germany in focus

AuThOrS:Steven A. GoldbergGerrit C. BookKim D. O’Neil

Featuring contributions from social studies educators within the TOP Fellow network

A PuBlIc/PrIvATe Partnership for north American Social Studies educators

GermAny IN FOCUSInstructional Strategies for Secondary Educators

©Copyright 2014 Goethe-Institut Washington

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Transatlantic Outreach Program Goethe-Institut Washington 812 7th Street NW Washington, DC 20001 USA www.goethe.de/top [email protected] Tel: (202) 289-1200

AuThOr InTrOducTIOn“I was living in Prenzlauerberg [East Berlin] .… in grade 12 making my Abitur …. It started with the Monday demonstrations …. that was a stunning feeling, when you are standing within the masses and you really have the feeling you’re fighting now for something real good. . … It was something intoxicating. And then the Wall fell…. Well, November 9 was a Thursday …. and I was sitting with a classmate studying for an exam in history class … and we listened to Radio DT64 [the GDR youth radio] and then there was the news that Schabowski [government spokesman of the East German government] made this announcement and that the Wall was supposed to be open. …. I called my mom (who was not at home) and said: “Mom, mom the Wall is open, we need to go.” And she replied: “No child, go back to bed …” She just didn’t believe me! …I went to bed to be well-rested the next morning to go to school. And I didn’t have to write the exam anymore, because on that day history class was suspended! The whole curriculum was suspended. In 12th grade the only topic was the history of the SED (Socialist Unity Party of East Germany) and this was sort of suspended on November 9, too…”

-Juliane (age 39) reflects on the excitement of the historic event of November 9, 1989, a memorable day in modern Germany history when die Mauer (the Berlin Wall) was opened as a result of a peaceful revolution by the people of the German Democratic Republic,

and the process of reunification began.

Germany in Focus: Instructional Strategies for Secondary Educators is designed to provide social studies teachers with comprehen-sive lessons on Germany — historical and contemporary — that can be easily integrated into pre-existing curricula in world history, geography, comparative government, economics, and sustainability.

The book is organized in seven sections or foci: Geography: Where in the world is Germany? Society: Who are the modern Germans? History: How do Germans face their past? Reunification: What is the legacy of the German Democratic Republic? Political System: What is the social contract between Germans and their government? Economy: What do Germans do for a living? Sustainability: How do Germans try to live in harmony with their environment?

Each focus section begins with excerpts from interviews with a diverse group of Germans which concentrate on a critical ques-tion related to the focus topic. Teachers may wish to use these as stimuli to pique student interest in the focus topic. The lesson organization consists of a focus question(s) to guide the instruction. The careful use of the material included in the lesson and the use of the suggested instructional strategies will enable the students to talk intelligently about the focus questions. Each lesson is correlated to the revised 2010 NCSS Standards and includes a lesson overview which summarizes the objective of the lesson, pertinent teacher background, a suggested time frame, instructional resources (most of which will be easily accessed from the accompanying Instructional Resource Disc), and a detailed lesson procedure. In addition, there is a whole group re-flection which reconnects the student with the focus question(s), lesson modifications and extensions.

The entire book is available on the included Instructional Resource Disc as a PDF file.

The Common Core State Standards in Literacy, adopted by 45 states to be fully implemented in 2014, require students to read more nonfiction and increasingly complex informational texts; to improve their speaking and listening skills; to cite evidence from texts to support arguments in written work, and to expand their academic vocabulary. As these apply to social studies, students will be expected to work individually and collaboratively to develop and interpret questions and analyze societal is-sues, trends, and events by applying concepts, knowledge and skills from civics, economics, geography, and history. (Source: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects, p. 4.)

The Common Core lays out a vision of what it means to be a literate person in the twenty-first century. The lessons in this book are intended to provide content and understanding as students are actively engaged to read high-quality literary and informa-tional texts that build knowledge, enlarge experience, and broaden worldviews. Through the challenging activities, students will be able to demonstrate the cogent reasoning and use of evidence that is essential to decision-making and responsible global citizenship.

Students in American and Canadian high schools need to know far more about Germany and the European Union than can be learned from a chapter in a history textbook. Since the social studies curriculum is crowded with “essential content,” teachers need to determine where and when to stop and have students think about and apply the content they are learning. With the increased pressures to meet the high standards of the Common Core, we believe that Germany in Focus: Instructional Strategies for Secondary Educators provides teachers with a rich selection of lessons to challenge their students and better prepare them for college, career and civic life.

Steven A. Goldberg / Gerrit c. Book / Kim d. O’neil

In addition to the authors, the Transatlantic Outreach Program would like to acknowledge the partners and dedicated individu-als whose contributions made this text possible.

The PArTnerS Of The TrAnSATlAnTIc OuTreAch PrOGrAm:

• The Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany

• The German Embassy Washington, Cultural Affairs Department

• Former German Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Klaus Scharioth

• German Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Peter Ammon

• Mr. Dieter Berg, Chairman, Robert Bosch Stiftung

• Ms. Edith Pürschel, Director, Deutsche Bank, Group Brand Communications & Corporate Citizenship

• Mr. Klaus P. Stegemann, Chief Financial Officer, Siemens Corporation

• Ms. Alison Taylor, Vice President, Sustainability-Americas, Siemens Corporation

• Colleagues of the Goethe-Institut Washington

cOnTenT revIew PAnelISTS:

• Linda Cotter, Elementary Educator – Columbus, Ohio

• Paul Dickler, University Professor – Dodgeville, Wisconsin

• William Linser, High School Educator – Seattle, Washington

• Connie Manter, Curriculum Specialist – East Boothbay, Maine

• Scott Noet, Middle School Educator – Faribault, Minnesota

• Henry Rehn, High School Educator – Sterling Heights, Michigan

• Pam Su’a, Curriculum Specialist – West Jordan, Utah

TOOlKIT AuThOrShIP TeAm:

• Jacqueline Littlefield, Curriculum Specialist - Saco, Maine

• Connie Manter, Curriculum Specialist - East Boothbay, Maine

TOP fellOwS whOSe leSSOnS cOnTrIBuTed TO ThIS TexT:

• Seth Altman – Yorktown Heights, New York

• Kristi Brand-Neuroth – Brentwood, Tennessee

• Barbara Hairfield – Charleston, South Carolina

• Jacqueline Littlefield – Saco, Maine

• Sigrid Ann Olson – Salem, Oregon

• Henry Rehn - Sterling Heights, Michigan

• Michael Robinson – Germantown, Tennessee

• Jeanne Sheppach – San Ramon, California

• Jessica Stock – Ann Arbor, Michigan

• Faith Vautour – Camden, Maine

SPecIAl currIculum cOnSulTAnT: • Neal Shultz, Teacher – New Rochelle, New York

AcKnOwledGemenTS: • Tim Anderson, Associate Professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Nebraska –

Lincoln, Nebraska

• Lars Bergmann, Consultant, LAMBDA – Berlin, Germany

• Christa Brandt-Hastedt, Teacher, Haupt- and Realschule Bösel – Bösel, Gerrmany

• Andreas Dahlke, Consultant – Berlin, Germany

• Lisa Ehrenecker, Apprentice, Deutsche Bank – Frankfurt (Main), Germany

• Marcel Fuchs, Apprentice, Robert Bosch GmbH – Stuttgart, Germany

• Daniel Gaede, Educational Director, Buchenwald Memorial – Weimar, Germany

• Andrew B. Goldberg, Technology Consultant – Columbia, Maryland

• Gregor Hempel, Consultant, LAMBDA – Berlin, Germany

• Irmtraud Hollitzer, Docent, Citizens Committee of Leipzig – Leipzig, Germany

• Tobias Hollitzer, Director, Citizens Committee of Leipzig – Leipzig, Germany

• Christiane Janku, Teacher, St. Thomas Kolleg – Vechta, Germany

• Marlise Kasper, Teacher, Albert Schweitzer Gymnasium – Gundelfingen, Germany

• Laszlo Kunfalvi, Apprenticeship Supervisor, Robert Bosch GmbH – Stuttgart, Germany

• Jürgen Milde, Teacher, Gymnasium Am Sonnenkamp Neukloster – Neukloster, Germany

• Erin O‘Neil, Consultant – Liverpool, New York, USA

• Kathleen O‘Neil, Consultant – Liverpool, New York, USA

• Nina Ohlerich, Teacher, Friedrich-Ebert-Oberschule (Gymnasium) – Berlin, Germany

• Gregor Ohlerich, Consultant – Berlin, Germany

• Ludger Ostendorf, Teacher, Haupt- und Realschule Bösel – Bösel, Gerrmany

• Eva Pohl, Teacher, Heinz-Berggruen-Gymnasium – Berlin, Germany

• Roger Schäublin, Global Logistics Services, Deutsche Bank – Frankfurt (Main), Germany

• Christian Schmitz, Apprentice, Deutsche Bank – Frankfurt (Main), Germany

• P. Ulrich Schulte, Consultant, St. Thomas Kolleg – Vechta, Germany

• Oliver Stoisiek, Apprenticeship Supervisor, Deutsche Bank – Frankfurt (Main), Germany

• Raphael Verstege, Apprenticeship Supervisor, Robert Bosch GmbH – Stuttgart, Germany

• Students from Berlin, Bösel, Gundelfingen, Neukloster and Vechta

GrAPhIc deSIGn & lAyOuT:

• Annika Simon, in puncto druck + medien GmbH – Bonn, Germany

edITOrS:

• Isabel Bauer Metcalf – Alexandria, Virginia

• William Gilcher – Silver Springs, Maryland

• Wood Powell – Washington, DC

• Kelsey Smith – Denver, Colorado

• Sarah Yabroff – Washington, DC

PrOjecT mAnAGerS:

• Klaus Brodersen, TOP Director – Washington, DC

• Stefan Brunner, TOP Director (2006-2009) – Washington, DC

• Wood Powell, TOP Coordinator – Washington, DC

• Kelsey Smith, TOP Assistant Coordinator (2005-2009) – Washington, DC

• Sarah Yabroff, TOP Assistant Coordinator – Washington, DC

TABle Of cOnTenTS

fOcuS 1: GeOGrAPhy p. 12-33

• 1.1 Geography of Germany p. 14 • 1.2 Geography and FIFA World Cup Soccer p. 18 • 1.3 Germany: A Member of the European Union p. 20 • 1.4 German Military and International Peacekeeping p. 26 • 1.5 Four American Presidents and the Berlin Wall p. 30

fOcuS 2: SOcIeTy p. 34-59

• 2.1 Immigration and Demographic Diversity p. 36 • 2.2 Religion in a Pluralistic Society p. 42 • 2.3 Women in German Society p. 46 • 2.4 German Education System p. 50 • 2.5 Youth in Germany p. 54 • 2.6 Germanisms - German Words in the English Language p. 58

fOcuS 3: hISTOry p. 60-81

• 3.1 The Brandenburg Gate as a Witness to History p. 62 • 3.2 Collective Memory: Memorials and Monuments p. 66 • 3.3 Schwarzfahrer: A Case Study in Human Rights p. 70 • 3.4 Studying the Holocaust in Germany p. 74 • 3.5 November 9 in German History: Why Not a Holiday? p. 78 • 3.6 Germans Who Have Contributed to World Civilization p. 80

fOcuS 4: reunIfIcATIOn p. 82-105

• 4.1 Post World War II/Cold War Timeline p. 84 • 4.2 We Are the People — Peaceful Revolution in Leipzig 1989 p. 88 • 4.3 Ostalgie — Remembering Life in the GDR p. 92 • 4.4 The Stasi and Espionage in the GDR p. 100

fOcuS 5: POlITIcAl SySTem p. 106-125

• 5.1 German Post-Reunification Timeline p. 108 • 5.2 National Identity and National Symbols: Flag and National Anthem p. 112 • 5.3 The Bundestag and Germany’s Multiparty Political System p. 116 • 5.4 Comparative Study of the Political Systems in the United States and Germany p. 120

fOcuS 6: ecOnOmy p. 126-147

• 6.1 Transitioning from a Command to a Market Economy p. 128 • 6.2 Social Market Economy: Workplace and Social Services p. 130 • 6.3 The German Trade Fair: German Products p. 134 • 6.4 Apprenticeship Program (Case Studies: Robert Bosch GmbH and Deutsche Bank AG) p. 138 • 6.5 Eurozone p. 142

fOcuS 7: SuSTAInABIlITy p. 148-171

• 7.1 The Dresden Elbe Valley: UNESCO World Heritage Site Status and Economic Decision Making p. 150 • 7.2 Germany: A Model of Sustainability p. 154 • 7.3 Greening Your School: Shades of Green p. 160 • 7.4 SIEMENS: Leading the Way Toward a Low Carbon Economy p. 164

InSTrucTIOnAl GuIde cOnTenT STrucTure SummAry fOr educATOrS

Dear Educator,

The Transatlantic Outreach Program has orchestrated a ‘Grand Vision’ combing authors’ research and talents, on-site interviews, panelists’ critical advice, teachers’ and students’ feedback, and editors’ expertise. The TOP curriculum is designed to support educators and engage students!

The program’s newest instructional guides, LET’S EXPLORE MODERN GERMANY for elementary classrooms and GERMANY IN FO-CUS for secondary classrooms, are aligned with National Council for Social Studies Curriculum Standards and Common Core Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies. Embedded with elements from Understanding by Design and other models for curriculum, instruction, and assessment, Focus Areas and Lessons include instructional strategies for individual and col-laborative learning, complex thinking skills, and literacy standards: reading, writing, researching, listening, speaking, and taking actions. Focus Areas include Geography, Culture and Society, History, Reunification, Political Systems, Economy, and Sustain-ability. A summary of the key instructional components featured in GERMANY IN FOCUS are as follows:

• flexibility: Focus Areas and Lessons to enhance existing curriculum

• Standards: Lessons aligned with two types of standards: NCSS and Common Core History/Social Studies

• focus Questions: Overarching questions that frame Focus Areas and Lessons

• lesson Overviews: Descriptions of ‘Lessons in a Nutshell’

• Anticipatory Sets: Engaging ‘Hooks’ to Set the Stage

• Teacher Background Information: In-depth research of challenging and interesting content

• Instructional resource disc: Resources to support teachers and students for each lesson

• Procedures: A variety of instructional strategies, performance tasks, activities, formative assessments for students as indi-vidual and collaborative learners

• Individual and whole Group reflections: Opportunities for students to reflect on their learning with Standards, FocusQuestions, Procedures and Performance Tasks

• modifications and extensions: Rigorous standards and opportunities for each student to provide evidence of learning

We are confident that the latest instructional guides from the Transatlantic Outreach Program will help you on your journey to create a classroom learning environment that can “span continents.” Should these materials inspire you to take a workshop leadership role, then we invite you to request a copy of the TOP Toolkit for professional development. For more information on leading TOP workshops and all-expenses-paid study tours to Germany, please visit the TOP website at www.goethe.de/top.

Sincerely,

Constance Manter & Jacqueline Littlefield TOP Toolkit Authorship Team

STAndArd #1 culture. lessons: 1.2 2.1 2.2 2.4 2.5 2.6 3.6 4.3 5.2

STAndArd #2 time, continuity and change.lessons: 1.4 1.5 3.1 3.2 3.4 3.5 4.1 4.2 4.3

4.4 5.1 5.2 7.1

STAndArd #3 PeoPle, Places and environments.lessons: 1.1 1.2 1.3 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4

STAndArd #4 individual develoPment and identity.lessons: 2.5 3.3

STAndArd #5 individuals, grouPs and institutions.lessons: 2.1 2.3 2.4 2.5 3.3 6.2 6.4

STAndArd #6 Power, authority and governance.lessons: 1.3 1.4 4.2 4.4 5.1 5.3 5.4

STAndArd #7 Production, distribution and consumPtion.lessons: 6.1 6.3 6.4 6.5 7.1 7.4

STAndArd #8 science, technology and society.lessons: 7.2 7.3 7.4

STAndArd #9 global connections.lessons: 1.3 1.5 6.3 6.5 7.1 7.4

STAndArd #10 civic ideals and Practices.lessons: 2.1 4.2

nATIOnAl currIculum STAndArdS fOr SOcIAl STudIeS: ThemATIc STrAndS IndexThe lessons of this text have been aligned by the authors to the National Curriculum Standards for Social Stud-ies as revised in September 2010. Refer to the following website for an in-depth explanation of the thematic strands: www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands

cOmmOn cOre STAndArdS (ABBrevIATed) leSSOn AlIGnmenT Index

reading Standards in literacy – history / Social Studies, 6-12

Key Ideas and Details

RH/SS.1 – cite specific textual evidence to support conclusions

lessons: 2.1 3.3 3.4 3.6 7.1

RH/SS.2 – determine and summarize central ideas and themes

lessons: 1.2 1.3 2.1 2.2 2.4 3.5 5.1 5.2 7.1

RH/SS.3 – analyze text related to individuals, events or ideas

lessons: 1.5 4.3 5.2

Craft and Structure

RH/SS.4 – determine meaning of words/phrases

lessons: 2.2 2.6 3.3 4.3 7.3

RH/SS.6 – assess point of view or purpose

lessons: 2.1 3.4 4.2 5.2

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

RH/SS.7 – integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats/media

lessons: 1.3 1.5 2.3 3.2 4.4 6.3 6.4 6.5 7.2

RH/SS.8 – determine and evaluate argument specific claims validity of reasoning and evidence

lessons: 4.4

RH/SS.9 – analyze and/or compare primary/secondary source materials

lessons: 1.4 1.5 2.1 2.2 2.5 3.1 4.1 5.2 5.4

6.1 6.4 7.2 7.4

Range of Reading and Level of Complexity

RH/SS.10 – read and comprehend literary and informational texts

lessons: 5.1

writing Standards for literacy in history / Social Studies, 6-12

Text Types and Purposes

WH/SS.1 – write persuasive texts

lessons: 1.2 2.3 5.3 6.3

WH/SS.2 – write informative and explanatory texts

lessons: 1.4 2.1 3.5 3.6 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 5.25.4 6.1 7.1 7.2

WH/SS.3 – write narrative texts

lessons: 2.6 3.3

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

WH/SS.7 – conduct research based on focus question(s)

lessons: 1.3 1.4 2.1 3.1 3.3 3.6 4.1 4.3 4.45.1 5.4 6.2 6.3 6.5 7.1 7.2

WH/SS.8 – gather relevant information

lessons: 1.1 1.2 2.2 3.5 4.4 7.1 7.2 7.3

WH/SS.9 – draw evidence from literary and informational texts

lessons: 1.5 5.3 6.1 6.4 7.4

Speaking and listening for literacy in history / Social Studies, 6-12

Comprehension and Collaboration

SL.1 – prepare and participate in a range of collaborations and/or conversations

lessons: 1.4 1.5 2.2 2.4 3.6 4.1 4.2 4.3 5.16.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 7.1 7.2

SL.2 – integrate and evaluate diverse media/formats

lessons: 1.3 2.5 3.2

SL.3 – evaluate point of view, reasoning, use of evidence, or rhetoric

lessons: 1.5 3.4 4.2 5.2 5.3 6.5

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

SL.4 – present information and supporting evidence

lessons: 1.1 1.4 1.5 2.5 3.1 3.3 3.5 3.6 4.15.3 6.3 6.4 7.2 7.3

SL.5 – use multimedia components

lessons: 1.1 7.1

SL.6 – adapt speech/presentation to variety of contexts and communicative tasks

lessons: 4.1 4.3 6.5

Note:

RH/SS= Reading History/Social Studies

WH/SS= Writing History/ Social StudiesSL= Speaking and Listening

12

do you think that germany’s role in the world has changed since reunification? what are the major changes and how do you see germany’s role in the world today?

fOcuS 1 – GeOGrAPhy

Tobias (45): Yes, definitely. Role might not be the correct expression. One thing that comes to my mind right now is the perception of Germany. And there I see the question of the growing together of East and West. Will we be able to make clear to the West Germans that the Peaceful Revo-lution is part of our all-German history, like it is seen from the outside world? Only we, the Germans, have problems understanding it. With this peaceful revolution... we made clear that it is possible even to overcome dictatorships with peaceful means, that it is possible to face history... The other thing is that the tunnel vision towards Germany got broadened. So the Third Reich, WWII, and the crimes under the Nazi dictatorship got in a certain way more relative. We grew up; we have a totally different possibility to be heard

in Europe and to define ourselves as a nation... We have, through dealing with our past, the positive experience of the Peaceful Revolution and the growing together of our country, not only the ability to define and formulate certain things differently, but also to contribute again. And even this gets recognized. So, I think Germany found a new posi-tive role in Europe and in the world...

Gregor (29): Yes, of course. I think the biggest change is re-ally the military influence. Because before reunification, Ger-many was under the rule of the occupying forces and was not really allowed to act on a large scale, but now German soldiers are in Afghanistan, in Africa, and in the Balkans...

13

nina (43): Yes, I think so. ...before reunification, West Ger-many always tried to play the role of not being too pushy and being aware of the fact that they have made a lot of mistakes in the past ... after reunification we became more self-assured and as a nation - had to find a new place within the EU and in the world and also to be more active and not as passive as before....

Irmtraud (68): Yes, sure. Of course, I think again of ’89 and the Peaceful Revolution. The Germans – as people say - have finally done something reason-able, and this definitely improves the German image. And I always say this could be an example for other conflicts around the world that they can and have to be solved peacefully. I think because of the Peaceful Revolution, a to-tally different side of Germany came to the surface.

Anna (42): Of course, it did change. It changed in an as-pect that is probably more negative; now Germany is par-ticipating in more military actions. That was not the case before. On the positive side, it was a very good example ... of a peaceful revolution. ... Additionally, the country is bigger now and has more inhabitants. That’s why it also has more influence in Europe and also in the UN. So I think, the role, in general, is for the better.

daniel G (55): Yes, in many ways, e.g. the relationship to the eastern countries is different now. There are much more possibilities in economic ways and also in cul-tural terms. Besides this I’m actu-ally not very happy about the fre-quent talk of normality that quite often means we are a state that

can use its military power and be in war status like in Af-ghanistan. That’s a type of normality and a role which is not very helpful...

daniel S (44): ...Before reunification of course we were part of NATO and allies of the US, but internationally, Germans would go somewhere and say let’s talk..., but they would never take action. And I think after reunification, the German political elite and the parliamentarians realized that they could not go on like this. So the feeling that Germany has towards itself and consequently the role it has to play in the world has changed.

Gerald (42): Yes, of course, it did. It plays a more impor-tant role on the world’s stage. It’s more recognized; the other Europeans are more interested in what we are doing. ...They are very interested in the German way of life, in Ger-man history, etc. I think it changed for the better, and I hope it goes on...

FOCUS 1 – Geography

GERMANY IN FOCUS A Transatlantic Outreach Program instructional text for secondary educators

Focus 1 1.1 geography of germany

14

leSSOn OvervIew: After a review of basic geography of Germany, the students will focus on one of several projects — a brochure of one of the German Länder (states) using the fi ve themes of geography: location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, re-gions; an interactive map activity using the internet, or specialty maps created from statistical data.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:Although The National Standards: Geography for Life (developed in 1996) identifi ed six overarching geography standards as a framework for geographic instructions, many teachers still use the 1984 “fi ve themes of geography” created by the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) and the Association of American Geographers (AAG) to facilitate geographic educa-tion and provide an eff ective organizational structure for the teaching of geography. By using these themes (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, regions) as the basis for understanding geographic information, teachers can help students to gain a better appreciation of cultural and environmental changes around the world.

Germany (or offi cially, The Federal Republic of Germany) is situated in the heart of Europe surrounded by the North Sea, Den-mark, and the Baltic Sea on the north; by Poland and the Czech Republic on the east; by Austria and Switzerland on the south; and by France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands on the west. The Alps are located in the south; some of the largest European rivers – the Rhine, the Danube and the Elbe – fl ow through Germany. In area, it is the sixth largest country in Europe. Its ter-ritory encompasses roughly 357,000 square kilometers or 138,000 square miles.

German landscapes are extraordinarily varied: A plain dotted with lakes, moors, marshes, and heaths retreats from the sea (in the north) and reaches inland, where it becomes a landscape of hills crisscrossed by streams, rivers, and val-leys. These hills lead upward, gradually form-ing high plateaus and woodlands and eventu-ally culminating in the spectacular mountain ranges of the Alps. As of the mid-1990s, about 37 percent of the country’s area was arable; 17 percent consisted of meadows and pastures;

1.1 GeOGrAPhy Of GermAny

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS: • why do people decide to live where they do or move to other places?

• why is location important?

• how do people interact with the environment and what are some of the consequences of those interactions?

• what physical and other characteristics lead to the creation of regions?

• how do maps, globes, geographic tools and geospatial technologies contribute to the understanding of people, places, and environments?

STAndArd #3 PeoPle, Places and environments.


GERMANY IN FOCUS A Transatlantic Outreach Program instructional text for secondary educators

Focus 1 1.1 geography of germany

15

30 percent was forests and woodlands; and 16 percent was devoted to other uses.

Germany is a parliamentary federal republic of sixteen states or Länder. The territory of former East Germany (divided into fi ve new Länder in 1990) constitutes almost one-third of united Germany’s territory and one-fi fth of its population. After a close vote in 1993, the Bundestag, the lower house of Germany’s parliament, voted to transfer the capital and seat of government from Bonn in the west to Berlin, a city-state in the east surrounded by the Land of Brandenburg. Other major German cities are Munich, Hamburg, Bremen, Hanover, Frankfurt, Nuremburg, Stuttgart and Düsseldorf.

After reunifi cation in 1990, Germany became a founding member of the European Union. Among the nations of the EU, it has the largest population (approximately 82 million people), the world’s fourth largest economy, and is one of the largest export-ers of goods to other parts of the world.

Source:

German Information Center USA. (n.d.). Facts About Germany. Retrieved 2011, from http://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de

TIme: (2-4) 45 minute class periods

InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Germany Quiz with Answers (handouts 1.1.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Icebreaker Activity (handout 1.1.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Handout on Five Themes of Geography (handout 1.1.3 on Instructional resource disc)

• Outline Map of Germany (handout 1.1.4 on Instructional resource disc)

• “German Land Tri-fold Brochure” project (handout 1.1.5 on Instructional resource disc)

• Data Handouts (handout 1.1.6 on Instructional resource disc)

• Specialty Maps PowerPoint (PowerPoint 1.1.7 on Instructional resource disc)

• Histogram Handout (handout 1.1.8 on Instructional resource disc)

• Access to computer and internet

PrOcedure: This series of lessons presupposes a basic knowledge of the geography of Germany and builds upon this through diff erent activities which allow students to use the resources of the internet and computer software to create brochures, interactive maps, and specialty maps.

dAy 1:

AnTIcIPATOry SeT: Students should have a rudimentary comprehension of Germany and its chief physical features and principal cities. The teacher should assess their knowledge through the administration of a “fun fact” quiz (handout 1.1.1 on Instructional resource disc). The teacher might create an Icebreaker Activity (handout 1.1.2 on Instructional resource disc) by having students fi nd nine students in the class who can each answer nine diff erent questions on the geography of Germany. Teachers should also review the Five Themes of Geography (handout 1.1.3 on Instructional resource disc) by using the students’ community or state as the subject of the application. If the students need more geographic instruction the teacher should review the basics, using a wall map, individual student atlases or online maps.

dAyS 2-4:

The teacher may select from the following activities:The German Land Tri-fold Brochure (resource 1.1.5 on Instructional resource disc) requires students to complete online

Focus 1 – Geography

GERMANY IN Focus A Transatlantic outreach Program instructional text for secondary educators

Focus 1 1.1 Geography of Germany

16

research on one of the 16 German Länder. The teacher should first review the Five Themes of Geography and then explain that the students will select or be assigned one of the Länder. Their task is to use the five themes as the structure to create a tri-fold brochure. The students should complete the note-taking sheet using internet sources such as the following:

• cIA– The wOrld fAcTBOOK (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gm.html)

• fAcTS ABOuT GermAny (http://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de/en/)

• OffIcIAl POrTAl Of The federAl rePuBlIc Of GermAny (http://www.deutschland.de/en/state.html).

Another activity involves creating a Virtual Tour of Germany using Google Maps or Google Earth. Rather than assign students to complete a pencil-and-paper map of Germany, students can explore the country using this available online program. Step-by-step instructions are available on-line (http://earth.google.com/outreach/tutorials.html) and will enable the student to complete a tour of Germany. The teacher should decide the specific requirements, based on the availability of a computer lab and/or stu-dent access to the internet at home. For example, the teacher might suggest that the students plan a tour of Germany which starts in Berlin and continues to five other cities.

Specialty maps enable students to graphically represent different statistics about Germany and its Länder. The students can access the most up-to-date data on a range of topics from the Federal Statistical Office and the Statistical Offices of the Län-der: http://www.statistik-portal.de/Statistik-Portal/en/. The teacher should assign students different sets of data (handout1.1.6 on Instructional resource disc), such as Tourism, Agriculture (Harvests, Livestock, Landholdings), Bundestag Elections, Birth/Deaths, Population, Justice, Education (General Education Students, or Vocational Pupils or Higher Education), Manufacturing and Mining, etc. The teacher should use the Specialty Maps PowerPoint (PowerPoint 1.1.7 on Instructional resource disc) to explain the technique of creating a Histogram graph and then a Choropleth Map which is a thematic map in which ranked classes of some variable are depicted with shading patterns or colors for predefined zones (categories).

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • The teacher should facilitate discussion on how the brochure, maps, geographic tools and geospatial technologies contrib-

ute to their understanding of Germany and its people.

mOdIfIcATIOnS: • Instead of a tri-fold brochure, the teacher could assign the students (individually or in pairs) to create a museum exhibit on

the German Länder or a PowerPoint presentation.

• If there is no available access to a computer lab, the students could design a tour of Germany using atlases and a large outline map.

• If there is no available access to a computer lab, the creation of Specialty Maps can be done using an outline map of Ger-many depicting the Länder (Handout 1.1.4 on Instructional Resource Disc), the histogram template (Handout 1.1.8 on Instructional Resource Disc), colored markers, and statistical data (printed from the online source).

exTenSIOnS: • The designation of a Germany Day might consist of students representing different Länder and taking the students on a

“tour” of their area, sharing the information from their research creatively through skits, food demonstrations, etc.

• The design and construction of Specialty Maps can be extended to maps of the European Union and comparative/contrast-ing data of Germany and the other members of the EU.


GERMANY IN Focus A Transatlantic outreach Program instructional text for secondary educators

Focus 1 1.1 Geography of Germany

17

Source: Sections of this lesson have been adapted from the work of 2010 TOP Fellow Michael Robinson.

• Students can create a webquest of Germany for elementary students based on the five themes. This would be an excellent means to assess the students’ comprehension of the geography of Germany.


GERMANY IN FOCUS A Transatlantic Outreach Program instructional text for secondary educators18

1.2 geography and FiFa world cup soccer

leSSOn OvervIew: The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is an association governed by Swiss law founded in 1904 and based in Zurich. It has 208 member associations and its goal is the constant improvement of football (soccer). This lesson focuses on the diff erent cities that have served as venues for either the Men’s FIFA World Cup (2006) or the Women’s FIFA World Cup (2011) as a vehicle to examine the diff erent Länder in Germany. Many geographic factors impact the se-lection of cities as venues for athletic events. After locating these cities on the map of Germany and researching the his-tory, economics, etc., students should be able to discuss why these sites were selected. Students will have the opportunity to locate these cities on a map of Germany and after investi-gating each, create a promotional brochure.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:In 2006, Germany hosted the Men’s World Cup in Soccer in 12 cities. The Women’s World Cup in Soccer took place in 9 cities in 2011. Only two of the venues were the same: Berlin and Frankfurt/Main. Where are these 19 cities located? Are there any specifi c reasons why these locales might possibly have been chosen to host the tournament events? The pau-city of sites in the former East Germany has raised questions.

The FIFA website has complete information about the specifi cations of venues for the World Cup: http://www.fi fa.com

TIme: (3) 45 minute class periods

1.2 GeOGrAPhy And fIfA wOrld cuP SOccer

? fOcuS QueSTIOn: • what factors contribute to the selection of a city as a venue for an international athletic tournament?

Focus 1

InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Atlas of Germany


• Outline Map of Germany (handout 1.1.4 on Instructional resource disc)

• Trifold Brochure (handout 1.1.5 on Instructional resource disc)

STAndArd #1 culture.


GERMANY IN FOCUS A Transatlantic Outreach Program instructional text for secondary educators 19

FOCUS 1 – Geography 1.2 geography and FiFa world cup soccer Focus 1

PrOcedure: dAy 1:

• AnTIcIPATOry SeT: The teacher should direct the students to identify factors which might be taken into consideration in deciding where to build a city, a school, or any other structure which might attract people to settle or attend.

• The teacher should then show students highlights of the 2006 Men’s FIFA World Cup and the 2011 the Women’s FIFA World Cup, both of which Germany hosted. Offi cial video clips may be found on FIFA’s website, www.fi fa.com.

• The following cities were venues in 2006: Berlin, Dortmund, Frankfurt/Main, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Hanover, Kaiserslaut-ern, Cologne, Leipzig, Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart. The following cities were venues in 2011: Augsburg, Berlin, Bochum, Dresden, Frankfurt/Main, Leverkusen, Mönchengladbach, Sinsheim/Hoff enheim, and Wolfsburg.

• The students should be given the blank outline map of Germany (handout 1.1.4 on Instructional resource disc) and us-ing a political/topographic map of Germany, locate all 19 cities. They might want to use a diff erent colored pencil or marker for each date (2006 or 2011). The teacher should then discuss with the students if there is any conclusion they could draw based on the locations. (For example, only two cities in each tournament are in East Germany).

dAyS 2-3:

• The teacher should assign each student a diff erent city to investigate. The goal of this research is to create a promotional tri-fold brochure (handout 1.1.5 on Instructional resource disc) to convince Americans (and other visitors) to visit the city for the game and other attractions. They must present the history, economic livelihood, interesting buildings or sites, in-teresting facts about life in the city, etc. Where is the city located, in which Land (state)? It might be helpful for the teacher to model the brochure by creating a mock-up using the students’ hometown as an example. The students should brainstorm the general topics which they might incorporate in their brochures. Refer to the promotional brochure instructions on the next page.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • The students should share their brochures with the rest of the class. The teacher should facilitate the following discussion:

What criteria do you think the FIFA organizers in Germany used to determine which cities were used?

mOdIfIcATIOn: • Instead of a brochure, this assignment could be easily changed into a PowerPoint presentation, a promotional video, a tri-

fold exhibit board, or a travel poster or any combination.

exTenSIOn: • The teacher should direct the students to write an editorial or an OpEd piece, refl ecting on the fact that there are only a few

cities in the former East Germany which were venues for the World Cup games in 2006 and 2011.



1.3 germany: a member of the european unionFocus 1

leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson focuses on the advantages of being a nation in a united Europe and being a member of the European Union. Stu-dents will learn when and why Germany became a founding member of the organization. They will be able to recognize the 28 member countries as well as understand the basic timeline of the EU’s development and Germany’s participation. When presented with a PowerPoint that provides the basic structure of the EU and its timeline, students will be engaged in teacher-led lectures and class discussions requiring literal, visual, and interpretive level thinking. As a culminating activity, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation strategies will be used by students as they create a case study of Germany as an EU member using the PowerPoint format.

TEACHER BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Prior to this lesson students should have a general knowledge of World War II and its impact on the world. They should also have a general knowledge of the name and location of European countries. The lesson may take longer depending on the depth of their prior knowledge. The following overview coincides with the accompanying PowerPoint and may off er the teach-er additional information.

The EU has widened and deepened since its creation; it has taken steps towards closer integration at the same time as it has enlarged. The Union has grown from six members to 28 members and may continue to grow. The European Union is a unify-ing force on the European continent.

When the process of European integration began in the late 1950s, there were just six countries involved: France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. [Note: it was only West Germany, because after WWII, Germany was divided into East and West.] These countries formed the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951. Uniting these countries economically and politically helped to rebuild a war-torn Europe more quickly by consolidating resources and helping to secure peace. In 1957 they signed the Treaty of Rome establishing the European Economic Community (EEC, known commonly as the EC). The United Kingdom had refused to join the ECSC, because of its concerns about sharing sovereignty and again rejected the off er to join the EC.

1st Enlargement:The UK changed its mind and applied for membership in 1961; yet the British application was vetoed twice by France. Finally, the UK joined the EC in 1973. Ireland and Denmark also joined the EC at the same time.

1.3 GermAny: A memBer Of The eurOPeAn unIOn

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS: • what are the advantages of a united europe?

• how does it promote the concept of global interdependence?


STAndArd #6 Power, authority and governance.

STAndArd #9 global connections.



Focus 11.3 germany: a member of the european union

2nd and 3rd Enlargements:Greece (1981) and Spain and Portugal (1986) joined the Union in these two enlargement stages. Their inclusion was considered as the southern enlargement of the EU. Their motives for joining the EU had to do with further democratization and prosperity. In 1986 the European Union fl ag was unveiled with a blue background and 12 gold stars arranged in a circle. With the coming into force of the so called Maastricht Treaty in 1993, the European Community was re-chartered as the European Union (EU).

4th Enlargement:The Cold War had ended and Germany had reunifi ed. In January 1995 Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the EU. Their mo-tives for joining included less of a need for neutrality due to the end of the Cold War and the desire to participate in discussions and decisions on major political, security, and economic issues.

5th Enlargement: The countries that were previously under the infl uence of the Soviet Union wanted to join the EU following the end of the Cold War. While the EU member states were in favor of increasing relations with these countries and believed that they needed to be brought under the Union’s umbrella, there were a lot of questions about how this enlargement process would take place and which countries would/should be given priority. Hesitations on the EU side concerning eastern enlargement persisted in the early 1990s. But in June 1993, the European Council took a historic step in Copenhagen and decided that “the associated countries of central and eastern Europe that so desire shall become members of the Union. Accession will take place as soon as a country is able to assume the obligations of membership by satisfying the economic and social conditions.” 1 With this decision, any European country that wished to join the EU was promised membership. However, the Council had also decided that those countries wishing to apply for membership needed to meet certain conditions for membership. The Copenhagen Criteria (handout 1.3.6 on Instructional resource disc) stated that membership of the Union requires that a country 1) “has achieved stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities; 2) the existence of a functioning market economy, as well as the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union; 3) the ability to take on the obligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.”2 In 1994 the fi rst former Eastern bloc countries to apply for membership were Hungary and Poland followed in 1996 by eight more countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The European Commission recommended in 1997 to open accession negotiations with fi ve of these countries: Hungary, Poland, Estonia, Czech Republic, Slovenia (plus Cyprus). The European Union’s greatest enlargement came in 2004 with the entry of 10 new countries: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic, and Slovenia.

6th Enlargement: In 2007 Romania and Bulgaria enlarged the EU to 27 member states. Some experts feel this was not an actual “6th enlargement,” but a completion of the 5th enlargement.

7th Enlargement: On July 1, 2013 Croatia became the 28th member state of the EU.

Taking eff ect in 2009, the Treaty of Lisbon (handout 1.3.6 on Instructional resource disc) was the international agreement that amended two earlier treaties — the Treaty on European Union (also known as the Maastricht Treaty) and the Treaty estab-lishing the European Community (also known as the Treaty of Rome) — which comprise the constitutional basis of the Euro-pean Union (EU). It provides the EU with the legal framework and tools necessary to meet future challenges and to respond to citizens’ demands.

For more information refer to: “Europa Gateway to the Europe Union”: http://europa.eu/index_en.htm“European Union Lesson Plans: Secondary Level”: http://www.euintheus.org/resources-learning/academic-resources/eu-les-son-plans-and-teaching-material/european-union-lesson-plans-secondary-level/

1 European Commission. (n.d.). Accession Criteria. Retrieved from European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/2 European Commission. (n.d.). Accession Criteria. Retrieved from European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/


FOCUS 1 – Geography1.3 germany: a member of the european unionFocus 1

TIme:

(5-6) 45 minute periods

InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Germany and the EU PowerPoint (PowerPoint 1.3.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Political Maps of the US and Europe Worksheet (handout 1.3.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Venn Diagram of United States and Europe Worksheet (handout 1.3.3 on Instructional resource disc)

• “Time Line Exit Ticket” Worksheet (handout 1.3.4 on Instructional resource disc)

• Winston Churchill’s Zurich Speech 1946 (handout 1.3.5 on Instructional resource disc)

• Handout on the Copenhagen Criteria and the Treaty of Lisbon (handout 1.3.6 on Instructional resource disc)


PrOcedure: Prior to beginning this lesson, the teacher should require the students to complete the map worksheet (Handout 1.3.2 on Instructional Resource Disc). Students should create a key to color code the map according to the six enlargement dates. Each country’s color should correlate to its year of entry into the EU.

Ask students to use their background knowledge and the completed map to answer the following questions:

1. Why might Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands have been eager to join together in 1957? (A: Joining together helped them compensate for their small land size and improve their economic growth.)

