Dresden

• Germany is the largest country in Central Europe.
• It is bordered to the north by Denmark, to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic, to the south by Austria and Switzerland, and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands.
• Berlin is the capital of Germany. Other major cities of the country are Hamburg, Colonge, Munich, Dusseldorf, Stuttgard, Hanover and Bremen.
• Germany is a federation of 16 states, generally corresponding to regions with their own distinct and unique cultures.
• Germany is one of the most influential nations in European culture, and one of the world’s main economic powers.
• Germany is known around the world for its precision engineering and high-tech products; it is equally admired by visitors for its old-world charm
• The terrain in Germany consists of lowlands in the North, uplands in the center region, and Bavarian Alps and mountainous regions in the South

HISTORY

• The Country known today as Germany was occupied by German tribes from about 500BC.
• The 11th, 12th and 13th centuries were dominated by struggles and conflicts between the emperors and popes.
• In the 13th century the first Hapsburg emperor was elected and from the 15th century the imperial title remained almost continually in the family.
• In 1871 Bismarck finally created the German Empire.
• During the late 19th and early 20th century Germany saw much industrialization and began colonizing parts of North Africa. The international aspirations of the German Empire were a contributing factor of the First World War.
• The financial struggle that followed the First World War in Germany was one of the contributing factors that led to the rise of Hitler as the leader of a New German Empire in the 1930’s. A combination of Hitler’s aggressive foreign policy and eventual invasion of Poland precipitated the Second World War (1939-1945).
• Following Germany’s defeat in the Second World War the country was divided into British, French, US and Soviet occupation which led to the formation of two separate states; The German Democratic Republic (East Germany) and The German Federal Republic (West Germany).
• On October 3rd 1990 after 45 years of ‘Cold War’ Germany was Reunified and Berlin was made capital of Germany.

FACTS

Romerberg, Frankfurt

• After Irish, Germans are the second biggest consumers of beer in the world. The average beer consumption of the country is 119 liters per person per year.
• Berlin became home to the biggest train station in Europe in the year 2006.
• Football is the most popular sport in Germany and ‘The German Football Association’ is the largest association of its kind in the world.
• German Autobahn is the oldest, and one of the densest, motorway networks in the world.
• Germany became the world’s first country to adopt Daylight Saving Time (DST), in the year 1916.
• Germany is a member of NATO, G8, G4 Nations and the European Union (EU).
• Germany claims the distinction of being the fifth biggest economy in the world.
• Germany is one of the few countries of the world where Holocaust Denial has been declared as a crime.
• Germany is situated in West Central Europe and its official name is ‘The Federal Republic of Germany’.
• Germany is the homeland of numerous renowned scientists and theorists. They include Albert Einstein, Max Plank and Werner Heisenberg.
• Germany is the largest economy, and the second most populous nation, of Europe.
• In case of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages; shipbuilding and textiles, Germany is the largest producer in the world.
• Many great philosophers of the world, like Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche and Heidegger, were German.
• The tallest church in the world, Ulm Cathedral, is in Germany. It is 161.53 meters (530 feet) high.
• The Wurzburg Residence of Germany boasts of housing the largest fresco ceiling in the world, measuring 7287 square feet and done by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, a Venetian painter.
• World’s most colorful caves (as per Guinness Book of Records), Fairy Grottoes, are in Germany.

Burghausen at Night

• Bus rates – generally €2-3 basic fee, then a rate of €1-3 per kilometer, with slightly lower rates for longer distances
• Sample one way journeys – Munich to Hamburg €115, Frankfurt to Cologne €55, Berlin to Hamburg €58, Stuttgart to Leipzig €87
• Average two course meal costs between €20-30/person, including a glass of wine/beer
• Cafes and casual restaurants, average meal cost is under 10 E
• It is customary to leave a 5-10% tip
• When eating lunch and dinner at moderately priced restaurants in Berlin, you can expect to pay €37-50 per day per person (assuming your hotel rate includes breakfast)
• If you eat breakfast at a café rather than your hotel, you can expect to pay about €4-7, for a coffee and breakfast roll
• Finding a museum that costs more than €8 is rare
• Admission to Neuschwanstein, the Bavarian castle that is Germany’s top attraction, costs only €9
• Most cable cars cost around €6 round trip
• Sightseeing boat excursions typically cost €8- 15
• Sightseeing city tours by bus generally cost €10–25
• An opera ticket can range from €20–100

