Special Issue on Germany - Kuwait

LAND OF INNOVATION 40 years of German - Kuwait diplomatic - 50 years of consular relations

Berlin Europe’s Biggest Party Frankfurt : Germany’s ‘Mainhattan’ Munich: ‘Jolly Germany’ Cologne City of Substance

Hamburg Germany’s Greenest City Feel Good in Germany

GOETHE

Germany’s Greatest Man of Letters Islamic Success Story at German Universities

GBCK Provides Key Platform German Business Council of Kuwait

Members’ Directory

10 Reasons

to Invest in Germany

EXTRACT OF GBCK MEMBERS’ DIRECTORY

Good Ideas from Germany

IN COOPERATION WITH THE EMBASSY OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY - KUWAIT AND GERMAN BUSINESS COUNCIL - KUWAIT

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LAND OF INNOVATION

In cooperation with The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany - Kuwait

Mahmoud Al Radwan

Mujahid Iqbal

Coordinator Alexandra Chambless Commercial Attache’

General Manager

Joint Editor

Consultant

M. Irfan Nagra

Prasana Menon

Ussuf Malik

Finance Manager

Public Relations

Khurram Sajjad

Mahmood Ahmed

Chairman & Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor

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Art Designer

Correspondent

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Contents Ambassador praises 40 years of German-Kuwait diplomatic relations GHORFA building bridges between Germany and the Arab World Germany-Kuwait relations in cooperation with NUMOV Germany’s Contribution to Kuwait’s Liberation Germany a motor in the world economy Passed Half a Century in Kuwait 10 Reasons to Invest in Germany German Architecture The Delights of Eating in Germany A Taste of Germany Abroad GERMANY - An Attractive Place for Medical Care PORSCHE 918 Spyder Prototype on rare display in Kuwait An Open Society Germany for beginners: First steps at the university Islamic Success Story at German Universities GOETHE: Germany’s Greatest Man of Letters Good Ideas from Germany Lifestyle and Everyday Culture Germany an Environmental Policy Pioneer A dynamic creative sector Germany: An Unforgetable Experience Beyond Expectations Feel Good In Germany BERLIN: Europe’s Biggest Party Island of Opportunity MUNICH: “Jolly Germany” Frankfurt: Germany’s ‘Mainhattan’ COLOGNE: City of Substance HAMBURG: Germany’s Greatest City German Business Council Kuwait Extract of GBCK Members’ Directory

Credits: www.kuwait.diplo.de

www.health-destination.travel

www.deutschland.de

www.gbc-kuwait.org

www.berlin.de www.germany-tourism.de www.germanlife.com www.germany.travel www.frankfurt-tourismus.de

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INTERVIEW

Ambassador praises 40 years of German-Kuwait

diplomatic relations

HE Frank M Mann, German Ambassador to Kuwait, expounds on German-Kuwait ties, opportunities in Germany and life in the foreign service.

Q. After more than half a century of diplomatic relations, how would you characterize Kuwait-Germany ties?

Germany and Kuwait maintain excellent friendly relations which have developed over the years. When in 1963 it was decided to first establish consular relations, this was following the need for consular services for the citizens of both countries. 1963 was just two years after the Berlin Wall had been erected and there were still two Germanys which were seeking diplomatic recognition by the State of Kuwait. The accession of both Germanys to the United Nations in 1973 finally paved the way for diplomatic relations with both German states existing at the time.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Federal Republic of Germany - or in short West Germany - there has been a constant exchange of high and highest ranking visitors between both our countries and quite a number of agreements bear witness of the deepening of relations in all fields. An agreement on cultural cooperation had been signed even before the invasion in 1979 and a German school provided education following a German curriculum.

The Iraq invasion of Kuwait was a test case for the profoundness and solidity of diplomatic relations between both countries. Despite the fact that Germany herself after reunification on October 3, 1990 was in a crucial moment of her national development, the German government did not hesitate a moment to offer whatever help could be provided within the limits of the German constitution. The support for the liberation of Kuwait was manifold, in diplomacy, economic support, active engagement in the Gulf by securing the shipping routes against sea mines and in support of the logistics and defence capabilities of NATO Allies. The equivalent of 9 times the value of German exports to Kuwait in 2010 speaks for the efforts undertaken by Germany for the liberation of Kuwait.

There is no better witness to the quality of the relations between Germany and Kuwait as the friendly visits the leaders of both countries exchanged in 2010 and 2011. In 2010 HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah paid a most successful visit to Germany and in particular Berlin and Stuttgart and in 2011 the German President HE Christian Wulff paid two visits to Kuwait

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Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

by his participation in the celebrations for 50 years of Kuwait independence, 20 years of liberation and 5 years of tenure of HH the Amir. In December of 2011, the German president paid a state visit to Kuwait.

Q. What about economic relations between the two countries?

The economic relations are just as much as the political relations of the highest quality. Trade figures show that from all the countries of the EU, Germany ranks number 1 in its trade relations. In worldwide comparison, Germany for years ranked the 3rd respectively the 4th most important partner for Kuwait. The relations are traditionally excellent and based on the trust in the reliability and the technological advantages of Germany as a trade partner. Even before independence, German products have earned the confidence of the consumer in Kuwait and the first technicians who came to Kuwait to service German cars established a lifelong relationship with Kuwait. The development of the power industry in Kuwait and the generation and distribution of electricity is another example of a successful cooperation between companies of both countries.

In 2008 a joint committee for economic cooperation was created.

This committee convened in November 2012 for the 3rd time and laid the foundation for continued excellent trade and industrial cooperation. German business maintains excellent relations with the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its member companies. In Germany, the Near and Middle East Organisation of the Germany Industry (NUMOV) as well as the Arab German Chamber of Commerce (GHORFA) play an important role in supporting and facilitating the cooperation between the companies of both countries.

Q. Trade between Germany and Kuwait appears to be dominated by the oil, gas, and health and technology sectors.

In what other sectors do you see Germany-Kuwait partnerships developing?

Of course Germany values the natural resources Kuwait has to offer. Germany is to a large extent dependant on these import especially for its energy needs and petrochemical products. On the other hand, there is more to German cooperation than just health

INTERVIEW

HE Frank M Mann German Ambassador to Kuwait

By Mujahid Iqbal

Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

9

The German Ambassdaor to the state of Kuwait Frank M Mann and Colleagues

and technology. German products and German engineering skills have a competitive edge in most sectors of the industry. German companies can provide an important contribution to the ambitious plans for the development of Kuwait, for example in infrastructure, traffic, housing, wastewater treatment, treatment and recycling of waste, energy efficiency and most importantly, in the generation of electrical power, both in conventional and renewable energy.

Despite Kuwait’s tremendous oil reserves renewable energy will in future play an ever increasing important role for Kuwait’s energy supply. The insight that it is more profitable to sell than to burn oil is no longer very original. Germany which has opted for a transformation in its own energy supply policy has the advantage of years of experience ahead of her competitors.

Q. What business opportunities exist in Germany for the Kuwaiti investor? Which economic sectors would be most favourable for direct investment and why?

Germany has for long been an interesting market for direct investments both from the government and the private sector.

It is a well known fact that the Kuwait government holds a 7% stake in the German technology giant Mercedes. In addition, there are innumerable investments in small and medium enterprises which form the backbone of the German economy. Investments in Germany offer a secure and steady return on investment.

Q. Is Germany planning to establish a trade center in Kuwait?

There are many possibilities to establish contacts and relations with German business. Apart from the German Industry and Commerce office (AHK) in Abu Dhabi, the German Embassy’s economic department is always available to help to bring partners together.

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Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

In addition the German Business Council Kuwait, an association of companies with good contacts to German business, offers its support. A number of institutions from Germany are actively engaged in supporting business relations between Germany and Kuwait. For one this is the German Near and Middle East Association (NUMOV) and not to forget the Arab-German Chamber of Commerce (Ghorfa), both based in Berlin. The German Industry and Commerce office (AHK) in Abu Dhabi is at present extending its services to Kuwait and is about to establish a representative office in Kuwait.

Q. Has Germany taken any steps to attract more medical tourists from Kuwait? What healthcare services does it provide?

Medical tourists play an ever increasing role in tourism from Kuwait and the Gulf countries. The Kuwait government has established a health office which caters to the needs of government-sponsored patients who are treated in German hospitals. Besides, there exist a number of cooperation agreements between Kuwaiti and major German hospitals. Their services begin with receiving the patient upon arrival at the airport in Germany, continue to the operation theatre and include the rehabilitation period after the operation or treatment. The German health system is renowned worldwide for the highest possible quality of its treatments.

Q. Please describe the educational opportunities for Kuwaiti students in Germany. What are the benefits of a German qualification?

Germany’s strong reputation of a high-tech country is based on a solid educational system with world-renowned high schools and universities. These institutions of higher learning have for many years started to offer courses in the English language as well.

There are no university fees to be paid, making studies in Germany

Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

11

The German Ambassdaor to the state of Kuwait Frank M Mann presented his letter of credentials to H.H. the Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

also financially highly attractive. German values such as accuracy, reliability and punctuality are only some of the fundamentals of German studies. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers support and information about educational opportunities.

DAAD at present is even preparing a program for the specialization of doctors at the famous Charite hospitals in Berlin.

Since 2010, the Kuwait Ministry of Education supported by DAAD has included German universities in its state scholarship program.

Experiences so far are very encouraging and till now 17 students in mostly technical fields are making good progress in their studies.

Apart from government scholars, Germany for long has received students on a private basis. Many Kuwaiti students have graduated from German universities or received doctorate degrees. We even know of one Kuwaiti scholar from the faculty of law who has completed his studies with the highest distinctions.

Q. Thousands of Kuwaitis travel to Europe every year for holidays. Why should they choose Germany as their next vacation destination? What is the volume of Kuwaitis visiting Germany on average?

The number of Kuwaiti tourists travelling to Germany has been indeed very high in the past although numbers are fluctuating.

As more and more Kuwaiti citizens are benefiting from long term Schengen visas, it has become difficult to cite an exact figure. With borders in the Schengen area being open for visa holders, tourists may cross over from one country to another without any hindrance.

The attractiveness of Germany as a holiday destination lies in the vast variety of different landscapes and tourist attractions. From the Baltic Sea in the north up to the alpine mountains in the south and with Berlin in the east and Dusseldorf in the west, there is something for the taste of everybody. The German Tourism Board in Dubai is in regular contact with tour operators in Kuwait and keeps them abreast with new destinations and new attractions. This February, the Tourist Board highlighted for its partners in Kuwait Germany as a destination for family vacations.

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Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

Tourist infrastructure in Germany is excellent and with Lufthansa’s and Kuwait Airways’ daily flights to Frankfurt, travelling to Germany is easy and convenient. Getting around in Germany with the German railway system, its dense network of interior flights, public transport or by car is fun.

Q. Are the visa formalities simple and speedy for Kuwaitis and expatriates alike? Do you facilitate medical visas for patients and their families? Of what duration are the visas and how speedily are they processed?

Obtaining a Schengen visa has become indeed very easy in the past years and with the service provider Al-Qabas, there is guarantee that all the necessary documents for the application of a visa are provided. Kuwait citizens may obtain their visa in general within three working days. In urgent cases of medical emergency, this period can be further substantially shortened. Persons travelling to Germany for the first time will always be granted a duration of the visa which will give them ample time for their intended stay.

Frequent travellers who have been in Germany or in the Schengen area several times before may be eligible for a longer term visa of several years. This will enable them to stay in Germany for a period of 90 days within a six-month period.

Q. Please tell us something about yourself and your various postings.

After more than 40 years of active service in the Federal Foreign Office, I can look back with some satisfaction on a career which could not have been more diversified and more interesting. During my career, I have been posted to 7 countries and I profited from these assignments not only by having a chance of a deep insight into the societies of the respective countries but at the same time by learning a lot about the regions.

My career took me from Burma (Myanmar) to Bulgaria, China, Finland, Yemen, Cambodia up to my present post in Kuwait. In the course of my work, I had to deal with all tasks which an embassy has to offer

such as economic, science and technology, cultural, press and most importantly political relations. Apart from the assignments abroad, I dealt in our headquarters with such important issues as the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, information technology, environment and development cooperation.

With the reunification of Germany in 1990 the federal government had the unique opportunity to move back its headquarters to the old and new German capital Berlin. I happened to be among the first batch of government employees who in 1999 were posted to the new foreign office building in Berlin. This meant another displacement of my family, this time within Germany from Bonn where we had lived since 1984 to our new hometown Berlin.

During all this time and in all these posts, my wife had been a true partner in my professional career and supported me in all activities which are connected to the life and the social commitments of a diplomat. We were at the same time fortunate that both our children managed the life of a diplomat’s family with all the disadvantages for a steady family life without any problems.

On the contrary, they benefited a lot in experience for their own professional careers.

I still remember the meeting with the heads of offices of the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) in Berlin on Sept 11, 2001 when the news was handed into our meeting that there had been an attack on the twin towers of the World Trade Centre. There was no possibility to continue this meeting but to follow the news as it was unfolding.

This atrocious attack on peaceful civilians has until today a lasting repercussion on world affairs and the relations between people and states with which I am dealing as a diplomat. The discussion of the importance of security for the economic and social development of countries is still going on. We had to understand that there is no development without security and no security without development.

The devastating tsunamis on the 26th of Dec 2004 which cost the lives of over 230,000 people and the tsunami which happened just two years ago on March 11, 2011 with almost 16 000 victims are two more unforgettable events which had an important influence on the life and work of a diplomat. The subsequent accidents in the Fukushima nuclear power plant demonstrated to me – once again – the incalculable risks of nuclear power generation. There has been a demonstration of strong and sincere solidarity with the victims of these accidents including in Kuwait and Germany. The German Embassy in Kuwait had organized a fundraising event where Kuwaiti and expats alike contributed to alleviate the plight of the victims.

“We had to understand that there is no development without security and no security without development.”

Q. Has there been any special moment in your diplomatic career? What particular challenges do you face in your day to day dealings?

There are a few occasions in one’s lifetime one will ever forget and which all had a bearing on the life of a government official and diplomat. On September 26, 1986 the terrible nuclear accident at the nuclear power plant of Chernobyl happened. This accident all of a sudden highlighted that the positive effects of nuclear power generation have to be weighed against the risks connected to the generation of nuclear power. At the time I was working as desk officer for relations with the International Atomic Energy Agency and we were working day and night to establish the facts of what had happened and to evaluate the consequences of the radiation risks to the German population and to our international relations with our neighbouring countries. We had to realize that a nuclear accident which happened far away may have serious consequences on our own welfare. As a reaction to this insight, the German government decided to support regulations for and necessary investments in nuclear safety in neighbouring countries and I was participating in the negotiations for such agreements.

During the time of my assignment at the German Embassy in Beijing, on the 9th of November 1989 I received a telephone call from a friend that I should watch the television as the Berlin Wall has just been opened for transborder visits of Germans from both sides. In the beginning I did not believe the news as this was almost unthinkable until shortly before it happened. I spent with my family the rest of the day in front of a television set watching the emotional scenes of German families being reunited after decades of separation. This event again had long-lasting effects on the life and work of a German diplomat.

The German government has as a consequence decided to phase out nuclear energy by 2022 and to secure our energy needs through renewable energy. As ambassador it is my task to explain the value of this policy to our partners and I am convinced that even in a country with a vast supply of oil – such as Kuwait – renewable energy is profitable and the energy of the future.

Q. What has been the highlight of your posting in Kuwait?

In the professional life of every diplomat, the preparation of and the participation in high and highest level meetings between representatives of the country you represent and the country to which you are accredited are the true highlights. In this respect I have been fortunate to serve in Kuwait during a time, when the German President Christian Wulff accompanied by his wife visited Kuwait twice in 2011 – the first time to participate in the 50/20/5 jubilee and the second time on a bilateral state visit. After the most successful visit of HH the Amir in Germany in April 2010, these visits highlighted once more the excellent and profound relations between our two countries and its people. In addition, the visit of our Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle in September 2012 and his meetings with the highest representatives of Kuwait was another highlight during my tenure as ambassador in Kuwait.

On a more personal note for me and my family, there were numerous highlights when meeting officials and friends in the most friendly and open atmosphere which is so typical for Kuwait. The hospitality of Kuwaitis is beyond any comparison and this I consider an ongoing highlight which makes living and working in Kuwait so precious.

Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

13

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Eng Mohammed Al Radwan Deputy Chairman

Showing the way forward Dear Readers, Germany is a shining example of resilience and determination.

Despite two wars and reunification, it is among the most advanced and financially sound countries of the world. Kuwait and Germany mark 40 years of diplomatic ties this year, a milestone in the relations between the two nations.

Kuwaitis have always had a very favourable impression of Germany, beginning with its cars. German vehicles have a rocksolid reputation in Kuwait for their reliability and efficiency. Ditto for German machinery and products. Thousands of Kuwaitis also travel every year to Germany for holidays or medical treatment at its world-class facilities. Kuwaiti students too are increasingly looking at Germany for higher studies.

On the other hand, German companies have been involved in many infrastructure projects in Kuwait, providing essential knowhow and cutting-edge, state-of-the-art technologies for decades.

We hope our readers get to know this magnificent country better through this special issue on Germany.

Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

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FOREWORD Mujahid Iqbal Managing Editor

Germany-Kuwait ties growing ever stronger

A

major factor in Germany’s international appeal is its wealth of vibrant, exciting towns and cities. These are the places that make Germany the No. 2 destination in the world for trade fairs and conferences and a leader in cultural tourism. People also come from abroad for the shopping, art and design as well as the natural beauty and the food and drink. This beautiful country also boasts of world class healthcare facilities which are only too evident in the surge in its medical tourism.

All this combined with a well-developed infrastructure, outstanding value for money and guaranteed top quality in all forms of accommodation – from youth hostels to five-star hotels – means a city break in Germany is always a special experience.

We have been busier than usual to beat the deadline, with this special issue on the occasion of 50 years of Germany-Kuwait consular and 40 years of diplomatic relations.

We are most grateful to all our advertisers who lent us their generous support in making this Special Edition a success and we strongly hope that their objectives will be achieved through their presence in the magazine. We are particularly grateful to the following: I would like to extend my gratitude to H.E. Frank M. Mann, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Kuwait, Ms. Alexandra Chambless, Press, Cultural and Commercial Attaché and Ms. Zeina Nseir, Asst. Press & Public Relations, for their whole-hearted support to my staff in bringing out this issue. The Commercial Section of the German Embassy-Kuwait in particular has been very helpful to us.

Mr. Ralph Geyer, President, Board Members and the members of the German Business Council – Kuwait for their cooperation and active support in all our endeavors.

On behalf of our group, I would like to extend our appreciation to each of you and assure you that quality and excellence are the mainstay of our endeavor.

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Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

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GHORFA

Building bridges between Germany and the Arab World

Delegation visit to Kuwait in March 2013

G

ermany and the Arab world traditionally have excellent business ties. Cooperation has allowed both sides to prosper in the past and offers many mutually beneficial business opportunities in the future. In order to foster the highpotential Arab-German business relations, the Ghorfa Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry was founded in Bonn in 1976. Centrally located in Germany‘s capital Berlin, the Ghorfa is the number one competence platform for business relations between Germany and the Arab world in the fields of trade, industry, finance and investment. The chamber enhances networking, provides valuable information and offers top-notch consulting.

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Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

Trade between Germany and the Arab world is constantly growing. In 2012, the trade volume increased by over 21 percent compared to the year before and reached 49 billion euros. Traditionally, Kuwait and Germany have strong business relations.

Kuwait is one of the most important investors in Germany and has started his engagement in the early 70s of the last century as the first Arab state that invested in Germany.

German and Kuwaiti businessmen are continuously exploring new cooperation possibilities to further strengthen their long-term strategic partnerships. In total, the trade volume between Kuwait and Germany reached more than 1.4 bn euros in 2012. These positive developments in 2012

clearly demonstrate the enormous potential of Kuwaiti-German business relations.

A high-class Arab-German business network The Ghorfa has proven to be an effective link between business partners form the Arab world and Germany. Based on its invaluable heritage and its ambitious commitment, the chamber has a powerful network consisting of both institutional and entrepreneurial decision-makers. Under the umbrella of the General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Arab Countries, Ghorfa operates and acts as the only official representative of all Arab Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Germany. The

Finding the right business partner is the key to success

cooperation between the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Ghorfa is traditionally very strong. The chamber works very closely with all Arab embassies in Germany, the Arab League and related governmental bodies in the Arab states.

It is part of the worldwide organisation of Arab foreign Chambers of Commerce and Industry. The Ghorfa also cooperates with German governmental bodies on federal and regional level and the most important German industrial associations.

The close connection and effective collaborations with decision-makers and policy shapers enable the Ghorfa to support its members in finding reputable business partners with equal interests and the same vision of successful and beneficial partnership. The chamber actively promotes and strengthens business relationships built on trust and transparency among its member companies to establish memberto member business and also promote member services and products to a wider business community.

Arab-German Business Forum 2006with H.H. Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed AlAhmad Al-Sabah, former Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait

Finding the right business partner is the key to success The Ghorfa offers its members and the wider Arab and German business community a comprehensive range of services to assist them in finding valuable contacts for expanding their business. Therefore the chamber hosts a wide range of highlevel networking events to bring together German and Arab professionals. The annual Arab-German Business Forum has become the number one platform for Arab-German business cooperation with up to 800 highranking participants. Further conferences focus on health, tourism, energy and education.

HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber AlSabah, Amir of Kuwait, visited Germany in April 2010. In his honour the Ghorfa together with the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry organized a gala dinner with almost 200 high-ranking German representatives out of economy and politics. During this event Sheikh Sabah stressed the good Kuwaiti-German relations and announced

Thomas Bach,President of Ghorfa, H.H. Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and H.E. Ali M. Thunyan Al-Ghanim, President of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (from left to right)

“the common factors between our countries are a solid basis for the future development of economic relations.�

In 2006, Kuwait was partner of the ArabGerman Business Forum. HE Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, former Prime Minister of Kuwait was welcomed as a guest of honor. The Prime Minister held a keynote speech at the forum and was accompanied by a high-level Kuwaiti delegation. The Ghorfa organizes many business delegations together with the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry in order to further promote Kuwaiti-German business. The latest delegation organized to Kuwait took part from March 23-25, 2013.

Abdulaziz Al-Mikhlafi, Secretary General of the Ghorfa Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomed the strong interest of German companies prior to the visit: “We are positive that the delegation members will gain valuable insight into current and future projects in their discussions with high-ranking decision

Delegation visit to Kuwait in March 2013 Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

19

Meeting in the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry during the Delegation visit to Kuwait in March 2013

makers from business and politics in Kuwait.

At the same time, the delegation visit is an excellent opportunity for both German and Kuwaiti businessmen to strengthen their contacts and further promote Arab-German business relations.”

The German Ambassador to Kuwait, HH Frank M Mann, welcomed the efforts by German companies for the development of trade relations with companies from Kuwait.

The Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Kuwait Chamber for Commerce and Industry are strong partners in promoting these efforts. “German companies can provide many solutions to

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Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

the tasks which the Government of Kuwait is about to implement in the framework of its development plans. This is especially true in the fields of energy generation and distribution, water purification and waste water treatment, environment protection, health care, engineering and consulting services” the German Ambassador said.

Knowledge is power As a non-profit organization the Ghorfa follows its number one goal: strengthening Arab-German business ties.

Besides providing excellent networking opportunities, the Ghorfa offers up-to-date business information.

In regular newsletters, the quarterly business magazine SOUQ, country specific business guides, industry books, and its website, the Ghorfa supplies its members with the latest economic trends.

The chamber‘s annual Arab-German Business Directory is the “whois-who” of the ArabGerman business world. It gives a unique extensive overview of the most important business contacts. By providing up-to-date information, the ArabGerman Chamber of Commerce and Industry paves the way for stronger business cooperation in all

industry fields and sectors and promotes strategic partnerships.

Taking the right decisions With its international and multilingual team, the Ghorfa offers intercultural consulting.

The chamber supports Arab and German businessmen in finding the perfect match for B2B meetings and exploring new business opportunities. The members receive support with comprehensive business intelligence and receive detailed information on market players in Germany and the Arab countries.

The multilingual team gives you advice in intercultural issues, helps you understand how to deal with potential business partners and gives an overview about legal framework conditions in regard to taxes or commercial and investment law. Ghorfa provides its members with a valuable information advantage over other market participants. In addition to networking, information and consulting, the chamber also offers its members individual special services, such as visa support.

Contact: Ghorfa Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry Garnisonkirchplatz 1 D-10178 Berlin Tel.: +49-30-27 89 07-0 Fax: +49-30-27 89 07-49 E-Mail: ghorfa@ghorfa.de Web: www.ghorfa.de

German-Kuwaiti relations in cooperation with NUMOV

By Edgar Zedler and Tom Wells

H.E. Dr. Gerhard Schröder, H.H. Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah the Amir of Kuwait

N

UMOV, the German Near and Middle East Association, has been committed to maintaining and promoting bilateral relations between Germany and the Near and Middle East region for the past 79 years. NUMOV’s network and wealth of information support and aid German companies looking to enter regional markets. Looking back proudly over our history, we at NUMOV have always handled our tasks with perseverance and passion. Our core aim is to create business opportunities between our members and partners from Germany and the whole of the Near and Middle East region and to strengthen and deepen economic ties.

As a non-profit organisation, we are truly committed to providing our more than 600 members with the best service available. Our continuous service, as well as our constant aspiration to improve, covers the whole scope of contemporary business demands and opportunities, endeavouring to meet the challenges of today and of the future.

For German businesses wishing to increase their market presence, NUMOV has proved itself to be the largest and the best platform for initiating and establishing business ties.

It is not just our attractive projects, which are regularly presented in our publications, but

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Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

also our long-lasting experience that shows us the economic potential of this region. The German Near and Middle East Association provides support for its members with ingenuity, motivation and expertise, and will continue to be their reliable partner in any economic venture. Becoming a member of NUMOV is the opportunity to profit from the vivid economic ties between Germany and the region of the Near and Middle East.

Take advantage of our various activities and the provision of reliable information and expertise. We invite our members to be part of our mission to create prosperous and beneficial relationships between our countries, and not least to benefit from this dynamic and exciting growth region.

German-Kuwaiti relations in cooperation with NUMOV, the German Near and Middle East Association, date back to the year 1968, when the first German business delegation visited Kuwait. This delegation was planned and organised by NUMOV in cooperation with the Federation of German Industries and was led by Hans Knipping, former board member of Philipp Holzmann AG. In 1991 NUMOV board members accompanied then Federal Minister of Economics and Labour Jürgen Möllemann on his trip to Kuwait, and in 1995 representatives of NUMOV accompanied then German Foreign Minister Dr Klaus Kinkel on a visit to Kuwait. That trip was a great opportunity for the German Near and Middle East Association to strengthen its contacts with local organizations.

In 2000 economic activities between Germany and Kuwait began to flourish.

About 700 German companies were registered in Kuwait and German exports had already exceeded 500 million euros.

Also in the same year a German delegation - organized by NUMOV – travelled to Kuwait to strengthen business relations.

In 2004, NUMOV organised the GermanKuwaiti Business Forum in Berlin on the occasion of a visit from HE Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah,

former Minister of Communications, Planning and Development and Special Representative to then Prime Minister of Kuwait HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who were accompanied by a high-ranking delegation. Some 100 German business executives attended the meeting on the joint invitation of NUMOV and the Federation of the German Industry.

Former German Chancellor HE Dr Gerhard Schröder visited Kuwait on a Gulf tour in March 2005, the first visit from a Chancellor in German history. Accompanied by a seventy-member business delegation, Schröder focused his seven country tour on promoting German business interests.

After high level talks with then Amir of Kuwait HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah and then Prime Minister of Kuwait HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah, the Chancellor and HE Abdullah Abdelrahman Al-Taweel, former Kuwaiti Minister of Commerce and Industry,

Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

23

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inaugurated the Az Zour II power plant for which Siemens had supplied the gas turbines and which provides about a tenth of Kuwait’s overall required power. Schröder noted that the new plant is a good example of joint German-Kuwaiti projects in the field of technology and called for a further strengthening of economic and technical cooperation between the two countries.

In 2006, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technologies, NUMOV organised a business delegation for 30 business representatives to Kuwait and Qatar. On this occasion, NUMOV – with the assistance of former German Ambassador to Qatar, HE Dirk Baumgartner – founded the German Working Group Asian Games 2006. After only a few months, about 100 companies had joined the group. Also in 2006, HE Michael Glos, then German Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, visited Kuwait and the UAE – two of Germany’s most important trading partners in the Arab World. He was accompanied by a large delegation of high-calibre German business executives, including several NUMOV board members. During the visit to Kuwait, the former Federal Minister was received by former Prime Minister HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah, and discussed the improvement of economic relations with HE Yousef AlZalzalah, former Minister of Commerce and Industry, HE Bader Al-Humaidhi, former

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Minister of Finance, and HE Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Ahmad Al Sabah, former Minister of Energy.

2008 marked the first German-Kuwaiti Joint Commission on Economic, Trade and technical Cooperation in Berlin headed

by HE Ahmed Yaqoub Baqr Al-Abdullah, former Minister of Economy of the State of Kuwait and Glos. In the following year the 85th NUMOV Länderforum took place on

13th January 2009 in Bonn. The forum was focused on Kuwait and hosted by Dr Monika Wulf-Mathies, then active as a member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Post World Net and NUMOV board member,. Among the participants were HE Dr Michael Worbs, former German Ambassador to Kuwait and Dr Jürgen Friedrich, former Head of the North Africa, Near and Middle East Division of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology.

In 2011 the prospects for Kuwaiti-German bilateral relations were addressed during an economic reception on 15th November 2011. HE Dr Musaed Al-Haroun, Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to Germany, received member companies of NUMOV at his residence in Berlin. Al-Haroun expressed his confidence in a further strengthening of the bilateral relations between the State of Kuwait and the Federal Republic of Germany. He saw great potential for further engagement of German companies, as the Gulf state is seeking to diversify its economy and therefore needs technical know-how and products of high quality. The Kuwait Development Plan (KDP), initiated in 2010, is the blueprint of Kuwait’s ambitions to meet the future challenges of a growing population and gain independency from an oilbased economy. In 2012 NUMOV published the first edition of the Kuwaiti-German business forum as part of a larger context of mutual economic interest.

It included information on the Kuwaiti economy and local events, such as tenders and exhibitions.

German-Kuwaiti bilateral relations, in cooperation with NUMOV, the German Near and Middle East Association, look back on a long and prosperous history and are truly exemplary of the strong ties between Germany and the Near and Middle East.

Web: www.numov.de

The German Industry and Commerce Office (AHK) your active partner in the Gulf Region

T

he German Industry and Commerce Office (AHK) is supporting German companies in entering the market in the lower Gulf region. The AHK services the whole gulf region excluding Saudi Arabia and Yemen and is present with offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha and Muscat. The term AHK stands for Auslandshandelskammer (German Chamber Abroad). AHK promotes and supports trade relations between Germany and the Gulf countries, in particular supports German companies in building up and extending their business in the region.

The AHKs are the most important partners of the Federal German Ministry for Economics and Technology abroad in terms of promoting business in other countries.

Together with Germany’s diplomatic missions abroad (i.e. embassies and consulates) the AHKs officially represent the interests of German industry and commerce in respect of political and administration authorities in their host countries.

Numerous German delegations visit the region every year. Kuwait is also one of the focus countries. In December 2012 a delegation headed by the German Private Equity and Venture Capital Association visited Kuwait and AHK organized meetings with Financial Institutions and Sovereign Wealth Funds. Furthermore, members of the delegation used the opportunity to talk to private sector companies and establish new connections into the country.

Peter GĂśpfrich Renewable Energy and IT Security. Meetings with the Ministry of Water and Electricity, the Municipality and the Environmental Public Authority gave them a good insight into the institutional framework of the country. In B2B meetings organized by the Kuwait Chamber of Industry and Commerce in cooperation with AHK the companies had the opportunity to receive market information and a possibility to identify potential business opportunities.

Besides delegation trips, AHK is supporting German companies in conducting market studies or arranging meetings with potential business partners. Strong areas for corporation are in particular the environmental, medical and industrial sector, as well as training and education.

Foreign investments are also an important topic within the German- GCC relationship.

Within the framework of a European Union co-funded project, the AHK alongside 3 other partner institutions, is currently examining the Investment climate between the EU and GCC regions and identifying new opportunities. As part of this project, the AHK has also launched a new website under www.eu-gccinvest.eu, aimed at facilitating access to information relevant to investments.

For further information please contact: Lamia.damerje @ahkuae.com or dalia.samra@ahkuae.com

A further delegation was organized to visit Kuwait from the 19th to the 21st of February. It focused on the topics of Water,

Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

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50 Years of Treaty of Elysée 50 Years of Partnership between France and Germany

W

e are celebrating today the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Elysée. On 22 January 1963, General de Gaulle and Chancellor Konrad Adenauer committed to embark on the road of reconciliation between France and Germany to steer towards mutual understanding and closer cooperation. For the two countries it was a historic moment, charged with deep emotions. General de Gaulle and Chancellor Konrad Adenauer knew that they would be shaping the future course of Franco-German relations, and of European integration. In 1963, Adenauer said in French: “Without this treaty, there would be no union in Europe. The methods may change, but the most important thing has been laid down, and that’s why we may never lose the trust of friends”.

Since then, our relations have grown exponentially in all fields: politics, security, economy, youth exchanges, cultural and

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intellectual exchanges, to name but a few. The 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Elysée provides a good opportunity to look back at the success of the FrancoGerman cooperation which paved the way to European integration as a whole, but also to set new objectives to the bilateral cooperation for the next decades, with the ambition to pursue and deepen this process of European integration. It is for this reason that Chancellor Merkel and President Hollande meet today, along with members of Parliament and ministers of both countries, to mark this Anniversary and to celebrate the Franco-German friendship. Prior to this very special day, both leaders had launched the Franco-German year in both countries in Ludwigsburg on 22 September 2012.

Many events will take place during this year, until the 5th of July in Paris, with the 50th anniversary of the French German Youth Office (FGYO).

We would like to highlight on this special occasion the strength and depth of the relations between France and Germany.