2. What was revolutionary about the countries that joined in 2004? (A: They were all former communist states.)

3. A goal of the EU is to promote peace. Name two countries which had been war enemies in the past, yet are now working toward a common goal. (A: France and Germany, etc.)

dAy 1:

• ANTICIPATORY SET: Prior to mentioning the EU, the teacher should ask students how they would respond if they were on a vacation in Paris and a waiter asked them to identify where they were from? Would they say, “I am an American,” or “I am from (name of hometown or state),” or “I am from the US,” etc. Explain to students that this is the same question that someone from the EU must ask themselves. How is the European Union similar and diff erent from the United States? Another way to approach the subject is to ask the students to discuss the pros and cons of belonging to a group or organization. Joining a group provides one with a feeling of support, connectedness, and identity; however, in order to belong must one forfeit one’s identity?

To determine the students’ background knowledge of the European Union, the teacher should begin a class discussion by ask-ing students to answer the following basic questions:

1. Who are the members of the EU?

2. What historic event was the impetus for the creation of a united Europe?

3. Where is the general “headquarters” for the EU located?

4. When did the EU begin?

5. Why would a country wish to join the EU?

6. How can a country join the EU?


• The students should look at the political maps of the United States and Europe (Handout 1.3.2 on Instructional Re-source Disc). The teacher should inform the students that historically the US has been economically stronger than any one European country and have the students discuss why this would be true. Example answers should be: the US is greater in size than any one European country, US has greater resources than any one European country. The teacher should then ask the students to look at the physical map of Europe and point out the land mass without artificial political boundaries. The teacher should ask the students to think about what European nations could do to be more competitive with the US. The students should determine that Europe could (1) have one currency and (2) work together to combine their economic strength. During the discussion, introduce the European Union, an organization of countries or member states, that remain independent nations but work together in order to gain strength and world influence that would be unlikely otherwise. The EU has (1) reinforced peace between its members, (2) increased prosperity for its citizens, (3) created a single European cur-rency (the euro) and (4) created a frontier-free ‘single market’ where goods, people, services and capital move around freely (Adapted from How the European Union Works, European Communities, 2003). The teacher can assess the lesson by having students compare and contrast the EU with the US. Students should create a Venn diagram (Handout 1.3.3 on Instruc-tional Resource Disc) on their own paper as the teacher uses the chalk/whiteboard or SmartBoard to create the sample.

dAyS 2-3:

The teacher should present the PowerPoint on Germany and the European Union (Powerpoint 1.3.1 on Instructional Re-source Disc). During the presentation, the students should take notes. The teacher should discuss the conditions in Europe after World War II. At Slide 4, the teacher should distribute the short reading with questions on Churchill (Handout 1.3.5 on Instructional Resource Disc). When the teacher reaches the map slides, the students should compare their completed EU map (Handout 1.3.2 on Instructional Resource Disc) with the slide maps. By the end of the PowerPoint, all the EU coun-tries should be identified with their dates of admission to the EU.

As an exit activity, each student should be given the “Timeline Exit Ticket” handout (handout 1.3.4 on Instructional resource disc). This will help the teacher to determine student recall.

dAy 4:

Students will spend the class time creating a case study of Germany as a member of the EU. Some information will come from their notes, but research will be required. The class should be divided into groups so that the following slides may be created. The slides will be sent to the teacher and one PowerPoint will be made.

slide Format These are suggested topics. They may vary depending on the interest and ability of the students.

SlIdeS deScrIPTIOnSlide 1 Title slide

Slide 2 Credits

Slides 3-6 Geography: size and shape, land and water forms and resources, political boundaries, population of country, major cities, capital

Slides 7-10 Government: flag, symbols, current leader biography, and political platform

Slides 11-14 History: entry into the EU and related historic events

Slide 14-20 Economic Issues of EU: benefits, future concerns, current issues from a German perspective

Slide 21-26Identity issue? What are the restrictions when becoming an EU member (e.g. same license plates, same street sign format, etc.)

Slide 27-30 Map of the European Union. Have a picture and explanation of its parts.

Focus 11.3 germany: a member of the european unionFOCUS 1 – Geography


GERMANY IN Focus A Transatlantic outreach Program instructional text for secondary educators24

Focus 1 1.3 a member of the european union

dAyS 5-6:

Students will present their slideshows to the entire class.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOnS: • The teacher should require students to write an essay reflecting upon the activity. They should answer the questions in their

response:

° How well do you feel you worked as a team to gather information?

° How well do you feel you used the information you collected?

° How well do you feel you planned your work?

° How would you rate the quality of your work?

• The teacher should facilitate a discussion on what new information and understandings about Germany the students gained from participating in this project. What do they believe are the advantages and disadvantages in Germany’s membership in the European Union?

mOdIfIcATIOn: • Depending on student ability, the teacher may require fewer slides to be created per topic in the group slide presentation.

exTenSIOnS: • Have students research one of the following topics. They should print a hard copy of the article(s) they researched, write a

summary, and be prepared to share their knowledge and comments with the class. The teacher may organize the students using a panel format if their topics yield to this design.

° Discuss the “Top Five” roles that Germany has played throughout the EU’s history.

° Explain the process for a nation to gain entry into the EU and why a nation would choose to join.

° Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for Germany as an EU member nation.

° Identify a current EU issue and discuss how Germany has responded to the challenge.

° Predict some challenges that the EU and Germany as a member nation will face in the future

° The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union. For what reasons did the committee cite as justification for awarding the prize?

° Complete the Lisbon Treaty and Copenhagen Criteria Handout (handout 1.3.6 on Instructional resource disc)



1.4 german military and international PeacekeepingFocus 1

1.4 GermAn mIlITAry And InTernATIOnAl PeAceKeePInG

? fOcuS QueSTIOn: • Should countries that have started international confl icts in the past be allowed to have strong militaries?

leSSOn OvervIew: This learning experience actually combines several related topics: conscription and civilian service and Germany’s role in in-ternational peacekeeping, such as in Afghanistan, the Lebanese Sea border and other military interventions. Students will research and debate in class these relevant issues regarding Germany’s role as a major player in international relations.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn: For centuries, emphasis on military prowess formed the core of much of Germany’s identity. Prussia, the kingdom that even-tually unifi ed the myriad of German states into a single country in 1871, was a modern Sparta. As the French writer Voltaire observed, “Where some states have an army, the Prussian army has a state.” In the twentieth century, Germany’s defeat in two major wars has changed the mindset among the Germans. Up until 2011, The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany stated that men were obliged to serve either in the military, which they could refuse and instead do alternative civil-

ian service (Zivildienst). In the end, the length of military or civilian service was six months. However, contemporary Germans are much less militaristic than their predecessors. In 2010, the German government led by Chancellor Angela Merkel proposed the suspension of military conscription (and the companion civilian service), and the reduction of German troop numbers by a third, down to about 170,000 soldiers. The Chancellor’s proposal became law in May 2011. How diff erent the political climate in Germany is when con-trasted with the period of the 1930’s and 1940’s, when the Allied powers after World War I (in the Treaty of Versailles) forced Germany to accept an armed forces of about 100,000; the demilitarization of Germany contributed to a right-wing backlash that birthed the Nazi Party. Today, the change to volunteer armed forces raises the question of Germany’s role in international peacekeeping. Many of the NATO allies were concerned, for example, with Germany’s non-involvement in actions related to the 2011 Arab Spring in Libya.

Source: Agence France-Presse. Guttenberg Unveils Plans to Cut German Army Size, Retrieved August 23, 2010, from http://www.defensenews.com/article/20100823/DEFSECT02/8230303/Guttenberg-Unveils-Plans-Cut-German-Army-Size


STAndArd #2 time, continuity and change.



Focus 1 – Geography Focus 11.4 german military and international Peacekeeping

InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • German Military and International Peacekeeping Articles (handout 1.4.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (handout 1.4.2 on Instructional resource disc)

PrOcedure: dAy 1 :

AnTIcIPATOry SeT: The teacher should ask the students whether they believe that nations with a history of belligerence should be able to remilitarize and become part of the international peace-keeping force that often is expected in today’s volatile world. The teacher may want to use the example of Japan’s renunciation of war in its Constitution of 1949 and its self-restriction to maintaining “Self-Defense Forces” rather than armed forces. The teacher may want to use the example of NATO’s decision to become militarily involved in the revolution in Libya in the spring of 2011.

For homework the students should have read 3 of the 7 arcticles included in the German Military and International Peacekeep-ing Articles (handout 1.4.1 on Instructional resource disc) in addition to the Military Conscription excerpt in the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany Handout (handout 1.4.2 on Instructional resource disc).

Before the fi rst day of this lesson, the teacher should divide the class into two groups for the simulation that is planned. The two groups will prepare to debate on whether or not Germany should have a strong military which can become involved in peace-keeping initiatives. Connected to this topic is the future of the German military.

The students will copy the following question from the board and quietly answer in their notes:

“Should countries that have started international confl icts in the past be allowed to have strong militaries?”

The teacher should facilitate a class discussion of this “Do Now” question. Answers will vary and the teacher should make a “T” chart on the board refl ecting the various arguments.

Upon arriving in class, students will be divided into two groups. The teacher should instruct them that they are to assume the roles of members of the Bundestag and will need to convince the Chancellor (the teacher) that their side is the one that has the plan that is in the best interest of Germany and the world. The resolution they will be debating is:

ShOuld mOdern GermAny hAve A STrOnG mIlITAry InvOlved In InTernATIOnAl PeAceKeePInG And mIlI-TAry InTervenTIOn mISSIOnS?

One side will argue for the increased German military presence in international “hot-spots” such as Bosnia or Kosovo, while the other half of the class will support the idea that Germany should not be a part of any multi-national fi ghting force. Tangential, but critical to the question is the future of the German military; that is, whether it should be a conscripted army or a volunteer one. Each side will have time to work together for the duration of the period to prepare their arguments based upon their read-ings and the earlier class discussion.

dAy 2 (The deBATe):

The Teacher, in the role of Chancellor, will act as moderator for the debate, calling on students from alternating sides of the is-sue. Students may volunteer or can be called on at random by the teacher.

Some questions to be considered during the debate:1. Why is it good for Germany to send troops to international “hot-spots,” such as Bosnia or Kosovo?

2. Should modern Germany be held responsible for actions committed by an earlier generation of German leaders?

3. How should the world view modern Germany: by its history or by its future actions?

4. What has been the impact of the elimination of conscription on both the military and civilian service?



Focus 1 1.4 german military and international Peacekeeping

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • At the end of class, students will vote on the resolution, based on the debate and not on their own personal beliefs. The

teacher should facilitate a discussion based upon the results of the debate.

mOdIfIcATIOn: • Rather than combine the issue of volunteer military with Germany’s role as international peacekeeper, the teacher may want

to use this as a separate topic for discussion or debate.

exTenSIOn: • The teacher might assign an essay as a culmination to the debate on either the topic of a volunteer army or Germany’s role

in international peacekeeping, or Germany and Japan: the difference in military involvement since World War II.

Source:This lesson was adapted from the work of 2009 TOP Fellow Seth Altman.



1.5 Four american Presidents and the berlin wallFocus 1

leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson focuses on the visits of three American Presidents (Kennedy, Reagan and Clinton) as well as Barack Obama as a Presidential candidate (2008) and President (2013) to the city of Berlin and speeches each gave about the symbolic role of Berlin during the Cold War in the heart of Europe. The Berlin Wall can be viewed both as the physical representation of the divided Europe (and world) into the Democratic West and the Communist East, and also the symbol of divisive ideologies. The lesson will allow students to explore other walls in history, both physical and ideological and make connections among these. The symbolic “rebuilding” and “destruction” of the wall at the 20th anniversary commemoration serves as another reminder that there are still walls in the world today that divide people.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn: The building of the Berlin Wall in August 1961 served as a physical representation of the so-called “Iron Curtain” — the ideological divide between the Western Bloc and the Soviet Bloc. In order to fully appreciate the role of US Presidential addresses related to Berlin, the Cold War and United States foreign policy, students need to become familiar with the division of Europe after World War II, the importance of Berlin as an “island” in the heart of East Ger-many and its role as a ”battleground” of Cold War ideolo-gies. These events are detailed in a timeline which can provide the historical context. Since the fall of the Wall in 1989, there have been many articles and books on the subject. This lesson presupposes a certain familiarity with the events of the Cold War and the pivotal role of the city of Berlin.


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: Documentary on the building of the Berlin Wall: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szjFKADu69U

“Walled In!” (produced by Deutsche Welle): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwQsTzGkbiY

1.5 fOur AmerIcAn PreSIdenTS And The BerlIn wAll

? fOcuS QueSTIOn: • How are nations connected through international events?





Focus 11.5 Four american Presidents and the berlin wall

Twentieth Anniversary Commemoration of the Fall of the Berlin Wall (in German): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zCRkQFxaDc

• “Mending Wall” Poem (handout 1.5.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Timeline on the History of Berlin and the Berlin Wall (1945-1990) (handout 1.5.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Ich bin ein Berliner! Speech (handout 1.5.3 on Instructional resource disc)

• Tear Down This Wall! Speech (handout 1.5.4 on Instructional resource disc)

• Berlin is Free! Speech (handout 1.5.5 on Instructional resource disc)

• Barack Obama Speech 2008 (handout 1.5.6 on Instructional resource disc)

• Speech Analysis Worksheet (handout 1.5.7 on Instructional resource disc)

• Reagan Wall Political Cartoon (handout 1.5.8 on Instructional resource disc)

• Cartoon Analysis Worksheet (handout 1.5.9 on Instructional resource disc)

• Barack Obama Speech 2013 (handout 1.5.10 on Instructional resource disc)

PrOcedure: dAy 1:

AnTIcIPATOry SeT: The lesson should begin with the reading and discussion of American poet Robert Frost’s poem “Mend-ing Wall” (handout 1.5.1 on Instructional resource disc). After reading the poem, the teacher should ask the students to respond either verbally or in writing or with a partner to a series of questions:

1. What does the wall symbolize for the neighbor?

2. What does Frost say about the wall?

3. Evaluate the neighbor’s opinion.

4. With which opinion does nature hold and why?

5. How do walls exist between people?

6. In what ways do “walls” become metaphysical and/or symbolic in the poem?

7. Depending on the background knowledge of the students, explain the purpose of the following famous walls or barriers in history: Hadrian’s Wall, the Great Wall of China, the Maginot Line, the Bamboo Curtain, the 38th Parallel.

8. Some walls are abstractions impervious to cannon fi re or even nuclear weapons. One such wall was apartheid. What was apartheid and how and when was this wall breached?

9. What is the caste system, a type of abstract wall that has existed for centuries in India?

10. What types of walls exist between children and their parents?

After a discussion of the questions related to Robert Frost’s poem, “Mending Wall”, the teacher should introduce the impor-tance of the city of Berlin as a focal point of the Cold War and discuss the construction of the Berlin Wall in August 1961. The teacher might show (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szjFKADu69U), a 2-minute documentary on the building of the Wall or the video “Walled In!” produced by Deutsche Welle. There’s an excerpt on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwQsTzGkbiY. Eingemauert makes reference to the German-German border, so the teacher and students can grasp more and better the full dimension of the separation. The teacher might also refer to the Timeline on the History of Berlin and the Berlin Wall (1945-1990) (handout 1.5.2 on Instructional resource disc). Another recommended resource is the 24-min-ute Field Trip to Berlin DVD also off ered by the Transatlantic Outreach Program.



Focus 1 1.5 Four american Presidents and the berlin wall

dAy 2:

Students will next read and/or listen to the speeches of Presidents John F. Kennedy (1963) (handout 1.5.3 on Instructional resource disc), Ronald Reagan (1987) (handout 1.5.4 on Instructional resource disc), Bill Clinton (1994) (handout 1.5.5 on Instructional resource disc), Presidential candidate Barack Obama (2008) (handout 1.5.6 on Instructional resource disc), and President Barack Obama (2013) (handout 1.5.10 on Instructional resource disc).

1. Students should complete the Speech Analysis Worksheet (handout 1.5.7 on Instructional resource disc) adapted from the National Archives and Records Administration for written document.

2. Identify any phrases or words in these speeches which parallel Frost’s “Mending Wall”.

3. Who was the audience for each President’s speech, and what was the key message each President sent to his audience?

4. After listening to and/or reading each speech, compare and contrast the tone of each one.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • The teacher should facilitate a discussion on how each speech relates to the foreign policy of each President. How does each

speech relate to the Cold War and/or United States’ relations with Europe?

mOdIfIcATIOn: • Rather than having all the students read all five speeches, the teacher may restructure the lesson into a jigsaw cooperative

learning by creating groups of five and assigning the students to read and become experts on only one speech.

exTenSIOnS: • Students should examine the political cartoon (Handout 1.5.8 on Instructional Resource Disc) on Reagan and the Berlin

Wall and complete the Cartoon Analysis Worksheet (Handout 1.5.9 on Instructional Resource Disc) developed by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

• The teacher may want to instruct the students individually or in groups to draw a political cartoon based on one of the other Presidential speeches.

• The 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 2009 was a celebratory event attended by political figures from around the world. The teacher may want to show a program which gives some background of this symbolic “rebuild-ing” and “demolition” of the wall: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_BnLvzcWks&NR=1 and a program (in German) which captures the excitement experienced by the attendees: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zCRkQFxaDc

what do you think about the tradition of having a cross (crucifix) in many german classrooms?

fOcuS 2 – SOcIeTy

Irmtraud (68): I’m undecided in this case. I come from a

rectory, so in my father’s office there was always a cross on

the wall. When my mother was finally in a nursing home,

she took that cross with her, and it was hanging above her

bed. But if school is a place where children go, who are not

Christian, who are Muslim, who are Jewish, or total non-

believers, then I think the cross is probably in the wrong

spot. Therefore I don’t find it that necessary that there is

a cross in the classroom, except if it is a Christian school.

Then, of course, it should be. Why should there be a cross?

I think it leads to problems, but if it is taken away then I

also wouldn’t want any other religious symbols to be pres-

ent. … In fact, different religions are all expressions for the

same thing, which is needed by the people, which is de-

sired by them. So maybe we should just have the different

religious symbols next to each other ….

natalija (28): This is also a little bit difficult, because in German schools you have multicultural classes, you have kids of different religions and if you have a cross you’re al-ready saying what you are and Germany is a country with so many beliefs and so many different people and if you don’t want people wearing headscarves you shouldn’t hang your cross in the school.

monika marie (41): That’s … an old school habit. It’s am-bivalent. It doesn’t feel right to have a cross sitting in the classroom because it represents the Christian culture … but it is just one culture, one religious culture. … It does not represent everybody in the classroom. Simply for that reason it doesn’t feel right….

Stefan (44): Well, it is there because of the Christian tradi-tion not just of Germany but Europe, as well. I think Chris-

tianity is one of the decisive and most influential factors in European history and so from a historical, traditional point of view I think it is a tradition just like the church sitting in the center of many villages, towns and cities, or church towers being the highest buildings in any town. I don’t see this as a re-

ligious statement but more as a historical tradition, which as long as it doesn’t offend other people, doesn’t offend me.

nina (43): This is something I consider to be very conserva-tive or very one-sided because I feel that we should bring up and educate our children today in schools in a way that respects lots of different religions and lots of different na-tionalities and races.

Anke (43): … I think religion should not be present in school, at least not just one. If a cross, then also many other religious symbols! I don’t find it appropriate to only have a cross, least of all with today’s immigrant population … either all or none.

Tobias (45): I didn’t attend such

a school; in my school Erich Ho-

necker and the hammer and

sickle in the garland of corn, the

GDR symbols, were hanging on

the wall. Personally, I don’t have

a big problem with the cross;

I don’t see it as such a strong

symbol. … I think we would get

along in school quite well with-

out crosses. I personally don’t need a cross on the wall to be in

contact with God. And if we look at it from a theoretical point

of view and say we live in a secular country, a cross definitely

shouldn’t be on the wall. … On the other hand, if we talk about

culture, I think the cross definitely belongs, and you have to

deal with it independently from your personal religion or per-

sonal understanding of religion ….

Gerald (42): Well, that’s a political issue for me. I’m not so re-

ligious, so I think it would be better if they disappear. I would

prefer a separation of state and religion.

Anna (42): In East Germany, we had the picture of Erich Ho-

necker in the classroom, well not in every classroom but in

certain rooms in the school. I personally don’t like it because

it gives a certain direction in the education and orientation

towards a certain religion. And I would prefer a school that is

completely neutral, that gives the opportunity to develop in

different directions and not only in one. That’s why I would re-

move all these crosses. But I would also not allow any other

religious symbols in order to make the school a completely

neutral place. If you want to have some religious instruction,

you can do that inside the school in specialized rooms, but I

don’t think that you need a cross in the room to educate Chris-

tian people. There’s no relation.

FOCUS 2 – SocietyFocus 2


2.1 demographic diversity: turks

leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson focuses on the largest immigrant group to Germany in recent times, the Turks, and not only traces their history and settlement, but also explores the issues inherent in immigrants’ integration into German society. Students will read articles and write a Document Based Question based on a wide spectrum of documents.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:Like other parts of Europe in the 19th century, until the completion of German unifi cation in 1871, more people left Germany than entered the region. Millions left their homeland to seek employment either in agriculture or industry in North America, South America, and Australia. Chances are that someone in your school district is connected to German immigration; after all, 51 million Americans have some German ancestry or approximately 17% of the United States population.1

But the explosion of the Industrial Revolution at the very end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century changed Germany forever. The new mines, mills, factories and towns of the unifi ed German Empire required labor. And so, laborers came. At fi rst, large numbers of Polish workers were imported to work in steel mills and iron mines. The next wave of foreign workers, several million, was able-bodied men from Nazi Germany’s occupied territories who were forced to work in the German heavy manufacturing sector during World War II. Of course, these people never considered themselves immigrants.

Germany’s loss in World War II brought two waves of true im-migrants fl owing into the country. The fi rst wave (1945-1949) included Germans who had lived in territories that were pre-viously German (such as East Prussia or Silesia) and had been annexed by other countries (such as Poland). An estimated 12 million people arrived and settled in both East and West Ger-many. The second wave included East Germans who fl ed west between 1949 and the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961. This group was approximately 3.8 million people. A new group con-sisted of the many people of German ancestry who had left in the centuries before and now faced persecution in some of the countries. Among these groups were so-called “Russian or Polish Germans.” Between 1950 and 1987 approximately 1.4 million ar-rived; between 1988 and 2005 another 3 million immigrated to

1 United States Census Bureau (n.d) S0201 Selected Population Profile in the United States 2006-2008 data. Retrieved August 31, 2012 from: http://www.census.gov/#1

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• how does a nation adjust to changing demographics as the result of increased immigration?

• can one become a naturalized citizen of a nation?

2.1 demOGrAPhIc dIverSITy: TurKS


STAndArd #5 individuals, grouPs and institutions.

STAndArd #10 civic ideals and Practices.

FOCUS 2 – Society Focus 2


? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• how does a nation adjust to changing demographics as the result of increased immigration?

• can one become a naturalized citizen of a nation?


Germany. Another group came with the explosion in the German economy in the 1950s, which generated a huge demand for labor. Foreigners entered the country to work in mines and factories. Most signifi cantly, many of the “Guest Workers” (Gastarbe-iter) came from Turkey. For the fi rst time, Germany experienced an infl ux of people who were Muslim.2

The German government that recruited foreign workers did not intend for them to stay in the country indefi nitely. In fact, the bilateral recruitment agreements that Germany signed with Italy (1955), Spain (1960), Greece (1960), Turkey (1961), Portugal (1964), and Yugoslavia (1968), required that the “Guest Workers” were to come to Germany without their families for a period of only two years. Extensive plans were not made to assimilate the “Guest Workers,” or to make them citizens. They were called Ausländer (“foreigners”) and were expected to remain so.

However, things did not go as planned. In 1960, the number of foreigners was 686,000, or 1.2 percent of the total German popu-lation. The most populous of the so-called Ausländer were Italians. After the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, foreigners increased in terms of both numbers and their share of the labor force. The number of foreigners quickly jumped to four million, and their share of the population reached 6.7 percent of Germany’s total population. By 1973, the most important country of origin was no longer Italy but rather Turkey, which accounted for 23 percent of all foreigners. Other countries of origin included Yugoslavia (17 percent), Italy (16 percent), Greece (10 percent), and Spain (7 percent).3

More importantly, a signifi cant change had occurred in the behavior of the workers. By the 1970s, many of the “foreigners” had sent for their wives and families. Moreover, a new generation of theoretically non-German children was born in Germany in the 1960s. The “Guest Workers” had made Germany home.

The demand for foreign workers subsided in 1973 when Germany entered a period of economic recession as a result of the oil crisis. The government banned the recruitment of foreign workers and began to grapple with its large migrant population. In 1988, the 4.5 million foreigners in Germany accounted for 7.3 percent of the population as a whole. Some 1.6 million of them were wage- and salary-earners; another 140,000 were self-employed.4 But even though recruitment subsided for a while, peri-ods of economic growth attracted even more immigrants. Second and third generations of children added to the number of “immigrants into Germany.”

After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the demise of the Soviet Union and its satellites, Jews from this area were allowed to im-migrate to Germany because of discrimination in their home countries. In addition, many Auslandsdeutsche or Spätaussiedler (emigrants) also “returned” to Germany. Some spoke German; many did not. Besides these groups, refugees from former Yugo-slavia entered Germany.

Since the 1960s, East Germany also called for foreign workers, so-called Vertragsarbeiter (Contract Workers). For this purpose, the GDR signed agreements with other socialist countries, among them Poland (1965), Hungary (1967), Mozambique (1979) and Vietnam (1980). In the beginning, apprenticeship programs and further education were the focus. Later on, the aim of the recruitment was to deal with a labor shortage. But unlike West Germany, East Germany paid much attention to limiting the time of foreigners working in the country. Integration into society was discouraged. By the end of 1989, approximately 190,000 foreigners were living in the GDR. Among them were about 90,000 contract workers. Of these, 60,000 were from Vietnam.5

In 2003, the number of legally resident foreigners in Germany was 7.3 million, which comprised 8.9 percent of the total popula-tion. This was, by far, the greatest percentage in the history of the country. Even though Germany was not seen as a nation of immigrants, its non-citizen population was comparable to that of the United States of America. And the largest group was the 1.9 million Turkish citizens, of whom 654,000 were born in Germany. About 25 percent of the total foreign population was from countries of the European Union, and an additional 55 percent came from other western and eastern European countries like Norway, Switzerland, Russia, Ukraine, and Hungary. Overall, 80 percent of the foreigners came from Europe, while almost 12 percent were Asians. Now, Germany faced the problem of what to do with its new population. 6

2 Focus Migration (n.d) Retrieved September 2012 from: http://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de/de/gesellschaft/main-content-08/migration-und-integration.html3 Migration Policy Institute (n.d) Migration Information Source. Retrieved September 2012 from: http://www.migrationinformation.org/Profiles/display.cfm?ID=2354 Migration Policy Institute (n.d) Migration Information Source. Retrieved September 2012 from: http://www.migrationinformation.org/Profiles/display.cfm?ID=2355 Focus Migration (n.d) Retrieved September 2012 from: http://www.bpb.de/gesellschaft/migration/dossier-migration/56368/migrationspolitik-in-der-ddr?p=16 Migration Policy Institute (n.d) Migration Information Source. Retrieved September 2012 from: http://www.migrationinformation.org/Profiles/display.cfm?ID=235




For most of its history, Germany (or the regions that comprised it) had very diff erent laws governing citizenship than those of the United States of America.

From the beginnings as a nation, the United States has allowed people to become citizens in two ways, by birth, or by natu-ralization. To become a citizen by birth, all someone had to do was be born on American soil or in an American territory and have that birth registered. In theory, a baby born on an airplane fl ying over the United States was eligible to claim United States citizenship.

Even for people not born on US soil, however, the path to citizenship is clear. Persons can apply to become naturalized US Citi-zens if they live in the country for fi ve consecutive years, are over the age of 18, don’t have a criminal record, and can pass a citi-zenship test that requires some knowledge of English, the U.S. Constitution, and the principles of participating in the politics of the Republic. People who serve honorably in the country’s armed forces can become citizens in as little as a year. The fi ve-year requirement can also be reduced in cases where applicants are elderly or facing political persecution in their native country.

The relative ease of becoming a US Citizen compared to the process in other nations is one reason why, over the last 20 years, an average of 500,000 people a year swear the citizenship oath. 7

In contrast, until recently, Germany didn’t have one single rule for how people became citizens. Because Germany was divided into separate states until 1871, the rules in diff erent states could be quite diff erent. Areas that wanted to increase their popula-tion made it possible for foreigners to become citizens.

In 1913, however, a united Germany adopted a very diff erent vision of citizenship from that of the United States. In the United States, as explained above, geography and desire were the keys to citizenship. Behind the laws was a clear message that, es-pecially when the United States was a new country with a comparatively small population and a lot of land, immigrants were desired. In Germany, it wasn’t geography that mattered but “blood,” and culture. That is to say, Germany granted citizenship to people who could prove they had German parents, grandparents or any kind of ethnic German roots. However, it did not create provisions for naturalization. To put this in concrete terms, a 16-year-old girl born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1910 whose grandparents had emigrated from Germany 60 years before could apply and get German citizenship. On the other hand, a Pol-ish steelworker who had been working in German mines for 30 years could not.

During the many decades when few large groups of foreigners moved to Germany and millions of former Germans lived elsewhere, this ancestry-based rule did not become a major issue in the country. But by 2000, Germany had become a very dif-ferent place. More than seven million people now lived in Germany who had not been born there. But the situation was even more complex for those born in Germany of foreigners; these people had been born in Germany, grown up in Germany, never lived anywhere but Germany, spoke German as their fi rst language and had no plans to leave Germany. And yet, by law, they could not become German citizens. No matter the degree of their “German-ness,” they were still offi cially Ausländer.

In 1999, the German Government, led by Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, a member of the Social Democratic political party, rewrote the terms of German citizenship. Declaring, “Germany is an immigrant nation,” Schroeder made it possible for foreigners and the children of foreigners living in Germany to become citizens.

For a full discussion of the history of modern German immigration, teachers may wish to check the Migration Policy Institute (http://www.migrationpolicy.org/). A parallel German resource (bilingual) is Focus Migration, and can be found at http://www.focus-migration.de/7 Migration Policy Institute. (2009). Number of Immigrants Who Became US Citizens, 1907 and 2009. Retrieved September 2012 from: http://www.migrationinformation.org/datahub/charts/historic.2.shtml





InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Immigration and Citizenship Requirements (handout 2.1.1 on the Instructional resource disc)

• Statistics Review (handout 2.1.2 on the Instructional resource disc)

• Kate Backman Articles (No Place to Call Home) and (Seeking Acceptance) (handout 2.1.3 on the Instructional resource disc)

• Document Based Question (DBQ) (handout 2.1.4 on the Instructional resource disc)

• Extension Activity: German-Turkish Rappers (handout 2.1.5 on the Instructional resource disc)

PrOcedure: dAy 1:

Anticipatory Set: The teacher should present the following statement for the students to evaluate: “All religions are just as good as each other, as long as the people who practice them are honest, and even if Turks … came and wanted to populate this country, then we would build mosques … for them” — Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, 1740, written as part of a proclamation welcoming Catholics to Prussia and guaranteeing them religious tolerance.8 This might lead to a discussion of immigration to the United States and some of the issues that result from growing pluralism in any society. Lesson 3.3 on the fi lm Schwarzfahrer addresses the same theme.

After introducing the Anticipatory Set and having a discussion on the challenges of increased pluralism, the teacher should distribute Immigration and Citizenship Requirements (handout 2.1.1 on Instructional resource disc) which consists of three documents: A description of the requirements for becoming a US Citizen, a description of the old requirements for be-coming a German Citizen, and a description of the new requirements for becoming a German Citizen, passed in late 1999. The teacher should instruct the students to work with a partner and compare and contrast the three documents. Why are German requirements for citizenship stricter than US requirements? Why did they become less strict in 2000? The teacher should ask the students to speculate on what requirements they would include if they were going to draft their own set of requirements for citizenship in a nation. What would they include and why?8 Clark, C. (2006). The Iron Kingdom. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

dAy 2:

The teacher should distribute the Statistics Review (handout 2.1.2 on Instructional resource disc) for students to use to answer the following questions:

1. What is the most signifi cant diff erence between German immigration between 1850-1950 and 1950-2010?

2. How has immigration in Germany become more like immigration in the United States over time?

3. In what ways does it remain diff erent?

The teacher should introduce the immigration of the Turks to Germany and provide historical background so that the students fully comprehend the impact on Germany society. As a basis for comparison and contrast the teacher should ask the students which group in American society would demographically be similar. The teacher should then ask the students to examine the remaining data and answer the following questions:

1. In your opinion, is the following statement fair: “In the United States, the face of the newcomer looks Latino and in Germany the face of the newcomer looks Turkish?” Support your answer with an explanation.

2. Based on your study of immigration so far, why do you think a greater percentage of immigrants became naturalized citizens in the United States than in Germany?

The teacher should assign two articles by Kate Backman on Turks in Germany, “No Place to Call Home” and “Seeking Acceptance” (handout 2.1.3 on the Instructional resource disc). The students should take notes on the readings, which can be used in the assignment for the next day.




dAyS 3-4:

The focus of this lesson is a Document Based Question (DBQ) (handout 2.1.4 on the Instructional resource disc) on wheth-er Germany has become a genuine “immigrant nation” for Turkish-Germans. The teacher might want to review the key points of the assigned articles as a way of summarizing the information from the previous two classes and as a segue into the DBQ essay. The teacher should introduce the concept of an immigrant nation by using the poem, “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus, which is at the base of the Statue of Liberty. The teacher should solicit from students their ideas before providing a definition of immigrant nation meaning more than foreigners coming to a country. It implies that newcomers will be able to make a home in their country. It suggests that natives will accept them, laws and officials will be fair, and that talent and hard work will be rewarded.

The teacher should distribute the Document Based Question assignment and have the students read the documents and prepare the answer to the question: Has Germany become a genuine “nation of immigrants” for its largest ethnic minority, the Turks? The teacher may want the students to write the essay in class or as a homework exercise.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • The teacher should facilitate a discussion on the experience of the Turks in Germany and how German society has accom-

modated the large number over the past fifty plus years. In the course of discussion, comparisons to the experience of Latin Americans to the United States could be usefully included.

mOdIfIcATIOn: • In each segment of this lesson, the teacher may wish to substitute group for individual assignments. Rather than a DBQ es-

say, students could create PowerPoint presentations or video programs to demonstrate their understanding of the issues.

exTenSIOnS: • Over the past 20 years, German-Turkish musicians, filmmakers, artists, actors, and performers have gained increasing audi-

ences, recognition and respect both in Germany and internationally. Many of these successful artists base their creations around the hardships, prejudice, and confusion over identity faced by Turkish-Germans. The stories they tell are often not happy ones. This creates a paradox. The teacher may distribute the Extension Activity: German-Turkish Rappers (handout 2.1.5 on the Instructional resource disc). What do the lyrics of Turkish rappers tell you about how they see themselves and their status in Germany? How is the social experience of people of Turkish descent in Germany similar to the experiences of immigrants to the United States (for example, those from Mexico and Central or South America)? How is it different? How, if at all, is the social experience of people of Turkish descent in Germany changing over time?

• “Breaking Down Barriers” is a documentary comparing and contrasting the experiences of a Mexican-American family in Lincoln, Nebraska with a Turkish-German family in Berlin. It is an award-winning film produced in 2007 by students in the College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Teachers may wish to show this film to stimulate a discussion of different immigrant experiences in the United States and Germany. In order to obtain the film, contact Tim Anderson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications, Anderson Hall 147, Lincoln NE 68588-0443

• Films by Turkish-German directors often focus on the experiences of the Turkish immigrant experience. Students may wish to research the films of these directors, especially Fatih Akin.

• Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Germany has experienced the immigration of many people from Eastern and Southeastern Europe. The teacher may assign the students to research and report on these groups. Where are they from? Where in Germany have they settled? Have these groups encountered special issues?

FOCUS 2 – Society FOCUS 2



Sources:

This lesson was written by Curriculum Consultant and teacher, Neal Shultz and adopted by the authors for use in this text.

United States Census Bureau (n.d) S0201 Selected Population Profile in the United States 2006-2008 data. Retrieved August 31, 2012 from: http://www.census.gov/#

Focus Migration (n.d) Retrieved September 2012 from: http://www.focus-migration.de/

Migration Policy Institute (n.d) Migration Information Source. Retrieved September 2012 from: http://www.migrationinformation.org/Profiles/display.cfm?ID=235

Migration Policy Institute. (2009). Number of Immigrants Who Became US Citizens, 1907 and 2009. Retrieved September 2012 from: http://www.migra-tioninformation.org/datahub/charts/historic.2.shtml

Clark, C. (2006). The Iron Kingdom. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.



2.2 religion in a Pluralistic society

leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson will focus on the practice of religion in Germany today. After reviewing the provisions of the Basic Law regarding religion, students will read about the growth of Islam and Judaism in Germany in the last sixty years and discuss the impact of pluralism on religion in German society. They will have the opportunity to do research about religions and present their fi nd-ings in a creative project.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:Religion has always played a major role in German history. The actions of Martin Luther, a Roman Catholic monk from Witten-berg, resulted in the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century and splintered powerful Christianity in Europe. Today al-most two-thirds of Germany’s population claim affi liation with either Roman Catholicism or the Protestant Evangelical Church. In 2005 the Conclave of Cardinals elected Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, a German, as head of the Roman Catholic Church for the fi rst time in 482 years as Pope Benedict XVI. However, growing pluralism and increasing secularization typify the religious land-scape in Germany.

Islam is the largest minority religion in Germany. There are almost four million Muslims. It has gained importance through migration. The large majority of Muslims in Germany are of Turkish origin, followed by smaller groups from southeast Europe, the Mid-dle East and Central Asia. Although there has been a Muslim population since the 18th century, the ma-jor infl ux resulted from the “guest worker” program of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. Before World War II, over one-half million Jews lived in Germany; fol-lowing the Holocaust only a few thousand returned. Since the fall of the Soviet Union and its satellites in the 1990’s, Jewish immigration has resulted in grow-ing numbers, ranging from ultra-orthodox to reform congregations. Statistics vary on the exact number of Jews who live in Germany. In 2009, the Central Coun-cil of Jews in Germany reported that 120,000 people were members of Jewish communities in Germany,

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• The study of culture prepares students to ask and answer questions such as: what is culture?

• what roles does culture play in human and societal development?

• how is unity developed within and among cultures?

• what is the role of diversity, and how is it maintained within a culture?

• what is the role of religion in a society?

• how does culture change over time to accommodate diff erent religions and beliefs?

2.2 relIGIOn In A PlurAlISTIc SOcIeTy




? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• The study of culture prepares students to ask and answer questions such as: what is culture?

• what roles does culture play in human and societal development?

• how is unity developed within and among cultures?

• what is the role of diversity, and how is it maintained within a culture?

• what is the role of religion in a society?

• how does culture change over time to accommodate diff erent religions and beliefs?


and that about 220,000 Jews had emigrated to Germany from eastern Europe in the previous twenty years.1 Perhaps due to the legacy of communist rule and offi cial GDR advancement of an atheistic world-view in eastern Germany, both religious obser-vance and affi liation seem to be lower there than in the rest of the nation.

Germany’s Basic Law guarantees that “freedom of faith and of conscience, and freedom to profess a religious or philosophical creed, shall be inviolable.” There is no state religion, but the state and religious communities cooperate on a basis of partnership. For example, the government contributes fi nancially to denominational kindergartens and schools that are run by the religious communities. The religious communities levy a tax on members. This tax, collected by the state and commonly referred to as the “church tax” or Kirchensteuer, is used to fund personnel, administration, social services, and other expenses.1 (2009). Central Council of Jews in Germany. Retrieved September 1, 2012 from: http://www.zentralratdjuden.de/de/article/2646.html.


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • German Basic Law Handout (handout 2.2.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Religion in Germany Information Packet (handout 2.2.2 on the Instructional resource disc)

• Socratic Seminar (handout 2.2.3 on Instructional resource disc)

• Living Side by Side and Assessing Religion Articles (handout 2.2.4 on Instructional resource disc)

• Religion in Germany Cube Project (handout 2.2.5 on Instructional resource disc)

• Germans Wary as Mosque Rises in Cologne Article (handout 2.2.6 on Instructional resource disc)

PrOcedure: note: The topic of religion can be a controversial one in many schools. The purpose of this lesson is to teach about the basic religious groups that co-exist in contemporary German society, not any religious doctrine.

dAy 1:

Anticipatory Set: The teacher should ask the students about the Constitutional provisions regarding religious practice in the United States. What does the separation of church and state mean? How many religious groups are represented in their com-munity? In their school? Are the schools closed for religious holidays?

