Final Blog

German 110 was a surprise to me. I had imagined it to be more like any other class, but it wasn't. It was very different. Professor Roland made much different then a lecture class. As student, we had to participate, more so like we were teaching the class and in sense, we were. We all presented on subtopics from a larger standpoint and subject. I didn't expect the long hours of class time, however, how the class was conducted I can understand that the long hours were needed. It was very well constructed and Professor Roland made it an interesting class with his humor.

We started out class with a group discussion of what we know and what we thought of Germany, as for, the cultural, politics, history, and other information. We started from the beginning with the 16 states of Germany in which are, Baden-Wurttemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig, and Thuringia. Each group or state had made a short presentation on the demographics of their state. We than learned about the government and the political side of Germany. Germany has six different political parties: The CDU, The CSU, The SPD, The FDP, The Greens, and The Pirates. After, the political parties we read and watched, "All Quiet on the Western Front". Which was very interesting, first time reading it. I did't fully realize what it must have been like in World War I or to have that emotional stress pinned on you day after day. I liked how the movie match the book so well. In conclusion to the book and movie, we all blogged about it and chose a character we wanted to represent and go into more depth of that character. Next we covered arts, literature, music, medicine, sports...etc. in multiple time zones such as 17th,18th, and 19th century. As for blogs and research, this was the most interesting to me. However, my favorite topic of Germany whether it is good or bad history is World War II. Unfortunately we never covered it in class and in sense I can understand why we maybe did't, because we have all heard the run down of it. We then, watch a couple of movie, Berlin Calling and Der Baader Meinhof Komplex. This was my favorite part of class away from the blogs. Both movies stayed on topic of Intro to German and showed a particular side of Germany whether it is modern day or 30 years ago.They were both good movies, but I would have to put Berlin Calling on top. The music I think was what drew me to the music because I went home and downloaded the album from the movie.

All in all, this was a good class, and a different pace from others classes. Having a night class last semester, I was skeptical how this one might go, but it went well, and kept me engaged, thanks to the professor. On another note, because I need to take a language for my degree, and my passion for the German culture, I am going to take German as my language and I am hoping to have Professor Roland again in the near future.

Leberkase

Leberkase, is a specialty food found in southern Germany. In English, Leberkase means, "Liver Cheese", but in Bavaria, it does not contain liver or cheese.

Leberkase is a traditional German food made from mixed ground meats baked into a loaf, much like meatloaf here in America. Traditionally, the main ingredients are liver,pork and/or corned beef. However, the amount of liver that it contains varies from place to place.

You may look at this with a disgusting look on your face, but don't think of it has a meatloaf. It is actually more like ham and it can be eaten the same ways.

This was my favorite dish when I studied abroad in Germany and it was made by my host mother the exact same way it is shown in the picture.

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leberkäse

http://www.germanfoodguide.com/wurstdetail.cfm?wurst_number=15

Classroom Discussion

1. They organized their protest by accepting members who were willing to fight back in the same ways and beliefs as their own. They protested against newspaper statements along with television prodcasts. In there protest they also used articles in newspapers and television prodcasts. With their actions, they killed cops and political members. In addition they trained as guerrilla fighters, bombed military bases and police stations.

2. At the beginning, its seemed as the group had something logical to fight against and knew what they were doing to get across to others. They all had common goals and a purpose to what they were trying to do. The group became more violent and started losing control of their purpose and themselves. They basically gave up and most were killed or caught and thrown in jail. As newer groups began to protest they soon found out the newest generation didn't have goals at all. The new group merely became terrorists and killing innocent people just because they could. They didn't so much have a meaning for it.

3. I do believe his determination and rudeness was a factor in him having a role as the leader of the group. Because of his determination and rudeness, others began to listen and follow him. He had a sense of what he was talking about it and he had plans which ultimately lead to his leadership of the group.

Rote Armee Fraktion/Red Army Faction

The Red Army Faction formerly the Baader-Meinhof Gang. They aimed to eliminate Western influence and capitalism, using terrorism to stimulate worldwide Marxist-Leninist revolution. They were well-known for attacking U.S. military targets in Germany in hopes of eliminating U.S.-German cooperation. They also engaged in large terrorist operations in order to secure the release of fellow imprisoned members.The RAF war founded by Andreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin, Horst Mahler, and Ulrike Meinhof. The Baader-Meinhof Gang was established in 1968 during the student protest movements in response to post-Nazi Germany during the 1960s. The RAF was Germany’s most violent and notorious left wing group in history.

The RAF had three generations.. It started with the first generation the original founders such as; Andreas Baader and his followers. By 1972, a large number of the core members of the Baader-Meinhof Gang had been captured and imprisoned. However, the second generation appeared and there were other young terrorists available to swell the dwindling ranks of the Gang. These revolutionaries mostly had similar backgrounds to the first generation. They were middle class and mostly students. Most of them joined the Gang after their own groups disappeared. The third generation was active mostly throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. Tom Vague says they were more vicious than their predecessors and says that they perhaps didn't have as much cause as the earlier generations to rebel.