A historic picture often comes to mind in this regard: French President François Mitterrand and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, hand in hand, on 22 September 1984 in Douaumont, near Verdun, 70 years after the beginning of the First World War. Beyond this symbol, there is a need for many Europeans, and we also believe, for Asian people, to have a clearer insight into reconciliation between two century-old arch-enemies and the ensuing cooperation between France and Germany. For readers in Kuwait it might be surprising but in the French-German relationship it is an every day business that every ministry hosts public servants from the other country who are fully integrated and often work at the highest levels within the other country’s ministry such as the Minister’s cabinet in the German Federal Foreign Office and in the French Foreign

Authorized Visa Application Center for the Embassies of Germany and Italy in Kuwait

Address: P.O. Box 66489, Third Floor , Mezzanine (M 3 ), Sanabel Tower, Al Babteen, Sharq Call Center: +965 22924444, Fax: +965 22924442 Email : info@qavisa.com, Website: www.qavisa.com

Ministry. In addition France and Germany have agreed to build - wherever suitable joint Embassy complexes as a clear signal of the close relationship and cooperation of both partners. Such co-located embassies are about to be built in the diplomatic area of New Mishref/Kuwait. These close bonds between two neighboring countries are unprecedented worldwide.

It is little known, but German companies employ 320,000 employees in France, and French companies, 285,000 employees in Germany. More than 8 million students have participated in programs through the creation of the FGYO, and more than 61,000 students went on exchange programs between France and Germany in 2011 alone.

De Gaulle and Adenauer were visionary in the emphasis they placed on building up trust between the young generations in both countries. Another data is striking: more than 80,000 students of both countries

are attending bilingual classes, adding a great skill to their competences. The FrancoGerman TV channel Arte presents a good example of close cooperation in culture.

Since its creation in 1990, Arte positioned itself as a reference in terms of quality and variety of programs from both countries.

France and Germany are key founding members of the European Union. In the past few months, we have been working together, along with the other European countries, to push forward decisive actions to overcome the Euro Zone crisis so that European countries in difficulty can reduce their macroeconomic imbalances through ambitious structural reform programs.

We fully support the implementation of new solidarity mechanisms, such as the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) and from last September, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), which has a €500 billion lending capacity to provide financial

assistance to Euro Zone states in economic difficulty. In recognition of the role of the European Union for the safeguard of peace and prosperity the EU has been awarded the 2012 Nobel Price for peace. Without the reconciliation of France and Germany based on the Elysée Treaty of 1963 – such a development would not have been possible.

The bilateral defense cooperation is intense, dynamic and remains essential for France’s and Germany’s strategic objectives. Main activities of the cooperation are developed through the French-German Brigade created in 1989 (which accounts for 2 800 German and 2 300 French soldiers), which is a model worldwide for close cooperation in security and defense of two countries.

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INTERVIEW

GBCK a Vital Link Ralph Geyer, Chairman of the German Business Council in Kuwait, speaks about GBCK’s role in facilitating and promoting business relations between Kuwait and Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

By Mujahid Iqbal Q. What are GBCK’s mission and objectives? o The GBCK’s main objective is the continuous activation of commercial and personal relationships between its members and associates promoting economical, social and cultural relations between Kuwait and Germany, along with Austria and Switzerland. Our vision is to continue presenting valuable information on high profile events and focus on closer cooperation between the various business communities of Germany, Austria and Switzerland on the one hand and our host country Kuwait on the other hand. We intend to enhance dialogue and interaction with our host country and its people and to address issues of common interest.

Q. What kind of services does the GBCK offer to its members? o The GBCK serves as a contact platform for all interested parties and business communities who evaluate possible future business activities in Kuwait. We assist in linking initial business related inquiries to local contacts and provide first hand information Q. How many businesses does the GBCK represent? o The GBCK has about 80 members. Many of them are representing German, Swiss and Austrian companies or are

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working in local companies. The represented business types are mainly related to the segments of automotive, services, health and medical, transport, freight & logistics, technology, hotel business, construction, legal, auditing & advisory, general trading, banking & finance, travel and education.

Q. What do you think the German market has to offer Kuwaiti investors and businesses? o Germany is a leading world player in technology, innovation, science and research, offering a wide range of products and services with highly reliable quality and clear and trustful business relationship; the same also applies for the Swiss and Austrian markets.

Q. How does the GBCK promote trade between Germany and Kuwait? o The GBCK offers through its steering committee and members a platform for the first link between foreign German, Swiss and Austrian companies and Kuwait, who are searching for business opportunities and relationship with local companies. We provide useful information and assistance as a first point of contact and assist in interconnecting interested parties for future business opportunities.

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Germany’s Contribution to Kuwait’s Liberation

T

he invasion of the Iraqi troops in Kuwait on August 2, 1990 was condemned spontaneously and rigorously by the Federal Republic of Germany. Based on UN-Resolution 661 - in which the United Nations on August 3, 1990 demanded the immediate retreat of Iraqi troops and imposed an embargo on Iraq - Germany made first arrangements for assistance in support of friendly Kuwait in this crisis.

The Iraqi attack on August 2, 1990 happened during a period of major political changes in

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Germany. The 2+4-Treaties between both parts of Germany and the Allies on her reunification and the negotiations of the Unification Treaty were still not finalized.

At that time reunification demanded huge political attention. The German government was fully aware of its foreign policy responsibility to support Kuwait and reacted with many arrangements. Germany’s support for the Kuwait and for the coalition forces which were involved in the 2nd Gulf war was more substantial as often perceived and was not only limited to financial means.

As early as on August 10, 1990 - one week after the invasion - Germany decided to dispatch a unit of the German Navy for mine clearance to the eastern Mediterranean Sea in order to release operating units for their mission in the Arabian Gulf. In April 1991 this naval unit was sent to the Northern Arabian Gulf with the orders: “ ... to perform mine clearance to enable the access of ships to Kuwait in cooperation with the allies and in conformity with UN-resolution 686”.

Operation SUEDFLANKE (southern flank)

comprised the German naval squadrons of the WEU-mission for clearance of sea mines in the Arabian Gulf. In order to prevent the landing of allied forces, Iraq had laid an 80-miles-long sea mine barrier, which at the same time endangered international merchant shipping. On April 4, 1991 the forces in the area of Manama/Bahrain were ready for action. The German Naval Squadron consisted of “Donau” as lead- and support unit, mine clearers “Koblenz”, “Marburg” and “Göttingen” as well as the boats “Paderborn” and “Schleswig”. In addition, two Do-28-Oil Leak Surveillance Aircrafts observed the oil spills resulting from the damage of pipelines

operations ACE GUARD and SOUTHERN GUARD. Furthermore, Germany contributed the amount of 16.9 billion DM. Thereof 3 billion DM were spent on military supplies provided to NATO-members and coalition forces. Germany’s military support included free of charge delivery of equipment and munitions and of material loans. 15 - 20% of all costs which accrued during the mission of our alliance partners to liberate Kuwait have been contributed by Germany.

Neighbouring states of Kuwait received financial support of 2 billion DM to alleviate the effects of embargos. In addition, the Bundeswehr took on duties of NATO-

during the Gulf war. In order to solve the oil spill problem, Germany also had sent the multi-purpose ship “Mellum”. On 25 July 1991 the formation of the German Navy had achieved its mission.

partners, to allow them to dispatch forces to the Gulf.

Another main focus of Germany’s assistance was the support of NATO-partners and other coalition troops, which participated in the liberation of Kuwait. The German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) participated as an active troop provider in the NATOmission for the protection of Turkey in

Based on close friendly ties between Germany and Kuwait over many decades, the German government felt very bonded to the fate of Kuwait in those difficult years 1990-1991. With great dedication and in the spirit of friendly solidarity, Germany performed a valuable contribution for Kuwait’s liberation.

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Germany a motor in the

world economy

Y

ou need self-assurance and faith in your own strength to win titles in sport. And what succeeds in sport can also work in business. “In 2013 Germany will overtake the United States and again become the world’s numbertwo exporter,” predicts Volker Treier, head of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK). What makes him so confident are the predictions made by over a hundred German Chambers of Industry and Commerce Abroad (AHKs) in 86 countries. In their 2012–2013 World Economic Report, the AHKs expect German exports to grow by an above-average 6%, compared to just 5% by world trade as a whole in the same period. Germany’s central bank, the Bundesbank, is similarly positive in its Outlook 2012/2013. The central bankers also see German exports still on the fast track in the context of a recovering global economy. However, the experts’ optimism is tempered by a brief footnote: “The scenarios also contain risks” – a reference to the euro crisis.

Indeed, Germany cracked the magical one-

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No country is as closely integrated into the world economy as Germany.

trillion-euro mark for exports in November 2012 for the second time in a row. While its exports to eurozone countries – Germany’s most important foreign-trade market with a share of nearly 60% – flagged slightly between January and August 2012, rising exports to the USA (up 21%) and China (+8%) lifted the mood. The increase in sales to the USA alone accounted for 27% of export growth in the first eight months of 2012. The development of exports was similarly dynamic in Asia, where products made in Germany are as highly appreciated as they are in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. Overall, Germany is the fourthlargest economy in the world after the USA, China and Japan.

The beneficiaries of the high level of foreign demand are the highly innovative and globally well-positioned sectors: automotive, mechanical engineering, chemicals/pharmaceuticals and electronics.

These “big four” traditionally make up the foundation of German industry, employing just under three million people and supplying over half of German exports. The

842,000 employees in the electrical and electronics industries alone generate an annual turnover of 178 billion euros. Of this, goods worth about 155 billion euros were exported in 2011, which was celebrated as a success and an all-time high. Furthermore, the German economy is well positioned worldwide – with an industrial share of 22% and a large proportion of privately owned small and medium-sized enterprises. Other well-established industrialized nations, such as France, Italy, the UK and the USA, have experienced severe de-industrialization processes over the last few decades, so that their industrial sectors are considerably smaller.

41% of goods and services go abroad On the other hand, no country is as closely integrated into the world economy and dependent on thriving world trade as Germany. exports account for an average of 50% or more of turnover in most companies listed on the German stock exchange – e.g.

Adidas (sports articles), Bayer (chemicals,

pharmaceuticals) or Daimler (cars). Small and medium-sized enterprises and so-called “hidden champions” – highly specialized companies with a focused portfolio – often live with their successful niche products on export shares in excess of 80%. Overall, exports from Germany reached 41% of the country’s total sales in 2011. This corresponds to goods worth 1,061 billion euros sold abroad. And this figure doesn’t include the cars, machines and chemicals sold by German-owned factories abroad.

Experts see scope for future export growth

worldwide, it is also a top investor abroad.

German foreign direct investment reached the milestone of one trillion euros for the first time in 2010, with about half of this spending going to countries outside Europe.

Looking in the other direction, foreign investment in Germany is also accelerating again. European investors, especially from the Netherlands, favour Germany mainly because of the infrastructure and the standard of education and training; Chinese investors are interested in the know-how; and investment has become attractive for Japanese companies because of the high exchange rate of the yen. mainly in the services sector. For although just over two-thirds of total economic output in Germany is generated by service companies, so far they only contribute about 15% of exports. IT firms in particular are therefore looking for new forms of international cooperation; industry, too, is increasingly offering engineering, support and maintenance services abroad.

Despite the shift in the world economy towards Asia, the European Union, as the world’s largest single market, remains the number-one customer for German products and services. The most privileged trade relations link Germany and France, and they are still growing at a high level.

Approximately 9.6% of all Germany’s exports cross the Rhine to its western neighbour. In absolute figures, trade (imports and exports) between the two countries amounted to 168 billion euros in 2011. The Netherlands followed in second place with a total of 151.5 billion euros, while the United Kingdom was third.

Germany is not only one of the top exporters

The BRICS are developing into regional heavyweights For their part, German investors and exporters are focusing on the markets in the fast-growing BRICS countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. These five nations are developing into regional heavyweights in a future world economic order and are therefore equal partners for the german economy. Despite all optimistic predictions, however, there is still a considerable need for reform in key policy areas in the BRICS countries, according to a broadly based, international comparative study by the German Bertelsmann Foundation published in October 2012.

The authors conclude that these countries often lack the ability to reform their political systems and are thus putting future growth potential at risk.

While the BRICS countries have been advancing strongly for many years, German Chambers of Industry and Commerce Abroad point to the prospects opening up for emerging ASEAN countries like

Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

In almost all these countries, exports are predicted to grow by more than 10% per annum in coming years. Meanwhile, the Federation of German Industries (BDI) has already identified the next countries that look likely to grow in importance. They include Latin American nations like Chile, Colombia and Peru, as well as countries in the Arab world and East Africa.

In Germany itself, the labour marketfundamentals remain robust – despite the ongoing euro crisis and a slight economic downturn towards the end of 2012. The number of people in employment rose in October 2012 to 41.9 million, a new record.

The unemployment rate is around 6.5%.

Germany currently also has the most secure labour market in the EU for teenagers and young adults aged between 15 and 24.

According to the European statistical agency Eurostat, youth unemployment is lower in Germany (7.9% in June 2012) than in any other EU member state. Qualified staff are especially in demand. There is expected to be a lack of 230,000 qualified personnel by 2020 in the STEM subjects alone – science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

To meet this demand, Germany passed a law in 2012 introducing an EU Blue Card for highly qualified people from abroad.

The Blue Card for university graduates and people with comparable qualifications from non-EU member states simplifies workpermit procedures and aims, in the medium term, to make the German labour market more attractive for international skilled workers.

There are several reasons why Germany is doing well despite the euro crisis. On the one hand, in addition to the economy’s Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

33

innovative strength, the policy decisions taken in the early 2000s are still having an effect. Back in 2003 to 2005, the then federal government under Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder introduced a reform package called Agenda 2010, which made the labour market more flexible and more fit for the future. In 2008/2009 the coalition headed by Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel then found the right answers to the financial crisis.

Many banks were saved from collapse by a rescue fund; the economy was kept ticking over with infrastructure programmes and a scrappage scheme for older cars; workers were protected from redundancy by state subsidies for short-time working. The result was that unemployment remained at a low level; companies kept their skilled workers and managed to survive the crisis without serious damage; the banks are now repaying the aid money (plus interest); schools and kindergartens were renovated in energy-saving projects; and many roads were improved. Germany emerged from the

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crisis stronger – and the environment has also benefited.

The phasing out of nuclear power generation has also proved to be an economically pioneering move. The federal government estimates that investment directly related to the 2011 Energiewende (transformation of the energy system) will reach 550 billion euros by mid-century.

In the meantime, it’s no longer just about additional wind turbines or solar panels, it’s about fundamental innovations for energyefficient production, including sustainable transport and mobility. Flagships of German industry like Siemens have launched comprehensive “change processes” and now like to present themselves as “green” infrastructure companies. German industry is under tremendous pressure to innovate, which could turn out to be a strategic advantage. “The sectors in which German industries are world market leaders can and will benefit from the Energiewende,” agrees an optimistic Dr Ulrich Schröder, CEO of KfW Development Bank.

Only recently, the 3rd GreenTech Atlas published by the Federal Environment Ministry predicted a global market potential of two trillion euros for green technologies. It went on to say that German manufacturers were already involved in 15% of the burgeoning global market for green technologies. Further development of products was putting them in a great position – especially small and mediumsized enterprises with their high degree of flexibility and innovation. The prospects of products and solutions in industries such as healthcare, e-mobility and security technologies are no less attractive internationally and are being promoted by government and industry export initiatives.

All this requires global free trade, and Germany is working on achieving this objective at various levels. The economy in the age of global networking: Germany has arrived in this era – as a motor of development.

A

s one of the wealthiest countries in the world, Kuwait has much for which to be thankful. However, the foundations of this prosperity were built by working and forward thinking Kuwaiti merchants who managed to make this small desert kingdom into a successful trading nation long before oil was discovered.

Fortunately, for Kuwait, as the pearl trade began to falter, and newer cheaper and quicker forms of transport made the dhow fleet redundant, the possibility of vast wealth beneath the ends became a reality.

It was at this time that expatriates began to arrive in Kuwait in significant numbers. They came to do many different types of work, both skilled and unskilled.

Kuwait’s infrastructure, housing, medical and health facilities were need of modernization.

Its workforce needed training and up to date technical expertise in order to maximize the potential of its oil industry and many newly established service industries. This was provided by expatriates from across the globe, many of whom came to Kuwait planning on spending a couple of years here before returning home. Very often, the couple of years became five, ten, twenty‌ and more, as Kuwait became their home away from home. The contribution of these people to the development of this country cannot be underestimated.

Georg Dzierzon arrived in Kuwait in June 1957. His arrival coincided with a period when Kuwait was beginning to feel the benefits of revenue from its oil industry.

The population was just over 350,000 and many buildings were made of the traditional mix of clay, straw and coral. Oil had been The British Was Responsible For Issuing Visas.

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Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

discovered in 1938, but due to the Second World War, exports had not begun until after 1945. The heydays of pearl diving and trading were now over, and Kuwait was beginning to invest its newfound wealth in health, schooling, and housing for its citizens. With money circulating and growing economy came demand for many of the trappings of modern life such as cars, and it was this that brought Georg to Kuwait.