Next, the teacher should introduce the subject of religion in Germans. The teacher should review and distribute the appropriate articles of the Basic Law (handout 2.2.1 on Instructional resource disc), and the Religion in Germany Information Packet (handout 2.2.2 on the Instructional resource disc). The students should review the included information. The major activity of the lesson will be a Socratic Seminar based on the careful reading of two articles by Joel Gehringer, a journalism student at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln: “Living Side by Side” and “Assessing Religion: Measures of Involvement Diff er from those of US” (handout 2.2.4 on Instructional resource disc). The teacher should distribute the articles and ask the students to begin a careful reading in class and to complete the assignment for homework. If the teacher is not familiar with a Socratic Seminar, there are numerous websites that describe the purposes, the procedures, scoring rubrics, etc. As the students read the articles, they should underline signifi cant lines or passages and also write down open-ended questions that can serve as a ticket to participate in the Seminar in the next class period. The teacher should review the methodology of a Socratic Seminar (handout 2.2.3 on Instructional resource disc) with the students, so they can begin immediately the next day.

dAy 2:

The teacher should serve as the facilitator for a Socratic Seminar on Religion in Germany (handout 2.2.3 on Instructional resource disc) based upon the students’ reading of the two companion articles by Joel Gehringer. The teacher should collect




the questions which the students have submitted and should be prepared with some to lead off the discussion. Some sug-gestions are:

• “What is the role of religion in contemporary society?”

• “How has religion changed in Germany in the past twenty-five years?”

• “Can Christians, Muslims and Jews co-exist in Germany?”

• “Do Christians and Jews in Germany see Islam as both a social and political power? As a cultural or ideological threat?”

• “Is there a real separation of church and state in Germany?”

• “Do German religious groups have any special responsibility to respond to international social issues given their country’s history in the 20th century?”

dAy 3:

The teacher should ask the students to assess the Socratic Seminar of the previous day and to summarize the salient points of the discussion. Can the students reach any consensus on the role of religion in German society? As a follow-up assignment to bring closure to the topic, the students should complete the Religion in Germany Cube Project (handout 2.2.5 on Instruc-tional resource disc). This is a creative way to illustrate religion in Germany today: on each face of the cube, the students should concentrate on a different facet: Basic Law, Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Judaism, atheism. There can be many variations.

Sources:

German Information Center USA. (n.d.). Facts About Germany. Retrieved 2011, from http://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de/en/society/con-tent/background/churches-and-religious-communities.html

(2009). Central Council of Jews in Germany. Retrieved September 1, 2012 from: http://www.zentralratdjuden.de/de/article/2646.html.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • Having completed the Socratic Seminar and completed the Religion in Germany Cube Project (handout 2.2.5 on Instruc-

tional resource disc) (with its prerequisite research), the teacher should pose the following question for discussion: Now that we have studied the diversity of religions in contemporary Germany in the context of religious freedom guaranteed in the Basic Law, should the German school calendar be changed to eliminate school closings based on Christian holidays?

mOdIfIcATIOnS: • Rather than the Religions in Germany Cube assignment, the teacher may substitute an individual or group PowerPoint as-

signment or a poster assignment. If the Socratic Seminar is not a viable strategy for the class, then the teacher may substitute reading the articles and answering teacher-generated questions.

• Another question that the teacher might wish to introduce for discussion is, “Should the German Bundestag pass legislation (as the French did) to regulate religious dress (i.e. clothing associated with religious observance) in public?”

exTenSIOn: • The teacher may assign students research projects on the growth of Neo-Nazism, antisemitism and Islamophobia in Ger-

many and actions to combat these hate-movements. The final product could take the form of an essay, oral presenta-tion, PowerPoint presentation, dramatization, etc. The teacher might direct the students to research the current status of mosques in Cologne, after reading the article Germans Wary as Mosque Rises in Cologne from the Christian Science Monitor (handout 2.2.6 on Instructional resource disc) or to the website for the Dresden-based Network for Democracy and Courage (http://www.netzwerk-courage.de)



2.3 women in german society

leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson focuses on the lives of women in Germany. Historically, as in the United States, gender roles dictated women as caregivers and men as providers. Students will read articles, conduct research, and view a PowerPoint to help them answer the following: What impact does tradition have on German women of the 21st century? How have the lives of women changed in the last 75 years? How do the obstacles that women faced “yesterday” compare with those of today? Do women share the same rights and privileges as men? If an increase in the birthrate will help the economy of Germany, what can be done to encourage women to have more children, and is this right?

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:A woman’s role in German society was traditionally circumscribed by the three “K” words: Kinder (children), Kirche (church), and Küche (kitchen). As in other nations, such as Great Britain and the United States, women have slowly gained equal rights in the 20th century. In 1919 they received the right to vote. Although the Nazi period reaffi rmed the traditional woman’s role as wife and mother, during World War II, some women assumed positions traditionally held by men.

In West Germany, the Basic Law of 1949 (article 3.2) indicates that “Men and women shall have equal rights,” but it was not until 1957 that the civil code was amended to conform to this statement. After World War II, despite the severe shortage of young men that made marriage impossible for many women, tra-ditional marriage once again became society’s ideal. Employment and social welfare programs remained predicated on the male breadwinner model. Even in the early 1950s, women could be dismissed from the civil service when they married. Women resumed the traditional role as homemakers and mothers and largely with-drew from employment outside the home. West Germany relied on “Guest Workers” and refugees from the GDR to fi ll the ranks of needed employ-ees. In East Germany, however, women remained in the workforce. The Soviet-style system man-dated women’s participation in the economy, and the GDR implemented this key objective by opening up educational and vocational oppor-tunities to women. To permit women to be both mothers and workers, the government provided an extensive system of social supports, such as a highly developed day-care network for children.1

1 Women in German Society. (n.d.). Retrieved July 2011, from German Culture: http://www.germanculture.com.ua/library/facts/bl_women.htm

? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• how have governments and other institutions had an impact on the social and economic lives of women (and men)?

2.3 wOmen In GermAn SOcIeTy




? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• how have governments and other institutions had an impact on the social and economic lives of women (and men)?


In the late 20th century and early 21st century, Germany has made signifi cant progress regarding equal rights for women. For example, girls outperform boys in schools. At grammar schools they account for 56 percent of graduates; the share of young women embarking on higher education totals almost 50 percent, and 42 percent of doctorates are awarded to women. More women are embarking on careers, but the glass ceiling remains regarding salaries and women in executive positions. The Gen-eral Equal Treatment Act was passed in August 2006 to comply with European Union guidelines; the law includes pledges to make it easier to more eff ectively prosecute discrimination against women in the workplace. The EU has called on Germany to adopt such legislation for years.

The reunifi cation of Germany in 1990 has resulted in the greater desirability for women to enter the labor force, but one of the major impediments has been the paucity of childcare facilities and kindergartens for young children. In addition, the length of the primary school day needs to be adjusted to meet the increase in working parents, or additional afterschool programs also need to grow. Since 2007 there has been a government-sponsored parental support program, and mostly women have used the program, although it applies to both parents.

Women are far more strongly established in politics than in the top echelons of business. In the SPD and CDU, the two main political parties, almost every third and fourth member, respectively, is female. The rise in the proportion of women in the Bund-estag has also grown: in 1980 women comprised only eight percent of all members of parliament, the fi gure now (2009-2013) is closer to 32%. Angela Merkel was elected the fi rst female German Chancellor in 2005.

Parent leave polices have an important impact on gender equality both in the workplace and with respect to child care policies. In a study of 21 countries on the eff ects of parental leave policies, Germany ranked 3rd after France and Spain for two parent families. According to this study, Germany came in 2nd with married women taking paid leaves, whereas it ranked 12th with fathers taking paid parental leaves.2

2 R. Ray, J. Gornick, J. Schmitt, Ray, Rebecca (2009) Parent Leave Policies in 21 Countries: Assessing Generosity and Gender Equality. Center for Economic and Policy Research, Washington, DC.


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Changing Lives of Women Charts- US and Germany (handout 2.3.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Redefi ning Their Role Article and Questions (handout 2.3.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• In Germany, a Traditions Falls, and Women Rise Article (handout 2.3.3 on Instructional resource disc)

• The Losers of Unifi cation Article (handout 2.3.4 on Instructional resource disc)

• An Everyday Story Painting (Powerpoint 2.3.5 on Instructional resource disc)

• Women in German Society Powerpoint (Powerpoint 2.3.6 on Instructional resource disc)

• Role Playing Tickets Template (handout 2.3.7 on Instructional resource disc)

PrOcedure: dAy 1:

Anticipatory Set: Prior to discussing the changing lives of women in Germany, the teacher should facilitate a discussion of the changing lives of women in the US over the past 75 years. The teacher may conduct a straw poll of the class asking how many students have mothers/fathers who work, grandmothers/grandfathers or great-grandmothers/great-grandfathers (if known) who work(ed). The students should begin to fi ll out Part 1 of the Changing Lives of Women Chart (US) (handout 2.3.1 on Instructional resource disc) as much as possible using prior knowledge. If there is Internet access, the teacher may want to allow students to conduct further research. (Note: Sample answers are provided as well as websites.) The teacher may want to




divide the class into small groups to allow more personal discussions to be held. Perhaps the students could share personal stories. Each group should have a spokesperson to share their groups’ findings. The teacher should have students file this paper for future reference.

Next, the teacher should project the slide of Christoph Wetzel’s 1988 painting, An Everyday Story (Powerpoint 2.3.5 on Instruc-tional resource disc). Using the photograph analysis steps developed by the National Archives, the teacher should guide the students through an oral discussion of the piece.

Step 1: Observation – Study the artwork for 2 minutes. Form an overall impression and then examine individual items. Next, divide the piece into quadrants and study each section to see what new details become visible. Then, list people, objects, and activities in the scene.

Step 2: Inference – Based on what you have observed above, list three things you might infer from this visual.

Step 3: Questions – What questions does this visual raise in your mind? Where could you find answers to them?

It will be interesting to see if the students will connect this painting to the GDR (former East Germany), or if they will think it is a current depiction of a mother from the US. The teacher should share the description of the painting, setting the stage for the homework assignment. If time allows the teacher may lead the students in a discussion after sharing the following:

In Christoph Wetzel’s 1988 painting, An Everyday Story, the divided canvas proudly depicts women’s accomplishments in the German Democratic Republic. On one side, a woman operates a large piece of heavy machinery in a rolling mill, cool and competent behind the enormous mass of metal and gears. On the other side, the same woman helps her two children prepare for school in the morning. In the act of combing her daughter’s hair, she looks out directly at the viewer, her expression asking: “And why are you surprised?” This painting, displayed as part of a 1995 exposition on art commissioned by government agen-cies in the GDR, graphically displays that government’s ideological commitment to women’s paid labor, especially in jobs that, in capitalist societies, are often thought to be inappropriate for women.3

For homework, the teacher should distribute the article, Redefining Their Roles by Tiffany Lee (handout 2.3.2 on Instructional resource disc) and assign the questions.

dAy 2:

The teacher should ask the students to share their answers from the homework reading. As students share their findings, they should fill in the Changing Lives of Women Chart – Germany (Part 2 of handout 2.3.1). As a modification, the teacher may show the Women in German Society Powerpoint (PowerPoint 2.3.6 on Instructional resource disc) today rather than Day 4, as an introduction to the topic of women’s roles.

dAy 3:

The teacher should divide the class into two groups and assign each group one of two articles. Each student should be given an individual copy of either: In Germany, a Tradition Falls, and Women Rise, by Katrin Bennhold (handout 2.3.3 on Instructional resource disc) or The Losers of Unification: In Some Cases Maybe Communism Was Not Such A Bad Idea by Henry Rehn (handout 2.3.4 on Instructional resource disc). As a team, students should read their assigned article and be able to compare and summarize the information they have already recorded. Any new details should be added to their charts. Each group should then share its findings with the class.

dAy 4:

As a modification, the teacher may (1) show the Women in German Society Powerpoint (PowerPoint 2.3.6 on Instructional resource disc) as a summation of what the students have learned, (2) conduct the Whole Group Reflection, or (3) using the information gathered from the articles discussed on Day 3, the teacher will facilitate a full class discussion on how the parental leave policy has had an impact on both men and women.

3 Elizabeth H. Tobin and Jennifer Gibson, “The Meanings of Labor: East German Women’s Work in the Transition from Nazism to Communism”, Central European History, Vol. 28, No. 3 (1995), pg. 301.

FOCUS 2 – Society FOCUS 2



Sources:

German Information Center USA. (n.d.). Retrieved 2011, from http://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de/en/society/main-content-08/women-and-men-in-working-life.html

Women in German Society. (n.d.). Retrieved July 2011, from German Culture: http://www.germanculture.com.ua/library/facts/bl_women.htm

R. Ray, J. Gornick, J. Schmitt, Ray, Rebecca (2009) Parent Leave Policies in 21 Countries: Assessing Generosity and Gender Equality. Center for Economic and Policy Research, Washington, DC.

Elizabeth H. Tobin and Jennifer Gibson, “The Meanings of Labor: East German Women’s Work in the Transition from Nazism to Communism”, Central European History, Vol. 28, No. 3 (1995), pg. 301.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • As a class discussion or in essay form, have students respond to the question: What similarities/differences can be seen be-

tween the roles of American and German women of the 21st century?

• Students may write a persuasive essay stating what steps Germany should take in regards to women’s rights in order to retain its leadership role in Europe and the world arena.

mOdIfIcATIOn: • The teacher may show the Women in German Society Powerpoint (PowerPoint 2.3.6 on Instructional resource disc)

prior to the activities as an introduction or as a summation of what the students will/have learned. The “Question” slides offer the teacher an opportunity to access students’ prior knowledge, and recall his/her ability to synthesize learned knowledge.

exTenSIOnS: • In pairs, students may write a dialogue between a former East German and former West German woman after 1990 to dis-

cuss their views on their situations.

• In pairs, have a husband and wife discuss the impact on their family life of the paid family leave or the extended school day.

• Write an essay discussing the far-reaching impact of reforms such as the extended school day and paid parental leave that have and will have an effect on the lives of German women.

• Students will role-play a meeting between the government and its constituents. To allow each student to participate, the teacher will need to monitor the time each group is engaged. For the first round, the teacher will give ten students a ticket (handout 2.3.7 on Instructional resource disc) indicating their role:

° Five representing government- 1 chancellor, 1 from the Social Democratic Party (SPD), 1 from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), 1 from the Green Party, and 1 from Die Linke

° Five representing the German people: 1 German Turk, 2 former East Germans, 2 former West Germans

To begin the dialogue between the two groups, the teacher should propose the questions:

1. What do you think is right/wrong with our current policies dealing with women in the workforce?

2. Related to women’s rights, what suggestions do you have that will help Germany remain a major leader in Europe and the world?



2.4 german education system

leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson is focused on the educational system of Germany and in particular, the organization of schools to meet the needs of the society. The students will be able to compare their school setting with that of contemporaries in diff erent parts of Germany. They will read about the challenges that German students face in their schools and the diff erent paths that students may follow in their education, either culminating in attending a university, or vocational school, or preparing for a career through an ap-prenticeship program. They will have the opportunity to participate in a simulation that will highlight the diff erences between education in Germany and that of the United States.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:Like all nations of the world, Germany is challenged by meeting higher stan-dards so that its students can be more competitive in international measures of performance, such as the PISA stud-ies (http://www.oecd.org/pisa/). As Germany experiences an increased plu-ralism, the educational program, which, like the United States is the responsibil-ity of each the sixteen federal states, has had to undergo changes to meet greater diversity. In addition, as a mem-ber of the European Union, Germany is required to alter its educational pro-gram to meet EU criteria. Other Nations have been critical of the decision that students and their families must make early (as early as the 4th grade) in a Ger-man student’s career as to which of the traditional three-tiered secondary schools the student will attend, which, in many cases, will determine his/her future. School-reform may alter this traditional structure and institute a system with greater egalitarian-ism and fl exibility. Before beginning this lesson, the teacher may want to become more familiar with the German educational system by reading the German Education Instructional Resources (handout 2.4.4 on Instructional resource disc) and the German Education System PowerPoint (PowerPoint 2.4.2 on Instructional resource disc), some of which may be used with the students.

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Secondary Education

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Grundschule (Elementary School)

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Simplified Structure of the German School System

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• how does a nation prepare its children for the future?

• what skills and knowledge are necessary to become active citizens in an ever-changing interdependent global society?

• how are schools organized to meet the needs of a society?

2.4 GermAn educATIOn SySTem





? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• how does a nation prepare its children for the future?

• what skills and knowledge are necessary to become active citizens in an ever-changing interdependent global society?

• how are schools organized to meet the needs of a society?



InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Model Timetables - Berlin, Schwerin and Freiburg (handout 2.4.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• The German Education System PowerPoint (PowerPoint 2.4.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Teacher PowerPoint Resource: The German Education System (handout 2.4.3 on Instructional resource disc)

• German Education Instructional Resources (handout 2.4.4 on Instructional resource disc)

• Failing Grade: Three-Tiered System Hinders Turk’s Success Article (handout 2.4.5 on Instructional resource disc)

PrOcedure: dAy 1:

Anticipatory Set: Students should highlight their school experiences. Since they are immersed in the life of an American high school student, they will use their own experiences as a frame of reference in this lesson. The teacher might give the students the following direction: if you had to describe the American school system, what are three features that stand out?

Next, the teacher should introduce the German education system by sharing the weekly schedule/timetables of Gymnasium students in Berlin, Schwerin and Freiburg (handout 2.4.1 on Instructional resource disc) and asking them to compare and contrast the subjects and frequency of instruction with their own schedules. Next, the teacher should point out that these are students in a Gymnasium and that there are other “tiers.” The teacher should either show parts of the German Education System PowerPoint (PowerPoint 2.4.2 on Instructional resource disc) or distribute the German Education Instructional Resources (handout 2.4.4 on Instructional resource disc) and discuss the other school tiers (Hauptschule and Realschule). Students should refl ect on the diff erent system and discuss how it is similar and diff erent from their own educational program. The teacher might want to ask students to participate in a role-play activity as a twelve year old German and his/her parents plan-ning the students’ educational future. How would this be diff erent from a similar conversation between the American student and his/her parents?

For homework, the teacher should assign Failing Grade: Three-Tiered System Hinders Turks’ Success by Kateylyn Kerkhove (hand-out 2.4.5 on Instructional resource disc).

dAy 2:

Using the homework reading as a starting point, the teacher should facilitate a discussion of the challenges that German edu-cation faces and relate this to the problems of American education, too. Who else has diffi culties in schools in Germany and the United States besides immigrant populations and at-risk students?

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • The teacher should ask the students to summarize the challenges in German and American schools today and propose ways

to improve schools to better prepare students to become productive citizens.




exTenSIOnS: • Another approach would be to focus on student life in German high schools and share the following information for discus-

sion:

° Every Bundesland has its own school system (as each state has its own system in the US).

° Most subjects (except PE, art, sciences, music and the subjects which are taught in courses, like French) are taught in the pupils’ own classroom (similar to a “home room”); the pupils stay in their room whilst the teachers move from class to class.

° In German state schools, class periods are exactly 45 minutes. Each subject is usually taught for two to three periods every week (main subjects like mathematics, German or foreign languages are taught for four to six periods) and usually no more than two periods consecutively. Exams (which are always supervised) are usually essays, rather than multiple choice.

° At every type of school, students study one world language, usually for at least five years. In the Gymnasium, they will study other languages, too.

° Schools in Germany usually do not have sports teams. Students join community sports clubs to compete athletically.

° All secondary students in Germany are required to take a religion or ethics class each year.

° In-class technology is not as widespread as in the United States.

° At the end of their schooling, Gymnasium students take a cumulative written and oral examination called the Abitur. This exam in four key subjects, serves as both a high school exit and college entrance exam.

• Students could prepare a multi-media presentation comparing/contrasting aspects of the German and American high school experiences.

• Through the Transatlantic Outreach Program (TOP), the teacher may inquire about ways to connect with a German high school and begin a cross-cultural dialogue either using video conferencing or social networking software.



2.5 youth in germany

leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson investigates what the youth in Germany are thinking and doing. Using primary source documents written by Ger-man students, YouTube clips, and current music lyrics, students will explore their interests (e.g. music, sports, socio-politics, and religion). What are the attitudes toward family, peer groups, discrimination, and relationships? How are the rites of passage handled, e.g. driving, drinking, dating, etc.? Who are their heroes? Students will then compare and contrast their lives in the United States with their German counterparts. The purpose of this lesson is to help American adolescent students to overcome possible stereotypes and increase intercultural awareness of their German peers.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:Contemporary youth culture is both unique to a nation and region as well as universal. High school students in diff erent communities in Germany were asked to re-spond to the question: “What does it mean to be Ger-man?” (handouts 2.5.1 and 2.5.2). These students live in Berlin, the capital, Bösel and Vechta in the northwest, Gundelfi ngen in the southwest corner near the Black Forest and Schwerin, a city in former East Germany near the Baltic Sea. These locations range from urban to suburban to rural settings.

These students attend Gymnasium or Realschule; both are types of secondary schools in Germany (refer to Lesson 2.4). The Realschule off ers a broader, more general education that is vocationally oriented. The Gymnasium is designed to provide students with an education that will help them pass their fi nal exam, the Abitur, allowing them to study (usually tuition free) at a German university. The students receive intensive, specialized instruction to prepare them for academic work at a high level.


? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• Is there a universal youth culture?

• Are there unique societal factors that would distinguish youth from one country to another?

2.5 yOuTh In GermAny


STAndArd #4 individual develoPment and identity.




? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• Is there a universal youth culture?

• Are there unique societal factors that would distinguish youth from one country to another?


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • German Students’ Responses: What does it mean to be German? What is Germany? Whom do you admire in Germany today?

(handout 2.5.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• German Students’ Responses: What do I do in my free time? (handout 2.5.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Youth Today: Comparison/Contrast Chart (handout 2.5.3 on Instructional resource disc)

• Music Lyrics and Links (handout 2.5.4 on Instructional resource disc)

• Access to Internet (YouTube)

PrOcedure: dAy 1:

Anticipatory Set: The teacher should ask the students to write a short essay in which they answer the question, “What does it mean to be American?” The teacher may refer to the Youth Today: Comparison/Contrast Chart (handout 2.5.3 on Instruc-tional resource disc) that lists topics that may be suggested to students before they write their pieces. As students share their thoughts during a class discussion, the teacher should project the chart and fi ll in the categories as students share their comments. Students should also have a hardcopy to fi ll in the chart over the next few days. Perhaps more/diff erent topics will be added.

Next, the teacher should distribute the handout, German Students’ Responses: What does it mean to be German? What is Ger-many? Whom do you admire in Germany today? (handout 2.5.1 on Instructional resource disc). Depending on the class size, the teacher could divide students into pairs giving each a diff erent set of student responses. The teacher should follow the same procedure with the handout, German Students’ Responses: What do I do in my free time? (handout 2.5.2 on Instruc-tional resource disc).

As students analyze the comments, they should attempt to fi ll in the Germany column of the Youth Today: Comparison/Con-trast Chart (handout 2.5.3 on Instructional resource disc) and share their fi ndings with the class. Students should compare the columns. Are there any common denominator(s) between the two groups?

dAy 2:

The lyrics of the music to which students listen, most often deal with issues they fi nd important and to which they can relate. Students should listen and watch music videos of German bands through the links provided on the handout Music Lyrics and Links (handout 2.5.4 on Instructional resource disc); the teacher should either project the lyrics or distribute them to students in hard copy (handout 2.5.4). After each song, the class should discuss what German youth fi nd important; they should continue fi lling in the chart. Note: The teacher may choose to view 2-3 of the music videos listed on the handout Music Lyrics and Links (handout 2.5.4 on Instructional resource disc). Previewing is essential as some of these music videos may have content that could be controversial.

dAy 3:

To learn more about German students, divide the class into 3 groups. Students will rotate through 3 “centers” gathering more data to add to their chart. Allow 15 minutes per center.

Center 1: Students will access the following site for more details. Meet the Germans: http://www.goethe.de/ins/gb/lp/prj/mtg/typ/enindex.htm

Center 2: Students will access the following site for more details. Youth in Germany: http://www.goethe.de/ges/soz/dos/jug/enindex.htm

Center 3: Using the Internet, allow students to research the legal drinking age in Germany and the age when Germans receive their driver’s license.




whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • As a culminating activity, pairs of students should write and perform a 2-3 minute dialogue between an American and Ger-

man student discussing one similarity and one difference of their culture. They should use the data gathered on the Youth Today: Comparison/Contrast Chart (handout 2.5.3 on Instructional resource disc). Each pair needs to display an 8x10 sign with symbols indicating either a similarity or a difference between their cultures. The sign should be displayed during their presentation.

mOdIfIcATIOn: • Students may write an essay (1) comparing/contrasting their lives as an American youth with a German youth, or (2) describ-

ing how their lives would be different/similar if they lived in Germany.

exTenSIOnS: • The teacher may wish to show the students a website and initiative (Step Into German) produced by the Goethe-Institut as

part of the annual contest to promote learning German among North American students. The theme for 2011 was “Mad About Music: Young Rock in Germany.” The webpage is http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/saf/prj/sig/enindex.htm

• Students always enjoy “meeting” peers from other countries. Videoconferencing and “Skyping” are outstanding means to link American and German classes. To continue their interest in learning more about German students, the teacher may want to try to find a German teacher who is willing to collaborate. For assistance in making the connection with a teacher in Ger-many, contact the Transatlantic Outreach Program (TOP) office in Washington, DC: http://www.goethe.de/top.

• If there is a German exchange student in the high school, the student might be invited to share his/her reflections on the similarities and differences in youth culture in the United States and Germany.



2.6 germanisms/german words in the english language

leSSOn OvervIew: In order to understand the concept of cultural diff usion, students will study words in the English language which derive from German loanwords or eponyms. They will have the opportunity to create stories and other activities to illustrate their under-standing of these words.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:Language, like many aspects of culture, is not static; it does not consist of a fi nite collection of words. In fact, new words and expressions continuously come into use as a result of the interaction of peoples. In the eighteenth century, the German

poet Goethe said, “He who doesn’t know foreign languages, doesn’t know his own.” (Wer fremde Sprachen nicht kennt, weiß auch nichts von sei-ner eigenen). If one studies the etymology of the English language (the origin and history of words), one may discover that there are many English words which are loanwords, that is, words that are borrowed from other languages, including German. These words have become a natural part of everyday English vocabulary. Words that are German in origin may be regard-ed as “Germanisms”, and words that are based on the names of German people or places are called German eponyms.

Here are a few examples of loanwords and ep-onyms derived from German: Young children attend a Kindergarten (children’s garden). When a person sneezes and you say, Gesundheit you are wishing that person (good) “health.” When something is broken, it’s kaputt (kaput). Psychologists speak of Angst (fear or anxiety) and Gestalt (form) psychology. Musical works can have a Leitmotiv. Zeitgeist refers to the “spirit of the times.” Something that appeals to popular or lowbrow taste and may be of poor quality is referred to as kitsch. The addition of the German prefi x über (meaning over, above, or beyond) with English words, such as ubercool or ubercharming, often denotes a tone of sarcasm. Sometimes words such as schadenfreude are used in English, because there are no real English equivalents – these words are idiomatic.

TIme: (1) 45 minute class period


2.6 GermAnISmS-GermAn wOrdS In The enGlISh lAnGuAGe

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS: • What is cultural diff usion?

• How is it refl ected in language?



2.6 germanisms/german words in the english language

InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • German Loanwords (handout 2.6.1 on Instructional resource disc)

PrOcedure: ANTICIPATORY SET: The teacher should introduce the concept of cultural diff usion as a component of the geographic theme of “movement” and ask the students to generate a “word wall” of examples of cultural diff usion in our society. (Examples may include food such as tacos or spaghetti, or sports such as karate or judo).

• Next, the teacher should introduce the concept of cultural diff usion as it relates to the etymology of English words. The teacher should defi ne loanword and eponym.

• The teacher should distribute the list of aforementioned “Germanisms” in English and ask the students to review the words and identify how many they already know. Are there any categories that these words fall into?

• As a class exercise, the teacher should distribute the Loanwords Worksheet (handout 1.6.1 on Instructional resource disc) that defi nes some “Germanisms”.

• For homework, the teacher should assign the writing of a story using as many “Germanisms” as possible.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • The teacher should facilitate a discussion on how the study of German loanwords illustrates the concept of cultural diff usion.

mOdIfIcATIOn: • Rather than assign the writing of a short story, the teacher might expand the assignment by allowing the students the

option of other written expression: letter, postcard, bumper stickers, tourism advertisement, etc. Or, the teacher may allow other forms of expression (graphic/visual, musical, kinesthetic, artistic, etc.). Example: the students might compose and per-form a rap song based on the list of words.

exTenSIOnS: • The teacher may assign the students to write skits that include “Germanisms” or create and fi lm their own videoed programs.

• As a language extension, the students may research the Top 10 German phrases they would need to learn, practice, and use when traveling in Germany.

do you have a problem calling yourself german?

fOcuS 3 – HISTORY

nora (28): In what way a problem? When I was abroad

and I said I was German I noticed that people definite-

ly reacted differently to me than other people who said

they were Spanish or whatever. I always felt that it’s a

privilege to be from Germany because Germany is a

democratic country, it’s a well-developed place, you

have lots of opportunities, and you have a state sup-

porting you if you’re in trouble…. I don’t think I have a

problem saying I’m German. I would have had a couple of

years ago because of the stereotypes of Germans being

cold and distanced, or not being very flexible, and bor-ing. That was something I totally agreed with. But then going abroad and meeting people from other countries and living in other countries made me see it’s not true...

Stefan (44): No, not anymore because we’re now in the year 2011and I basically think that whatever problematic times may have taken place in history, more than three generations ago, is a long period of time by historical

standards...

ulrich (78): Yes, because of the history…. I consider the

national histories of Europe to be very sad, and that’s why

I’m always a bit sceptical when I’m asked about the ‘germa-

ness’…. Since Napoleon, national wars destroyed Europe

(the Second World War in particular). So I’m always scepti-

cal towards nationalist thinking.

nina (43): I don’t think so, no. I’m aware of the problems

involved with the word German and being German and

the German history, but for me I never had difficulties say-

ing that I am German and that I am from Germany. I’m not

ashamed of it...

juliane (39): Yes, it’s definitely a problem. But I think this is

just because I was born in the GDR and that country, the

one I once identified with, doesn’t exist anymore. This is

indeed Germany nowadays, but it’s still a little strange, it’s

still a weird feeling...

Anke (43): No. In the past, at the end of my high school

time, it was a problem, but nowadays I see the advantag-

es and disadvantages of

being German. For me,

depending on which

country I am in, it’s some-

times more of a problem

to say that I come from

an industrialized country

than saying I’m German.

In the past it was a prob-

lem because I had to

develop a stance on the

German history. When I

think back, as a teenager

I felt totally ashamed be-

cause of my country. It is still an unpleasant history, but I

don’t feel directly guilty anymore. Back then when we went

through that part of history in class, I felt really guilty, but

now it’s only a national guilt. My country did those things,

I understand it, but I don’t feel personally guilty anymore.

monika marie (41): No, not at all. To be German is a

very complex phenomenon and I can live very well with

this complexity of a very mixed past that is filled with

various positive and negative, light and dark sides and

have no problem with calling myself German. 20 years

back maybe it was a little more difficult. Or I would

feel more shame maybe or would be more hesitant to

say I’m German, but nowadays it’s no problem at all.

christa (60): No I don’t.

I’m proud of it, because I

was born here, I live here,

my friends are here, my

family is here, my ances-

tors come from Germany

and because I’m used to

it. I suppose it doesn’t

matter where you live.

If it’s France or Italy, you

say you’re proud of were

you live because of the

friends and family.

FOCUS 3 – HistoryFocus 3


3.1 the brandenburg gate as a witness to history

leSSOn OvervIew: Students will study visual documents (historical paintings, photographs and artifacts) that focus on the Brandenburg Gate as an example of a city landmark and as a means of comprehending important events in modern German history. By examining images of the Brandenburg Gate and its surrounding areas (for example: Unter den Linden and Pariser Platz) students in groups will have the opportunity to refl ect on the diff erent events that have occurred near this landmark.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:Designed by Carl Gotthard Langhans, the Branden-burg Gate was built between 1788 and 1791 at the behest of the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm II. Al-though it is now situated in the center of Berlin, it was originally one of several gateways through the city’s tariff wall. A quadriga, or horse-drawn chariot, by sculptor Johann Gottfried Schadow was added in 1793. Driving the quadriga is a fi gure that was initially conceptualized as Eirene, the goddess of peace. Napoleon took the statuary to France after his army defeated the Prussians in 1806, and then in the aftermath of the Wars of Liberation, the quad-riga returned to Berlin in 1814. An iron cross and Prussian eagle created by Karl Friedrich Schinkel was added to the sculpture at this time, and the goddess at its crest transformed into Victoria, a symbol of victory. Upon the quadriga’s reinstalla-tion, the square in front of the Brandenburg Gate was renamed Pariser Platz in honor of a victorious Prussian battle near Paris. In 1933 the National Socialists marched through the gate in a martial torch parade, introducing a totalitarian chapter of German history that ultimately left the city destroyed and the country divided. By 1945, the gate was in poor repair and the quadriga lay in ruins. Located in the border strip between East and West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, the Brandenburg Gate represented a divided Germany. Since reunifi cation, the gate has been restored to its landmark status. Note: The teacher might want to view the Transatlantic Outreach Program (TOP) DVD Field Trip to Berlin for background information on the city of Berlin. Available at www.goethe.de/top


? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• how are the values of a city refl ected in its buildings and public sites? • In what ways are city landmarks witnesses to history?

3.1 The BrAndenBurG GATe AS A wITneSS TO hISTOry


FOCUS 3 – History Focus 3


? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• how are the values of a city refl ected in its buildings and public sites? • In what ways are city landmarks witnesses to history?


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurce: • Brandenburg Gate PowerPoint (PowerPoint 3.1.1 on Instructional resource disc)

PrOcedure: dAyS 1-2:

• Anticipatory Set: How might buildings and other public sites in the students’ community refl ect the values and history of the community? The teacher should begin with several chronological pictures of a local landmark so that students can analyze how it might have changed and/or remained the same over time.

• The teacher should inform the students that the Brandenburg Gate can serve as a witness to history so that the students will better understand certain events in modern German history as well as the role of landmarks in a city. This lesson requires students to research the historical context of some of the visuals. Students may need access to text materials and/or the In-ternet in order to complete this lesson. The teacher should remind students that there is no right or wrong answer to some of these questions, and that there may be disagreements within groups over the interpretations of the images.

• Divide the class into groups of three or four. Distribute three to four diff erent images of historical paintings, photographs and/or artifacts to each group found on the Brandenburg Gate PowerPoint (PowerPoint 3.1.1 on Instructional resource disc). Groups can either work with images from a single time period (pre-1920, 1920s-1940s, post-World War II) or with a mixture of images from all three. The teacher should instruct students to:

1. Study each photograph, historical painting, and/or artifact for 2-3 minutes. Form an overall impression of the image and then examine its individual parts. Next, divide the image into quadrants and analyze each section in order to see what new details become visible.

2. Respond to the following questions:

• What do you observe in the image? If there are people in it, who are they and what are they doing? Examining the Brandenburg Gate itself, what do you see?

• How old is the image? When was it created?

• What historical event is depicted in the image? How has the Brandenburg Gate been a witness to history?

3. List the questions you had after examining each image.

dAyS 2-3:

• Each group should present its visuals to the class, providing a brief summary of the historical event depicted and an ex-planation of how the event is connected to the Brandenburg Gate. The teacher should facilitate the ensuing discussion, soliciting students’ refl ections on how the Brandenburg Gate has been a witness to history.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • What events in German history are connected to the Brandenburg Gate? How are city landmarks tied to history and social

values?

mOdIfIcATIOn: • Rather than work in small groups, students may complete the assignment alone or in pairs. If this modifi cation is used, the

teacher may divide students into small groups after the research phase and have them discuss their fi ndings before initiat-ing the whole group refl ection.

FOCUS 3 – HistoryFOCUS 3



exTenSIOnS: • Students may be assigned to research and write a brief essay on one of the following topics related to this lesson:

° the classical architectural models for the Brandenburg Gate and the quadriga

° Carl Gotthard Langhans

° Prussia’s role in the Napoleonic Wars

° the Wars of German Unification

° the uses of the Zeppelin

° the Berlin Olympics of 1936

° the Soviet invasion of Berlin in 1945

° the division of Berlin by the Allied Powers

° the June 17, 1953 Uprising in the GDR

° the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961

° the fall of the Wall in November 1989

° the reunification of Berlin

° the restoration of the Brandenburg Gate and the quadriga

• Students may select another example of public art/architecture in Berlin, research and prepare a PowerPoint presentation. Examples from which to select include: the Reichstag Building, the Neues Synagogue, the Berliner Dom, Unter den Linden Boulevard.

• Teachers might want to show excerpts from Das Brandenburger Tor, a film by Beate Schubert (in English), a New Media Com-munication production (www.n-m-c.tv) (80 minutes in length). This film uses historic paintings, scenes from German feature films, and documentary footage to trace German history from the perspective of the Brandenburg Gate.

Sources: Klimm, W.C. (Producer), & Schubert, B. (Director). (2004). The Brandenburg Gate: Central Stage of German History (Das Brandenburger Tor: Zentraler Schauplatz deutscher Geschichte). [Documentary]. Germany: Zebra. Available on DVD from http://www.amazon.de

Transatlantic Outreach Program (TOP), Goethe-Institut Washington (Producer), Manter, C. & Vautour, F. (Authors) Field Trip to Berlin: Instructional Guide for grades 6-12. [DVD]. Available from http://www.goethe.de/top



3.2 collective memory: memorials and monuments

leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson focuses on the ways in which monuments and memorials refl ect a society’s values and history. After the students have researched the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, they will have the opportunity to design their own memo-rial to commemorate this event.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:Collective memory is a memory or memories shared or recollected by a group, as a community or culture. We must understand that cultures are not stagnant, and that they are constantly reevaluating and remaking themselves and their pasts. One way people remember the past is by building monuments or memorials. Monuments are in-tentional and purposeful creations designed to provide a bridge to the past, to lives, and to events.

Throughout Germany there are many memorials and monuments that refl ect the collective memory of the Ger-man people. Some are buildings, such as the Palace of Frederick the Great, Sans Souci in Potsdam (near Berlin); others are as simple as the rose-colored Litfaß column on Rosenstraße dedicated to the demonstration of the German women protesting the arrest of their Jewish husbands or the bust of Sophie Scholl with the White Rose placed each day in a vase in the classroom building at the University of Munich — the memorial to the White Rose Resistance Movement during World War II.

A memorial helps people understand why an event or person was signifi cant. The creation of a memorial often stimulates pub-lic debate, because individuals and groups have diff erent views of the events, people, or ideas to be memorialized. Memorials may take the form of concrete monuments, historic buildings, or even locations. Memorial design refl ects the point of view, values and perspectives of the artist, as well as a society’s collective memory.

Traditional monuments focus on courage in war or battle or on an individual who made a diff erence in society. Since memorials refl ect the memorial designer’s own zeitgeist, they have become more abstract over the past few decades. If the purpose of a monument or memorial is to keep memories alive, does the type of public art used, realistic vs. abstract, matter?


? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• what can we learn about a society’s values and history from the memorials and monuments it constructs? • how do memorials and monuments refl ect the ways in which a society acknowledges and remembers its past?

3.2 cOllecTIve memOry: memOrIAlS And mOnumenTS




? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• what can we learn about a society’s values and history from the memorials and monuments it constructs? • how do memorials and monuments refl ect the ways in which a society acknowledges and remembers its past?


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Call for Submissions: The Fall of the Wall Memorial Project (handout 3.2.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Memorials and Monuments PowerPoint (PowerPoint 3.2.2 on Instructional resource disc)


• Anticipatory Set: Divide students into small groups and provide them with a list of memorials and monuments in their country’s capital. Alternatively, the teacher may direct students to these websites:

° Canada: http://www.ottawa.worldweb.com/SightsAttractions/MemorialsMonuments/

° USA: http://dc.about.com/cs/sightseeing/a/Monuments.htm

• Ask student groups to discuss the following questions:

1. What periods of our country’s history are represented?

2. What types of events and/or people are kept alive in the nation’s memory?

3. Why do you think these events and/or people are remembered by the whole country?

4. What other events and/or people might someday have their own monument or memorial in the capital? Explain your answers.

• After introducing the term “collective memory,” the instructor should direct the following question to the whole class: What do the memorials and monuments in our capital say about our values and history?

• Ask students to get back into groups and to begin working on the assignment Call for Submissions: The Fall of the Wall Me-morial Project (handout 3.2.1 on Instructional resource disc).

dAyS 2-3:

• Ask student groups to complete the assignment Call for Submissions: The Fall of the Wall Memorial Project (handout 3.2.1 on Instructional resource disc).

• Once groups have fi nished, ask them to present their proposals to the class. As the other members of the class listen, they should use the questions below in order to critique each submission:

1. What is the memorial’s design? Is it realistic or abstract? Describe it.

2. Where is the memorial located, and what is the relationship of the site to the event?

3. What are your feelings when you view the memorial?

4. How eff ective is the memorial in conveying the fall of the Berlin Wall?

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • Designing an appropriate memorial is a complicated process. What aspects of the design did the members of your groups

agree upon? Where did your opinions diff er?

mOdIfIcATIOn: • The teacher may assign each group to design a Fall of the Wall memorial for diff erent audiences or at diff erent locations. This

lesson should lend itself to participation by students who are visual learners and thinkers.




exTenSIOnS: • Ask students to read and discuss excerpts from James E. Young’s The Texture of Memory: Holocaust Memorials and Meaning.

