A land of contrasts and contradictions…

Germans are a proud group of people – eager to share their traditions, they are also forward thinkers and like the idea of a progressive society.

Centuries of rich history are obvious when wandering through a typical German village where castles and old town halls look like something out of a fairy-tale. However, a visit to Berlin offers the impressive spectacle of state of the art modern architecture next door to well known 18th century buildings such as the Brandenburg Gate. The contrasts do not stop there though!

Some of the world’s leading composers and musicians were born in Germany including Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Wagner, Bruckner and Schönberg. Modern music from the English-speaking is very popular but the new music market belongs to German speaking artists like Kraftwerk, Rammstein, Die Toten Hosen, and pop/rock bands like Juli and Silbermond.

Germany is not all about Lederhosen! Some of the most influential fashion designers and models are from Germany. Karl Lagerfeld, Wolfgang and Jette Joop, Claudia Schiffer and Heidi Klum are just a few.

Since the reunification of East and West Germany in 1989, when the Berlin Wall was brought down, Germany has become a harmonious, multicultural country. It is the leader of the Green Movement and in 2005 elected its first female Chancellor (PM), Angela Merkel.