Millions of visitors flock to Germany each year, and as each year passes that number grows larger. The United States alone accounts for almost 3 million visitors each year. Visitors to Germany come for the welcoming and friendly nature of the people, the breathtaking landscapes and natural beauty, and the world-class accommodations available for every one from the budget-minded traveler to the jet-setting celebrity. Here is a list of some of the top attractions that are considered “must-see” in Germany, in no particular order.
The Black Forest
Secluded pine-laden woodlands located in southwestern Germany, the Black Forest is famous for being the origin of cuckoo clocks. The area gets its name from the dark shadows of the fir and pine trees that grow very thick there. The black forest offers first rate hiking, camping, and some skiing. Travelers on a budget can find great deals on lodging and accommodations in the towns that surround the Black Forest.
The Frisian Islands
These islands actually span along the coastlines of three countries: Germany, Denmark, and The Netherlands. Sylt is the largest and most populated of the islands and is a known destination for Europe’s jet-set as well as nudists. Amrum is also a hot tourist spot but less crowded. The pristine beaches, panoramic views, and relative seclusion continue to draw in visitors looking to escape the bustle of more traditional destinations.
Oktoberfest
Munich makes that claim that it is the home of beer and if 6 million visitors is any indication, that claim seems to be valid. Oktoberfest is known worldwide as a celebration of Bavarian beer and lasts several weeks long, from mid-September to early October. The 200 year old festival includes events such as parades, beer tents, music features, feasts of authentic German cuisine, and exhibits.
City of Berlin
Berlin is Germany’s largest city and is the country’s capital. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall almost two decades ago, the city has grown and evolved into a modern, bustling metropolis that prides itself on looking to the future while preserving the past. There are landmarks to remind visitors of the strains that history has put on the city, but much of Berlin now has an unmistakable American feel to it. Berlin should be on every German visitor’s list to visit.
Neuschwanstein Castle
Located near the Austrian border, Neuschwanstein Castle has the title of the most photographed building in Germany. It is also the most famous of all of the German castles and was the inspiration for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle located in Disneyland. Neuschwanstein Castle was built in the 19th century by King Ludwig II. Photography of the interior of the castle is strictly prohibited, as it is copyright-protected.
Lake Constance
Lake Constance lies between Germany, Austria, and Switzerland and is fed by the Rhine River, one of the longest in Europe. It is a freshwater lake that is relied upon for water consumption by nearby cities and towns. Recreation draws many tourists from across Europe and beyond each year.
GALWAY, IRELAND–(Marketwire – January 25, 2010) – Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland) — Hopes are high that many of Germany’s 17 nuclear power stations will be given a new lease of life following a crucial meeting last week between the government and representatives of leading energy companies. High-ranking politicians from Germany’s departments of the environment and economy met with representatives from E.ON AG (OTC:EONGY) (Dusseldorf, Germany), RWE AG (OTC:RWEOY) (Essen, Germany), Vattenfall AB(Stockholm, Sweden) and Energie Baden-Württemberg AG (EnBW) (Karlsruhe, Germany) to discuss the future of the German nuclear sector. Germany’s original aim was to phase out nuclear power by 2021, but the current government is in favour of extending the life of older nuclear plants to prevent an energy crisis.
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Mannheim, GERMANY February 04, 2009 – Germany has become a prime terrorist target following a video message from the Islamic Jihad Union, which has threatened to attack German targets and accused German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, of not making an effort to prevent the war in Gaza. Evidently the German security services are on high alert, with fear of attacks this year on German commuters and public transport services similar to the devastation inflicted on Madrid in 2004.
Threats made so far appear linked to the German troops’ presence in Afghanistan, with terrorist attacks being threatened on Berlin, Cologne and Bremen, unless Germany withdraws its troops. This comes following a vote by the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag) last October to send another 1,000 soldiers to Afghanistan, taking the troop numbers up to 4,500 in total.
In addition to the recent video message, which has been just one of several recent threats, the CIA have reason to believe that al Qaeda are preparing for terrorist attacks on Germany in an effort to sway the result of this year’s German Federal election. According to the US intelligence agency, information has been revealed indicating the return of German Muslims from Pakistani training camps who are feared to attempt suicide attacks on German targets.
Such news is an instant reminder of the terrifying attacks on four trains in Madrid almost five years ago. The attacks in Madrid came just days before the Spanish Federal election.
