• All you want to know about Germany
    126 replies, posted
This is an info thread about Germany, the land and the culture. I wanted to do this for a long time because people are generally very uneducated when it comes to that country, thinking it is only full of beer drinking nazis who still talk like it is 1940. You can post all kind of questions and suggestions. [img]http://www.geographicguide.net/europe/pictures/berlin.jpg[/img] [i]Brandenburger Tor, Berlin. Source: Geographicguide.net[/i] I hope you learn something and that it is fun to read. I will answer questions and edit the thread accordingly. [b]Frequently Asked Questions:[/b] [B]Q:[/B] Is Germany nazi? [B]A:[/B] No, I will get into more detail on this one later [B]Q:[/B] Does everyone run around in leather pants? [B]A:[/B] No. The only place where that is considered normal is in Bavaria. And even there it is likely that you'll only see it on Oktoberfest in Munich. [B]Q: [/B]Does Germany ban games? [B]A: [/B]Yes. But almost all countries ban certain games. Be it because of inhuman acts or whatever. More on this later. [B]Q:[/B] Can you see international movies in the cinema/TV in Germany and how does that work? Do they have subtitles or something? [B]A:[/B] Yes you can. They have no subtitles, they have complete voice overs where, depending on the quality of the actors, you can not tell that it is not the original language. More on this one later. [B]Q:[/B] What is the legal age in Germany? [B]A:[/B] 18. With 18 you can drive a car, smoke, drink and have sex with scary people. They recently raised the legal age for smoking from 16 to 18. Sex is allowed with 16. [B]Q:[/B] Are Germans all blonde, tall and blue eyed? [B]A:[/B] No, this is nonsense. [B]Q:[/B] What is more frowned upon in the media? Sex or violence? [B]A:[/B] Violence. [B]Q:[/B] Do German TV Shows beep out swear words, censor breasts and the finger? [B]A:[/B] Generally not. You can see bare breasts at 4 PM on normal television if you watch a Boulevard show and they happen to make a report about strippers or a beach and there are topless women running around. That is a kind of stupid example but generally these things don't get censored. [B]Q:[/B] Do the equivalents of English swearwords sound more hurtful/harsh in German? [B]A:[/B] Yes, for some reason they do. [B]Q:[/B] Is prostitution allowed in Germany? [B]A:[/B] Yes it is. [B]Q:[/B] Does it cause any problems? [B]A:[/B] Not really. In my opinion people are less likely to rape somebody if they can just pay 50 bux without committing a crime. Now lets cover some things more in depth: [b]Nazis[/b] "What about nazis? I heard Germany is full of them". No it is not. There are still some retards being "Neonazis" but that is a minority. The "real" nazi people you will probably find among brainwashed old people. Neonazis are often uneducated teenagers from the lower class who get "recruited" by these "organizations". Imagine it like the Ku Klux Klan sending people to playgrounds or schools to give out free music CD's with songs from Ku Klux Klan bands. The neo nazis actually do that and that way get teenagers who are bored, uneducated and frustrated to join them. [img]http://media.de.indymedia.org/images/2004/10/95458.jpg[/img] [i]Neonazi demonstration[/i] There is actually a political party who is still that way. But since they don't say what they really mean, it seems to be hard to forbid them. [B]For example:[/B] They do not say "We hate outlandish people in our country", no. They say "For love and unity but AGAINST asylum parasites." Again, not the best example. But they try to disguise it as something legal. A lot of people are trying to forbid them but since there is freedom of speech and all, they can't get it done. I believe they are not trying hard enough. It can't be that hard to wipe them off the official politics. Anyway, that is a minority and hate against outlandish people is generally frowned upon. It is forbidden to show the swastika and it is forbidden to do the Hitler greeting in public. Of course there are racist and ignorant, stupid people. But they exist everywhere, sadly. The percentage of people who follow a national socialistic ideology is probably much lower than, for example in America. People are quick with yelling "NAZI" especially in America. But lets look at what kind of nutjobs America has: (not exclusively of course, I use it as example because I don't really know about other countries hate groups) - Ku Klux Klan - Hate against Mexicans/black people/asians/native americans ("They steal our jobs/rape my children/sell drugs") - Nazis (that's right) - Westboro Baptist Church (and people who think alike) - Anti semites in all versions [img]http://www.vashtie.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/westboro_baptist_church-drones.jpg[/img] [i]Yay don't they look like nice people?[/i] Feel free to add to that list or ask questions. What I said is not written in stone, it is my opinion. You see, retards are not a country problem, but a problem with humanity. Now that we got this crap covered, lets move on. [b]Games in Germany[/b] Really, there are the people who say that shootings at schools are caused by First person shooters. These are, in my opinion, either old people who don't have a clue about anything, but an opinion about everything or parents who are not able to raise their kids into smart, thinking people AND don't have a clue about what they are talking. It is easier to blame a game on your kid going postal than yourself. Perfectly sane people without problems don't play counter strike and go like "OH LULZ U CAN SHOOT PEOPLER W/ PULLING TRIGGAR LULZ GOTTA TRY DAT IN MAH SCHOOL". That is bullshit. [I]Now to the hard facts:[/I] The reason Games often get censored in Germany is not because the governement hired programmers who change the games. (Alot of people seem to think that). Of course, the developers do it by them self. Because they either fear that their game could get banned (Only a few recent examples. Gears Of War and Manhunt for example) OR that they get a 18+ rating. Most games that have blood and violence in it get an 18+ rating. "So why should they censor their game then?" you may ask. Because it sells better when it is available for people of the age of 16 and up. Why was Team Fortress 2 censored by valve, into no blood at all, when in the Orange box there is the uncensored version of Half Life 2 with blood and everything? Answer: As far as I know, they didn't even ask if they would have to tone down the game. They just did. Since you are not allowed to show the swastika in Germany, it is also removed from Games. How does it work with all these age ratings and banning and stuff? Alright. Lets say Valve wants to release L4D2. They will have to give it to the USK (Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle) for approval. The USK is an institution which approves games for the market, and gives out the age ratings. If it doesn't get rated it is NOT BANNED! You are just not allowed to sell it in public. Only if people ask for it. But since that does not give you enough money, companies rather don't sell it at all. They give the following ratings: "Everyone" "6 years and up" "12 years and up" "16 years and up" and "18 years and up". [img]http://www.playstationportable.de/images/artikel/usk/logo.jpg[/img] GTA 4 for example, is completely uncensored in Germany but it is 18+. Half Life 2 has blood as well as Counterstrike Source. You can not say "it has blood in it it will be censored". That is what companies tend to think, and that is why Germany will get a censored Diablo 3 without the company even asking if they have to tone it down. And last but not least, the hot coffee mod wouldn't have caused a lot of trouble there. While in America people went batshit insane about pixel sex that their kids could see. Problem with that is only that that game isn't for kids, and if children see the sex scenes in it you can blame it on bad parenting rather than on the game in my opinion. That is how it is now. There are indeed a lot of people who want to "BAN VIOLENT GAMEZ LULZ :downsbravo:". [B]International Movies in German, and how that works[/B] You probably wonder how that works. They get professional voices overs by more or less talented voice actors (Depends really on what the movie company wants to pay I guess). [i]Scarface Trailer with the German voice of Tony Montana[/i] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNVmN54U2cg[/media] (In that trailer sometimes the lip syncing doesn't match, that seems to be either Youtube or how the trailer is made) [I]German "No Country For Old Men" Trailer[/I] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WokmOi6dYwo[/media] Some jokes work better in German, while some jokes work better in English. For example "Christmas Vacation" with Chevy Chase is way funnier in German because there are some nice puns in there that the English version doesn't have for some reason. The lipsyncing is usually as best as you can do it. That applies to high production value movies of course, and not your average 20 Dollar budget "shoot em all" C-Movie. [B]Questions or suggestions?[/B] If you want me to write about more, or more in depth about something, just post it here. Wanna know about music? Swear words? Food? I will update the thread then. I am aware the thread is not perfect when it comes to formatting or readability but bear with me please. Anyone knows how I can align text to the center?
When I went to Berlin last year, Spiderman was about to air on TV, I was like "heck yes". But, it was dubbed. And shitly dubbed. The "voiceactor" was extremely monotone, and you could hear the original speech in the background. Anyways, I still wanna go back. Awesome city.
I don't know what you watched but that movie does not have the original speak in the background. I don't think any movie I have ever seen dubbed in German had the original voice in the background.
[QUOTE=Johnnsen;16980227]I don't know what you watched but that movie does not have the original speak in the background. I don't think any movie I have ever seen dubbed in German had the original voice in the background.[/QUOTE] Not loudly or anything. But if you really tried, you could still hear the english voices.
"Wo ist mein Handy?" Sorry, couldn't resist.
Sieg heil!
no one cares about germany :buddy:
It's good that you cleared this all up for some people who think all Germans are Nazis and all that bull. I'm half-German myself. :biggrin:
[QUOTE=Johnnsen;16980161] [img]http://www.vashtie.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/westboro_baptist_church-drones.jpg[/img] [i]Yay don't they look like nice people?[/i][/quote] Sorry for being off-topic here. You can't blame the kids for the parent's mistakes.
[QUOTE=Victor Leferve;16980288]Sorry for being off-topic here. You can't blame the kids for the parent's mistakes.[/QUOTE] I'm not. I am obviously referring to the parents as these kids wouldn't do that by them self.
[QUOTE=Johnnsen;16980299]I'm not. I am obviously referring to the parents as these kids wouldn't do that by them self.[/QUOTE] I wasn't sure if you were or not as it sounded like you meant the children. But yeah, Germany is a splendid place with lots of splendid things going for it.
I was there a month ago, at Wacken Festival. Germans are fun people that bring up buttfucking at strange times.
Good thread, thanks.
I've begun despising Germany due to their restrictions and their "system" Not too mention they've never heard of English and they have a tendency to dub everything they see.
Our Queen is somewhat German which is why I must respect these huns.
It's just for those of you who care reading something new. If you are not interested you don't need to post. :buddy:
[QUOTE=iamgnome;16980330]Our Queen is somewhat German which is why I must respect these huns.[/QUOTE] She is very German, haha. They all are! But back in the days of old, the nobility married into foreign bloodlines to ensure that the two countries would be allied, or for power and prosperity.
[QUOTE=Monkey pie;16980329]I've begun despising Germany due to their restrictions and their "system" Not too mention they've never heard of English and they have a tendency to dub everything they see.[/QUOTE] Those that rated me dumb are just sad because it's the truth. You really never learn English well when you dub everything, like the Simpsons. I watched that while having German in my class. It was horrible. Not to mention, while playing online i'm greeted with: Du ist eine scheise. or: FUCK U.
[QUOTE=Monkey pie;16980376]Those that rated me dumb are just sad because it's the truth. You really never learn English well when you dub everything, like the Simpsons. I watched that while having German in my class. It was horrible. Not to mention, while playing online i'm greeted with: Du ist eine scheise. or: FUCK U.[/QUOTE] Despite what you said in German being grammatically wrong, I agree. It is still a dumb thing to mention since that isn't relevant. I don't like dubbed shit either and no one really cares that it is the truth. And saying everyone insults you when you play online is generalization. Also you don't play against Germans only when you play online in G.
Rated informative!
wear white socks in germany and theyll call you a fruit
They invide our country! :argh:
[QUOTE=SwizzChees;16980423]They invide our country! :argh:[/QUOTE] They never set foot on British soil. (If you're British, and I went off your avatar.)
I expected the opening post to be entirely censored, and replaced with happy dancing people.
[QUOTE=Victor Leferve;16980439]They never set foot on British soil. (If you're British, and I went off your avatar.)[/QUOTE] ...they occupied the channel islands during WWII
I like how you still managed to hate on Americans in your post about Germany... Good working that in I guess... I lived in Hamburg a little bit, it is a nice place. Where I was staying everything was almost on the honor system... People followed the rules and laws because that is just what they do. It all comes down to where you live though, like I said I was in Hamburg and the entire country is different throughout so it is hard to speak for Germany as a whole. Back tot he American hate groups, all countries have hate groups don't just single one country out for having some.
[img]http://www.vashtie.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/westboro_baptist_church-drones.jpg[/img] That bitch in the center deserves to die.
in netherlands weed smoking is allowed, i want to go there
[QUOTE=Squad;16980522]I like how you still managed to hate on Americans in your post about Germany... Good working that in I guess... I lived in Hamburg a little bit, it is a nice place. Where I was staying everything was almost on the honor system... People followed the rules and laws because that is just what they do. It all comes down to where you live though, like I said I was in Hamburg and the entire country is different throughout so it is hard to speak for Germany as a whole. Back tot he American hate groups, all countries have hate groups don't just single one country out for having some.[/QUOTE] That was probably a misunderstanding. I don't hate on America, I just used it as an example because for, lets say Hungary, I wouldn't have had examples like Ku Klux Klan or the Westboro Baptist Church cause I don't know about other countries "hate groups" really.
[QUOTE=Victor Leferve;16980439]They never set foot on British soil. (If you're British, and I went off your avatar.)[/QUOTE] No I'm swiss. And by "invade" I mean that most foreigners are german in our country. Half of our office are german so there's no hate against them.
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