Joe Martin

COM 140-2W2
Prof. Bishop
15 October 2012
German Culture
I. Introduction
A. In our culture, when we think of Germany and its history, we tend to think of the darker
side of it, with images of swastikas, war, concentration camps, and the poverty that
surrounded the nation since the First World War
B. Thesis- The German culture, although featuring some tradition, is mainly based on new
values that came about after the World Wars and the Cold War.
C. Credibility- I took German in middle and high school and learned about some culture. I
also did extensive research on this topic.
D. Significance- The German culture has changed significantly in the past hundred years
and these changes have come as a result of new cultures experienced after the World
Wars.
E. Preview- We will examine how German culture has been affected by history, specifically
during and after World War II.
II. Individualism
A. Das Volk
1. Poverty and war helped to create a sense of unity, especially when Hitler came to
power and created the idea of a superior race and the Third Reich.
2. After WW II, West Germany had choice and changed almost immediately from the
Marshall Plan. They had their own jobs, their own homes, their own social lives, etc.
3. East Germany was a communist state which still obviously placed emphasis on us
rather than me
B. Today
1. Children are now raised with only their parents and siblings, no extended family
involved (Geert).
2. As a result of their individuality, Germans communicate very directly and are open
about emotions and feelings (Geert).
3. Transition-Not only did the Cold War impact the way modern Germans act, but it
also caused the world to look at Germany in a different way and led to several
stereotypes.

III. Stereotypes
A. Hardworking, Disciplined, Humorless robots
1. These stereotypes most likely developed in East Germany during the cold war when
the Soviet government treated the country more like a work camp than a
civilization.
2. There is some truth, however. Germans are very precise about time and
communication.
3. Germans are often sound angry and have no sense of humor (Lewis).
a. The way the German language is spoken makes it sound angry to us.
However, Germans are much more patient than Americans and lose their
tempers less often (Lewis).
b. Germans, like other Europeans, only laugh at what is genuinely funny. In the
U.S., we tend to laugh at jokes that arent funny, almost as a sign of
acknowledgement(Lewis).
B. The Truth
1. According to guardian.co.uk, Germans can be quite lazy and slow with tasks.
When building a tram line, three years will be set aside for construction when in
China, whole cities have gone up in that amount of time
2. Transition- Germans are also sometimes stereotyped as drunks. Although they
are not necessarily drunks, alcohol, beer especially, is a very important part of
their culture. This is extremely prevalent during Oktoberfest.
IV. Oktoberfest
A. Summary
1. The ritual began as a horse race in 1810 in honor of the marriage of Crown Prince
Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese von Saxony-Hildburghausen (Holidays).
2. It was then combined with the fair in Munich(Britannica)
B. No rules involved, it is simply about drinking beer, eating, listening to music, going on
rides, and meeting new people.
1. Everyone, including foreigners, can get involved as long as they have
reservations.
2. The purpose is to gather with other people and have fun while enjoying the
remnants of the old German culture, in addition to the new one.
3. Transition- Oktoberfest seems to be the only real surviving aspect of traditional
German culture, however, many changes were made to help the country
positively.
V. Conclusion
A. German values have changed dramatically in the past hundred years, just as their
country has physically. Germany technically has only existed for the last twenty years or
so, but has a distinct culture, partially due to the way various wars have shaped it, but
also on tradition.