sebwhite:

Munich, Germany. Marienplatz. 

          Germany’s achievements in science and technology throughout history have significantly changed how we live, think and perceive the world around us. After visiting the German Museum of Technology, I saw how Germany has been the home of some of the most prominent researchers in various scientific disciplines, notably mathematics, engineering, chemistry, physics and astronomy. Many famous German inventors and engineers include Johannes Gutenberg, who is credited with the invention of movable type printing in Europe; Hans Geiger, the creator of the Geiger counter; and Konrad Zuse, who built the first computer. In addition, German inventors, engineers and industrialists, such as Zepelin, Otto, Wankel, and Benz helped shape modern automotive and air transportation technology, including the beginnings of space travel.
          I was particularly interested in learning more about Johann Gensfleisch von Gutenberg, who invented the first printing press. The rapid economic and socio-cultural development of late medieval society in Europe created favorable intellectual and technological conditions for Gutenberg’s invention. The sharp rise of learning and literacy amongst the middle and upper class led to an increased demand for books which the time-consuming hand-copying method failed to accommodate. Before the invention of the printing press, only members of the middle or upper class could afford books. This changed in 1440, when Gutenberg developed a complete printing system, which improved the printing process through all of its stages by adapting existing technologies to the printing purpose. His newly devised hand mould made for the first time possible the precise and rapid creation of metal movable type in large quantities. The mechanization of bookmaking led to the first mass production of books in history in assembly-line style. From a single point of origin in Germany, printing spread to all over Europe, which helped promote public literacy. The creation of the printing press is evidently one of the most important and influential inventions that started the scientific revolution in the history of mankind.      
          Another significant inventor, Otto Schott, a doctor of chemistry, established modern glass research as we know it today. His new technical procedures for the production of glass, and, more importantly, his systematic research on the constituents of glass and their properties laid the groundwork for special glass manufacturer. Together with Evnst Abbe and Carl Zeiss, Otto Schott developed optical glass, borosilicate glass, as well as glass used in laboratories in chemical industry and pharmaceutical industry.
         It was interesting and inspirational to see how German scientific research and technologies have contributed to the history of mankind and expanded our perception of the world around us.            

soulfulandtrue:

face off.

         From the capital city of the German state of Bavaria, Munich, to the more suburban part of the country, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, one can easily find traces of American culture. As a result of globalization and advancement of technology, modern Germany is under the influence of America in many aspects of life, from music, film, language, and fashion to food.
          The American way of life is expressed in German music and fashion. The Rock ‘n’ Roll, Heavy Metal, Hip-Pop and the recently popular genre of techno, which originated from the United States, has spread all over Germany and appeared at large bars and restaurants. American culture has influenced Germany’s sense of fashion as well. For example, German teenagers and young adults we saw on the street wear American brand Levi jeans with Nike sneakers.
          Another aspect – maybe the most important one – is language. Language is often called the foundation of culture; and therefore, has contributed significantly to the Americanization of German society. Due to globalization, the world has become smaller over the last decades and it is unavoidable that the German language has been enriched by certain English expressions. At both Munich and Garmische, I found little difficulty communicating with the local German people in English, which makes the German language almost a non-requirement for survival.
          The process of Americanization is also reflected in Germany’s dining culture. Fast food chains, such as McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Burger King, can be found in every city of Germany and they have successful assimilated and integrated themselves to became an inseparable part of German culture. Also, starbucks coffee, which provides an alternative option to local coffee shops, is popular among teenagers in Germany. For breakfast, most German people eat soft-boiled eggs, sausages and sandwiches, along with butter and jam on rolls. Like the United States, dinner is a big deal in Germany. Examples of common German dinner dish include Schinitzel or sauerbraten served with gyps sauce and French fries or other potato dishes. It is not surprised to see similarities in American and German food culture. Lastly, the most significant symbol of the American way of life is the global “domination” of the Coca-Cola Company. Coca Cola is served at every single restaurant and beer garden in Germany.

1) The streets and bathroom are extremely clean.
2) Almost all German people speak English in Munich.
3) There are always meat in every meal
4) There are bars and clubs all over Munich
5) Beers are cheaper than water. Each bottle of beer is around .50 ~ .99 euros
6) Most of the stores close at 8:30 pm or before>
7) J-Walk is strictly disallowed; it’s illegal and you can get arrested.
8) The sun sets at 9 pm. How is that possible???
9) No need to pay for tips.
10) T-Mobile is huge in Europe. Where is Verizon??? 

          We were able to examine the creativity and humanity of Germany from the films and arts perspective by visiting the Bavarian Film Studios and Munich Art Museum.  At the Bavarian Film Studios, we witnessed a variety of filming-making and shooting techniques. From the Bavarian Vikings, prisoners to submarines during World War II, German films cover a wide range of subject matters and reflect the historical characteristic and cultural beauty of Germany. We visited the studio where the movie Das Boot (1981) was filmed. Set during the World War II, the film Das Boot tells the fictional story of U-96 and its crew, depicting both the excitement of battle and the tedium of the fruitless hunt, and showing the men serving abroad U-boats as ordinary individuals with a desire to do their best for the comrades and their countries. It was not difficult to notice the nationalistic aspect of film as it demonstrates German people’s persistent spirit and pride for their country.
          There are a number of similarities and differences between American and German film culture. Different from most of the American films that focus on having famous actors and actresses playing an important role in them, German films emphasize more on the profundity of the plot, as well as the overall quality of the work. For example, most the actors and actresses in Das Boot, the film that grossed over $80 million, were new and inexperienced.  Comparing the scale of German and American film industries, Germany’s movie production is much smaller than America’s, which might be a result of the lack of attention for films in German society. It is also interesting to observe that there are little to almost none cartoon characters in German movies or TV shows as one could easily ask, “Where is the German Micky Mouse?”           
          Viewing German culture from the artistic angle, we arrived at the Munich State Art Museum and saw paintings from the Romanticism and the Nazarenes periods. Germany has a long and distinguished tradition in the visual arts. German Romanticism saw a revival of innovation and distinctiveness in German art. The Nazarene movement, the coinage of the mocking critic, denotes a group of early 19th century German Romantic painters who aimed to revive honesty and spirituality in Christian art. The principal motivation of the Nazarenes was a reaction against Neoclassicism and the routine art education of the academy system. They hoped to return to art which embodied spiritual values, and sought inspiration in artists of the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance, rejecting what they saw as the superficial virtuosity of later art. Most of the paintings shown at the museum are portraits of fat people, which reveal the standard of beauty at that particular time of Germany. Obesity was considered and regarded as a symbol for power, fertility, and wealth. However, it is remarkable to see the changes in painting style and subject as the standard of beauty and social perception altered throughout history.
          German films and arts are clearly reflections of individuals’ beliefs, values and lifestyle. I learned that religion plays a significant role in German society as shown by many of the art works. Through films, I noticed that German people have a lot of respect for their culture and pride for their nation.

          In order for us to experience modern Germany and examine it from several vantage points, namely from the legal, historical, economic and educational perspectives, we were given the opportunities to speak with a German attorney, a notary and visit the Max Planck Society. After three different meetings about legal studies, I was able to develop a holistic sense of German law and make general comparisons between the legal system in Germany and in the U.S.   
          We spent the morning visiting attorney Rudy in his private law firm, BusinessLegal, which provides legal services in the areas of business formation, contracts, intellectual property and estate planning. Attorney Rudy, who is an expert in the field of intellectual property, has most of his clients from high tech firms. From his PowerPoint presentation, we learned about German history, culture, economy, and the difference between German and the U.S. legal systems. Germany, which is ranked 16^th in population size and 62^th in territory size, is the 4^th strongest economy in the world. Industrialization, which played a significant role in assisting the nation to develop its economic strength, was slow in Germany, but went underway because of sector unification and technological innovations.  Mikhail Gorbachev was once quoted as saying, “life punishes those who delay,” but this cannot be applied to Germany, which achieved success despite that fact that it was late in industrialization compared to the Great Britain and several other European countries. Evidences of Germany’s late industrialization, which was lingered by the Napoleonic War, include Germany’s construction of its first railroad in 1835, which was 10 years later than the Great Britain that developed its train system in 1825.
          Industrialization in Germany occurred in the 19^th century, and it led to and was characterized by strong economic growth, technical innovations, and sector changes and movements. One major obstacle that the nation faced was sector division, in which the nation was divided into many small states, making trade and commerce difficult because of the high cross-border trading fees. The problem, however, was solved in 1871, which is also known as the year of the unification of the German states.  The formation of one unified nation helped combined individual state power and increased the speed of technical innovations. Workers became increasingly specialized and dedicated in their respective disciplines because of the apprentice system, which continues to define the culture and identity of modern Germany. Also, the universities in Germany, which initially only provided limited studies in the fields of religion, mathematics, arts and philosophy, began to offer education in science and technology.
          As industrialization, innovations and technological advancement occurred in Germany, it became critical and essential to protect individuals’ rights and intellectual properties. The Copy Right Act of 1871, the Patent Act of 1877, the Social Laws of 1883 and the Civil Code were examples of German laws that were established after industrialization and the unification of states. As I gained a greater understanding of German laws, I was able to compare them with the laws in the U.S. When making a court decision, Germans start by observing a law, while the U.S. begins by comparing it with a similar case from the past. Both methods lead to similar endings because both laws and cases are used and considered. In terms of tort law, Germany is more monolistic, while the U.S. is more dualistic. Different from the U.S. legal system that is shaped by the capitalistic economy, which is defined as maximizing one’s economic success, German legal system conflicts with the American ideal, as it emphasizes on protecting the rights of the “weak one,” or the consumers from the “big one,” or large business corporations. As a result, there are various limitations on the freedom of contract. Looking at the terms and conditions of online internet contracts, the limitation of liability, which applies in the U.S., is invalid in Germany because it favors the “big one” and puts the “small one” in disadvantage. In addition, there are no punitive damages in German legal system, meaning that only the damages caused by action or omission are required to be proven in the court.
          In terms of the structure of the legal system in Germany and in the U.S., the U.S. has both a state and federal court system, but such distinction does not exist in Germany. The amount of time it takes for a final decision to be made also varies in the U.S. and Germany. In the U.S., federal final judgment takes about 2 to 2.5 years, whereas the time is about 6 months in Germany. There seems to be a correlation between the costs and the efficiency of the German legal system. The cost of hiring a lawyer is relatively less expensive in Germany than in the U.S because the fee is on a case-based system in Germany, while it is on an hourly-based system in the U.S. This helps create an incentive for German lawyers to quickly and efficiently solve the case. One last difference that I noticed between Germany and the U.S. is that the losing party in Germany is required to reimburse the lawyer fee of the winning party.
          After hearing and leaning about German history, economy, culture and legal system, we examined modern Germany from the educational standpoint as we visited the Max Planck Society, which is one of the most prestigious research institutes for intellectual property on international law and other disciplines in the world. The Max Planck Society, which was established in 1948, is an independent non-governmental association of German research institutes publicly funded by the federal and the sixteen state governments of Germany. There are close to 80 Max Planck Society research institutes and facilities that conduct a variety of research in the fields of arts and humanities, social sciences, biology and medicine, chemistry and physics. There are currently 277 site directors and 13,000 permanent employees, including 4,700 scientists and 11,000 guest researchers and non-tenured scientists. The Max Planck Society, which focuses on excellence in research, produced 32 Nobel Prizes awarded winners.
          The factor contributing to the success of the Max Planck Society is its emphasis and implementation of the Harnack Principle, which dates back to the first president of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society, Adolph von Harnack. The Harnack Principle, serving as the core value of the Max Planck Society, describes the entrepreneurial spirit and belief that highly-motivated individuals with a strong passion to do research should have the freedom to define their research subjects and be provided with the best working conditions. Because of its focus on the Harnack Principle, the Max Planck Society transformed itself into a person-centered research organization, a place where there are no limitations and restrictions on creativity. The Harnack Principle is visible in some of the most prominent research institutes in Germany, but perhaps not so much in those in the U.S. The Harnack Principle emphasizes on intrinsic motivation, in which individuals are driven by the nature of their research and work, but it conflicts with American capitalistic value, which focuses on motivation through extrinsic awards and maximization of profit.
          We continued our conversation about the legal system in Germany as we visited Dr. Joachim Schervier, who spoke about German civil law notaries, who play an important role in court decisions. Notaries in Germany act as state-appointed officials providing independent, impartial and objective advice for important legal transactions; their function is complementary to the role of a judge. Civil law notaries examine the intentions of the parties, draft the contracts and instruments necessary to carry out the intended transaction, and ensure that the contractual provisions are in full compliance with the law. Evidently, notaries, who have high status and authority, are not as visible in the legal system in the U.S. as in the legal system in Germany.
          Meeting and speaking with Rudy and Dr. Schervier was truly an inspirational and eye-opening experience that enabled me to understand some of the differences and similarities between the legal system in the U.S. and in Germany. I was able to see the connections and interdependent relationships between German history, culture, economy and legal system, and how they shape each other.