Culture, Tradition, and History of Germany
The most important facts about modern Germany seem to have been connected to wars. Both World War I and World War II were disasters for Germany, with the latter leading to a divided Germany that was just recently reunified. In the following pages, the focus is on an overview of German history and culture.
One of the major themes of German history, according to William Spencer (1994) is division. The division of Germany after World War II does not represent a departure from German history, but a common occurrence. Spencer noted that Germany has had difficulty during its 2000 year history in becoming a nation state and maintaining that form, even with the development of a strong ethnic and national identity.
Germany has been part of both the Holy Roman Empire and the Austro Hungarian Empire. In its early history, it was strong enough to resist conquest by the Roman empire. However, it was not until Bismarck that an actual, separate, German Empire was created in 1871. This empire was defeated during World War I, but the German state remained, until defeat in World War II reduced it to two separate entities serving as part of the opposing hegemonies led by the United States and the Soviet Union.
Although it is impossible to describe a total people as possessing specific qualities without stereotyping unjustifiably, nonetheless there are social, or cultural, characteristics that are associated with certain countries. In the case of Germany, the qualities that are associated with that country are such characteristics as hard working, orderly, punctual, obedient, autocratic, and inclined to authoritarianism. According to the situation, and the viewer, these qualities are seen either as contributing to Germany's success or to the moral turpitude of the German population in following their leaders into two destructive, brutal wars. What is the contemporary German population like?<...