With the upcoming German Federal election just months away, these threats have led to warnings from Germany’s top security officials that their country is now under increased threat and that the likelihood of an attack is extremely high.
While German authorities look to tighten security around the nation, some business travelers may opt to minimize their risk by simply not traveling. Instead companies can eliminate the need to take part in face-to-face meetings, by organizing and participating in online meetings over the Internet. The host can initiate a BeamYourScreen online meeting from their very own desktop and invite multiple people to join and then view their screen in real time. A quick and effective way to collaborate online, and hence avoid unnecessary travel during these times of risk.
About 87 percent of the residents of Germany have statutory health insurance, i.e. GKV. As of May 2005, the GKV relied on 321 non-profit sickness funds to collect premiums from their members and pay health care providers according to negotiated agreements. Those who are not insured this way, mainly civil servants and the self-employed, receive health care through private for-profit insurance.
An estimate of 0,3 percent of the German population (around 250,000 people) has no health insurance at all. Some of them are so rich that they do not need it but most of them are poor and receive health care through social assistance.
Germany’s statutory health insurance
There are three different categories of sickness funds: primary funds, substitute funds and “special” funds. Some workers are required to be members of the primary funds, e.g. if they earn less than the than the income ceiling (2006: EUR 3,937.50 per month / EUR 47,250.00 per year). Those earning more than that ceiling may be members on a voluntary basis, or they may have a choice of funds. Some of them automatically become members of a particular fund for example because of their occupation (company-based funds) or place of residence (local sickness funds). Some occupations have their own “special” funds, e.g. farmers or sailors.
Substitute funds are divided into two kinds: they provide health insurance to both white collar workers and blue collar workers earning more than the income ceiling. Membership is voluntary.
Both, employers and employees pay half of a member’s premiums, which in 2006 averaged between 13 and 14 percent of a worker’s gross earnings up to the contribution assessment ceiling (2006: EUR 3,562.50 monthly / EUR 42,750.00 p.a.). Premiums are fixed according to earnings rather than risk and are unaffected by the respective member’s marital status, family size, or health. Premiums are the same for all members within a particular fund with the same earnings.
Germany’s private health insurance
About eleven percent of Germany’s residents pay for private health insurance provided by some 40 for-profit insurance carriers. Many of those choosing private insurance are civil servants who want to secure percentage of their medical bills not covered by the government. Some sickness-fund members buy additional private insurance to cover such extras as a private room or a choice of physicians while in a hospital. Otherwise, the medical care provided to the publicly and privately insured is identical. In both cases the same medical facilities are used. Self-employed persons earning above the income ceiling must have private insurance. Members of a sickness fund who leave it for a private insurance carrier are not allowed to return to public insurance.
As opposed to the statutory heath insurance, contributions to the private insurance depend on the member’s age, gender, occupation and health status, that is, the individual risk. Although private insurance companies pay health care providers about twice the amount paid by the primary sickness funds, private insurance is often cheaper than statutory health insurance, especially for younger policyholders without dependents. As is the case for members of sickness funds, employees who have private insurance have half their premiums paid by their employers.
In 1991, a quiet but effective revolution began in Germany. It consisted of 5 paragraphs and didn’t even provide any future promises (or funding), but it gave something to the average citizen that he didn’t have before…commercial access to the grid. The law was entitled Stromeinspeisungsgesetz (commonly known in the U.S. as the Energy Feed-in Law). From 1991, all suppliers of electricity, including private citizens, were granted access to the electrical grid and, by law, would be compensated at an unprecedented premium for all energy sent into the network. By far, the highest commissions were paid to the suppliers of solar power, starting a race to go solar in Deutschland.