Georg had grown up in East Germany, but managed to escape across to West Germany in 1954 where he found work with the automotive company Volkswagen (VW). It was not long before his employers spotted the potential of their new recruit, and offered him the chance to go abroad. He spent a year undergoing specialized technical and business training for his new post. Then, with an enthusiasm for adventure which has never left him, Georg set off for Kuwait.

The journey took two days by plane with stops in Rome, Istanbul, Baghdad and then Kuwait. He landed at the old airport close to

Kuwait City, and was immediately struck by the intense heat of the Kuwaiti summer. The mud walls of the old city had recently been demolished though portions remained as did the gates through which Georg had to drive to move in and out of the city. At the time, the Haji Yousuf Behbehani family had just moved from their old residence (now known as the Sadu House), or their new residence in Watya, now called the Behbehani Compound, a preserved historical landmark in Kuwait City.

VW had entered into an agency agreement with the Behbehani family, and this was to be the start of lifelong friendship between Georg and this family. Georg job was to be an advisor to Behbehani Motors. He was given accommodation in a nice house in Sharq which he shared with two fellow Germans.

It was with some relief that he found the house had air conditioning units. However, he recalls that even in the summer, the city was quite cool in the evening compared to today.

Passed

Half a Century

in Kuwait

Georg Dzierzon

He explains this was due to the fact that the roads were mainly just sand tracks rather than tarmac which retain heat.

Another factor was that many of the houses were made of clay rather than concrete. These were very happy and carefree days for Georg and his colleagues. They had come to a safe and friendly country. There was no need to worry about locking their house, nor their cars, and they soon made a host of friends amongst the Kuwaiti and foreign communities. Georg vividly recalls his initial visit to Kuwait’s first cinema, in Sharq; he and his companions went into the building and looked up thinking how realistic the paintwork on the ceiling was. They soon realised that the cinema had no roof and that they were looking up into the clear silent sky.

Behbehani Motors which was situated in Kuwait City thrived. It had a reputation for excellent service, and consequently, VW gained a highly proportion of the market share. When his initial contract with VW was over, Georg was offered a permanent post with Behbehani Motors and worked in several different positions until he became the General Manager in 1967 for both Kuwait and Bahrain. In 1963, a new garage opened in the then relatively unknown area of Shuwaikh which was in an empty area to the north of the city. This new facility was equipped with the latest machinery and technology, making it the best in the whole Middle East and North Africa region. By now, Behbehani Motors had sold 10,000 VW vehicles to what was a steadily growing population.

Form left to right Georg Dzierzon, Wuench from Volkswagen, Morad Yousuf Behbehani, Dr. Bühnemann (2.08 mtr. tall) First German Ambassador to Kuwait, visiting the newly built Valkswagen Service Premises in 1963

Behbehani Motors in Bahrain, so there were frequent trips there and around the Gulf.

The ethos of the company was “to offer the best after sale service in the business”, and Georg saw to it that this remained the motivation of all involved. He maintains that this is part of his German upbringing.

Behbehani Motors also had other agency agreements for Porsche and Audi cars as the family businesses expanded into many other areas from air conditioning to jewellery and much else.

Kuwait was experiencing a boom period in its economy, and Georg recalls that there were a great number of Rolls Royce cars on the streets; many individuals had substantial funds at their disposal and used them to speculate on the official stock market which became overheated.

This was followed by a minor market crash in the 1970s. However, it was the crash of the unofficial Souk Al Manakh market in 1982 which impacted on the whole economy. Through wise stewardship, the Kuwait government implemented various programs and policies which established the economy.

Georg spent weekends waterskiing, swimming, and enjoying the lively social life at the Hubara Club in Ahmadi which was a busy oil town accessible from the city by one of the few tarmac roads. He also became a regular guest at mealtimes in the Behbehani household, a tradition which continues today. Many of his lifelong friendships were forged during these years. Georg particularly appreciated that people respected and trusted others In 1972, Georg moved to Masjed Al Aqsa from different nationalities, and there was Street in Salwa. His was the first house on freedom to practice their own religions. His the street and he was surrounded by open area of responsibility also included managing ground near the private zoo of Sheikh

Georg in 1959

Abdullah Jaber Al Sabah. The view towards the seafront looked across empty land to an area now occupied by the Radisson SAS Hotel. At that time, this area was considered to be ‘out of town’. Despite the setbacks of the market crises, business was developing well. The Kuwait government, through the recommendations of Morad Yusuf Behbehani, had invested in 10% of VW Brazil, and so the Chairman of VW was regular visitor to Kuwait. Due to these frequent contacts with the VW Chairman and other top managers, Morad and Georg established a well known reputation in Germany. By now the Behbehani group also sold boats, which was a very successful business.

Georg’s warm personality and desire to provide the highest level of service resulted in him developing some strong personal friendships with many of his Kuwaiti and foreign customers. He recalls and proudly talks about his respected and friendly relations with His Excellency Sheikh Mohamed Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the elder brother of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, and the numerous gatherings that he enjoyed with him and the family.

Georg’s achievements had not gone unnoticed back in his home country, In 1989, he was awarded a Merit Cross (Das

Morad Yousuf & Mohammed Reza Behbehani in 1956 Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

37

Witness To The Changes In Kuwait

Danuta Displaying A Free Kuwait T-Shirt

Regretfully Mr. Georg Dzierzon lost his beloved wife, Mrs. Danuta Dzierzon in 2009 after suffering for a short period with a serious illness.

Verdienstkreuz) by the German President in recognition of his business and personal contribution to German interests in Kuwait.

It was a proud day in October of that year when he was presented with his awards by the German Ambassador in Kuwait. Life was seemingly going well. He had also met Danuta, an attractive Polish biochemist who was working at Adan Hospital. Georg knew that he had found his future wife. After a period of courtship, he and Danuta became engaged, and later married.

The events of August 1990 caused Georg great anguish. He was out of the country and watched from after as Kuwait was occupied

by Iraqi forces. His greatest concern was for his wife Danuta who was alone in their house in Salwa. Fortunately, her Polish passport allowed her to move around Kuwait, and she continued to travel to work at Adan Hospital every day throughout the occupation of

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Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

The Behbehani Compound

Kuwait. She took a break in December to drive Baghdad to telephone an anxious Georg. Although Danuta could then have travelled back to Europe. She bravely and selflessly insisted on returning to Kuwait.

If Georg was worried about her, it was perhaps unnecessary. On one occasion, a group of male intruders jumped over the wall of the house and Danuta chased them off with large kitchen knife. There were Iraqi soldiers based on Al Aqsa Street outside the house, but Danuta managed to avoid trouble with them. During this time, Danuta also helped some foreign nationals by hiding them in her house at great personal risk. She stopped working at the hospital when the allied forces began their assault on Kuwait in February 1991. During the occupation of Kuwait, Danuta convinced her neighbours to join her in collecting and burning garbage in order to return their street to semblance of how it had been before August 1990.

Georg was reunited with Danuta in March 1991 when he flew in from Dubai in a military plane. He returned to a surreal environment of an unscathed house but a completely looted company premises. He and Danuta still have the clothing they wore at that time stained by the polluted and oil saturated air following the torching of hundred of oil wells by departing Iraqi forces. By, May, Behbehani Motors was once more fully operational with most of its employees back in place. Back in December 1990, with foresight and vision, the Behbehani had ordered 400 vehicles for Kuwait which were delivered to Bahrain. As soon as it was possible, these were shipped up to the way newly liberated Kuwait to meet the high demand for transport in what was a looted city.

Kuwait recovered quickly from these terrible times, and within a couple of years, there was little evidence of the devastation of the Iraqi invasion. Business recovered and Georg and Danuta could once more enjoy their life in Kuwait. In 1999 Georg resigned as General Manager of Behbehani Motors, and took on the less arduous post of advisor, thus coming a full circle back to where he had begun his working life in Kuwait. He began to consider retirement and possibly leaving Kuwait, so he resigned again, but was persuaded to remain. He is still an advisor to the Behbehani family even though he is now in his seventies.

Georg enjoys his daily walks, swimming, and growing flowers and vegetables. He has taken on a new challenge of advising another part of the family business which owns several other automotive agencies.

He still relishes this area of business, and of course, the opportunity to spend time with his “second” family, the Behbehanis.

As he sits back and thinks over the past 55 years, there is a twinkle in his eyes and an ever constant smile. He has no regrets, but so may special memories. Anecdotes tumble out accompanied by laughter as he remembers yet another fascinating incident.

Goerg is deeply grateful to Kuwait for what it has given to him in so many ways. He wishes to convey his gratitude, “I wish the executive of Kuwait under the wise leadership of the ruler His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah to receive all God’s blessings, and to continue the way of peace and prosperity for Kuwait. I thank all of them, and especially the Behbehani family for allowing me to be 55 years in Kuwait, or maybe a few more….”

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Berner offers customers a comprehensive range of products in the field of construction and automotive trades and other industries.

“It is Berner’s declared aim to constantly improve more than 25,000 items in its range, both in terms of quality and service”.

As a direct seller Berner is in very close contact with the customer and knows exactly what selling is all about today.

It means understanding and fulfilling of customer’s needs, expectations and offering appropriate solutions.

The customer should get benefits which he expects from a standard and a special product range, which leaves nothing to be desired through its breadth and depth.

The constant focus on customer’s needs is a common practice at Berner.

To identify trends early, find gaps in the market and develop the best possible products.

Quality, reliability, professionalism and innovation combine to ensure our maximum success.

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Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

All Berner customer service specialists know the field they work in and thus are able to offer customers from the automotive, building construction and other industries more than just what’s expected.

They give competent advice, offer full support and update them on the latest technical developments.

The advantage for the customer is that he receives competent advice “from professional to professional”.

Berner’s field service representatives are always available for their customers.

They go where they are needed: directly to the garage or onto the building site where problems are tricky and still they come up with the right solution...

In addition, interested customers can also get detailed advice and information at trade fairs and special customer events.

This is what Berner calls a high performance partnership.

BERNER of Kuwait W.L.L. Mr. Rami Jibreen General Manager Contact Visit us at: www.berner.com.kw Email: welcome@berner.com.kw Tel. +965 22263502 Fax. +965 22263503 Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

41

10

Reasons to Invest in

GERMANY

A large market, central location, strong innovation and highly developed infrastructure – there are good reasons for investing in Germany 1. Large M arket

With 82 millio n inhabitants, Germany is th European Uni e on’s most po pu lous country and therefore also the larges t market within the EU. With a gross domes tic product of more than 2.2 trillion euros, G ermany is the largest econom y in Europe an d the third strongest econ omy in the wor ld.

ation make c o L l Europe ntra

ation c o L l . ermany iona

ernat foreigners live in G minent t n I . o 4 million ave pr

h han 7 ools, regions n More t a t li wn sch o o p o r ir t e e h t m ple, a s with Several or exam F munitie . s m t o n c a orf aur foreign Düsseld nd rest a e s h t p o in s, sh kfurt ese live churche nd Fran f Japan u o o r r e a b um in and ely 70 large n oreans roximat K p p y A n . a g m s ambur worker region, ese in H e-collar in it h h C w y n d n and ma blue- a erman G f o t n perce sh. ak Engli can spe

2. Ce

tion in any is ral loca t n e c s. Germ ’s e y ic n v a r e m s Ger ment. ds and enlarge for goo U b E u h m o a r it gf ong try am enefitin n b u y o ll c ia ly espec lized the on dustria in ult, it is s t e n r a t a or As trade st imp of world en mo v e r e a s h s e th ase its to incre nations 95. since 19

3. Open Market

mes rket and warmly welco Germany is an open ma the is demonstrated by foreign investors. That ed ses that have establish 22,000 foreign enterpri than and now employ more businesses in Germany to German market is open 2.7 million people. The as. nt in practically all are entrepreneurial investme ries. y state-controlled indust There are no longer an m increasing attention fro Germany is receiving hly hedge funds due to its hig private equity firms and ment and favourable invest attractive companies conditions.

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Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

5. Qu alifi Germa ed Pe ny off rson ers a quali n n

fied, el excep motiv tionall workfo ated y w elland rce. conscie Germa standa n n tious rd of emplo yees’ knowle intern h dge ationa igh and lly re for pro skills c o g n iz fession ed. T is he de als is m of hig mand et by her e 383 in ducatio the G stitutio n. An erman ns o t h t e raining r pilla system r s ” of ystem of vocatio is the combin nal e “ d u es wo a l ducatio rkplac n, wh instruc e train ic tion an h ing an d prod high s d sch uces a ool tanda n a r c d k n o owled f train toward ged ing clo s the n sely o eeds o riente f indu d stry.

6. High Level of Innovation Statistically, Germany has 277 international patents per one million inhabitants – more than anywhere else in the world.

The close cooperation between industry and world-famous research institutions like the Max Planck and Fraunhofer Institutes swiftly transforms new ideas into products for the world market.

9. Str on

g Mitt The Ge elstan rman e conom d by priv y is char ately o a c t wned s erized sized fir mall an ms, the d mediu M ittelstan mall busin d. 85 pe esses a r c e r n e t small o of This ma r mediu kes Ger m-sized m a n industr . multifa y very fl ceted a exible, nd com these h petitive ighly sp . Many ecialize of market d fi r m leaders s are w o in r ld their fi “hidden eld, so champ -called ions”.

7. Hig h Infra ly Develop struct ed German ure

y has a close of road ly knit s, railw networ ays an k airports d inter . Tha nationa t l guaran connec tees tions. T swift he airp is an in o r t in Fran ternatio kfurt nal hu Hambu b. The rg is o P o rt of ne of la transsh rgest c ipment ontaine centres r Commu in Eu nication rope. s is infrastr exceptio ucture nally through w ell-deve out the loped country .

ty ecuri tional S l a g 8. Le a modern constitu nd

y is nt a German anspare r t h ages wit advant e state h T . s e ble law ized. Th reasona recogn y ll a n as rnatio s served a h are inte m e t s many legal sy ems in t German s y s l a tional l for leg Interna a mode . s ie r t an coun t Germ other ate tha r t s n o rded dem ly rega h studies ig h is tries, ecurity all coun legal s g n o m f stors. A terms o by inve urth in fo s k n y ra German curity. legal se

Famous 10. Worldwith the

oducts Trademark Pr and for many” seal st “Made in Ger wide. quality world the highest part in ed no small This has play tion as ermany’s posi maintaining G r many on exporter fo world champi nical mobile, mecha to au e Th s. ar ye ering ectrical engine engineering, el ularly ctors are partic and chemical se re such ries of the futu strong. Indust ergy tally friendly en as environmen gy, lo d nanotechno production an tent number of pa in which the every is doubling applications ing in e steadily gain ar s, ar ye o tw s can reign investor importance. Fo many” e “Made in Ger profit from th seal of quality.

Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

43

G erman

A

rchitecture

A

long with the Swiss architect, Le Corbusier, the teachers of Bauhaus, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius, and also Bruno Taut and Erich Mendelsohn, had a major influence on the International Style, which, via America, conquered the world. When at the end of the century the architects began to take their leave of a modernism that had become monotonous, engaging once again in vibrant, decorative construction, Germany for its part welcomed influences from around the world.

The Bauhaus buildings in Dessau are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Bauhaus director Walter Gropius designed this building from 1926. (Š picture-alliance/ ZB) The great masters of post-modernism, James Stirling of London, Hans Hollein of Vienna, Rob Krier of Luxembourg, Arata Isozaki of Tokyo, Richard Meier of New York and many others were invited to build in Germany. The Internationale Bauausstellung (IBA) in 1987 in particular brought all the stars of architecture to Berlin, thereby inspiring German architects as well.

Thus, the still-divided German capital city became the meeting point for aficionados of architecture from all around the world, leaving other metropolises far behind as far as architecture is concerned.

What foreign architects admire more than anything else in Germany is the quality of construction technology: nowhere else do they build more lastingly or more solidly, even if the strict building regulations are sometimes seen as a hindrance to free design.

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Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

After 1990, following reunification, when the aim was to rebuild the infrastructure in the former GDR and to make Berlin a capital and a metropolis once more, its cosmopolitan attitude paid off once again. Lord Norman Foster converted the former Reichstag into the new German parliament. Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers, Daniel Libeskind, Rafael Moneo, Helmut Jahn and others came to the city and their buildings gave it international flair. The German architects, Stephan Braunfels, von Gerkan Marg and Partners, Hans Kollhoff and Josef Paul Kleihues made their contribution to the new capital. The Federal Chancellery, built by Axel Schultes and Charlotte Frank, is a symbol of the new German architecture, which, after 50 years of modesty after the Second World War, has now regained its self-confidence.

Their expressive, unmistakable architecture meanwhile is probably just as familiar to television viewers around the world as the White House in Washington.

The architecture scene in Germany takes many forms, and while the capital is a focal point, there are many regional centers and different trends on account of the country’s

federalist system. The chambers of architects, the official body representing the profession, and the free associations of architects are also organized on a federal level. Ten universities and a few dozen universities of applied sciences and academies are training 20,000 architecture students. The German Architecture Museum is not in Berlin, but in Frankfurt am Main, and is competing with the museum of architecture in Munich.

Though architectural fashions may change quickly, with attention in recent years focused at times in Austria, Holland, Los Angeles, London or Basel, landmark buildings of international regard, designed by star international architects, have been appearing in Germany, too, like the Phaeno Science Center in Wolfsburg and BMW factory building in Leipzig, both designed by Zaha Hadid, Ben van Berkel’s epochal Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart, the impressive BMW World in Munich by Coop Himmelb(l)au, Peter Zumthor’s contemplative Museum St. Kolumba in Cologne or David Chipperfield’s magnificent literature museum in Marbach.

