Final Post

(Click here to see image from original image)

During the course of this semester, I learned a lot about different periods in Germany. I enjoyed the amount of different ways of learning we explored. Between the book, All Quiet on the Western Front, to the movie Berlin Calling, and the numerous Powerpoint presentations, I was able to absorb an abundance of information. I enjoyed reading the book in class, and learning about WWI in Germany, which usually isn’t talked about much in history classes. One of the topics that most surprised be during this semester was about gymnastics. I did not know gymnastics was used to prepare German youth for battle. I always thought of gymnastics as a sport, not a way for people of a country to build strong and powerful military members. I liked learning about gymnastics because I enjoy playing volleyball and saw how the similarities of discipline in the sport could be used to build a military. I liked learning about the political parties of Germany. It is very interesting to know that Germany has a female Chancellor, Angela Merkel. Women are still struggling to receive power in the government, but they are improving. This is similar to the United States. A difference between the United States and Germany is the support of homosexual couples. In Germany, since 2001, two people of the same sex can have a civil partnership. My favorite topic this semester was learning about the current youth in Germany through the movie Berlin Calling. I had never listened to techno music much before, but I appreciated the music in the movie. Ickarus was a character that was relatable and that had ambitions like many young aspiring people but just got lost on the way to his success. One thing I did not know about Germany is that they had individual states. While researching Bavaria and learning about other states, I was surprised that many people in the states do not belong to a particular religion. Even though many people do not belong to a particular religion, they like to practice their German heritage through food and beer. I enjoyed learning about Bavaria and the amount of inventions and industries in this state. Adidas and Pumas shoes originated from this state and so did BMW and Audi. The only recommendation I have to improving this class would be to put a time limit on presentations. At times the group presentations got a little long, but other than that it was a great experience!

Role of Women and Men in German Society - 20th and 21st Century

Click here for information of women and men in the 20th and 21st century in German society.

Click here for a presentation/shortened version of the information above.

Pictures Received from (in order of appearance):
http://www.thesummitprep.org/industrialrevolution/author/pooja/
http://www.womensdish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Workplace-In-Women.jpg

Berlin Calling Trailer and Music Video

Retrieved from http://www.berlin-calling.de/files/imce_images/Berlin_Calling_Sunset_Paul_Kalkbrenner.jpg

To watch the official Berlin Calling trailer click here

To listen to Paul Kalkbrenner's song "Azure" song click here

Berlin Calling

Retrieved from http://www.berlin-calling.de/files/downloads/wallpaper_en/2560x1024_wallpaper3.jpg

1. What do drugs mean to Ickarus?
-Ickarus was struggling making new music. His manager was not impressed by his music, and because of this Ickarus searched for drugs. It was his way out of the real world. His mother's death earlier also affected him. He was not being accepted. He could escape his troubles of not being able to produce successful music. Once he started to use the drugs, he could not stop. They became a significant part of his life. When he would try to stop, he would eventually go back to them, even though the audience can tell he wanted to stop otherwise he would not be at the psychiatric clinic searching for help because the clinic he is at is an open clinic where he is free to come and go as he pleases. When he is on the drugs, he hears the music differently and produces different music. Drugs are a way Ickarus can connect to his fans because many of his fans are also on drugs when they listen to his music. 

2. Why, when, and how are his fans taking drugs, and which drugs do they take?
-His fans take drugs when they are out at clubs. A lot of the drugs that were present throughout the movie I had not heard of. Ickarus mainly gets his drugs from his friend Erbse at the night clubs in Berlin. Some of the drugs present were PMS, which contains ecstasy. Ickarus takes this and goes into psychosis and starts taking off his clothes. He is then emitted into a psychiatric hospital. The drugs present are cocaine, MDMA, MDM, and ketamine. These drugs are taken at the clubs before, during, and after being at the clubs. Many of the fans are taking the drugs for the same reasons as Ickarus does. His fans want to connect with the music they are hearing and their friends around them. Many of his fans are probably in the same situation as Ickarus. They have many problems in their life and are trying to escape the reality of their lives. 

3. While we can see that his drug habits get him ill and into a psychosis, and while we witness his relapse and inability to work successfully, why does the subculture Ickarus belongs to focus on drugs?
-He is an artist, and because of this the subculture focuses on drugs. I have always thought of artists like the Beatles that were on drugs made some of their best music such as the song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, however, Ickarus makes his best music when he is sober. The subculture focuses on drugs because it is very common to this culture. There are drugs everywhere in the Berlin nightlife. Drugs are a common problem with society. This could be because many of the youth do not have jobs and do not know what else to do so they go to drugs to solve their problems. 