• Show the Memorials and Monuments PowerPoint (PowerPoint 3.2.2 on Instructional resource disc). Then ask students to choose a memorial or monument and to research the event or subject it commemorates. Afterward, they should use the questions from the group discussion to form a critique of their chosen subject:

1. What is the memorial/monument’s design? Is it realistic or abstract? Describe it.

2. Where is the memorial located, and what is the relationship of the site to the event?

3. What are your feelings when you view the memorial/monument?

4. How effective is the memorial/monument in conveying the event and/or person that inspired it?

Sources:

Young, J. E. (1993). The Texture of Memory: Holocaust Memorials and Meaning. New Haven: Yale University Press.

This lesson has been adapted from the work of 2008 TOP Fellow Jacqueline Littlefield.



3.3 schwarzfahrer: a case study in human rights

leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson focuses on human rights using the Academy Award-winning short fi lm Schwarzfahrer as the basis of the study. Germany’s increasingly pluralistic society has resulted in the need for greater sensitivity in accepting cultural and racial diff er-ences. This fi lm allows for open discussion and should serve as a vehicle for the examination of biases and their outcomes in our own society.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:Schwarzfahrer (1993) is a thought-provoking short fi lm about xenophobia by German director Pepe Danquart. It won several awards at fi lm festivals along with the Academy Award for Best Short Film (Live Action) in 1994. Through a simple everyday scene—a group of people riding a tram in Berlin—we are intro-duced to the complex themes of diversity and racism. The ma-jor exponent of racial prejudice is an elderly woman who com-plains out loud and at length about a black passenger who has taken the seat beside her. The silence of the other passengers leaves her opinions uncontested. When a conductor boards the tram to check passengers’ tickets, the black man grabs his neighbor’s ticket and eats it. The woman must then get off the tram with the conductor, who issues her a fi ne.

In German, the word ‘Schwarzfahrer’ refers to a fare-dodger, or someone who travels by public transportation without a ticket. Literally, ‘Schwarz-fahrer’ also means ‘black rider,’ and hence the title forms a pun that deepens the fi lm’s theme.


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Schwarzfahrer is available for viewing with English subtitles at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFQXcv1k9OM

• Viewing Activity Worksheet (handout 3.3.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Transcript of the fi lm (handout 3.3.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Post-Viewing Questions (handout 3.3.3 on Instructional resource disc)

• An Imaginary Foreigner Strike in Berlin, a poem by Aras Ören (handout 3.3.4 on Instructional resource disc)

? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• why do some people choose to stand up for victims of discrimination, whereas others do not?

3.3 SchwArZfAhrer: A cASe STudy In humAn rIGhTS

STAndArd #4 individual develoPment and identity.




? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• why do some people choose to stand up for victims of discrimination, whereas others do not?



• Anticipatory Set: The teacher should direct the students, either in small groups, with a partner, or as an entire class, to discuss the following questions:

1. What is meant by a “diverse” or “multicultural” society?

2. Do students from diff erent countries attend your school?

3. What religions and ethnic groups are represented in your school and/or community?

4. What countries did your ancestors live in? When did they come to the United States?

• Before showing the fi lm Schwarzfahrer, the teacher should distribute these questions for the students to refl ect upon while watching the fi lm:

1. Who is riding the tram? What diff erent age, ethnic and socioeconomic groups are represented?

2. What is the eff ect of a black-and-white (rather than color) fi lm? How does this format add to the theme?

3. How does the fi lmmaker use sound (music, human sounds, silence) to underline the theme?

• Immediately after the fi lm, the teacher should instruct the students to make a list of the stereotypes and clichés used by the elderly woman. The teacher may want to distribute the Transcript of the fi lm (handout 3.3.2 on Instructional resource disc) to the students, especially if the students have had diffi culty reading the subtitles. The teacher may want to stress to students that the woman’s monologue is off ensive and explain the connotations of certain words and phrases, i.e., that “Hottentotten” is not interchangeable with “Afrodeutsche” or “schwarze Deutsche.” In addition, the teacher may want to use the Viewing Activity Worksheet (handout 3.3.1 on Instructional resource disc), which lists the major passengers on the tram.

dAy 2:

• The teacher should facilitate a discussion of students’ observations and reactions to the fi lm Schwarzfahrer. The teacher may want to use the Post-Viewing Questions (handout 3.3.3 on Instructional resource disc) to elicit student responses.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • Have you or a friend or relative ever been the victim of discrimination? How did you react? If other people saw what hap-

pened, what did they do and say? Have you or a friend or relative ever prejudged another person based on that person’s race, religion or ethnic group? Are the themes of this German fi lm applicable to people living in the United States?

mOdIfIcATIOnS: • Students act out a new scene in which the tram passengers do or say something in response to the elderly woman’s com-

ments about the black rider.

• Students rewrite the ending of the movie, starting at the point where the conductor boards the tram.

exTenSIOnS: • Discuss the poem An Imaginary Foreigner Strike in Berlin (Ein imaginärer Ausländer-Generalstreik in Berlin) by Turkish−German

poet Aras Ören (handout 3.3.4 on Instructional resource disc).

° Before students read the poem, the teacher should ask the following questions:

1. Does your community have foreign workers? In what occupations?

2. What are these workers’ country of origin?

3. Are these foreign workers welcomed? Unwelcomed? Necessary? Unwanted? Why?




° Read the poem.

° Ask students to look back at the poem and compile a list of the tasks that were left undone during the foreign worker strike. Using this list, students should then create a second list of the jobs performed by foreign workers. This assignment can be completed in groups, pairs, or individually.

° Post reading discussion questions may include:

1. Do you know someone who has been on strike? What were his or her reasons for taking this action?

2. Has there even been a strike in your community? If so, how did it affect the community?

3. Why might foreign workers go on strike—in your community and/or in Germany?

4. Read the last two lines of the poem again. Why would people fear or dislike foreigners even when foreigners’ labor is essential?

Sources: Kitzler, A. (Producer), & Danquart, P. (Director). (1993). Schwarzfahrer [Short film]. Germany: Trans-Film. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFQXcv1k9OM

Mills, M., & Loentz, E. (1998). Advocacy for a multicultural curriculum in German: Model lesson plans for upper middle, secondary, post-secondary German classrooms. Retrieved from http://www.aatg.org/files/ald/Schwarzfahrer.pdf

Ören, A. (n.d.). An Imaginary Foreigner Strike in Berlin (Ein imaginärer Ausländer-Generalstreik in Berlin). Retrieved from http://cies.einaudi.cornell.edu/system/files/An%20Imaginary%20Foreigner%20Strike%20in%20Berlin.pdf

PineTreePictures. (2007, February 21). Schwarzfahrer (with English Subtitles). [Video file with English subtitles]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFQXcv1k9OM



3.4 studying the holocaust in germany

leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson assumes that students are already familiar with the events of the Holocaust. Students will learn how both the Ger-man government and the German people deal with the Holocaust in contemporary society. Students will be asked to respond to speeches given by Angela Merkel, Barack Obama, and Elie Wiesel at the Buchenwald Memorial; to an interview with Daniel Gaede, director of the Buchenwald Memorial Educa-tion Department; and to a video about the Holocaust memorial in Berlin. In addition, students will learn how the Holocaust is studied in German schools.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:This lesson helps students understand the study, dis-cussion and remembrance of the Holocaust in con-temporary Germany. How is it dealt with in German schools? Is it a required course of study? The Ameri-can television miniseries Holocaust (1978) provoked a passionate public discussion when it aired in West Germany in 1979, giving rise to public exhibitions and education programs. Teachers can familiarize themselves with Holocaust education in Germany by reading Germany: Holocaust Education Report and Holocaust Education in Germany (handout 3.4.1 on Instructional resource disc).


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS:

• Germany: Holocaust Education Report and Holocaust Education in Germany (handout 3.4.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• “Remarks by President Obama, German Chancellor Merkel, and Elie Wiesel at Buchenwald Concentration Camp,” a transcript of three speeches given June 5, 2009 (handout 3.4.2 on Instruction resource disc)

• Interview with Daniel Gaede, director of the Education Department at the Buchenwald Memorial (handout 3.4.3 on In-structional resource disc)

• German Secondary Students’ Refl ections on a School Visit to Auschwitz (handout 3.4.4 on Instructional resource disc)

• Internet access for video and article viewing

• Holocaust Memorial PowerPoint (PowerPoint 3.4.5 on Instructional resource disc)

? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• how do nations confront chapters of their history that contain prejudice, discrimination, persecution, and genocide?

3.4 STudyInG The hOlOcAuST In GermAny




? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• how do nations confront chapters of their history that contain prejudice, discrimination, persecution, and genocide?


PrOcedure:

dAyS 1-2:

• Anticipatory Set: After providing a brief review of the Holocaust and discussing the various groups that were persecuted under the Nazi regime, teachers should instruct students to make a T-chart on a sheet of paper. On the left side, students should write, Issues faced at the end of the war by the people who were persecuted by the Nazis. On the right side, they should write, Issues faced at the end of the war by Germans who were not persecuted by the Nazis. In small groups, students should brainstorm what issues German society faced once the full knowledge of the Holocaust had been exposed. The teacher should solicit student responses and point out that Holocaust remembrance continues to be a national issue in contem-porary Germany.

• The teacher should lead a class discussion of students’ observations.

• At the end of the class period, the teacher should give students the following homework assignment:

° Read “Remarks by President Obama, German Chancellor Merkel, and Elie Wiesel at Buchenwald Concentration Camp,” a transcript of three speeches given June 5, 2009 (handout 3.4.2 on Instruction resource disc). Then respond to the following questions:

1. What reason(s) does each dignitary—Merkel, Obama, and Wiesel—give to explain why it is important to remember the Holocaust?

2. Why do you think it is important to remember the Holocaust?

dAyS 2-3:

• The teacher should ask students to form pairs and share their responses to the homework.

• Next the teacher should lead a group discussion. Several possible questions are listed below. Before the class discussion, the teacher may ask students to reread the text and prepare responses in small groups. In order to help students answer certain questions about specifi c parts of the text, the teacher may distribute index cards with a question on one side and the cor-responding passage/paragraph from the text on the other.

° What perspective of the Holocaust does each of the speakers—Merkel, Obama, and Wiesel—contribute? How are their relationships to the Holocaust the same and how do they diff er? How are their responses to the Holocaust the same and how do they diff er?

° What aspect(s) of Holocaust remembrance does each speaker emphasize?

° According to Barack Obama, why is it important for those who witnessed the concentration camps not to give in to the “impulse to silence”?

° What does Barack Obama mean when he says, “And just as we identify with the victims, it’s also important for us I think to remember that the perpetrators of such evil were human, as well, and that we have to guard against cruelty in our-selves”? Why is it important to remember that the perpetrators of the Holocaust were humans—and what would be the alternative? How can we guard against cruelty in ourselves?

° What three messages does Angela Merkel consider most important?

° How does Angela Merkel defi ne the “very special responsibility” of Germans with regard to its history? What connection does she see between the past and the future?

° Reread the following statement by Angela Merkel: “We ask young people to carry on our struggle against Nazi ideology, and for a just, peaceful and tolerant world; a world that has no place for antisemitism, racism, xenophobia, and right-wing extremism.” Why do you think Merkel calls on the younger generations to continue the fi ght against Nazi ideology?

° What does Elie Wiesel believe the Holocaust should have taught the world about war, hatred, and otherness? Does he believe the world has, in fact, learned these lessons?

° Do you agree with Elie Wiesel that memory “has become a sacred duty of all people of good will”?




• Next, students should divide into groups and read the Interview with Daniel Gaede, director of the Education Department at the Buchenwald Memorial (handout 3.4.3 on Instructional resource disc). Teachers should ask groups to discuss the following question: In Gaede’s view, how and why should the persecution of people by the Nazis be studied today and in the future?

• After reviewing some basic facts about the Auschwitz concentration camp, the teacher should give students the following homework assignment:

° Read German Secondary Students’ Reflections on a School Visit to Auschwitz (handout 3.4.4 on Instructional resource disc) and write a brief response to the following questions:

1. What did these German students know about Auschwitz before visiting the camp?

2. What did they learn about the camp while they were there?

3. How do students view this part of German history? How does it make them feel?

dAyS 4-5:

• Teachers should present information on how German secondary schools teach about the Holocaust, using the reference materials provided.

• Teachers should then segue into a discussion of the homework. How can visiting a concentration camp add to a person’s understanding of the Holocaust? How do the student-authors of these essays describe their learning experiences?

• Teachers should explain that learning centers at concentration camps represent just one kind of memorial, and that other types of public memorials also facilitate remembrance of the Holocaust. Next, teachers should show the ca. 13-minute video, “Chapter One: Germany’s New Holocaust Memorial,” which was filmed in 2005 as the German government was decid-ing on a memorial to commemorate the Holocaust in Berlin. The video is available here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/germans/view/. As students view the video, they should reflect on the following questions in order to prepare for a class discussion:

1. How do people interviewed in the video view the purpose of the Holocaust memorial? What does the commentator, Marian Marzynski, see as its purpose?

2. Which proposal won the initial contest but was later rejected? Why do you think it became controversial?

3. What kind of memorials does the contest judge, James E. Young, prefer? How do such memorials allow people to remem-ber the Holocaust in ways that others might not?

• Finally, teachers should show students the memorial by Peter Eisenman that was eventually constructed in Berlin. It is pos-sible to view the “Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin” on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= SX8kivBbaB0.

• The discussion might focus on the following questions: Why do you think this proposal was chosen? What are its strengths and weaknesses, in your opinion?

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOnS: • As an individual summative assessment, students should write an essay in which they address the following questions:

° How have the German people confronted the Nazi Era: prejudice, discrimination and genocide (the Holocaust)?

° How well have responses to this chapter in German history addressed the needs of Germans to commemorate, but not perpetuate, guilt and angst?

FOCUS 3 – History FOCUS 3



• Students should (either in pairs or in full class discussion) reflect on the following as a result of this lesson:

° What are some new things that you learned?

° What surprises you? Cite examples.

° In what ways have your attitudes changed regarding the Holocaust, German education, and German students? Cite examples.

° What are some lingering questions or specific areas that you would like to learn more about?

mOdIfIcATIOn: • Instead of distributing written cards., the students may write their own questions.

exTenSIOnS: • Ask students to read the following text about the controversial comments made by Martin Walser, a German novelist, regard-

ing the remembrance of the Holocaust: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/germans/germans/controversy.html

• Then ask them to respond to the following questions:

° What aspects of Holocaust remembrance are criticized by Martin Walser?

° What would you say in response to his criticisms? Write down your answers.

• As a second step, students can read Birgit Rommelspacher’s response to Walser: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/germans/germans/speeches.html

• To follow-up, students should contrast and compare the responses they wrote during the first extension to those of Rom-melspacher.

• For further study, the teacher may wish to show the Holocaust Memorial PowerPoint (PowerPoint 3.4.5 on Instructional resource disc)

Sources:

Atelieritalia. (2007, April 30). Peter Eisenman: Memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX8kivBbaB0&feature=related

Public Broadcasting Service. (2005, May 31). October 1998: A national controversy over remembrance and forgetting. Frontline: Germans, Jews & His-tory. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/germans/germans/controversy.html

Public Broadcasting Service (Producer). (2005, June 2). Chapter one: Germany’s new Holocaust memorial [Video file]. Frontline: A Jew among the Ger-mans. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/germans/view/

Remarks by President Obama, German Chancellor Merkel, and Elie Wiesel at BuchenwaldConcentration Camp. (2009, June 5). Retrieved from:http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-President-Obama-German-Chancellor-Merkel-and-Elie-Wiesel-at-Buchenwald-Concen-tration-Camp-6-5-09/

Rommelspacher, B. (2005, May 31). About public speeches and private silence. In PublicBroadcasting Service, Frontline: Germans, Jews & History. (Reprinted from B. Rommelspacher, December 19, 1998, Öffentliches Reden, Privates Schwei-gen, Die Tageszeitung). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/germans/germans/speeches.html

Task Force For International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research.Germany: Holocaust education report. (2006). Holocaust Education Reports. Retrieved from http://www.holocaustremembrance.com/educate/edu-cation-reports

Wehrmann, G. (n.d.). Holocaust education in Germany. (Reprinted from German Information Center). Retrieved from http://iearn.org/hgp/aeti/aeti-1998/index

Portions of this lesson have been included and adapted from the work of 2010 TOP Fellow Jessica Stock



3.5 november 9 in german history: why not a holiday?

leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson focuses on the day November 9 in 20th-century German history. After the students have learned about four key events that occurred on this day, they will have the opportunity to graphically represent what they have learned and to refl ect on why Germany chose October 3 rather than November 9 as its national day.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:November 9 has special signifi cance for the German calendar, as four crucial events in modern German history occurred on this day: 1) the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II and establishment of the Weimar Republic in 1918; 2) Adolf Hitler’s unsuc-cessful Beer Hall Putsch in Munich in 1923; 3) Kristallnacht (The Night of the Broken Glass) in 1938; and 4) the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. On Octo-ber 3, 1990, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) offi cially joined the Federal Republic of Germany, and the country was reunifi ed after almost fi ve decades of separation. Currently, October 3 is Germany’s national day. Although the Day of German Unity, as it’s called, is commemorated annually, the offi cial celebrations usually take place in the capital of whichever state is presiding over the Bundesrat (Ger-many’s upper house of parliament) that year.


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • November 9 in German History (handout 3.5.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Treaty on the Establishment of German Unity (handout 3.5.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Poster Boards and Markers

? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• what criteria should be used to determine a country’s national day?

3.5 nOvemBer 9 In GermAn hISTOry: why nOT A hOlIdAy?




? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• what criteria should be used to determine a country’s national day?

3.5 november 9 in german history: why not a holiday?

PrOcedure: dAy 1:

• Anticipatory Set: One way in which countries demonstrate their national pride is by celebrating and commemorating signifi cant historical events. What criteria are used to designate a national day? What is our national holiday and why was it selected?

• This lesson is based on a jigsaw format. Divide the class into four groups and then give each group a description of one event that occurred on November 9 (using the november 9 in German history handout 3.5.1 on the Instructional resource disc). Groups should read their summaries together and work through the content collectively. Every member of the group should become an expert on the respective event.

• Form new groups consisting of no more than four students. Each student should represent a diff erent expert group. Ask students to share the information about his or her event.

dAyS 2-3:

• Students reform the second, mixed groups created during the previous class period. Each group should be given a piece of poster board and markers so that they can create a poster showing the history of November 9 in Germany. The students should be instructed to design visual representations of each event.

• They may wish to use the Internet (if available) to download appropriate images; alternatively, they may wish to draw their own.

• The completed posters should be displayed around the classroom and then presented to the class by one member of each group.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOnS: • The teacher should either distribute an excerpt of the Treaty on the Establishment of German Unity (handout 3.5.2 on In-

structional resource disc) or display a copy of it (on an overhead projector or as a PowerPoint presentation). The teacher should then facilitate a discussion on the following question: Why do you think reunifi ed Germany chose October 3 as its national day rather than November 9?

• What criteria are used to make the determination of which dates on the calendar should be designated as “National Holi-days?” Should November 9 be the German equivalent to July 4th (in the United States) or Bastille Day – July 14th (in France)?

mOdIfIcATIOnS: • Rather than using a cooperative learning activity, the teacher may ask students to prepare posters in pairs or individually.

• The teacher may want to create a few questions for each document that would help students with academic diffi culties interpret the content.

exTenSIOnS: • Teachers may assign students to conduct additional research on the four events either before or after the jigsaw activity.

• The teacher may assign students to write an op-ed piece on why they believe reunifi ed Germany chose October 3 as its national day rather than November 9.

Sources:

Treaty on the Establishment of German Unity, Federal Republic of Germany-German Democratic Republic, August 31, 1990. Re-trieved from http://www.dipublico.com.ar/english/treaties/frg-gdr-treaty-on-the-establishment-of-german-unity-unifi cation-treaty/



3.6 germans who have contributed to world civilization

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• In what ways do individuals infl uence the times in which they live? • conversely, how do individuals refl ect the cultural, intellectual, and moral values, or zeitgeist, of the times in which

they live? • what characteristics allow individuals to transcend time and become major contributors to world civilization?

3.6 GermAnS whO hAve cOnTrIBuTed TO wOrld cIvIlIZATIOn


leSSOn OvervIew: Students will research three individuals who made signifi cant contributions in one of the following fi elds: music, philosophy, lit-erature, politics, science, or art. Students should be able to work in areas of interest to them. Next they will create trading cards mod-eled after baseball cards that highlight important events from each fi gure’s life, including his or her specifi c achievements. Using the trading cards, students will write an essay in which they discuss the impact of these individuals on their fi elds and in what ways these individuals refl ect their respective zeitgeist.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:Throughout their history, Germans have not only contributed to German society and culture, but they have also had a far-reaching impact on the fi elds of music, philosophy, literature, politics, sci-ence, religion and art. Bach, Marx, Bismarck, Remarque, Kepler, Lu-ther and Dürer stand out in their respective fi elds.


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Famous Germans Throughout History (handout 3.6.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Trading Card Template (handout 3.6.2 on Instructional resource disc)

PrOcedure: dAy 1:

• Anticipatory Set: The teacher should introduce the concept of zeitgeist by asking students to characterize the time in which they are living in terms of cultural, intellectual, and moral values. What is the zeitgeist of our era? Students should then consider the ways in which they are products of their time. They should also brainstorm current leading personalities in the areas of art, music, science, literature, and politics. How do these individuals refl ect the contemporary zeitgeist? The concept of zeitgeist needs to be continually reinforced throughout the lesson with examples from contemporary society.



? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• In what ways do individuals infl uence the times in which they live? • conversely, how do individuals refl ect the cultural, intellectual, and moral values, or zeitgeist, of the times in which

they live? • what characteristics allow individuals to transcend time and become major contributors to world civilization?

3.6 germans who have contributed to world civilization

• Present students with a list of categories—music, philosophy, literature, politics, science, and art—and ask them to select one that interests them. Next they will choose three individuals to research who have made signifi cant contributions in their respective fi elds, both to German society and culture as well as to world civilization. Distribute Famous Germans Throughout History (handout 3.6.1 on Instructional resource disc).

• Using the Trading Card Template (handout 3.6.2 on Instructional resource disc), have students complete research on their chosen individuals.

dAyS 2-3:

• The fi nal product of this lesson is an essay that students write in class. To prepare for this essay, they need to research, take notes, and construct three trading cards. Teachers may assign the research for homework. Alternatively, teachers may take students to the library or computer lab to conduct their research during class.

• After students have completed their research and created their trading cards, they are ready to write an essay in which they should describe the impact of notable Germans on their fi elds and discuss the ways in which these notable Germans refl ect their respective zeitgeist.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • Once students have conducted their research and written their essays, the teacher should facilitate a discussion of the focus

questions. Students should use their research to support their arguments.

mOdIfIcATIOnS: • If the student population is unable to grasp the concept of zeitgeist, teachers should simplify the lesson by asking students

to compile a list of contributions made by Germans to world civilization.

• The teacher might adjust the required number of individuals to research.

• Rather than write an essay, students could choose someone from the list of notable Germans and assume that person’s iden-tity. Their assignment would be to apply to the Zeitgeist Hall of Fame by writing a letter of application along with a résumé.

exTenSIOn: • Once students have completed their research, teachers may expand the lesson by asking them to create group presenta-

tions (possibly with PowerPoint) on the diff erent fi elds of endeavor.

were you personally affected by the fall of the berlin wall and the german reunification?

fOcuS 4 – REUNIFICATION

juliane (39): Of course, who was not affected by it in Germany? There

was my family. My grandma had three siblings and only my grand-

ma stayed in the GDR. The others had already gone to West Germany

in 1945 and were living in West Berlin and in Düsseldorf and I didn’t

know them. So just that my family was there again, was something. I

was seventeen and all of a sudden I could buy all the clothes I wanted, I

could watch movies like I wanted… in principle, I could do everything.

Gregor (29) : Yes, I think so. I think I’ve had more individual freedom and

more possibilities than would have been the case in the GDR. Because even

in kindergarten I was told, when you enter school you are going to become

a Jungpionier (Young Pioneer, part of the official East German socialist youth

organization) and then you do this and then that. Among those, there were

things I didn’t like as a kid. For example, as a Jungpionier you had to wear a

particular shirt - my brother had one. And I hated wearing shirts, so I was

not looking forward to being forced to wear such a shirt and then I didn’t

have to in the end. This reunification actually influenced another part of my

childhood because, from a particular time onwards, my brother and I were

often alone at home because our parents had to have two jobs to be able

to survive. Furthermore, my brother, who is four years older, and I often had

the feeling that our parents didn’t understand what moved us and that they

didn’t want to deal with it or could not deal with it. Before everything was

relatively regular, both of them had regular jobs with fixed working time, but

their companies were closed down, so they became unemployed and had to

take jobs in totally different areas. This was connected with different working

times; they were longer or started earlier as in the past. Because of this we

were often on our own, so often the neighbors were asked to look after us.

Anna (42): My whole life changed somehow. In East Germany I studied psy-

chology which was exactly what I wanted to do, but I had a certain picture

in mind of what I wanted to do after graduation. With the fall of the Wall this

was not possible anymore because of the certain niche I wanted to work in.

I never wanted to leave East Germany… I wanted to live there just with a

minimum of dependency on the government. I wanted to work with handi-

capped children and take care of their development because that was some-

thing that was very much neglected in East Germany. These children were

just kept in certain kinds of homes. They were of course taken care of in terms

of being fed and being cleaned, but there was no development program to

teach them how to walk or to teach them how to eat by themselves…. But

that was my personal target and that was not necessary anymore with Ger-

man reunification. In the end I decided to skip that direction completely be-

cause I couldn’t think of being a psychologist in that new Germany at that

time because it was very strange to me. So I went to Asia, spent a year there,

just to give myself a bit of time to think of other directions and then I came

back and started a completely new subject, Chinese studies and German

Language and Literature. My life really completely changed because I would

have had another career in East Germany; a completely different career. After

I finished it, I worked for a few years in China and after I came back, I went to

university again for a year and now I have a job that is not related to any of

my subjects, but it’s a good job.

fOcuS 4 – REUNIFICATIONmonika marie (41): I wasn’t really. Our

friends and family in the East were now more

available, and there was a certain joy, but I

was actually in Freiburg… far away from the

Wall…. Of course, now students with this

Saxon accent were coming to Freiburg, but it

wasn’t something that affected me in a posi-

tive or a negative way.

Irmtraud (68): The first effect was that we could see our friends and family. We had many friends, many family members also in the West and already before the Wall came down we had many encounters, many visits. But not all of these relations became normal; some contacts that had been built across the border got lost after the opening, but we activated others.

I had – that’s something very personal – I had to go without my brothers very early. My eldest brother left the GDR in 1953 after the Junge Gemeinde (a form of church youth work within the Lutheran church of the GDR) was persecuted very heavily. He was just 16 and had to leave the country very fast in order to escape the claws of the Stasi. So our brother was gone. That was very upsetting, I was just 10 and I liked him a lot. He is living in Switzer-land nowadays. And the other brother left in 1961 right before the Wall was built because he didn’t see any possibilities here anymore. So these brothers were for me as the little sister always something very special, so I had a lot of concerns when we finally could get together again. And it took a long time to build up a normal relationship. I just speak from my own perspective; I can’t say how my brothers sensed this. Maybe they wondered about some weird behavior of mine, but it was hard for me to accomplish this. It took a long time, but today after 20 years, after more than 20 years I can say I accom-plished it. I have a good relationship with my older brothers. I have found my perspective, I know where they are, I know where I am, and we meet at eye level. Of course, everybody has his own history; everybody has his own life. But these restraints, this fear, this carefulness, this totally unnatural behavior – which was also a result of the Wall – is gone. It took a long time, but every-thing became normal.

I can tell you, until 1989 Leipzig was never my home. I mean I don’t come from Leipzig, I came here at 17, but I never really felt comfortable. …but since 1989/1990 it became home. It’s wonderful. I live in this city.… I feel comfort-able. I really arrived, and this is connected to 1989. Maybe it’s because we could participate; we did participate and because of this I found my spot…. That’s something very beautiful. Somehow ’89, it sounds very pathetic, some-how it’s like a newly given life. Even if a lot of things are difficult, that doesn’t matter at all. It’s this overall new attitude to life. And I’m going to keep it and I won’t let this go because of problems or people who always say: “But, but, but …”

Maybe to illustrate this a bit, look at this city, the houses got beautiful again. The things my son tried to show me somehow, which were only imagination, they became real all of a sudden. That’s wonderful. The Pleiße River, which my son advocated for and where we were able to help a little bit, this river is clean again, it runs open again. This is a great thing; that these actions really had an impact and were not for nothing…. I can choose from all these many, many offers and possibilities. It became such an unbelievable diversity. I can freely decide and choose whatever fits me. That’s just beautiful. To not always fear that somebody looks over your shoulders and says that’s not possible, that’s not allowed. No, you can do everything….

Tobias (45): Yes, in principle in two areas. First something very fundamental, to be able to live further on in a democracy, in a society – this is what I state – where you have the maximum possibilities of participation…. Participation means to play a part, to invest time and possibly not be able to do some other things. This doesn’t work here by pressing one button. Democracy is exhaust-ing and takes time, but it works. I perceived the time between the first free par-liamentary elections in the GDR and the reunification as a time which hadn’t happened in the last one hundred years and won’t come again for the next one hundred years; the possibilities we had, just the possibility to participate, to set the course, to take decisions…. Second, for me personally, the Peaceful Revolution, the fall of the Wall, German reunification, etc. brought a general re-orientation. So I neither restore furniture now nor do I deal with environmental issues anymore, but I deal with coming to terms with the past, with the Stasi, and the GDR dictatorship in general … over time it became my job. So these are the two fundamental changes this historic development brought with it.

christa (60): I was affected, because I could never understand that there was a closed border in the middle of a country that belonged together for a long time. I visited the Wall when I went to Berlin, I went to the eastern part and I was really afraid going from the western to the eastern part, so I was very glad that the Wall came down.

Natalija (28): Of course, because only because of the fall of the Wall and fall-ing apart of the Soviet Union my mother was able to get a job in Germany. Before, the borders were closed, and she would never have gotten a job in the West. But we were also affected because the So-viet Union fell apart and it was a very hard time for all the Russians and Ukrainians and all the Soviet Union citizens because they had no money, everything was not work-ing anymore. This is why we were as well af-fected. My mother had to go abroad and look for a job because we did not have enough to eat at home. This was a normal thing to, go abroad to get a job. I think it was very, very common, in the nineties, I think it was about one fourth of the population that went away to work abroad. This was in the end the effect of the fall of the Wall. So it was huge.

daniel S (44): No, very little. I mean I could have lived on like before. I think many people did on both sides. Of course, I was affected due to the simple fact that I was living in the city where the core of everything that happened was. So I remember that, for example, the days and weeks after the fall of the Berlin Wall, it was basically impossible to do anything with your bank ac-count. I mean there was no internet, and there was no telephone banking as far as I remember, but you couldn’t just enter a bank because there were queues, endless, endless queues, thousands of people queuing in front of the banks because everybody with an East German passport could walk into a random bank and receive 100 Deutsch Marks welcome money. So, I was af-fected in these more funny ways, I would say. I was affected in a sense that my horizon was broadened – I mean there was a new part of the city to explore and I did. I went over to East Berlin and I went to all these new clubs and squat houses. Yeah, that was fun.

FOCUS 4 – Reunifi cationFocus 4


4.1 timeline of post-wwii/cold war germany

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• what events are used to characterize a historic period? • what is a turning point?

4.1 TImelIne Of POST-wwII/cOld wAr GermAny


leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson focuses on key events in Germany and Europe in the period following World War II until the reunifi cation of Ger-many on October 3, 1990. Students will have the opportunity to review the chronology of events during the Cold War era as they aff ected the division of Germany into the German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany) and the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG, West Germany). They will be asked to create an illustrated timeline of ten events which, in their opinion, are signifi cant in a particular theme. For example, the students may want to focus on the city of Berlin, or on just the GDR.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:The conclusion of World War II in Europe saw the onset of what became known as the Cold War. As described in Winston Churchill’s 1946 Iron Curtain speech (Churchill, 2003), Europe and the world became separated ideologically by the powers of the West, primarily the United States and its allies, and the East or the Communist Bloc, primarily the Soviet Union and its sat-ellite states. Despite being allies against the Axis powers during WWII, the Soviet Union and the United States disagreed about political philosophy and the con-fi guration of the post-war world while occupying most of Europe. The consoli-dation of the occupied areas of western Germany by the French, British and the Americans resulted in the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), whereas the eastern zone, occu-pied by the Soviets, became the German Democratic Republic (GDR). The capital city of Germany – Berlin – was also di-vided into East and West. The particular location of the two Germanys in central Europe often resulted in their pivotal roles during the Cold War.

According to the National History Standards, “Chronological thinking is at the heart of historical reasoning. Without a strong sense of chronology – of when events occurred and in what temporal order – it is impossible for students to examine relation-ships among those events or to explain historical causality. Chronology provides the mental scaff olding for organizing histori-cal thought” (National Center for History in the Schools, UCLA, 2011, para. 1).

TIme:

(3) 45 minute class periods

FOCUS 4 – Reunifi cation Focus 4


? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• what events are used to characterize a historic period? • what is a turning point?

4.1 timeline of post-wwii/cold war germany

InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Churchill’s Speech and Stalin’s Reply Handout (handout 4.1.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Gorbachev’s Speech and Article Handout (handout 4.1.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Post World War II Chronology Handout (handout 4.1.3 on Instructional resource disc)

• Poster paper, markers, glue and other materials which students may use to create their timelines.

PrOcedure: dAy 1:

AnTIcIPATOry SeT: How is the passage of time graphically represented? What is a turning point? How are turning points responsible for changes in circumstances in a region’s or a nation’s history? Students should discuss key turning point events in United States history to illustrate their comprehension of the purpose of timelines.

As part of the discussion, the teacher should review with students the concept of historical periodization, the attempt by his-torians to categorize or divide time into discrete blocks for the convenience of study (Surhone, Timpledon & Marseken, 2010).

After completing the Anticipatory Set, the teacher should assign the two readings, Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain Speech” (handout 4.1.1 on Instructional resource disc) and Josef Stalin’s “Response to Churchill” (1946) (handout 4.1.1 on Instruc-tional resource disc) as background to a discussion of the events that resulted in the Cold War era.

dAyS 2-3:

The major activity of this lesson is the student construction of an illustrated timeline of key events of the Cold War, as related to Germany. This should be an individual assignment. The teacher should explain that the students should select 10 key events of the Cold War period (handout 4.1.3 on Instructional resource disc) that are thematically connected (e.g. culture, the solidifi cation of communist rule in the GDR, etc.). The students may construct a conventional timeline on poster board, or they may be more creative (e.g. a timeline in the shape of the Brandenburg Gate).

dAy 3:

After completing a study of the events of the Cold War, the teacher should ask the students to respond to the following quote by Mikhail Gorbachev, former President of the Soviet Union, “I do not regard the end of the Cold War as a victory for either side...The end of the Cold War is our common victory.”

The teacher may also want to assign Gorbachev’s speech, “The River of Time and the Imperative of Action,” which the former Soviet premier gave in Fulton, Missouri in May 1992 to use as a basis of discussion on the end of the Cold War period, and the New York Times in response (handout 4.1.2 on Instructional resource disc).

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • The students should present their completed timelines to the class for full discussion of the events. Each student should

explain the theme/subtopic selected and the events and turning points which were included. As closure to the lesson, the teacher should ask the students to refl ect on the concept of historic periodization regarding the Cold War.

mOdIfIcATIOnS: • For a greater overview, the teacher might want to show the Transatlantic Outreach Program (TOP) Field Trip to Berlin DVD

and use parts of the accompanying Instructional Guide to enhance the students’ understanding of this historic period and various turning points. It might provide students with ideas for “themes” to use in their illustrated timelines.

• Rather than an individual learning activity, the teacher may decide to have students work in pairs on their timelines. For students with academic diffi culties, the teacher may want to modify the timeline assignment by requiring fewer than 10 events or a broader topic (rather than a theme or subtopic).

• Computer software, such as TimeLiner, might be utilized to create custom timelines.

FOCUS 4 – ReunificationFocus 4 4.1 Timeline of post-WWII/Cold War Germany


Sources:

Churchill, W. S. (2003). Never Give In!: The Best of Winston Churchill’s Speeches. New York: Hyperion.

National Center for History in the Schools, UCLA. (2011) Chronological Thinking. Retrieved October 11, 2011, from http://nchs.ucla.edu/Standards/historical-thinking-standards-1/1.-chronological-thinking

Surhone, L. M., & Timpledon, M. T., & Marseken, S. F. (2010). Periodization. Mauritius: Betascript Publishing.

exTenSIOnS: • The teacher may assign the following essay on the Churchill/Stalin perspectives on the Iron Curtain as homework before

the first day:

Write a 300-350 word essay in which you compare and contrast Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain Speech” (1946) with Joseph Stalin’s “Response to Churchill,” (1946). Your essay should have an introduction with a thesis statement, three body para-graphs, and a conclusion.

• The teacher may assign the following essay as a concluding exercise:

Write a 300-350 word essay in which you compare and contrast Churchill’s “Iron Curtain Speech” (1946) and Stalin’s “Re-sponse to Churchill” (1946) with “The River of Time and the Imperative of Action” speech by Mikhail S. Gorbachev (1992). Your essay should have an introduction with a thesis statement, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.


88 GERMANY IN FOCUS A Transatlantic Outreach Program instructional text for secondary educators

4.2 “we are the People” — Peaceful revolution in leipzig 1989

leSSOn OvervIew:

The peaceful demonstrations held in Leipzig in former East Germany during the fall of 1989 contributed to the collapse of the SED/Honecker regime of the GDR. Understanding the peaceful focus of this protest and the spontaneous eruption of massive participation is an excellent case study in civil disobedience, in the tradition of the demonstrations of Mahatma Gandhi in India or the Civil Rights Movement led by Martin Luther King, Jr. in the United States. The reaction of the East German police stands in marked contrast to the Chinese response in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China in the spring of 1989. Students will be able to identify the factors that led to massive protest and the factors that led to police restraint. They will review documents (text and visual) in a Document-Based Question (DBQ) and be asked to write a fi ve-paragraph essay. In addition, students have the opportunity to review the events of October 9, 1989 and compare and contrast them with other examples of peaceful dem-onstrations.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:

What began as weekly prayer and discussion meetings at Leipzig’s Nicholas Church in 1983 evolved into larger gatherings of re-gime dissidents eager to talk about a variety of topics ranging from environmental protection to the right to travel freely. During the mid-1980s, Mikhail Gorbachev, leader of the Soviet Union (1985-91), introduced the policies of glasnost and perestroika, which resulted in signifi cant improvements in the totalitarian So-viet Union. This signaled new hope for satellite nations such as Poland, which had attempted to create more openness through the actions of Solidarity – its trade union federation. This in-creased liberalization resulted in free elections in Poland in 1989, based on the hope the Soviet regime would not challenge the results. During the summer of 1989, the border between Aus-tria and Hungary was opened. Over the course of the fall – now known as the Leipziger Herbst (or “Leipzig Fall”) – East German citizens from all walks of life took to the streets every Monday evening to demand freedom and democracy.

? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• what circumstances infl uence people to choose peaceful demonstrations over other methods in order to bring about political change?

4.2 “we Are The PeOPle” — PeAceful revOluTIOn In leIPZIG 1989



STAndArd #10 civic ideals and Practices.



? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• what circumstances infl uence people to choose peaceful demonstrations over other methods in order to bring about political change?


The Montagsdemonstrationen (Monday Demonstrations) grew from just hundreds to hundreds of thousands within a few weeks. October 7, 1989 marked the offi cial commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the GDR. Two days later, the people of Leipzig turned out in masses and initiated the so-called Peaceful Revolution of 1989. Despite the eff orts of the Stasi and the East German police to stop these activities through any force possible, the decision not to open fi re at the demonstrators seemed to be as spontaneous as the protests themselves. The SED regime also made several other unsuccessful attempts to suppress the mounting desire for change. As a result, within one month, the Berlin Wall collapsed and with it the German Democratic Republic (Schmemann, 1989).

For further reference, the teacher should read the articles available in the 4.2 Teacher Background Information (handout 4.2.4 on Instructional resource disc).


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Peaceful Revolution PowerPoint (PowerPoint 4.2.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Interviews with Irmtraud Hollitzer and Tobias Hollitzer (handout 4.2.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Peaceful Revolution Document-Based Question (handout 4.2.3 on Instructional resource disc)

• 4.2 Teacher Background Information Articles (handout 4.2.4 on Instructional resource disc)


AnTIcIPATOry SeT: The teacher should ask the students to explain the ways by which citizens have expressed their dissatis-faction with their governments (the answers should range from letters to the editor, to voting out legislators or presidents, to peaceful demonstrations, to violent insurrections or revolutions). The teacher will introduce the concept of civil disobedience and discuss examples from history (e.g. Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Tiananmen Square), which can be used as comparisons and contrasts to the events that would unfold in Leipzig in the fall of 1989.

