Bavaria Bayern

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BavariaBayern

• By Peter Luker
• Hans-Peter

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Bavarias Key Facts

• Bavaria is home to about 12.4 million people.
• It is 27,241 square miles.
• Bavaria is the southernmost state in Germany.
• Bavaria is Germanys largest state.

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History

• The Bavarians emerged from a region that was
  originally inhabited by the Celts.
• The Bavarians seemed to have evolved from the
  Romans after their withdrawal in the 6th Century
  AD.
• The Bavarians spoke Old High German just like the
  other Germanic tribes.
• The name Bavarian means Men of Baia. The name
  Baia is believed to coincide with Bohimia, the
  homeland of the Marcomanni.
• The Marcomanni are one of the oldest known
  Germanic tribes.

• Bavaria was mostly unaffected by the Protestant
  Reformation in the 8th century and today the
  leading religion is Roman Catholic.
• Bavaria became a kingdom in 1806 under Napoleon.
• Bavarias defeat in the 1866 Austro-Prussian War
  led to its incorporation into the German Empire.
• The Nazi Third Reich used Bavaria as a stronghold
  and a manufacturing center during WW2.
• Bavaria adopted a new constitution in 1946 and
  became a state of the Federal Republic of Germany
  in 1949.

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Bavarias Land Climate

• Bavaria is known for its beautiful landscapes.
• Its most notable include the Main and Danube
  rivers and the Bavarian Alps as well as the
  Bohemian Forest.
• Bavarias highest point belongs to the Zugspitze
  mountain of the Bavarian Alps. It stands 9,700
  feet high.
• Bavarias climate does not differ much in the
  summer. The northern part of the country is
  pretty similar to the southern part. In terms of
  winter however, it is not uncommon for the
  Germans to have lakes and rivers freeze over.

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The Zugspitze Mountain
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Culture Customs

• Bavaria has a huge tradition of cultural history
  and it has over 1,100 museums and special
  collections to prove it.
• Bavarias museums alone attract over 20 million
  visitors per year.
• Bavarians take much pride in their culture and
  continue to practice their lasting traditions.
  During special occasions, special costumes are
  usually a common sight.
• Tradition starts young as folk music and poems
  are recited in nursery school.

• In Bavaria there is a great value placed on food
  and drinks. Foods like white sausage are
  traditionally Bavaria and are uncommon in other
  parts of Germany.
• Beer consumption in Bavaria is statistically
  higher that in the rest of Germany.
• Bavarians believe that water, barley, and hops
  are the only true ingredients for beer.
• The average annual consumption of beer is 170
  liters per person.

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Customs cont.

• Oktoberfest is one of the largest events in all
  of Germany. It is the worlds largest beer
  festival and it welcomes over 6 million people
  each year.
• The festival takes place in Munich and lasts two
  weeks. The event ends on the first Sunday of
  October. At the end over 1 million gallons of
  beer will be consumed.
• Traditional German gifts include Cuckoo clocks,
  nutcrackers, and beer steins.

• Bavarias beer gardens are a notable custom. At a
  beer garden people bring their own food and
  consume beer that is supplied from a specific
  brewery.

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Economy

• Bavarias economy had underwent an enormous
  change since WW2. The economy has shifted from an
  agricultural state to a modern industrial state.
  It has had the highest rate of industrial growth
  of all Germany.
• Today, Bavarias GDP is over 385 billion euros.
• Some of the largest companies in the world are
  headquartered in Bavaria. They include BMW, Audi,
  Siemens, Puma, and Adidas.
• The European Aerospace and Defense Company is
  also centered in Bavaria. It has the task of
  building civil and military aircraft.

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Government Politics

• The Christian Social Union has ruled in Bavaria
  since 1957 and it does not seek election in any
  other state of Germany.
• The head of government is the minister-president.
  Every minister since 1957 has been a member of
  the CSU.
• Bavaria has a unicameral Landtag which means
  state parliament.

• Bavaria is divided into seven different
  administrative regions. They include Upper
  Franconia, Middle Franconia, Lower Franconia,
  Upper Bavaria, Lower Bavaria, Upper Palatinate,
  and Swabia.