4. Compare the standards you know from your home society with the people you see depicted in this movie. Which are the stark differences and contrasts?
- This movie was very different than where I grew up. I grew up in a town around 15,000 where there were no night clubs. It was a smaller town where everyone knew about your life. In this movie, there is an abundance of night clubs. Sex is seem as more casual. There is sex in the open at these parties. Drugs are also extremely common being passed out in the open. These drugs are also very destructive and strong. Ickarus is famous. Growing up, I always read about the scandals of celebrities in magazines. Ickarus's problems did not surprise me as the lifestyle of every one else around him. There seemed to be almost too much addiction happening that I could not believe.

5. Germany is considered a strong industrial nation the world over. Do you think that the youth culture as depicted here could change that? How about work ethics of Ickarus and of Alice, the label director who fires and then re-signs him?
- I do not think the youth culture in the movie could change Germany being a strong independent nation. They are also high and on drugs to be in a situation to make major decisions. I do not see these people becoming strong political figures making decisions. Their behavior happens frequently at night clubs and will not affect major political figures. They could disrupt politics and Germany's success, but I do not think they will change it. Ickarus can have an influence on the youth culture without changing policy. He creates his best music when he is sober. His manager, Alice, is very hard on Ickarus, but this is good. She has deadlines to meet and her job is always on the line too. I think they can show the youth culture what it means to work had to fulfill goals. I do not think that they can change the whole youth culture though. It would have to be a movement with the whole music industry to do this for the culture to change. Famous people are role models for a lot of teenagers, and if the famous people can get their lives together and show the impact they can have on society, the youth could follow.

6. Which similar "cult movies" of US origin have you seen, if any?
-Some similar movies Rocky Horror Picture Show and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. 

Retrieved from http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/win-willy-wonka-and-the-chocolate-factory/willy_wonka_2d_dvd_packshot/

Overall Viewing Experience:

I enjoyed watching the film. It was a different film than the first one we watched in class. At times, it was uncomfortable to watch, but it opened me up to a lot of aspects that are currently happening in Berlin. It was interesting to learn about the youth culture in Berlin. Ickarus has a lot going for him, but he just got off track with his addiction to drugs. When he started taking drugs, he could not keep his life straight and he destroyed his music and his relationship with his girlfriend. Once he went into the clinic, I thought he would leave right away. I was surprised how he wanted to stay and the atmosphere of the clinic. They were very open and supportive of Ickarus and his music. I always thought of clinics like this to be strict and harsh, but this clinic was very open to helping Ickarus. Once Ickarus could stay off drugs, his music succeeded. I liked knowing that Ickarus had cleaned up his act and got back on track. The youth seemed to love his music too. I enjoyed listening to his music. It is not something that I usually listen to because there are no words, but I liked the beat of it. 

17th and 18th Century Inventions/Inventors/Companies

Click here to learn about inventions, inventors, and some companies of the 17th and 18th centuries in Germany.

Click here for the presentation/shortened version of the information above.

Pictures Received from (in order of appearance): 

http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/sl-443.jpg

http://mendonphysics2007p9.blogspot.com/2008/03/leyden-jar.html

Gymnastics in the 2012 Olympics

Click here to see the Men's Parallel Bars Final in the 2012 London Olympics. 

Retrieved from (http://blog.thomsonreuters.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RTR36CLG-Brian-Snyder-1024x659.jpg)

Friedrich Ludwig Jahn

"Father of Gymnastics"

Retrieved from Wikipedia

Friedrich Ludwig Jahn was born on August 11, 1778 in Lanz, Brandenburg. He passed away on October 15, 1852. He studied philology, the study of language in written historical sources, and theology, the study of systematic and rational concepts of God and religious truths, at the University of Greifswald. He is known as Turnvater Jahn, or "father of gymnastics" Jahn. He joined the Prussian army in 1806. After seeing the humiliation Napoleon caused his native home, he wanted to restore the hopes of people in his country. He believed he could increase their physicality and morality by gymnastics. Germany has a very militaristic view on life and likes to have a strict routine. Gymnastics fit this view point well, and was adopted into German every day life. I believe studying philology and theology helped him implement his program because he knew how language can affect a large amount of people. He helped apply these principles to start the turnverein movement. He promoted the parallel bars, rings, and high bar into international competition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Ludwig_Jahn). 

