Zeitgeist is... German!
Every era is defined by something that escapes easy definition – the Zeitgeist, or “spirit of the times.” Coined as an 18th-century concept by the German Romantics and closely associated with Hegel's philosophy of history, it seems only fitting that the term “Zeitgeist” was spawned in “the land of poets and thinkers.”
Did you know that...
Germany earned this historic reputation as the place that produced modern book printing, the Protestant Reformation and a host of notable composers, writers, philosophers and scientists – just think Gutenberg, Luther, Bach, Beethoven, Goethe, Schiller, Kant, Hegel, Marx, Mann, Brecht and Einstein, to name but a few influential figures.
In the 19th century, American blue jeans were invented by a German immigrant named Levi Strauss, the modern automobile was developed in Germany by Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler, X-Rays were discovered by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen and the pharmaceutical industry was born when the Bayer company began mass-marketing aspirin.
In the 20th century, German expressionists painted colorful canvases, the Bauhaus school of design signaled the advent of modernism for the masses culminating in US cityscapes inspired by Walter Gropius and Mies van der Rohe, and a generation of exiles from the Berlin-based entertainment industry fled to Hollywood to create a new genre of cinema called Film Noir.
Postwar Germany produced cinematic wunderkind Rainer Werner Fassbinder, pioneering electro-pop bands Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream, New Wave acts like Nena and Trio, and a techno-crazed youth festival called the Love Parade. It also became a manufacturer of coveted cars, top-notch electronic goods and the world's biggest exporter.
With its widespread reputation for sparking new ideas and innovations, Germany continues to influence the global Zeitgeist today, from the music you download on your MP3 player developed by German engineers to the solar panels you remodel your home with to the next-generation diesel car you drive.
Modern Germany advocates sustainable social, economic and environmental progress and is at the forefront of a 21st century industrial revolution that aims to combat climate change by boosting energy efficiency through new technologies that create jobs and power the planet.
Germany shapes today's Zeitgeist with its open society, democratic government, advanced green economy and thriving cultural trends and traditions.
As the Land of Ideas, Germany is tackling some of the toughest challenges of our times with a view to promoting peace and prosperity all over the world in the process. Germany is ready to roll up its sleeves and get to work, while still enjoying life to the fullest. Zeitgeist is German, and Germany exemplifies today's Zeitgeist.
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