The teacher should review the events that led to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe — Gorbachev’s policies in the Soviet Union (glasnost, perestroika, Demokratizatsiya journal), Solidarity in Poland, and the opening of the Austro-Hungarian border.

Students will view the Peaceful Revolution PowerPoint (PowerPoint 4.2.1 on Instructional resource disc) on the back-ground of both the prayer-for-peace services convened in Leipzig’s St. Nicholas Church in 1983 and the diff erent aspects of the Peaceful Revolution of 1989.

The teacher should distribute the Interviews with Irmtraud Hollitzer and Tobias Hollitzer (handout 4.2.2 on Instructional resource disc) and facilitate a discussion of their lives in Leipzig, in the GDR, and their participation in the Peaceful Revolution of October 9, 1989.

The teacher will then distribute the Peaceful Revolution Document-Based Question (handout 4.2.3 on Instructional re-source disc) and direct the students to read the documents critically and to take notes in preparation for the written essay. The students should observe that the documents have diff erent viewpoints. These documents refl ect the observations of people who participated at and commented on the Leipzig demonstrations in the fall of 1989.

As a homework assignment, the students should read and take notes on the DBQ (handout 4.2.3 on Instructional resource disc) for the essay, which they will write in class the following day. [Variation: the students work in pairs to read and analyze the documents in class.]

FOCUS 4 – ReunificationFocus 4



Sources:

This lesson has been adapted from lessons by TOP Fellows Barbara Hairfield (2005) and Sigrid Ann Olsen (2007).

Schmemann, S. (1989, December 19). Upheaval in the East; Leipzig Marchers Tiptoe Around Reunification. New York Times. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/19/world/upheaval-in-the-east-leipzig-marchers-tiptoe-around-reunification.

dAy 3:

• Option 1: Having read the documents for homework the previous night, the students will respond to the DBQ in an essay discussing the observations of the participants and commentators of the Leipzig demonstrations in the fall of 1989 as an example of civil disobedience. They should be allowed to use their notes.

• Option 2: The students spend the period preparing the essay. They might use a graphic organizer to categorize the docu-ments that reflect different perspectives. The teacher has the opportunity to monitor the students’ preparation and also field any questions they might have. If the teacher chooses this option, the students should write their essays at home to be submitted the following day.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • The students should discuss the ways civil disobedience has been used throughout history to effect change. They should

be able to comment on the influence Leipzig’s Peaceful Revolution of 1989 had on the collapse of the German Democratic Republic. The students should be able to assess the different viewpoints of the participants and observers of the Leipzig demonstration. Finally, the teacher may ask the students to compare the response of the East German police to that of the Chinese police in response to the Tiananmen Square demonstration earlier in 1989.

mOdIfIcATIOnS: • If the students are not familiar with the techniques of document analysis for writing a document-based essay, the teacher

may want to conduct a general discussion on each of the documents before the students begin writing.

• As an alternative, this could become a group activity: the teacher could assign different documents to separate groups for analysis and full class discussion.

• For students who have weaker analytical skills, the teacher could help strengthen their skills by offering a few “scaffold ques-tions” to assist students in their document analysis.

exTenSIOnS: • The teacher should encourage students to visit the website of the Stasi Museum in Leipzig: Museum in der “Runden Ecke”

http://www.runde-ecke-leipzig.de.

• The events in Leipzig are just one of many that occurred in late summer and fall of 1989 in Germany and Eastern Europe. Making the History of 1989 is an excellent online resource for teachers and students detailing the collapse of Communist regimes in 1989 http://chnm.gmu.edu/1989/.

• For further research, students should read the Teacher Background Information Articles included on the 4.2 Teacher Back-ground Information (handout 4.2.4 on Instructional resource disc)



4.3 ostalgie — remembering life in the gdr

leSSOn OvervIew: This series of lessons explores the eff ects the reunifi cation of Germany had after October 3, 1990 on the former residents of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) or East Germany. Although eff orts to integrate the two Germanys—politically and economically—were undertaken by the German Federal Republic (or West Germany), remaining residual divisions are often referred to as die Mauer im Kopf (the Wall in the head). Through the exposure of the contemporary German fi lm Goodbye, Lenin! the memoirs of a young woman refl ecting on her life in the GDR, contemporary German poetry, and articles from various pub-lications on Ostalgie (a combination of the German words for “east” and “nostalgia” referring to a cultural phenomenon present in the former GDR), students will gather information for their culminating project, whereby they are asked to create an exhibit for a GDR Museum. By the end of these lessons, students should be able to understand the diffi culties which Germany has faced in reuniting two similar—yet distinctly diff erent—countries and the need for people to reminisce about the past, even if aspects of it were marked by hardship.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:Commonly referred to as die Wende or the turning point, the world witnessed the euphoria of the West and East German people atop the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, cel-ebrating the collapse of the structure that had been the best-known symbol of the Cold War. This event marked the end of the East German communist dictatorship (GDR). “What belongs together, will now grow together,” said former German Chancellor Willy Brandt on Novem-ber 10, 1989.

It is estimated that 4.3 million people visited West Ger-many in the fi rst four days after the Mauerfall (fall of the Wall). “Wir sind ein Volk” (We are one people) was heard throughout Germany. On October 3, 1990 Germany was offi cially reunifi ed. However, the jubilation was soon over-shadowed by some uncertainty about how the reunifi ca-tion would be implemented and which side would ben-efi t and which would be disadvantaged. Decades-held values and ideologies on both sides took time to evolve and change. The reunifi cation was not formed through cooperation by equal parties, as the West German gov-ernment had merely arranged for East Germany to be

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• can two diff erent countries easily become one? • what issues may remain unsolved after the political and economic integration of two nations?

4.3 OSTAlGIe — rememBerInG lIfe In The Gdr





? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• can two diff erent countries easily become one? • what issues may remain unsolved after the political and economic integration of two nations?


annexed under West Germany’s existing constitution. Moreover, an almost exclusively “West-to-East” transfer of currency, ideol-ogy, regulations, and institutions occurred. In the past 20 years, the process of integration has therefore been more challenging for East Germans. It left no political room to keep any positive aspect of life in East Germany, even though there are arguments that can be made in favor of East Germany’s accommodating childcare systems and its fostering of gender equality.

Instead, some people still have the Mauer im Kopf (wall in the head) today. Despite high expectations after the reunifi cation, Germany still remains somewhat culturally divided. Especially during the 1990s, East Germans were often derogatorily referred to as Ossis (“Easties”) accusing them of being provincial, unintelligent, and lazy, while West Germans were referred to as Wessis (“Westies”) stereotyping them as arrogant, selfi sh, and obsessed with materialism.

With the revelation of the disastrous economic and ecological legacy left behind by the GDR regime, work began to rebuild the East German infrastructure and economy. The Aufbau Ost (rebuilding the East) program has so far totaled 1.6 trillion euros. Nevertheless, inequalities still remain. Political issues like immigration laws, xenophobia, and the defi nition of citizenship are deeply tied to a sense of national identity. Fighting unemployment in East Germany (in 2012 it was 9.9 %, as opposed to 5.7 % in the West) remains one of the main challenges dividing the country today. Nonetheless, there are many symbols testifying to the potential of former East Germany, such as Germany’s eighth chancellor, Angela Merkel, and eleventh president (since reunifi cation), Joachim Gauck, who grew up in East Germany. In addition, former East Germans peacefully brought about the end of a dictatorship (Friedliche Revolution), the only example of a successful democratic revolution to take place in German history (Tatsachen Über Deutschland, 2011).

While formidable aspects of the GDR, such as the role of the Stasi, continue to be examined (refer to Lesson 4.4), one can iden-tify a shift toward a nostalgic view of the East German past. The release of Wolfgang Becker’s 2003 fi lm Goodbye Lenin! sparked the Ostalgie craze in Germany which is still apparent today. The establishment of the GDR Museum in Berlin, the prevalence of certain former East German symbols, such as Ampelmännchen (little traffi c light man) and Sandmännchen (little sandman), and the reappearance of certain food products, such as Spreewälder Gurken (pickled cucumbers) are examples of the phenomenon of Ostalgie. Long the object of aff ection as well as frustration in East Germany, the Trabi (or Trabant), a small boxy car made of fi berglass and pressed cotton, quickly became a key symbol not only of the German Democratic Republic, but also of socialist ineffi ciency and backwardness. In the mid-1990s, however, the Trabi reemerged as an evocative symbol of East German distinc-tiveness and post-socialist nostalgia and has achieved the status of a cult automobile.

For background information, teachers may want to read the comprehensive article, Germany: Ostalgie for the GDR by Peter Linden, Dominique Vidal and Benjamin Wuttke to comprehend the diff ering perspectives on this complex topic. Another im-portant source for teachers is a collection of essays by Daphne Berdahl, On the Social Life of Postsocialism: Memory, Consumption, Germany.


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Jana Hensel Handout (handout 4.3.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Goodbye Lenin! Refl ective Questions Handout (handout 4.3.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Ostalgie PowerPoint (PowerPoint 4.3.3 on Instructional resource disc)

• Ostalgie Research Articles (handout 4.3.4 on Instructional resource disc)

• Poetry Activity (handout 4.3.5 on Instructional resource disc)

Focus 4


4.3 ostalgie — remembering life in the gdr FOCUS 4 – Reunifi cation

PrOcedure: jana hensel’s after the wall

Jana Hensel’s After the Wall is a memoir that focuses on the generation who spent their childhood in the GDR and the rest of their lives in the Federal Republic. Born in Leipzig 1976, Jana Hensel attended elementary school (1983-1990) studying the curriculum set by the SED regime. Following the reunifi cation in 1991, she progressed to a university preparatory track in high school. Her graduating class was the fi rst to use textbooks that came from West Germany. In 1995 she matriculated at Leipzig University, where she studied French and German literature. After spending a year in Marseilles, France, Hensel transferred to the Humboldt University in Berlin. In the meantime, she published an Internet literary magazine and worked as a freelance editor for a major publisher. Having completed her studies in 2002, she spent a year in Paris where she began her work on After the Wall, which became a best seller. Like many of her generation, she has successfully “assimilated” into mainstream German society, whereas her parents and their contemporaries have continued to face diffi cult transition.

The original German title of the book is Zonenkinder, which means “children of the zone,” a reference to the origins of the GDR in the Soviet occupation zone. Hensel uses this colloquial expression to describe a state of mind among her generation, a “twilight zone” of sorts, in which daily life seems arbitrary, provisional, and somewhat unreal.

dAyS 1-2:

AnTIcIPATOry SeT: What four or fi ve products would you have a hard time living without? What items do you use the most? What would it be like if your world was turned upside down overnight? What if none of these items were available? How would your life be diff erent? What changes in your personal life would you like least or most?

Before the lesson, the teacher should prepare students by presenting an overview of the events in Germany following World War II, the establishment of West Germany (from the British, American, and French occupation zones) and East Germany (from the Soviet zone), the unique situation of West Berlin and the construction of the Berlin Wall, and a brief chronology of the events leading up to the ultimate collapse of the Soviet bloc in Eastern Europe. The teacher may also show the 24-minute-long Field Trip to Berlin DVD (with its accompanying Instructional Guide) also provided by the Transatlantic Outreach Program (TOP). The teacher should distribute the Jana Hensel Handout (handout 4.3.1 on Instructional resource disc), a timeline of the German Democratic Republic and Jana Hensel’s life, and “That Warm Fuzzy Feeling of Togetherness: On Growing Up in the GDR,” a chapter from Jana Hensel’s After the Wall: Confessions from an East German Childhood and the Life that Came Next.

Before the students read the handout, the teacher should review the characteristics of a memoir:

• A memoir is a specifi c type of autobiographical writing. Like an autobiography, a memoir is about the author’s personal experiences. However, a memoir does not necessarily cover the author’s entire life.

• A memoir is written from the fi rst person point of view, using fi rst-person pronouns, such as I, me, and we.

• A memoir is an account of actual events from the writer’s life.

• A memoir includes the writer’s feelings and beliefs about his or her family and community. In some cases the message or main idea is only implied by the details the writer provides.

As the students read the handout, they should identify and take notes on the following:

Leipzig Korbine Früchtchen

Völkerball (Dodgeball) St. Nicolas Church Karl Marx Square Warsaw Pact

Lenin Spartacus Track and Field Competitions

Erich Honecker Manne Murmelauge

Freie Deutsche Jugend (Free German Youth) Begrüßungsgeld (Welcome Money)

Junge Pioniere (Young Pioneers)

Focus 4


4.3 ostalgie — remembering life in the gdrFOCUS 4 – Reunification

In the discussion that follows, the teacher should ask the students to review their notes and consider the following questions:

a. Describe what you have learned about Jana Hensel and her experience?

b. Can you identify the idea Hensel is trying to communicate?

The teacher should point out to the students that in this memoir, the main idea is closely related to the central conflict be-tween Hensel’s desire to reconnect with her GDR childhood and the fact that the GDR system has disappeared.

In a memoir the writer’s heritage, traditions, attitude, and beliefs are often reflected in his or her writing. Working with a partner, the students should go back through the selection and find examples that reveal Hensel’s attitudes toward herself and her heritage, traditions, and belief system. When they have finished, they should discuss how her perceptions of herself and her GDR childhood have changed.

c. Describe Hensel’s feelings about her childhood.

d. Analyze the ways in which her past experience defined who she is.

The students should think of their own past experiences—joys and sorrows, accomplishments and failures, family traditions and values—events that have taught them a valuable lesson or shaped their personality. What are their most memoir-worthy experiences? As a follow-up, the teacher could ask the students to write a section of their own “memoirs.” Students who might be interested could read the rest of After the Wall.

dAyS 3-5:

goodbye, lenin! movie

Wolfgang Becker’s movie Goodbye, Lenin! is a satire about one young man’s efforts to make history and time stand still so he can protect his ill mother from the political upheaval of 1989-1990 in Germany. When the movie begins, 20-year-old Alex Kerner and his sister Ariane Kerner are living with their mother Christiane in an apartment block in East Berlin. Their father had defected to the West ten years earlier; their mother is a life-long member of the Socialist party and a strong political activist, so when she sees Alex participating in an anti-government demonstration, she suffers a heart attack and falls into a coma. During the eight months Christiane is comatose, Germany dramatically changes as a result of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the imminent official reunification of the two Germanys (East and West) into one country. Their life also changes as aspects of the newfound capitalism infiltrate their personal world. When Christiane awakens from her coma, her health is still tenuous. According to her doctor, any shock she experiences could possibly trigger another heart attack and certain death. So, to protect his mother, Alex is determined not to inform her of the changed Germany in which they now live. With the reluctant support of his family and friends, he feels he can better protect her at home, where he can control what she is exposed to. It is this decision that creates the comedy as the family desperately tries to explain and keep secret the new westernized world of fast food, fashion and flashy advertisements by recreating the increasingly fake world of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) inside Christiane’s bedroom.

Goodbye, Lenin! is a feature-length film which was released to international acclaim in 2003. It is available in DVD in German with English subtitles. It is approximately 121 minutes in length and has an “R” rating. For many schools, this rating may be problematic and require administration approval and special advance notification to parents. Teachers may desire to show the entire film or may be more inclined to show selected scenes which relate more directly to the theme of the fall of the Wall, the transformation of East Germany, and Ostalgie. (Dugdale, 2003).

The teacher should distribute the Goodbye Lenin! Reflective Questions Handout (handout 4.3.2 on Instructional resource disc) as the basis of a class discussion or a writing assignment. Suggested scenes to be shown and discussed are as follows:




Scene 3 Forty Years1. What is so special about October 7, 1989?2. How was this day celebrated in East Berlin?3. How does Alex Kerner react to his mother writing letters?

Scene 4 Protest1. What event does Alex participate in?2. Who greets the marchers?3. What does Christiane Kerner witness after she leaves the taxi?4. What happens to her after she sees Alex? What does Alex attempt to do?

Scene 6 The New World1. What happened on November 9, 1989?2. How does Alex commemorate the date?3. Who was Helmut Kohl?4. Where does Ariane Kerner work? Who does she meet there?5. What do Ariane and Alex do to the apartment?

Scene 9 Back Home1. How do Alex and Denis prepare the apartment for Christiane and why?2. What is Ariane’s comment about the old clothing?

Scene 10 Turning Back Time1. What does Alex discover when he goes to the supermarket?2. Why does Alex look through the garbage?3. What happened to the East German currency the Ostmark? How did the East Germans react?4. What does the new supermarket offer?5. What is meant by a “colorful consumer paradise?”

Scene 13 The Birthday Party1. Who does Alex gather for his mother’s birthday party?2. Who were the Jungen Pioniere (young pioneers)?3. What presents does Christiane receive? Why is this important to her?

Scene 14 The Money1. How does Alex explain the large CocaCola advertising sign?2. What happens when Alex attempts to exchange Ostmark?

Scene 18 Goodbye, Lenin1. What happens when Christiane leaves the apartment?2. What does she see outside that puzzles her?

Scene 19 The Truth1. What explanation does Alex provide for the changes that Christiane observed?

Scene 26 Sigmund Jähn1. Who was Sigmund Jähn and how does Alex use him to explain the “historic events” that had occurred

in Germany?

FOCUS 4 – Reunification Focus 4



follow-up Activity

As the film concludes, Alex and his family face a new and exciting life. But what might the future hold for them? Where will they live and work? Write a synopsis for a sequel to Goodbye, Lenin! Include information on how the characters adapt to the new political order and the western way of life.

dAyS 6-8:

Ostalgie—creating A Gdr museum

After the students have read and discussed the excerpt from Jana Hensel’s After the Wall: Confessions from an East German Child-hood and the Life that Came Next (handout 4.3.1 on Instructional resource disc) and viewed and discussed Goodbye, Lenin!, the teacher should re-introduce the idea of Ostalgie [a new German word which is a combination of the words “Ost” (east) and “Nostalgie” (nostalgia)]. The teacher should ask the students to identify those items from both the memoir and the film which illustrate this concept.

Before assigning the project that the students will complete, the teacher may want to show the Ostalgie PowerPoint (Power-Point 4.3.3 on Instructional resource disc).

The teacher should introduce the group project, which the students will create to demonstrate their comprehension of the idea of Ostalgie—a museum showcase:

• Students will create a classroom museum exhibit. Museum exhibits are usually designed to educate and inform the public about the subject of the exhibit in a balanced and usually unbiased way (Walbert, 2011). Students will work in groups to design an informative museum exhibit about one aspect of Ostalgie or aspects of German reunification.

• The three components in a museum exhibit are artifacts, pictures, and text. Artifacts are objects from the time period being portrayed or recreations of sample objects. These artifacts help bring the story to life. The pictures in a museum exhibit typi-cally portray people, items, or events central to the topic of the exhibit. These artifacts and pictures are often accompanied by explanatory exhibit text and object captions to help the viewer make sense of the exhibit. The text might identify and give the background of an artifact, or it might explain how a specific person is related to the topic.

Students can choose from the many topics mentioned in the memoir, movie, on the web, or in magazine articles. Some of the products include: Rotkäppchen Sekt, Vita Cola, Spreewälder Gurken, Mocca Fix Gold, Tempo Bohnen, Globus Erbsen, Pit-tiplatsch, Ampelmännchen, Sandmännchen, Trabant, Perlodent.

Students will research their topic using Internet resources as well as the articles Ostalgie Research Articles (handout 4.3.4 on Instructional resource disc).

Once they have completed their research, the students need to design and assemble their exhibit. The exhibit can be as-sembled on a piece of poster board, white foam board, or corrugated display board (tri-fold). This task can be done in class or as a homework assignment.

The actual museum might be created in the classroom or a larger area where tables can be set up to display the materials, including artifacts. Once the museum has been created, each student group should explain the meaning of their exhibit to the rest of the class as part of a “museum tour.”

method variations & Additional Teaching Options

1. The teacher might want to establish the concept of a juried exhibition and have a panel of other teachers, the principal, etc. serve as a jury to award prizes to the best exhibits.

2. The teacher might show a video of a Trabant commercial from the following website: http://www.archive.org/details/Werbung_Trabant_601

3. The students may want to create an advertisement for their product for their museum. This could be a video or a PowerPoint presentation or a magazine-style advertisement.




Sources:

Becker, W. (2003). Goodbye Lenin! [Motion Picture]. Germany: X-Filme Creative Pool.

Berdahl, D. On the Social Life of Postsocialism: Memory, Consumption, Germany. Bloomington: University of Indiana Press, 2010.

Dugdale, H. (2003). Goodbye Lenin!. Film Education. Retrieved July 2011, from http://www.filmeducation.org/pdf/film/GoodbyeL.pdf

Idaho Human Rights Education Center. (2011, July). International Education: Post-Unification Germany: An excerpt from Jana Hensel’s memoir. Retrieved from: http://www.sde.idaho.gov/internationaleducation/docs/germany/germany8language.pdf

Linden, P., Vidal, D., Wuttke, B. (2004, August). Germany: Ostalgia for the GDR. Le Monde Diplomatique. Retrieved from http://mondediplo.com/2004/08/04ostalgia

Tatsachen Über Deutschland. (2011). Deutsche Einheit. Retrieved November 10, 2011, from http://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de/de/deutsche-einheit.html

Walbert, K. (2011). Museum Exhibit Design. Retrieved July 2011 from School of Education at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/629

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOnS: • As a means to bring closure to this unit, the teacher may assign the students to write an essay on the concept of Ostalgie

based on their readings, the viewing of scenes from Goodbye, Lenin!, and their Museum Exhibit.

• The teacher may want to facilitate a final class discussion with the help of the aforementioned focus questions.

mOdIfIcATIOnS: • Teachers who do not have sufficient time, may want to select from the variety of activities in this lesson.

• The teacher may also need to create specific questions for the different readings to accommodate students’ varying reading and comprehension levels. However, the activities should accommodate the participation of students with special needs.

exTenSIOn: • Another approach to teaching the concept of Ostalgie is through poetry. Teachers may ask students the following two ques-

tions:

° How can poetry expand and deepen one’s understanding of historical and cultural events?

° What insight do the poems “Property” by Volker Braun and “Berlin Encounter” by Yaak Karsunke (handout 4.3.5 on In-structional resource disc) provide into the effects of the fall of the Berlin Wall on the residents of former East Germany?



4.4 the stasi and espionage in the gdr

leSSOn OvervIew:

Living in a democratic society, American adolescents are not familiar with how their lives would be scrutinized and restricted under a totalitarian regime. This lesson features a combination of selected scenes from the 2006 Academy Award-winning fi lm The Lives of Others and a simulation of what life would be like, if one was unaware of being watched and recorded. Students will study the eff ects of the Stasi on the lives of ordinary people living in the German Democratic Republic.


The GDR was among the most closed and repressive of the Soviet bloc countries. The Stasi (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit – Ministry of State Security) was the domestic and foreign intelligence body, secret police, and offi cial investigation organi-zation of the GDR. The Communist party founded it on February 8, 1950 in order to protect and enforce the interests of the party (Spiegel Online, 2011). The main function of the Stasi was to elimi-nate political beliefs that opposed Communist ideology and to detect politically unacceptable behavior among its citizens. In order to get as much information as possible and to expose people who had thoughts and opinions critical of the regime, the Stasi spied on people and many homes were bugged. The Stasi also used heavy-handed methods such as intimidation and blackmail in order to demonstrate power and to make it clear that an adversarial attitude against the GDR would result in serious consequences. Political opponents were quickly imprisoned. From the West German perspective, the most obvious sign of the GDR’s repressive system was its control of the freedom of movement. Even before the Ber-lin Wall was constructed in 1961, people who tried to cross the barbed-wire fence that ran the length of the country to get into West Germany were shot at (Film Education, 2011). In 1991, after heated debate as to whether the Stasi fi les should be made accessible to those aff ected by them, the Bundestag passed the Stasi Records Law, which stated that both citizens of the former East Germany as well as foreigners had the right to view their fi les. Thousands were horrifi ed to fi nd proof that they had been spied on by friends, family members, and lovers. By the end of the period of communist rule, it is estimated that the Stasi had nearly 100,000 employees and as many as two million collaborators (Democracy Web, 2011).

TIme:

(6-7) 45 minute class periods

? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• how is life controlled under a totalitarian regime?

4.4 The STASI And eSPIOnAGe In The Gdr





? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• how is life controlled under a totalitarian regime?


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Stasi Articles Handout (handout 4.4.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• The Lives of Others Worksheet (handout 4.4.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Stasi Surveillance Report (handout 4.4.3 on Instructional resource disc)


Introduction to the Gdr and the stasi

AnTIcIPATOry SeT: The teacher should ask students what makes their lives enjoyable and gives them satisfaction. How would their lives change if they knew they were being watched and their actions recorded?

After completing the Anticipatory Set, the teacher should introduce several important acronyms:

1. GDR: German Democratic Republic (English for Deutsche Demokratische Republik, DDR; more commonly known in English as East Germany)

2. SED: Socialist Unity Party of Germany (English for Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands)

3. SMA: Soviet Military Administration (organization in charge of East Germany after World War II)

4. KPD: Communist Party of Germany (English for Kommunistische Eiheitspartei Deutschlands) founded in the 1920s

5. Stasi: Ministry for State Security (English for Ministerium für Staatssicherheit)

In order to understand the operations of the secret police in the GDR, the teacher should provide students with an under-standing of totalitarianism and a brief history of Germany after its defeat by the four Allied powers in World War II. The teacher may want to ask the students to conduct brief research using either their textbooks or online resources. The teacher may also show the 24-minute-long Field Trip to Berlin DVD (with its accompanying Instructional Guide) also provided by the Transatlantic Outreach Program (TOP). The teacher should distribute the Stasi Articles Handout (handout 4.4.1 on Instructional resource disc) for students to read.

Here are a few questions for either classroom discussion or for students to consider while conducting their background re-search:

1. Describe how the Soviet Union’s administration of its occupied zone of Germany diff ered from that of Great Britain, the United States, and France? When was the German Democratic Republic (GDR) established?

2. Who was Walter Ulbricht? What key events during the early years of his administration (in the 1950s) helped East Germany become more powerful in Eastern Europe?

3. What events caused Ulbricht to order the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961?

4. Describe how Ulbricht and the Communist Party restructured the economy to both bolster the GDR and also to pay the reparations required by the Soviet Union. Why could this era have caused so many workers to escape to West Germany?

5. List the changes that occurred in the 1960s that had a somewhat positive eff ect on employment in the GDR.

As part of introducing the Stasi, the teacher should ask students to refl ect on the following question: How do you think average GDR citizens felt about their government and what it was providing for them during the 1950s and 1960s?

After reading the following passage of Stasiland, the 2003 book by Australian journalist Anna Funder, students should answer the following questions:

1. What do you think Funder means by the statement, “But its broader remit [goal] was to protect the Party from the people?”

2. What does this say about the SED’s belief in the citizens of the GDR?




“The Stasi was the internal army by which the government kept control. Its job was to know everything about everyone, using any means it chose,” (Funder, 2003, p. 5) [...] “The Stasi’s brief was to be ‘shield and sword’ of the Communist Party, called […] the SED. But its broader remit [goal] was to protect the Party from the people. It arrested, imprisoned and interrogated anyone it chose. It inspect-ed all mail in secret rooms above post offices (copying letters and stealing any valuables), and intercepted, daily, tens of thousands of phone calls. It bugged hotel rooms and spied on diplomats. It ran its own universities, hospitals, elite sports centers and terrorist training programs for Libyans and the West Germans of the Red Army Faction. It pockmarked the countryside with secret bunkers for its members in the event of World War III. Unlike secret services in democratic countries, the Stasi was the mainstay of State power. Without it, and without the threat of Soviet tanks to back it up, the SED regime could not have survived” (Funder, 2003, p. 59).

Next, the teacher should introduce the 2006 Academy Award-winning film for Best Foreign Picture, The Lives of Others and show the first and second scenes. The teacher should distribute The Lives of Others Worksheet (handout 4.4.2 on Instructional resource disc), which lists the characters and specific questions for each scene that will be used in the lesson. The students should answer the questions either while watching the film, immediately thereafter, or as part of their homework. The Lives of Others has an “R” rating. For many schools, this rating may be problematic and require administration approval and special advance notification to parents. Teachers may desire to show the entire film or may be more inclined to show selected scenes which relate more directly to the theme of the Stasi.

dAyS 3-4:

The “enemies” of the Gdr

The teacher should call upon two or three students to share their responses to the questions from the previous day’s scenes from The Lives of Others.

Then the teacher should inform the students that for the duration of this lesson (over the next few days), they will be part of a Simulation on the Stasi. For this activity, students will “become” typical working-class citizens of the GDR. The teacher should secretly select several students in the class to become Stasi informants.

stasi Simulation: Structuring class for the week and Assigning roles

• The teacher should arrange the desks into five groups (depending on the size of the class, there should be at least four students in each group). These groups should be identified as A, B, C, D, E. The students will sit with these groups for the duration of this lesson on the Stasi.

• Each desk in each group should be numbered 1, 2, 3 … (use a bright, large Post-it note). When the students enter the room, the teacher should give each student an index card with a group letter and desk number. The student should look at the card and give it back to the teacher before taking their seat.

• The teacher should pre-determine which student in each group should get a (*) symbol next to their desk number; these students have been chosen to be informants. The teacher should be careful to designate a different desk number in each group as the informant, so the rest of the students cannot figure out which number is the informant. The teacher should instruct the informants NOT to reveal their identities to anyone.

Examples of assignment cards:

Group A, Seat 1

Group B, Seat 2 (*)

Group C, Seat 3

Group D, Seat 4 (*)

In the discussion of The Lives of Others, the teacher should point out that as indicated in the first scene, one of the main con-cerns of the Stasi was to figure out who aided escapees in their quest to leave the GDR. The film’s protagonist, Gerd Wiesler, an expert Stasi interrogator, commented to the trainees that these people were “the enemies of socialism.” The teacher should ask the students to define what this might mean.




Next, the teacher should read another passage from Anna Funder’s Stasiland. This is an excerpt from an interview with an ex-Stasi member named Herr Winz. He comments about their “enemy:”

“You were right. Capitalism is even worse than you told us it would be. In the GDR, you could go out alone at night as a woman. You could leave your apartment door open. […] This capitalism is, above all, exploitation! It is unfair. It’s brutal. The rich get richer and the masses get steadily poorer. And capitalism makes war! German imperialism in particular! Each industrialist is a criminal at war with the other, each business at war with the next. […] Capitalism blunders the planet too!” (Funder, 2003, p. 86).

The students should now consider other “threats” to the Stasi. The teacher should ask the students: What types of activities, in addition to escaping to West Germany, would be considered a “threat” to the GDR? The teacher should create a table on the board based on these categories and give students ten minutes in their group to fill in the blanks.

The teacher should have each group share a category or two. The students should discuss which categories might be more threatening than others.

categories Type of activity that could be “threatening” Person who would engage in this activity

Political

Economic

Social

Religious

Intellectual

Artistic

Next, the students should watch scenes 6 and 8 of The Lives of Others. The students should answer the questions on the handout (handout 4.4.2 on Instructional resource disc) either while watching the film or immediately thereafter or for homework.

dAy 5:

The role of the Informant

The students should sit in their groups in their assigned seats. The teacher should begin class with a brief discussion of the scenes of The Lives of Others viewed the previous day:

• What do the wire-tapping scene and Frau Meineke’s observation illustrate about loyalty to the SED?

• At Dreyman’s 40th birthday party, there are three or four instances of friendships becoming difficult because of real or as-sumed Stasi interference. What does this say about relationships and friendships in the GDR?

The teacher should explain the homework:

• Student informants (*) should be told secretly to select one student in their group to watch and then write a surveillance report over a day or two. Secretly distribute the Stasi Surveillance Report (handout 4.4.3 on Instructional resource disc) to the chosen (*) students only.

• For homework, the rest of the students should write a paragraph response to the following questions: Would informants be needed in high schools? Why or why not? Think about your average school day, where could you run into informants? At what locations? How many could be in your neighborhood?

• The teacher should not reveal that there are actually two assignments. The teacher should let all the students think that they are writing about informants. The Stasi never needed any reason to watch people.




Disclaimer: The goal is two-fold—for students to compose a report in the manner of the Stasi, and to create a slight sense of paranoia among the student body in the classroom, mimicking the social atmosphere of the GDR.

Student surveillance reports (*) should be written in the most neutral manner possible, using their best efforts to keep the integrity and privacy of students intact. In order for the homework assignment to be fair and equitable, all students will have a writing assignment. But the non-informants will NOT know what the assignment for informants is.

dAyS 6-7:

stasi reports and further Investigative Activities

Before the class period, the students should submit their homework questions to the teacher, so that she/he can read them and select the two most complete essays. The students should sit in their groups and the teacher will then read two to three reports from the informants and comment on the information collected. What would the Stasi have thought of their work?

The teacher should then ask the following questions:

a. How did you feel before the report was read? Were you nervous, anxious?

b. What do you think about the information revealed? Does it seem to reflect a careful observation of the student being watched?

c. How could you as an observer get more detailed information on the person you observe?

d. What would have helped you to act more secretively with your spying efforts?

Watch scene 12 of The Lives of Others and answer the questions either in class or for homework. For homework, the teacher should inform the students in the next and last day of this lesson, that they will learn what happened after the reunification of Germany in 1990. The students should consider the following questions:

a. What do you predict happened to the majority of informants for the Stasi? Did they hide their identity?

b. What do you predict happened to the people in charge who worked directly for the Stasi? Did they flee the country? Were they charged with serious crimes? What types of industries would be interested in hiring former Stasi employees? How did their fellow countrymen treat them after the reunification of Germany?

c. Do you believe there are levels of “guilt” to be assigned to those who worked for the Stasi? Who were the most guilty? Are they even guilty of anything at all?

d. Should the people have access to their Stasi files? Should these all be destroyed?

dAy 8:

Tearing down the wall

The teacher should arrange the classroom for a Take a Stand activity. The desks should be in the perimeter of the classroom. On one side of the room, the word “Yes” should be written; on the other side of the room “No.”

When the students arrive, they should stand in the middle of the room. The teacher should read the following statement: “The German government should allow people the right to have access to their Stasi files.” The students should move to the side of the room that best represents their opinion. Students can be in the middle, against the wall (close to the signs), near to the wall, etc. The teacher should call on individual students to explain their placement.

Finally the teacher should ask the students if they would want to know who their informants were during the class simulation. What type of pressure could this put on relationships in class?

The students should watch the final scenes (26-28) of The Lives of Others and discuss the questions on the worksheet.




Sources:

This lesson is a shortened version of 2009 TOP Fellow Jeanne Scheppach’s lesson.

Scheppach, J. M. (2011). Goethe TOP Program Lesson Plan: The Stasi and Espionage in the GDR. Retrieved from Goethe-Institut Washington, Top Online Web site: http://www.toponline.org/lessons/high/lp09s_scheppach.pdf

Democracy Web: Comparative Studies in Freedom. (2011). Rule of Law: Country Studies – Germany. Retrieved November 29, 2011, from http://www.democracyweb.org/rule/germany.php

Film Education. (2007). The Lives of Others. Retrieved November 29, 2011, from http://www.queensfilmtheatre.com/uploads/documents/livesofothers.pdf

Funder, A. (2003). Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Wall. London: Granta Books.

Spiegel Online. (2011). einestages: Stasi gegründet. Retrieved November 29, 2011, from http://einestages.spiegel.de/external/ShowAlbumBackgroundPrint/a1350.html

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • Throughout this lesson, there are many opportunities for the teacher to engage students in discussions on surveillance dur-

ing the GDR. It might be interesting to speculate on how the methods employed by the Stasi would be different today with Facebook, texting, and electronic means of communication. The teacher might pose the question to students of whether or not they feel that too much information is stored in cyberspace? Are we being spied upon and not even aware of it? What are the “Big Brother” aspects of American life (city surveillance cameras, flying surveillance drones, EZ-Pass cameras at toll booths, cell phone cameras and video capability, cameras in banks, convenience stores, or in their own schools)?

mOdIfIcATIOn: • Teachers with limited time might want to either eliminate the movie The Lives of Others and concentrate on the readings and

the simulation, or use the movie and the readings and eliminate the simulation activity. The readings may be assigned for homework rather than having students read them in class.

exTenSIOnS: • The teacher might want to encourage students to visit the website of the Leipzig Stasi headquarters - die Runde Ecke, http://

www.runde-ecke-leipzig.de/cms. This would make an excellent follow-up activity to this lesson.

• A 1988 Michael Jackson concert in West Berlin prompted security concerns for the Stasi. This information was not discovered until years after the reunification. Students might conduct internet research and consider the following questions:

a. Why would a Michael Jackson concert near the Brandenburg Gate be considered a threat to East Germany in 1988? What was happening in the Soviet Union and its satellite states at that time?

b. Do you think that the Stasi had just cause to be worried?

c. How did economics play into deciding on the location for Jackson’s concert?

d. On the other hand, a month after Jackson’s concert, American musician Bruce Springsteen was allowed to perform in East Germany. Why was he treated differently than Jackson?

• Interviews with Irmtraud and Tobias Hollitzer, mother and son, who grew up in the German Democratic Republic and expe-rienced the Stasi, appear in Lesson 4.2 on The Peaceful Revolution in Leipzig. (handout 4.2.2 on Instructional resource disc). Students should read and discuss the Hollitzers’ experiences with the Stasi.

what do you think about somebody showing a flag in public?

fOcuS 5 – POlITIcAl SySTem

Gerald (42): …Well, somebody showing a German flag in

public, it depends. I would be very proud and glad of it if it

would be on the third of October. I miss some flags there,

and in general for soccer games for instance I think it is OK.

But it’s a bit ridiculous in gardens in front of your home;

I saw that in Denmark a lot, I think that’s kind of silly…

xin (56): I’m very happy because the Germans can finally

be happy to show their own nationality. Especially during

the soccer world cup it was fantastic. There was so much

joy and everybody was happy, and they could all wave

flags, and the people were happy, and I was super happy

too. That summer was extraordinarily great…

Tobias (45): I feel the same when I see somebody showing

an Italian or a French flag or a German flag, they should be

free to display it, but it doesn’t touch me at all. The show-

ing of a flag is not the point. But if it’s connected with the

attitude to rise over somebody, to show superiority over

somebody else, I think it’s very problematic. And in this

case it doesn’t matter whose flag it is. But if it’s just about

showing togetherness, a common feeling, a common

idea or just a regional relationship it’s totally ok.

monika marie (41): …I still feel uncomfortable seeing

somebody raising the German flag.

Gregor (29): Immediately I would ask myself, why is he do-ing it? But I wouldn’t consider it completely negative right from the beginning… because the motive for why some-body is doing it is always important, e.g. soccer. In this area if it’s for the team, the national team, that’s OK. If somebody would just do it without a particular reason, I would think if you are happy with it, do it. But if it’s more of a nationalist direction, I dislike it.

ulrich (78): I don’t get upset about it,

but it always reminds of the past and

I find the flag symbolism in church

and state very questionable…

nora (28): Well, it was 2006 when everybody started

thinking it would be normal to show German flags, and

there is nothing really wrong about it. It’s a symbol, and

it depends on what the symbol means. So, let people do

what they want to do, but I do have to admit that there

is a feeling of rejection growing in me, when I see a Ger-

man flag. I would most definitely find someone less sym-

pathetic knowing that he has a German flag at home

and puts it up in his garden or even worse on his car

or I don’t know where. I would presume that we don’t

share the same values. And even for big sports events

it’s strange to me even today and I think it will continue

to be strange to me until the end of my life. But actually

when you step back and when you try to look at it objec-

tively, or if you exchange our German flags with Brazilian

ones or with any other country’s flags, I wouldn’t have

a problem with it at all. So I guess I don’t really have a

problem with it, but it just seems strange to me.

daniel S (44): Got used to it.

As a result of the soccer world

cup in 2006, our little world

changed…. So the flag wav-

ing issue simply doesn’t feel

so strange anymore. Of course

it depends on the occasion,

but with sports… I don’t see a

problem anymore.

nina (43): It depends. For example, when we hosted the

World Cup in soccer, I think it was OK for Germans wav-

ing the German flag, because it showed that everybody

was happy having this big soccer party. But, whenever

I see somebody waving a flag and standing on a balco-

ny… I would say, “Wow! He might be a kind of national

socialist,” or something like that. So immediately I think I

don’t like that and I don’t like him. Actually it’s like a feel-

ing being deeply rooted inside myself…

Focus 5 FOCUS 5 – Political System


5.1 german Post-reunifi cation timeline

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• how does a divided country become one again?

• what is actually meant by “reunifi cation?”

5.1 GermAn POST-reunIfIcATIOn TImelIne



leSSOn OvervIew:

This lesson focuses on the events which have shaped reunifi ed Ger-many since 1990. Students will have the opportunity to review the chronology of the political, social, economic, cultural, and interna-tional events, as they aff ected the so-called reunifi cation of Germany: the dismantling of the German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) and its “absorption” into the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). After studying specifi c events in Germany from the past 20 years, students will be asked to identify themes which can be the basis of a designed and constructed board game. By creating this board game, students will graphically represent the highlights of the contemporary period.


