GERMANY

Official name: Federal Republic of Germany
Capital Berlin
Population: 81 million people

Languages German
Time GMT+1
Independence 18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 with unification once again in 1990
National holiday Unity Day, 3 October (1990)
Currency euro (EUR)

Temp Summer Temp: 18º C / 25º C
Winter Temp: -4º C /2º C
Ethnic groups German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of Greek, Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish)
Religions Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or other 28.3%
Location: Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark
Total Area: 356,910 sq km
land: 349,520 sq km
water: 7,390 sq km

Land boundaries 3,621 km

bordering countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646 km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577 km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km
Coastline: 2,389 km
Climate: temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm, tropical foehn wind; high relative humidity
Terrain: lowlands in north, uplands in centre, Bavarian Alps in south
Elevation extremes:
lowest: Freepsum Lake -2 m
highest: Zugspitze 2,962 m
Natural resources: iron ore, coal, potash, timber, lignite, uranium, copper, natural gas, salt, nickel
As Europe's largest economy and most populous nation, Germany remains a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO, while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring Eastern productivity and wages up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.

Getting There
The main arrival/departure points for flights in Germany are Frankfurt-am-Main, Munich and Düsseldorf. Frankfurt is Europe's busiest airport after Heathrow. An airport departure tax is included in ticket prices. Thanks to the spread of low-cost airlines, it is now often cheaper to fly to Germany from around Europe than to take the train. While train travel is often more expensive than catching a bus, it's generally faster, more comfortable (particularly for overnight travel) and more efficient. Germany is served by an excellent highway system connected to the rest of Western Europe. Roads from Eastern Europe are being upgraded but some border crossings are a little slow, especially from Poland. To enter Germany with a car or motorbike, you must have third-party insurance. Ferries run between Germany's northern coast and Scandinavia and the UK.

Air
Frankfurt International Airport is the main gateway for transcontinental flights, although Düsseldorf and Munich also receive their share of overseas air traffic. There are also sizeable airports in Hamburg, Cologne/Bonn, Stuttgart and Freiburg (EuroAirport), and smaller ones in such cities as Bremen, Dresden, Erfurt, Hanover, Leipzig, Münster-Osnabrück, Nuremberg, Karlsruhe-Baden-Baden and Friedrichshafen.

Some of Europe's new budget airlines - Ryan Air in particular - keep their fares low by flying to some pretty odd and remote airports, some of which are little more than recycled military airstrips. The biggest of these is Frankfurt-Hahn, which is actually near the Moselle River, about 110km (68mi) northwest of Frankfurt proper.

Bus
There are several budget bus companies that run services to Germany from the rest of Europe and the UK. Prices are very appealing and the buses are getting more and more comfortable; if you're travelling in an off-season (when you might score some room to stretch out) or are travelling short distances, they are often a good budget option.

Car
Travelling to Germany with your own car or motorcycle is easy. All you need is a valid driving licence, your car registration certificate and proof of insurance. Foreign cars must display a nationality sticker unless they have official Euro-Plates (number plates that include their country's Euro symbol). The main gateways to southern Germany are Munich, Freiburg and Passau. Coming from Poland or the Czech Republic may entail delays at the border.

Coming from the UK, high-speed Eurotunnel shuttle trains whisk cars, motorbikes, bicycles and coaches in 35 minutes from Folkestone through the Channel Tunnel to Coquelles, 5km (3mi) southwest of Calais, in soundproofed and air-conditioned comfort. From there, you can be in Aachen in about three and a half hours.

Rail
Long-distance trains connecting major German cities with those in other countries are called EuroCity (EC) trains. For longhaul trips the most comfortable option is to take an overnight train. You can choose between Schlafwagen (sleepers), which are comfortable compartments for up to three people, with washbasin; Liegewagen (couchettes), which sleep between four and six people; and Sitzwagen (seat carriage), which have roomy, reclinable seats. On daytime trains, reservations are highly recommended during the peak summer season and around major holidays. They can be made as late as a few minutes before departure.

Water
The Romanshorn-Friedrichshafen car ferry provides the quickest way across Lake Constance between Switzerland and Germany.

Germany's main ferry ports are Kiel, Lübeck and Travemünde in Schleswig-Holstein, and Rostock and Sassnitz (Rügen Island) in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. All have services to Scandinavia. Ferries to the UK leave from Cuxhaven in Schleswig-Holstein. Return tickets are often cheaper than two one-way tickets.

Germany offers a diversity of attractions for the visitor. Some of the most popular ones are:
· wine and beer festivals.
· river cruising on the major waterways.
· the historic castles and palaces found all over the country.
· wonderfully preserved medieval towns.
· the wide choice of vibrant modern cities offering great cultural entertainment.
the natural landscape ranging from high Alps, to dramatic gorges, huge silent forests and rugged coastline.

Many people prefer to experience Germany by touring along the dozens of tourist routes which give a flavour of some of the above attractions. Especially popular are the Romantic Road, Castle Road and Fairy Tale Road. The road and railway infrastructure in Germany is second to none in Europe and makes touring the country easy and pleasant.
Wine and beer festivals take place all over the country from spring through to autumn. The focus of many wine festivals is the region of the Rhine and Moselle where every town has its traditional annual festival. The “Oktoberfest” beer festival in Munich has an international reputation as the largest festival of its type in the world. However, there are many more similar events taking place across Germany, even if they are all not quite so large! In context of folk festivals mention must also be made of the carnival season which takes place at the end of lent, but which is celebrated in a major way only in a limited number of areas, notably around Cologne, Düsseldorf, Mainz, Stuttgart and Munich.

Berlin is overall the most important city in terms of its performing arts, museums and collections. However, every major German city offers an extensive cultural programme and in certain areas cities such as Munich, Hamburg, Dresden, Leipzig, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Cologne are just as important. Amongst the many international music festivals held annually in Germany, the Wagner Festival at Bayreuth has perhaps the biggest reputation. Although it is performed only once a decade, the Oberammergau Passion Play is another German production enjoying a massive international reputation, many fans are already making plans for the next Passion Play which will take place in 2010.

In terms of natural beauty some of the highlights include the Rhine and Moselle valleys, the Bavarian Alps and Lake Lands, the Baltic coast, the Harz mountains, Lake Constance, Saxon Switzerland, the Black Forest, the Bavarian Forest and the volcanic Eifel region. Germany stands out by the variety of different landscapes from north to south and some truly breathtaking scenery.
While Germany enjoys a high reputation for industrial achievement, it is also very proud of its cultural heritage which has been fabulously conserved in many towns and villages across the country. Some of the most famous heritage sites are Bamberg, Goslar and Lübeck which all enjoy UNESCO World Heritage Site status. While the list is almost endless other important historic place names are Heidelberg, Passau, Regensburg, Aachen, Bremen, Trier, Hamelin and Coburg to name but a few.

Major cities: Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Bremen, Hanover, Frankfurt, Nuremberg, Stuttgart and Düsseldorf

At the southern end of Germany are the Alps, the highest mountain range in Europe. In central Germany are the Harz mountains.
Germany also has many rolling plains which make good farm land.
The Rhine River, in the western part of Germany, is a main waterway for transporting goods from northern ports.

Germany has many small towns that still maintain their traditional culture and architecture. Many of these towns, and their buildings, date back hundreds of years.
Germany is well known for its precision workmanship. This is demonstrated in many ways, from its local architecture to the products and crafts available in local shops.
Berlin
After a fifty-year lull, Berlin is back – back as the capital of a reunified Germany and back as one of Europe’s greatest cities. After World War II, Berlin was a crippled pawn, sandwiched between East and West, with a literal and metaphoric wall deeply dividing the two halves. The north-eastern German city even suffered the ignominy of losing its capital status, as the West German government fled to Bonn. Today, the Cold War and the iconic events of November 1989, which saw the Berlin Wall torn to pieces by those whom it had oppressed for so long, are starting to seem like a distant memory and all the talk in Berlin is of the future.

In the biggest construction project in Europe since World War II, a new Berlin has emerged from the forest of cranes dotting the no-man’s land that was the divided city’s dead heart. Potsdamer Platz is the most voluminous project but the most symbolic recent construction is at the Reichstag. British architect Lord Foster has rejuvenated the German parliament with an impressive glass dome that symbolises the new transparency in German politics – that of a nation with nothing to hide, which is attempting to distance itself from the ghosts of its past.

Coupled with this wave of new construction is a city laden with historical charm – from the old streets of East Berlin, which are slowly being restored after remaining unchanged for 50 years, through to the grand architecture of Museumsinsel and Unter den Linden, and the green lung of the Tiergarten Park. Tourism is on the rise, as visitors come to savour the intoxicating mix of old and new. Big business, too, is booming, as government bodies flock back from Bonn and relocate in the capital, along with investment from many other parts of the country and from all over Europe. Key industries such as electronics, manufacturing and information technology reflect the hopes for a brighter future for Berlin.

Contrary to the usual clichés about Germany, Berlin is a city with a laid-back attitude and some of the liveliest nightlife in Europe. In Berlin today, there is everything from authentic beer halls and old Soviet era haunts right through to buzzing style bars and Latino nightclubs. Berlin’s climate is equally eclectic, with hot summer days giving way to occasionally freezing temperatures during the long grey winter. Today’s quintessential Berlin experience is to laze through a summer day in the Tiergarten with the rabble of construction just out of earshot, sipping on a chilled Pilsner beer, while witnessing a city reinventing itself as one of Europe’s finest capitals.
Sightseeing
Berlin can be a sightseeing nightmare – the vast sprawl that is the city has no definite centre and pockets of attractions are dotted all over. That said, the state museums are grouped in clusters – on the Museumsinsel, at the Kulturforum, in and around Schloss Charlottenberg and in the south-western suburb of Dahlem. There are also a large number of attractions either at Potsdamer Platz or within walking distance of this, including the Kulturforum to the southwest. To the north lie the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate) and the Reichstag, sporting Lord Foster’s new glass dome. The Brandenburg Gate is situated on Berlin’s main east–west axis. To the west lies the Siegessäule (Victory Column), which provides a view over the surrounding Tiergarten and the Western city centre, to the southwest of the column.