Parallel Bars

Rings

High Bars

He founded the turnverein gymnastics club movement in Germany in 1811. Begin clip- In these gyms included "horizontal bar, parallel bars, side horse, and vaulting horse" -End clip (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/610381/turnverein) These gyms were also used to prepare German youth for battle, primarily against France because Napoleon had occupied large portions of Germany. The youth were supposed to have a patriotic spirit and love for Germany. It is important to note that during this time, only boys and men were allowed instruction because he wanted to emphasize being ready for war.  In 1816, Jahn published a book called Deutsche Turnkunst, or German Gymnastics. It was a guide on how to create public athletic fields and to practice sports. When someone became of member in this gymnastics movement they not only participated in gymnastics, but went to festivals, got to know Germany, sang and read patriotic songs. Being clip- By 1819, there was around 12,000 members in 150 gymnastic associations- End clip (http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/08__Culture__Sports__Events/06/05/Feature__5__Gymnastics.html). 

Friedrich Ludwig Jahn was very outspoken and often was in trouble with the authorities, and because of this is 1819 when his gymnastic association was starting to boom, he was arrested. He had to stay in semi-confinement until 1824. He was supposed to be imprisoned for two years during this time, but in 1825, the sentence was reversed, however, he had to live further than 10 miles away from Berlin.

(Patriotism to Germany and representing the movement of gymnastics)

Retrieved from http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/08__Culture__Sports__Events/06/05/Feature__5__Gymnastics.html

The Effect Gymnastics Had in Germany and other Countries- During the German state revolution of 1848, many turnverein members were forced to leave Germany after driving to revolt against the monarchy government. Some turnvereins went to countries such as the now Czech Republic and the United States. In Bohemia (now Czech Republic), Sokois were formed. These are similar to the turnverein clubs except in Bohemia, social and community aspects were emphasized instead of nationalism. In Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1848, American Turners was founded. The American locations were less nationalistic and more for pleasure and well-being. There are other locations now such as in Northwest Chicago. Begin clip- Northwest Chicago club's history started in February 12, 1956 when there was a legal agreement signing to form the American Turners-Northwest Chicago. At this location in Illinois, there is over 10,000 square feet for gymnastics -End clip (http://www.northwestturners.org/aboutus/briefhistory). Compared to Germany, these gymnastics clubs were not political. Friedrich Ludwig Jahn implemented gymnastics as a political tool to start a group full of strong youth, whereas, the clubs, especially in the United States were for used for social and community engagement. Today in Germany, women are now participating in gymnastics. At first when the gymnastics movement started, women were seen as the weaker sex and could potentially be harmed by participating in gymnastics. In 1897, around 3 percent of gymnastic members were women in Germany, but in 2008, nearly 70 percent were women. In total, the Association of German Gymnasts has over 5 million members from a wide variety of ages. Gymnastics contributes significantly to the well-being of society where people can get away from work to spend time exercising. 

He is very well known around the world. There is even a memorial for Friedrich Ludwig Jahn in St. Louis, Missouri at Forest Park (seen below). There are other memorials in Germany, in Vienna, Austria at Inwood Park, and in Mount Auburn neighborhood in Cincinnati, Ohio.

 

Retrieved from http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/friedrich-ludwig-jahn-memorial-saint-louis?select=hsBdTw1gtcNWlzLXXxTmfA#hsBdTw1gtcNWlzLXXxTmfA

All Quiet on the Western Front- 02/26

To view characters from the book and their descriptions, click here.

Character Description: 

Corporal Himmelstoss 

I am Himmelstoss. Before the war, I was a post man. I loved my job but was enthusiastic for a new profession. Now I am Corporal Himmelstoss. I have power over these youngsters that have enlisted. I'm ready to get them in tip-top shape and prepared for battle. Kids these days don't know what it is to have respect, and I am ready to teach them that. They will learn to follow orders in a timely matter. If they try any funny business, they will be punished, just like Tjaden was for wetting the bed. 

Now looking back at the war, I wish I had been more sympathetic. I am glad I helped carry Haie to a triage center when he was wounded. One of my better moments was doing this and offering soldiers extra food and delicacies when I was a cook. I wish I would have realized this earlier because I would have gained more respect this way than by pushing my power on others. 