MUSEUM FEES

• Museum Island, Berlin €10
• Charlottenburg, Berlin €6
• Dahlem Museum Complex, Berlin €8
• Tiergarten – Kulturforum, Berlin €8

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Highest Church in Germany

• Germany is a very safe country and the law is strictly enforced.
• Pickpockets can be a problem in large cities or at events with large crowds.
• Bigger cities also have their share of beggars and punks but they are usually watched closely by police.
• The nationwide emergency number is 112. It is used for any type of emergencies (medical, fire, police). These numbers can be dialed toll-free from any phone, including phone booths and mobile phones (SIM-card required!).

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Lake Hintersee

• Germany’s climate is moderate and is generally without continued periods of cold or heat.
• Northwestern and coastal Germany have a maritime climate caused by warm westerly winds from the North Sea. The climate is characterized by warm summers and mild cloudy winters.
• Farther inland, the climate is continental, marked by greater seasonal variations in temperature, with warmer summers and colder winters.
• During January, the coldest month, the average temperature is approximately 1.6°C in the north and about -2°C in the south.
• In July, the warmest month, the situation reverses, and it is cooler in the north than in the south. The northern coastal region has July temperatures averaging between 16°C and 18°C.
• As with most European countries, Germany is a year-round destination but not especially dependable weather-wise.
• May through to September are the most popular months in terms of tourist numbers, although the winter holidays also draw in a lot of travelers.
• Required Clothing: European clothes with light to medium weight in summer, medium to heavy weights in winter.

Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle

• A 19th-century Gothic Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany
• The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as an homage to Richard Wagner
• The palace was intended as a personal refuge for the reclusive king, but it was opened to the paying public immediately after his death in 1886.
• Since then over 60 million people have visited Neuschwanstein Castle
• The palace has appeared prominently in several movies and was the inspiration for Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle.

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Berlin Wall

• A barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin.
• The barrier included guard towers placed along large concrete walls.
• The 154 kilometre-long wall included 302 watchtowers and 20 bunkers, and 106km of concrete wall which was 4 metres high, with the remainder being wire fencing completely surrounding West Berlin and preventing any access from East Germany.

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LegoLand

• Legoland Deutschland is located in Günzburg, Germany
• It opened in 2002
• As of 2009, there are seven areas in the park, including: Imagination Center, Miniland, LEGO X-treme, LEGO City, Knights Kingdom, Adventure Land, and Land of the Pirates.
• There was an earlier Legoland Park in Germany, from 1973 to 1976.
• It was located in the city of Sierksdorf in northern Germany. This park is now called Hansa-Park.

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Burghausen Castle

• Located in Burghausen, Upper Bavaria
• It is the longest castle complex in Europe (1,043 m)
• The gothic castle comprises the main castle with the inner courtyard and five outer courtyards.

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Wartburg Castle

• The Wartburg is a castle situated on a 1230-foot (410 m) cliff
• It is located to the southwest of, and overlooking the town of Eisenach, in the state of Thuringia, Germany.
• In 1999 UNESCO added Wartburg Castle to the World Heritage List as an “Outstanding Monument of the Feudal Period in Central Europe”, citing its “Cultural Values of Universal Significance”

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Communication Etiquette:
• Formal greetings
– Firm Handshake
• Titles are important
• Shake hands with everyone in the room individually
• Take good pride in their homes
• Host will give the first toast
– “Zum Who” is a toast with wine
– “Prost” is a toast with beer
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Business Etiquette:
• In German Business they do not need a personal relationship in order to have a business relationship
– They are interested in academic credentials
– Time your company’s has been in business
• They do not have an open door policy
– They will work with their office door closed
• Their business communication is formal
• Appointments are to be made a few weeks in advance
• In negotiation do not sit until invited to sit and told where you should sit
– Strict agendas – start and finish time
– Make sure your printed information is in German and in English
• Business dress is formal and conservative
– Men – dark suits, and conservative suits
– Women – Either business suits or conservative business dresses