West Berlin’s centre has less to offer and is better for shopping and nightlife than for sightseeing. Nevertheless visitors should take a look at the broken shard of a church, the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche, which serves as a brutal reminder of World War II. The nearby Zoo and Aquarium also provide a happy distraction.

The densest array of sights lies to the east of the Brandenburg Gate, on either side of Unter den Linden, lined with many 18th- and 19th-century buildings. At its end are the artistic and architectural treasures of the Museumsinsel, where the city’s main cathedral, the Berliner Dom, can be found. Further on is the Communist-era Fernsehturm (television tower), on Alexanderplatz, which marked the centre of East Berlin.

Potsdamer Platz and the New Centre
After lying desolate for decades, except for the platform that allowed Westerners to peer over the Wall into the East, Potsdamer Platz is again part of Berlin’s thriving centre – in the 1930s, it was the busiest square in Europe. In just a few years, the forest of cranes has given way to a new precinct full of shops, restaurants, bars and entertainment venues. The best place to see it all – as well as terrific views over the rest of Berlin – is from the Panorama-Point, at the top of the Kollhof building, reached by what is claimed to be the fastest lift in Europe.

One of the more interesting constructions is the Sony Centre, with its piazza covered by a futuristic sail-like roof. On the ground floor is the Filmmuseum Berlin, which recalls some of the city’s great achievements in the early days of cinema and devotes considerable space to Marlene Dietrich, who would have celebrated her 100th birthday on December 27 2001.

Reichstag
British architect Lord Foster has transformed the Reichstag, which was built at the end of the 19th century and has long since been emblematic of the German State. It was damaged in the fire of 1933, which marked Hitler’s consolidation of power, and has now been renovated for the Bundestag (People’s Assembly) of a reunited Germany. The new dome is meant to symbolise the transparency of the democratic government and visitors can pass between its layers to witness the decision-making chamber of the government. The Plenary is open for free hourly guided tours when parliament is not in session – parliament is in session Monday to Friday 0900–1600, weekends 1000–1600. The walk through the dome itself is stunning, culminating in sweeping views of a city in transition. The rooftop restaurant provides a way to beat the queues and is open until 2400.

Berlin Wall History
Much of the Wall or the ‘Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart’, as the GDR authorities liked to call it, has succumbed – first to enthusiastic revellers and souvenir hunters and then more significantly to developers; only a few sections remain. The East Side Gallery, along Mühlenstrasse (S-Bahn Ostbahnhof), emerged in the post-Wall years as a poignant symbol of new hope, as it was covered with inspiring artwork. Today, its future is in doubt and the faded state of the paintings is symbolic of how far Berlin has come since 1989. The Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer is a graffiti-free stretch of the Wall that has been preserved by the authorities. A visitor centre has information about the Wall years, while a chapel is dedicated to the 80 or so victims that died trying to cross it. Perhaps the best place to get a sense of what the divided city was like is the Mauermuseum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie, located next to the site where the famous border-crossing stood. A number of permanent exhibitions document the history of the Wall and place it into context, as well as record the famous paintings on the Western side of the division.

Unter den Linden and the Museumsinsel
One of Berlin’s most recognizable landmarks, the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate), stands at the western end of Pariser Platz. Stretching eastwards from here is Unter den Linden, along which some of the city’s richest cultural treasures lie. These include the Deutsche Staatsoper (German State Opera), the Neue Wache (New Guardhouse), which is now a memorial to the victims of fascism and tyranny, and the Zeughaus (Arsenal), which houses the Deutsches Historisches Museum (German Historical Museum).

The Museumsinsel (Museum Island), at the eastern end of Unter den Linden, offers the Pergamonmuseum, containing a host of antiquities, including the enormous Pergamon altar, Bodemuseum (closed until 2004) and the massive, neo-Baroque Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral), built in 1893–1905 and recently renovated. Within the newly restored Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery) is the ‘Galerie der Romantik’, a large collection of German and Austrian paintings from the first half of the 19th century. These include 24 paintings by Caspar David Friedrich. The Altes Museum (Old Museum) is a striking neo-classical building, designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, which opened in 1830. The main floor houses a collection of antiquities, while the upstairs galleries house changing exhibitions.

Judische Museum (Jewish Museum)
The striking design of this Daniel Liebeskind-designed memorial to Jewish life in Berlin is based on a shattered Star of David. Even before the installation of the permanent exhibits – recalling the life and history of German Jews through the centuries – visitors came to experience the evocative spaces within this incredible structure.

Schloss Charlottenburg and museums
The Charlottenburg Palace was built in 1790, as a summer residence for Sophie Charlotte, the wife of King Frederick 11. Visits to the Old Palace are by guided tour only. Prices and hours vary for the New Wing, the Orangerie, the mausoleum and other parts of the complex. The museums and galleries that are in and around the palace include the Egyptian Museum, with its famous bust of Egyptian Queen Nefertiti. The Berggruen Collection, opposite the palace, includes 64 artworks by Picasso, as well as a representative collection of his contemporaries.

Kulturforum (Cultural Forum)
Located in the west of the city, the Kulturforum is a cultural centre, grouping together all the museums that have European art as their chief focus, including a Musikinstrumentenmuseum (Musical Instrument Museum) and a new hall for chamber music. The opening of the Gemäldegalerie (Painting Gallery) in 1998 brought a stunning collection of 13th- to 18th-century paintings to the site. It joined the Kunstgewerbemuseum (Arts and Crafts Museum) and the Neue Nationalgalerie (New National Gallery). The latter, built to the designs of Mies van der Rohe, contains German Expressionist and Realist art, as well as other works of the 20th century. There is also a sculpture garden.

Centrum Judaicum – Neue Synagogue (Jewish Centre – New Synagogue)
The Neue Synagogue was completed in 1866. Its location in the heart of the Scheunenviertel (Berlin’s Jewish district) suffered serious bomb damage in 1943. Thanks to renovation in the mid-1990s, its Moorish dome can now be seen in its original glory. The synagogue houses a Jewish Centre, with an exhibition. The Alter Jüdischer Friedhof (Old Jewish Cemetery) is a short walk away

Tiergarten
There are few cities in the world where one can lie naked in the middle of town at noon and not be arrested. Besides having delightful tree-shaded walks, canals and flower gardens, the Tiergarten also has a couple of open fields on either side of Hofjägerallee, where the locals sunbathe au natural. While the sunbathers cannot be seen from the Siegessäule – the Victory Column in the centre of the park – it does provide a good view of the other major sights around Berlin. The angel at the top of the 69m (226ft) column was the perching place for the angels in Wim Wenders’ film Wings of Desire (1987).

Fernsehturm (TV Tower)
The best views in East Berlin are from the Fernsehturm at Alexanderplatz. Looking vaguely like the Death Star on a concrete spit, the television tower is Berlin’s tallest structure at 368m (1207ft) and makes for a good reference point, as well as blighting many views of the city skyline. The Communist designers inadvertently made it so that sunlight reflecting on its facets forms a Christian cross. In a sign of changing times, a glare of advertising neon surrounds the base of the tower. Visitors can take an elevator up 203m (666ft) to the viewing platform or the revolving café, for a good look over the city.

Spandauer Zitadelle (Spandau Citadel)
This 16th-century fortress is the oldest non-religious building in the city. Its location overlooking the Havel River and the charming old town of Spandau make a trip to this district a lovely excursion within the city. Guided tours of the citadel are available through advance booking.

Frankfurt
The fifth biggest city in Germany, Frankfurt on Main (Frankfurt am Main) has gained enormous economic power (both within Germany and abroad) thanks to its position as a key transport hub and its status as a major venue for international trade fairs and other business events. Located in the middle of the highly productive Rhine-Main region, right at the centre of Europe, the city is the financial heart not only of Germany but also of the European Union, pumping euros into the world economy.

A settlement since at least 3000BC, Frankfurt’s long and successful history of commerce stemmed initially from its central geographical location on the Main River and the Frankfurt Messe (fair). The Messe has been going since the 12th century (it is mentioned in a Jewish manuscript dating from 1160) and the city received its official Imperial privilege to hold an annual trade fair in 1240. Frankfurt got its name around AD500, when the Franks ruled the area and the settlement along the Main Fort transportation route became known as ‘Franconovurd’.

Frankfurt’s substantial political and cultural prestige is based on a fortunate history of decisive events. In 855, it became the election city for future monarchs. From 1562, the coronations of German emperors were held in the city’s Cathedral of St Bartholomew. The Frankfurt Börse (Stock Exchange) began trading in 1585, moving to Börsenplatz, its current home, in 1879. In 1815, Frankfurt was declared a free city and part of the German Union, with the Budestag, the Union’s highest committee, located here. Frankfurt University, which took the name of the city’s most famous son, Johann Wolfgang Goethe, in 1932, opened in 1914, just before the war that would forever change the face of Germany and indeed all of Europe.

If Frankfurt’s political aspirations were dashed by the choice of Bonn as capital of the Federal Republic in 1949, the city has directed its post-war energies all the more wholeheartedly into its uncontested financial role. The modern skyscrapers of banks and corporations in the central business district are potent symbols of Frankfurt’s economic strength and create a skyline that is more North American than European. ‘Bankfurt’ or ‘Mainhatten’ is home to some of the tallest buildings in Europe, including the 300m (984ft) Commerzbank tower. These modern behemoths have replaced parts of the old city that were destroyed by Allied bombers at the end of World War II. However, examples of pre-war Frankfurt can still be experienced in the reconstructed buildings on the Römerberg, including the cathedral and the Römer – Frankfurt’s city hall since 1405.

With the second busiest airport in Europe (after London Heathrow) and a vital junction on the national road and rail network, Frankfurt is a focal point of international transportation and communication. Not only is the city home to the European Central Bank and many other banks but it also commands thousands of companies, including the moguls of the German publishing industry, as well as a number of companies involved in public relations, marketing, media and telecommunications. As Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) commented in 1843, ‘here, you see and hear what is going on in the world.’

