabitants.

It was the capital of Germany from autumn 1949 to autumn 1990. Today it is a major political center of the state, where some federal departments have been preserved on a permanent basis.

Finally

Which city (Bonn or Berlin) is the capital of Germany? Any of them deserve this title. Berlin is the official capital and Bonn is the administrative capital. Although each of them has admirable sights. And this applies not only to these cities, but also to city-states, such as Hamburg or Bremen, as well as original and cozy villages, conducive to a pleasant stay among wonderful natural landscapes.

Almost all German cities differ not only in sights and architectural appearance, but also in an absolutely individual way of life and rhythm. All this attracts many tourists to Germany.

(administrative).

germany square. 356978 km2.

Administrative divisions of Germany. Consists of 16 states: Bavaria, Bad den Württemberg, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, North Rhine-Westphalia, Thuringia, Schleswig- Holstein.

German form of government. Republic, with a federal state structure.

Head of State of Germany. The Federal President is elected for a term of 5 years.

State language of Germany. Deutsch.

Religion in Germany. 45% - Protestants (mainly Lutherans), 37% -, 2% - Muslims.

Ethnic composition of Germany. 95% - Germans, 2.3% - Turks, 0.7% -, 0.4% - Greeks, 0.4% -.

German currency. Euro = 100 cents.

Sightseeings of Germany. The country is rich in historical and cultural monuments. In Berlin - the Museum of Cultural Treasures of Prussia, the Pergamon Museum, the Water Museum, Charlottenburg Castle, where in the palace of the 17th century. hosts several museums, the Sanssouci Palace and Park, and the arsenal, the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the building, the world's largest zoo. In Leipzig - the citadel, the Old Town Hall, the tower "Battle of the Nations". In Dresden - the Zwinger Palace with the famous art gallery, treasury and Museum of Weapons. In Cologne - one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world, the Church of St. Gereon. In Bonn, the Beethoven House Museum. In Weimar - the Goethe House Museum, in Meissen - the old city-museum, a porcelain factory-exhibition and much more.

Useful information for tourists

The day off for museums is usually Monday. On the rest of the week, the standard opening hours of museums are from 9.00 to 18.00. Lunch break available. On Tuesday and Wednesday, many museums are open until late.

When talking, you need to address the interlocutor, mentioning his name or position. If they are unknown, then you can call him “Herr Doctor! The word "doctor" is not reserved, as we have, only for physicians, but is used in any case when indicating a specialty or profession.

Before drinking, they raise a glass and clink glasses with a neighbor on the table (although, for example, in France they raise a glass, but do not clink glasses).

The restaurant greets everyone around you, even strangers, with the expression "Mahlzeit", which means approximately "Bon appetit".