All Quiet on the Western Front- Individual Post

Years before WWI-  Before World War I, Germany was imperialistic and militaristic. Before 1871, Germany consisted of many states that did not have a lot of unity. There was 25 German-speaking states. It was a big and prosperous country that was around 50 percent bigger than modern Germany. The country was very heavy in iron and steel production along with international trade and ship production. The education in Germany was superior than many other nations. There were many universities that were of high quality where great scientist had come from Max Planck. A big weakness of Germany was their lack of democracy. Since they were a military state, the parliament's powers were limited.

Sources:
http://alphahistory.com/worldwar1/germany/
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_war_is_before_World_War_1#slide=1

Neue Sachlichkeit- This is a term that describes the attitude of the public in Weimar Germany  that ended around 1933 when the Weimar Republic fell. This attitude was meant to describe practical engagement with the world, or an all business attitude. It is also known as "New Objectivity." The term was used to describe art that was post-expressionist. This involved -begin clip-"public collaboration, engagement, and rejection of romantic idealism."-end clip

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Objectivity

German Realism- This is a revolutionary literacy movement known as Young Germany. It was used to turn romanticism to realism. Some great leaders were Karl Borne and Heinrich Heine.

http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/entertainment/german-literature-the-nineteenth-century:-realism-naturalism.html

Interpretation of the Book-Paul Baumer and all of his friends go to war right out of school where their teachers, including Kantorek, taught the boys of patriotism and nationalism. They believed that there was an abundance of duty and glory they owed to Germany. Once they were at war, they feel disconnected to who they are fighting. They do not engage in fighting with personal weapons, but instead use gases and tanks. World War I is commonly known for their trench warfare where one side does not come in contact with their enemy. These boys are enthusiastic to go to war and fight for their nation but are soon to realize that these realities are much more harsh than they could have imagined. There is a small amount of food, their bodies are exhausted, and some of their closest friends pass away, yet they need to stay emotionally strong and stable for battle. Authority plays a role into this book too. Himmelstoss, the corporal, orders the boys to do ridiculous things such as making Tjaden and another soldier who wet the bet sleep with each other in the same bunk. This does not help prepare the soldiers for war. Many of the young and enthusiastic nineteen-year-old boys think that people like Himmelstoss and other important generals should be fighting the war for the countries instead of the ordinary “tommy sticks” fighting (page 45). However, these corporals embrace their power too much where there is abuse on the soldiers because of their uniform and the authority they are given.

All Quiet on the Western Front- Chapter 3 Presentation

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1kNHtBYHbiyUcHDZD3DhINKX8tWN4aGG4evwJtv1P-Xg/edit?usp=sharing

• The task our group had was to present on Chapter 3 of All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque. 
• My group consisted of myself, Ella Bresson, and Evan Weinzierl
• We split the chapter into 3 parts. Each person took 5 pages each. Evan took 35-40, I took 40-45, and Ella took pages 45-50. 
• Suggestions? We can talk about our themes during out presentation to help the audience understand our chapter and how it connects to the rest of the book.

The Pirate Party (Piratenpartei Deutschland)

History

The Pirate Party was founded in September 10th, 2006 in Berlin, Germany. The party is currently headquartered in Berlin as well. The German Pirate Party is in agreement with the Swedish Pirate Party and is in partnership with the Pirate Parties International. In August of 2012 there were 35,000 members. The parties current Party Leader is Thorsten Worth.

Notable Joining Members

• February 2009, The City Councillor of Strausberg, Jens Knoblich joined the Pirate Party Germany.
• June 2009, Bundestag member, Jorg Tauss left the SPD and joined the Pirate Party.
• August 2009, Herbert Rusche, one of the founding members of the German Green Party and in the 1980s, the first openly homosexual member of parliament in Germany, joined the Pirate Party.

Ideology

Begin clip.

The party supports the preservation of current civil rights in telephony and on the Internet; in particular, it opposes the European data retention policies.

The party favors the civil right to information privacy and reforms of copyright, education, genetic patents  and drug policy.

In particular, it promotes an enhanced transparency of government by implementing open source governance  and providing for APIs to allow for electronic inspection and monitoring of government operations by the citizen.

The Pirate Party also supports an unconditional basic income for citizens and direct democracy. End clip.

According to political theorist Oskar Niedermayer, the party sees itself as part of an international movement to shape the digital revolution and transition into a information society. With their focus on freedom in the net and their fight against government regulations. The group has caught the attention especially of the younger generation. The network policy was the core identity of the party, it is now more than just an advocacy party of digital natives. The Pirate Party characterizes itself as a social-liberal-progressive.

