While Germans share a common language, they speak it with many dialects, reflecting a strong sense of regionalism. Some Germanic speaking peoples live in Austria, France and Switzerland, but most now live within the borders of what presently constitutes Germany.
The north is still largely Protestant, while south and southwest areas (particularly Bavaria) have deeply rooted Roman Catholic traditions.
Traditional difference between the northern and southern Germans: a reputation for authoritarianism in Prussia, with gregariousness and jollity reflecting those in Bavaria. |
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A very large immigrant population, some five million people, provided much of the labor on which former West Germany's economic boom took place. Known as Gastarbeiter (guest workers), they cannot easily claim German nationality or have equal rights under German laws.
Over one million Turks reflect the largest single immigrant group. Once-liberal asylum laws were tightened in 1993, in response to the domestic tension created by high unemployment in the east, and enormous influxes of refugees from Eastern Europe and Russia.
Family ties in Germany are not so different from those in the USA or the UK. Millions of couples live in common-law arrangements, and while this is frowned upon in rural districts in Bayern that traditional habits are still observed. The birth rate is one of Europe's lowest and the population would be falling all together were it not for the influx of immigrants since the 1950's. |
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Women have full rights under the law and play a much greater role in politics than most other European countries. In 1990 women formed one-fifth of Germany's legislature, the Bundestag. However, they are less well-represented in top jobs in private business and industry.
Germany has a tradition of strong feminism. Abortion continues to remain a charged issue, with laws varying from region to region. After unification, women in former East Germany wanted to keep their right to abortion on demand. However, they were overruled by the federal constitutional court, after a strong effort of lobbying by the Catholics. |
