I enjoyed the German Christmas classic "Dinner for one", a short black and white film performed by two British comedians.
Like any non-German people, it was pretty odd first when I watched the movie. It was an interesting story, and the two performers did very well. However it was difficult to understand the fever that Germans have over this film, to a point it is said to be broadcasted during every Christmas.
But just as the Spiegel article said, the show gets better and better as you keep watching it over and over again. When I watched it for the third time, I also unconsciously started to repeat the punchline "the same procedure as every year, James".
This show is definitely an acquired taste for anyone who did not grow up in Germany, but after watching it several times, especially with some German beer, you may start to grasp its secret charm.
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Mittwoch, 16. April 2014
Kapital 11 Kultur, Yuntao Chen
For this week's Kultur, I read through several interesting articles. The first one was the Wikipedia page of "Ostalgie", which refers to nostalgia for East Germany. I found this very interesting, because this also happens in my country, China. Nowadays the old communism era is fading away from people's lives, but certain parts of it is gradually finding its way back to the pop culture. You can easily get souvenirs, T-shirts, and mugs that commemorate the old time. I think this has more to do with the mysterious nature of fashion than with people actually longing for the past.
I then read an article about the differences between Southern and Northern Germany. Since Germany does not cover a very large land mass, I was not expecting such a huge difference in terms of customs and languages between to two parts of Germany. I heard from my German friends before about the south-north division in Germany. This article just confirmed these "rumors". It was funny that some people would joke about these differences -- "had the allied power decided to divide Germany North-South, the Berlin wall would probably still stand today."
The last article I read was about the influences of the reunification on today's German society. The article talked about the differences in mentality of people from the east and west. I was very surprised to know that even today such differences are till present, and today the states in west Germany are still paying a large sum to the states in the east. However, I think the benefits of a unified Germany probably still largely outweigh these drawbacks. After all, the German National football team now has one less opponent in the FIFA world cup!
I then read an article about the differences between Southern and Northern Germany. Since Germany does not cover a very large land mass, I was not expecting such a huge difference in terms of customs and languages between to two parts of Germany. I heard from my German friends before about the south-north division in Germany. This article just confirmed these "rumors". It was funny that some people would joke about these differences -- "had the allied power decided to divide Germany North-South, the Berlin wall would probably still stand today."
The last article I read was about the influences of the reunification on today's German society. The article talked about the differences in mentality of people from the east and west. I was very surprised to know that even today such differences are till present, and today the states in west Germany are still paying a large sum to the states in the east. However, I think the benefits of a unified Germany probably still largely outweigh these drawbacks. After all, the German National football team now has one less opponent in the FIFA world cup!
Montag, 10. März 2014
Kapitel 9 Kultur, Yuntao Chen
Among the articles that I read for this chapter's Kultur, the following ones particularly caught my attention.
"Bureaucracy Gone Awry: The German Certificate Fetish": this article describes Germany as a super Bureaucratic country where even a simple job application requires piles of paperwork. It is very interesting because it reminds me my home country China, where such conducts are also very common. I can understand that as a very cautious and precise people, the Germans probably want everything to be well documented and double-checked. It supposedly ensures that every step in a process is accurate and well-organized. However, if a very bureaucratic process only produces inefficient and cumbersome results, then it becomes a burden of the society.
The other article I read was titled "Germany's Patriotism Problem: Just Don't Fly the Flay". It describes how it is almost a taboo to display the national flag in Germany. It also discusses the issue with people not showing patriotism explicitly in Germany. I have personally interacted with several German friends, and I have also found out this issue. In contrast to American students or my fellow Chinese students, the Germans tend to be more critical about their country. My German friend told me that he very seldom sings their national anthem, which surprised me. I think there is no fault in loving one's country. As long as one is not blindly "patriotic" as to go against humanity and morality, then everyone should be proud to show their affection towards their motherland (or Vaterland).
The article about how to be on good terms with your neighbours ("Love Thy Neighbor: German Law Tells You How") is hilarious. Most of the things that are mentioned in the article are also common practices in America, what sets it apart is that some of the rules are actually put into law in Germany. And more interestingly, when you are not sure what to do, they have dedicated office in the city hall (Ordnungsamt representative) that you can consult with.
