Culture in Germany
Often called Das Land der Dichter und Denker which translates to “the land of poets and thinkers”, Germany has earned the moniker for having contributed a lot to the world of arts and philosophy. Germany's culture was developed by major intellectual and popular currents in Europe from both the secular and religious sectors. German culture also rose before the the climax of Germany as a nation-state and started to gain recognition on its own. This is why German traditions are usually linked with the general European high culture. Other factors that contributed to Germany's recognition in the modern world is because the works of certain important figures like Frank Kafka, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Paul Celan cannot be fully understood unless seen in the context of the German cultural sphere. Their works would require for someone to have an understanding of Germany's historical situation, work and social relations in order to clearly understand their works.
A big part of German culture is classical music, being responsible for only the finest composers and musicians known all over the world. Germany is responsible for legendary artists like Ludvig Van Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Johannes Brahms. Germany is also recognized as the fifth largest music market in the entire world and has influenced modern music with Kraftwerk, Scorpions, and fairly newcomers Rammstein. German culture also has its share of painters that have earned international fame. The Renaissance period saw Matthias Grunewald and Albrecht Durer. Caspar David Friedrich, another German artist, was known all throughout the Romanticism.
Sports is also a very important part of the culture and traditions involved in the German way of living, with football being the sport of choice by millions. Around 27 million Germans are actually members of sports clubs while an extra twelve million are engaged in heavy solo activities. Michael Schumacher, who is one of the highest paid athletes of all time and has won seven Formula One championships, is also of German descent.
Germany is a leader in the world of motor sports, and also a forerunner in producing automobiles. Car makers Mercedes Benz, Porsche, BMW, and Audi all hail from Germany.
German cuisine is one that varies in flavor and presentation from region to region. Areas like Bavaria share the cooking styles of Switzerland and Austria for example. And with meats being eaten in all its different types and forms, its no wonder that Germany also boasts of over 1500 different types of sausages. The meats of Germany complement their different kinds of bread and cheese to, as Germany also has about 3,000 different kinds of bread found in its many bakeshops and pastries.
It is also no secret to many that the national drink of Germany is beer. Known as the best beer in the world, German beer is distilled and fermented under many different brands, its varieties include Alt, Bock, Lager, Pils, and Weizenbier.
