I think that it is more logical to begin a new post in which we refer to articles about the German identification.

I found a very interesting article. After the football World Championship 2006, the “Spiegel” published essays about the topic of German identity and German patriotism. One of these essays was written by Charlotte Knoblauch, an old Jewish woman who survived the Nazi regime and the Holocaust.  Now, she is the president of the Central Council of German Jews.

She writes that in her point of view, the Germans need a new feeling of identification to assume an active role in the community. Besides she writes that a new German patriotism would give immigrants the possibility to identify with Germany.

Notwithstanding the terrible things, she had to watch and experience, she favours a new national feeling.

For me, ist is very interesting to read the opinion of a contemporary witness, because the history is often the reason, why the Germans are afraid of showing their German identification. And I think, she’s right, that a democracy and society needs a kind of identification so that the people engage themselves for the society or democracy.

Johanna

Source: http://www.zeit.de/online/2006/40/dlf-schwarzrotgold-knobloch

In our last english lesson on wednesday we talked about British identity and patriotism in general.

So do you think there is a “German identity”? Do you identify with your country?

In my opinion there is a German identity, but it is pretty much a taboo to show that you are identifying with Germany, due to the German history. Of course the things that happened during the time of the Nazi regime were horrible and we should never forget them, but at the same time we should also not forget about the positiv things Germany achieved, just think about the reunification.

I ve spent the past year in the USA and, as probably all of you know, the Americans are very patriotic. They are proud of being american and show that, even though they do not support everything the government does. In the 10 month I ve been away from home, I missed the things that make Germany what it is, for example the German mentality and the German traditions. The people there usually asked me questions like: ” So, do you support Hitler?” or “Do you eat Sauerkraut every day?” and i was proud of telling them that there is so much more than the history and the Bavarian culture that distinguishes Germany.

I think that we should show our German identity and patriotism just like all the other countries do, and not only  with little flags on the cars during the world championship in soccer.

Marlene

Okay, I will begin:

More and more German people decide to immigrate in other countries because of different reasons.

Can you imagine immigrating in another country? And if you can, in which country would you go?

I suggest that it is nothing for me, because I don’t like to be in holidays longer than four weeks. After this time, I miss my home and want to be back. Because of that, I can’t imagine immigrating in another country.

 I’m looking forward reading your opinions,

Johanna

If anyone has difficulty writing a blog post, please let me know. Basically, you just have to log in on wordpress, go to your dashboard, and “add new” post.

Lia H.

My name is Mrs. Fürst-Kröger, I am the English teacher of the German class participating in this cross cultural project. You can find information about our school on www.ozd-luebeck.de.

I want to begin the blog with a paragraph about how I  feel about this project.

First of all, I think that this cross cultural project Germany – Nepal is exciting because it is new and gives access to a different culture by means of real communication. This is something we as teachers try to realize in our English classrooms but rarely achieve.

However, I also feel a  bit unsure about the project. Do the German pupils feel inspired? Did I give enough or even too much input? Are the Nepalese pupils motivated to communicate?

Well, whenever you want to find out, you have to start….

C. Fürst-Kröger

We are carrying out this project with the Mahendra Higher Secondary School, Manebhangyang, Nepal.

Lia H.