"Bureaucracy Gone Awry: The German Certificate Fetish": this article describes Germany as a super Bureaucratic country where even a simple job application requires piles of paperwork. It is very interesting because it reminds me my home country China, where such conducts are also very common. I can understand that as a very cautious and precise people, the Germans probably want everything to be well documented and double-checked. It supposedly ensures that every step in a process is accurate and well-organized. However, if a very bureaucratic process only produces inefficient and cumbersome results, then it becomes a burden of the society.
The other article I read was titled "Germany's Patriotism Problem: Just Don't Fly the Flay". It describes how it is almost a taboo to display the national flag in Germany. It also discusses the issue with people not showing patriotism explicitly in Germany. I have personally interacted with several German friends, and I have also found out this issue. In contrast to American students or my fellow Chinese students, the Germans tend to be more critical about their country. My German friend told me that he very seldom sings their national anthem, which surprised me. I think there is no fault in loving one's country. As long as one is not blindly "patriotic" as to go against humanity and morality, then everyone should be proud to show their affection towards their motherland (or Vaterland).
The article about how to be on good terms with your neighbours ("Love Thy Neighbor: German Law Tells You How") is hilarious. Most of the things that are mentioned in the article are also common practices in America, what sets it apart is that some of the rules are actually put into law in Germany. And more interestingly, when you are not sure what to do, they have dedicated office in the city hall (Ordnungsamt representative) that you can consult with.
AMD 4, Yuntao Chen
For this week's AMD, I watched the movie ,, Sophie Scholl, die letzten Tage''.
This movie tells the story of the last few days of Sophie Scholl and his brother before excution, after they were arrested when distributing anti-nazi and anti-war leaflets in their university. Artistically speaking this was a very well shot movie, and the performance of the main actress Julia Jentsch (as Sophie Scholl) gave the audiences a chance to feel the fear and internal struggles of a young lady facing death.
Here are some of my favorite lines in the movie:
Das Gesetz ändert sich, das Gewissen nicht. (The law will change, but conscience will not.)
... dass kein Mensch, egal unter welchen Umständen, ein Recht hat, ein Urteil zu fällen... (nobody, under any circumstance, has the right to judge (another soul) )
Bald werden Sie hier stehen, wo wir jetzt stehen. (Soon you will stand at where we are standing now.)
After watching the movie, I did some additional research on this story. Apparently the acts of the Scholl siblings are very highly regarded today in Germany. In a 2003 poll by ZDF, they ranked 4th as the top ten most famous Germans (from wikipedia.org).I can understand that because I myself was also quite moved by their courageous acts.
 |
| imdb.com |
Here are some of my favorite lines in the movie:
Das Gesetz ändert sich, das Gewissen nicht. (The law will change, but conscience will not.)
... dass kein Mensch, egal unter welchen Umständen, ein Recht hat, ein Urteil zu fällen... (nobody, under any circumstance, has the right to judge (another soul) )
Bald werden Sie hier stehen, wo wir jetzt stehen. (Soon you will stand at where we are standing now.)
After watching the movie, I did some additional research on this story. Apparently the acts of the Scholl siblings are very highly regarded today in Germany. In a 2003 poll by ZDF, they ranked 4th as the top ten most famous Germans (from wikipedia.org).I can understand that because I myself was also quite moved by their courageous acts.
Dienstag, 25. Februar 2014
AMD 3, Yuntao Chen
For this AMD, I watched the movie ,,Keinohrhasen" by Til Schweiger and Nora Tschirner.
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| imdb.com |
The movie tells a love story of how Ludo(Til Schweiger), who is a news reporter and a typical playboy, fell in love with a Kindergartener Anna (Nora Tschirner). The actors and actresses in the movie gave a wonderful performance, and I would definitely recommend this comic movie.
I was lucky to find a version of this movie with subtitles. So I was able to read and understand most of the conversations. I learnt quite a lot of words from this movie, for example:
Hereinspaziert, der Herr (Come in, Mister)
Da lang. (That way)
Geh bitte lieber arbeiten. (Better go to work now!)
Meine Fresse! (My god!)