Most of Frankfurt’s visitors come for one of the numerous trade fairs, exhibitions and congresses. Among the largest on the international circuit are the International Book Fair (Buchmesse Frankfurt) and ACHEMA (chemical engineering, environmental protection and biotechnology). But Frankfurt (to the surprise of many) has got another side to reveal to its focused business visitors. As the birthplace of Germany’s most revered writer, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), the city is at pains to impress with its cultural pedigree. Excellent museums, high-calibre performance groups and local festivals should entice the discerning guest away from the boardroom and the exhibition hall.
The city’s climate is generally mild and well balanced with warm, occasionally wet, days in summer, with temperatures sometimes even reaching 30°C (90°F), and chilly winter days, when temperatures range between - 10°C (14°F) and 10°C (40°F).
Sightseeing
Skyscrapers housing major financial institutions dominate the scene in the central business district. The West end is both a residential and business district. Nearby, the Marktplatz (former Market Square), Römer (City Hall), the Kaiserdom (Emperor Cathedral), Paulskirche (Church of St Paul) and the Nikolaikirche (Nicholas Church) are among the attractions of the Altstadt (Old Town). The Bahnhofsviertel (around the main railway station), especially Kaiserstrasse, is the city’s red light district, although the ubiquitous seediness has developed into a popular and lively entertainment scene. Fourteen museums make up the longest mile of museums in Europe – the Museumsufer (Museum Embankment) on the southern bank of the Main, reached on foot via Eiserner Steg. Most of Frankfurt’s museums are closed on Monday and open until 2000 on Wednesday.

Visitors increasingly flock further south of the Main to Sachsenhausen, the oldest district in Frankfurt, to enjoy Äppelwoi (apple wine) at traditional half-timbered taverns. The best views of the city can be gained from the observation platform of the Main Tower. Students and artists contribute to the bohemian atmosphere of the Nordend around Eschenheimer Tor.

Römerberg
In 1240, this low hill (the main square and heart of the Old Town) was the site of the city’s first official trade fair. The Römerberg is bordered by half-timbered houses (Fachwerkhäuser), reconstructed after total destruction in 1945, and the former court chapel – the Nikolaikirche (Church of St Nicholas). The main attraction, however, is the Rathaus Römer (Frankfurt’s city hall since 1405) with its Gothic stepped gables made of Frankfurt’s trademark red sandstone. The coronation of German emperors was celebrated by banquets in the Kaisersaal (Emperor’s Hall) on the upper floors. Portraits of 52 emperors, from Charlemagne to Franz II, now hang on the walls. It is a working town hall, however, and there are currently no tours. The Christmas market that takes place on Römerberg every December is one of the best in Germany, and has taken place here since the late 14th century.

Sankt Bartholomäusdom (Cathedral of St Bartholomew)
Between 1562 and 1792, German emperors were crowned in the Cathedral of St Bartholomew, hence its other name – the Kaiserdom (Emperor Cathedral). In the 1950s, this was Frankfurt’s tallest building, at 96m (315ft), which illustrates just how much the city has developed since then. The cathedral has a red sandstone façade and interior and is one of Frankfurt’s most recognizable landmarks. The present structure was rebuilt after World War II but contains a number of original carvings. There are also great views of the city from the tower. A museum, the Dommuseum, is adjoined to the cathedral and is packed full of ancient archaeological findings.

Städelsche Kunstinstitute und Städtische Galerie (Städel Art Institute and Municipal Gallery)
An exemplary and comprehensive collection of European painting from the 14th to the 20th centuries is housed in this museum (commonly known as just Städel) on Frankfurt’s legendary Museumsufer (Museum Embankment). German masters, such as Cranach, Holbein and Beckmann, are displayed alongside the likes of Botticelli, Rembrandt and Rubens. Around 500 sculptures from the 19th and 20th centuries are also on show, including works from artists such as Rodin, Kirchner and Picasso. There is also a café, and an excellent bookshop.

Museum für Moderne Kunst (Museum of Modern Art)
The outside of the Museum of Modern Art alone would count as one of the city’s major attractions. It is therefore a bonus that this museum, designed by Viennese architect Hans Hollein, is filled with a superb collection of post-war art, predominantly by German and American artists, including Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, Andy Warhol and Joseph Beuys. There is also a café-restaurant.

Frankfurt Zoo
Frankfurt’s zoo is one of the most attractive in Europe and is very popular with both locals and visitors. There are 13 different areas in these 14 hectares (35 acres) of land, where thousands of animals from all over the world, including eight endangered species, can be observed. The obvious highlight is the Grzimek Haus, where artificial darkness is created in order to observe nocturnal animals going about their business.

Palmengarten (Palm Garden)
The Palm Garden is a wonderland of tropical plants and exotic birds. Hidden away from the bustle of the city centre, the attractions of this botanical garden include glasshouses, some 300 different palms and a boating lake. There are concerts staged here in summer, as well as a number of exhibitions and events. Guided tours are available.

Goethe-Museum and Goethe-Haus
Completely destroyed by Allied bombers in 1944, the house where Goethe (1749-1832) was born and spent most of his youth was rebuilt after the war, in 1951, and restored to its former 18th-century glory. Visitors can see the family music room, library, living room and Goethe’s own puppet show and study. Next door, the Goethe-Museum displays German paintings and sculpture from the late Baroque period up to early Romanticism. There are daily guided tours of the house at 1030 and 1400. Tours of the museum can also be arranged on request.

Jüdisches-Museum (Jewish Museum)
Until the Holocaust, Frankfurt was home to Germany’s second largest Jewish population, many of whom played a key role in the city’s financial and cultural success. The story of this important community from the 12th to the 20th century, is told in the Jewish Museum, housed in the Rothschild Palais (a mansion that was the former home of the Rothschilds). The remains of Mikvah (women’s ceremonial baths) in the former Jewish ghetto and special exhibitions are displayed in the supplementary Judengasse Museum (Jewish Alley Museum).

Historisches Museum (Historical Museum)
The Historical Museum is housed in a complex of imperial buildings overlooking the Main, which also includes the 12th-century palace chapel. The museum traces the story of Frankfurt (including its destruction in World War II) and visitors can learn about the traditions of Äppelwoi in the museum café. There are guided tours on the last Saturday of each month.

Geldmuseum der Deutschen Budesbank (Money Museum of the German Federal Bank)
The Money Museum is a sign of the changing times. In this Deutsche Bundesbank building, an extensive historical collection of coins and paper money has finally been made accessible to the public. The museum also explains the complex nature of monetary policy (especially the new European system) using films, challenging computer games and interactive teaching programs.

Haus Giersch Museum Regionaler Kunst (Haus Giersch Museum of Regional Art)
This newcomer on the Frankfurt museum scene is devoted to work from artists from the Rhine-Main region and is a wonderful way for culture-keen visitors to get a taste of the regional artistic fare. Taking its place alongside Frankfurt’s finest institutions on Museumsufer, the bright, airy and thoroughly contemporary gallery hosts two changing exhibitions on art and art-historical themes. The one constant exhibit is the building itself, the neoclassical Villa Holzmann.

Hamburg
The second biggest city in Germany (after Berlin), Hamburg has the cosmopolitan feel, the conspicuous consumption and most of the cultural accoutrements of a north European capital. It grew rich on the Hanseatic trade routes and established itself as a city state with special free trade privileges which it retains even today. And although it has suffered the vicissitudes of war and changing world economics (little of its once-famed shipbuilding now remains), it has adapted and moved with the times so its port still provides its bread and butter. Recently it has also become a major media centre with several leading German and international publishers based here. Culturally Hamburg is said to have more in common with its trading partners and neighbours in the Low Countries, Denmark and even England, than it does with southern Germany. Its people are famously modest, yet worldly and usually very helpful.

Visitors will find Hamburg easy to get around thanks to its compact centre and excellent transport system. There are relatively few major landmarks, and nothing of iconic status except perhaps the red-light district of St Pauli where Hamburg sailors traditionally took their R’n’R. This is a double-edged sword for the city, yet one it has handled well in recent years, bringing in new and respectable nightlife while retaining the edgy atmosphere of the district’s former existence. It is easy to forget that music (and not just sex) has always been a major part of the area (the Beatles among many other luminaries paid their musical dues in St Pauli) and on weekend nights the Reeperbahn and surrounding streets throbs with activity. By contrast to the seamy port area, the city’s major open space, which begins right in the very center of town, is the Alster Lake. On a warm summer’s day do as the locals do and take a cruise from the Binnenalster (Inner Alster) to the Aussenalster and its parkland fringes. Within just a few minutes you will have swapped the steely grey metropolis for a balmy world of green and blue.
Sightseeing
Sightseeing is concentrated in two main areas, the city centre and the harbour. Hamburg’s historical centre has twice been consumed by flames, once by accident in 1842 and once by Allied bombing in 1943. It is consequently mostly modern with only a few surviving churches and ancient houses standing alongside neo-classical facades, some new, many expertly restored. The city centre looks onto its signature feature, the Alster Lake, of which the outer section (Aussenalster) is particularly attractive. The other principal sightseeing centre is the harbour and the adjoining red-light district of St Pauli with its infamous main street, the Reeperbahn. The harbour is the second biggest in Europe and provides visitors with boat tours, museum ships, the Speicherstadt warehouse museums and the colourful comings and goings of any major port. The once notorious St Pauli is not as dependent on the sex industry as it used to be (though it is still no place for the prudish) and large parts of it have been transformed into the city’s leading nightlife area, with numerous theatres and respectable nightspots.

Harbour Tours
Hamburg owes its prosperity, past and present, to its docks, so a trip around the harbour (daily noon, Mar-Nov with English commentary), sailing past huge container vessels and spotting ships from all over the world, is essential.

Cruising the Alster Lake
There are many ways to cruise the Alster, the best is the Alster-Kreuz-Fahrten option, which makes nine stops on a leisurely two-hour trip, allowing you to hop on and hop off at will, visiting bucolic lakeside cafes and restaurants or stopping for a picnic.

Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte (Museum of Hamburg History)
The Museum of Hamburg History brings to life the story of the city, from the feared pirate Störtebeker to the Beatles at the Star Club, with some impressive large scale exhibits and interactive displays, all with English captions.