Germany has been reunited since October 3, 1990. The peaceful revo-lution of the people in the German Democratic Republic contributed to the collapse of the Berlin Wall that had both physically and sym-bolically divided Germany into East and West. Two nations that were one country until 1949, but since separated ideologically for 40 years, now confronted many challenges (Pulzer, 1996). Technically, Germany was not actually “re-unifi ed.” The German Democratic Republic was dissolved and the people and area of eastern Germany became part of the Federal Republic of Germany. How has the Federal Republic de-veloped over the past 20 years and beyond? What characterizes poli-tics, business, science, society, and culture in today’s Germany? What principles dominate its society? What historical developments have infl uenced German life? Twenty years after the reunifi cation great progress has been made. However, enormous challenges remain, which the German people must overcome together (Turner, 1992). To learn more about the German reunifi cation teachers may want to read the following books:

Pulzer, P. German Politics, 1945-1995. Oxford University Press, 1996.

Turner, H.A. Germany from Partition to Reunifi cation. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992.

FOCUS 5 – Political System Focus 5


? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• how does a divided country become one again?

• what is actually meant by “reunifi cation?”

5.1 german Post-reunifi cation timeline

TIme:



• Reunifi ed Germany Timeline (handout 5.1.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Access to the Internet

• Foam boards, markers, computer printer, scissors, etc.

PrOcedure: dAy 1:

For homework prior to this lesson, the students should read about the collapse of the Berlin Wall (November 9, 1989) and on the events leading up to the German reunifi cation (October 3, 1990). This reading assignment should be the basis for discus-sion to introduce the topic of German Reunifi cation. The teacher may assign sections in the students’ textbook or several short articles which can be found online (see examples below):

• Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in London. (2011). A short history of German Reunifi cation.

• Schmemann, S. (2009, November 9). A Fateful Day, and the East Tasted Freedom. The New York Times.

Anticipatory Set: How does a divided country become one again? What steps are necessary to bring about a peaceful reuni-fi cation? What are the obstacles that must be overcome?

It is important that the teacher emphasizes that, technically, Germany was not actually “reunifi ed.” The German Democratic Republic was dissolved and the people and area of eastern Germany became part of the Federal Republic of Germany. The teacher might want to look at the example of the United States in the post-Civil War Reconstruction period. The analogy of incorporating the people and area of the Confederacy into the Union after the Civil War works here.

dAyS 2-8:

The major activity of this lesson is the student design and construction of a board game to demonstrate their comprehension of the events of the past 20 years as Germany has continued to progress as a unifi ed nation. The students may select a single theme (e.g. the GDR or the city of Berlin) or present a broader overview of contemporary Germany. This activity requires an understanding of chronology and the use of timelines to graphically represent the sequence of events.

Students (in groups of four) will research, design, and create a board game based on information in the Reunifi ed Germany Timeline (handout 5.1.1 on Instructional resource disc). This project requires the use of multiple abilities so that every stu-dent can contribute. Each student should be given a defi ned role (i.e. techie, artist, scribe, manager). As students work on the project, the teacher should serve as a resource. This project challenges students to exercise higher-level thinking skills—com-prehension, application, analysis, evaluation, and most important, synthesis—to complete complex problem-solving tasks. The project focuses on key questions, diffi cult issues, essential understanding, and important concepts.

The students must conceive the game, come up with questions and their answers, design and construct the board, write direc-tions, create the game pieces, and then teach another group how to play it.

To do this, the students will need to research their topic thoroughly enough to come up with questions to be answered (and they will need to know the answers). They should start with the historic timeline, but will need to use the Internet and print sources to gain additional and more detailed information. This research reinforces the unit study while providing additional historical information, compelling images, and avenues for further research and study.

Each student will be assigned a specifi c role and task in the group: Techie (oversees Internet research), Artist (draws or selects cutouts for the fi nal version of the board game), Scribe (writes questions, answers, and rules), Manager (makes sure everyone in



5.1 german Post-reunification timeline

the group contributes, stays on task, selects, gathers and returns materials).

The final board game should be constructed on foam board (cut to the appropriate size); all lettering must be neat, consistent in size and style, and easy to read. Rules for the game should be easy to understand, typed, and mounted on foam board or cardstock. Question cards will be made of cardstock. The group needs to decide what to use as the players’ token pieces and find or create them. Ideally, they should relate to the theme of the game.

Time frame:

(1) 45-minute class period: Determine the theme, conceptualize the game, and begin research.

(1) 45-minute class period: Research the information.

(1) 45-minute class period: Brainstorm ideas for the layout of the board and how the game will be played (i.e. the rules).

(2) 45-minute class periods: Construct the game and all necessary components (e.g. question cards, game pieces, etc.).

(1) 45-minute class period: Play the game; work out any issues.

(1) 45-minute class period: Teach another team to play it.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOnS: • After completing the project, students should write evaluations of the group process and of the other games created in the

class. These evaluations enrich class discussion and promote critical thinking.

• The students should share their understanding of the challenges Germany faced in 1990 and whether the German people have succeeded in meeting these.

mOdIfIcATIOn: • For the sake of time, the teacher might substitute the creation of a Jeopardy-style game for the board game. The students

would create the categories and write the “answers.”

exTenSIOn: • The teacher may assign the students a five-paragraph essay in which they answer the following question: “Has the Federal

Republic of Germany succeeded in meeting the challenges of Germany’s historic reunification?”



5.2 national identity and national symbols: Flag and national anthem

leSSOn OvervIew: This series of lessons investigates the concept of nationalism and how it applies to Germany today. Students will read an introductory essay from The New York Times (Kulish, 2010) which examines the search for national identity in contemporary Germany and will then focus on the national symbols of the fl ag and the national anthem. In addition, students will read about and discuss the German men’s national soccer team and the 2006 men’s soccer World Cup as an example of the changing demographics in Germany and what it means to be German today. Students will be able to defi ne “nationalism” and discuss the problems associated with expressing it (the German fl ag and national anthem) in contemporary Germany. They will under-stand the laws of citizenship in Germany and how the concept of being “German” has changed with the growing diversity of the German population.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:The phrase “nationalism in Germany” may evoke strong response, depending on where you live, how old you are, and how you view history. “German nationalism or patriotism” might evoke an uneasy feeling in some people because these words are still associated with both World Wars and the Nazi period. But, the Nazi regime did not invent German nationalism. If anything, the Nazis exploited and abused cultural values by misusing them. A positive sense of nationalism surfaced for the fi rst time since WWII during the 2006 FIFA Men’s Soccer World Cup held in Germany, again during the 2010 FIFA Men’s Soccer World Cup held in South Africa, and once again in 2011 during the FIFA Women’s Soccer World Cup held in Germany. During each of the events, Germans proudly waved the German national fl ag. Because most Germans had not felt comfortable being nationalistic since WWII, it was a freeing moment in German national history to wave the fl ag and be proud of being German. After the World Cup festivities, the German fl ags disappeared again, only to be seen fl ying atop government buildings such as the Reichstag building in Berlin. Another outward manifestation (although rare) of German national spirit is singing the national anthem. Following the German reunifi cation, just the third verse of the orig-inal three-verse German national anthem from the year 1922 was declared the new offi cial national an-them. The fi rst two verses were deemed too closely associated with the Nazi-era. The German National Anthem, or Das Deutschlandlied, was written by Au-gust Heinrich Hoff mann von Fallersleben in 1841. The accompanying melody, composed by Joseph Haydn, was taken from a 1797 anthem for Austrian Emperor Franz II.

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• what is nationalism and what are some of the symbols which people use to express this potent force? • what does it mean to be German today and what are the challenges involving regionalism and pluralism?

5.2 nATIOnAl IdenTITy And nATIOnAl SymBOlS: flAG And nATIOnAl AnThem





? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• what is nationalism and what are some of the symbols which people use to express this potent force? • what does it mean to be German today and what are the challenges involving regionalism and pluralism?



InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • German Identity, Long Dormant, Reasserts Itself Article (handout 5.2.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Germany’s Soccer Squad Boasts Ethnic Diversity Article (handout 5.2.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• German Laws on Nationality Handout (handout 5.2.3 on Instructional resource disc)

• Germany and the Flag (handout 5.2.4 on Instructional resource disc)

• Germany’s National Anthem (handout 5.2.5 on Instructional resource disc)

PrOcedure:

Before beginning this lesson, the students should read German Identity, Long Dormant, Reasserts Itself Article (handout 5.2.1 on Instructional resource disc). To refl ect on the article, students should explain the signifi cance of the following phrases as well as identify the author’s thesis.

Volker Schlöndorff Goethe

Kurfürstendamm Schiller

The Tin Drum by Günter Grass Conscription

Angela Merkel Thilo Sarrazin

Self-absorbed colossus Greek debt crisis

Brothers Grimm

Constitutional identity “is not open to integration” Lisbon Treaty

Helmut Kohl Hartz IV

Forgotten People Otto von Bismarck

Aging, shrinking population

dAy 1:

Anticipatory Set: The teacher should ask the students to defi ne the concept of “nationalism” and to identify symbols which represent American nationalism. Students should answer the following questions:

• Do you have an American fl ag at home?

• If you do, when do you display it?

• When and where do you see an American fl ag displayed, and how does it make you feel?

• What is the national anthem of the United States?

• When and why is it sung?

• How does it make you feel?

• What does it mean to be an American?

As a variation to this exercise, the teacher could ask the students to complete the following sentence verbally or as a writing assignment: “I am proud to be an American when I …”

Next, the teacher should ask the students to identify the thesis of the German Identity, Long Dormant, Reasserts Itself Article (handout 5.2.1 on Instructional resource disc) and how the author supports it. The teacher should facilitate a discussion on the changing demographics in contemporary Germany and the diff erences between ethnic Germans and German im-migrants. What makes someone German? For homework, the students should read the Germany’s Soccer Squad Boasts Ethnic Diversity Article (handout 5.2.2 on Instructional resource disc).




dAy 2:

do-now Activity: Students should identify the different ethnicities represented by the players of the men’s German national soccer team.

The students should summarize the main point of their reading assignment (Germany’s Soccer Squad Boasts Ethnic Diversity) and discuss the World Cup’s impact on expressing German national pride. Fuel a discussion of changing definitions of German nationality by asking students: “Living in an era of globalization and greater movement of people, does the traditional concept of nationalism become meaningless?” The students should then read excerpts from the German Laws on Nationality Handout (handout 5.2.3 on Instructional resource disc) and identify the importance of the following phrases:

• Children born in Germany to foreign parents

• Section 7 of the Nationality Act

• Eight years of habitual residence

• Spouses of German nationals

• Adequate knowledge of German (language)

• Avoiding multiple nationality

• Children born abroad

• Re-acquire […] German nationality

dAyS 3-4:

The teacher should show the students a German flag (a real one or electronic image) and discuss it as a national symbol (see www.bundestag.de/htdocs_e/bundestag/symbols/flag/index.html for further information).

Next, the teacher may have students read one or more of the articles from Germany and the Flag (handout 5.2.4 on Instruc-tional resource disc) and answer the following questions:

• How does a flag come to represent a nation?

• What are Germany’s issues regarding the display of the German flag?

• How do these issues compare to the display of the American flag in the United States?

• Are German citizens as likely to display their national flag on the Day of German Unity (October 3rd) as Americans are to display their national flag on Independence Day (July 4th)?

• Can you explain the difference in the display of national pride between Germany and the United States?

Next the teacher should distribute the lyrics to Germany’s National Anthem (handout 5.2.5 on Instructional resource disc) and review them with the students. If possible, the teacher should play an audio recording of the German anthem before hav-ing the students answer the following questions:

• What is the purpose of a national anthem?

• When are national anthems performed?

• What emotions does the German national anthem evoke in you when you listen to it?

• Describe the sentiment expressed in the lyrics.

The teacher should divide the students into four groups and each group should receive one of the following additional na-tional anthems: USA, Canada, United Kingdom, France. In their groups, the students should compare and contrast the lyrics of these national anthems with that of the German National Anthem and report their findings to the class. How are the senti-ments expressed in each anthem similar? How are they different?




Sources:

Sections of this lesson have been adapted from a lesson designed by 2010 TOP Fellow Michael Robinson.

Robinson, M. (2010). Goethe TOP Program Lesson Plan: Germany – Mapping, Culture, Integration, Soccer. Retrieved from the Goethe-Institut Washington.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOnS: • In closing, the students should ponder whether Germans should feel comfortable displaying the German flag and sing-

ing the national anthem or if they should continue to be more reserved with their national pride. Since the demographics of Germany have changed significantly over the past twenty years (since the reunification), do these symbols of German unity assume a different meaning and importance?

• A useful in-class or homework exercise is for the students to compose an essay on expressions of German nationalism based upon the different readings, class activities, and discussions. For example, how do Germans express their patriotism and does this present any difficulties for them?

mOdIfIcATIOnS: • The teacher may need to create specific questions for the different readings to accommodate varying reading and compre-

hension levels. Students with special needs can easily participate in this lesson.

• The teacher may prefer to use some of the readings in a jigsaw cooperative learning activity rather than for full class discus-sion.

• During the discussion about the men’s soccer World Cup and nationalism, the students could explore the differences in how Americans celebrate national participation in international athletic competitions such as the World Cup or the Olympic Games versus Germans.

exTenSIOnS: • Another German national symbol is an eagle (Bundesadler). The teacher could incorporate a discussion of the German eagle

and its history. The symbol appears in the Bundestag chamber in the Reichstag building and on the back of the German euro coins.

• The teacher may assign the following essay on the Bundesadler as homework:

Write a 300/350-word essay in which you answer the following question: Why has the eagle deserved to be the symbol of German nationalism through the ages? Your essay should have an introduction with a thesis statement, three body para-graphs, and a conclusion.

• The eagle is also a symbol of nationalism in the United States and in Poland. Students should research the American and Polish eagle symbols and discuss their similarities as well as differences.

• The topic of national identity lends itself to many possibilities for additional research projects and paper assignments for students. Here are some topic suggestions students may investigate:

° Possible Future Tensions: National identity for the European Union and its interests

° German identity and pluralism

° Immigration and German citizenship



5.3 the bundestag and germany’s multiparty Political system

leSSOn OvervIew:

This lesson is designed to give students an understanding of the operation of the German Bundestag (the national parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany) through a simulation activity in which they will represent one of the fi ve major political parties on a committee of the Bundestag. Students will be able to develop solutions to a major problem in Germany today. Students will be able to analyze the various domestic, political, economic and social factors of national and foreign policy de-velopment in Germany. Students will learn about the diff erences between a multiparty parliamentary system, such as the one in Germany.


Before beginning the activities of this unit, students should learn that the Federal Republic of Germany is composed of 16 Bundesländer (states) and that the Federal Republic of Germany is a democratic, federal and constitutional country. It has a bicameral legislature, composed of the Bundesrat (legislative body that represents all 16 states at the federal level) and the Bundestag. The Bundesrat is currently comprised of 69 members who are not elected directly, but delegates of their respective state governments. The Bundestag is elected every four years. Since the 2009 elections there are 622 members of the Bundestag. The Bundestag has three main responsibilities: legislation, election of the federal chancellor and control of the government. It is important for students to understand that the chancellor is a member of the Bundestag and not elected by the population at large (as in the case of the U.S. President). Therefore, the executive and legislative branches of the German system are not fully

separated—similar to the British system.

Unlike the two-party system of the United States and Great Britain, Germany has a multiparty system with, cur-rently, fi ve major political parties. The German system generally results in no one party having a clear majority of the votes in a legislative election. Multiparty systems, therefore, usually result in coalition governments which can be less stable than a single-party government in two-party systems. The current parties in the Bundestag are the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU), the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Free Democratic Party (FDP), The Left (Die Linke) and the Alli-ance 90/The Greens (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen).

Like the American system, there are numerous commit-tees, which discuss the major issues of the day and de-bate proposed bills before they can reach a plenary ses-

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• how are legislatures structured to refl ect the diff erent political ideologies of the populace? • Are there advantages of one organizational pattern over another? In what ways are two-party and multiparty political

systems similar and diff erent? • what are some of the advantages and challenges of each system?

5.3 The BundeSTAG And GermAny’S mulTIPArTy POlITIcAl SySTem




? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• how are legislatures structured to refl ect the diff erent political ideologies of the populace? • Are there advantages of one organizational pattern over another? In what ways are two-party and multiparty political

systems similar and diff erent? • what are some of the advantages and challenges of each system?


sion of the Bundestag. German parliamentarians tend to vote along party lines: prior to debates, party members decide how they will vote and normally all members follow the decided party line.


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Access to Internet or a computer lab for the entire class

• Government Structure and Political Parties in Germany (handout 5.3.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Access to the Offi cial website of the German Bundestag: www.bundestag.de/htdocs_e/parliament/

• Access to YouTube

PrOcedure:

dAyS 1-2:

Anticipatory Set: The teacher should ask the students about their understanding of how the United States Congress func-tions. What are the three branches of government? How are the House of Representatives and the Senate structured? It is important that students have an understanding of the American political system, the diff erent political parties and how con-gressional elections aff ect the U.S. government.

The teacher should divide the students into fi ve groups and assign each group a political party represented in the German Bundestag: Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU), Social Democratic Party (SPD), Free Democratic Party (FDP), The Left (Die Linke), Alliance 90/The Greens (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen). The groups should not consist of an equal number of students, but instead refl ect the proportion of seats each party has in the Bundestag. [Based on the results of the 2009 election, the CDU/CSU has 38% of the seats, SPD has 24%, FDP has 15%, Die Linke has 12%, and the Green Party has 11% (Bundestag, 2011)]. After dividing students into groups, the teacher should distribute the Government Structure and Political Parties in Germany Handout (handout 5.3.1 on Instructional resource disc) for basic information on the parties of the Ger-man government. The fi rst task for students as political representatives is the creation of a PowerPoint presentation about their assigned party. This will require Internet research.

dAyS 3-4:

The teacher should instruct the students that they will be representing their respective political parties in two parliamentary committees in the Bundestag. The teacher (alone or with the students) should decide which of the following contemporary issues should be discussed:

• Social Services

• Education

• Health Care

• Deployment of German Soldiers Abroad (e.g. Afghanistan)

• Use of Nuclear Energy

• Immigration and Integration

• European Union

Depending on the issue, one of the following Bundestag committees will meet in the simulation, respectively:

• Labor and Social Aff airs

Focus 5


FOCUS 5 – Political System 5.3 the bundestag and germany’s multiparty Political system

• Education, Research and Technology Assessment

• Health

• Foreign Affairs

• Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety

• Internal Affairs

• Affairs of the European Union

A committee is a forum in which members are able to concentrate on a single, specialized area of policy. The committee dis-cusses all bills that have an impact on their respective fields of governance and attempt to find a compromise at the committee stage that is capable of commanding majority support in the plenary sessions. Information on each of the committees and its members can be found at www.bundestag.de/htdocs_e/committees.

dAy 5:

Using Microsoft Publisher (if available) the committee members should work together to create a brochure outlining the basic problem, short- and long-term effects and possible solutions concerning the topic of their committee. The brochures will be circulated among the rest of the members of the classroom Bundestag. After the class has been briefly presented with the two issues, it should vote (as members of their assigned political parties) on which issue they consider the most pressing, and this issue will become the focus of the debate.

dAy 6:

Students should discuss the topic(s) with the other members of their party. Students should come to class the next day with a one-minute speech outlining their position on the topic as well as their proposed solution(s). To give students an idea what a Bundestag committee session might look like, show a short clip of an actual session available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21MlrowJqqc.

dAyS 7-8:

Each student should be given a placard with his/her party name on it. The class should simulate a session of the plenary. The teacher should act as the chair, recognizing speakers, keeping track of speaking time, etc. Students should raise their placards to be recognized by the chair. The parliamentary rules are available from:

http://www.bundestag.de/htdocs_e/bundestag/function/legislation/index.html

After each student has given an introductory speech, students should debate the proposed solutions. A student may motion for an un-moderated caucus for a set period of time, during which students may form alliances with other parties and begin to draft a bill addressing the topic. If possible, students should continue to work on their bill outside of class.

dAyS 9-10:

Students, representing the different political parties, should come to class with several copies of their draft bills for their fellow plenary members. Students must motion to introduce their bill. The introduction of each bill should be followed by a brief moderated caucus discussing its merits. After all bills have been discussed, the class should vote on each bill following the Rules of Procedure, which can also be found at: http://www.bundestag.de/htdocs_e/bundestag/function/legislation/index.html

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • The teacher should facilitate a debriefing of the simulation. What were the merits of the bill that passed? What would hap-

pen to the bill after it passed their committee? In what ways is the process similar to and different from the legislative pro-cess in the United States? Does the bill have a chance at effectively dealing with the problem?




Source:

Deutscher Bundestag. (2010). Official Results for the 2009 Bundestag Election. Retrieved January 2011 from www.bundestag.de/htdocs_e/bundestag/elections/results/index.html

mOdIfIcATIOn: • This simulation is a lengthy activity, which could be slightly accelerated if the teacher pre-selected a debate issue.

exTenSIOnS: • As a follow-up, the teacher may assign the students an essay discussing one of the other contemporary issues not selected

for the Bundestag simulation.

• Students may wish to compare the British or Canadian systems to that of Germany.



5.4 comparative study of the Political systems in the united states and germany

leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson presupposes the students will be familiar with the structure of the American political system and the US Constitu-tion. Using primary-source documents and charts, students will have the opportunity to compare and contrast two federal systems: the United States and Germany. Students will illustrate their fi ndings in the form of Venn diagrams, charts, and Pow-erPoint presentations. By the end of this lesson, students will understand that diff erent countries develop diff erent forms of government and that the functions of government and principles of democracy are often expressed in and protected by a constitution and/or Basic Law.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:All societies need governance. As a society develops, it organizes itself into a polity to meet its needs for governance. Those needs include not only self-preservation but also the protection of freedom and the promotion of a better life. Government is the societal institution that has the authority to make and enforce collective decisions binding for all members of society. In theoretical terms, the “legal constitution” of a polity is the framework of its governmental institutions and fundamental laws. These include constitutions, bills of rights, legal codes and important judicial decisions.

Although the idea of representative democracy was experienced briefl y by the German people during the period of the Revo-lutions of 1848 (the Frankfurt Assembly or Parliament), the fi rst real attempt at the establishment of a demo-cratic system of government was the ill-fated Weimar Republic (1919-1933). A combination of German accep-tance of responsibility for WWI (article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles), the lack of true experience with parliamen-tary government, and a fractioned multiparty parliament resulted in the infant Republic being virtually doomed for failure from the outset. Thus, Germany’s fi rst success with a republican form of government began with the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany and its founding document—the Basic Law (Grundgesetz) on May 23, 1949. The reunifi cation of Germany on Oc-tober 3, 1990 was an expansion of the political system that existed for 40 years prior. This lesson presupposes the students’ familiarity with the American political sys-tem; there should be copies of the US Constitution avail-able for students when completing these activities. For

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• what are the purposes and functions of government? • under what circumstances is the exercise of political power legitimate? what are the proper scope and limits of authority? • how are individual rights protected and challenged within the context of majority rule? • what confl icts exist among fundamental principles and values of constitutional democracy? • what are the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a constitutional democracy?

5.4 cOmPArATIve STudy Of The POlITIcAl SySTemS In The unITed STATeS And GermAny


FOCUS 5 – Political System Focus 55.4 comparative study of the Political systems in the united states and germany


? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• what are the purposes and functions of government? • under what circumstances is the exercise of political power legitimate? what are the proper scope and limits of authority? • how are individual rights protected and challenged within the context of majority rule? • what confl icts exist among fundamental principles and values of constitutional democracy? • what are the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a constitutional democracy?

a concise, but somewhat comprehensive, summary of the German political system, the teacher can refer to lesson 5.3 of this text and access information from Facts About Germany (see chapter 3 of this book), also available at http://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de/en/political-system.html. This chapter is written by Jürgen Hartmann, professor of political science at the Helmut Schmidt University in Hamburg.


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Copies of the US Constitution

• Laws of Government Comparison (handout 5.4.1 on Instructional resource disc)

PrOcedure: dAy 1:

Anticipatory Set: The teacher should ask the students to explain the purpose of government and review the diff erent types of governments: autocracy, theocracy, absolute and constitutional monarchy, republic, democracy, dictatorships, oligarchy, etc. The students should speculate about life without governments. Then, the teacher might introduce/review some basic theories postulated by political thinkers Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Montesquieu.

The teacher should make sure that students have a solid understanding of diff erent levels of government (national, state, local) and of terms such as federal and confederal. They will compare Article VI of the United States Constitution and the Tenth Amendment of the Bill of Rights to Articles 28 and 31 in the German “Basic Law” to conclude that both the United States and Germany have federal systems. The teacher should write the key terms and their defi nitions on the board (adapted from the Center for Civic Education http://www.civiced.org/):

• Confederal System: An alliance of independent states which creates a national government of very limited power; the mem-ber states have supreme authority over all matters except those few which have been expressly delegated to the national government (e.g., mutual defense against foreign enemies).

• Federal System: A system in which a national government shares powers with state governments, but the national govern-ment may act directly on individuals within the states (e.g. national governments may require individuals to pay income taxes).

The teacher should put the following information on the board:

u.S. constitution

• Article vI — “This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land.”

• Tenth Amendment of the Bill of rights — “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor pro-hibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

Germany Basic law

• Article 28 — “The constitutional order in the Länder must conform to the principles of republican, democratic, and social state governed by the rule of law, within the meaning of this Basic Law” (Section 1).

• Article 31 — “Federal law shall take precedence over Land law.”

After discussion of the passages from the two “constitutions,” the teacher should ask the students: What is federalism, and how does it diff er from a confederal system? Can a state in the United States or a Land in Germany adopt a law that contradicts federal law?

Focus 5 FOCUS 5 – Political System5.4 Comparative Study of the Political Systems in the United States and Germany


dAyS 2-3:

The teacher should begin the lesson by explaining the purpose of a constitution to students. Most countries have a constitu-tion in which the basic rules for citizens living together are written down. (One major exception is the United Kingdom.) Tech-nically, the Federal Republic of Germany has had no constitution since 1949, but rather a “Basic Law” (Grundgesetz). The “Basic Law” was not ratified by a vote of the people, but rather by a vote of representatives in the parliaments of the federal states that had been formed in the Western occupation zones and the Parliamentary Council elected by the state parliaments. It took effect on May 23, 1949. In the forty years that followed, the “Basic Law” proved to be a solid foundation for democracy. After the reunification of Germany on October 3, 1990, this “Basic Law” has also been valid for the five new federal states and eastern Berlin. Germany is a republic with a federal structure in which the federal states share power and responsibilities with the cen-tral government. The relationship between the federal government and the state government is spelled out in the “Basic Law.”

After the teacher discusses with the students the purpose of the preamble of a constitution, she/he should distribute the Laws of Government Comparison Handout (handout 5.4.1 on Instructional resource disc) and then have the students complete the following chart individually or as a class exercise.

• “We, the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Preamble, Constitution of the United States (1789)

• “Conscious of their responsibility before God and man, Inspired by the determination to promote world peace as an equal partner of a united Europe, the German people, in the exercise of their constituent power, have adopted, this Basic Law. The Germans in the Länder of Baden-Wurttemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia have achieved the unity and freedom of Germany in free self-determination. The Basic Law thus applies to the entire German na-tion.”

Preamble, Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany (updated 1994) Social Services

what Is Stated About uSA Germany

Purpose or objective of government

Role of the people

Role of individual states in the federal union

Source of power to create the government

Next, the teacher should continue with the Laws of Government Comparison Handout (handout 5.4.1 on Instructional resource disc) and point out that German “Basic Law” contains several provisions that are not found in the United States Constitution. The students should identify the key differences in the German “Basic Law” compared to the U.S. Constitution by analyzing Articles 20, 21 and 26 and why these provisions might have been included. The teacher should ask students to sum-marize each article and to speculate why it was included in the “Basic Law”.

Article 20

(4) All Germans shall have the right to resist any person or persons seeking to abolish this constitutional order, if no other remedy is available.

FOCUS 5 – Political System Focus 55.4 Comparative Study of the Political Systems in the United States and Germany


Article 21

(1) Political parties shall participate in the formation of the political will of the people. They may be freely established. Their internal organization must conform to democratic principles. They must publicly account for their assets and for the sources and uses of their funds.

(2) Parties that, by reason of their aims or the behavior of their adherents, seek to undermine or abolish the free democratic basic order or to endanger the existence of the Federal Republic of Germany shall be unconstitutional. The Federal Constitu-tional Court shall rule on the question of unconstitutionality.

(3) Details shall be regulated by federal laws.

Article 26

(1) Acts tending to and undertaken with intent to disturb the peaceful relations between nations, especially to prepare for a war of aggression, shall be unconstitutional. They shall be made a criminal offence.

(2) Weapons designed for warfare may be manufactured, transported or marketed only with the permission of the Federal Government. Details shall be regulated by a federal law.

The teacher should indicate that the United States Congress and the German Legislature are both bicameral. While this similar-ity exists, the differences in these legislatures are great. In the next activity (handout 5.4.1 on the Instructional resource disc) the students should read Articles 38 and 51 from German “Basic Law,” analyze how both the Bundestag and Bundesrat operate, and conclude how the German system is different from that in the United States.

German Basic law

Article 38

(1) Members of the German Bundestag shall be elected in general, direct, free, equal and secret elections. They shall be rep-resentatives of the whole people, not bound by orders and instructions, and shall be responsible only to their conscience.

(2) Any person who has attained the age of eighteen shall be entitled to vote; any person who has attained the age of major-ity may be elected.

Article 51

(1) The Bundesrat shall consist of members of the Land governments, which appoint and recall them. Other members of those governments may serve as alternates.

(2) Each Land shall have at least three votes; Länder with more than two million inhabitants shall have four, Länder with more than six million inhabitants five, and Länder with more than seven million inhabitants six votes.

(3) Each Land may appoint as many members as it has votes. The votes of each Land may be cast only as a unit and only by members present or their alternates.

Finally, the teacher should pair the students and ask them to discuss the following questions and then share their discussion points with the class:

• Identify at least two differences between the German Bundestag and the United States Congress.

• How does the Bundesrat guarantee the Länder a greater role in the federal government than is enjoyed by states in the United States government?

• Is it accurate to say that the Bundestag is comparable to the House of Representatives while the Bundesrat is comparable to the Senate? Explain using specific instances to support your position.

For homework, the teacher should ask the students to research the differences in the “executive” branch of the German and American governments. The teacher should point out to the students that Germany is governed by both a Federal President as well as a Chancellor. As the students research, they should also investigate the connection between the Chancellor and the Bundestag.

Focus 5 FOCUS 5 – Political System5.4 Comparative Study of the Political Systems in the United States and Germany


Source:

This lesson has been adapted from a lesson designed by 2005 TOP Fellow Faith Vautour.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOnS: • The teacher should divide the class into groups of four for the purpose of discussing the homework. As the students com-

pare their research findings, they should answer the following questions:

° How are powers of government divided? Is there a separation of powers in each system?

° How does the German parliamentary system differ from the way the American system is organized?

• The teacher should ask a spokesperson for each group to report its respective findings and then facilitate a class discussion.

mOdIfIcATIOnS: • The teacher may wish to substitute the completion of Venn Diagrams and/or student generated PowerPoint presentations

for the handout to demonstrate their comprehension of the similarities and differences of the American and German politi-cal systems.

• Rather than a final oral class discussion, the teacher may wish to assign the following individual essay:As a finalist for a semester study abroad program in Germany that will be paid for by the Foreign Office of the Federal Repub-lic of Germany, you will have to demonstrate a basic knowledge of the German government, including its “Basic Law”, as well as the structure and functions of the branches of government. The committee choosing the students to study in Germany is also very interested in your knowledge of the United States Government and how it compares/contrasts to that of Germany. As part of your application for this program, you will need to write the essay described below.

While both Germany and the United States have federal systems of government based on written guidelines (in the United States, the Constitution; in Germany, “Basic Law”), the two governments have vastly different methods of operation.

Write a two page essay, answering the following questions:

° Identify and describe three examples of Germany’s shared powers by the three branches at the national level of govern-ment.

° Analyze the role of the Länder in Germany’s national government.

° Identify and describe two distinct differences between the German government and the United States government in regards to structure, powers and/or duties of the three branches of government, or the system of shared powers seen in Germany versus separation of powers in the United States.

exTenSIOnS: • The teacher may wish to add Canada (or another country) as a third governmental system for comparison and contrast

purposes.

• If this lesson is to be used in an Advanced Placement Comparative Government course, then comparisons and contrasts among the following political systems might be added: France, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, India, and Brazil.

does germany have a special role in europe? does it have a responsibility to help countries such as bosnia or greece?

fOcuS 6 – ecOnOmy

nina (43): A special role, of course, again by showing that we are not an aggressive nation. And I think in the EU this is important as well because we are working together closely like a family. … And of course, because of our economic power as well, we have to. … In a way there is a responsi-bility to make the EU work because I think Germany had a major role in structuring and forming the EU, so I think there’s definitely a responsibility.

Anke (43): Yes and no. Yes, because it’s in the center, and it’s a very large country. On the other hand, I find that Ger-many considers itself bigger than it is, and therefore blocks things or gets in the way of smaller countries. … In the en-vironmental field Germany can push things forward …

daniel G (55): As an economic power and a center country with 80 million people, yes of course.

Tobias (45): Well, you can look at the global perspective; it’s definitely one of the strongest economies; it has one of Europe’s largest populations and therefore it partly has a special role; it just gets it naturally. Especially now, look at the economic crisis or the crisis of the Euro. There you can clearly see that all of a sudden everybody is calling on Ger-many for support and saying that Germany has the obliga-tion to help. If you want a common Europe, naturally we have obligations, but you also can’t formulate them only for one side …

Stefan (44): Yes, in Europe, of course. It’s now the biggest and most powerful country economically. So it is the lead-ing nation in Europe which also has special responsibility. But it shouldn’t adopt a nanny position in my view, because all sovereign states are responsible for their own mistakes, and Germany should not be singled out as the only or most responsible state. It’s just the most powerful leading nation in Europe. Germany has a kind of a chairman’s position in many cases to initiate and enhance certain activities, but al-ways in cooperation and coordination with all other nations. It shouldn’t go anywhere alone.

nora (28): Yes, sure. Without Germany there wouldn’t be the European Union. It’s the basis of the European Union; it was among the first members of the EU. It’s

the country with the largest population, it is a very rich country. We have to admit that. Even though there are a lot of things happening in Germany that can be criti-cized a lot, it still is, I guess, one of the best working democracies in the world. It’s not THE best … but it’s just a good example for how democracy can work. Even though it’s not a perfect democracy at all. … I have a hard time with countries intervening in other countries’ development even though I guess financially they should and if it’s done in coop-eration it’s better. And if there is a country that doesn’t have any resources anymore, then sure, there should be other countries helping. But I don’t feel like it is just Germany’s role. I would say if there are capacities or financial possibili-ties in other countries they also should help …

xin (56): Yes! First of all, the German population grew with the unification. Further the German democracy, the German social policies, and the economy are often stronger than in other countries. So Germany can play a big role in Europe. The euro-rescue parachute, Greece, Ireland, this effects of course all our tax money, but we are all in favor of Europe and if we really want it, we, the Germans, have to contribute, even con-tribute a little more because we have a bit more money…

Anna (42): Germany has a special role in Europe, yes. Be-cause together with France, for instance, Germany is one of the strongest members of the European Union, and Ger-many definitely has a lot to win and a lot to lose if the Eu-ropean Union goes well or goes bad. So that is, of course, why Germany wants to play a very active role. But I think a country is not less important because it’s less strong or less powerful. … Germany was one of the countries that very strongly wanted to have the European Union, and it was one of the big drivers towards this union. Maybe that process was a bit too fast, like involving too many countries at a very early stage, maybe too early. This is something Germany is also responsible for, and that’s why it has to deal with the conse-quences now and help these other countries.

Focus 6 Focus 6 – Economy


6.1 transitioning from a command to a market economy

leSSOn OvervIew:

This lesson, consisting of a simulation and a document-based essay, focuses on the transition of East Germany’s command economy to a market economy in the context of a single German state.


Today’s German economy is the result of the 1990 merger between the two German states, the Federal Republic of Germany (the FRG or West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (the GDR or East Germany). At the time of unifi cation, the former East German states were accepted into the Federal Republic; the GDR ceased to exist except as a historical concept. The GDR’s economy had been based on a system established under the control of the Soviet Union and was a command economy from the end of World War II in 1945 until the fall of communism in 1989. The GDR followed economic and political precepts laid down by Moscow. Within the context of Eastern Europe and the Soviet sphere of infl uence, the GDR’s economy was thought to be among the strongest, producing precision machines, chemicals, and electronics. Yet after the end of the GDR, it became clear that the country’s economy was, in fact, ineffi cient and weaker than previously thought. At the end, the country’s currency was virtually worthless outside its own borders.

The new postwar Federal Republic experienced a period of enormous economic growth, often referred to as the Wirtschaftswunder or “econom-ic miracle.” With support from the United States, and thanks to entrepreneurial drive in West Germany, the country experienced rapid recon-struction and development. The old “Reichs-mark” was replaced with the new “Deutsche Mark” as the FRG’s legal currency. Under the government of Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and the leadership of the Minister of Economics, Ludwig Erhard, usually considered the “father of the economic miracle”, West Germany experienced a period of unprecedented growth marked by low infl ation. By the end of the 1960s, the growth rate had slowed. As elsewhere in Western Europe, Ger-many in the 1970s struggled with the oil crisis, the rising cost of established social programs, and rising defi cits. But in the 1980s, the country returned to positive economic growth.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the old GDR soon ceased to exist and the Federal Republic became the single German state in 1990. With the end of the GDR, both the political and economic systems of the old East Germany were abandoned. Yet, desirable as they might be, new systems did not and could not immediately take hold in eastern Germany. How did former GDR citizens come to terms with the transition from a command economy to a market economy? Even if they gladly embraced the reforms, could East Germans expect to become quickly as prosperous as their fellow citizens in the West? The econom-

? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• how do people transition from a command to a market economy?

6.1 TrAnSITIOnInG frOm A cOmmAnd TO A mArKeT ecOnOmy

STAndArd #7 Production, distribution and consumPtion.

Focus 6


? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• how do people transition from a command to a market economy?

Focus 6 – Economy 6.1 transitioning from a command to a market economy

ics and politics of Eastern Europe had collapsed along with the Soviet Union. New customs, assumptions, habits and ways of thinking had to be created or adopted. In addition, the ineffi ciencies of the communist system had to be overcome for the country to achieve a new stability.

Certainly it will take generations to complete the economic and social transformation of both the old East and the old West into a single Germany. The adjustment has been expensive, time-consuming, and diffi cult to predict and manage. Yet German industry continues to have an excellent record in producing some of the world’s fi nest machine tools, trucks, automobiles, chemicals, and engineering products. German quality and durability are highly regarded around the world. Unlike some coun-tries, Germany’s economy is characterized by a large number of small and medium-sized companies.


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Economic Simulation Anticipatory Set (handout 6.1.1 on the Instructional resource disc)

• Economic Simulation Chart (handout 6.1.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Transition DBQ (handout 6.1.3 on Instructional resource disc)

• Recommended online resource: “Special Report on Germany,” (2010, March) The Economist Retrieved from: http://www.economist.com/node/15641069

PrOcedure: dAy 1:

Anticipatory Set: The students will participate in a simulation that will give them a better understanding of the positives and negatives East Germans may have encountered as they made the transition from 50 years under a command economy to a market economy. The teacher should refer to the Economic Simulation Anticipatory Set (handout 6.1.1 on the Instructional resource disc) for complete game instructions, and then distribute the Economic Simulation Chart (handout 6.1.2 on In-structional resource disc) to the students.

dAyS 2-3:

After the Economic Simulation Exercise, the teacher should distribute the Transition DBQ (handout 6.1.3 on Instructional resource disc) and have the students complete the scaff old questions (either individually or as a group). As a homework as-signment or in class the students should write the DBQ essay.

mOdIfIcATIOn: • The teacher may transfer the DBQ to PowerPoint format and conduct the fi rst part of the lesson as a full-class exercise, fol-

lowed by the students writing the essay either for homework or in class.

exTenSIOnS: • Students may read The Economist’s “Special Report on Germany,” (March 2010), which covers many areas of Germany’s econ-

omy. After reading the article, students may write a summary or give a presentation to the class summarizing the article. This report can be read online at http://www.economist.com/node/15641069

• The feature fi lm Goodbye, Lenin! illustrates the transition from a command to a market economy. The teacher may want to show appropriate scenes which illustrate this change [Refer to lesson 4.3].



6.2 social market economy: workplace and social services

leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson focuses on the social welfare policies and working conditions of Germany’s social market economy. To better un-derstand the relevance and impact of the German system, students will compare the conditions and policies of Germany, the United States, and another member nation of the European Union. Students will search the Internet for relevant data about the current programs and policies. After completing a chart listing the principal details, students will create a poster depicting 5-8 aspects of Germany’s social welfare system that make it unique. Upon completion of the lesson, the students will be able to analyze the social welfare aspects of the German social market economy and compare it with other nations’ economies.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:The German phrase “soziale Marktwirtschaft,” or “social market economy,” refers to the modifi ed free-market system developed in Germany after World War II. The phrase came into common use because it underscored the widely held belief that the “lais-sez-faire” market system of pure capitalism did not take people’s social and human needs adequately into account. The basic idea in the German system was that all parts of society need to coop-erate with each other in order for the society as a whole to fl our-ish and grow. The young support the old, the rich support the poor and the healthy support the sick. Through workers’ councils, employees have a say in how enterprises are run. German society also shares many common elements found in other western Eu-ropean social welfare states: health care, paid vacations, old-age pensions, protection of the unemployed and destitute. By and large, these social benefi ts are supported by the vast majority of German citizens. Over time, this system has become very expen-sive for tax-payers, local governments, and industry. Given the competition from Asian and Eastern European countries, with their lower labor costs, German governments, companies, and workers’ representatives have had to reform and even cut some of its well-known social programs in order to remain productive and competitive. These changes engender new strains and stress within society, particularly in areas of higher unemployment.