And my favorite line of script in the movie:
Kein Typ auf der Welt kann dich glücklich machen, wenn du das nicht schon voher bist. (Nobody in the world can become happy, when you alone were not happy already).
I enjoyed the movie a lot and I am planning to choose another movie for the next AMD.
Dienstag, 11. Februar 2014
Kultur 8, Yuntao Chen
Among all the articles that I read in this week's Kultur, the article about "draftphobia" is the most interesting one to me.
I was aware of the love of German people towards nature. The German friends that I have are usually among the most adamant cyclists, who will cycle to work in rain or snow. Germans are also famous for their passion towards hiking, mountain climbing, and in general outdoor sports. Hence it surprised me a lot when I read that Germans believe that wind will bring illness and are generally afraid to be blown by a breeze. How can you avoid the flow of air when you do all these activities? And if it is safe when you are doing sports, how is it dangerous when you are in your office or home. This is one thing that I was not able to comprehend.
Another article talks about "mysterious illness in Germany". It says that German may have more names for their illness than other nations can image. This reminds me that in a Kultur article that I read in last semester, the author said that Germans are generally more likely to complain about things and are usually very skeptical about their surroundings. This may also apply to the attitude they have over their own bodies, in a way that they pay more attention so that they are able to pick up the minute details of "illness". The dislike of any medicine also falls in the same logic.
The other articles about the German educational system were also quite informative. Overall I enjoyed reading them a lot.
I was aware of the love of German people towards nature. The German friends that I have are usually among the most adamant cyclists, who will cycle to work in rain or snow. Germans are also famous for their passion towards hiking, mountain climbing, and in general outdoor sports. Hence it surprised me a lot when I read that Germans believe that wind will bring illness and are generally afraid to be blown by a breeze. How can you avoid the flow of air when you do all these activities? And if it is safe when you are doing sports, how is it dangerous when you are in your office or home. This is one thing that I was not able to comprehend.
Another article talks about "mysterious illness in Germany". It says that German may have more names for their illness than other nations can image. This reminds me that in a Kultur article that I read in last semester, the author said that Germans are generally more likely to complain about things and are usually very skeptical about their surroundings. This may also apply to the attitude they have over their own bodies, in a way that they pay more attention so that they are able to pick up the minute details of "illness". The dislike of any medicine also falls in the same logic.
The other articles about the German educational system were also quite informative. Overall I enjoyed reading them a lot.
Dienstag, 4. Februar 2014
AMD 2, Yuntao Chen
Für diesere Woche fortsetze ich den Dokumentarfilm "die Deutschen" zu sehen. Der titel von diesere Episode ist ,,Luther und die Nation". Es erzählt die Geschichte von Martin Luther und seine Reformation von Catholic Church.
In the 1500s, the Roman church was getting more and more corrupted. The Catholic clerks abused their power and the ordinary people's trust, and put more and more taxation on the German people. Martin Luther thought that people should not be able to use money to redeem their sin. And God should be directly connected to everyone, without the Roman churches in between --
,,Niemand stehe zwischen Gott und den Gläubigen."
This greatly annoyed both the Pope and his ally, the German king Karl der Fünfte. Martin Luther was persecuted and he had to seek protection from Friedrich der Weise, der sächsosche Landesherr. While hiding in Friedrich's castle Wartburg, Martin Luther finished one of his most important projects -- translating the bible into German. This was the first German translation of the bible, and it was extremely popular and widely spread after publication. The fact that ordinary people could reach and understand the biblical text made it very difficult for Roman churches to use bible as an excuse for their acts. It was said that this translation of bible formed the language foundation of the unified German nation.
Even though the protestant uprising was finally put down by Karl der Fünfte, Martin Luther had a long lasting influence on German history, his pursuit of religious and political freedom for the German people greatly accelerated the pace of forming an unified Germany.
In the 1500s, the Roman church was getting more and more corrupted. The Catholic clerks abused their power and the ordinary people's trust, and put more and more taxation on the German people. Martin Luther thought that people should not be able to use money to redeem their sin. And God should be directly connected to everyone, without the Roman churches in between --
,,Niemand stehe zwischen Gott und den Gläubigen."
This greatly annoyed both the Pope and his ally, the German king Karl der Fünfte. Martin Luther was persecuted and he had to seek protection from Friedrich der Weise, der sächsosche Landesherr. While hiding in Friedrich's castle Wartburg, Martin Luther finished one of his most important projects -- translating the bible into German. This was the first German translation of the bible, and it was extremely popular and widely spread after publication. The fact that ordinary people could reach and understand the biblical text made it very difficult for Roman churches to use bible as an excuse for their acts. It was said that this translation of bible formed the language foundation of the unified German nation.
Even though the protestant uprising was finally put down by Karl der Fünfte, Martin Luther had a long lasting influence on German history, his pursuit of religious and political freedom for the German people greatly accelerated the pace of forming an unified Germany.
Donnerstag, 23. Januar 2014
Kultur 7, Yuntao Chen
English words are in italic font.
This week's Kultur readings compose of a wide range of topics, ranging from American food in Germany to the introductions of two of the most famous German cities -- Stuttgart and Munich. There are a couple of articles that particularly caught my attention.
The first one is titled "What Discipline? Of German lines and Pythons". It said that people would not necessarily follow a line in a lot of conditions, and would cut the line if you do not respond promptly. I am not sure whether the author of this article was being sarcastic or not, because it is fairly difficult for me to imagine that in a country like Germany where order is considered to be paramount such behaviors will be tolerated. It is very contradictory to the image that I had for German people. I guess the truth will only reveal itself when I set foot on Germany one day.
The other interesting reading materials come form the book "365 Dinge". It is in the format of a guide book, but it is different because of its concise descriptions and broad coverage of topics. Some of the things that I picked out from the first 70 things are: ,,Essen im Dunkeln: Nocti Vagus", ,,Mit dem 100-er Bus gefahren sein", ,,Kollhoff-Tower: Berlin von oben", ,,Zum Diplom von der Bierakademie" und ,,Zur Stille im Brandenburger Tor". I am looking forward to discovering more things to do in and around Berlin.
Mittwoch, 22. Januar 2014
AMD 1, Yuntao Chen
Words in italic are English words that I do not yet know how to say in German.
Für diese AMD habe ich eine episode aus der Documentary ,,Die Deutschen" gesehen. ,,Die Deutschen" ist ein Documentary Series von die Deutsche TV station ZDF, which depicts several significant events in German history in drama/documentary settings.
Die episode that I watched was titled ,,Barbarossa und der Löwe". Es erzählt die Geschichte von der berühmt König Barbarossa und sein Bruder ,,Heinrich der Löwe. Es ist interassent zu lernen, dass ,,Barbarossa'' ist nicht der formell Name von der König. Sein Name soll ,,Frederick I" sein. Er gebt der Name ,,Barbarrossa", weil er rot Bart hat. Sein Bruder ,,Heinrich der Löwe" war der Herzog von Sachson und Bayern. It was him who ordered to build die Stadt ,,München", which means "with the monks".
Ich glaube, dass es ist schön der Documentary für AMD zu sehen. Ich kann Deutsch und die deutsche Geschichte zusammen lernen kann. So I plan to watch this series for the next few AMDs.
Für diese AMD habe ich eine episode aus der Documentary ,,Die Deutschen" gesehen. ,,Die Deutschen" ist ein Documentary Series von die Deutsche TV station ZDF, which depicts several significant events in German history in drama/documentary settings.
Die episode that I watched was titled ,,Barbarossa und der Löwe". Es erzählt die Geschichte von der berühmt König Barbarossa und sein Bruder ,,Heinrich der Löwe. Es ist interassent zu lernen, dass ,,Barbarossa'' ist nicht der formell Name von der König. Sein Name soll ,,Frederick I" sein. Er gebt der Name ,,Barbarrossa", weil er rot Bart hat. Sein Bruder ,,Heinrich der Löwe" war der Herzog von Sachson und Bayern. It was him who ordered to build die Stadt ,,München", which means "with the monks".
Ich glaube, dass es ist schön der Documentary für AMD zu sehen. Ich kann Deutsch und die deutsche Geschichte zusammen lernen kann. So I plan to watch this series for the next few AMDs.
Donnerstag, 16. Januar 2014
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