Sunday Fish Market
Good street food, live music, souvenirs, tremendous food bargains and the type of stall-holder banter which will make even non-German speakers smile have all made this early-morning market a city legend.

Michaeliskirche (St Michael’s church)
Visit this city landmark at noon (daily) for the three-organ concert, then ascend the tower for great views over the harbour and the city.

Speicherstadt
The world’s biggest warehouse complex part retains its original function and now also holds a variety of visitor attractions, from the Hamburg Dungeon and the world’s largest model railway of its kind, to five small museums – on Spices, Toys, Afghanistan, Customs & Excise and the Speicherstadt (‘warehouse city’) itself.

Kunsthalle
Hamburg’s expansive city art gallery spans the ages from 15th-century German Old Masters through French impressionism to Andy Warhol and 21st-century installations – it’s worth a visit for the Café Liebermann alone.

Hanover
Hanover may have been a bit of late starter, with the city not founded until the 12th century and not coming to prominence until the 17th, but it has more than made up for lost time – today it is one of Germany’s richest cities. The story starts back in the days of the Hanseatic League, when this north German city used its proximity to the Baltic Sea to emerge as a serious economic player. The golden age came in the 17th century, when a complex interweaving of marriages and political machinations in England, to avoid a Scottish Catholic monarch taking the throne, resulted in Hanover’s royalty holding sway of Britain. Hanoverian George I became the British king, despite the fact that he could not speak English and chose to spend much of his time holed up back in his native city.

By the 20th century, the British royal connection had been long since cut and British bombers returned in World War II, to mete out a severe beating – over 80% of the city centre was flattened. Today, a painstaking reconstruction program – somewhat ironically instigated by the occupying Allied forces in the post-war years – has brought back a sense of grandeur, although there are few of the fine architectural set pieces that grace many other German cities. What Hanover does have, however, are first rate shopping opportunities, excellent examples of Hanseatic red-brick churches, a brace of interesting museums, a sprinkling of atmospheric beer halls and a string of relaxing civic parks – the highlight of which is the Herrenhäuser Gärten, a fittingly grandiose and expansive legacy of its days as a royal city.

The city is well geared toward tourists and visiting businessmen alike, with an array of hotels, an integrated public transport system and the ‘Red Thread’ – a four-kilometre (three-mile) red line that traces the way to most of Hanover’s main attractions, with an informative handbook on sale to fill in the blanks. The city’s economy is dominated by the Messegelände to the southeast, Germany’s largest, and one of Europe’s most high-tech, show and exhibition grounds, which hauls in millions of visitors every year, who attend the various business and leisure events. This vast area was also home to Expo 2000, the first World Expo ever to be held on German soil. Compared to Lisbon 1998, the Expo was an unmitigated disaster, with visitor numbers a fraction of those anticipated and a welter of negative publicity. But a few years further on, it appears that the local authorities may have been shrewd by attracting the massive state funding that went with the project. Hanover’s main railway station has been rejuvenated, the city was put firmly on the map and the Expo site has become a permanent asset, as well as another potential conference venue. The Expo site, like the rest of Hanover, is at its best in the summer months, when the city can see as much as seven hours of sunshine per day, with an average temperature of 21ºC. Nevertheless, this drops to as little as one hour of sunshine in the depths of winter and a chilly average temperature of only 3ºC – perfect weather for seeking refuge in the beer halls and cosy restaurants.
Sightseeing
The Red Thread (see Tours of the City), a four-kilometre (three-mile) denotative walking route, is the most obvious way for new arrivals to sightsee the city. More independent minded visitors might wish to begin their own explorations from the Haupbanhof, under the equestrian statue – the city’s favourite meeting place. From this busy plaza, a number of routes radiate out, although the most obvious is the Bahnhofstrasse, which leads up to another hub at Kröpcke, the central square at the heart of the city, linked to Opernplatz and Georgsplatz by Georgstrasse, the city’s main pedestrian thoroughfare.

To the west lies the Old Town, with interesting small shops, pubs and restaurants. The best examples of medieval housing and street layout can be found on Kramerstrasse and Burgstrasse. Buildings made of red bricks, a characteristic style of northern Germany, include the 15th-century Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall), the Kreuzkirche (Church of the Holy Cross) and the Marktkirche (Market Church), both dating from the 14th century. South of the Old Town, the Rathaus (Town Hall) overlooks the Maschsee lake. The Baroque Herrenhäusen Gardens are a few kilometers to the west, while the Eilenriede – a unique forest within the city – is situated beyond the main station to the east. The huge Messegelände and the Expo 2000 site lie to the southeast of the city.

Hanover’s streets may not have the grandeur of those in Berlin or Munich but one thing that brings them to life is the multiple examples of street art. The urban streetscape is enlivened by brightly coloured sculptures, known as ‘nanas’ – once mocked and now almost a symbol of Hanover – and a series of extravagant bus stops, created by international designers.

Herrenhäuser Gärten
Although little remains of the original palace buildings, the Herrenhäusen Gardens are one of the city’s most popular attractions, particularly during the summer months, when there are festivals, Baroque fireworks and theatre performances. The symmetrical Baroque landscape of the Great Garden (Grosser Garten) was laid out by Duke Johann Friedrich of Calenberg, at the end of the 17th century, and includes the oldest hedge theatre in Europe, an enormous fountain – 70m (230ft) at full pressure – and ornamental flower beds. In contrast, the Berggarten – the former palace utility or herbal garden – features a botanical collection of more than 12,000 different plants. To complete the picture, in the 19th century, a romantic ‘English’ Garden (Georgengarten) was created around Herrenhäuser Allee, in honour of George IV.

The Wilhelm-Busch-Museum/German Museum for Caricature & Critical Drawing is housed in Wallmoden Palace in the Georgengarten. The museum features a collection of work by German satirical artist Wilhem Busch and exhibitions by contemporary cartoonists.

Sprengel-Museum
Opened in 1979, the Sprengel Museum combines the endowment of Dr Bernhard Sprengel with the 20th-century art collections of the state of Lower Saxony and the city of Hanover. Offering a comprehensive educational program, the museum now rates as one of the most important centres of modern art in Germany. Exciting exhibitions of contemporary art, photography and new media complement a permanent collection of modern classics, including works by Picasso, Klee and Schwitters.

Rathaus (Town Hall)
An object of derision when it opened in 1913, the monumental architecture and copper-coated dome of Hanover’s ‘new’ Town Hall have since made it the city’s main landmark. Visitors can ascend the dome by means of the unique curving lift, for an excellent bird’s-eye view of the city and Maschsee. Below the dome, the huge vaulted central hall houses four models of the city, representing Hanseatic Hanover in 1689, 1939 pre-war Hanover, 1945 after the devastating bombing raids and finally the present day city – the latter model is constantly updated to reflect the rapidly changing face of modern Hanover. Council chambers are only open to visitors on an official guided tour.

Niedersächsisches Landesmuseum (Lower Saxony State Museum)
This museum is housed in a neo-Renaissance building opposite the Maschpark. It contains a selection of paintings and sculptures spanning nine centuries, as well as interesting archaeological, ethnological and natural history exhibits. The stars of the archaeological collection are the bodies of prehistoric Homo sapiens found in the local peat bogs.

Eilenriede
Eilenriede park is virtually a city forest and Hanover’s ‘green lungs’. It covers an area of 650 hectares (1943 acres), larger than Central Park in New York. The park comprises woodland and meadows, crisscrossed by a network of paths and fitness trails and dotted with numerous monuments, a mini-golf course, a toboggan slope, restaurants, cafés and beer gardens. The northern part of Eilenriede encompasses a bird sanctuary and the popular Hanover Zoo, which houses 1300 animals.

The zoo is much better than many of its ilk, with visitors able to take the new ‘Zambezi Boat Ride’ through an African landscape and get some idea of how the animals would look in their natural environment. This also allows the animals to be free from small cages and given a (relatively) natural environment. There are plans for a new ‘Yukon Bay’ section, a massive project that would give the seal, sea lions, penguins and polar bears far more space than they currently have in the more traditional enclosure.

Maschsee
The 68-hectare (168-acre) Maschsee Lake was dug out between 1934 and 1936, providing the city with an enviable aquatic playground. Pleasure seekers can enjoy boat trips for €6 or illuminated evening cruises (including dinner), available from April to October from Rudolf-von-Bennigsen-Ufer. A recent addition to the Maschsee fleet is a solar-powered catamaran. The lake is surrounded by parkland and has a number of restaurants, beer gardens and a casino on its shores. During summer, Maschsee provides the perfect setting for a popular cultural and entertainment festival (see the Cultural Events section in Culture).

Street Art
Hanover’s bountiful street art is a highlight of visiting the city. Much of the innovative public art dates back to the 1970s, with a plethora of weird and wonderful creations, from multi-coloured shapes through to surreal sculptures, such as a stag with a figure of a man sitting atop its antlers. Perhaps the most famous work are the three buxom ‘Nanas’ placed on the banks of the Leine river. These characters were creations of French artist Niki de St Phalle, who died in 2002. Many of the city’s bizarre fountains are also works of art in themselves, as are a number of Hanover’s bus stops.

Throughout the city

Aegidienkirche (St Giles Church)
This Gothic church, with its Baroque tower, suffered heavy bomb damage in 1943 and has remained in its ruined state as a memorial to victims of war the world over. It is a moving and atmospheric spot, with Virginia creeper and ivy running riot over the walls. Under the tower lies a ‘peace’ bell, donated to Hanover by the city of Hiroshima. The buttress of the choir supports the Seven-Man-Stone, commemorating the death of seven men at the hands of the Duke of Brunswick’s troops in 1490. Every week, the church bells chime out the tune of Wind of Change, by Hanoverian rock band The Scorpions, to reflect more recent political upheavals.

Kestner-Museum
Based on an 18th-century endowment by Herman Kestner, the Kestner Museum houses a collection of Egyptian, Roman, Cypriot, Etruscan, Italian, Greek and German arts and crafts exhibits covering six thousand years. The highlight of the Egyptian section is the head of Pharaoh Akhenaton, which is more than three thousand years old.

Regendwaldhaus (The Rain Forest House)
Located in the Herrenhäusen Gardens, the Rain Forest House contains an entire exotic natural world indoors – a perfect alternative to the royal gardens when it is raining and an interesting aside at other times. The futuristic building was designed by the English architect who created the Princess of Wales Conservatory in London’s Kew Gardens. Rock faces, waterfalls and an ascending spiral path help create the impression of a real rainforest, which can be overlooked from a ten meter high platform. Visitors are given boarding passes for their ‘flights’ to Brazil in an innovative attempt to control overcrowding. English audio guides are available.

Munich
Located to the north of the Bavarian Alps, on the River Isar, Munich (München) is a city that combines proud provincialism with international glamour. Founded by Duke Henry the Lion, in 1158, within a century, the city had become the seat of the Wittelsbach dynasty, who ruled the duchy, electorate and kingdom of Bavaria until the end of World War I. Their influence is evident in the concentration of grand Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and neo-classical architecture adorning Munich’s streets. Perhaps most importantly, the Wittelsbach’s patronage of the arts and extensive collections provided the basis for Munich’s world-class museums and galleries.

The city acquired the name München (‘home of the monks’) from its first monastery, founded in the eighth century. Monasteries have since played an important role in the history of the city, not least by starting the beer brewing traditions for which the city has received worldwide renown. Successive rulers, detecting a profitable source of tax revenue, actively encouraged beer production as a means both of raising money and keeping the populace happy at the same time. Following recent mergers, the city’s six breweries have been reduced to four – Augustiner, Hofbräuhaus, Paulaner (who now own Hacker-Pschorr) and the merged Spaten-Löwenbräu. Beer quality is still based on the Reinheitsgebot (Purity Edict), introduced by the Bavarian Duke Wilhelm IV, in 1516, which forbids the use of anything other than the core ingredients of barley, hops and water in the brewing process. Drinking a foaming Mass of beer in one of the city’s beer halls or gardens is an essential part of the Munich experience.

The period between the wars represents the low point in Munich’s history and tends to be glossed over by tourist brochures. The city was the cradle of the Nazi movement after World War I and was the scene of Hitler’s first attempt to seize power – the infamous ‘Beer Hall Putsch’ on 8 November 1923. Moreover, in 1938, the treaty that surrendered a large portion of Czechoslovakia to the Nazis was signed by Germany, Great Britain, France and Italy in Munich – an act of appeasement that started the slide towards World War II. The city suffered intensive bombing damage during Allied air raids at the end of the war but the economic success of the post-war years has supported a comprehensive rebuilding and restoration program, making the city the one of the most popular tourist destinations in Germany.

The citizens of Munich demonstrate a cosmopolitan refinement as well as genuine passion for the region’s many traditions and tourists flock to the city for the world famous Oktoberfest, to indulge in an orgy of beer and revelry. The stereotypical images of lederhosen-clad Bavarians quaffing vast portions of beer and sausage might apply at this time, however, with a strong cultural scene, richly endowed art collections and excellent shopping, the city certainly has more to offer than just light entertainment. With warm summers accommodating lovely garden restaurants and open-air stages and snowy winters with romantic Christmas markets, Munich is a place to visit all year round.
Marienplatz, where the main pedestrianized streets converge, is the undisputed centre of the city. Weinstrasse, which becomes Theatinerstrasse, runs north from Marienplatz to Odeonsplatz, while Kaufinger Strasse/NeuhauserstrasseStrasse, which becomes Neuhauserstrasse, runs west to Karlsplatz – known locally as Stachus. Many of the city’s main attractions are in the immediate vicinity, so sightseeing can easily be done on foot or by hopping on and off trams. Worth seeing are the 16th-century Michaelskirche, with its imposing barrel-vaulted interior, and the Asamkirche, considered a masterpiece of south German Rococo architecture. The oldest part of the city is the area to the east of Marienplatz, including the Alter Hof (the original royal residence) and the world-famous Hofbräuhaus. The Residenz complex lies to the north.

The wide boulevard and grand palatial architecture of Ludwigstrasse and Leopoldstrasse stretches north of Odeonsplatz to the Siegestor. These grand building schemes were commissioned by Ludwig I, as were those around Königsplatz, in the part of the city known as Maxvorstadt – home to some of Munich’s most important museums and galleries. From the Siegestor, Leopoldstrasse forms the central artery of the popular district of Schwabing. The former artists’ quarter is now considered the most fashionable part of the city, with numerous cafés, bars, restaurants and nightlife venues. To the east of Leopoldstrasse, side roads lead off to the Englischer Garten, a quiet retreat from the busy city.

Around Marienplatz
Marienplatz has been at the heart of Munich since the city’s foundation in 1158. The area is now a major hub for the urban transport network. For centuries, it was known as the Schrannenmarkt (the place where farmers and merchants came to buy and sell their goods) but was renamed in 1854, after the statue of the Virgin Mary in the centre. The north side of Marienplatz is entirely dominated by the neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall), built in the 19th century. Miniature statues of Bavarian rulers and other characters adorn the hall’s façade, while the 85m (279ft) tower houses a Glockenspiel consisting of 43 bells. The bells are accompanied by mechanical marionettes that perform scenes from Munich’s history. Visitors can ascend the tower by lift.

Nearby, other buildings of note include the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall), which houses a delightful toy museum, and the Frauenkirche – Munich’s cathedral. Built in the 15th and 16th centuries, on the site of the Romanesque Marienkirche, the austere cathedral houses the tomb of Emperor Ludwig the Bavarian and the legendary ‘Devil’s Footprint’ intriguingly embedded in the church floor.

Münchener Residenz (Munich Residence)
The Munich Residence embodies over 600 years of Bavarian history. Successive members of the Wittelsbach dynasty expanded the original 14th-century castle to create a complex of palaces around seven courtyards. The elaborate rooms contain antiques, sculptures, paintings and tapestries amassed by the Wittelsbachs between the 16th and 19th centuries – some rooms can only be visited during the morning or afternoon. Other royal treasures are on show in the Schatzkammer (Treasury). The entire Residenz complex, including the Rococo Cuvilliés-Theater, was rebuilt and restored after being reduced to rubble during World War II.

The Three Pinakotheks
The Alte Pinakothek (Old Pinakothek), constructed in the 19th century, for King Ludwig I, is home to one of the world’s oldest and most important collections of paintings by European Old Masters, including Dürer, Raphael, Rembrandt and Rubens.

The Neue Pinakothek (New Pinakothek), located opposite, in a modern building, was conceived by Ludwig I, as a showcase for contemporary art. The museum houses European painting and sculpture from the second half of the 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century. German painting of the 19th century forms the core of the collection. The entrance price includes an audio-guide, which is available in English.

The third Pinakothek der Moderne (Pinakothek of Modern Art) is a collection of contemporary art, architecture and design, taken from disparate collections throughout the city to complement the works housed in the first two galleries. The Glyptothek (ancient Greek art) and the Antikensammlung (antiquities) are located nearby, at Königsplatz.

Deutsches Museum von Meisterwerken der Naturwissenschaft und Technik (German Museum of Masterpieces of Natural Sciences and Technology)
The vast Deutsches Museum presents a dauntingly comprehensive survey of science and technology, from prehistoric tools to space age inventions. Permanent interactive exhibitions are organized around various themes, including Aerospace, Computers, Mining, Technical Toys and Telecommunications. Next door, the Forum der Technik (Technology Forum) houses a planetarium and an IMAX theatre. Flugwerft Schleissheim (Schleissheim Aerodrome), located at Germany’s oldest aerodrome, is a branch of the museum, which focuses on aviation history.

Olympia Park
The Olympia Park complex was laid out in 1972, for the 20th Olympic Games. It covers an area of 270 hectares (667 acres). At its heart is the giant tent-like structure of the Olympiastadion (Olympic Stadium), which hosts national and international sporting events and concerts. A number of tours are available upon reservation. The Olympiaturm (Olympic Tower) soars 290m (950ft) above the park, offering magnificent views from its revolving restaurant and observation terrace.

Englischer Garten (English Garden)
The English Garden is the largest urban park in Germany, is a quiet oasis in the heart of busy Munich. Attractions include the Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Tower), with its great beer garden, the Japanisches Teehaus (Japanese Teahouse) and the Monopteros, a Greek-style temple. The Kleinhesselhoher See (a lake in the center of the park) and the Amphitheater offer lots of activities in the summer months. The Haus der Kunst, home of the State Gallery of Modern Art (tel: (089) 2112 7137), which hosts excellent temporary art exhibitions, and the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, the Bavarian National Museum are located on Prinzregentenstrasse, on the southern edge of the park.

BMW Building
To place the famous car company, BMW, in an over-dimensional four-cylinder-engine was the original idea of Viennese architect K Schwanzer. The world's biggest ‘V4’, in the shape of a four-leaf clover, was erected in 1973, to accommodate modern offices. The unusual building consists of the four silver towers, flat factory halls below and a giant ‘egg cup’ at the end of the halls, which houses the BMW museum. The exhibition displays classic old-timers as well as the latest, technically up-to-date models of the prestigious German car producer. The highlight of the museum is the spectacular cinema-scope show at the end of the tour.

Schloss Nymphenburg (Nymphenburg Palace)
Located on the western edge of the city, the Nymphenburg Palace was built as the summer residence of the Wittelsbach family. Its stunning symmetrical lay out and the beautiful surrounding parkland was created in the 18th and 19th centuries. Highlights within the main palace include the late-Rococo Steinerner Saal (Hall of Stone) and the ‘Gallery of Beauties’ – a collection of portraits of beautiful women commissioned by Ludwig I. The extensive grounds conceal four miniature palaces within their landscaped confines, one of which, the Amalienburg, is considered the most attractive Rococo palace in Germany. The Nymphenburg complex also includes the Marstallmuseum, which houses royal coaches and riding equipment, as well as the Bäuml Collection of Nymphenburg porcelain, with exhibits from 1747 until the 1920s.

Bavaria Film Studios
The tour of Germany’s ‘Film City’, where around 150 hours of cinema and TV films are produced every year, reveals the tricks of the film industry, including the making of films such us Das Boot (1981), Cabaret (1972) and Die Unendliche Geschichte, better known as The Never-ending Story (1984), as well as many German TV series. English tours are available through advance booking.

Westpark
Laid out in 1983, for the International Garden Design Exhibition, Westpark offers 72 hectares (178 acres) of wilderness in the city. Three separate areas recreate the contrasting natural habitats of mountain, meadowland and dry grassland; human interference with the plants and animals is kept to a minimum. In among the natural attractions, visitors can find beer gardens, cafés and several playgrounds. In summer, a floating stage hosts concerts, theatre and open-air cinema events. Open 24 hours a day

Nuremberg
Historically Nuremberg was one of Europe's most important and culturally endowed cities. It was the unofficial capital of the Holy Roman Empire and the residence of German kings. With the opening of trade routes to Asia and the Americas, Nuremberg began a slow decline. This was exacerbated by the Reformation, and its concurrent loss of patronage from the Catholic emperors. On January 2, 1945, a hail of Allied bombs reduced 90% of the downtown area to rubble.
Today Nuremberg is a thriving industrial, commercial and hi-tech centre with workers from all over Europe—especially the former Eastern bloc—plying their trades. The horror of January 1945 are but a historical footnote and lodged in the local collective memory; however, visually, there are no signs.
The city is still known for its gingerbread and handmade toy industries. It is perhaps best known, though, as the centre of the German Renaissance. Among the leaders of this movement, Albrecht Dürer stands hand and shoulders above the rest. Today his house is a popular tourist destination. Nuremberg's main sights are contained in the lovingly restored Altstadt (Old City) and the city also boasts the Germanic National Museum, a wonderful toy museum (Spielzeungmuseum), the Neus (New) Museum that is devoted to design since 1945, the Congress Hall in which the Nuremberg trials took place, and the 12th-century church St. Sebaldus-Kirch. This the oldest and most significant church in Nuremberg and is blessed with great statuary and sculpture.
Mid-twentieth century Nuremberg recalls the Nazi rallies in the massive stadium, the destructive Allied bombing campaign and, after the War, the trials that took place in the city. The site of the infamous Nazi rallies now contain a permanent exhibition entitled "Faszination und Gewalt" (Fascination and Terror).
The city has now recovered its past glories and Nuremberg is a lively place to visit, especially in summer, when the magnificent Altstadt is buzzing with outdoor music, street theatre, and nightlife. Moreover, the month of June is when the city hosts Kulturzirkus and Meistersingerhalle. The former is a festival of international theatre. At the end of June the latter, Meistersingerhalle, showcases organ recitals throughout the city's churches.

Germany is a major industrial centre in Europe. It is well known for its automobile manufacturing including the luxury Mercedes, the sporty Porsche and BMW, and Volkswagon. Germany also manufactures other machinery, electronics equipment, transportation equipment and chemicals.
Germany also has considerable farming including grain crops and grapes, along with pig and cattle ranching. Germany is well known for its wine production.
Almost 80% of the German people live in cities or towns. The most heavily populated areas are in the west and central Germany, particularly along the Rhine River.
Germany is divided into 16 states, each state has its own German dialect, customs, traditions and architecture.
Germany has a moderate climate. Winter temperatures vary from west to east, with about freezing temperatures in the west and well below freezing in eastern Germany. Summer temperatures are typically in the 70's to low 80's, with more rainfall during the summer.
Between the Central German Uplands and the Alpine Foreland and the Alps lies the geographical region of Southern Germany, which includes most of Baden-Württemberg, much of northern Bavaria, and portions of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate. The Main River runs through the northern portion of this region. The Upper Rhine River Valley, nearly 300 kilometres long and about fifty kilometres wide, serves as its western boundary. The Rhine's wide river valley here is in sharp contrast to its high narrow valley in the Rheinish Uplands. The southern boundaries of the region of Southern Germany are formed by extensions of the Jura Mountains of France and Switzerland. These ranges are separate from those of the Central German Uplands. One of these Jura ranges forms the Black Forest, whose highest peak is the Feldberg at 1,493 meters, and, continuing north, the less elevated Odenwald and Spessart hills. Another Jura range forms the Swabian Alb and its continuation, the Franconian Alb. Up to 1,000 meters in height and approximately forty kilometres wide, the two albs form a long arc--400 kilometres long--from the southern end of the Black Forest to near Bayreuth and the hills of the Frankenwald region, which is part of the Central German Uplands. The Hardt Mountains in Rhineland-Palatinate, located to the west of the Rhine, are also an offshoot of the Jura Mountains.
The landscape of the Southern Germany region is often that of scarp and vale, with the eroded sandstone and limestone scarps facing to the northwest. The lowland terraces of the Rhine, Main, and Neckar river valleys, with their dry and warm climate, are suitable for agriculture and are highly productive. The loess and loam soils of the Rhine-Main Plain are cultivated extensively, and orchards and vineyards flourish. The Rhine-Main Plain is densely populated, and Frankfurt am Main, at its centre, serves both as Germany's financial capital and as a major European transportation hub.
The territory of the former East Germany (divided into five new Länder in 1990) accounts for almost one-third of united Germany's territory and one-fifth of its population. After a close vote, in 1993 the Bundestag, the lower house of Germany's parliament, voted to transfer the capital from Bonn in the west to Berlin, a city-state in the east surrounded by the Land of Brandenburg.
With its irregular, elongated shape, Germany provides an excellent example of a recurring sequence of landforms found the world over. A plain dotted with lakes, moors, marshes, and heaths retreats from the sea and reaches inland, where it becomes a landscape of hills crisscrossed by streams, rivers, and valleys. These hills lead upward, gradually forming high plateaus and woodlands and eventually climaxing in spectacular mountain ranges.
History

The Merovingian kings of Gaul, themselves dynasts of the Germanic Franks, conquered several other German tribes in the sixth century, and placed them under the control of autonomous dukes of mixed Frankish and native blood. Colonists from Gaul were encouraged to move to the newly conquered territories. While the local German tribes were allowed to preserve their laws, they were pressured into changing their religion.
The Roman provinces north of the Alps had been Christianised since the 4th century and dioceses such as that of Augsburg were maintained after the end of the Roman Empire. However, from around 600 there was a renewed Christian mission of the pagan Germanic tribes. Irish-Scottish monks founded monasteries at Würzburg, Regensburg, Reichenau, and other places. The missionary activity in the Merovingian kingdom was continued by the Anglo-Saxon monk Boniface, who established the first monastery east of the Rhine at Fritzlar. Bishoprics under Papal authority were established to spread the Christian faith in the German lands.
In 751 Pippin III, mayor of the palace under the Merovingian king, himself assumed the title of king and was anointed by the Church. The Frankish kings now set up as protectors of the Pope, Charlemagne launched a decades-long military camapign against their heathen rivals, the Saxons and the Avars. The Saxons and Avars were eventually overwhelmed and forcibly converted, and their lands were annexed by the Carolingian Empire.
Middle Ages
From 772 to 814 king Charlemagne extended the Carolingian empire into northern Italy and the territories of all west Germanic peoples, including the Saxons and the Bajuwari (Bavarians). Between 843 and 880, after fighting between Charlemagne's grandchildren, the Carolingian empire was partitioned into several parts in the Treaty of Verdun.

The time between 1096 and 1291 was the age of the crusades. Knightly religious orders were established, including the Templars, the Knights of St John and the Teutonic Order.
From 1100, new towns were founded around imperial strongholds, castles, bishops' palaces and monasteries. The towns began to establish municipal rights and liberties, while the rural population remained in a state of serfdom. In particular, several cities became Imperial Free Cities, which did not depend on princes or bishops, but were immediately subject to the Emperor. The towns were ruled by patricians (merchants carrying on long-distance trade).
Beginning in 1226 under the auspices of Emperor Frederick II, the Teutonic Knights began their conquest of Prussia after being invited to Chelmno Land by the Polish Duke Konrad I of Masovia. The native Baltic Prussians were conquered and Christianized by the Knights with much warfare, and numerous German towns were established along the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. From 1300, however, the Empire started to lose territory on all its frontiers.
Around 1350 Germany and almost the whole of Europe were ravaged by the Black Death. Jews were persecuted on religious and economic grounds; many fled to Poland.
After the disasters of the 14th century, early-modern European society gradually came into being as a result of economic, religious and political changes. A money economy arose which provoked social discontent among knights and peasants. The knightly classes found their monopoly on arms and military skill undermined by the introduction of mercenary armies and foot soldiers. Predatory activity by "robber knights" became common. From 1438 the Habsburgs, who controlled most of the southeast of the Empire (more or less modern-day Austria and Slovenia, and Bohemia and Moravia after the death of King Louis II in 1526), maintained a constant grip on the position of the Holy Roman Emperor until 1806 (with the exception of the years between 1742 and 1745). This situation, however, gave rise to increased disunity among Germany's territorial rulers and prevented all sections of the nation from coming together in the manner of France and England.
During his reign from 1493 to 1519, Maximilian I tried to reform the Empire: an Imperial Supreme Court (Reichskammergericht) was established, imperial taxes were levied, the power of the Imperial Diet (Reichstag) was increased. The reforms were, however, frustrated by the continued territorial fragmentation of the Empire.
Around the beginning of the 16th century there was much discontent in Germany with abuses in the Catholic Church and a desire for reform.
In 1517 the Reformation was begun by Martin Luther. In 1521 Luther was outlawed at the Diet of Worms. But the Reformation spread rapidly, helped by the Emperor Charles V's wars with France and the Turks. Hiding in the Wartburg Castle, Luther translated the Bible, establishing the basis of modern German.
From 1545 the Counter-Reformation began in Germany. The main force was provided by the Jesuit order, founded by the Spaniard Ignatius of Loyola. Central and north-eastern Germany were by this time almost wholly Protestant, whereas western and southern Germany remained predominantly Catholic.
The Peace of Augsburg in 1555 brought recognition of the Lutheran faith. But the treaty also stipulated that the religion of a state was to be that of its ruler (Cuius regio, eius religio).
In 1556 Charles V abdicated. The Habsburg Empire was divided, as Spain was separated from the German possessions.
From 1618 to 1648 the Thirty Years' War ravaged Germany. The causes were the conflicts between Catholics and Protestants, the efforts by the various states within the Empire to increase their power and the Emperor's attempt to achieve the religious and political unity of the Empire. The war resulted in large areas of Germany being laid waste, in a loss of something like a third of its population, and in a general impoverishment.
The war ended in 1648 with the Peace of Westphalia, signed in Münster and Osnabrück: German territory was lost to France and Sweden and the Netherlands left the Holy Roman Empire. The imperial power declined further as the states' rights were increased.
After the Peace of Hubertsburg in 1763, Prussia became a European great power. The rivalry between Prussia and Austria for the leadership of Germany began
From 1640, Brandenburg-Prussia had started to rise under the Great Elector, Frederick William. The Peace of Westphalia strengthened it even further, through the acquisition of East Pomerania. A system of rule based on absolutism was established.
From 1763, against resistance from the nobility and citizenry, an "enlightened absolutism" was established in Prussia and Austria, according to which the ruler was to be "the first servant of the state". The economy developed and legal reforms were undertaken, including the abolition of torture and the improvement in the status of Jews; the emancipation of the peasants began. Education was promoted.
The French Revolution sparked a new war between France and several of its Eastern neighbors, including Prussia and Austria. Following the Peace of Basle in 1795 with Prussia, the left bank of the Rhine was ceded to France.
Napoleon I of France relaunched the war against the Empire. In 1803, under the "Reichsdeputationshauptschluss" (a resolution of a committee of the Imperial Diet meeting in Regensburg), he abolished almost all the ecclesiastical and the smaller secular states and most of the imperial free cities. New medium-sized states were established in south-western Germany. In turn, Prussia gained territory in north-western Germany.
The Holy Roman Empire was formally dissolved on 6 August 1806 when the last Holy Roman Emperor Francis II (from 1804, Emperor Francis I of Austria) resigned. Francis II's family continued to be called Austrian emperors until 1918. In 1806 the Confederation of the Rhine was established under Napoleon's protection.
In 1813 the Wars of Liberation began, following the destruction of Napoleon's army in Russia (1812). After the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig, Germany was liberated from French rule. The Confederation of the Rhine was dissolved.
In 1815 Napoleon was finally defeated at Waterloo by the United Kingdom's Duke of Wellington and by Prussia's Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher.
German Confederation
Restoration and Revolution
After the fall of Napoleon, European monarchs and statesmen convened in the Vienna in 1814 for the reorganization of European affairs, under the leadership of the Austrian Prince Metternich. The political principles agreed upon at this Congress of Vienna included the restoration, legitimacy and solidarity of rulers for the repression of revolutionary and nationalist ideas.
On the territory of the former "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation", the German Confederation (Deutscher Bund) was founded, a loose union of 39 states (35 ruling princes and 4 free cities) under Austrian leadership, with a Federal Diet (Bundestag) meeting in Frankfurt am Main.
Growing discontent with the political and social order imposed by the Congress of Vienna led to the outbreak, in 1848, of the March Revolution in the German states. In May the German National Assembly (the Frankfurt Parliament) met in St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt am Main to draw up a national German constitution.
But the 1848 revolution proved abortive: King Frederick William IV of Prussia refused the imperial crown, the Frankfurt parliament was dissolved, the ruling princes repressed the risings by military force and the German Confederation was re-established by 1850.
North German Confederation
In 1867 the German Confederation was dissolved. In its place the North German Confederation (German Norddeutscher Bund) was established, under the leadership of Prussia. Austria was excluded, and would remain outside German affairs for most of the remaining 19th and the 20th centuries.
The North German Confederation was a transitory group that existed from 1867 to 1871, between the dissolution of the German Confederation and the founding of the German Empire. With it, Prussia established control over the 22 states of northern Germany and, via the Zollverein, southern Germany.
German Empire
Differences between France and Prussia over the possible accession to the Spanish throne of a German candidate — whom France opposed — was the French pretext to declare the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71). French Emperor Napoleon III was taken prisoner and the Second French Empire collapsed. Yet, the new republic decided to prolong the war for several months. Months after the Siege of Paris was lifted, the Peace Treaty of Frankfurt am Main was signed: France was obliged to cede what became known as Alsace-Lorraine to Germany. On 18 January 1871, while the princes were assembled for the ongoing Siege of Paris, in the Hall of Mirrors of the Palace of Versailles, the Prussian King Wilhelm I had been proclaimed "German Emperor". The German Empire was founded, with 25 states, three of which were Hanseatic free cities. It was dubbed the "Little German" solution, since Austria was not included.
In 1888 Kaiser Wilhelm I died at age 91, and his terminally ill son Friedrich III ruled for only 99 days before his death. The 29 year old and ambitious Wilhelm II, Friedrich's son, acceded to the throne.
From 1898, German colonial expansion in East Asia (Jiaozhou Bay, the Marianas, the Caroline Islands, Samoa) led to frictions with the United Kingdom, Russia, Japan and the United States. The construction of the Baghdad Railway, financed by German banks and heavy industry, and aimed at connecting the North Sea with the Persian Gulf via the Bosporus, also collided with British and Russian geopolitical and economic interests.
To protect Germany's overseas trade and colonies, Admiral von Tirpitz started a programme of warship construction in 1898. This posed a direct threat to British hegemony on the seas, with the result that negotiations for an alliance between Germany and Britain broke down. Germany was increasingly isolated.
Imperialist power politics and the determined pursuit of national interests ultimately led to the outbreak in 1914 of the First World War, sparked by the assassination, on June 28, 1914, of the Austrian heir-apparent Franz Ferdinand and his wife at Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina by a Serbian nationalist. The theorized underlying causes have included the opposing policies of the European states, the armaments race, German-British rivalry, the difficulties of the Austro-Hungarian multinational state, Russia's Balkan policy and overhasty mobilisations and ultimatums (the underlying belief being that the war would be short). Germany fought on the side of Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire against Russia, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and several other smaller states. Fighting also spread to the Near East and the German colonies.
In the west, Germany fought a war of attrition with bloody battles. After a quick march through Belgium, German troops were halted on the Marne, north of Paris. The frontlines in France changed little until the end of the war. In the east, no decisive victories against the Russian army. The British naval blockade in the North Sea had crippling effects on Germany's supplies of raw materials and foodstuffs. The entry of the United States into the war in 1917 following Germanys declaration of unrestricted submarine warfare marked a decisive turning-point against Germany.
At the end of October, units of the German Navy in Kiel, in northern Germany, refused to set sail for a last, large-scale operation in a war which they saw as good as lost. On November 3, the uprising spread to other cities. So-called workers' and soldiers' councils were established.
Kaiser Wilhelm II and all German ruling princes abdicated. On November 9, the Social Democrat Philipp Scheidemann proclaimed a Republic. On November 11, an armistice ending the war was signed at Compiègne.
On 11 August 1919 the Weimar constitution came into effect, with Friedrich Ebert as first President.
The two biggest enemies of the new democratic order, however, had already been constituted. In December 1918, the German Communist Party (KPD) was founded, followed in January 1919 by the establishment of the German Workers' Party, later known as the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP). Both parties would make reckless use of the freedoms guaranteed by the new constitution in their fight against the Weimar Republic.
On the evening of November 8, six hundred armed SA men surrounded a beer hall in Munich, where the heads of the Bavarian state and the local Reichswehr had gathered for a rally. The storm troopers were led by Adolf Hitler. Born in 1889 in Austria, a former volunteer in the German army during WWI, now a member of a new party called NSDAP, he was largely unknown until then. Hitler tried to force those present to join him and to march on to Berlin to seize power (Beer Hall Putsch). Hitler was later arrested and condemned to five years in prison, but was released at the end of 1924 after less than one year of detention.
The national elections of 1924 led to a swing to the right (Ruck nach rechts). Field Marshal Hindenburg, a supporter of the monarchy, was elected President in 1925.
In October 1925 the Treaty of Locarno was signed between Germany, France, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Italy, which recognized Germany's borders with France and Belgium. Moreover, Britain, Italy and Belgium undertook to assist France in the case that German troops marched into the demilitarised Rheinland. The Treaty of Locarno paved the way for Germany's admission to the League of Nations in 1926.
The stock market crash of 1929 on Wall Street marked the beginning of the Great Depression. The effects of the ensuing world economic crisis were also felt in Germany, where the economic situation rapidly deteriorated. In July 1931, the Darmstätter und Nationalbank - one of the biggest German banks - failed, and, in early 1932, the number of unemployed rose to more than 6,000,000.
In addition to the flagging economy came political problems, due to the inability by the political parties represented in the Reichstag to build a governing majority. In March 1930, President Hindenburg appointed Heinrich Brüning Chancellor. To push through his package of austerity measures against a majority of Social Democrats, Communists and the NSDAP, Brüning made use of emergency decrees, and even dissolved Parliament.
The NSDAP was the big winner in the national elections of July 1932. It gained 38% of the vote, making it the biggest party in the Reichstag. The Communist KPD came third, with 15%. Together, the anti-democratic parties of right and left were now able to hold the majority of seats in Parliament. The NSDAP was particularly successful among young voters, who were unable to find a place in vocational training, with little hope for a future job; among the petite bourgeoisie (lower middle class) which had lost its assets in the hyperinflation of 1923; among the rural population; and among the army of unemployed. In new elections in November 1932, the NSDAP's share of the vote declined slightly, but it remained the biggest party in the Parliament.
On January 30, 1933, pressured by former Chancellor Franz von Papen and other conservatives, President Hindenburg finally appointed Hitler Chancellor.
Third Reich
In order to secure a majority for his NSDAP in the Reichstag, Hitler called for new elections. On the evening of 27 February 1933, a fire was laid in the Reichstag building. Hitler was swift to paint an alleged Communist uprising on the wall, and convinced President Hindenburg to sign the Reichstag Fire Decree. This decree, which would remain in force until 1945, repealed important political and human rights of the Weimar constitution. Communist agitation was banned, but at this time not the Communist Party itself.
Eleven thousand Communists and Socialists were arrested and brought into concentration camps, where they were at the mercy of the Gestapo, the newly established secret police force (9,000 were found guilty and very many executed). Communist Reichstag deputies were taken into protective custody (despite their constitutional privileges).
Despite the terror and unprecedented propaganda, the last free General Elections of March 5 failed to bring the majority for the NSDAP that Hitler had hoped for. Together with the German National People's Party (DNVP), however, he was able to form a slim majority government. With accommodations to the Catholic Centre Party Germany, Hitler succeeded in convincing a required two-thirds of a rigged Parliament to pass an Enabling Act that gave his government full legislative power. Only the Social Democrats voted against the Act. The Enabling Act formed the basis for the Dictatorship, dissolution of the Länder; the trade unions and all political parties other than the National Socialist (Nazi) Party were suppressed. A centralised totalitarian state was established, no longer based on the liberal weimar constitution. Germany left the League of Nations. The coalition Parliament was rigged on this fateful 23 March 1933 by defining the absence of arrested and murdered deputies as voluntary and therefore cause for their exclusion as wilful absentees. Subsequently in July the Centre Party was voluntarily dissolved in a quid pro quo with the Holy See under the anti-communist Pope Pius XI for the Reichskonkordat; and by these maneuvers Hitler achieved movement of these Catholic voters into the Nazi party, and a long-awaited international diplomatic acceptance of his regime. The Communist Party was proscribed in April 1933 .
But many leaders of the Nazi SA were disappointed. The chief of staff of the SA, Ernst Röhm, was pressing for the SA to be incorporated into the Wehrmacht under his supreme command. Hitler felt threatened by these plans. On the weekend of June 30, 1934, he gave order to the SS to seize Röhm and his lieutenants, and to execute them without trial.
The SS became an independent organisation under the command of the Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler. He would become the supervisor of the Gestapo and of the concentration camps, soon also of the ordinary police. Hitler also established the Waffen-SS as a separate troop.
The regime showed particular hostility towards the Jews. In September 1935, the Reichstag passed the so-called Nuremberg race laws directed against Jewish citizens. Jews lost their German citizenship, and were banned from marrying Germans. About 500,000 individuals were affected by the new rules.
Hitler re-established the German air force and re-introduced universal military service. The open rearmament was in flagrant breach of the Treaty of Versailles. However, neither the United Kingdom, nor France and Italy, went beyond issuing notes of protest.
In 1936 German troops marched into the demilitarised Rhineland. In this case, the Treaty of Locarno would have obliged the United Kingdom to intervene in favour of France. But despite protests by the French government, Britain chose to do nothing about it. The coup strengthened Hitler's standing in Germany. His reputation was going to increase further with the 1936 Summer Olympics, which were held in the same year in Berlin and in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and which proved another great propaganda success for the regime.
After establishing the "Rome-Berlin axis" with Mussolini, and signing the Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan - which was joined by Italy a year later in 1937 - Hitler felt able to take the offensive in foreign policy. On 12 March 1938, German troops marched into Austria, where an attempted Nazi coup had been unsuccessful in 1934. When Hitler entered Vienna, he was greeted by loud cheers. Four weeks later, 99% of Austrians voted in favour of the annexation (Anschluss) of their country to Germany. Hitler thereby fulfilled the old idea of a German Reich with the inclusion of Austria - the "greater German" solution that Bismarck had shunned when, in 1871, he united the German lands under Prussian leadership. Although the annexation denounced the Treaty of Saint-Germain, which expressedly forbade the unification of Austria with Germany, the western powers once again merely protested.
After Austria, Hitler turned to Czechoslovakia, where the 3.5 million-strong Sudeten German minority was demanding equal rights and self-government. At the Munich Conference of September 1938, Hitler, the Italian leader Benito Mussolini, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and French Prime Minister Édouard Daladier agreed upon the cession of Sudeten territory to Germany by the Czechoslovaks. Hitler thereupon declared that all of Germany's territorial claims had been fulfilled. But hardly six months after the Munich Agreement, in March 1939, Hitler used the smoldering quarrel between Slovaks and Czechs as a pretext for taking over the rest of Czechoslovakia as the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. In the same month, he secured the return of Memel from Lithuania to Germany. British Prime Minister Chamberlain was forced to acknowledge that his policy of appeasement towards Hitler had failed.
In six years, the Nazi regime prepared the country for World War II. The Nazi leadership attempted to remove or subjugate the Jewish population in Nazi Germany and later in the occupied countries through forced deportation and, ultimately, genocide now known as the Holocaust. A similar policy applied to the various ethnic and national groups considered subhuman such as Roma, Poles or Russians. These groups were seen as threats to the purity of Germany's Aryan race. There were also many groups, such as the mentally handicapped and those who were physically challenged upon birth, which were singled out as being detrimental to Aryan purity. After annexing the Sudeten border country of Czechoslovakia (October 1938), and taking over the rest of the Czech lands as a protectorate (March 1939), Germany and the Soviet Union in September 1939 invaded Poland.
By 1945, Germany and its Axis partners (Italy and Japan) were defeated – chiefly by the united forces of the Soviet Union, USA, Britain, and Canada. Much of Europe lay in ruins, tens of millions of people had been killed, most of them civilians, as the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and many millions of people in the conquered territories. World War II resulted in the destruction of Germany's political and economic infrastructures, led to its division, considerable loss of territory in the East and left a humiliating legacy.
Germany since 1945
Germans frequently refer to 1945 as the Stunde Null (zero hour) to describe the near-total collapse of their country. At the Potsdam Conference, Germany was divided into four military occupation zones by the Allies, see Partitions of Germany; the three western zones would form the Federal Republic of Germany (commonly known as West Germany), while part of the Soviet zone became the German Democratic Republic (commonly known as East Germany), both founded in 1949. West Germany was established as a liberal democratic republic while East Germany became a Communist State under the influence of the Soviet Union. Also in Potsdam, the allies agreed that the provinces east of the Oder and Neisse rivers (the Oder-Neisse line) were transferred to Poland and Russia (Kaliningrad). The agreement also set forth the abolition of Prussia and the repatriation of Germans living in those territories, and formalized the German exodus from Eastern Europe. In the process of the expulsion millions of these German expellees from the lost pre-1945 German east provinces died, and many suffered from exhaustion and dehydration.
Relations between the two post-war German states remained icy until the West German Chancellor Willy Brandt launched a highly controversial rapprochement with the East European communist states (Ostpolitik) in the 1970s, culminating in the Warschauer Kniefall on 7 December 1970. Although anxious to relieve serious hardships for divided families and to reduce friction, West Germany under Brandt's Ostpolitik was intent on holding to its concept of "two German states in one German nation." Relations improved, however, and in September 1973, East Germany and West Germany were admitted to the United Nations.
In the postwar years, Volkswagen became a very important element, symbolically and economically, of West German economic recovery.

