Changes

At the university level, however, there has been a dramatic decline in quality from the days before Hitler, when German universities were the best in the world. Since the student revolts of 1968, conditions at the once-famous universities have deteriorated badly. A strong egalitarianism prevents the re-emergence of world class faculties and no German university ranks among the top 40 in the world.<ref>Gebhard Schweigler, "Heidelberg is Not Harvard …and Germany is embarrassed." [http://www.atlantic-times.com/archive_detail.php?recordID=83 ''The Atlantic Times'' Dec. 2004]</ref>  

At the university level, however, there has been a dramatic decline in quality from the days before Hitler, when German universities were the best in the world. Since the student revolts of 1968, conditions at the once-famous universities have deteriorated badly. A strong egalitarianism prevents the re-emergence of world class faculties and no German university ranks among the top 40 in the world.<ref>Gebhard Schweigler, "Heidelberg is Not Harvard …and Germany is embarrassed." [http://www.atlantic-times.com/archive_detail.php?recordID=83 ''The Atlantic Times'' Dec. 2004]</ref>  

The conservative government has tried to reverse the decline by offering €1.9 billion (about $2.7 billion) in excellence grants to numerous schools spread over a period of five years--far less money than Harvard spends in one year. Little improvement has been reported from this small investment.  The leading schools are Freiburg, Heidelberg and Konstanz (all in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg), Aachen, Göttingen, the Free University of Berlin, two schools in Munich and Karlsruhe’s Technical University.<ref> Lutz Lichtenberger, "Selective Upgrades The government’s 'Excellence Initiative' grants German universities small packs of ivy seeds," [http://www.atlantic-times.com/archive_detail.php?recordID=1080 ''The Atlantic Times'' Nov. 2007]]</ref> Meanwhile top German scientists and engineers migrate to the United States, where their talents are appreciated.

The conservative government has tried to reverse the decline by offering €1.9 billion (about $2.7 billion) in excellence grants to numerous schools spread over a period of five years--far less money than Harvard spends in one year. Little improvement has been reported from this small investment.  The leading schools are Freiburg, Heidelberg and Konstanz (all in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg), Aachen, Göttingen, the Free University of Berlin, two schools in Munich and Karlsruhe’s Technical University.<ref> Lutz Lichtenberger, "Selective Upgrades The government’s 'Excellence Initiative' grants German universities small packs of ivy seeds," [http://www.atlantic-times.com/archive_detail.php?recordID=1080 ''The Atlantic Times'' Nov. 2007]]</ref> Meanwhile, top German scientists and engineers migrate to the United States, where their talents are appreciated.

===Standard of Living===

===Standard of Living===

====Social Democratic Party (SPD)====

====Social Democratic Party (SPD)====

[[File:German party SPD.jpg|140px|left]]

[[File:German party SPD.jpg|140px|left]]

:''Main article:'' [[SPD]]

:''Main article:'' SPD

The SPD is one of the oldest organized political parties in the world. It originally advocated Marxist principles, but in the 1959 Godesberg Program abandoned the concept of a "class party" while continuing to stress social welfare programs. Under the leadership of Gerhard Schroeder, the SPD-Greens government implemented in 2003 the centrist Agenda 2010 reforms, designed to modernize the country's social system and labor market. The SPD has a powerful base in the bigger cities and industrialized states.

The SPD is one of the oldest organized political parties in the world. It originally advocated Marxist principles, but in the 1959 Godesberg Program abandoned the concept of a "class party" while continuing to stress social welfare programs. Under the leadership of Gerhard Schroeder, the SPD-Greens government implemented in 2003 the centrist Agenda 2010 reforms, designed to modernize the country's social system and labor market. The SPD has a powerful base in the bigger cities and industrialized states.

In the late 1970s, environmentalists organized politically as the Greens. Opposition to nuclear power, military power, and certain aspects of highly industrialized society were principal campaign issues. In the December 1990 all-German elections, the Greens merged with the Eastern German Alliance 90, a loose grouping of civil rights activists with diverse political views. The Greens joined a federal government for the first time in 1998, forming a coalition with the SPD.

In the late 1970s, environmentalists organized politically as the Greens. Opposition to nuclear power, military power, and certain aspects of highly industrialized society were principal campaign issues. In the December 1990 all-German elections, the Greens merged with the Eastern German Alliance 90, a loose grouping of civil rights activists with diverse political views. The Greens joined a federal government for the first time in 1998, forming a coalition with the SPD.

In 2012 they took advantage of the Fu<!---->kushima nuclear plant desaster in japan, allowing them to form the government of the state of Baden-Württemberg in a coalition with the SPD, which is the smaller partner this time.

In 2012 they took advantage of the Fu<!---->kushima nuclear plant desaster in Japan, allowing them to form the government of the state of Baden-Württemberg in a coalition with the SPD, which is the smaller partner this time.

====Alternative for Germany====

====Alternative for Germany====

== Sports ==

== Sports ==

[[File:Sunken Village by Timm Ulrichs Munich.JPG|thumb|Architectural sculpture "Sunken Village" by Timm Ulrichs, and in the back Allianz Arena, Munich.]]

[[File:Sunken Village by Timm Ulrichs Munich.JPG|thumb|Architectural sculpture "Sunken Village" by Timm Ulrichs, and in the back Allianz Arena, Munich.]]

[[Association Football]] is the most popular sport by far, followed by [[Team Handball]] (not to be confused with [[American handball]]). Basketball and (ice) hockey play a minor role, whereas baseball and american football are, despite being organized, hardly being noticed by the general public.

[[Association Football]] is the most popular sport by far, followed by [[Team Handball]] (not to be confused with [[American handball]]). Basketball and (ice) hockey play a minor role, whereas baseball and American football are, despite being organized, hardly being noticed by the general public.

The most popular non-sport-games are [[chess]] and [[skat]], both being organized in [[bundesligas]].

The most popular non-sport-games are [[chess]] and [[skat]], both being organized in [[bundesligas]].

*[[Thomas Mann]]

*[[Thomas Mann]]

*[[Karl Marx]]

*[[Karl Marx]]

*[[Angela Merkel]]

*Angela Merkel

*[[Lise Meitner]]

*[[Lise Meitner]]

*[[Anne-Sophie Mutter]]

*[[Anne-Sophie Mutter]]