The group announced an end to its terrorist campaign in 1992, and several of its surviving militants were arrested and tried. However, the group formally disbanded in 1998, though arrests and trials continued.




http://vkb.isvg.org/Wiki/Groups/Red_Army_Faction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Members_of_the_Red_Army_Faction

Baader- Meinhof Complex

In the beginning of this movie I was not very engaged. The moment the extremist began to protest against the German government was when it got interesting. It reminded me much of the other movies and photos when the same thing was happening here in America during the Vietnam War era. Riots became an everyday occurance and the voices of outsiders and extremists were non-existent. German authorities went above and beyond what I believe was the necessary action. Extremist were being physically abused and even killed in the chaos. As the movie went on extremist took a similar approach as the German government. They began to form organized groups with well planned out actions to counter the German authorities and make their actions heard. However, towards the end, those groups started to get a little too complacent and began to lose complete control of their organized plans. Each member slowly were taken to jail or even killed. The movie was interesting. It put in prospective what I was too young to see. Little did I know, these revolts took place around the world and not just here in America. Its unfortunate we did not make it to the ending.

Berlin Calling

1. Personal Reaction

The movie is full of emotions and awesome electronic music. The club scene is associated with drugs, but it is not a movie about drugs either. Yes the main character is a drug addict DJ who has mental issues. The movie explores the life of an artist, their choices, their complete loneliness, creativity and above all his relations to other people. I thought this movie was great for a low budget film and the soundtrack is pretty good as well.
2. What do drugs mean to Ickarus?

They mean a release from the outside world and also his past and music. It seems to put him in a calm state so he can make and perform his music.

3. Why, when, and how are his fans taking drugs, and which drugs do they take?

The drugs seem to make the audience become more easily transformed and get into the music. They take the drugs before, during, and after the show.  They buy them from dealers at the show and continually take them at the show. They take all sorts of drugs, but the common ones throught the movie were crystal, keta. MDHD, and ecstasy.

4. While we can see that his drug habits get him ill and into a psychosis, and while we witness his relapse and inability to work successfully, why does the subculture Ickarus is in focus on drugs?

In that atmosphere the drugs are the culture. The atmosphere is surrounded by drugs in which so is Ickarus. Because the drugs surround those people and everybody takes them, others seem to have the need to take them also. Maybe the drugs are the culture of that type of music as how the music is played and how the drugs make those people feel during the shows.

5. Compare the standards you know from your home society with the people you see depicted in this movie. Which are the stark differences and contrasts?

The clubs we have here in America are what I think are far different. I don't think the drug seem is as prominent as what they are in Germany. I could see how and maybe and underground club or something of that nature would be more closely related. However, there maybe drugs going around in the area of downtown St. Cloud on a Thursday night but it is not publicized the same way. It's not out in the open.

6. Germany is considered a strong industrial nation the world over. Do you think that the youth culture as depicted here could change that? How about work ethics of Ickarus and of Alice, the label director who fires and then re-signs him?

Yes I do think this culture could change that. Its like the trickle down effect.  If this culture is used to party all the time there will be no time for work or responsibilities. In the direction the economy has gone with lack of people in the work force today that is very well possible. All are just trying to make fast money, make a name for themself and party. Nobody is willing to put in any effort to their life, its just one big party to all of them.

7. Which similar "cult movies" of US origin have you seen, if any?

I would have to say maybe Pulp Fiction, Out Cold, or Half Baked.

The German Literature Expansion on the 18/19th Century

Thomas Mann was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and 1929 he had won the Noble Prize. He was known for his series of symbolic and ironic novels. His work was noted for its insight into the psychology of the artist and the intellectual. His analysis and critique of the European and German soul used modernized German and Biblical stories, as well as the ideas of Goethe, Nietzsche, and Schopenhauer. Mann was a member of the Hanseatic Mann family, and portrayed his own family in his book Buddenbrooks.

When Hitler came to power in 1933, Mann moved to Switzerland. A few years later when World War II broke out in 1939, he fled to the United States,Thirteen years later he returned to Switzerland in 1952. He would never again live in Germany.

In 1930 Mann gave a public address in Berlin titled "An Appeal to Reason", in which he strongly denounced National Socialism and encouraged resistance by the working class. This was followed up by countless essays and lectures atttacking the Nazis. Due to his unliking of the Nazis policies his son advised him not to return and in 1939 the Nazi government took away his German citizenship. During the war, Mann made a series of anti-Nazi radio-speeches, Deutsche Hörer! They were taped in the USA and then sent to Great Britain, where the BBC transmitted them, hoping to reach German listeners.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Mann