Notable Election Results

2009 German Federal Election

In the 2009 German Federal Election pm September 27, 2009, the Pirates received 845,904 votes which was only 2.0% of the vote. Needing 5.0% to secure any seats in the Bundestag they fell short. However, this was still the best result among parties that did not meet the 5.0% threshold. Also noted among first-time male voters, the party received 13.0%.

2009 European Parliament Election

In the 2009 European Parliament Election The Pirate Party received 229,117 votes which was 0.9% of the vote. Needing at least 5.0% of the vote they did not earn any seats.

German State Elections

(Note: To gain seats you need to recieve 5.0% of the vote or more)

• 2009 Saxony State Election the Pirates received 1.9% of the vote.
• 2009 Schleswig-Holstein State Election the Pirates received 1.8% of the vote.
• 2009 Hesse State Election the Pirates only received 0.5% of the vote.
• 2010 North Rhine-Westphalia State Election the Pirates received 1.5% of the vote.
• 2011 Hamburg State Elections the Pirates received 2.1% of the vote.
• 2011 Baden-Wurttemberg State Election the Pirates received 2.1% of the vote.
• 2011 Saxony-Anhalt State Election the Pirates received 1.4% of the vote.
• 2011 Rhineland-Palatinate State Election the Pirates received 1.6% of the vote.
• 2011 Berlin State Election the Pirates received 8.9% of the vote and managed to gain 15 seats in the State Parliament.
• 2012 Saarland State Election the Pirates received 7.4% of the vote and gained 4 seats in the State Parliament.
• 2012 Schleswig-Holstein State Election the Pirates received 8.2% of the vote and gained 6 seats in the State Parliament.
• 2012 North Rhine-Westphalia State Election the Pirates received 7.8% of the vote and gained 20 seats in the State Parliament.
• 2013 Lower Saxony State Election the Pirates only received 2.1% of the vote.
• 2013 Bavaria State Election the Pirates only received 2.0% of the vote.

Number of Members

Decline in Numbers and Polls

Begin clip. After those successful state elections, the party was able to score up to 13% in nationwide polls. However, after a lengthy array of scandals and internal disputes which were handled unprofessionally and picked up by the media, the party lost the trust of voters and entered a steady decline in polls. End clip.

At the 2013 German Federal Elections the Pirate Party suffered a major defeat where it was only able to achieve 2.2% of the votes, leading to the resignation of party leader Bernd Schlomer. The Pirate Party has often been criticized as well for the lack of women in the Pirate Party. At the height of the parties popularity they had over 35,000 members.

Past Party Leaders

 Bernd Schlomer, Sebastian Nerz, Dirk Hillbrecht, Chrstof Leng, and Jens Seipenbusch.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate_Party_Germany

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Piraten_de_ew_2009.svg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mitgliederentwicklung_Piratenpartei_Deutschland.png

Baden Württemberg, Germany

(photo credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Deutschland_Lage_von_Baden-Württemberg.svg) 

1. begin clip-After World War II, Allied forces established three federal states: Württemberg-Hohenzollern, Baden (both occupied by France), and Württemberg-Baden (US-occupied). In 1949, these three states became founding members of the Federal Republic of Germany. Article 118 of the new German constitution, however, had already prepared a procedure for those states to merge. After a referendum held on 16 December 1951, Württemberg-Baden, Württemberg-Hohenzollern and Badenvoted in favor of a merger.[3] Baden-Württemberg officially became a state on 25 April 1952

The state parliament of Baden-Württemberg is the Landtag (Eng. state assembly). The politics of Baden-Württemberg have traditionally been dominated by the conservative Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU), who until 2011 had led all but one government since the establishment of the state in 1952. In the Landtagelections held on 27 March 2011 voters replaced the Christian Democrats and centre-right Free Democrats coalition by a Greens-led alliance with the Social Democrats which secured a four seat majority in the state parliament.
From 1992 to 2001, the anti-immigration Republicans party had seats in the Landtag.

Although Baden-Württemberg has relatively few natural resources compared to other regions of Germany,[3] the state is among the most prosperous[4] and wealthiest regions in Europe with a generally low unemployment rate historically.- end clip. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baden-W%C3%BCrttemberg)

2.The population is 10, 569, 111. Stuttgart is the capital of Baden Württenberg.  Schlossplatz is the largest square in Stuttgart and has two castles and major museums.

