History:

The rich and complex history of what is now Germany is inseparable from that of Central and Western Europe from the 5th century onwards. It is often said that the Germanic tribes destroy the Roman Empire, but the Visigoths, Ostrogoths and Franks who settled in Western Europe after the deposition of the Emperor Romulus in AD476 were anxious to perpetuate, at least in some of its aspects, a system which they both admired and found administratively convenient. Indeed, it was a Frank, Charlemagne, who revived the Roman Empire in the West in AD800, thus being the first to unite what is now Germany together with the area of France and northern Italy, albeit only for the 40 years of his own reign and that of his son, Louis the Pious. The division of Charlemagne's Empire was confirmed by the Treaty of Verdun (AD843), as a result of which much of what is now Germany. passed to Louis' son, Louis the German. During the next 80 years, Germany fragmented into five large duchies (Saxony, Bavaria, Franconia, Lorraine and Swabia), whose dukes managed to establish a de facto hereditary tenure.

The lOth century witnessed a growth in the power of central authority under the leadership of the House of Saxony, while in the Ilth century and early 12th century, under the Salian dynasty, the power of the crown was in many ways at its height. In 1152, following a disputed succession and a civil war, the dynamic Frederick Barbarossa acceded to the throne: he is one of the most significant figures in German history. Frederick, his son Henry VI and his grandson Frederick n made prodigious attempts to revive the reality of royal power in Germany and Italy, but the task proved impossible and by the late 13th century the country was seething with civil war. This period saw the emergence for the first time of the House of Habsburg. Temporarily deposed by other dynasties during the next 150 years, Albert V of Habsburg re-established his clan's ascendancy in 1438.

The Habsburgs were to l"Ule the empire, with only a brief interruption, until 1806. By this time Germany had dissolved into a patchwork of over 300 states, some no more than a town or castle, and increasingly the Habsburg Emperors derived their power and influence from their extensive family lands. In 1519, Charles V became Emperor, uniting by his dynastic connections Spain, the Low Countries, Naples, Sicily, Burgundy, the Holy Roman Empire and all the Spanish possessions in the New World. Germany, in common with much of the rest of Europe, was driven by the Reformation at this time, despite Charles V's attempts to impose a religious solution by force.
The impossibility of holding together such a large empire was recognised by Charles himself, and onhis abdication in 1556 the imperial office and the Habsburg lands passed to his brother Ferdinand I.Sporadic warfare against the turks continued, but a more serious catastrophe was the complex Thirty Years War (1618-1648), durIng whIch many of Europe's dIsputes were fought out on German soil. One of the results of the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 was the emergence of the previously minor -state of Brandenburg-Prussia as a major power; the territorial gains were built upon by a series of cunning and ruthless rulers and, by the early 18th century , the new kingdom was the scourge of other , European states, the Habsburg Empire not least.
Frederick the Great is the king most strongly associated with the growth of Prussian militarism. By the time the moribund Holy Roman Empire -not inaccurately described by a contemporary as being , 'neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire' -was formally abolished by Napoleon in 1806 (by which , time the Habsburgs had already assumed the title of Emperor of Austria), much of its northern and -eastern parts had already been absorbed by Prussia. After 1815 the German Confederation was .established with 39 states. German unification continued apace throughout the century, the most I significant figure being Count (later Prince) von Bismarck, Chancellor under Emperor Wilhelin I. c, Various wars, both offensive and defensive, were fought with other European states, the most notable .being the Franco-Prussian War ( 1870- 71 ), and an increasingly complex web of treaties and diplomacy .(including the Dual and Triple Alliances of 1878 and 1892) grew up, which for a time contained the ic equally increasingly ambitious policies of the major European states and their empires.

Social Profile

Food & Drink: The main meal of the day in Germany tends to be lunch with a light snack eaten at about seven in the evening. Breakfast served in homes and hotels usually consists of a boiled egg, bread rolls with jam, honey, cold cuts and cheese slices. Available from snack bars, butcher shops, bakers and cafes are grilled, fried or boiled sausages ( Wurst) with a crusty bread roll or potato salad (costing approximately DM6, depending on facilities). There are also bread rolls filled with all kinds of sausage slices, hot meat filling (such as Leberkiise), pickled herring, gherkins and onion rings or cheese. In bakeries, Strudel with the traditional apple filling, a variety of fruits and fromage frais, is available. There is also an astonishingly wide variety of breads. A set menu meal (available from DM20) in a simple Gasthof or cafe usually includes three courses: soup is the most popular starter. The main meal consists of vegetables or a salad, potatoes, meat and gravy. For puddings there is often a sweet such as a blancmange, fruit or ice cream. Restaurants often serve either beer or wine. Cakes and pastries are normally reserved for the afternoon with Kaffee und Kuchen ('coffee and cakes') taken at home or in a cafe. Cafes serving Kaffee und Kuchen are not only to be found in cities, towns and villages but also at or near popular excursion and tourist spots. International speciality restaurants such as Chinese, Greek, Turkish and others can be found everywhere in the western part of the country. Waiter or waitress service is normal although self-service restaurants are available. Bakeries and daif)' shops specialise in lighter meals if preferred. Local regional specialities cover an enormous range.

Frankfurt and Hesse: Rippchen mit Sauerkraut (spare ribs) and of course Frankfilrter sausages and Ochsenbrllsl with green sauce, Zwiebelkuchen (onion flan) and Frankfurter Kranz cream cake. ~" Westphalia and Northern Rhineland: Rheinischer Sauerbraten (beef marinaded in onions, sultanas, pimento. etc), Reibekuchen (potato fritters), Pfeffer-Potthast (spiced beef with bay leaves) and Moselhecht (Moselle pike with creamy cheese sauce). Westphalia is also famous for its smoked ham, sausages and bread such as Pumpernickel.

Frankfurt and Hesse: Rippchen mit Sauerkraut (spare ribs) and of course Frankfilrter sausages and Ochsenbrllsl with green sauce, Zwiebelkuchen (onion flan) and Frankfurter Kranz cream cake. ~" Westphalia and Northern Rhineland: Rheinischer Sauerbraten (beef marinaded in onions, sultanas, pimento. etc), Reibekuchen (potato fritters), Pfeffer-Potthast (spiced beef with bay leaves) and Moselhecht (Moselle pike with creamy cheese sauce). Westphalia is also famous for its smoked ham, sausages and bread such as Pumpernickel.

Munich and Bavaria: Leberkiis (pork and beef loaf), as well as a variety of dumplings, Spanferkel (suckling pig), the famous Weisswurst (white sausages), Strudel, Leberknodelsuppe (liver dumplings soup), Nurnmberger Lebkuchen (gingerbread) and from the same town grilled Rostbratwurst sausages. Hamburg and Northern Germany: Hamburger Aalsuppe (eel/lobster/crayfish soup), Lahskaus (hotpot with fried eggs), Rote Grii.tze mit Sahne oder Vanillesosse (fruit compote served with cream or custard), smoked eel, Rumtopf (fruit marinated in rum), Ltibeck marzipan, Heidschnuckenbraten (Ltineburg Heath mutton), fish with green sauce, Bauernfrii.hstii.ck (omelette with fried potatoes, tomatoes and onions) and bread rolls filled with fish or prawns as a snack.

Bremen: Kohl und Pinkel (kale and sausages), Matjes Hering (white herring), eel soup and Hannoversches Blindhuhn (hotpot with bacon, potatoes, vegetables and fruit).

Berlin: Eisbein mit Sauerkraut (leg of pork) and mashed potatoes, Bouletten (hamburgers), Kartoffelpuffer(fer (potato fritters), Eierpfannkuchen (pancakes), Berliner Pfannkuchen (doughnut), and Berliner Weisse mit Schuss (beer with a dash of something -usually raspberry syrup).

March of Brandenburg: Teltower Rii.bchen (swedes), Mohnprielen and Mohnslriezel (pastries with poppy seeds), Morchelgerichte (mushroom dishes), Oder crabs, Eberswalder Spritzkuchen (doughnuts).Schwarzsauer mil Backpflaumen und KlofJen (black pudding with prunes :

Economy: From the ruins of the Third Reich, both parts of divided post-war Germany emerged over the next two decades as the economic powerhouses of their respective European blocs. The unified German economy is now the third largest in the world. The bulk of this production is in the West (the pre-unification Federal Republic), where it is still referred to as the 'Wirtschaftswunder' (economic miracle). The Western economy is essentially industrial, with large chemical and car manufacturing plants, mechanical, electrical and electronic engineering, and rapidly growing advanced technology and service sectors in computing, biotechnology, information processing and media. The East's (former Democratic Republic's) economy never dominated COMECON -the Soviet bloc Council for Mutual Economic Assistance -in the way that the West's did the EU, although it did achieve the highest growth and per capita income within the bloc.

However, reunification illustrated starkly how far it had fallen behind the West. After initial difficulties, and much pessimistic forecasting, the Eastern economy was absorbed fairly painlessly into the West albeit at a considerable financial cost. Among the benefits was ahead start for German companies entering the new markets of eastern Europe. Nonetheless, Germany's most important trading partners are its fellow members of the EU, plus the USA, Switzerland and Japan. Trade with China is on a similar scale to that with several eastern European nations. The huge expenditure incurred as a result of unification had a knock-on effect on the speed of the German pursuit of economic and political union in Europe as the Government needed to ensure that Germany met the economic criteria (budget deficit, total debt) for entry into European Monetary Union and the introduction of the single currency. But both the cost of unification and the rate of unemployment ( currently 9% ) have exposed weaknesses in the German economy, particularly the inflexibility of the labour market and inadequate investment in new technology. The continuing vigour of the German economy suggests that these problems are being tackled.

Business: Business people are expected to dress smartly. English is spoken by many local business people, but it is an advantage to have a working knowledge of. German, or an interpreter. Appointments should be made well in advance, particularly in the summer. Appointments may be suggested slightly earlier in the day than is often the custom in the UK. Once made, appointment times should be strictly adhered to. Some firms may close early Friday afternoon. Always use titles such as Herr Doktor or Frau Doktor when addressing business contacts. Punctuality is essential for business visits. Office hours: 0800-1600 Monday to Friday.

BUSINESS IN EASTERN GERMANY: