Final Post

Over the course of the semester, our class has been taught many things. We have learned about the origins of various areas throughout Germany. We have studied movies which show many different cultural sides which reflect different views of Germany. We have even learned about different traditional dishes and drinks within Germany. There was a lot of information to take in within the course of just one semester. It is very difficult to select just one talking point to summarize this final blog. Since I am assigned to do so, I will select the final film which we watched together as a class. This film was titled, Baader-Meinhof Complex. This was a film based on the true story which presented it's viewers with the history behind the Red Army Faction, or the RAF. The RAF existed between 1970 and 1998. The RAF consisted of three 'generations'. The original generation included the original members who had founded and headed the RAF. The second generation included the members who had picked up after the original members were either killed or incarcerated. The final generation continued until the group was ended in 1998. The RAF believed the government was fascist, and they were down and determined to put an end to this fascism, or to at least make their point of view heard loud enough so that others could follow in their example. The RAF believed that they were a new generation in West Berlin. The protested that the Federal Republic had weapons to put the people down and that people must arm themselves in order to fight the oppression of the government. They began with organized protest, but became increasingly resistant as the government tried to put a stop to them. They received aid from allies in Jordan, and they were also partially trained by them overseas. When the RAF returned to West Berlin, they began robbing banks with the use of guns and bombs. This plan lead to the acquisition of new members to the RAF, but it also in turn, lead to the deaths and incarcerations of the original members of the RAF. Without the original members of the RAF at the helm, the group eventually lost its way and was inevitably ended in 1998. I chose the topic of the RAF as a final blog, because they were not afraid to stand up for what they believed in, even when facing an opponent such as the government. In one of our final class meetings, we were asked to stand in one of three areas within the classroom. There was an area for people who strictly believed in peace. There was an area for the people who believed in fighting for their beliefs. The final area was for those who were in between, and needed to hear more information to determine which side they truly stood for. I myself stood in the area for the people who believe that they will fight for their beliefs when it is required. I believe that this is where the RAF would have stood. This is also why I chose to blog about them. I can relate to many of their viewpoints, although I cannot see me blowing open a bank vault and robbing the place. I could have blogged about many different topics, but the RAF kept my interest from the start to the finish. I believe that students around the world should be taught about this group, because it is an important part of German history. I am very pleased with my decision of taking this Germany course. I feel like I have learned far more information about the culture of Germany than I had ever actually expected to know within the course of my lifetime. I have learned about traditions throughout Germany, I have learned about important dates and people, and I have watched films which show different views of Germany which are normally not shown within history books. I enjoyed the way that Professor Roland taught the class, and I enjoyed listening to all of the knowledge that he had to offer. He actually takes an interest in his students, and that made the class feel more 'home-like' for me, since I came from a very small high school. I look forward to taking additional German courses after being influenced by German 110.

Handout and German Food

Answers to questions from the Blue Handout Sheet:
1. Baader-Meinhof organized their protests strategically. Their first one was outside of the vehicle housing the Shah of Iran. They were prepared to be peaceful, but over the course of time, they become exceedingly violent. They begin to fight back against the police, and use greater force over time.

2. I would say that my level of identification remained almost the same throughout the film. I am a firm believer of standing up for what you believe in, and I believe that it is required to use force if it becomes necessary. I am uncertain as to if I would be able to follow into an uprising like they had preformed, but I support the fact that they followed up their talking with action and made the government notice them.

3. I believe that the determination and rudeness of Andreas Baader did have a key role in the dynamics of the group. The group seemed to mimic his attitude, and they followed him unquestionably.  If he was angry and was determined to reek havoc, then the rest of the group would reek havoc alongside him.

4. I stand on the side that will use force to change society and political systems. I am all for peace, but I believe that society will only continue to push you around if you are unwilling to fight back and oppose them. If you are unable to back up the words that you say, you may as well never say them at all.








 

This is Bratkartoffeln. It is a fried potato dish, which is usually made from leftover potatoes. Bits of bacon and onion are often added to make this a main dish. It is very easy to make. All one has to do is brown the slices of potatoes, and then add in the bits of bacon and onions.

RAF

The RAF was Germany's most prominent World War II left-wing militant group. The began after a group of young protesters were attacked by the forces of the Shah of Iran and the German police attacked the group, which resulted in the death of one young protester. The RAF consisted of three 'waves' or generations. The first generation consisted of the Baader and his original associates. The second generation occurred during the mid 1970's after several former members of the Socialist Patients' Collective joined. The third and final generation existed in the early 1980's until the late 1990's. On 20 April 1998, an eight-page typewritten letter in German was faxed to the Reuters news agency, signed "RAF" with the submachine-gun red star, declaring that the group had dissolved. This ended the RAF. Today's current terrorist attacks are commonly by the use of surprise bombings. The RAF used a more hands on method of attacks, which was depicted by use of media. The RAF was not afraid to reveal themselves as the attacks were ongoing. The two seperate groups may have used different tactics, but they both always seem to be rebelling against something. The RAF rebels against their government, while terrorist groups also rebel against their government. Terrorist groups today also do what they do to strike fear into their enemies on a larger scale.

Baader-Meinhof Complex

Baader-Meinhof Complex is a German film about the forming of the West German group Rote Armee Fraktion (Red Army Faction, or RAF). In the beginning of the film, the Shah of Iran visits West Berlin. There  is a rioting crowd which is dominantly younger Germans, who are having a large protest due to his arrival. The German police and members of what I believed to be the Shah's army, attack the protesters. This chaos results in the death of a young protester, which in turn outrages the youth of Germany. Journalist Ulrike Meinhof writes articles criticizing the Shah and brutality of the police, which inspires Gudrun Ensslin and Andreas Baader to form the RAF. They quickly begin recruiting outraged Germans, and begin to reek havoc across Germany. They proceed to blow up a department store, as well as other scandals before eventually fleeing German to seek training in Jordan. After they return to Germany, the RAF begins a chain of bank robberies. Shortly after, one of the first members of the group is killed in a police shootout. This angers the RAF, and they begin fighting back. One by one the original members are either captured or killed, eventually resulting in the capture of Meinhof. The captured members are placed in different prisons, which cases them to forego a hunger strike. This results in the death of one member, and the rest of the RAF considers this murder. We did not make it much farther into the film, but I understood the plot to show the rebellion of the RAF, and that it only takes a few individuals to start a revolution which continues even after the original members are put out of commission.

19th Century German Literature

http://prezi.com/p8ohm0z32wwc/19-century-german-literature/

Hopefully this link will finally work! It was the project to which I was assigned with A.J. Ray, and Matt Moslof. It has not worked all this time, so hopefully this one will finally work.

Two Movies

For this blog, there will be a comparison between two German films. The first film is called, Good Bye Lenin. This is a film about a young man named Alex Kerner. He lives with his family consisting of his mother, his sister, and his sister's daughter. Alex is a member of an anti-government demonstration, and sees a girl whom takes his fancy shortly before a riot breaks out and he is arrested. His mother sees him being arrested and has a heart attack and slips into a coma. Alex is released to see his ill mother that evening, where to his surprise, he sees and finally meets the girl from the riot. She is a young nurse who is taking care of his mother.The two soon begin to date. Not long after, the Berlin Wall falls, and capitalism is unleashed upon East Berlin. Alex wins a job in a lottery for installing satellite dishes. Eight months later, his mother awakens, but any amount of shock could bring on another heart attack. Alex and his family create the old world which his mother had known, and portray it day after day to his now bed ridden mother. This becomes increasingly difficult, and eventually Alex's girlfriend tells his mother everything. His mother died two days later, peacefully.

The second film is called, The Edukators. It is a film about three young activists in Berlin, Jule, Peter, and Jan. Jule is a waitress who has to pay back a very heavy debt to a wealthy man for crashing into his car. She is evicted from her apartment, and moves in with Peter and Jan. Jan tells Jule that he and Peter go around in the middle of the night, break into wealthy people's homes, rearrange their furniture, and leave a note saying they have too much money. Jule convinces the two to let her come with to break into the house of the man she is in debt to. During their break in, Jule loses her phone. They must return the next day. While looking for the phone, the owner comes into the house, only to be knocked out and taken hostage. The three friends take him to a cabin that belongs to Jule's uncle. While they are there, they learn more about the man, and eventually let him go. He gives Jule a note saying to not worry about the debt or the police. That night, ploice break into the apartment the three have been sharing. The police only find a note which says, Some People Never Change.

Berlin Calling Questions

Questions from the movie Berlin Calling.
1. Drugs mean a way of escape for Ickarus. He seems to always crave his next high. He uses drugs while making music, and just as an everyday event.
2. His fans are taking drugs before and after shows. I think that they take them to get deeper into the music, and to relax while listening to techno. They take pills and cocaine. One type of pill may have been LSD, but I am not for certain.
3. I believe that Ickarus' subculture is into drugs, because they are relatively young and are rebellious. Techno is a new up and coming type of music, so I believe that they are rebelling along side with their new rebellious music movement.
4. In my home society, drugs are highly frowned upon. This is the complete opposite of the society in the movie. Techno is around my home society, but it is not nearly as important to the culture as it is in the movie.
5. I believe that the youth culture depicted in the movie could lower the standings of German industry. I believe this, because they are more concerned about the night life and drugs than they are with their careers and goals in life. They seem to live in the moment, and not look at the bigger picture in life. Ickarus does show a very respectable work ethic when he begins to finish his new album. Alice also shows a work ethic which is respectable, because she looks out for what is best for her record company.
6. I honestly have never viewed a 'cult movie' such as this before. I will be sure to view one after watching this great movie. If any movie I choose to watch is anything like Berlin Calling, I know I will be satisfied. Great movie, I am very glad that we watched it in class.