German

architects

have

also

scored

highly with their global-format buildings: Gottfried Böhm with his theatre in Potsdam, Claus Anderhalten with the Cottbus Art Museum, Sauerbruch Hutton with the Federal Environment Agency in Dessau and gmp with the Central Rail Station in Berlin. More important even than these highlights, however, is the quality of everyday architecture which, year after year, is evident in the competitions for over fifty architectural awards in Germany.

One important development, in fact probably the most important development in contemporary architecture is being driven forward in Germany more than anywhere else: eco-design, with research being conducted into sustainable ways of building with renewable and recyclable raw materials, into thermal insulation and regenerative energies for the building industry. These days, electricity is being generated on a grand scale using photovoltaic cells on solar panels, heat is extracted using highly efficient thermal pumps from the sun’s rays, from the earth, and by means of earth probes from the groundwater. Houses are already being built which boast not

Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

45

The Federal Chancellery was built by Berlin architects Axel Schultes and Charlotte Frank.

only zero energy consumption, but in fact are “energy plus houses” which feed solar power back into the mains network in the form of electricity.

New

woodworking

methods

and sophisticated building techniques are making wood – a raw material which is both renewable and climate-neutral – competitive and are helping avoid energy-intensive and ecologically harmful construction. Wood is used to build energy plus houses, and even seven-storey apartment blocks in inner cities, industrial buildings and sports centers.

The German building industry is currently a leader on this promising path into the future, and is recording more and more export business, particularly in the Arabian Gulf, China and the USA. As such, Germany continues to be an important center for global architecture, and is well worth a visit in many different respects.

The Bauhaus buildings in Dessau are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Bauhaus director Walter Gropius designed this building from 1926.

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Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

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CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTING COMPANY (KSCC)

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The delights of eating in Germany Never before have there been so many first-class restaurants with stars. Where to experience the exquisite delights of eating.

By Gabriele Heins

E

xquisite cuisine in Germany – a few years ago this sounded as unlikely as haute couture from Castrop-Rauxel.

But the current Michelin Guide makes it official: Germany is a gourmet’s paradise.

An unprecedented number of stars now twinkle above restaurants in Germany, and 37 new ones have been awarded by the world-famous gastronomy guide. Today, Germany boasts 255 starred restaurants between Flensburg and Lake Constance.

The only European country that can offer more is France. So what has happened?

Long gone are the days when Eckart Witzigmann, the founder of Germany’s first culinary miracle, had to travel to Paris to buy creme fraiche in the 1970s. Nowadays, another generation of leading star gazers is at the helm: Kevin Fehling, 35, from La Belle Epoque in Travemünde, is the youngest new talent in the club of three-star chefs,

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Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

and he’s a typical representative of the new, creative generation in the kitchen. One who confidently combines delicate Norway lobster with earthy carrot puree, mandarin jelly and Asian spices. Like his colleagues, his art is solidly founded in French cuisine, but he embarks on Far Eastern flights of fancy and plays with textures and temperatures that are inspired by the molecular cuisine of Spain’s Ferran Adrià. Naturally, he is also a perfect craftsman and has travelled widely. Yes, the young talents cook without constraints, but of course they still want to be incredibly innovative, to develop their own profile and create their own image to differentiate themselves from the many, equally gifted colleagues.

It’s a fact that German cuisine has never been so interesting and diverse. If you take a trip around the country, you can start with Tim Raue’s unique Chinese inspired

creations in Berlin-Kreuzberg. He performs aromatic drum-rolls and dares to entirely do without noodles, rice and potatoes. Then you can take a break at La Vie in Osnabrück and enjoy the creations of Thomas Bühner, who Feinschmecker, the German gourmet magazine, voted Chef of the Year 2012: he’s unbeatable when combining a dizzying wealth of exquisite products to form a unique new experience. A visit to Aqua in Wolfsburg is also a must. It’s where Sven Elverfeld demonstrates his expertise with his breathtaking deconstructions of traditional dishes, such as pizza, borsch and Frankfurt green sauce. And why not reserve a table with Joachim Wissler at the Vendôme in Bergisch Gladbach. He’s perhaps the most intellectual and experimental mind among German gourmet chefs. The next stop on the agenda is the quiet town of Baiersbronn.

It’s an inconspicuous place in the Black

Forest, but it’s a cult site for gourmets. It’s where Harald Wohlfahrt (3), Claus-Peter Lumpp (3) and Jörg Sackmann (1) form the densest cluster of stars in Germany.

The undisputed kingpin in the trio is a level-headed man with a side parting and a shy smile: Harald Wohlfahrt, definitely Germany’s best cook, has held three stars for 20 years, and his elegant French cuisine is still the ultimate yardstick for everyone.

Countless young German chefs have trained with him and absorbed his perfectionism.

And why Baiersbronn in particular?

Because Baden-Württemberg is Germany’s gourmet region: it’s close to France, has top-quality wines, a gentle climate, and it has a restaurant tradition that lovingly cultivates regional dishes. France alone is no longer the only model of excellent cuisine.

German chefs seek inspiration from modern Basque cuisine with its experimental techniques, foams and spheres. They gaze with fascination at Scandinavia, where René Redzepi of Copenhagen is revered as an icon of a modern natural cuisine that harvests its treasures in the immediate surroundings. In Germany, new dishes suddenly emerge that are reminiscent of landscapes, woodland

walks and strolls along beaches, whilst the next trend from South America is already waiting just around the corner.

Germany has developed an avant-garde, cosmopolitan cuisine which simultaneously reflects its regional roots. Whereas it was once seen as a sign of quality when the Rungis van stopped by to deliver a wealth of delicatessen products, today’s cooks consciously look for ingredients from local producers. They prefer to cook a pike perch from the Havel rather than tuna, and they survive the winter very well without truffles. People are discovering the luxury of simplicity, and “organic growing” is a major theme. Historic vegetables, such as salsify, are becoming just as acceptable as ancient breeds of cattle. And it goes without saying, that it’s not just the filet that enters the pan here, but also the “less elite” cuts such as the jowl and the belly.

“Good products are crucial in the kitchen,” says Berlin star chef Daniel Achilles. He envies his colleagues who can harvest products from their own gardens, such as Johannes King on the island of Sylt or Michael Hoffmann just outside Berlin. And on the

topic of Berlin: the capital has the country’s most enticing and exciting restaurant scene with international guests and fascinating venues. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with the latest in-places: the restaurant in the old brewery, in the former girls’ school or the one in the dimly lit rear courtyard.

And it’s hardly surprising that the cooks themselves have changed. The autocratic chef with the gut feeling who once lorded it over the kitchen is a thing of the past. The young masters of the culinary arts are smart.

They’re in demand as TV chefs or advertising partners, and they replenish their batteries with marathons and Ayurveda. Many have reached celebrity status and keep the PR agencies busy.

So, everything’s just fine in Germany? Well, not quite… There are still more people who value expensive motor oil, but scrimp when it comes to buying olive oil, and – unlike in France, for instance – rarely appreciate the transient pleasure of an extensive menu.

Abroad, our German star chefs are still more or less unknown. The stars are there. They just need to shine a little more brightly to be visible beyond the national borders.

Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

49

Bäckerei Wolf - Naturally German

B

äckerei Wolf, the only original German bakery in Kuwait, has opened in Dar Al Awadhi mall in Kuwait City. A wide range of German bread, snacks, sweets and cakes freshly baked in front of your eyes by our German master bakers is waiting for you to take it away or eat it right here with hot coffee or fresh juice. Come and taste a piece of Germany and German atmosphere in the middle of Kuwait.

We also offer you gluten free products everything natural without food additives.

We offer a variety of breads, rolls, cakes, cookies and sandwiches in order to cater for the different needs and tastes of our customers. All our ingredients are natural - we don‘t use artificial colors, flavorings, flavor enhancers, preservatives and other food chemicals. The recipes are 100 percent German, as is our master baker and general manager. If you are looking for crusty rye and wheat loaves, healthy fresh snacks for your break at work or school, sweet, creamy or fruity cakes, gluten free bread or healthy spelt toast, you can find it here with us. Take

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Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

it away or eat it ‘right here, with fresh juice or coffee. The name “Wolf“ stems from a German family and “Bäckerei“ means bakery.

avoid flavorings, colours, flavor enhancers, preservatives, etc.

We offer slow food to you. That means high quality only natural ingredients are baked into tasty and healthy products. Made slowly and to be eaten slowly in order to taste the full flavor and also to eat just as much as your body needs. Natural ingredients don’t disturb the signal of the stomach that it is full and you had enough. This is why you can’t stop eating chips or chocolate even when you are full because of the food additives.

cookies with Nutella and jam, whole meal bread for a healthy diet as well as regime, hearty sourdough breads with rye flour, rolls, German brezels, coconut, apple, nuts, chocolate and blueberry muffins, plain, Nutella, cheese, almonds paste croissants, white, brown, spelt and gluten free toasts, white and brown bagels, ciabatta, Hefezopf (brioche), pizzas, sweet rolls with and without nuts. You can also enjoy muesli bars as well as Kaessaetzle, a traditional German main dish made of noodles and cheese with green salad. We sell coffees and Chinese organic tea too.

We have traditional German cheesecake, apple cake with fresh green apples, brownies with real chocolate, healthy carrot cake, blueberry cake and almonds cake as well as

For salad lovers we prepare fruit salads every day and fresh juices with different kinds of fruits. For our sandwich snacks we stick to our commitment to natural ingredients and

Please consume our products within a few days from buying because we don’t use preservatives.

Slow food with us also means offering you elegant sitting space inside for more privacy from where you can take a glance inside the bakery where the breads are made and a sitting space outside with plush chairs and sofa. If you are lucky, and our German manager is there, you can have a chat with her in four different languages. We accept orders for whole cakes, gluten free toasts, muffins and cookies and anything else on our menu. Just visit us and try!

Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

51

f o e t s a T A

d a o r b A y an

Germ

T

here are many German products you can find in supermarkets around the world. From the famous Haribo Gold Bears to Ritter Sport chocolate, it’s often a combination of tradition, quality and imaginative advertising that make one of many competing products into a lasting name and an everyday icon. We take a closer look at a few German food brands that have gone global.

Bahlsen

Can cookies be an art form? The simple shape of the Leibniz Butterkeks with precisely 52 zigzags around the edges, invented by Hermann Bahlsen in 1891 in Hanover, is happily regarded as a “German design prototype”. And it is often imitated by others – as is the case with good designs. The German language is also indebted to Bahlsen for inventing the word “Keks” – derived from the English “cakes”, but meaning biscuit.

Today, over 3,500 people work for Bahlsen at seven production plants in Europe, and the products are exported to 80 countries.

The company is market leader in its field in Germany and among the leaders in Europe.

Ritter Sport

It was Clara Ritter’s brilliant idea to make a square bar of chocolate. The practical shape was designed to fit into any jacket pocket without breaking, but weighing the same as the normal oblong bars. Shortly after their marriage in 1912, she founded a chocolate company in Swabia with her husband Alfred Ritter, who was a confectioner. The brightly packed square chocolate bars are well-known in 60 countries, and in 2004 Ritter started producing abroad as well: in Moscow.

Haribo

It all started with the golden jelly bear.

Hans Riegel invented it in 1922, two years after founding his confectionary company in Bonn. Ever since then the little jelly bear made from sugar and gelatine has been travelling

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Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

the world, meanwhile accompanied by numerous sweet relatives. The name is a simple abbreviation of Hans Riegel Bonn. And the company, still run by the Riegel family, has long since become the world’s biggest fruit gum and liquorice manufacturer with five production centres in Germany and another 13 in Europe. “Kids and grown-ups love it so, the happy world of Haribo” is the English version of Haribo’s famous German slogan, introduced in 1962.

Birkel

110,000 tons of pasta are produced every year by Birkel Teigwaren GmbH. That makes it the largest specialist pasta producer in Germany. The ingredient quantities are

N E P O W NO IRANIAN & TURKISH TRADITION ON YOUR TABLE

Agha Palace Restaurant Head office Tel : 22915553 - Fax : 22915560

Farwaniya, Police Station Roundabout, Al-Multqa Tower, Floor 7 Contacts : 24747789 - 24747798

formidable: 420 tons of flour and 500,000 eggs per day. Meanwhile the company also owns the traditional western German brand 3 Glocken and the eastern German brand Mowe. The 130-year-old company not only cultivates the tradition of egg noodles especially popular in Germany, in such shapes as spirals, letters, shells or flat bands. The pasta-makers from Waiblingen in Swabia also keep in step with modern trends and invent new products, such as wood garlic or lemon pasta, noodles with added oats roughage, or “gourmet pasta” for ambitious amateur chefs.

Dr. Oetker

More than custard powder: Dr. Oetker has some 250 products on the German food market – and in almost all cases they’re the leading product. The headquarters of the family business are in Bielefeld, but Dr. Oetker is also well-known in many other countries, especially in Europe – in France as Ancel, in Italy as Cameo – and in Brazil and Canada too. Dr. August Oetker started his business in 1891 in the backroom of his chemist’s shop, where he developed the baking powder “Backin”. Even today, baking is one of the company’s most important

areas of business, alongside desserts and pizzas. The company is currently led by a great-grandson of the original founder.

Fuchs

Europe’s biggest spice supplier, and the second largest spice specialist in the world, comes from near Osnabruck in north Germany: Fuchs Gewurze, founded in 1952

by Dieter Fuchs. The company includes the well-known brands Ubena and Ostmann.

The goods are produced at three places in Germany, in France, the USA, China, Romania and Brazil.

Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

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Asparagus mania

No sooner is spring in the air than the Germans succumb to their favourite vegetable – asparagus. A culinary investigation.

By Philipp Mausshardt The world over, the inhabitants of many countries are associated with a particular vegetable which is considered typical of that country. In Italy it is the tomato, in France the artichoke, in England peas. If you ask about a typically German vegetable, you are sure to hear mention of cabbage or potatoes – two sorts of vegetable that promise mainly two things: to be filling, and easy to cook. This is quite a stubborn prejudice. Yet it is refuted on a daily basis: the range of vegetables available at any German market is very wide.

Depending on the season of the year, local market gardens provide a great variety of products.

Anyone observing German shoppers at the market in springtime will notice a certain nervousness that intensifies with each passing day: their eyes carefully scan the stalls, but they seek in vain. What they are actually looking for are marble-white sticks – asparagus officinalis, or simply asparagus.

The approximately 30-centimetre-long sticks grow in the earth, once it warms up in spring. Between April and June asparagus is the Germans’ favourite vegetable. Asparagus is proof that winter is finally over. The farmers call it “white gold”. Last year, 100,000

tonnes were harvested from an area that is 450 times as large as the Vatican, or as large as 28,000 football pitches. The asparagus enthusiast will pay up to 10 euros and more for a kilo of good-quality asparagus – which is more than for any other kind of vegetable.

The Romans more than likely brought asparagus across the Alps with them, along with vines. Later, this noble vegetable was mainly cultivated in monasteries or grown as a medicinal plant. The Greek doctor Hippocrates swore by asparagus, as a medicine that purged the body. The Romans adored the green variety; it was part of every festive meal and even gave rise to a dictum: something that had to happen quickly had to be done “faster than it takes to cook asparagus”.

What is served today as white or pale asparagus is more an invention of the modern era. When it was discovered that asparagus maintains its white colour if protected from the sun’s rays by soil, small mounds of earth were formed which covered the plant’s shoots as they developed. Temperatures of 12 degrees are sufficient for them to ripen. If it gets warmer, the sticks shoot up at a rate of about 7.5 mm per hour.

Everywhere in Germany where dry sandy soil allows its cultivation, you will see the long rows of mounds in spring, often covered in black plastic so that the sun’s rays can better heat up the soil. It’s as if the artist Christo had packed the fields. Asparagus is actually a member of the lily family, a plant that spreads out a network of roots mainly beneath the earth. The roots are up to six metres long and the shoots push straight upwards to the earth’s surface as asparagus.

In order to be the first on the market with these highly sought-after sticks, inventive farmers have even installed heating in their fields. Warm water is supposed to accelerate their growth. After all, the earlier the vegetable is sold, the more expensive it is. Although asparagus is cultivated in all the German states, certain regions are regarded as major asparagus-growing centres: Schrobenhausen (Bavaria), Schwetzingen (Baden-Württemberg) or Beelitz (Brandenburg) are place names that only need to be mentioned to make many people’s mouths water. Water is a keyword here: 93% of asparagus is water; all the rest is carbohydrates and proteins. And because it has practically no fat, it does not make you put on weight. It owes its particular tart flavour to the amino acid asparagine and to light sulphur compounds.

Is it the shape that accounts for asparagus supposedly having an aphrodisiacal effect? Although there is no scientific evidence for this, it did not stop the world-famous Comedian Harmonists from singing a 1930s song about spring, which is still popular today: “The whole world has lost its head, Veronika, the asparagus is growing” – two lines that are understood by everyone. The secret of asparagus is its freshness: it must be on your plate no more than a few hours after being harvested. It cannot be stored. Then, on 24 June, St John’s Day, the asparagus mania comes to an end.

As the folk idiom puts it: “Cherries red, asparagus dead.”

Germany – an Attractive Place for

Medical Care T

he number of international patients seeking medical care in Germany has increased dramatically in recent years. German hospitals are among the global leaders in providing highquality medical care. The moderate cost of medical treatment in Germany also enables a large number of patients to seek treatment here.

As more and more patients are going to Germany to receive care, German Hospital are also adapting their methods to accommodate their particular needs. The language barrier poses the biggest problem, but the solution is simple. Most German hospitals now

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provide interpreting services, or even have physicians who speak the required language. In addition, some hospitals offer international cuisine, foreign newspapers, and satellite television.

By talking with many international patients, we’ve realized that it is often difficult to choose the right hospital from the more than 3,000 hospitals in Germany. Despite being able to locate information about the hospitals on the Internet, answers to specific questions are still sometimes difficult to find. Appointments must also be made for treatment and applications submitted for a medical visa for Germany.

The Committee for Promoting German Medicine in Foreign Countries is the body to be contacted in Germany to make choosing a hospital, arranging appointments, and applying for a visa easier.

Offers for patients from abroad – In – creased demand

The Committee’s main aim is to promote the positive image of Germany as a place offering top medical care and is faced with several major tasks: •

•

•

•

Elucidating the main components of the German health care system Continually improving services and care in German hospitals Supporting a liberal policy for attaining entry visas to Germany Maintaining standards of quality on the part of patient placement agencies

Another central aim is that the same fee scale apply to nonresident patients as it does to Germans. The Committee for Promoting German Medicine in Foreign Countries frequently stresses that such price controls keep costs relatively low, while also guaranteeing outstanding medical services.

However, international patients should be aware that since these fees are already low, no further price reductions are possible.

Doctors and patients from abroad also often make inquiries about organ transplants. The Committee for Promoting German Medicine in Foreign Countries will gladly provide information about organ transplantation laws in Germany.

Security and quality for international patients

Patients traveling to Germany seeking medical treatment can be assured of quality care by understanding, committed doctors and nursing staff in modern hospitals. Many patients will also encounter doctors from their home countries, since over 8,300 doctors from across the world are employed at German hospitals.

Nevertheless, hospitals that open their doors to patients from abroad must also accept the unique cultural and religious features of these groups.

To foster cultural understanding and exchange, the Committee for Promoting German Medicine in Foreign Countries organizes regulars meetings for staff of the over 100 hospitals that are members of our association. At the meetings’ physicians and nursing staff exchange ideas and experiences about treating patients from other cultures.

How to obtain treatment in Germany

As a patient, family member, or consulting physician, one may find it difficult to gather comprehensive data about available Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

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organizations as soon as all these issues have been satisfactorily settled.

2. If

other parties wish to accompany the patient to Germany, this must also be stated in the invitation letter. As a rule, the patient or family members must then apply for their medical visa in person at the appropriate German embassy.

Services Offered

medical treatment in Germany. Despite the increased availability of information on the Internet, selecting the appropriate hospital often seems to be a matter of chance.

•

With its comprehensive knowledge of the medical expertise at German hospitals and the specialist fields of German doctors, the Committee and its accredited partner organizations help the patients in choosing the right ospital for their particular needs.

•

The Treatment Proposal

Comprehensive medical reports allow the Committee to select a hospital for the patient in question. The hospital then examines the medical reports and suggests treatment options. If necessary, several clinics take part in this process.

In addition to this, the hospitals can also provide information about the expected costs of medical care.

Financing Your Medical Treatment

Before beginning any medical treatment in Germany, the first issue to be addressed is how the care will be financed. This is necessary since:

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German hospitals admit international patients only if the expected costs of treatment have been paid in advance.

German embassies are permitted to issue medical visas only after payment has been received in the amount required for the expected medical treatment.

Obtaining a Medical Visa

The citizens of many countries must have an entry visa before departing for the Federal Republic of Germany. This is also true for those who travel to Germany for medical reasons and it must be done in advance.

Generally speaking, German embassies issue such visas with a minimum of bureaucracy, provided that several basic requirements have been fulfilled:

1.

The appropriate embassy must have received an invitation letter that includes information about the selected hospital, the treatment dates agreed upon, and receipt of payment for the expected costs of treatment. These invitation letters are sent to the embassies by the partner

Airport pickup, hotel reservations for the patients and the persons accompanying the patient can be arranged by accredited partner organizations. For patients who are going to Germany for a short treatment or a medical check-up, additional tourist services are also offered.

Services provided at many German hospitals include a selection of international foods, satellite television, and a wide range of foreign newspapers and magazines.

Language Assistance

Many patients worry that language barriers could hinder effective medical treatment in Germany. In nearly every case, there is no reason to worry. As long as you or one of the parties traveling with you has a good command of English, there should be no problem communicating with doctors and other care providers. If neither the patient nor the accompanying parties have knowledge of English, an international patient interpreting service is available. This service ensures that the patient is provided with an interpreter fluent in his native language, who is capable of translating all relevant medical information during his hospital stay.

Dar Al Shifa Hospital is proud to use VisuMax

D

Kuwait’s first and the world’s most technologically advanced fully integrated laser vision correction machine

ar Al Shifa Hospital is proud to be using the world’s most technologically advanced laser vision correction machine, the VisuMax. With the latest model of the VisuMax introduced by the hospital for the first time in Kuwait, patients can look forward to receiving optimal levels of superior state-ofthe-art ophthalmology and optical services.

VisuMax, which has been developed by renowned Carl Zeiss Meditec, is the logical enhancement of its product range, and marks another step into the future of corneal surgery. The machine uses the Mel80 innovation, which has been designed to make the correction of vision defects even safer, more patient-friendly and individual.

The innovative femtosecond laser system brings together perfectly coordinated components to provide maximum cutting precision, efficiency, predictability and comfort.

The machine is considered as the ideal platform for therapeutic and refractive applications of cutting-edge corneal surgery, including Flap, Keratoplasty, Incision for ICR and ReLEx.

a broad spectrum of corneal transplant procedures, including lamellar and penetrating keratoplasty. High-precision cutting quality and rapid incision progress enable the preparation of precision corneal grafts and ideal preparation of the recipient’s cornea.

permits inclined cutting geometries and ring tunnels smaller than 360° and offers a previously unachieved degree of flexibility when defining the tunnel parameters. With the minimally invasive refractive procedure, ReLEx smile, VisuMax enables a new, flapless technique. In a single step, the femtosecond laser creates the refractive lenticule, and the access through which the lenticule is extracted.

A specially designed spherically curved contact glass is used during the procedure, which prevents unnecessarily high rise in intraocular pressure and temporary vision loss during the procedure. The result is a fast, safe and comfortable procedure.

With a laser pulse rate of 500 kHz, the VisuMax sets new standards of efficiency in corneal surgery. It combines excellent accuracy with best-in-class speed and treatment comfort in performing advanced femtosecond laser applications, short procedures, enhanced workflow and high patient throughput. It further allows surgeons to create 3D cuts within the cornea, essentially increasing predictability of refractive surgery due to less tissue destruction and better ambient conditions.

With Flap, the machine utilizes FemtoDr. Yousef Al Zafairy – Consultant - Ophthalmology LASIK and laser blended vision for Dr Yousef Al Zafiri, Dar Al Shifa treating presbyopic patients, and stands out as a flap cutter. It provides The machine also impresses with its Hospital’s Ophthalmology Consultant, and predictable flap thickness and adjustable femtosecond laser technology for the one of the few highly qualified practitioners geometries. Moreover, VisuMax offers implantation of intracorneal rings. It even in this field said: “We are proud to introduce

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to Kuwait for the first time the latest version of the VisuMax machine. This new pioneering technology is significantly shaping the world of refractive surgery, and one which employs high-performance femtosecond laser technology which is characterized by its outstanding cutting precision, unsurpassed speed and gentle treatment techniques. All the parameters of this high-precision laser machine are geared to increasing efficiency, achieving optimum treatment results and rapid visual recovery.”

moving?

“The latest version of the machine delivers excellent clinical outcomes coupled with the potential for a unique optimized work flow for our surgeons and improved comfort for our patients.The hospital now has full capacity to establish comprehensive vision correction services, while also offering corneal therapeutic applications,” added Dr Al Zafiri.

In a study conducted in the United States recently, 85% of all patients who experienced the VisuMax have achieved uncorrected visual acuity of 20/20 and better after 3 months, in which stability included no regression. The overall results are very close to target refraction, where 97% of eyes refractive outcome is within +/0.5D. Doctors have also found that patients’ side-cut area using the VisuMax is up to 80% smaller. This means that the majority of the upper corneal layers remain untouched when using the machine. Moreover the lamellar incision area is roughly 1/3 smaller compared to Femto-Lasik.

Dr Al Zafiri also noted that: “The benefits of the VisuMax are extensive. For patients, flying spot laser where the eye tracker’s response time is shorter than the time between two consecutive laser pulses, while also benefitting from comfortable treatment, as well as rapid vision recovery.

Moreover, for eye care specialists, the VisuMax machine offers a broad portfolio of applications, and the machine can be easily combined with the femtosecond system. For workflow, the machine provides seamless data transfer, shorter start-up time, and swivel-type patient supporting system.”

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SM

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You know the process; you are in a shop, checking out the merchandise, turning a product over in your hands, getting a feel for it, checking the quality, maybe trying it on.

Then finally we check for those three little words that can make or break the purchase – Made in _____ In a world where everything seems to be more and more ‘Made in China’, a world of constant change, revamp, relaunch, reboot, rebrand it’s comforting to know that some things stay the same. In 1774 Johann Adam Birkenstock founded a footwear company called Birkenstock. Today they are still known as Birkenstock and they still only make footwear.

And they are still ‘Made in Germany’ comforting in more than one sense of the word.

Birkenstock Classic epitomises all of the above and could be called by no other name.

This is a shoe that cares little for trends and fads; it cares for two things – comfort and quality. From the two-strap Arizona to the Boston clog, these shoes haven’t changed since they were first introduced in the 70’s and why would they? The deep heel cup on every Birkenstock ensures proper weight distribution and foot alignment.

Unlike other more unnatural shoes designs, Birkenstock provide a spacious toe box to give your toes room to move and utilise a footbed that adapts to you foot’s unique shape. Think of the Classic like a little black dress, or a well-tailored suit, it never goes out of style because it transcends fashions.

Birkenstock license other brands such as Footprints (closed shoes and boots which feature Birkenstock footbeds), Alpro and Birki’s. Kitchen and medical staff swear by professional footwear from Alpro and Birki’s.

Their combination of comfort and safety features, such as anti-slip soles and the ability to remove the footbed and wash the shoe, make shoes such as the Profi Birki and Alpro Super Grip models the professional’s choice.

Birki’s have taken the Birkenstock footbed and created a line of sandals and clogs for those looking for an alternative to the Classic designs - bold colours, vibrant patterns, Disney and Sesame Street themed shoes, to name a few. They offer the same comfort and quality as the Birkenstock Classic but offer a creative twist for those with a little quirkiness in their soul.

Ghazi A. Al-Mishaan Est. has been the sole agent for Birkenstock and its other brands in Kuwait for almost twenty years. Like the Birkenstock Classic shoes, they employ no gimmicks, no smoke and mirrors. They have seen many flash-in-the-pan trends come and go in Kuwait during the past two decades.

They rely on the quality and comfort of their product and the customer loyalty this builds rather than being in the hippest new location or following transient trends.

Birkenstock footwear is available in wide and narrow fits, made from the finest leather or totally synthetic, come in kids sizes to extralarge sizes, and can be custom ordered to be handmade to any specification.

Contact Ghazi A. Al-Mishaan Est. Tel.: 22407125

for more information. Birkenstock shops are located at:

Al-Muthana Complex

Al-Muhallab Mall

Mishref Co-Op 62

Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

Hilton Kuwait Resort

Qortuba Co-Op

Luxurious dynamics The Audi A8 L 4.0 TFSI It offers the power of a sports car and the comfort of a luxury limousine - the Audi A8 L 4.0 TFSI quattro has arrived to Kuwait. The new turbocharged four-liter engine brings Audi’s downsizing strategy, where forced induction replaces displacement, into the luxury class. The twin-turbo V8 420 hp engine offers 48 hp more than its predecessor, the 4.2 FSI, while further lowering fuel consumption.

The new Audi A8 L 4.0 TFSI quattro is available from KD 28,995 including 5 years service and 3 years warranty.

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It accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds; the governed top speed of 250 km/h is purely a formality.

The V8 draws its 420 hp from 3,993 cc displacement delivering 600 Nm of torque between 1,500 and 4,500 rpm with an average consumption of 9.5 liters per 100 kilometers. The 4.0 TFSI reacts instantaneously because the approach concerning cylinder heads – the inlet side is outside and the exhaust-gas side is inside – allows for short gas-travel paths with minimal friction losses. Two twin-scroll

turbochargers ensure that considerable torque is generated faster than otherwise.

In low to intermediate load and rev ranges Audi’s cylinder on demand system (COD) deactivates two cylinders in each bank of the V8, reducing fuel consumption significantly. Thanks to a comprehensive package of innovative measures, the engine remains smooth and quiet during these phases. Shutting down the cylinders is virtually imperceptible. This cylinder management function is provided by the latest version of the Audi valvelift system by closing the intake and exhaust valves of the affected cylinders.

When the V8 deactivates four cylinders under part load, the Active Noise Cancellation system (ANC) is activated.

Four microphones integrated into the headlining record the noise in the cabin, which is then analyzed by a computer. If the computer detects intrusive sound elements, it broadcasts an antiphase sound through the speakers of the sound system. This sound combines with the intrusive sound and largely cancels it out. Independent of this, active, electronically controlled engine bearings use targeted counterpulses to attenuate low-frequency vibrations.

• New twin-turbo V8 with 420 hp and 600 Nm of torque • 48 hp more than its predecessor • Cylinder on demand and Active Noise Cancellation

The sporty character of the Audi A8 L 4.0 TFSI quattro is also thanks to the ultralightweight construction principle of Audi.

The luxury sedan’s ASF (Audi Space Frame) body is made almost entirely of aluminum and weighs just 241 kilograms - about 40 percent lighter than a conventional design. The standard equipment includes the eight-speed tiptronic transmission, the driving dynamics system Audi drive select, adaptive air suspension and the Audi pre sense basic safety system as well as the top-of the-range of infotainment system MMI navigation plus with Google Earth images.

Kuwait BMW Motorcycle Club (KBMC)

BMW is one of the most respected brands in the motorcycle world and

SOCIAL MEDIA

has come a long way with motorcycles that are on the cutting edge of

Please note that all our actions and events will be announced in the

speed and technology. In Kuwait, a club was established for people

following social media.

who are passionate for riding motorcycles for fun and responsibly.

Webpage

CLUB MEMBERS Kuwait BMW Motorcycle Club (KBMC) started its activities in

www.kuwaitbmwmotoclub.com Facebook Group

2006 with 20 members, who now number almost 550. KBMC is an

https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/bmwmotoclubq8

extension of BMW Motorrad International.

Twitter

Kuwait BMW Club members are part of a unique fraternity with activities involving charity causes with the goodwill of society.

https://twitter.com/Q8_BMW_MotoInstagram:q8_bmw_club Instagram: q8_bmw_club

Members’ class is of the highest caliber.

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PORSCHE 918 Spyder prototype on rare display in Kuwait

P

orsche Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors Company, presented the 918 Spyder prototype to a selected local audience for a limited time only at the showroom in Al Rai. The 918 Spyder is the company’s interpretation of the super sports car of tomorrow and the world’s first hybrid super race car. Designed as a high-performance hybrid with plug-in electric module, the vehicles are limited to a worldwide production of just 918 individually numbered supercars with start of production in autumn this year.

The new generation 918 Spyder can go from zero to 100 km/h in less than three seconds, reaching a top speed of over 325 km/h, and a purely electric top speed of over 150 km/h. It is these performance figures that have helped the production 918 Spyder set a time of 7:14 minutes on the more than 20 kilometre-long “Nurburgring-Nordschleife” circuit. When driven economically, total NEDC fuel consumption is 3.0l/100 km. Purely electric range is over 25 km.

The newly-designed 4.6-litre V8 engine produces over 580 hp, and is accompanied by two permanently energized electric motors on both front and rear axles, producing a combined power output of over 180 kW. The total power output of the V8 engine and electric motors is over 795 hp, and is coupled to the seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK), enabling extremely fast gear changes for high performance, comfort and efficiency.

Design: Distinctive, unique, the 21st century sports car

The two-seater 918 Spyder is designed with performance and style in mind. A high-end lightweight body offers a distinctive drive. The 918 Spyder uses a carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) monocoque structure that is both extremely lightweight and very rigid. Coupled with a two-piece Targa roof, the two sections can be removed and stowed away in the luggage compartment giving the 918 Spyder a distinctive design and allowing the driver to enjoy the fascinating sound of the thoroughbred Porsche V8 engine.