For additional information on the economic philosophy behind the “social market economy” the teacher may want to read “The German Social Market Economy and its Transformations” by Michael Rösch which was written in the late 1990’s. This paper can be found as the Teacher Resource (handout 6.2.1 on the Instructional resource cd).

In order to get a better understanding of recent challenges to the German social market economy and the country’s response

? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• how are the basic needs of people met by societal and economic institutions?

6.2 SOcIAl mArKeT ecOnOmy: wOrKPlAce And SOcIAl ServIceS


Focus 6 – Economy Focus 6


? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• how are the basic needs of people met by societal and economic institutions?


to globalization and the latest fi nancial and economic crises, the teacher may also read The Economist’s Special Report on Ger-many, dated March 2010, available at: http://www.economist.com/node/15641069


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Social Market Economy Teacher Resource (handout 6.2.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Exercise in Economics Statistics (handout 6.2.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Poster board — 1 piece per 2 students


Anticipatory Set: The teacher should distribute the handout, Exercise in Economics Statistics (handout 6.2.2 on Instruc-tional resource disc) and review the instructions. The students may share their knowledge or perceived knowledge about the social welfare and working conditions of the United States. Once the discussion is exhausted of ideas, students should use the internet to research the current programs and policies in the US using the remaining class time or completing the US section for homework. This is not expected to be extensive, just a general understanding of the facts that can be collected. A review of US policies will give students a foundation with which they will be able to compare the social systems of Germany and other nations. The teacher should review the homework assigned during the Anticipatory Set and then ask the students what they learned about US policies. What surprised them? On what topics do they need clarifi cation?

Now that students have a better understanding of their own economic system, they may begin research on Germany’s policies. What are the working and living conditions for today’s Germans living in a social market economy? What does the social market economic system provide for its people? How long is the average work week? What about vacation time and parental leave? What, if any, health care is guaranteed and regulated by the government of the individual German states ( the “Länder”) for the general public, elderly, and poor? Students will answer these questions and more as they work in pairs to conduct research using the Internet.

The students should then replicate the research for another EU country.

dAy 3:

Upon completing the research, each team will create a comparative poster depicting 5-8 of the topics. The collected data should be displayed in a creative, yet organized and readable manner. Any form of additional artwork, e.g., pictures, drawings, and cartoons is acceptable.

Students should include these required elements on their poster:

• 5-8 topics with appropriate labels/captions

• relevant graphics

• accurate data

• names of contributors / data sources in appropriate format

Each team will present its poster to the class in a 3-5 minute oral presentation.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • After the posters have been presented, the teacher should facilitate a class discussion about Germany’s social market econ-

omy. How well does it address the needs of the people? How do its policies compare to those of the other two countries?




mOdIfIcATIOnS: • Students may choose a country in Asia, Africa, or South America (rather than the European Union) to compare to Germany

and the US.

• Instead of creating a poster, students may write a paper discussing the similarities and differences among the three coun-tries and draw conclusions based on the collected data.

• Instead of creating a poster, students may create a PowerPoint depicting the similarities and differences among the three countries and draw conclusions based on the collected data.

exTenSIOnS: • Students may research a different area of Germany’s social market economy and write an essay explaining the data and

comparing it to two other industrial nations.

• Students may read The Economist’s Special Report on Germany (March 13, 2010) that discusses Germany’s social market econ-omy, available at: http://www.economist.com/node/15641069

° After reading the article, students may write a summary or give an oral presentation to the class summarizing it and high-lighting details that may not have been previously reported during the poster presentations.

• Students may read The Economist’s Special Report on Germany (June 13, 2013) that discusses Germany’s social market economy, available at: http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21579456-if-europes-economies-are-recover-germany-must-start-lead-reluctant-hegemon



6.3 the german trade Fair: german Products

leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson focuses on the interdependence of trade between the US and Germany. The United States Census Bureau reports that Germany was the fi fth largest trading partner of the USA in 2011, after Canada, Mexico, China and Japan. In that year, Germany’s exports to the USA were valued at roughly $98.6 billion or 4.0% of overall US imports. Germany’s imports from the USA amounted to roughly $54.5 billion worth of goods. That’s a lot of trade; Americans are clearly interested in goods “made in Germany.” After reviewing current data on imports and exports between Germany and the US, students will gain a better understanding of the economic relationship. As a culminating activity, students will participate in a simulated Trade Fair like those that are held throughout Germany in cities such as Leipzig, Frankfurt, Berlin, and Hanover. Such international trade fairs provide opportunities for German companies to reach potential buyers in countries like the United States by displaying the many products manufactured and produced in Germany. Students will be divided into groups, research a German product, and create a tri-fold corrugated display board to present at the “Trade Fair.” Here they will share their knowledge of the product and attempt to interest prospective US buyers. After the experience, students will come to recognize German products in their world. Upon completion of the lesson, students will be able to recognize the many German products imported by the US and thereby understand the economic relationship between the countries.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:German manufactured goods, the products of its long tradition of engineering and high-tech prowess, have an excellent reputation worldwide. The coun-try’s economy is heavily oriented to-wards exports, and Germans are un-derstandably proud that the words “Made in Germany” are understood as a symbol of quality. Although Americans will likely recognize the names of many of the larger glob-al fi rms with German roots (e.g., Daimler-Benz, Siemens, BMW, Audi, Deutsche Bank, Bosch, and others), Germany’s numerous small and mid-sized fi rms, often producing precision products of high quality for specialized use, are more typi-cal of the country’s economy. Such

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• what products does Germany produce and export to the united States? • how economically interconnected are the two countries?

6.3 The GermAn TrAde fAIr: GermAn PrOducTS





? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• what products does Germany produce and export to the united States? • how economically interconnected are the two countries?


companies benefi t from good economic conditions and a well-trained workforce. Many of the country’s best-known exports are related to engineering, especially in automobiles, machinery, metals, and chemical goods.

A good overview of the current state of Germany’s economy can be found in the book Facts About Germany, published by a private fi rm with support from the German Federal Foreign Offi ce. It is also published online in many languages at http://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de. According to Peter Hintereder and Martin Orth’s article on the German economy in Facts About Germany, “Germany is one of the most highly developed and effi cient industrial nations and, after the USA, Japan, and China, has the world’s fourth largest national economy. With a population of 82 million, Germany is the largest and most important market in the European Union (EU). The German economy focuses on industrially produced goods and services. In particular, German mechanical engineering products, vehicles, and chemicals are highly valued internationally. Around one euro in four is earned from exports and more than every fi fth job depends directly or indirectly on foreign trade.” (German In-formation Center). Germany’s most important trading partners are France, the Netherlands, the USA and Great Britain.

The largest annual international trade fairs and congresses are held in several German cities such as Hannover, Frankfurt, and Berlin. Such fairs have a long history in Germany because of the many historical trade routes linking east and west, north and south. Examples of such trade fairs include the Frankfurt Auto Show, the Frankfurter Buchmesse (Frankfurt Book Fair), CeBit (computer expo), and PhotoKina (for photo equipment).

According to the Fortune Global 500 for 2012, of the world’s 500 largest stock market listed companies measured by revenue, 32 are headquartered in Germany and 132 in the United States. In 2012 the ten largest in Germany were Volkswagen, E.ON, Daimler, Allianz, Siemens, BASF, BMW, Metro, Munich Re Group, and Deutsche Telekom. Other large German companies in-clude: Robert Bosch GmbH, ThyssenKrupp, and MAN (diversifi ed industrials); Bayer and Merck (pharmaceuticals); Adidas and Puma (clothing and footwear); Deutsche Bank (banking and fi nance); Aldi, Lidl and Edeka (retail); SAP (computer software); Siemens (electronics); Henkel (household and personal consumer products); Deutsche Post and DHL (logistics); and Hugo Boss (luxury goods). Well known global brands are Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Porsche, Volkswagen, Adidas, Continental Tire, Nivea, Puma, Hugo Boss, SAP, Aldi, Lufthansa, DHL, Haribo, T-Mobile, Braun, Henkel, Miele, Bayer, Recaro, Stihl, and more.

TIme:



• International Trade Fair Homework (handout 6.3.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• International Trade Fair Instructions, Notes and Refl ection (handout 6.3.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Additional information about the German economy can be found at: http://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de/en/economy.html

• Students will require computers, poster board, white foam board or corrugated display board (tri-fold), and art materials such as construction paper, markers, scissors, and glue stick.

PrOcedure: dAy 1:

Anticipatory Set: What products found in the US do students already recognize as being made in Germany? Do they have any preconceived ideas about the quality of the products? The teacher solicits answers from the students and should write these on the board listing them in categories, e.g. food, apparel, music. When the students’ ideas are exhausted, off er the aforemen-tioned well-known global brands. Now, see if the students can determine the product. For homework, provide students with the International Trade Fair Homework (handout 6.3.1 on Instructional resource disc). To assist in analyzing the information students should answer the questions that follow.




dAy 2-3:

The teacher will review the homework assignment and continue the discussion on the interdependence of trade between the US and Germany. The teacher will announce the students’ participation in the simulation of an International Trade Fair. The teacher should then distribute the International Trade Fair Instructions, Notes and Reflection (handout 6.3.2 on Instructional resource disc). In pairs, students will choose a German product imported by the US, preferably one that they have seen or with which they have a connection. Using a piece of poster board, white foam board, or corrugated display board (tri-fold), students will create a display in which they will introduce, describe, and sell their product to “American importers.” The exhibit should both educate and inform the public (American importers) about the subject in an informative and attractive manner. The exhibit should have pictures/photos and text and possibly sample objects (if appropriate). The teacher should provide research time to allow students to complete the research online. (This can be completed at home if the students have access to the internet.)

dAy 4:

Students will transform the classroom into an International Trade Fair with their completed displays set up around the room. Each pair will present their German product to the class. Students will take notes on the presentations. For homework, each student will write a reflection indicating which product, other than their own, they would recommend to be imported into the USA.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • What products do the Germans produce and export to the United States? How economically interconnected are the two

countries? What product would you import to the USA and why?

mOdIfIcATIOn: • Rather than an International Trade Fair, the teacher may change the project so that students create PowerPoint presenta-

tions of the products.

exTenSIOnS:• The teacher may also elect to form teams of students that represent American cities or states looking to attract foreign

investment for local job growth. These students would have to research a particular area and market it towards one of the German product teams looking to establish manufacturing in the United States. Recent examples include the BMW manu-facturing facility near Greenville, SC and the Volkswagen manufacturing facility near Chattanooga, TN. What reasons might a foreign company have to establish manufacturing in a specific market? Like the United States, Germany is investing heavily in China and other countries in East Asia. Have the students explore the American and German economic presence in China. Relevant information is available from the International Trade Administration (U.S. Department of Commerce; http://trade.gov) and Germany’s Federal Statistical Office (https://www.destatis.de), which presents some information in English.

Sources

German Information Center USA. (n.d.). Facts About Germany. Retrieved 2012, from http://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de

Global 500. (2012, July 23) Retrieved August 2012 from Fortune Magazine: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/global500/2012/countries/Germany.html

International Trade Administration (U.S. Department of Commerce) http://www.ita.doc.gov



6.4 apprenticeship Program (case studies: bosch and deutsche bank)

leSSOn OvervIew:

By reading interviews with both supervisors and apprentices in two major German corporations, Deutsche Bank and Bosch,

and viewing a brief fi lm and a PowerPoint presentation, students will learn about the unique vocational training system that

operates in Germany.


Education in Germany is the responsibility of each of the individual sixteen federal states (the Länder), with federal coordination

of issues of national interest – such as vocational education. Germany provides many opportunities for vocational education

at the upper secondary level. Interested students can attend full-time vocational schools or be part of the two-track or “dual

system” that combines classroom learning with apprenticeship training for specifi c job tracks in specifi c fi rms or consortia

of companies. The emphasis on vocational education

thus provides companies with well-trained students

whose skills match their needs. An added benefi t is a

low national youth-unemployment rate as apprentices

are counted as part of the labor force.

In the dual system, public schools are responsible for

the classroom component. The classroom curriculum

is set by the individual states. According to Germany’s

Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Train-

ing (BIBB), there are currently 344 offi cially recognized

training profi les, or Ausbildungsberufe, in which stu-

dents can seek training in the dual system. This system contrasts with that in the United States where vocational training is

largely the domain of post-secondary schools. Once accepted into an apprenticeship program, students divide their time

into practical training (3-4 days per week) and theoretical, classroom training, often in a nearby vocational school. The training

lasts for between 2 and 3 ½ years. Companies provide the fi nancing for the practical training while the state is responsible for

the classroom. The result is a workforce that is highly skilled and easily integrated into employment as permanent positions

become available.

In 2008, about 500,000 fi rms off ered apprenticeship programs out of the approximately 2.06 million registered employers.

Depending on the overall economic situation in Germany and the world, the number of positions off ered vs. the number of

students seeking apprenticeships varies.

? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• how does a society prepare its youth to join the workforce?

6.4 APPrenTIceShIP PrOGrAm (cASe STudIeS: BOSch And deuTSche BAnK)





? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• how does a society prepare its youth to join the workforce?



InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • The Apprentice: Germany’s Answer to Jobless Youth Article (handout 6.4.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Deutsche Bank Dual Vocational Training PowerPoint (PowerPoint 6.4.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Vocational Education and Training in Germany – Assuring the Future [Short Film]. Retrieved from the Federal Institute for Voca-tional Education and Training: http://www.bibb.de/en/wlk32526.htm.

• Interviews with Supervisors and Apprentices at Deutsche Bank and Bosch (handout 6.4.3 on Instructional resource disc)

• Vocational Training Venn Diagram (handout 6.4.4 on Instructional resource disc)

PrOcedure:

dAy 1:

Anticipatory Set: The teacher should ask the students if they have any thoughts about their vocational plans and the prepara-tion they would need to achieve these goals. The teacher may want to enlist the involvement of a guidance counselor in a brief discussion of career education. The students should generate a list of vocational choices and the pathway to each.

After completing the Anticipatory Set, the teacher should explain that in Germany, career education is structured quite dif-ferently than in the United States. The students should read then aloud the short article, The Apprentice: Germany’s Answer to Jobless Youth (handout 6.4.1 on Instructional resource disc) as an introduction to the German model.

The teacher may use a combination of the Deutsche Bank Dual Vocational Training PowerPoint (PowerPoint 6.4.2 on Instruc-tional resource disc) and the 12-minute fi lm Vocational Education and Training in Germany – Assuring the Future to present the diff erent pathways that students may select in their vocational/occupational education. The PowerPoint (PowerPoint 6.4.2 on Instructional resource disc) graphically presents the dual system and provides a brief case study of Deutsche Bank’s program. The fi lm presents the basic elements of the German VET system such as collaboration with government and industry, the “two learning venues” principle, and qualifi cations that are recognized nation-wide.

For homework, the teacher should divide the class into two groups and assign each group the Interviews with Supervisors and Apprentices at Deutsche Bank and Bosch Handout (handout 6.4.3 on Instructional resource disc) and instruct the students to take notes in preparation of the class discussion in the next class.

dAy 2:

The teacher should ask each group to describe the characteristics of the Apprentice System in Germany and the United States and he/she should write these on the board. At the end of the discussion, the students should identify the similarities and diff erences between the two. The teacher should distribute the Vocational Training Venn Diagram (handout 6.4.4 on Instruc-tional resource disc) to be completed during this exercise.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • The teacher should facilitate a discussion about the merits and shortcomings of the German Vocational Education Training

program (Apprentice System) and whether this would appeal to Americans if such a system were adopted in the United States. Information about German-US cooperation in this area can be found at the website of Germany’s Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), http://www.bibb.de/en/wlk8621.htm. American partners include the US Depart-ments of Labor and Education as well as the American Association of Community Colleges.




Sources

Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (n.d.) Retrieved August 2012 from http://www.bibb.de/de/wlk59743.htm

mOdIfIcATIOn: • Rather than a class discussion on the topic, the teacher may assign the students to write an essay in which they reflect on

the German Vocational Education Training program and whether this would appeal to Americans if such a system were adopted in the United States.

exTenSIOn: • As part of a career education project, the students should research an American company or occupation and the educa-

tional preparation and training which are required for employment and compare and contrast this system with either that of Bosch or Deutsche Bank.



6.5 eurozone

leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson focuses on the establishment of the Eurozone (occasionally referred to as “Euroland”) as a component of the Euro-pean Union. Students will participate in a simulation activity to experience the eff ects of the movement from multiple national currencies to a single one. Prior to this lesson, students should have background knowledge on the formation of the European Union, an understanding of the Copenhagen Criteria, and Germany’s role in the overall organization. The teacher may refer to Lesson 1.3 Germany: A Member of the European Union for additional information. Finally, special attention will focus on the eco-nomic diffi culties experienced by members of the Eurozone and Germany’s role in the sovereign debt crisis. Upon completion of the lesson students will have a greater understanding of the adoption of the euro, the meaning of a single currency for the European Union, and Germany’s role as a member of the Eurozone.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:The euro was established by provisions of the 1992 Maastricht Treaty. For companies as for individuals, one obvious advantage of a single currency across national boundaries is the enhancement of trade through the elimina-tion of the cost of exchanging currency. The treaty established that member states must meet strict criteria in order to participate in the euro and that all states should adopt the currency within a reasonable time. As the Delegation of the European Union Commission in Washington, DC notes on its website1:

The euro is the single currency of the European Union. Countries earn their way into the euro area by demonstrating the economic, monetary, and fi scal discipline necessary to comply with required economic conver-gence criteria, known as the “Maastricht criteria.”

All EU Member States—with the exception of Denmark and the United Kingdom, which negotiated “opt-out” clauses—should join the euro area once these specifi c criteria are met in the areas of price stability, inter-est rates, national debt and defi cit, and exchange rate stability. Countries that currently use the euro are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Nether-lands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain.

The eurosystem, made up of the independent European Central Bank (ECB) and the national central banks of the EU Member States using the

1 http://www.euintheus.org, retrieved August 2012.

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• what is the eurozone? • what is the eff ect of the creation and the adoption of a single currency by diff erent nations and what impact does be-

ing a eurozone member have on a nation? • how does it aff ect one’s feeling of national and regional identity?

6.5 eurOZOne





? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• what is the eurozone? • what is the eff ect of the creation and the adoption of a single currency by diff erent nations and what impact does be-

ing a eurozone member have on a nation? • how does it aff ect one’s feeling of national and regional identity?

6.5 eurozone

euro, is responsible for safeguarding price stability in the euro area. The eurosystem also supports the EU’s general economic policy objectives, including sustainable economic growth and a high level of employment.

The Copenhagen Criteria, established in 1993, are the basis by which countries can become members of the European Union. The criteria are:

Any European country may apply for membership provided that it respects liberty, democracy, human rights and funda-mental freedoms, and the rule of law, principles common to EU Member States.

Applicant countries must fulfi ll the following specifi c conditions for EU membership:

• Stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and protection of minorities.

• Functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU.

• Capacity to take on the obligations of membership, including adherence to the objectives of political, economic and monetary union.

• Adoption of the acquis communautaire (the full body of EU law and policies) and its eff ective implementation through appropriate administrative and judicial structures.2

The European Central Bank provides this in terms of background:

The euro was launched on 1 January 1999, when it became the currency of more than 300 million people in Europe. For the fi rst three years it was an invisible currency, only used for accounting purposes, e.g. in electronic payments. Euro cash was not introduced until 1 January 2002, when it replaced, at fi xed conversion rates, the banknotes and coins of the national currencies like the Belgian franc and the Deutsche Mark. Today, euro banknotes and coins are legal tender in 18 of the 28 Member States of the European Union, including the overseas departments, territories and islands which are either part of, or associated with, euro area countries. These countries form the euro area. The micro-states of Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City also use the euro, on the basis of a formal arrangement with the European Community. Andorra, Montenegro and Kosovo likewise use the euro, but without a formal arrangement.3

The benefi ts of the euro system to member states and their citizens are many: simplifi cation of cross-border trade, stability of currencies, lower interest rates, and the elimination of uncertainties about foreign exchange rates within Europe. Of course, for travelers, the advent of the euro has made international travel easier and less expensive. Weak economies in some member states of the EU have led, however, to ongoing uncertainty as these states struggle to fi nd ways to keep their sovereign debt in control when they no longer have the option of devaluing a national currency. All EU economies are tied together in the euro system. The creation of the euro was a visionary development in the long history of Europe.

For additional information refer to:

The Offi cial Website of the European Union: http://europa.eu/index_en.htm

European Union Lesson Plans: http://www.euintheus.org/resources-learning/academic-resources/eu-lesson-plans-and-teach-ing-material/european-union-lesson-plans-secondary-level/

2 http://www.eurunion.org/News/eunewsletters/EUFocus/2007/EUFocus-Enlarge2007.pdf, retrieved August 2012.3 http://www.ecb.int/euro/intro/html/index.en.html#use, retrieved August 2012.




6.5 eurozone

InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • State Quarters

• 200 Individual Stickers

• 5 slips of paper in each color (green, red, yellow, black, orange, purple) for all but 10 students

• Eurozone PowerPoint (PowerPoint 6.5.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Euro vs. Invasion of the Zombie Banks Article (handout 6.5.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Political Cartoon Analysis Handout (handout 6.5.3 on Instructional resource disc)

• Eurozone Cartoon PowerPoint (PowerPoint 6.5.4 on Instructional resource disc)

PrOcedure:

dAy 1:

Anticipatory Set: The teacher should pass around a variety of US “state” quarters to small groups of students and ask students: What do you fi nd similar among the coins, and what’s diff erent about them? How does the “state” quarter allow for statehood identity as well as national identity? What if the diff erent quarters had diff erent monetary values from one state to another? How would that aff ect daily life in the United States?

The teacher should introduce the topic by following the Anticipatory Set activity. Then pose the question, why would the European Union members decide to give up their individual currencies? After students have shared their thoughts, play the simulation game:

Simulation Game: function of the euro in the european union

Prepare students for a simulation activity: Trade in the USA vs. Trade in Pre-Euro Europe

The students will be divided into 3 groups:

• One group will be US producers

• One group will be producers from EU countries prior to the introduction of the euro

• One group will be consumers

The groups of US and European producers will consist of 5 students each. Their desks should be in rows on opposite sides of the room. Each “producer” will be given approximately 20 stickers that they will “sell” to the consumers for colored strips of paper. The producers’ goal is to “make as much money as possible,” by collecting as many colored slips as possible. The US producers may accept only green slips as payment for a sticker. Each sticker costs one green slip (or the equivalent value). Each European producer can accept slips of diff erent colors, but must be careful to calculate the correct exchange.

The consumers will consist of the remaining students in the class. They will each be given 30 colored slips of paper: 6 of each of the fi ve colors: green (for the US dollar), red, yellow, black, orange, and purple (representing fi ve fi ctional European currencies). The consumers’ goal is to purchase as many stickers as they can. However, the European slips have diff erent relative values:

1 Red: .25 green slips

1 Yellow: .25 green slips

1 Black: .75 green slips

1 Orange: 1.25 green slips

1 Purple: 2 green slips

Focus 6


Focus 6 – Economy 6.5 eurozone

The teacher may ring a bell to begin trading. After a five-minute period, the bell is rung again and – without prior warning – the teacher announces changes in the relative value of the European slips. Now they have these values:

1 Red: .40 green slips

1 Yellow: .40 green slips

1 Black: .80 green slips

1 Orange: 1.20 green slips

1 Purple: 2 green slips

After another five minutes, the bell is rung again, trading ends and the students should return to their seats. The producers should total the slips of the same color and figure out their value in terms of green slips – using the latest table of relative values.

The consumers should tally up the total number of stickers they acquired with their slips. The exercise will demonstrate the uncertainties and complications of dealing with multiple currencies in a limited geographic area. The teacher should facilitate a discussion asking students what they determined about trade in the US vs. trade in Europe prior to the formation of the present European Union and the introduction of the euro. [Sample answers: (1) more cumbersome, took more time to trade in Europe because of different currency, and (2) the US had a greater total profit.]

To help students gain understanding as to why the European Union was created a half century ago, the teacher should ask the question, “What could European nations do to be more competitive with the US?” The teacher should lead the students to determine that Europe could (1) have one currency and (2) work together to combine their economic strength. Remind students that the European Union is an organization of countries, member states, that remain independent nations but work together in order to gain strength and world influence that would be unlikely otherwise. The EU has (1) reinforced peace be-tween its members and (2) increased prosperity for its citizens, (3) created a single European currency (the euro) and (4) created a frontier-free “single market” where goods, people, services and capital move around freely.4 The teacher should point out that today Germany’s largest trading partners are the other EU member states, but that they also compete with one another. Now, with the current sovereign debt crisis, many believe that a strong economic nation such as Germany needs to become even more competitive in order to revive its economy so that in the end, the EU, as a whole, will become even more competitive with the rest of the world.

4 How the European Union Works. (June 2003). Retrieved from the European Union, July 2011: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/georgia/documents/virtual_library/08_euro_en.pdf.

dAyS 2-3:

What is the history of the euro? What is the currency design? What is the Eurozone, and who is in it? The teacher should write these words on the board: lira, franc, peseta, guilder, and mark and then ask the class if they have heard these terms before. The teacher should then explain the origins of the euro. The class may discuss what the leaders of these EU countries hoped being a member of the Eurozone would mean (e.g. strengthen ties among their nations and make travel, banking and trading much easier, as well as give Europe a currency that could rival the US dollar). It is important to remind students that this occurred after the reunification of Germany, when the old East German currency was exchanged for the West German mark. The teacher should show the Eurozone PowerPoint (PowerPoint 6.5.1 on Instructional resource disc).

If possible allow students time to peruse the European Central Bank website. There are interactive pages with in-depth details of the euro, its banknotes and coins: European Central Bank: www.ecb.europa.eu/euro/play/html/index.en.html

For homework, the teacher should assign The New York Times article Euro vs. Invasion of the Zombie Banks (handout 6.5.2 on Instructional resource disc).



6.5 eurozone

dAyS 4:

The teacher should begin the class with discussion questions: What might be the downside of being a Eurozone member? What happens when a member country’s economy begins to fail? How did the Germans feel when they were asked to bail out the Eurozone members’ failing economies, specifically Greece in 2010? What happened in Ireland, Spain, and Portugal in 2011?

The teacher should divide the class into groups of 3 and give each group a cartoon to analyze from the Political Cartoon Analy-sis Handout (handout 6.5.3 on Instructional resource disc). The students should then present their findings to the class. It would work best if the teacher could project the cartoons as the students present their analysis using the Eurozone Cartoon PowerPoint (PowerPoint 6.5.4 on Instructional resource disc).

Students should look for the persuasive techniques used by the cartoonist, e.g. symbolism, exaggerating, labeling, analogy, and irony.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • After the presentations the class should be able to discuss the German perspective as a Eurozone member. Have students

share their thoughts. How does the euro relate to nationalism?

mOdIfIcATIOn: • Instead of the simulation the teacher may substitute the board game Monopoly with each player using a different currency.

A banker would be needed to exchange currencies.

exTenSIOnS: • What is the current status of Eurozone members? Have Spain, Ireland, Portugal, and Greece been able to stabilize their

economies? The students should research current articles and present their findings to the class.

• Students may do more research on the European Central Bank (http://www.ecb.int/euro). There are interactive links display-ing security features, banknotes, and coins of the euro.

• Students may wish to create a “book” of 10 political cartoons spanning the creation of the euro to today. They could write a comparison of the documents that were published prior to the euro with those that are currently in the news. They should include discussion on the value of the euro at infancy and its current value in US dollars.

• Eurozone Cartoons: http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/directory/e/eurozone.asp

• Students may individually or in groups create their own “euro-toon” based on any of the major ideas, challenges, problems, issues, or events involving the Eurozone.

do you think germans take action to protect the environment? what else can be done?

fOcuS 7 – SuSTAInABIlITy

nora (28): Not enough at all. I think I’m one of those people who is pretty conscious, but I mean, look in my waste bin, and you find a lot of plastic and stuff that would not be necessary, and I do pay attention, so no. And I’m frustrated by this in daily life. People just take plastic bags, even for a little some-thing. … I think it should be forbidden for any supermarket to give out plastic bags for free. … I think flights should be three, four times more expensive, and I say that as a person who is very dependent on low-cost flights, but this is something that I want. I want trains to be way less expensive than flights, I want recycling paper in all the stores; I want environmental lessons in school. But I’m pretty radical I guess.

xin (56): I think not all are doing enough. We should still do more for the environment. There are still too many people driving big cars, and the Germans should also not sell those cars to other countries like China or Russia…. More environ-mentally friendly products should be produced. I think the big corporations first of all think of their profit and not of the environment. The industry should especially produce fewer packages. I think that’s awful. When I work in our shop, there are always so many packages; many things are wrapped two or three times, especially those from France or England. That’s sad, that’s not necessary. All in all, the Germans are a little bet-ter in this field, but we still have to do more …

daniel S (44): I would love more Germans to drive smaller

cars or drive less. I would like to see our government force the

German railroad company to lower their prices and to give up

the attempt to go on the stock exchange market. I would like

to see public transportation be more subsidized. I would like

to see more money go into the development of renewable

energies. I would like to see higher fines for environmental

damages. … For me there is not enough. Of course, I have to

criticize myself here too; I could do more myself, of course.

Stefan (44): Well, I think there can hardly ever be enough ac-

tion, so it’s just that compared with many other parts in the

world, people in Germany are probably more active when it

comes to protecting the environment. This also includes a

large diversity of intentions and activities within the German

population. There are some very active people, maybe even

some overly active people and some phlegmatic people.

… In my point of view, you could save a lot of energy, stop

wasting resources, and be more decentralized, but I’m not an

expert in this field. I could just imagine that in many cases

it is short term profit for private companies, institutions, and

individuals that actually in the end will cause a greater harm

to the general public by harming the environment. And there

should be more done against this. But I think that’s actually

an international problem, privatization of profits and nation-

alization of any damages, losses, expenditures etc.

juliane (39): They start quite a

lot of things, but they definitely

don’t do enough. In Berlin the

energy supply should become

public again; this would be a

possibility to be able to direct

the energy policy a little better.

Further reduce carbon dioxide

more consequently and finally

make sure that the nuclear

power plants get shut down. … Public transportation should

be developed further … so there are still a lot of things to do.

Gerald (42): They could do

more, of course. We all could

do more. I only say compared

to others, we are quite good in

the protection of the environ-

ment and nature, but we could

do many more things. I would

suggest some car free days in

the year, for example. And the

pollution of nature is not the

only pollution; I would suggest a TV free day, too. People

should go out on this day in the parks, in the woods, go hik-

ing and ride bicycles. Additionally they … should spend their

holidays in the country, so nobody needs to fly around the

earth. Stay more regionally, live more seasonally. That would

protect nature. Big things are not always necessary.

Anna (42): I often see that people try in their private life to

do their best, but in places where many, many people are to-

gether this is often neglected. Maybe because there’s no con-

trol then, or it’s more difficult in bigger places to have trash

management or similar things. So, for instance, at my work-

place all the trash is just put together in one big bin and that’s

something I cannot change. I mean sometimes I even take

papers with me to put them into the correct bin at home, but

this is actually not allowed. I think, on an institutional level,

there could be more activity and more awareness, but, on a

private level, I think Germans are doing a lot more than other

countries.

Tobias (45): We could do much more. I’m a notorious cyclist

and if I only look at driving habits, I think drastic changes

need to be done. In regards to separation of trash, it’s totally

incomprehensible to me that it is still neglected so often in

Germany and Europe in the 21st century. And it really hap-

pens in the apartment block where I live. Half of my neighbors

enjoy the non-separation of trash. And it’s, in fact, not pos-

sible anymore to do it in any other way. These are things you

cannot leave to the voluntariness of the people. This should

somehow be arranged financially, so the people would feel it

in their pocket if they didn’t separate the trash…

Focus 7


FOCUS 7 – Sustainability

leSSOn OvervIew:

Students will understand that Germany and the residents of Dresden had to make signifi cant choices between preserving their past (designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and ensuring economic health. Students will work in groups of three. Working in groups, students will summarize for the other members information from articles on the situation, i.e., the costs and benefi ts of historical renovation and retaining the UNESCO World Heritage Site Status in the Dresden Elbe Valley. This lesson will focus on the important economic concept of opportunity costs. Each group will create a poster detailing the costs and benefi ts and identifying at least one opportunity cost paid by losing World Heritage Site status in 2009 by building a four-lane bridge in the heart of the cultural landscape.


The UNESCO General Conference adopted the “Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heri-tage” in 1972. It places the conservation of monuments, ensembles, industrial monuments and extraordinary landscapes under special protection by the international community. Currently, in 2013, there are 38 places in Germany that have been designat-ed as World Heritage sites. These range from the Cathedrals in Aachen, Köln, and Speyer, Museum Island in Berlin, Bauhaus sites in Dessau and Weimar, Wartburg Castle in Eisen-ach and the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Estate in Essen. A recent controversy involved the city of Dresden and its decision to build a large bridge over the Elbe River with lanes for both vehicles and tram service. As a result UNESCO rescinded World Heritage Site status in 2009 because plans for the bridge construction were implemented. The Dresden Elbe Valley originally met several of UNESCO’s criteria for selection when it was named to the list in 2004. Among other criteria, UNESCO cited the Dresden Elbe Valley as “an outstanding example of land use, representing an exceptional

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• economic decision-making involves making choices: what are the opportunity costs incurred when deciding between historical preservation and urban planning and expansion?

7.1 the dresden elbe valley: unesco world heritage site status and economic decision making

7.1 The dreSden elBe vAlley: uneScO wOrld herITAGe SITe STATuS And ecOnOmIc decISIOn mAKInG





FOCUS 7 – Sustainability Focus 7


? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• economic decision-making involves making choices: what are the opportunity costs incurred when deciding between historical preservation and urban planning and expansion?

7.1 The dreSden elBe vAlley: uneScO wOrld herITAGe SITe STATuS And ecOnOmIc decISIOn mAKInG

development of a major Central-European city. The value of this cultural landscape has long been recognized, but it is now under new pressures for change” (UNESCO, 2009). Dresden occupies a signifi cant place in German and European history. After its devastating bombing during World War II, the city has been rebuilt, especially since German unifi cation, with many build-ings restored to their baroque splendor.


InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Poster paper and markers

• UNESCO Criteria for Selection as a World Heritage Site (handout 7.1.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• UNESCO World Heritage Site Newspaper Articles (handout 7.1.2 on Instructional resource disc)

PrOcedure: dAy 1:

• Anticipatory Set: Individuals and groups make choices. Every choice has a second-best option which must be given up, and that’s the opportunity cost. In economic terms, for example, if an asset such as capital is used for one purpose, the oppor-tunity cost is the value of the next best purpose the asset could have been used for. What are examples from everyday life that illustrate this concept? Studying for a major social studies test or going to the movies with friends, more government military spending or more government funds for education. Honoring and preserving their history creates challenges for Germans when faced with economic concerns.

• Each student should read one of six articles (handout 7.1.2 on Instructional resource disc) and take notes on the as-signed article listing the costs and benefi ts of a modern bridge spanning the Elbe at Dresden and the maintenance of the UNESCO World Heritage Site status, especially for tourism.

• As a prior homework assignment and before reading the articles, the students should be assigned preliminary reading on the internet on the history of Dresden and its unique place in the annals of World War II, and selection criteria for UNESCO. Students should check the Dresden website: www.dresden.de and the UNESCO Criteria for Selection as a World Heritage Site (handout 7.1.1 on Instructional resource disc)

dAyS 2-3:

• Each student will orally present information from his or her article(s) to the other members of the triad.

• Using the information from the six articles, each group will create a chart on poster paper and detail costs and benefi ts for various individuals and groups supported by information from the articles. Each chart will also contain at least one oppor-tunity cost paid by groups favoring the bridge, and one paid by those who would have maintained World Heritage status for the Elbe Valley.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn • Follow up by combining two or three groups of students and allowing them to discuss fi ndings and compare each other’s

charts in class. Then, bring closure to the lesson with a full class discussion on the topic. The fi nal question to be discussed is whether the fi nal UNESCO decision to remove the World Heritage Site designation was justifi ed. There is, of course, no “right answer” to this question.


FOCUS 7 – SustainabilityFocus 7



mOdIfIcATIOnS: • Depending on the background of the students, the teacher may have to explain the essential economic principle of op-

portunity cost before beginning the activity.

• If pressed for time, the teacher may want to assign all the reading to be completed as a homework assignment.

• A variation of this procedure would be to use a “RAFT” format for the organization and presentation:

component Purpose

role Advisors for the Historic Preservation and Promoting the Economy

Audience The Dresden City Council

format Presentation to the Dresden City Council: “A Bridge for History, the Future… or Both?”

Topic Economic Decision-Making and Opportunity Costs and Historic Preservation

exTenSIOnS: • Students may research the controversy over building a bridge over the Rhine in the “Lorelei Valley” (another UNESCO World

Heritage Site in Germany) and write an essay in which they compare and contrast the similarities in the Rhineland to the situation in the Elbe Valley. They will find ample background information at UNESCO’s website (www.unesco.org).

• Students may be assigned to research some of the following UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany. Their findings can be presented to the class as a simple PowerPoint with some visuals, a brief description of the site and the justification (accord-ing to UNESCO World Heritage Site criteria) for the designation:

° Aachen Cathedral (1978)

° Abbey and Altenmünster of Lorsch (1991)

° Ancient Beech Forests of Germany (2011)

° Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar and Dessau (1996)

° Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe (2013)

° Berlin Modernism Housing Estates (2008)

° Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brühl (1984)

° Classical Weimar (1998)

° Collegiate Church, Castle, and Old Town of Quedlinburg (1994)

° Cologne Cathedral (1996)

° Fagus Factory in Alfeld (2011)

° Frontiers of the Roman Empire (1987)

° Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz (2000)

° Hanseatic City of Lübeck (1987)

° Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar (2002)

° Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg (1996)

° Margravial Opera House Bayreuth (2012)

° Maulbronn Monastery Complex (1993)

° Messel Pit Fossil Site (1995)

° Mines of Rammelsberg, Historic Town of Goslar and Upper Harz Water Management System (1992, extended 2010)

° Monastic Island of Reichenau (2000)



Sources: (2009) Dresden is Deleted from UNESCO’S World Heritage List. Retrieved from UNESCO, August 2012: http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/522

This lesson has been adapted from the work of 2009 TOP Fellow, Victoria Deniston Reed.


° Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin (1999)

° Muskauer Park / Park Mużakowski (2004)

° Old town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof (2006)

° Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin (1990)

° Pilgrimage Church of Wies (1983)

° Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps (2011)

° Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier (1986)

° Speyer Cathedral (1981)

° St Mary’s Cathedral and St Michael’s Church at Hildesheim (1985)

° Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of Bremen (2004)

° Town of Bamberg (1993)

° Upper Middle Rhine Valley (2002)

° Völklingen Ironworks (1994)

° The Wadden Sea (2009)

° Wartburg Castle (1999)

° Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square (1981)

° Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen (2001)

• Students should research the life of Nobel scientist Günter Blobel and his role in both the restoration of the Frauenkirche in Dresden and the proposed construction of the bridge over the Elbe River.



7.2 germany: a model of sustainability

leSSOn OvervIew:

In this lesson students will conduct research on Germany’s successful eff orts to work toward a sustainable environment. Stu-dents will use the knowledge and concepts learned to help them develop projects they will share with peers during their par-ticipation in a Sustainability Exposition. The exposition will require students to be able to describe and discuss a specifi c course of action being taken by Germany for the purpose of providing background and conveying information about sustainability eff orts in Germany.


Sustainable development is an ongoing task and is considered a benchmark for a society’s progress. In a 2008 progress report on Germany’s National Sustainability Strategy, the German government focused on topics such as climate and energy, the management of raw materials, and food for the world. The aims of the sustainability strategic plan are to promote intergenera-tional equity, a good quality of life, social cohesion, and international responsibility. Sustainability aff ects all policy areas both at national and international levels. It does not stop at the peripheries; nor does it stop at borders.

Germany is a successful contributor in the global challenge to create a sustainable environment. Government initiatives help to make Germany a major player in the fi ght to save the environment. Its support and direction to develop programs such as waste prevention and recycling guidelines, green space planning, international solar competitions to promote green technolo-gy, and policies to inspire business com-pliance bring Germany to the forefront as a 21st-century world leader of sus-tainability. Being proactive has helped Germany face the challenge of reduc-ing pollution and enhancing the envi-ronment. Germany’s commitment to environmental protection has remained strong despite the economic crises of 2008/2009 and the sovereign-debt cri-ses within the EU starting in 2011. In spite of the international economic and political pressures faced by all coun-tries around the world, Germany is still a signifi cant role model for other major industrial nations.

? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• how do the collaborative eff orts of government, corporations and individuals help to create a sustainable environ-ment?

7.2 GermAny: A mOdel Of SuSTAInABIlITy


STAndArd #8 science, technology and society.



? fOcuS QueSTIOn:

• how do the collaborative eff orts of government, corporations and individuals help to create a sustainable environ-ment?



InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Internet access

• Transforming Deutsche Bank’s Head Offi ce into a Green Building (handout 7.2.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Deutsche Bank: Personal observations by Gerrit Book (handout 7.2.2 on Instructional resource disc)


• Anticipatory Set: Students will participate in a class discussion about America’s eff orts to help create a sustainable environ-ment. What is the US doing to help reach that goal? Are there local initiatives across America? As ideas are off ered, the teach-er should write these suggestions on the board in columns without indicating that he/she is putting them into categories. See below for an example. When ideas are exhausted, the teacher should ask students to label each column. This will vary per class, but off er a jumping off point for the next day’s lesson that will require students to investigate Germany’s eff orts.

recycling and waste prevention: reducing, reusing, upcycling

Green Technology

Green Structure and urban Planning

Public Transportation

Bottle returns Motion sensor lights Government-owned parks in city cen-ters that prohibit development

Creation of bike lanes

Solar energy Green spaces

The Anticipatory Set should help to start students thinking about sustainability eff orts in their own communities and nation. Now they will investigate Germany’s initiatives.

• The teacher should inform students that in groups they will

a. research the sustainability eff orts that Germany has instituted, and

b. showcase their fi ndings at a Sustainability Exposition. At the exposition, students are required to showcase their fi nd-ings by:

° Creating a visual (tri-boards, posters, images/reproductions, copies of primary source documents, photos, artwork, etc.)

° Submitting a 3-4 page report of their fi ndings as the registration “fee”.

° Giving a 2-3 minute summary or “sound bite” as attendees stop at their exhibit. This may be performed as a skit or other means of delivery, such as a giving a monologue in the character of a famous German.

(The exposition may take place in class or in an arena such as the cafeteria.)

• Students should be divided into four groups or eight groups depending on class size to conduct research on how Germany addresses one of the following:

a. recycling and waste prevention: reducing, reusing, upcycling,

b. green spaces, green structure and urban planning,

c. green technology: solar energy and wind energy

d. a case study on the Deutsche Bank Towers.




• Each group will be provided some suggested articles found on the Internet, but they are urged to go beyond these sources and conduct a wider search for information. Students should collect information that may include: a general description, a brief history of the project, the goals, the difficulties and challenges, influence of government policies, connection to Ger-man culture, current action being taken, etc. It is important that the teacher review in advance the websites listed below to make sure that these are still active sites.

Suggested Sites and Resources:

1. Recycling and waste prevention: reducing, reusing, upcycling

a. http://www.howtogermany.com/pages/recycling.html

b. http://earth911.com/news/2009/07/13/trash-planet-germany/

c. http://www.export.gov/faq/eg_main_017514.asp

d. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_pbkjSzbFM0k/TQiIw5tvN6I/AAAAAAAAAB8/XZ-Ag9cvB4k/s1600/berlinrecyclingyx2.jpg

e. http://livegreenmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/german-recycling.jpg

f. http://livegreenmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/GreenDot.jpg

g. http://www.tradeangles.fsbusiness.co.uk/articles/green_dot.htm

h. http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14943224,00.html

2. Green structure, green space and urban planning

a. http://books.google.com/books?id=oUAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA16

b. http://andrewhammel.typepad.com/german_joys/2008/09/a-spontaneous-eco-wander-through-germany---by-william-powers---slate-magazine.html

c. http://www.umweltfrankfurt.de/en/frankfurt-the-green-city/

3. Green technology: Solar Energy

a. http://www.abb.us/cawp/seitp202/e719ddd22a2e6dadc1257654002715d6.aspx

b. http://www.abb.us/cawp/seitp202/543f9874d9545e81c125763b002bc92c.aspx




c http://www.solardecathlon.tu-darmstadt.de/home/home.en.jsp

d. http://www.solardecathlon.tu-darmstadt.de/solar_decathlon_2/landingpagesolardecathlon07.de.jsp

e. http://www.solardecathlon.gov/scoring/

f. http://bouteiller.wordpress.com/2008/08/15/rotating-solar-house-in-germany-freiburg/

4. A case study on the Deutsche Bank Towers.

a. Transforming Deutsche Bank’s Head Office into a Green Building (handout 7.2.1 on Instructional resource disc)

b. Deutsche Bank: Personal observations by Gerrit Book (handout 7.2.2 on Instructional resource disc)

c. http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/805450

dAy 4:

• Students showcase their project at the Sustainability Exposition.

whOle GrOuP reflecTIOn: • The teacher should lead the class in a discussion of Germany’s efforts in meeting the challenge of creating a sustainable

environment.

mOdIfIcATIOnS: • If the Sustainability Exposition cannot be held in a single space but rather in individual classrooms, the teacher may take

pictures of each student group exhibit and create a PowerPoint to share with the other classes.

• This lesson may be an interdisciplinary project with English and science classes. The social studies teacher assesses the students’ research skills and data relevancy and accuracy, the English teacher assesses the written and oral reports for com-munication elements, and the science teacher assesses the accuracy of scientific data.




Sources: The National Sustainability Strategy. (n.d.). Retrieved from the Press and Information Office of the Federal Goverment of Germany, August 2012: www.bundesregierung.de/nn_208962/Content/EN/StatischeSeiten/Schwerpunkte/Nachhaltigkeit/nachhaltigkeit-2006-07-27-die-nationale-nachhaltigkeitsstrategie.html

exTenSIOnS: • Students may conduct a letter campaign to US political leaders offering suggestions for programs the US government may

initiate to help promote sustainability.

• Students may take the guise of a reporter and write a review/commentary on the Sustainability Exposition that summarizes the event and offers suggestions for the cause to continue.

• Students should plan and implement a school competition for innovation. How might the school/community improve its sustainability effort?



7.3 greening your school: shades of green

leSSOn OvervIew:

Based on successful environmental projects in schools in Heidelberg, Germany, this lesson provides the teacher with the steps

to start a Green Club that will help students conceptualize

the idea of sustainability and the broader issues dealing with

the limitation of resources that is pervasive across the globe.

This project stimulates an enthusiasm for public service by

asking students, teachers, and administrators to think of in-

novative and creative ways to protect the environment. It will

increase environmental awareness among students and chal-

lenge them to gain new perspectives on reducing, reusing,

renewing, and upcycling waste. Is there a better way? What

concrete changes or strategies could be taken by the school

to join in the global eff ort to conserve resources and strive

toward sustainability? Students will use their critical thinking

and problem-solving skills. Their communication and col-

laboration skills will also be utilized as they present their ideas

to the learning community. These students become change

agents for their home and school communities. This environ-

mental project will ultimately help the school community

conserve resources. Students will learn to recognize an envi-

ronmental problem, gain new perspectives, collect data, ana-

lyze the data, suggest innovative and creative solutions, take

action, and report the results of their interdisciplinary project.

Service learning is encouraged frequently by state education

department initiatives. Teachers may wish to contact their

SED for more specifi c information.

(Note: Prior to the lessons, the lead teacher should be identifi ed and care should be taken to be sure that key school administrators

support the project. Whenever possible, outside experts should be sought to serve as mentors and guides for students. The lead teacher

should ask teachers of other disciplines to participate in the project by including appropriate lessons in their classes. After the “club” is

introduced, the actual meetings and functions of the club will be conducted after school.)

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• how can students become more environmentally conscious and conscientious? • how can you lead your students in a project to “green” your school?

7.3 GreenInG yOur SchOOl: ShAdeS Of Green





? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• how can students become more environmentally conscious and conscientious? • how can you lead your students in a project to “green” your school?


TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:Germany is a leader in environmental conservation and is generally known for its eff orts to reduce carbon and sulfur emissions, improve water purity, and increase conservation practices. A Heidelberg-based program exemplifi es the country’s commit-ment to educating the next generation in ways to green their schools and homes. Since the 1995/96 school year, the Offi ce of Environmental Protection, Trade Supervision and Energy of the City of Heidelberg has implemented a project to save energy in schools, the so-called E-Team Project, in cooperation with students, teachers, administrators, and community members. Seventeen schools participate in the project. The topic of energy and climate protection has become fi rmly established in classrooms as part of the curriculum and interdisciplinary projects are being carried out. The key element of this school project is the energy saving teams, the so-called E-Teams, which are composed of pupils, teachers and the person in charge of energy (a school-based technician who communicates with local energy providers) and are supported by the school administration. The E-Teams analyze the energy consumption of the school, design energy saving programs and activities. Creative ideas are developed to make energy and water usage more effi cient by means of behavioral and smaller technical improvements. At the same time, the E-Team project strengthens the students’ sense of personal responsibilities as well as their communication and problem solving skills. In addition, the students continue their activities into the greater community of Heidelberg.

This lesson was inspired by the Heidelberg program. For additional information, please use:

It’s Up to You and Me: Here and Across the Sea. http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/lp/prj/top/mat/green/enindex.htm

Climate Protection: We’ve done our homework! The E-Team Project (1999). City of Heidelberg, Offi ce of Environmental Protection, Energy, and Health Protection. http://heidelberg.kivbf.de/servlet/PB/show/1124270/E-Team_GB.pdf

Background on the Heidelberg project: http://www.display-campaign.org/example475.html

TIme: (1) 45 minute class period

1-2 semesters for project to be conducted

1-2 semesters for topic to be integrated into other disciplines

InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • PowerPoint Shades of Green (PowerPoint 7.3.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Vocabulary of Sustainability (handout 7.3.2 on Instructional resource disc)

PrOcedure: • Anticipatory Set: The week before beginning this project the teacher should ask students, “What would we need to do to

become a sustainable/zero waste school?” Then the teacher should ask students to use their cell phone cameras or digital cameras to take pictures of specifi c items in their school or home where the possibility of reducing, recycling, reusing, “up-cycling” (converting waste into new materials or products of higher quality) might be considered. What evidence of non-sustainability did they also observe? If possible, add student photos to the PowerPoint Shades of Green (PowerPoint 7.3.1 on Instructional resource disc) to present to the entire class.

dAy 1:

Two to three days after introducing the lesson using the anticipatory set and after students have had time to submit their pic-tures, show the PowerPoint, Shades of Green. The teacher should use the PowerPoint to stimulate class discussion and interest in creating an environmental or green club. During the slideshow, the teacher should provide time for class discussion, student involvement, and elaboration of the project. Talking points begin with Slide 9:

Focus 7


FOCUS 7 – Sustainability7.3 greening your school: shades of green

Steps: Who is needed?

• A lead teacher and supportive administration. (Both should be determined prior to the lessons).

• A Recording Committee that will document data. They will maintain a record of all aspects of the project in an easily retriev-able format.

• Communication within the school to promote helpful and effective cooperation.

• Ask other disciplines to participate. This will work best as an interdisciplinary project. Including the project in a variety of subjects will help to ensure long-term action.

Interdisciplinary lesson Suggestions

• Social Studies: The teacher will incorporate current events dealing with global warming and environmental terms to fur-ther student understanding of the topic. Students could write editorials or persuasive essays to promote the efforts of the Green Club. They could research the statistics regarding landfills and current waste management issues and create a Power-Point presentation to be shared in class or to a wider audience if possible.

• math: Students could use electronic databases to create balance sheets to monitor heat, electricity, and water consump-tion. This will help determine the success of the green campaign.

• Art: Students could create visual reminders to help others remember to conserve energy. The signs could be printed on fabric to last longer. Students could create examples of upcycling products.

• english: Students could decide how to communicate to the school community what they have learned. During class they could write announcements, emails, skits, etc. They could maintain an energy information board to obtain feedback for ideas, suggestions, and criticism.

• Science: Students could research the various ways energy saving could take place. How can electricity be generated? Students could experiment with a variety of ways, e.g. by pedaling a bicycle. They could create demonstrations using solar energy for heating water. Science teachers could provide the scientific and technical support for the project by asking to borrow the technology used to measure electricity consumption, temperature, and light intensity from local energy-supply businesses. Perhaps a business leader would present a session teaching the students how to use the tools.

Steering committee

• The club steering committee, lead teacher, administrator, and custodial team should take a tour of the building looking for the best approaches for saving energy. The steering committee reports to the club.

• Turn off lights when the room is empty. Can lights in the hall or other areas be lowered or turned off if not needed during a 5-minute break? How can natural light be utilized more? Can rooms be air-conditioned for a shorter time? Can leaks around windows and doors be sealed?

• Ask about the heating. Could the heat be turned on later and off earlier by a timer? Might there be a better configuration of room assignments to allow one area of the building to be heated at certain times and another not?

• Are there ways to cool the room without air conditioning? Can there be experiments to see what is most efficient?

communication committee

• The communication committee determines how to share the gathered information with the stakeholders, e.g., signs, email blasts, and announcements during the course of one to two semesters. Seeking publicity through school newspapers or local papers is recommended. At the end of the term the committee must determine how they will report their findings. Have the club’s interventions been successful?

recording committee

• Collect and maintain all data gathered and present for future comparisons and reporting. Accurate data is necessary for reporting purposes throughout the school semester(s).

• Allow the students to divide themselves into groups representing one of the committees: steering, reporting, or communi-



mOdIfIcATIOn: • Community volunteers may act as mentors for students who require more support.


Sources: http://www.heidelberg.de/servlet/PB/menu/1101140_l2/index.html, retrieved August 2012.

(1999) Climate Protection: We’ve done our homework! The E-Team Project. City of Heidelberg, Office of Environmental Protection, Energy, and Health Protection. Retrieved August 2012: www.heidelberg.de/servlet/PB/show/1124270/E-Team_GB.pdf.

exTenSIOnS: • Teachers may invite outside speakers from local utility companies as well as local environmental agencies and organizations

to share information with the students.

• Students may contact one of the schools in Heidelberg or other German communities and try to become “sister” schools in this endeavor. Perhaps the use of Skype and/or videoconferencing may be helpful.

• Students may create a PowerPoint comparing steps taken by Germany, other EU countries, and the US in environmental education and actions. This is in continuation of the examples shown at the end of the PowerPoint.

• Students may write, produce, and film a skit dealing with the theme of sustainability.

• The Green Club could present their findings to community members at the public library or a meeting of the municipal council.

• Students may research stand-by functions of the appliances they have in their own homes and write a report to present to the class.

• Students interested in endangered species may research the European Green Belt initiative. This addresses how areas along the Iron Curtain, specifically the former “death zone” in southernmost Germany, have been found to be a haven for wildlife. http://www.europeangreenbelt.org

cating. Allow time for each group to share what ideas they can offer. Have the group select a recorder to take notes that will be given to the actual committee members.

• Continue PowerPoint if time allows or show at the first club meeting.

• Announce to the class when the first club meeting will be held. During that meeting a name for the group may be deter-mined.



7.4 siemens: leading the way t oward a low carbon economy

leSSOn OvervIew: This lesson focuses on understanding the carbon cycle and its impact on the global environment and economy. During the lesson students will engage in a variety of learning activities including focused reading, viewing, discussion, research and multi-media creation. The lesson is designed to incorporate cross-curricular learning opportunities by including common core learn-ing targets across the contents. Additionally, the modular design of the lesson allows teachers to tailor the inquiry experience based on student population, specifi c district/state learning targets, and time constraints.

An option included within this lesson is a fi nal project/portfolio in the form of a student-created website. The website proj-ect could be done individually, with a partner, or in a small group. The website would be a multi-media creation that would incorporate graphics, writing, and video. Over the course of the les-son, the website project is distributed into smaller assignments to be com-pleted at the end of individual activities.

While the lesson activities include print-able hand-outs and think sheets for students, these were created to be eas-ily transferable into individual student notebooks or folders. Additionally, each video featured in the lesson includes viewing/discussion questions that could be used for notebook refl ection. Using a notebook rather than handout

? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• what is carbon sustainability? what part do humans play in the carbon cycle?

• how is the global community, specifi cally Germany, addressing carbon sustainability?

• what part are individual countries taking on to address this issue?

• how is sustainability addressed within the private sector?

• what choices can the individual make to further help carbon sustainability?

7.4 SIemenS: leAdInG The wAy T OwArd A lOw cArBOn ecOnOmy







? fOcuS QueSTIOnS:

• what is carbon sustainability? what part do humans play in the carbon cycle?

• how is the global community, specifi cally Germany, addressing carbon sustainability?

• what part are individual countries taking on to address this issue?

• how is sustainability addressed within the private sector?

• what choices can the individual make to further help carbon sustainability?

7.4 siemens: leading the way t oward a low carbon economy

approach coincides with the lesson’s purpose of highlighting how to reduce carbon emissions by reducing paper use and also creates a record of student learning that can be referred to throughout the lesson and school year. Please note that due to the extended timeline for this lesson and the structure of multiple activities, the format of this lesson diff ers slightly from others in this book.

TeAcher BAcKGrOund InfOrmATIOn:Germany is in the midst of transforming itself from a fossil fuel dependent greenhouse gas producer to an international sustain-ability pioneer by decarbonizing its energy supplies. The term used by Germans for this process is Energiewende (Energy Transi-tion) and has become synonymous with the current push for low carbon renewable energy sources throughout Germany. The speed at which this transition has taken place is demonstrated through the following comparison: at the turn of the 21st century the United States actually generated more of its electricity from renewables than Germany, 8% versus 6% respectively. By 2012 Germany had leap-frogged the United States’11% share, generating a robust 25% of its energy from renewable resources1. Most experts point to the Renewable Energy Act of 2000 (Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz, EEG) as the catalyst that led to the latest series of energy transition eff orts in Germany. Despite initial opposition from conservative offi cials, the aspects of the law that protect private investments, including the guaranteed feed-in tariff s and grid connection requirement, caused farmers and private citizens to back the bill and thus in the end, convinced conservative members in the Bundestag to throw their support behind it. That is, once farmers realized that the law allowed them to produce and sell their own power at a guaranteed price-point with a cheaper buy-back rate, they exercised additional pressure on their elected representatives. Thus, the Energiewende has signaled a paradigm shift in both the citizenry, who now expects to have a say and take an active role in energy production, and in the new corporate approach that moves from the “take, make, waste” model toward a renewable, cyclical, waste-free and benign system based on resource productivity in which fewer emissions and waste equals more profi t. Moreover, data collected in Germany over a ten-year-period points to the overall initial success of the Energiewende, specifi cally in that from 1991 to 2011 Germany’s GDP was up 27% while greenhouse gas emissions dropped 24%.2 In all, the fact that Germany, a highly developed democratic industrial power, has managed to shrink its carbon footprint while simultaneously increasing its GDP not only reinforces the effi cacy of the policy on the domestic front, but it also serves as an example for other developed nations across the globe that are ripe for an energy transition of their own.

Sources:

1 Independent Statistics and Analysis (n.d.). Germany. U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved May 6, 2013, from http://www.eia.gov/countries/country-data.cfm?fips=gm.

2 Morris, Craig, Pehnt, Martin (2012, November 28). Energy Transition: The German Energiewende. Heinrich Böll Stiftung. Retrieved May 6, 2013, from http://energytransition.de/wp-content/themes/boell/pdf/German-Energy-Transition-KF.pdf.

TIme: Depending on level of participation (1-5) Weeks

InSTrucTIOnAl reSOurceS: • Photograph Handout (handout 7.4.1 on Instructional resource disc)

• Video: What’s the Deal with Carbon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jp1D1dzxj8

• Video: NASA: Keeping up with Carbon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrIr3xDhQ0E

• “What’s the Deal with Carbon?” Exit Card Handout (handout 7.4.2 on Instructional resource disc)

• Video: Infographic of Information: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-qbf5IsFH0

• Video: Keynote speech at International WBGU Symposium : http://www.wbgu.de/en/symposium-2012/

• Keynote Transcript: http://www.bundeskanzlerin.de/ContentArchiv/EN/Archiv17/Reden/2012/2012-05-09-rede-wbgu-symposium_en.html

Focus 7


FOCUS 7 – Sustainability7.4 siemens: leading the way t oward a low carbon economy

• Video: What is German Energiewende?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBx493I0W7k

• A Global Issue: International Eff orts to Create a Low Carbon Economy Handout (handout 7.4.3 on Instructional re-source disc)

• The Energy Transition- The German Energiewende: http://energytransition.de/

• Building a Carbon-Neutral Paradise: http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2009-06/nine-worlds-most-promising-carbon-neutral-communities

• Building a Carbon-Neutral Paradise: Reading and Refl ection Handout (handout 7.4.4 on Instructional resource disc)

• Video: Spongebob Square Pants in The Endless Summer : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlkprv-Upco

• Sustainable Business Models Handout (handout 7.4.5 on Instructional resource disc)

• Siemens Corporation PowerPoint (PowerPoint 7.4.6 on Instructional resource disc)

• Business Letter Template (handout 7.4.7 on Instructional resource disc)

• Video: President Obama Visits Siemens: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdJskk8Z3us

• Video: Michael Bloomberg – Taking the Lead on Global Warming: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QscMMQgBdtI

• Video: Governor Christie on Climate Change: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPxDnb2-aVI

• Video: President Obama’s 2013 Inaugural Address: A Call to Action on Climate Change: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3zuiGeG0JA

• Renewable Ripple Handout (handout 7.4.8 on Instructional resource disc)

• Video: Germany’s Green Revolution: http://video.pbs.org/video/2326679795/

• Local Sustainability Plan Comparison Handout (handout 7.4.9 on Instructional resource disc)

• Creately Blog: http://creately.com/blog/examples/storyboard-templates-creately/#Storyboard

• Video: Siemens: The Next Big Step: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfQZWinj1Sc

• PSA Plan Exit Slip Handout (handout 7.4.10 on Instructional resource disc)

• EcoGuru Results Handout (handout 7.4.11 on Instructional resource disc)

• Smart Notebook computer program (optional)

• Student notebooks or folders

PrOcedure: Activity 1: Photograph Sort and Carbon Cycle Introduction

Estimated Time: 45 minutes

Purpose: Introduce students to the carbon cycle and begin to generate thought around high and low carbon processes. This activity sets the stage for future activities as students look at sustainability as a global issue.

Divide the class into small groups (3-5 students per group). Each group will be given the Photograph Handout (handout 7.4.1 on Instructional resource disc) with various photographs depicting diff erent levels of energy use. Direct the groups to sort the photographs into categories of their choice. Once groups have completed the sort, have groups share the categories they used, making a master list of categories on the board.

Students will watch the videos “What’s the Deal with Carbon” and Nathaniel Manning’s TED talk video “The Carbon Cycle”. The teacher should have the students consider the following questions for purposeful viewing or follow-up discussion: able format.



7.4 siemens: leading the way toward a low carbon economy

• What was the original carbon cycle system?

• How have humans changed the system?

• What impact does our involvement in the system have on the environment?

After the video and any further discussion, students will re-sort the photographs through a two-step process. First, students will decide if each photograph is an example of generating energy or using energy. Second, students will further sort into sub-categories determining if each example is a high-carbon process or low-carbon process (the end result will be four categories).

After the final sorting activity, the teacher should lead a class discussion by asking students to think of what photographs they would take from their everyday experience to show local examples of both high- and low-carbon processes.

The teacher should distribute the “What’s the Deal with Carbon?” Exit Card Handout (handout 7.4.2 on Instructional re-source disc) for a formative assessment to check student understanding of the carbon cycle and the human impact.

Web Extension: Students should create an infographic (a pictorial graph that incorporates graphics and data together to help clarify meaning) depicting the human impact on the carbon cycle. Infographics should depict both the carbon generators and eliminators. (Some ideas might include common products students use and how much carbon these produce, comparing dif-ferent versions of products and their carbon output, or looking at carbon output of different lifestyle habits.) As students create their infographics they should refer to the internet to collect necessary data. One helpful site for determining carbon outputs of common household appliances is http://energy.gov.

Teachers might want to show the video “Infographic of Infographics” , Infogr.am is a website that is designed to help create these great learning tools.

Activity 2: Transition into Carbon Sustainability as a Global Problem

Estimated Time: 30 minutes

Purpose: Help students connect their newly acquired carbon cycle knowledge into a global environmental issue related to global warming and climate change.

Students should watch the keynote speech by Angela Merkel given at the International WBGU Symposium on May 9, 2012. The teacher should have the students consider the following questions for purposeful viewing or follow-up discussion:

• Why does Chancellor Merkel think that belief in global warming is not a prerequisite for supporting the switch to renewable energy and energy efficiencies?

• According to the chancellor, what role does innovation play in Germany’s desire to keep pace in the emerging low carbon economy?

• Would you say Chancellor Merkel is optimistic or pessimistic about a low carbon future? Explain your answer.

An alternative option would be to use the “Transcript of the Keynote”: for using the keynote speech as a reading assignment rather than a viewing assignment. Use the same focus questions from above.




Activity 3: International Environmental Plans Case Study

Estimated Time: 2 (45-minute) class periods

Purpose: Highlight efforts being made around the globe related to sustainability and reducing carbon outputs.

Students will watch the video “What is the German Energiewende?” to introduce the idea of a national environmental plan. The teacher should have the students consider the following questions for purposeful viewing or follow-up discussion:

• What is significant about Germany’s energy plan?

• How does the plan incorporate the efforts of the individual?

for The high School level: After the video, the teacher should distribute the Global Issue: International Efforts to Create a Low Carbon Economy Handout (handout 7.4.3 on Instructional resource disc). Referring to the website: The Energy Transition: The German Energiewende, the class should work together to complete the first row on the Handout as a model for future case studies.

After using Germany as a model, divide class into pairs to complete a jigsaw case study for additional countries. Each pair should choose a country to research and have students read to complete the 2nd row of the Handout. Once the pair has com-pleted their assigned study, they should meet with other pairs to fill in the rest of their chart.

Once charts are complete, the teacher should lead a discussion to compare the different plans that are in place creating a mas-ter list of observations. Students should then write a paragraph on the topic of which country they would want to be part of based on their current environmental policy. (Paragraphs can be done as individuals or with partners depending on the class.)

Web Extension: Students should expand their paragraphs into opinion essays. The subject of their essay should be one of the following:

• In your opinion, which country has the best environmental policy currently in place?

• In your opinion, what considerations need to be taken into account while creating a national environmental policy?

• In your opinion, why should a country create an environmental policy?

Finally, essays should include the following (refer to appropriate grade-level writing standards):

• An introductory paragraph introducing the topic and student’s opinion.

• Three supporting body paragraphs detailing three separate reasons for the above opinion.

• A conclusion paragraph restating the topic and student’s opinion.

for The middle School level: After the video, students should access the online article “Building a Carbon Neutral Paradise”. The teacher should distribute the reading guide, Building a Carbon-Neutral Paradise: Reading and Reflection Handout (hand-out 7.4.4 on Instructional resource disc). As a class, model the reading strategy by reading and responding to the introduc-tion together. In pairs or individually (depending on class and/or computer access) students should continue through the slide show by accessing separate case studies. Students should continue to record their notes (teachers can decide whether or not students need a target number for how many ideas to record in the chart).

Web Extension: Students should expand their paragraphs into opinion essays. The subject of their essay should be one of the following:

• In your opinion, which country has the best environmental policy currently in place?

• In your opinion, what considerations need to be taken into account while creating a national environmental policy?

• In your opinion, why should a country create an environmental policy?




Finally, essays should include the following (refer to appropriate grade-level writing standards):

• An introductory paragraph introducing the topic and student’s opinion.

• Three supporting body paragraphs detailing three separate reasons for the above opinion.

• A conclusion paragraph restating the topic and student’s opinion.

Activity 4: International Environmental Plans Case Study – Private Sector

Estimated Time: 2 – 4 (45-minute) Class Periods

Purpose: Take a critical look at how the private sector is responding to climate change and their efforts in carbon neutral practices.

Students will watch “Spongebob Squarepants in The Endless Summer” video clip. The teacher should have the students con-sider the following questions for purposeful viewing or follow-up discussion:

• Describe the business model used by Mr. Krabs.

• What are the obvious environmental and human impacts of this model?

• Is this model being practiced outside of this video clip? Is this sustainable?

After the video and discussion, the teacher should distribute the Sustainable Business Models Handout (handout 7.4.5 on Instructional resource disc) and guide students through the multi-media PowerPoint featuring the Siemens Corporation (PowerPoint 7.4.6 on Instructional resource disc) and its current sustainability efforts as a best practices model of what to look for when researching companies. Discuss as a class the company’s sustainability plan and ask students to list specific examples on their handout. The handout has students consider the company’s environmental plan in terms of not only how they decrease the carbon output of the supplies they produce, but also how they reduce demand for products that generate carbon. Additionally, students take note of specific environmental outcomes of the company’s sustainability efforts.

Once the model is completed, with a partner or individually, the student will research a company of their choice – focusing specifically on that company’s sustainability plan. Next, students should meet with each other to discuss what was discovered about individual businesses while filling in the last row.

After the charts are complete, the teacher should lead a discussion to compare the different business plans that are in place by creating a master list of observations.

Once students have completed their company research, they should write a business letter to one of the three companies both commending the company on their current plan and making recommendations for further improvement. Refer to the Business Letter Template (handout 7.4.7 on Instructional resource disc).

Web Extension: Students create a “Call to Action” featuring their business letter as a model to encourage others to write to local businesses about their current environmental policies.

To transition the conversation back to the United States, the teacher should show the video of President Obama’s visit to a Siemens factory in Iowa. The teacher should have the students consider the following question for purposeful viewing or follow-up discussion:

• How is this factory an example of both an economic and environmental win-win?




Activity 5: Looking with a Local Lens

Estimated Time: 2-3 (45-minute) Class Periods for lesson and an additional time for public service announcement.

Purpose: Change the focus to the United States and emphasize that while we don’t currently have a national environmental plan the topic is gaining momentum. Continue to bring the focus closer to home by looking at state and local policies and industry.

The teacher should choose either to show all three videos or select an appropriate political speech focused on the issue of climate change. Three options include:

Michael Bloomberg: Taking the Lead on Global Warming (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QscMMQgBdtI)

Governor Christie on Climate Change (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPxDnb2-aVI)

President Obama’s 2013 Inaugural Address: A Call to Action on Climate Change (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3zuiGeG0JA)

The teacher should have the students consider the following questions for purposeful viewing or follow-up discussion:

• What environmental concerns are addressed?

• What action steps were recommended?

• Based on previous lessons how does this compare to plans across the globe?

The teacher should distribute the Renewable Ripple Handout (handout 7.4.8 on Instructional resource disc). As students watch the PBS documentary “Germany’s Green Revolution” they should record ideas they think could be incorporated into a local, state, or national sustainability plan.

Prior to the lesson the teacher should locate the local sustainability plan for the community. Using the website (www.icleisusa.org), Local Governments for Sustainability students should locate a sustainability plan from another city (the teacher might want to suggest students find a plan from a similar demographic or region or perhaps a neighboring city). As students look at both plans they should complete the Local Sustainability Plan Comparison Handout (handout 7.4.9 on Instructional resource disc). (Note – if your city does not have a sustainability plan students should find two different cities to compare.)

web extension – Students write and record a public service announcement targeting an audience within their local com-munity (students, neighbors, community officials, etc.). Students should use a story board to help plan their service announce-ments – some great examples and templates for story boards are available at the Creately Blog.

The teacher should the show “Siemens: The Next Big Step” as a model public service announcement. As students watch they could:

• Fill in a story board from the site listed above

• Identify: message, intended audience, call to action, and ad techniques used.

Finally, teachers should distribute the PSA Plan Exit Slip Handout (handout 7.4.10 on Instructional resource disc) to help students plan for their public service announcements.

Activity 6: looking Through a Personal lens

Students should access the website Eco Guru (ecoguru.panda.org) and complete the survey from the website to “calculate your personal footprint and measure the positive effects of your lifestyle changes.” Students should complete the EcoGuru Results Handout (handout 7.4.11 on Instructional resource disc) as they go through the online survey.

web extension – Students should create a list of lifestyle changes based on the information they have come across through-out the unit as well as from this last website. The list could be organized based on sustainability impact or based on needed resources (time, money, effort).

ABOuT The AuThOrS

Steven A. Goldberg teaches global history and geography at New Rochelle High School in New Ro-

chelle, New York where he serves as social studies department chairman. He is an adjunct professor in

teacher education at Long Island University’s Hudson Graduate Center. He is past president of both the

National Council for the Social Studies and the New York State Council for the Social Studies. He has

been a consultant to the TOP Program for several years. He is co-director of Education of the Holocaust

and Human Rights Education Center of Westchester (NY). A consultant to the NYS Education Depart-

ment, he serves as the Chairman of the Curriculum Advisory Panel on Social Studies to the Board of Re-

gents and has worked on numerous curriculum and assessment projects. He is the co-author of A Brief Review of Global History

and Geography and is senior consulting author of World History: A Human Legacy. He has been involved in international study

tour programs to Germany, Poland, Japan, the Netherlands, and China.

Gerrit c. Book serves as a program coordinator and guide/translator for the Visitors Program of the

Goethe-Institut and is a freelance tour guide based in Berlin. A trained Sinologist and German as a

Second Language instructor, he taught German in China and developed and initiated a K-12 Mandarin

program for the Boise, Idaho schools. Among his areas of specialization are human rights and the Holo-

caust; he is also called upon to provide lectures on the German education system for visiting educators

to Berlin from around the world. He has also developed and facilitated educational tours of Germany,

Europe, and China for both high school and university students and educators.

Kim d. O’neil teaches at the elementary level in Liverpool, New York. She serves on the Board of Direc-

tors of the National Council for the Social Studies and in 2015 will assume the presidency of the New

York State Council for the Social Studies. She is an Editorial Review Board Member for the NCSS peri-

odical, Social Studies and the Young Learner. She has been a consultant to the Transatlantic Outreach

Program for the past several years. She serves as a member of the Curriculum Advisory Panel on Social

Studies to the NYS Board of Regents and has advised the NYS education department on elementary

social studies curriculum and assessment. She sits on the alumni board for the School of Education of

the State University of New York at Potsdam. She has participated in various international study tour programs to Europe and

Asia and is a Fellow of the Salzburg Global Seminar.

BIOGrAPhIcAl SKeTcheS Of InTervIeweeS

Anke (43) was raised in Plön, a small town in Schleswig-Holstein, and in Hamburg, and currently lives in Ahrensburg, a suburb of Hamburg. She received a Magister Artium (equivalent of a master degree) in General and Comparative Literature, Modern German Literature and Political Sciences. She works as an environmental journalist and is the head of the North German office and editor of a political and ecological magazine. Recently, she and her family moved into a social-ecological housing project.

Anna (42) was raised in the Brandenburg countryside, near Berlin where she lives today. She has a Magister Artium in Sinology, Modern German Literature and German as a Foreign Language as well as an MBA. After working as Sinologist and teacher of German as a Foreign Language, she became a project manager for software implementation for a large German company.

christa (60) was raised in Löningen, a small village in Lower Saxony, and currently lives in Vechta, a town in Lower Saxony. Her highest educational degree is the Zweites Staatsexamen (second state examination; which means certified teacher). She is a Realschule (intermediate school) teacher of German, English, geography, and history. In November 2006, she and two students were the German delegation at the Global Youth Meeting on Health in India.

daniel G (55) was raised in Wetzlar, a city in Hessia, and currently lives in Weimar, a city in Thuringia. He has a University Diplom (equivalent of a master degree) in Political Sciences. He’s the head of the department Memorial Site Pedagogy of the Founda-tion Memorial Sites Buchenwald and Mittelbau Dora (former concentration camps of the Nazis). In 1977/78 he worked for 18 months in Israel as a volunteer with Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste (Action Reconciliation Service for Peace). 1978-1980 he studied Peace and Conflict Resolution at the Freie Universität Berlin (Free University Berlin) and continued his studies in Ham-burg. In the 80s he became active in the West German peace movement.

daniel S (44) was raised in Erlangen, a city in Bavaria, and currently lives in Berlin. His highest educational degree is a Magister Artium in Sinology and Religious Studies. He works as a desk officer for the Goethe-Institut Berlin.

Gerald (42) was raised in Gotha, a city in Thuringia and currently lives in Berlin. His highest educational degree is a Magister Artium in Business Administration. For some years he worked as a banker. Currently, he works a freelance journalist, TV-, print-, online-editor, and film maker. As a teenager he had a pen pal in Ohio. Because of the frequent communication with her, his English became excellent for GDR-standards. He belonged to the last young men who had to serve in the Nationale Volksarmee (National People’s Army, the army of the GDR). He experienced the fall of the wall at the exciting age of 20. In 1990 he started an apprenticeship program at a bank in Frankfurt/Main. He lived in East and West.

Gregor (29) was raised and still lives in East Berlin. His highest school degree is the Abitur (equivalent of a high school degree). Currently he’s in an apprenticeship to become an educator.

Irmtraud (68) was raised in Ruhland, a small town in Brandenburg, and currently lives in Leipzig. Her highest school degree is the equivalent to a Realschule degree (intermediate school degree). For political and ideological reasons, she was not allowed to make the Abitur. After completing an apprenticeship, she worked as a bookbinder for some years, but also trained to become a vocalist. For 25 years she was a housewife and mother of four children, but at the same time she worked occasionally as vocal-ist, as soloist and also in the Leipziger Rundfunkchor (Leipzig Broadcasting Choir). In 1989-1990, she was involved in the Peaceful Revolution in Leipzig. From 2000-2008 she was a board member of the Stiftung zur Aufarbeitung der SED-Diktatur (Federal Foun-dation for the Reappraisal of the SED Dictatorship). Today she is a staff member of the Gedenkstätte Museum in der “Runden Ecke” Leipzig (Memorial Place Museum in the “Round Corner” Leipzig).

juliane (39) was raised in Torgau and Leipzig, cities in Saxony, Wittenberg, a city in Saxony-Anhalt, and in Berlin where she still lives today. Her highest educational degree is the Zweites Staatsexamen in German and Fine Arts. She works as an elementary teacher. She is mother of three children.

monika marie (41) was raised in Gaggenau-Oberweier, a village in Baden-Wurttemberg, and currently lives in Berlin. She re-ceived a Magister Artium in Cultural Sciences as well as a University Diplom in Media Art. Further she took a course to be able to work in palliative and hospice care. She works as a freelance culture mediator, author, videographer, and yoga teacher.

natalija (28) was raised in Kiev (Ukraine), immigrated to Germany in 1994 and lived in Bochum, a large city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Ulm, a city in Baden-Wurttemberg, and Leipzig, a large city in Saxony. Today, she lives in Berlin. Currently she’s study-ing at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin (Humboldt University Berlin) to receive a bachelor’s degree in History and Russian Literature and Culture. She also works as an assistant film producer, tour guide, and Russian teacher.

nina (43) was raised in Wippendorf, a small village in Schleswig-Holstein, and currently lives in Berlin. Her highest educational degree is the Zweites Staatsexamen in German and English. She also became a certified drama teacher. She works as a Gymna-sium-teacher in her specific fields.

nora (28) was raised in Dortmund, a large city in North Rhine-Westphalia, and currently lives in Berlin. She has a Masters in Cul-tural Anthropology. She works for an NGO and as a freelance journalist. Because her father is Turkish, she has traveled regularly to Turkey since her childhood. She completed parts of her university studies in France and Syria.

Stefan (44) lives in Frankfurt/Main. He has a Magister Artium in Japanology, Sinology, German Language and Literature Studies, and Anglistics. He works as an intercultural consultant, coordinator, lector, translator, interpreter, author, journalist, publicist, teacher, course leader, and project manager.

Tobias (45) was raised and still lives in Leipzig. His highest school degree is the equivalent to a Realschule degree. Because of political and ideological reasons he was not allowed to make the Abitur. He completed an apprenticeship to become a cabinet maker and wood and furniture restorer and worked in this profession until the fall of the Berlin Wall. Afterwards he became ar-chive commissioner of the Stasi files in the Leipzig district and vice director of the branch office Leipzig of the Federal Commis-sioner for the Stasi Archives. He participated in the Junge Gemeinde (a form of church youth work within the Lutheran church of the GDR). During the 1980s he was engaged in different third-world-groups, in the environmental seminar Rötha and in differ-ent environmental groups in Leipzig. In 1989 he was among the organizers of the Pleiße-pilgrimage. In the same year he had several encounters with the Stasi. In December 1989 he was part of the group which occupied the Stasi offices in Leipzig and was involved in the final liquidation of the Stasi. Today, he’s the director of the Citizen Committee Leipzig which is responsible for the Museum “In the Round Corner” (a museum about the Stasi in the former Stasi headquarters of Leipzig).

ulrich (78) was raised in Hagen, a city in North Rhine-Westphalia and currently lives in Vechta, a town in Lower Saxony. He studied theology and became a Dominican padre. His highest educational degree is the Zweites Staatsexamen in German and History. He’s a retired Gymnasium teacher and pastor.

xin (56) was raised in Shanghai, China and today lives in Hamburg. His highest educational degree is an equivalent of a bach-elor. He currently works as a self-employed salesman. He immigrated to Germany in 1988 and received German citizenship in 1999.

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