Body Images An American take on the German perspective
Body Images Photographed, written, designed and edited by
Davonte Biggers Public Relations Senior
Hannah Jeffrey Mass Communications Senior
Charlotte Johnston Visual Communications Senior
Caroline Maloney Public Relations Junior
Dedicated to Love Potion No. 9
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hink of a civilization completely unconcerned with body image. Go ahead. Take a minute. Odds are, you can’t. Body image is a deep-seeded fundamental of societies throughout history. Where there are bodies, image is bound to be lurking. Germany’s image obsession was taken to a new level when Adolf Hitler rose to power in the 1930s. It was then that an ideal was established — blonde hair, blue eyes, no trace of individuality and every intention of conformity. Hitler’s influences for several aspects of the Third Reich stemmed from the Roman Empire, a society that saw the body as a piece of art. To the Romans, there was a perfect form and those who didn’t fit that mold were considered far below par. This Aryan ideal gained momentum leading up to the 1936 Berlin Olympics when every athlete was blue-eyed and blonde. Jessie Owens took the world — especially Hitler — by surprise when he, a black American athlete, overtook the competition. It was a defeat Hitler didn’t anticipate and wasn’t prepared for. The Holocaust was Hitler’s attempt to rid his country of all those who didn’t fit the mold. Differences were shunned and outcasts were obliterated. It was a dark tunnel that took years to find the way out of. It was a dark tunnel that changed Germany forever. The world hasn’t seen an image as intense as Hitler’s Aryan ideal in decades, but the notion of perfection hasn’t left Germany. You’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who gives little to no thought or puts little to no effort into the way they look. Tanning is a constant. Fitness is a no-brainer. The German brats-and-beers diet is countered by biking to work, walking to the store and carrying kids everywhere. No, Germans are no longer forced to abide by a mandated image. The dictator may be gone, but the societal expectations are certainly present.
Germany’s image origins
The body
The face
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itness and physical activity is a major priority for most German people, more so than it is for Americans, I’d venture. From all the interviews, research and simple observations, we found that Germans put fitness and physical activity into their day-to-day routine in ways most Americans can’t seem to find time to. There’s no getting around the fact that Americans struggle with body image — and why wouldn’t we? Our schedules leave us with fewer opportunities to exercise and fitness ceases to be a priority. Which may be why the U.S. has an obesity rate of 39.9 percent, even though we have one gym for every 9,919 people, Germany has approximately 6,200 privately owned fitness centers throughout the nation. That’s one gym for every 12,938 people. Germany clocks in at 12.9 percent obesity-wise, illustrating that going to the gym clearly isn’t the only way Germans factor exercise into their daily routines. Through a multitude of outdoor activities and everyday commutes, Germans have managed to find many ways to stay in shape, thus focusing their physical goals on maintaining a form. Americans, on the other hand, aim to lose weight. For people across Munich, those outdoor activities are second nature. With parks up to 3.7 square kilometers, locals find plenty to do to stay fit and spend hours biking, playing soccer, running and strolling through rolling greens found throughout the city. Though many don’t consider these activities exercise, they are staying active and consider it a normal part of their day. For Germans, physical activity is a big component of everyday life. Things they do for fun and in their down time provide more activity than many Americans get most days. For them, it’s those normal activities that happen to help keep them in shape.
The movement of a nation
Activity: A second nature
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oth Munich and Berlin were heavily bombed in World War II, leaving them to be rebuilt in the decades following.The architectural style and rebuilding histories of each city reflects modern trends and body image of those who live there. Despite the rubble, Munich was rebuilt to mirror the city before the destruction, a traditional echo to what had been obliterated in the war. Berlin suffered more damage to its infrastructure, but the city wasn’t rebuilt to reflect its post-war street grid — in fact, not much stayed the same. Munich’s older sector looks as though it was built in the 1700s, but in reality, the Gothic architecture in the city’s main town square Marienplatz was completed in 1974. There’s little steel and minimal glass used in building exteriors, keeping the city further away from Berlin’s modernity. Munich is the more conservative and traditional of the two, and it’s plain to see that’s reflected in how those who live there see themselves. Munich is more traditional and conservative and has a more tame style and more judgment in terms of body image, so people tend to not wear outlandish outfits and tend to blend in with the rest of the population. The city of Berlin has an eclectic range of style, which is reflected in the citizens’ image. There’s more of a tolerance in Berlin based on the city’s history and the large number of immigrants. After the fall of the Nazi regime, Berlin was divided amongst the Soviets, British and Americans and became a cultural center. Berlin is now a cornucopia of style and encompasses many styles of modern architecture. Berlin is a grand cultural center for Germany. There’s a multitude of ethnic groups, religions and nationalities in the city. Walking through the streets, it’s much more common to see face tattoos and piercings. Punks and skaters wander the streets in all black leather outfits, dyed green Mohawks and half buzzed heads with chains dangling from their waste. Body image is focused on individualism, not tradition. People dress more for themselves, get piercings that represent who they are and wear makeup they want to wear. It’s every person for themselves. “Berlin has always been a city of strangers,” Jason Honey, an ex-pat from San Diego living in the cultural hub, told us.
Germany’s juxtaposition
Berlin: A city of strangers
Munich: A city of convention
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fter talking to scores of Germans, there seems to be a direct correlation between age and outlook on body image, regardless of experience, interest or background. We noted four major phases of body image ideals that occurred throughout the course of someone’s life. The first phase is puberty and adolescence. People between the ages of 13 and 21 were very conscious of both their own and their peers’ body images and often expressed desires to “fit in” with others and felt pressure from society to do so. This ideology of body image mirrors the changes one’s body goes through during this time. The next shift was adulthood, between the ages of 22 and around 34. This group was still conscious of their body image but was a little less influenced by their peers and more by their own ideals. Those in this phase saw the way they looked and presented themselves as more of a means of self-expression, often saying that they felt better about themselves when they were more comfortable with the way they looked. The third notable phase was middle age, when people were still conscious of their body image, but the main motivation was more focused on family. As their priorities changed after having a career, kids or marriage, people in this phase structured their appearance to better represent their family. Parents now take their children into consideration instead of worrying more about what their peers expect of them. The final major shift occurred in older age, usually around 60 years old and up. They often noted that as they got older they were more aware of who they are, in turn making them more comfortable to be themselves without worrying about external influences. They noted that they understood their motivations and feel like society should see you as who you are. But despite age or appearance, consciouness of body image is always present. In some way, body image finds a way to matter.
Shifting image ideals
Kids come first “I have a son. And my son occupies a lot of time with me, so it’s unnecessary going out and looking good.”
Getting older “When people get to my age ... they don’t necessarily just start dressing like old people.”
Over the course of 13 days in Germany, we spent hours talking to a variety of people across two very different cities. And since we got back, we realized something . . .
Body image is the reflection of a culture.