3.There are currently 4 political parties in Baden-Württemberg. The largest party is CDU or Christian Democratic Union of Germany which until 2011 had held all but one government in the state since it was established in 1952. The next party is the FDP or Free Democrats which are in close collaboration with the CDU, but have lost popularity in the state by doing so. Then there are the SDP or Social Democrats, which have secured 4 seat majorities in the state parliament since 2011. The SDP are aligned with The Greens and are the only socialist party in Baden-Württemberg. The third party is The Greens who are aligned with the SDP and are slowly losing popularity in the region. The fourth party is The Republicans which hasn’t held a seat since 2001, they are mostly anti-immigration.

Baden-Württemberg has a great diversity in religion. The largest are the Roman Catholics with 36.9% of the population. The next largest is the Lutherans, which is the traditional religion of the state. The Lutherans make up 33.3% of the population. Next are the Muslims with 5.6% of the populations as followers. Then there are the Buddhists with 0.23%, the Hindu with 0.14%, and the Jews with 0.08% of the population as followers. Then there are the non-religious with 22.3% of the population.

Baden-Württemberg has a rich heritage that can still be seen in the region today. They have an assortment of castles like Ludwigsburg Palace, Hohenzollern Castle, Heidelberg Castle, and Schwetzingen Palace. They also have other cultural hubs like the Stuttgart State Opera, Baden-Baden Theater, Maulbronn Monastery, Limes Roman Defences, and Reichenau Island.   

4. The Maulbronn Monastry is the best-preserved medieval Cistercian monastery complex in Europe. It includes an extensive water-management system of reservoirs and channels. It is situated on the outskirts of Maulbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The monastery was founded in 1147. It further developed from the 12th to the 17th century. It has a style transitional from Romanesque to Gothic and surrounded by fortified walls. The removing its political quasi-independence was in the course of the German Mediatisation in 1807. The seminary merged with that of Bebenhausen the following year, now known as the Evangelical Seminaries of Maulbronn and Blaubeuren. Since 1993 the monastery is part of the Unesco World Heritage.

5. -Daimler AG, Daimler is a German multinational automotive company established in 1883. The company owns many shares of many other automotive companies such as Mercedes-Benz. Daimler's headquarters are located in Stuttgart, Baden-Wurttemburg.

- Porsche Automobil Holding SE, The Porsche company was established in 1931. Porsche automobiles are still being manufactured to this day but by Volkswagen. Porsche Headquarters are based in Zuffenhousen, Baden-Wurttemburg.

- Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes brand originated in 1886 in and is headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Wurttemburg. Mercedes-Benz is is a German luxury automobile manufacturer. Much like Porsche Mercedes is owned by Daimler but still to this day Mercedes-Benz automobiles are still being produced. Mercedes-Benz's logo is "Das beste oder nichts", translated to english (The best or nothing). 

- Robert Bosch GmbH, Robert Bosch is the largest supplier of automotive components in the world as of 2011. Robert Bosch was established in 1886 in Stuttgart and is headquartered in Gerlingen, Baden-Wurttemburg.

- SAP AG, SAP is the largest software enterprise in Europe. The SAP headquarters are located in Waldorf, Baden-Wurtremburg and was established in 1972.

6. One of the most famous people from this state is Roland Emmerich. He is a director, originally from Stuggart. He is known for his film Independence Day (2006). He has also directed The Day After Tomorrow (2004) and 2012 (2009). He specializes in disaster films with action. 

A famous actress from this state is Nina Hoss. She is known for her somber attitude while playing often a tragic, tormented woman.  She is known for her movies in Barbara (2012), Yella (2007), and The Downfall of Berlin: Anonyma (2008). 

Natalia Wörner is an actress from this area. She played a main role in the 1995 TV series 'Um die DreiBig', which was a hit across the country. She has received many awards, including one for her performance in 'Perfect Mind'. She received Best Leading Actress in 2000 for her performance in 'Bella Block'. In this episode, she wrote the screenplay. 

7. This state has relatively few natural resources compared to other parts of Germany, however, it is the most prosperous and wealthiest regions. There is very low unemployment. There are many manufacturing enterprises here. In 2003, there was almost 8,800 of them. Nearly 43 percent of the people in this state work for manufacturing enterprises. 

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baden-W%C3%BCrttemberg 

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/546

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maulbronn_Monastery

http://www.worldheritagesite.org/sites/maulbronnmonastery.html

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000386/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0396125/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0944255/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm