German Culture Research Articles

Early-life temperament: A longitudinal investigation of stability and structure

In this longitudinal study, we investigated the factor structure and stability of early-life temperament in a German sample, using three measures developed within Rothbart’s psychobiological approach. Temperament was measured using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire Revised (IBQ-R) at the ages of 6 and 12 months, the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire (ECBQ) at the age of 18 months, and the Child Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ) at the ages of 36 and 48 months. We assessed longitudinal stability on a scale and factor level using data from the 85 participants that took part in each measurement. The latent factor structures were analyzed at each time point using all available data, ranging from 112 to 148 participants. Modest to high degrees of stability for most scales and all three latent factors was found. Stability was highest between measurements employing the same instrument and increased with age, indicating a consolidation of temperament traits over time. Model fit for the proposed factor structure consisting of Surgency, Negative Affect, and Effortful Control/Regulatory Capacity was poor, while exploratory factor analyses revealed similar but not identical structures for each time point. The third factor of Regulatory Capacity was not found at 6 months, but at 12 months and later, as is commonly the case in German samples. These findings further contribute to our understanding of the early development of temperament and its stability from infancy and beyond as well as expand on previous literature regarding its structure in German culture.

Training Future Comrades: Gender Pedagogy and Model Train Sets in the German Democratic Republic

This article investigates how model train sets became a medium for the marketing and development of East German technological utopianism, particularly in order to recruit women into the technical workforce. It begins by contextualizing the role of women in the GDR and their recruitment into engineering. From there, it explores the pedagogical power of East German train sets as well as its cultural impact on children. Finally, this article examines how technological utopianism shaped East German culture and how the model train was only one such effort on the road to the socialist utopia in East Germany.

Sleep quality and associated factors in adults living in the southern Brazil: A population-based study

ObjectiveTo analyze sleep quality and associated socio-demographic and lifestyle factors in participants from a city originally colonised by Germans in southern Brazil. MethodsA cross-sectional population-based study of 2333 individuals aged 20 to 79 years. Data was collected by interview using a structured questionnaire. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. The prevalence of poor sleep quality (PSQI score five or more) was estimated and the associations with study variables were measured by crude and adjusted prevalence ratios using Poisson regression. Resultsparticipants were mostly women (50.9 %), with an average age of 43.3 years. The median total PSQI score was 4 (IQ = 3-7). The frequency of poor sleep quality was 32.7 % (95 % CI 30.7-34.4), higher in older adults (44.0 % vs 30.7 %; p<0.001) and women (40.0 % vs 25.2 %; p<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that women (PR = 1.3; 95%CI 1.1- 1.5; p<0.001), former smokers (PR = 1.2; 95%CI 1.0-1.4; p = 0.014), current smokers (PR = 1.3; 95%CI 1.1-1.5; p = 0.006), depression (PR = 1.5; 95%CI 1.3-1.7; p<0.001), taking 5 or more medications (PR = 1.2; 95%CI 1.1-1.4; p = 0.001), self-perceived fair health (PR = 2.1; 95%CI 1.8-2.4; p<0.001) or poor/very poor health (PR = 2.6; 95%CI 2.1-3.1; p<0.001) were risk factors for poor sleep quality. Germanic culture (PR = 0.8; 95%CI 0.7-0.9; p<0.001), high school (PR = 0.8; 95%CI 0.6–1.0; p = 0.046) or elementary school (PR = 0.7; 95%CI 0.6-1.0; p = 0.025) or being at work (RP = 0.8; 95%CI 0.7-0.9; p = 0.002) were inversely associated with poor sleep quality. ConclusionsWomen, older adults and some clinical, social, cultural and behavioural conditions are associated with poor sleep quality.