The law was revised in 2000 and now called the Renewable Energy Sources Act to include energy supplied by geothermal derivations such as geysers, natural steam, geopressurized reservoirs, etc. Perhaps not something the average person has access to, but certainly of interest on a corporate level. Ironically, most geothermal energy is not very “renewable” as it is mined faster that it can regenerate, but it is clean and efficient. There is no mistaking that this addition was added, in fact, to attract new business to the clean energy market. More importantly, the 2000 version set a time frame for new investors to 20 years. What that achieved was the insurance and reassurance that people needed before such a huge commitment to their individual projects. On the negative side, the 20 years came with decreased tariffs over time. Why decrease the tariffs? Simply put, the government had set a ceiling of 5% total energy production by the methods outlined in the original Stromeinspeisungsgesetz. Solar panels were going up all over Germany faster that you can say “sauerbraten”. Although not funded directly by the government, budget considerations still had to be weighed as the electricity consumer picked up the tab for the subsidies. The tariff reductions simply mitigated the government’s set budget for the project. In addition, the newer law put Germany in line with the EU’s energy regulations requiring frequent review, rates reflective of overall cost, different rates based on type, different rates based on size of facility, and a generally degressively mobile payment structure. The goal of this bill was to reduce carbon emissions by 3% by 2010 and enable green electricity to become 10% of the overall energy supply by the same year. This goal was surpassed in 2007, at which point 12.5% of total energy was green energy.
In keeping with the EU’s standard of “frequent performance review,” the law was once again revised in 2004. This time, no great name change. It became the 2004 Renewable Energy Sources Act. Since reaching goals set in 2000 so early, this revision raises to bar to 27% by 2020. These enterprising ambitions and the tools implemented to achieve these agendas have put Germany forward as a renewable energy pioneer in terms of sheer scale. The newer law accounted for up and coming market developments and rewards for innovation in sustainable sources of power. Since the initiation of the Renewable Energy Sources Act, tariffs paid out to suppliers have been more finely tuned, promoting photovoltaic, geothermal, and biomass overall. However, payouts under this bill were dynamic with new developments and technologies. Wind power payments under the 2004 act, for example, were reduced due to a reduction in overall costs secondary to technological advances. By degressing fees paid to suppliers, the government hopes to ignite creative stream-lining innovations, which, based on fluctuating payments, rewards the design model, but saves on the long term. Another aspect of the 2004 legislation is the fixed tariff scheme. Suppliers could “lock in” a rate based on the year of initiation. The rate would be good for 20 years plus the year of commencement. Once again, this is a call to action. The sooner you’re in, the more profit you can extract. Producers of electricity are protected from future changes to the law by this key piece of the legislation.
As of 2008, amendments in the Energy Act, or EEG (Erneubare Energien Gesetz) lessen the focus on solar production by reducing the tariff for rooftop solar panels by 8% in 2009 and 2010 and then 9% annually after that. Ground level solar parks will suffer a 10% reduction in compensation in 2009 and 2010 (a decrease of 3.5%). Wind energy promotion is the focus of the latest revisions set forth by the governing body. So, is wind the new King of Renewables? Solar power is perhaps less heavily promoted than in the past, but one must see that as a sign of success of the program. Falling subsidies indicate that the industry is healthy and has less need for gross promotion. Is wind the next “big thing” in Germany? Don’t count out geothermals just yet. Although the “renewability” of geothermal power is in debate, geothermal drilling goes on and was given an early boost in 2000 and further support in 2004. There are currently 150 geothermal plants in the development stage held back at the moment due to the cost of the drilling equipment necessary. Not to be daunted, German manufacturing plants are expanding drill production for the sector. Six geothermal plants are in the process of opening this year (2009) and into 2010.
So, what does this mean for the rest of us? Well, look at it this way. A country with relatively moderate sun exposure and no volcanic activity in 7,500 years is actually a leader in producing solar power and geothermal energy. To say that Germany is inspiring is a vast understatement. If the U.S. made a serious attempt to duplicate Germany’s success, the impact on the environment would be staggering. U.S. representative Jay Inslee from Washington state introduced the Renewable Energy Jobs and Security Act in June of 2008, but it stalled. On a brighter note, Gainesville, FL just passed a law (March 2009) to compensate providers of solar electricity at a premium rate through net metering. City officials passed this bill unanimously after studying the success in Germany. Hawaii isn’t far behind and will likely have a similar plan in effect by the end of the year. I think that this is how we are going to achieve results in the U.S.: one state at a time until the job is done.
more: www.dw-world.de For 28 years, a nearly insurmountable barrier kept people from fleeing East Germany. But then, the dramatic night of November 9, 1989, saw the fall of the Wall that divided Germany. Today, it is difficult to imagine what was bitter reality just a few decades ago. For the first time, a realistic computer animation reveals the vast security system of Germany’s inner border and the Berlin Wall, both of which were recreated virtually in the greatest detail. The animation is part of the DVD “Walled in! What the Cold War frontier in divided Germany was really like” which can be purchased at dw’s online store store.dw-world.de.
