GRMN 1102 Final Culture

Grundschule

Elementary school (4 years)

Schultüte

Gift cone for first day of school

Schüler(in) vs. Student(in)

K-12 vs. University student

Gymnasium

College-prep school ending with Abitur

Abitur

Exam needed for university admission

Numerus Clausus (NC)

Restricted university admission based on grades

BAföG

German student financial aid system

ECTS

European Credit Transfer System for university work

Klausur

Written university exam

Bologna Process

Standardized European university degree system

German Workplace Formality

Use "Sie" + last name

Feierabend

Signal for end of workday

Mahlzeit!

Lunchtime greeting

Die Hanse

Medieval Northern German trade league

Plattdeutsch

Northern German dialect

Wattwanderung

North Sea coast mudflat hiking

Kohl und Pinkel

Kale and sausage dish (North Germany)

Der Föhn

Warm, dry Alpine wind

Freistaat Bayern

Official name for Bavaria ("Free State")

Schwarzwald

Black Forest (in Baden-Württemberg)

Maultaschen

Large Swabian filled dumplings

Oktoberfest Location

München (Munich)

Wiedervereinigung

German Reunification (Oct 3, 1990)

Ossi / Wessi

Terms for former East / West Germans

Berliner Luftbrücke

Berlin Airlift (1948-49)

Bauhaus Movement Origin

Weimar

Wittenberg Significance

Martin Luther's 95 Theses

Das Ruhrgebiet

Western Germany industrial region (coal)

Die Märchenstraße

Fairy Tale Road (Hessen to Bremen)

Trier

Oldest German city (Roman history)

Entwerter

Machine to validate public transport tickets

Schwarzfahren

Riding public transport without paying

Intercity-Express (ICE)

Germany's fastest train type

Geblitzt

Caught by a speed camera

0,5 Promille

Legal blood alcohol limit for driving (0.05

Bäckerei / Metzgerei / Konditorei

Bakery / Butcher / Pastry Shop

Apotheke / Drogerie

Pharmacy / Drugstore (personal care)

Fußgängerzone

Pedestrian-only shopping area

Mehrwertsteuer (MwSt.)

VAT (sales tax included in price)

Autobahn Sign Directions

Use destination cities, not N/S/E/W

Germany's 9 Neighbors (German Names)

Dänemark, Polen, Tschechien, Österreich, Schweiz, Frankreich, Luxemburg, Belgien, Niederlande

Der Anschluss (1938)

Germany's annexation of Austria

Besatzungszonen

Post-WWII Allied occupation zones in Germany

Wiedervereinigung Date

October 3, 1990

Robert Schuman

Proposed EU precursor for peace (May 9, 1950)

EU Founding Members (6)

Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy, Netherlands

Europäische Kommission

Executive branch of the EU

Erasmus Program

EU program supporting student/university exchanges

Habsburg Dynasty Rule

Austria, approx. 1280s - 1918

Austria Neutrality

Declared perpetual neutrality in 1955

Stephansdom

St. Stephen's Cathedral, symbol of Vienna

Swiss Confederation Formed

1291 by original cantons Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden

Swiss Neutrality

Policy adopted after defeat in 1515

Swiss Official Languages (4)

German, French, Italian, Romansh

Switzerland Status

Member of UN (since 2002), but NOT member of EU