Baltisaksa huumor ja pastorianekdoodid

Baltic German humour and anecdotes about clergymen Keywords: anecdotes, Baltic Germans, humour Baltic German anecdotes (Pratchen) are a relatively unexplored part of Estonian folk humour, much like Baltic German culture within Estonian culture as a whole. This study focuses on anecdotes about Lutheran clergymen, which offer material for comparison with the more thoroughly researched Estonian counterparts. These humorous tales provide valuable insights into the cultural history, mentality, language as well as everyday life of the Baltic German community. Older Estonian anecdotes about clergymen often emphasize the social and ethnic differences between Estonian peasants and the clergy. In contrast, Baltic German anecdotes provide an internal perspective, exploring the role of the clergy within the Baltic German community and their outreach beyond it. The anecdotes can offer explanations for certain aspects that remain obscure and are therefore ridiculed in Estonian anecdotes. Two key features of Baltic German humour are its oral nature and the tradition of competing in witticisms (pliggern), a “national sport” possibly rooted in student culture. Initially shared orally, these anecdotes often referenced known people and places. They were later written down to preserve the memory and cultural history of the community. Older anecdotes published between the world wars, became classics that kept appearing in various forms in later collections. World War II added a final layer, with humour providing a way to encapsulate and process epochal events. In Baltic German anecdotes, clergymen are depicted in everyday activities and relationships, often taking on the role of the trickster parson. Unlike in Estonian jokes, the dynamic between the nobility and the church features prominently. This often takes the form of a humorous tug of war between the clergyman and the noble patron of the church, who may have attended school together in the past. The parson’s attitude towards parishioners is usually benevolent but patronizing, with the parish clerk, sexton, and coachman often playing supporting roles. Another central theme is the clergyman as a political figurehead, reflecting the tensions caused by the official campaigns of Russification and conversion to Russian Orthodoxy.

EDUCATIONAL COOPERATION BETWEEN UZBEKISTAN AND GERMANY

This article is analyzed considering cooperation between Uzbekistan and Germany in the field of Education. In May 2023, details of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's visit to Germany were reported. In addition, in this article we will talk about what educational relations are between Germany and Uzbekistan and the great interest in the study of German culture and language in Uzbekistan, as well as the establishment of partnerships with more than 30 German universities in the field of higher education at the moment.

Unmasking hidden challenges for migrant learners with few prior experiences with formal education: An exploration of language learning textbooks

AbstractThe German government requires all migrants without sufficient German language proficiency to enroll in integration courses. Many of these migrants had few prior experiences with formal education, yet, regardless of degree of literacy in any language, they are placed in classes based on language proficiency. How well do government‐approved language textbooks for integration courses meet the needs of migrant learners with few prior experiences with formal education and emergent literacy skills? We present a qualitative exploration of approved German language textbooks to identify hidden challenges. Results indicate that the textbooks require literacy practices, assume sociocultural practices, and demand ways of thinking largely unfamiliar to these learners. Moreover, promotion of a/n (ideal) German culture and western views of knowledge fosters deficit perspectives while rendering invisible the knowledges, and strengths of these learners. Thus, providing effective language education for these migrants requires a mind shift. The findings, discussion, and suggestions have relevance to educators globally.

Zum Werdegang einer Fachzeitschrift: Dreißig Jahre Germanistische Beiträge (1993–2023)

Abstract The present article is dedicated to the articles of the journal Germanistische Beiträge, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023, since its first issue in 1993 and has been published continuously for three decades under the editors-in-chief Prof. Dr. Horst Schuller and Prof. Dr. Maria Sass. The article outlines the specifics of the journal: its themes (language, literature, German culture, inter-culturality, etc.), structure, evaluation issues and indexing in international databases. The journal Germanistische Beiträge publishes studies and articles by authors from all centres of Germanic philology in the country, but also has contributors from abroad. It is a nationally and internationally recognised scientific journal.

Intersubjectivity, Ethics in Times of Crisis and Objective Idealism as a Philosophical System: An Interview with Vittorio Hösle

Vittorio Hösle is internationally highly regarded for his attempt to revive objective idealism – the philosophical line along which he situates the positions of Plato, Aristotle, most medieval philosophers, Spinoza, Leibniz, Schelling, Hegel, but also Peirce and Whitehead – as a philosophical system capable of holding together the transcendental dimension of synthetic a priori judgments with the intelligibility and objectivity of being. In this interview, he discusses his work over the past decades, starting from the “Philosophische Lehrjahre” (“years of philosophical apprenticeship”) between Regensburg, Tübingen, Bochum and Freiburg and from the meetings with masters and significant interlocutors (such as Tóth, Thieme, Wandschneider, Beierwaldes, Lohr, Böckenförde, without forgetting Apel and Jonas). Multiple themes dot the path of thought retraced in this dialogue: from the rethematization of Hegel’s (and Vico’s) objective idealism through transcendental pragmatics to the delineation of the relationship between ethics and politics via a theory of the social and the intent of a normative foundation; from the need for a thought that faces the ecological crisis to the reinterpretation of sociobiology; and finally, from the project of an intersubjectively valid understanding to the importance of a theory of comedy. What emerges is the philosophical self-portrait of a cosmopolitan intellectual who was able to grasp the best from inherited and acquired cultural traditions: German culture, inherited from his father; Italian culture, inherited from his mother; and American culture, acquired by moving to the USA. The interview was realised on 17 April 2024 at the University of Trento, as part of the second series of lectures “Voices from Contemporary Philosophy”.

Художественные практики современных российских немцев в контексте традиций и новаций: на примере программы фестиваля культуры «Немецкая Слобода» (2015–2022 гг.)

The subject of research in this article is the artistic practices of modern Russian Germans, implemented within the framework of the cultural festival “German Sloboda”. It is proved that festival artistic practices belong to the “culture of ethnos” (according to V. G. Babakov’s classification), that is, they are a combination of ethnic and externally introduced components. The latter are the artistic practices of postmodernism, such as performance, happenings, environment and their varieties. The scientific novelty of this work is the consideration of the traditional culture of Russian Germans in the context of artistic forms, methods and techniques of modern times. The objectives of the work include: an analysis of the artistic practices of the cultural festival of Russian Germans “German Sloboda” from the point of view of correlating ethnic content and modern forms of its presentation, as well as the development of the above-mentioned artistic practices in the history of the festival. To achieve the set goals and objectives, a historical-genetic method is used, which allows us to trace the relationship between ethnic traditional and modern innovation in artistic practices, as well as a structural-functional method that demonstrates the artistic practices of modern Russian Germans as an integral part of their spiritual culture. As a result of the analysis of the artistic practices of the cultural festival of Russian Germans “German Sloboda”, a conclusion is made about the culture of modern Russian Germans as a synthesis of the immanent and transcendent, as a combination of following the sociocultural experience of previous generations – traditions – and the desire of the current generation for changes – innovations. The “culture of ethnos” of modern Russian Germans is in the stage of modification and transformation of its forms, creative experimentation, search for an individual-personal beginning with constant reliance on the collective traditional experience of the past. The seven-year history of the cultural festival of Russian Germans “German Sloboda” clearly demonstrates the active use of postmodern artistic practices, in which art leaves traditional spaces (galleries, museums, concert or theater halls) and conquers new spaces that are not necessarily associated with art.

Integrating Intercultural Competence into a Neuroscience Curriculum through a Short-Term Study Abroad Program.

We sought to enrich our neuroscience curriculum by developing a study abroad program that would address curricular goals and requirements at several levels. "Neuroscience and Technology in Germany" was designed to include a diversity of participants, integrate intercultural competence in participants, fulfill university core curriculum requirements, build on the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) foundation of our major, and fulfill major electives. We also hoped that it would serve as a synthetic experience allowing students to integrate foundational coursework with novel ideas and real-world research applications. We developed an itinerary that balanced multiple activities to meet those goals. We included scientific visits, STEM-focused museums, and significant cultural and historical sites. Scientific visits covered a range of topics in the field of neuroscience including cellular and pharmacological neuroscience, development, cognition, mental illness, artificial intelligence, and the mind-body problem. Pre-visit academic activities included review lectures on general topics (e.g., visual system), scaffolded literature reading, and discussion of previous literature from our hosts. Post-visit academic activities integrated previous foundational curriculum with new research. Cultural historical activities encouraged comparison between a student's home culture, predominant North American culture, and German culture. The first iteration was successful academically and logistically. In post-program surveys, 87.5% of students felt the program had met the learning objectives (n=16). Students agreed that scientific visits and preparatory lectures were relevant to the learning objectives, together with several cultural and historical visits. Students responded positively to an outing to the mountains and found a concentration camp memorial visit moving. They nearly universally reported that the program led to their personal growth. Students did not find several guided tours of STEM-related sites were relevant to our learning objectives, and opinions were mixed as to the balance of structured vs. unstructured time, balance of scientific vs. historical/cultural activities, and how to schedule free time. Students asked for more scientific background preparation, so we modified the upcoming iteration to include a "Neuroscience Boot Camp" prior to departure. We also selected guided tours more carefully and modified scheduling according to student feedback.

The preservation of German culture is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in german descendants living in Brazil: Ship-Brazil study

The preservation of German culture is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in german descendants living in Brazil: Ship-Brazil study

Georgia“S European Choice: 1918-1919 Publications Of The ,,Republic Of Georgia” Newspaper For The Relations Between The First Democratic Republic Of Georgia And Germany

Georgian-German relations hold particular relevance today, especially considering Germany's position as a prominent member of the Big Seven and traditional Europe. While Germany's history includes aspirations for hegemony during the First and Second World Wars, Georgia maintained a largely positive attitude toward Germany, particularly during the period of our interest. We must contemplate what might have changed for our country if the German side had emerged victorious. Could it have spared us from the events of February 25, 1921? Was Germany a colonizer cloaked in charming European attire? An examination of these factors, we believe, is both intriguing and vital. The Georgian press meticulously monitored ongoing developments in Germany, as well as Germany's political stance toward our nation. It conveyed its sentiments and devoted considerable space to several relevant events. It's worth noting that the Georgian intelligentsia held a deep appreciation for German culture, diligently reporting to the German press, and closely tracking its global political involvement. In our study, we aim to address these pivotal questions. By employing thematic analysis of articles published in the government newspaper "Republic of Georgia" from 1918 to 1919 and reviewing the relevant literature on this topic, we seek to shed light on this important historical perspective.

Adaptation as cultural and medial transfer: George Tabori’s short story and radio play Weissmann und Rotgesicht

George Tabori (1914–2007), a Hungarian-born British playwright of Jewish decent, is closely associated with German Holocaust theatre. Less well-known is his prolific career in German radio drama. This contribution traces the trajectory of Tabori’s short story ‘Weissmann und Rotgesicht’ and its adaptation for German radio in 1978. The overall theme of its narrative can be identified as the issue of competing minoritized groups (Jews and Indigenous Americans), their respective identity politics and mechanisms of ‘othering’. My analysis first asks how the short story presents these questions, as it was written in a North American context primarily shaped by the popular cultural format of the western movie. Secondly, I ask how the topic is culturally and medially transferred to the radio play form, considering the production’s West German context of the late 1970s. My interest is guided by the question whether and how we can read this 1978 radio play as an intervention in the debate on the representation of the ‘Indian’ in popular German culture and its simultaneous erasure, several decades after the Holocaust, of the Jew.

The Emergence and Influence of Contemporary German Culture and Art

The rise of modern German culture and art is a significant event in European and world history since the 19th century. During this period, Germany s social and economic changes, government cultural policies, and flourishing ideology created an ideal environment for cultural and artistic development. The emergence of modern German culture and art has stimulated innovation in European culture while leaving a profound impact on global artistic trends. Its distinctive style and deep ideologies have served as a wellspring of inspiration for contemporary culture. The remarkable achievements during this period embody Germany s pursuit of artistic and ideological unity, leaving behind valuable cultural heritage for future generations.

Pengembangan Silabus Bahasa Jerman yang Berorientasi pada Keterampilan Berbahasa di SMA

This research aims to develop a syllabus that focuses on developing German language skills at the Senior High School (SMA) level. In its development, student needs, learning objectives, effective teaching methods, and relevant learning materials must be considered. The development of a German language syllabus must be able to provide opportunities for students to interact actively in German. The proposed syllabus is designed to improve students' abilities in speaking, listening, reading and writing in German, as well as integrating content relevant to everyday life and German culture. Syllabus development methods include literature reviews, consultations with German language experts, and hands-on trials in the classroom environment. The development of this syllabus can increase students' learning motivation and help them achieve the learning targets that have been set. It is hoped that this research can make a positive contribution to German language learning at the high school level, by providing a solid foundation for effective and enjoyable teaching, and a positive contribution to improving the quality of German language learning in high school.

Cultural Sustainability: Reflections on The Social Formation of Panambi/RS in The Light of Lutheranism

Objective: The objective of this study is to understand German colonization in Panambi, a city located in the Northwest of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, by understanding it as a complex process that involves a variety of historical, economic, social, political and cultural factors of varied dimensions that intertwine to shape the unique character of the city in the light of Lutheranism. Theoretical Framework: Protestantism played a significant role in the formation of the developmental spirit in the South of Brazil, particularly in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Colonies in the South of Brazil and Lutheranism are deeply interconnected, mainly through German immigration, given that these immigrants brought with them cultural, religious and social practices that significantly shaped the region. Method: The research follows methodological paths of an applied nature and a qualitative approach. Regarding procedures, a bibliographic review, documentary research and case study are used. Data interpretation is anchored in categorical content analysis. Results and Discussion: The research results point to local development, the emergence of companies, with community ties strengthening the tripod: religion, school and work. A process of cultural identification in the municipality had strong German influences, from the religious Lutheranism, focused on the world of work. This journey contributed to the strengthening and dissemination of a social imaginary that reinforces the relationship between colonization and the Lutheran Church, and, associated with it, the school, which sustains and preserves German culture, generating “Germanness”. Thus, this peculiarity lived and experienced by the social agents who colonized Panambi, created a social system that, although in constant adaptation, maintains the relationship between Germanness, church, entrepreneurship to boost local development. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by addressing the sociocultural formation of the city of Panambi, given that this development shapes the unique characteristics of the city, influencing its growth, urban structure, social dynamics and cultural identity.