During the summer of 1989, rapid changes took place in East Germany, which ultimately led to German reunification. Growing numbers of East Germans emigrated to West Germany via Hungary after Hungary's reformist government opened its borders. Thousands of East Germans also tried to reach the West by staging sit-ins at West German diplomatic facilities in other East European capitals. The exodus generated demands within East Germany for political change, and mass demonstrations in several cities continued to grow.
Faced with civil unrest, East German leader Erich Honecker was forced to resign in October, and on 9 November, East German authorities unexpectedly allowed East German citizens to enter West Berlin and West Germany. Hundreds of thousands of people took advantage of the opportunity; new crossing points were opened in the Berlin Wall and along the border with West Germany. This led to the acceleration of the process of reforms in East Germany that ended with the German reunification that came into force on 3 October 1990.
Together with France and other EU states, the new Germany has played the leading role in the European Union. Germany is at the forefront of European states seeking to exploit the momentum of monetary union to advance the creation of a more unified and capable European political, defence and security apparatus. The German chancellor expressed an interest in a permanent seat for Germany in the UN Security Council, identifying France, Russia and Japan as countries that explicitly backed Germany's bid.
Food
Germany's cuisine is more easily defined by North, Central and South. In the north, food preferences reflect the influences of the nearby Scandinavian countries and the sea; in the central region of rolling hills and forests the cuisine is richer and heavier; and in the south, one finds lighter cuisine, with strong influences from neighbouring Italy and Austria.
Germans have only in modern times switched to three meals a day — down from five! Coffee and pastries made up a second breakfast, while late-afternoon sausage and cheese dishes filled in until the evening smorgasbord-like meal.
Open-faced sandwiches are served frequently and are meant to be eaten with a knife and fork. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day, and these sandwiches make nice, lighter dinner fare. Or, you may try smoked eel, which is eaten with the fingers, over which the waiter will pour schnapps to remove the odour. If you love asparagus, visit Germany in the spring when whole platters of this delicacy are served at table.
Favourite food
Westphalia ham with buttered bread and Steinhager (juniper-flavoured brandy)
Wurst, sausages: Brunswick Mettwurst (Smoked pork), Weisswurst (veal & herb), Leberwurst (liver sausage).
Tafelspitz = braised beef with horseradish
Rosti = potato pancakes fried with onion and butter
Himmel und Erde = Heaven and Earth: pureed apples and potatoes topped with blood sausage
Schwarzwalder = Black Forest Cake, a chocolate cake with cherries, whipped cream, grated chocolate
Konigsberger Klopse = meatballs in caper sauce
Hackbraten = meatloaf (braten indicates a roast of some kind)
Sauerbraten = beef roast braised in wine or vinegar
Hassenpfeffer = rabbit stew
Schlachtplatte = mixed sausages, sauerkraut and potatoes
German beer is clearly the beverage of choice, with hundreds of varieties produced. Dark, light, aged, young, berry-flavoured — the varieties are endless. Part of the fun of travelling through Germany is tasting the wide range of these brews. Look for those with full heads that leave foam, known as Brussels lace, clinging to the sides of your glass.
German wines tend to be sweeter and spicier than those of other European nations. The cool climate works well for white grapes but not for red ones, which are grown in only small quantities. Riesling, the queen of German wines, is sweet (as are most wines from this country), fruity and spicy. But if you are a Chardonnay or dry wine aficionado, you are better off foregoing wine and sticking to the pride of the nation: beer.