The Intellectual Class and the Rise of German Cultural Nationalism

German cultural nationalism emerged in the context of the invasion of French culture. This cultural nationalism was different from the nationalism represented by Britain and France, which focused on the expression of nationalism from the cultural level, and made use of cultural connection and unity to achieve the establishment of a nation state. In the 17th and 18th centuries, French culture invaded Germany in all aspects, and the aristocrat and the middle classes of the German states were proud of speaking French, while German was neglected as a national language. Against the background of the political and economic unification of the German region, a group of Deutsch intellectuals began to actively propagate and promote the German culture and language, hoping to establish a unified German national identity from the cultural identity to complete the unification of the country, and to make the German state regain its historical glory. The subsequent historical development proved that German cultural nationalism became the foundation stone of German unification. After the Napoleonic Wars, German cultural nationalism was further transformed into German political democracy, and Prussia finally completed the unification. How did German cultural nationalism emerge from all this, and what was the role of the German intellectual class in it? By studying this period of history, this paper is able to further understand the intricate international context and international situation in Western Europe at that time. At the same time, it draws on the positive factors of German cultural development.

Elements of German culture: An analysis of German language textbooks in Indonesian universities

Elements of German culture: An analysis of German language textbooks in Indonesian universities

Identity Politics as Lingua Franca?

Abstract Although identity politics dates back to the 1960 s, it has acquired a new urgency since the ascendance of Black Lives Matter in the late 2010 s. And while identity politics, as a critical framework, was developed in the United States, its rhetoric has since been taken up in much of the rest of the world. This article argues that the terminology of US-style identity politics is especially ill-suited to Germany, a country in which race does not exist as a legal category, and discrimination and inequality do not revolve around a Black/white axis. It points out, moreover, that the German appropriation of certain words and concepts – such as diversity, political correctness, cancel culture, woke, intersectionality, and others – clashes both with their usage and meaning in the US and with the demographic changes that have transformed post-Second World War German culture. In order to illustrate this clash, this article compares Michael R. Jackson’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical A Strange Loop (2019) with Yael Ronen’s Slippery Slope (2021), a critically acclaimed musical performed in English at Berlin’s Maxim Gorki Theater. It critiques Slippery Slope’s appropriation of the buzzwords of identity politics and notes with regret that German theatres are ill-equipped to perform the plays of the most important playwrights working in the US today, a new generation of African American writers, including Jackson, whose work is steeped in the performance traditions of Black American cultures.

Hans Jonas: The Last German Philosopher and His Jewish Challenge to Modernity: Affirming Life

Abstract Victorio Hosle called Hans Jonas “the last German philosopher.” Jonas’ Memoirs connect changing philosophical priorities with devastating life events. The shock of learning of his former mentor, Heidegger’s, affiliation to National Socialism, his exile from Germany and his mother’s death in Auschwitz, made the conceptual universe of German Idealism, Husserl and Heidegger, seem nihilistic and akin to a Gnostic denigration of worldliness. The brutal wartime realities exposed a callous removal from nature and any meaningful humanism. After soldiering in the war with “Maccabean rage,” he subsequently created his philosophical biology of organism, one which respected the corporeal, metabolic basis of life. His consequent innovations in Environmental and Medical Ethics had an enormous impact on the German scholarly world. Jonas retained a lifelong attachment to German culture and “saved” German philosophy by making critical amendments. Later in life he wrote in German, spent a sabbatical year in Germany, received the medal of honor from the Federal Republic of Germany and honorary doctorates from several German universities. The “German” Jonas brought a respect for ontology and nature to a philosophy that was prone to sterile abstractions. The life-affirming “Jewish” Jonas restored an ethical mandate for responsibility for the future of the planet and humankind to a bereft ethics.