Sharing the same genes as the Porsche 917 Le Mans, the 918 Spyder is all about racing heritage and tradition. Lightweight, high-quality materials keep the focus on what’s important: the driver. Intelligent ergonomics keep him comfortable and safe, with height-adjustable bucket seats, a dynamically rising centre

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lightweight staggered wheels, with a diameter of 20 inches on the front axle and 21 inches on the rear axle for a distinctive, aggressive look to match its sports handling prowess.

console with touchscreen and a central instrument cluster with three separate dials.

Chassis: Handling and control in

Plus) systems, allowing the 918 Spyder to automatically lock and regulate front and rear axles and sending power wherever it is needed.

Keeping the 918 Spyder planted firmly on the road is Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), together with the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) and Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV

For effective breaking, the 918 Spyder uses the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCP) system which has been thoroughly tested in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup to withstand even the harshest requirements without fading. The 918 Spyder sits on extremely

its purest form

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The 918 Spyder continues the super sports car line in Porsche history; as technology demonstrators, the driving force behind emotion and evolution alike and the ultimate sports cars of their decade: the Carrera GTS, the first Porsche Turbo, the 959, the 911 GT1, the Carrera GT. More than any of its predecessors, the 918 Spyder is providing a critical impetus to developing the technologies for future vehicle concepts.

The 918 Spyder will be produced in Zuffenhausen, where construction of a separate manufacturing plant has already started. The new Porsche 918 Spyder is available for order now, with production starting in autumn this year. The basic retail price for the 918 Spyder in Kuwait is KD 265,700.

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Volkswagen Behbehani Launches

Brand-New Passat 2013

New Passat redefines benchmark for affordable luxury with innovative technology, stylish design and peerless engineering

V

olkswagen Kuwait has launched the brand-new 2013 Passat, bringing peerless German engineering and new levels of affordable luxury and innovation to the region. With more than 19 million Passat cars sold worldwide since 1973, the 2013 model is larger, more comfortable and sets benchmarks in safety, technology, space and luxury.

“A revolution in its category, the new Passat brings luxurious but affordable Germanengineered motoring to the Middle East,” says Thomas Milz, Managing Director, Volkswagen Middle East. “Competitively priced, the introduction to the model range starts at KD 6,999, bringing with it high-end innovation and improvements in space, economy and efficiency.

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“The new Passat represents a huge jump in Volkswagen’s innovation and technology, and competes directly with other medium-sized saloon vehicles,” declared Abdullah, General Manager of Volkswagen Behbehani. “We now have a car in each segment,” Abdullah added.

Available with a 2.5 litre 170hp fivecylinder engine and a six-speed automatic gearbox, the new Passat range includes 16, 17 and 18-inch alloy wheels, electric seat adjustment, leather seats, a Fender sound system, radio-navigation system, front fog lights with static cornering lights, automatic climate control, ambiance lighting and keyless access engine starting and locking system.

Exterior styling – clear, minimal forms Refreshed exterior styling belies the fact that the new Passat is the largest ever, measuring 4.868m in length.

Timeless, dominant styling is created with clear, minimal forms and lines with a predominance of horizontal body elements, reflecting Volkswagen’s unique design DNA. Horizontal elements dominate the front with the headlights and grille forming a single unit, the latter sculpted into a three-dimensional shape, standing upright and making a more distinctive and elegant impression with stricter geometry.

A further air intake below the painted bumper is laterally bordered by chromeplated winglets, and the front fog lights are

integrated above the Passat’s front spoiler and racing-style front splitters. From the side the Passat has a muscular appearance, with powerfully sculpted wheel arches emphasising the car’s dynamic properties.

Neatly balanced, the roof lines flow towards the rear forming almost a coupelike cut to the rear window, and together the three side windows create a long, extended glass surface that characterises the car’s side appearance.

The car’s rear section is also dominated by horizontal lines; the large two-piece taillights, with lines that rise towards the sides, are neatly integrated into both the bumper and boot lid, underscoring the dynamics of the elegant rear styling. With a longer body, wider stance and extended wheelbase the new Passat offers occupants an impressive amount of interior room.

Rear occupants in particular will enjoy an

player, a 60/40 folding rear seat, armrests in the front and rear and electronic vehicle immobilization.

The distinguishing features of the SE model include a six-CD changer with MP3 player, a leather multifunction steering wheel, rear air vents and 16-inch San Jose alloy wheels. In addition to the features seen on the S and SE models, the SEL brings 17inch Sonoma alloy wheels, leatherette seat covering and a high-end sound system from Fender with a subwoofer in the boot.

A mobile device media input with iPod and iPhone cable is also standard on the SEL, as is a powered driver’s seat, front fog and cornering lamps, keyless entry, pushbutton start, a sunroof and dual-zone climatronic air conditioning with air quality sensors.

increase in seating space, and the car’s boot offers a 529-litre cargo capacity.

Interior – clean, formal and intuitive Like the exterior, the interior is also marked by a clean and geometric formal structure. The interior styling of the Passat consistently follows the maxims of functionality, and without exception the controls are designed to allow every driver to operate the car intuitively. The instruments of the new Passat are similar to those of the Touareg; with smart chrome bezels, the tachometer and speedometer are split by a digital multifunction display.

A high-end chrome look is also applied to the air vents in the cockpit, and to the surrounds of the radio, navigation and climate control panels on the centre console. The rotary light switch and handbrake grip are also treated in chrome,

Finally, the flagship SPORT model adds part leather seats, 18-inch Bristol alloy wheels, a touch-screen navigation system with a 30GB hard disc, SD card reader and DVD drive, memory function for the driver’s seat and a powered front passenger seat. Loaded with technology, the new Passat also features tyre pressure sensors, insulating glass and a special acoustic film integrated into the laminated safety glass of the windscreen to help keep out external noise.

The use of Volkswagen’s 2.5 litre MPI five-cylinder engine in the Passat is also a first. Developing 170hp at 5,700rpm and paired with a six-speed automatic tiptronic gearbox, the innovative Germandeveloped engine strikes a sporting

and the upper and lower instrument areas are visually distinguished by various decorative accents, depending on the equipment version. The exceptionally comfortable seats are height adjustable and equipped with an adjustable lumbar support, even in the base version. All controls are easy to reach, following Volkswagen’s definition of its own completely new ergonomic standard.

A Passat for every need Offered in four trim levels – S, SE, SEL and SPORT – there’s a Passat for every need.

The entry level model – the S - is designed specifically for corporate customers, and features ABS and ESP safety systems, driver and passenger head curtain and side thorax airbags, a Bluetooth system with voice command, multifunction steering wheel with audio and phone controls, cruise control, radio with MP3 and CD

balance between power and efficiency, using just 7.4 litres of fuel per 100km in the extra urban cycle, and is capable of reaching 100km/hr from rest in nine seconds.

The new Passat follows the launch of the all-new Jetta in 2011 as part of Volkswagen Middle East’s sedan strategy, which will also see the Polo sedan announced in thte region later this year. Built at the company’s Think Blue plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the new Passat is perfectly tailored to the region. With high levels of standard equipment, more space than any other car in its class and a competitive price, the Passat is an important addition to the Volkswagen range in the Middle East.

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An Open Society

A diversity of lifestyles in a modern society with increasing individual freedoms

By Rainer Geissler

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erman society is a modern, openminded society: Most people are well-educated and enjoy a high standard of living, as well as sufficient freedom to be able to plan their lives as they themselves see fit. Nonetheless, like in other major industrial nations, German society is facing the challenge of solving problems of demographic trends, in particular the aging of society. Nor, 20 years after reunification, have the social consequences of the division of Germany been fully overcome. In the course of globalization Germany has taken a path that has made it a modern immigrant society with increasingly ethnic cultural diversity, and has increased its efforts to integrate the migrants in the nucleus of society.

The socio-economic change over the past few years – accelerated through the consequences of the worldwide economic and financial crisis – has led to the emergence of new social risk situations and to greater diversification in society in terms

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of economic living conditions looming.

The federal government report on poverty and wealth states that one in four Germans counts as poor or has to be protected from poverty through state subsidies. The EU defines those households as “poor” that have less than 60 percent of median income at their disposal. At the moment that is around 780 euros for people living on their own.

Demographic trends

Three trends are characteristic of demographic developments in Germany: a low birth rate, increasing life expectancy and an aging society. For more than 30 years now Germany has been witnessing few births: With slight fluctuations, since 1975 the number of newborn infants has been approximately 1.3 children per woman.

This means that for 35 years the generation of children has been smaller than that of their parents. High rates of immigration to Germany prevented the overall population from shrinking accordingly. At the same time,

as in other wealthy nations, life expectancy has risen continuously, and is now 77 years for men and 82 years for women.

The rise in life expectancy and, to an even greater extent, the low birth rates are the reason for the third trend: The ratio of young people in the overall population is decreasing, that of elderly people rising: In the early 1990s there were almost three people of an employable age for every person over the age of 60. In the early 21st century, the ratio was only 1 to 2.2 and calculations indicate that within the next decade the ratio will already be less than 1 to 2.

As such the ageing of society is one of the greatest challenges facing welfare and family policy. For this reason the pension insurance scheme has long since been undergoing re-structuring: As a result of demographic trends the traditional ”cross-generational contract“ is less and less able to be financed, such that private individuals are having

to supplement it by making their own provisions for old age. In addition, familyrelated measures to increase the number of children, such as raising child benefit and increasing the number of kindergarten and crèche places, are also being implemented.

Families – an important social institution

Even in the highly individualized, highly mobile 21st century world, the family is still of fundamental importance for people.

Over the years its importance as the nucleus of life has if anything increased rather than decreased. For almost 90 percent of the population the family comes first in their list of personal priorities. Young people also value it very highly: 72 percent of 12 to 25-year olds are of the opinion that being happy is dependent on having a family.

Yet ideas about what form families should take, as well as their structure, have changed dramatically in the wake of social change.

In the traditional family, the roles played by a couple that was married for life, and bringing up several children, were strictly divided: the father was the breadwinner, the mother a housewife. This “breadwinner” model is certainly still lived out – for example in the lower social classes, by migrants, or for a certain period of time, as long as the children are still small – but it is no longer the predominant way of life.

A far wider range of forms of cohabitation has emerged. There is now significantly greater leeway in choosing between various family forms and even deciding not to have a family at all. This is in no small way connected to the altered role women play and the equal rights they now enjoy: Some 65 percent of mothers are in employment, while at the same time families have become smaller. There are more instances of single-child families than those with three or more children. Two-child families are the most widespread. There are also ever increasing numbers of people living alone or as a couple with no children. In 2008 one in five women between the age of 40 and 44 still had no children.

Increased expectations of partnerships

Not only the ways of life, but also systems of values and basic moral attitudes are undergoing constant change. Faithfulness to one’s partner remains an important value, but the norm of staying together for life has become more relaxed. In 2008, for example, an average marriage had lasted 14.1 when the couple divorced. The expectations associated with years partnership, on the

other hand, have risen. This is one of the reasons for around one in three marriages over the past few years ending in divorce. As a result of this trend there has been a clear increase in the number of couples living out of wedlock. There has also been a clear increase in the number of same-sex couples cohabiting. Since 2001 a law has enabled two people of the same sex to officially register a civil partnership.

This form of cohabitation without actually being officially married is particularly popular with young people and those whose marriage has failed. As a result the number of illegitimate children has also risen: Almost a third of all children are born to unwed mothers. One result of this change is demonstrated by the increase in the number of so-called patchwork families and single parents: Around one fifth of all households with children have single parents, and as a rule these are single mothers.

As society has developed, so have relations within families themselves and models for raising children. As a rule the relationship between the different generation of parents and children is exceedingly good and for the most part is no longer characterized by traditional upbringing patterns such as obedience, subordination and dependence but by involvement and equal rights, affection, encouragement, and being brought up to be independent.

Women and men in working life

In Germany, as in other modern societies, there has been tremendous progress with regard to the equal rights for women stipulated in the Basic Law. As such, with

regard to education girls have not only drawn level with, but have indeed now overtaken boys. At grammar schools they account for 56 percent of graduates; the share of young women embarking on higher education totals almost 50 percent, and 42 percent of doctorates are awarded to women.

And more and more women are embarking on careers. And the alimony laws in the case of divorce in force since 2008 make it all the more important for women to be employed, and indeed almost 70 percent of women are. Yet whereas men are primarily in fulltime employment women, especially those with pre-school children, work part time.

With regard to wages and salaries there continue to be considerable differences between the sexes: Female workers in full-time employment, for example, earn signicantly less than their male counterparts. Even though nowadays they are frequently getting to occupy top jobs on the career ladder, in doing so they still encounter considerable hurdles. For some time now there has been debate about the introduction of a quota for women in top management positions.

One of the main obstacles to climbing the career ladder is the fact that on a European comparison the network of care facilities for small children still needs to be improved.

With regard to the division of domestic labor as well, comparatively little has changed.

Although 80 percent of fathers say they would like to spend more time with their children, even women in employment invest twice as much time looking after children.

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women who have made use of the new regulations governing parental leave.

Although the proportion of fathers putting their career on hold to look after their child has risen since the introduction of parental support, most men only stay at home for two months.

Women are far more strongly established in politics than in the top echelons of business. In the SPD and CDU, the two main parties, almost every third and fourth member respectively is female. The rise in the proportion of women in the Bundestag is nothing if not remarkable: Whereas in 1980 they made up just eight percent of all members of parliament, this figure has now risen to almost 32 percent. Angela Merkel has been the first female German Chancellor since 2005.

Young people’s values and qualifications

Alongside their peers of the same age, whose importance has risen appreciably, the main group to which young people relate is the family. Never before have so many youngsters – almost 50 percent of 24year old men and no less than 27 percent of women of the same age – lived at home for so long. Almost all 12 to 29-year olds state that they have a very good, trustworthy relationship with their parents.

One reason for staying at home so long is that more and more young people are staying in the education system for longer and longer. Their standard of qualification has risen considerably. In total, 45 percent of 18 to 20-year olds are entitled to study at a university. More than two thirds of grammar school leavers enter higher education within three years. Around ten percent leave the education system without qualifying. In particular young people from lower social classes and immigrant families represent problem groups for the education system.

With regard to the traditional left-wing/ right-wing political divide, today’s youth is typically positioned somewhat to the left of the population as a whole; only very occasionally are there instances of political extremism. On the other hand there is a high degree of willingness to get involved with voluntary social commitment. Some three-quarters of all youngsters are actively committed to social and ecological interests: elderly people in need of help, environment and animal protection, the poor, immigrants and the disabled.

The number of young men and women opting for a voluntary social or ecological year is also increasing. Basic military service,

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on the other hand, was abolished in 2010.

Active and independent elderly people

In Germany, approximately every fourth person is over 60 years old. Because of the long-standing low birth rates and parallel increasing life expectancy, German society has the third-largest proportion of elderly people worldwide after Japan and Italy.

Their ways of life and lifestyles have likewise changed and diversified a lot over the last decades. Nowadays the vast majority of elderly people lead independent lives, are socially active, in contact with their children and relatives, and for the most part in terms of health in a position to determine their own lives and actively decide how to make use of their time.

Financially speaking the elder generation is for the most part taken care of: The 1957 pension reform gradually gave pensioners a full share in the nation’s wealth. Poverty in old age has not been done away with entirely, but the risk of being poor in old age is lower than that of other age groups.

It is increasingly seldom for three generations of one family to live under the same roof, but there are frequently strong emotional bonds between grown-up children and their parents and between grandparents and grandchildren. A federal government specimen project seeks to strengthen and secure cross-generational ties. Almost every district and each municipality in Germany now boasts a so-called multi-generational house. The 500 subsidized buildings, to which 15,000 people are committed nationwide, form a point of contact, network and hub for family advice, health support, crisis intervention and care planning.

Immigration and integration

Germany is the most populous country in the European Union. Some 82 million people live on German territory, a good one in six in what was formerly East Germany.

The north and east in particular are home to the national minorities of the Danes, the Frisians, the German Sinti and Roma gypsies, and the Sorbian people. They have their own culture, language, history, and identity.

Ever since the 1950s post-war boom the German economy has been dependent on immigrant workers. The majority of those who were at the time referred to as “guest workers” have now returned to their home countries in South and Southeast Europe, but many have stayed on in Germany to earn their keep. Many of the Turkish immigrants who came to Germany at a later date have also remained in the country. This has

resulted in Germany gradually developing from a country that accommodated guest workers to a country with regulated immigration.

Repatriates of German descent, who for generations have been living in the states of the former Soviet Union, Romania and Poland, are a second major group of immigrants. Since the collapse of the communist systems they have been returning to Germany in increasing numbers.

These two groups of immigrants resulted in the per capita rate of immigration to Germany in the 1980s being considerably higher than that of classic immigration countries such as the USA, Canada and Australia.

There are currently more than 15 million people with an immigrant background living in Germany. According to the German Statistics Office this figures includes all those people who have migrated to Germany as well as those born in Germany with at least one immigrant parent. Some seven million of them are foreigners, while around eight million have received German citizenship – though naturlization or because they are one of the four million repatriates. After the repatriates, the 2.5 million immigrants from Turkey represent the largest group, while a further 1.5 million come from former Yugoslavia or its successor states. There are an estimated four million Muslims living in Germany.

Lots of immigrants work as unskilled laborers, as Germany recruited workers in particular for simple activities. Studies have revealed that immigrant families in Germany have difficulty climbing the social ladder or improving their economic situation.

Nonetheless, over the past two decades progress has been made with regard to integration: Acquiring German citizenship was facilitated by law, contacts between immigrants and Germans are closer, and there is more widespread acceptance of ethnic cultural variety. And the immigration law that came into power in 2005 provides for the first time an all-embracing legal framework that considers all aspects of immigration policy.

The federal government considers the subsequent integration of people with an immigration background to be a focus of its work. It is foregrounding their incorporation in the labor market and regards education and improving language skills as keys to integration. Since 2006, Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel has held an Integration Summit, which is attended by representatives of all social groups impacting on integration, including immigrant organizations.

German Universities Gain Traction with Kuwaiti Students

By Dr Joachim Kolb, DAAD Information Center Gulf Region

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or the third year running, the Government Scholarship Program jointly run by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in Kuwait successfully sent a group of students to Germany in Sept 2012. During the threeday preparation seminar that took place at the new MOHE premises in central Kuwait, students received detailed information on the varied experiences that were in store for them: Learning German, living on their own in a foreign country, and making their way at some of the best universities worldwide.

Highlights of the three-day seminar included a live interview with the group on Al Watan TV, and a meeting with Mr Bader Al-Mutairi, a Kuwaiti graduate who gained his MSc at the prestigious RWTH university in Aachen, Germany, and could answer many of the students’ questions about what lay ahead.

In early October, the group left Kuwait for the city of Dresden, a world heritage site in the German state of Saxony, where they will follow the footsteps of earlier cohorts and study the German language.

What is it that is so attractive about German higher education for ambitious Kuwaiti school leavers? To begin with, one main attraction is certainly the high quality of German universities, which have to deliver the knowhow that is behind the enviable reputation of German engineering and manufacturing for cutting-edge R&D and innovative manufacturing solutions. Like most students in the Gulf region, this year’s Kuwaiti scholarship holders will also be concentrating on the engineering sciences in their studies.

Second, international students arriving in Germany can be sure that they will not left to their own devices. According to a British Council report published in 2011, German higher education institutions have become significantly more attractive for foreign students over the last few years.

Also, German universities have developed a culture of welcoming foreigners into their academic structures, with international offices making life easier for new arrivals on practically every campus. 2011 marked the first year that foreign students registered at German universities numbered over

250,000, which represents 11.4% of all students in Germany, making it the third most attractive destination worldwide, after the UK and the US. On top of that, the Kuwaiti scholarship holders are not left to their own devices: DAAD is with them every step of the way.

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is the largest funding organization in the world supporting the international exchange of students and scholars. In Kuwait, it has been running a government scholarship program for Kuwaiti nationals in cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education since 2010. But even for those who may not be eligible for a MOHE scholarship, German universities offer accessible and affordable high-quality education, and DAAD is there to point them in the right direction.

For further information about higher education in Germany, please view www. study-in.de or contact the DAAD Information Center Gulf Region at +971 2678 1124 or by mail at info@ic-daad-abudhabi.org.

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Germany for beginners:

First steps at the university

By Gaby Reucher

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ountless forms, tests, requirements, limited seats, visas, finances: There’s a lot to consider when it comes to studying in Germany. The overview below is intended to help you get your bearings.

home country. One thing to note is that any copies of official documents must be notarized, and translations into German must be performed by an officially certified translator.

Admissions requirements

Bologna Reform

It’s good to start planning early if you’re interested in coming to Germany to study.

The International Students Office is called the Akademisches Auslandsamt, and they check to see whether prospective students fulfill all of the admissions requirements.

Students must demonstrate that they’re eligible for university study by presenting their previous academic records. When a prospective student’s educational background isn’t quite up to par, it’s possible to enroll in a so-called Studienkolleg in Germany to catch up.

Further information about admission, language requirements and the requisite documents for application can be found by way of the German Academic Exchange Service (German abbreviation: DAAD) or at the German embassy or consulate in one’s

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In 1999, the education ministers in 29 European states initiated reforms to make higher education more uniform across countries, and Germany was among the participants. One part of the reforms has been to switch over to conferring Bachelor and Master degrees instead of the former system of Diplom and Magister titles.

Meanwhile, 40 nations are now taking part in the reforms and hope to complete the process entirely by 2020.

German language courses

There are a number of English-language degree programs in Germany, but for most areas of study it is still necessary to demonstrate strong German skills. That can be done in several ways, generally by completing one of the officially recognized

German tests like the DSH (Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang ausländischer Studienbewerber) or the TestDaF (Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache).

The latter can be completed abroad. Those who earned certain diplomas at a Goethe Institute or attended a German school abroad can be exempted from the test.

Dual career service

Institutions that are out to attract top scholars and researchers know that they have to find ways to stand out. When inviting academics, German universities often offer packages that include childcare and even a service to help find the spouse of the invited researcher find a job in his or her new city.

That may be a position at the university itself or with a partner company.

Dual study programs

Some universities and colleges in Germany work together with companies to offer a dual program in which students gain their first job experiences parallel to their studies.

Upon graduating, students are ready to

hit the job market with both a wealth of practical job training and a degree.

Prospective students should note, though, that dual study programs of this sort remain rare and are focused on subjects that do not have a strong theoretical component.

Elite universities

Germany currently houses nine universities that have been honored as elite institutions in light of their research achievements and innovative plans for the future. Being named an elite university as part of an initiative begun in 2005 by the federal government allows the institution to receive extra funding. The goal is to highlight the country’s best universities and help them be competitive internationally. So far, the selected universities include the Technical University Munich, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, RWTH Aachen, the Free University Berlin, and the universities in Heidelberg, Goettingen, Karlsruhe, Freiburg and Konstanz. The nine elite universities publish plans about what they hope to achieve with their extra funding on their homepages.

Numerous degree options

As part of the Bologna Reforms, most German degrees have already been switched over to the Bachelor and Master system. But that’s also led to a proliferation of new majors and available degrees, and the number continues to rise. The “university compass” at www.hochschulkompass.de/en can help students keep track of all the degrees on offer in Germany.

Distance learning

For those who already have jobs, distance learning programs offered via the Internet can be an attractive option. German universities have begun dabbling in offering these sorts of degrees, and, in some cases, students from abroad are eligible to enroll in online programs via their home universities.

There is now one university in Germany dedicated to online learning called the University of Hagen. The academic focus is on economics and business, and learning materials are sent to the students online and by mail. By using the Internet, students can contact their professors anytime and anywhere.

Financial matters

For foreign students who don’t receive a scholarship or take part in an exchange program when coming to Germany, it’s required that they demonstrate they’ve secured financing for at least the first year of their studies. That means having approximately 8,000 euros ($10,600) in the bank. After beginning their degrees, students who encounter financial problems can seek help and advice at the office of the Studentenwerk (a student service union).

Proof of prerequisites

Admission for some degree programs requires that students show they’ve already completed what’s known as a grundstaendiges Studium. That refers to a Bachelor degree or an equivalent credential.

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Student service unions

There are 58 student service unions, called Studentenwerke in Germany, consisting of professionals who work on behalf of student interests and affairs. They help operate dormitories, finance cafeterias, create childcare arrangement for parents who want to study and represent student interests in the political arena.

The goal is to support young learners economically, culturally and politically.

Tuition and fees

Enrollment

Enrollment is called Immatrikulation in German. Generally speaking, each student is free to choose his or her university and lecturers. But private universities along with music, sport and art academies often use tests, interviews and other measures to filter for the best candidates. When it comes to popular subjects like law or medicine, the student’s prior academic records are often taken into account and a numerical cutoff for grades may be established. Once accepted, international students who are ready to enroll should bring along the enrollment form, proof of their German skills (for degree programs conducted in German), records of college-level coursework undertaken at other institutions and proof of health insurance. Paying the tuition and/or fees for the semester is also part of the process.

Numerous Clausus

For areas of study that attract many more applicants than the number of seats available, a Numerus Clausus usually applies. It’s a numerical standard students have to meet with the grade they received on their Abitur, the exam they take that concludes their pre-university education.

But since educational systems differ from the German system in other countries, international students generally aren’t subject to this numerical cut-off. Instead, admissions committees will look at essays and their academic background as a whole to determine which prospective students from abroad will be admitted.

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The student service unions are financed in part by the Semesterbeitrag - fees students pay at the beginning of each semester.

This money is also used to contribute to university administration costs and to support a union of student representatives known as AStA. The Semesterbeitrag is paid during enrolment and accompany the tuition fees that are required in some German states. Legally, universities can require up to 500 euros ($660) per semester in tuition from students.

Last-minute seats

It goes without saying that some universities are more popular than others. That’s why students often apply to multiple institutions and may receive acceptance letters while still waiting to hear back from their firstchoice school. Once students receive an acceptance, it cannot be revoked until just before the semester begins without the student’s consent. Each semester, that situation leads to a last-minute rush to fill seats left vacant before the start of classes.

One online platform, available only in German, helps students track where seats have opened up and where they may still have a chance at admission: www.freiestudienplaetze.de.

Disabled students

Germany’s student service unions sponsor an outreach center for students with disabilities. Many universities are designed to be accessible for the disabled, including offering barrier-free dormitories. Each university also employs someone to oversee affairs relating to disabled students, and there are a number of campus clubs and interest groups that offer support to and represent those with handicaps.

Students with children

Being both a student and parent can be a challenge, and the German student service unions are trying to help parents juggle

their academic and family responsibilities.

The unions help arrange and find suitable apartments, daycare and other facilities suited to the needs of students with kids.

More information can be found there.

For researchers and other academics that come to Germany, the International Students Office known as the Akademisches Auslandsamt (International Students Office) may be able to help with information on finding appropriate schools and apartments.

It’s also common for universities to offer these individuals compensation packages that help them get their families settled in a new country.

Welcoming international students

The Akademisches Auslandsamt is a good place to head when getting oriented at German universities. The office can help explain the formalities relating to registration, studying and settling in. Some universities also arrange separate welcome centers for foreign students and may offer a buddy system that pairs seasoned students with newcomers to help them get their bearings. Also, check to see if there are introductory events for foreign students around the beginning of the semester. These events often provide information about what to expect in the student’s new cultural setting and community. Finally, individual departments also offer orientation events during the start of the semester to introduce newcomers to the ins and outs of the program.

Admissions requirements

The admissions requirements often differ for foreign students coming to Germany because they enter from a different educational background and generally have to prove their proficiency in German. The Akademisches Auslandsamt (International Students Office) and/or the Studentensekretariat (Registrar) are the authorities when it comes to who gets admitted. For international students who wish to apply to several universities in Germany at the same time, an online service called uni-assist is available: www.uni-assist. de/english. The portal checks over the required documents prospective students must submit and then forwards them to participating institutions.

Social Security in Germany

By Sabine Giehle

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ffluence for everybody and social justice: In the late 1950s that was the goal the then Federal Minister of Economics Ludwig Erhard had in mind when he introduced the social market economy in Germany. The “German model” proved to be a success story and became an archetype for several other countries. One of the pillars of this success was the extensive German welfare system. Today, Germany boasts one of the most comprehensive welfare systems.

An all-embracing system of health, pension, accident, long-term care, and unemployment insurance provides protection against the financial consequences of the risks we face in everyday life. In addition, the welfare lifeline offers tax-financed services such as the family services equalization scheme (child benefit, tax concessions) or basic provisions for pensioners and those unable to work. Germany sees itself as a welfare state that considers the social protection of all its citizens to be a priority.

The welfare-state social systems in Germany have a long tradition dating back to the industrial revolution. In the late 19th century, Reich Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck devised the principles of the state social insurance scheme; It was under his aegis that the laws relating to accident and health insurance as well as provisions for invalidity and old age were passed. Whereas in those days a mere ten percent of the population benefited from the welfare legislation, nowadays almost 90 percent of people in Germany enjoy its protection.

In subsequent decades the welfare lifeline was expanded and refined; in 1927, for example, insurance covering the financial consequences of unemployment and, in 1995, long-term care insurance were introduced. The 21st century calls for a

fundamental structural realignment to the systems, in particular with regard to whether they can be financed in the long term: The increasing proportion of elderly people in the population in conjunction with a relatively low birth rate and trends in the labor market have pushed the social security system to its very limits. By means of extensive reforms politicians are now busy attempting to meet this challenge and ensure a welfare system based on solidarity for coming generations as well.

Medical care for everyone Germany is one of the countries with the best medical care. A wide range of hospitals, medical practices and institutions guarantees medical care for everybody.

With over four million jobs, health care is the largest employment sector in Germany.

All in all, 10.4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product is spent on health – 1.5 percent more than the average in the OECD member countries. As a result of the socalled cost-cutting law introduced in the wake of the reform already undertaken to the health system, Germany now registers the lowest per capita increase in health spending of all OECD countries.

In 2007 a reform of the healthcare system was passed. Its key pillar is the Health Fund: Since 2009 all the contributions paid by employees and employers to the statutory health insurance scheme flow into this Fund. This is supplemented by tax revenue.

Ever since there has been a standardized contribution set by the federal government for health insurance. For each insured person the health insurance companies receive a flat rate from the Health Fund. Companies which insure a particularly large number of old or sick people and low earners receive a subsidy.

The federal government’s long-term aim is to enable more autonomy with regard to contributions and greater regional differentiation. In addition contributions are to be introduced that are not based on income, but which are to be balanced out through social security payments. To enable health costs to be almost entirely de-coupled from wage ancillary costs, the employers’ share of the health costs is not to rise any further.

More private provision for pensions Fundamental changes have also been made to provisions for old age. Although compulsory pension insurance remains the single most important pillar of income in old age, in-company and private pension schemes are becoming increasingly important. The so-called “Riester pension” and the “Rurup pension” for the selfemployed are models already in existence, enabling by means of tax concessions private pension schemes covered by capital contributions. The Owner-occupied Property Act also encourages residential property. Part of the reform involves raising the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 67: Between 2012 and 2035 the initial retirement age will rise by one month a year.

Further reforms of the social security system The reform of support for the long-term unemployed and those receiving social assistance has already been implemented.

With the introduction of basic support for the unemployed those who had formerly been receiving social security, as long as they were capable of working, were put on a par with the long-term unemployed.

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Islamic Success Story At German Universities

By Christoph Strack

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ew Islamic theology courses at German universities are proving highly popular, even abroad. The courses were announced only three years ago, but they are already changing the German religious landscape. Islamic theology is finding its place in German universities at a pace which is surprising many.

German academics even speak of Germany acting as a magnet for talent from other European countries.

“There’s never been such a process before at European universities,” says Reinhard Schulze, who teaches Islam at the University of Berne in Switzerland. Lecturers at German universities, speaking at a meeting of experts with the German parliamentary education committee, said they were convinced that there would be a rapid increase in the teaching of Islam.

‘A matter of justice’

Katajan Amirpur of the University of Hamburg said that setting up new theology courses had been “a matter of justice.” Mathias Rohe from the University of Erlangen felt that establishing the courses at universities had provided a “very big boost.” Bulent Ucar, a specialist in the teaching of Islam from Osnabruck, took the opportunity to thank the politicians at federal and state level for their commitment over the past years.

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There was an unusual level of optimism and an unusual amount of praise for politicians, but there are still problems which are mainly due to the way in which religion is organized in Germany. Unlike with the Christian churches and the Jewish community, there is no formal arrangement for dealing with the Muslim community. Only recently, the two city states of Hamburg and Bremen took a first step. But even there, the Muslim associations don’t have the status of “Corporations in Public Law,” without which they find themselves not entitled to cooperation with the state and financial support.

The need for academic training has been felt for a long time. The federal government estimates that 2,200 teachers will be needed for the planned development of Muslim religious education in schools.

And there are over 1,000 imams in Germany, many of whom have never had any academic training, and who would provide a ready market for further education.

Centers of Muslim theology

The German Council of Science and Humanities provided the initial impulse for the establishment of Muslim theology as a university subject in 2010. The council, which is the most important advisory

body for the government in the academic field, examined theology at universities for three years, and only after much discussion did Islam emerge as an issue.

“Initially, Islamic studies and Islamic theology weren’t an issue at all,” remembers Schulze, who was part of the council’s working group. “That was the logical conclusion of a productive examination of the field of academic theology in Germany.”

In the end, the federal education minister, Annette Schavan, set up four centers of

Islamic theology in Munster/Osnabruck, Tubingen, Frankfurt/Giessen and Nurnberg/ Erlangen which all came into operation in 2010 and 2011.

Language problems There are plenty of challenges in many different areas. One is the confrontation with what the academics call “lay theologians” fundamentalist preachers or believers.

Katajan Amirpur has set up an “Academy of World Religions” in Hamburg, which is intended to bring Muslims into academic exchange with Christians, Buddhists, Hindus and others. Several other experts spoke about the need to get the various branches of Islam to talk to each other. And Rohe, who has been active in the field for some time, talked about the difficulty of finding suitable candidates for the many new professorships.

That’s a problem which has now been solved at all the four centers. Rohe pointed to other teething problems, but he saw every reason to be optimistic. Another issue, though, was inadequate skill in both the German and Arabic languages.

As well as the professors and the politicians, the committee also heard from a student in his first semester. Enes Erdogan described the new course as “a dream come true.” The move from a tough inner-city part of Berlin to the university in Osnabrück was “the first time in my life that I had moved house” - a fact that illustrated what a major break in his life the course had been. At home in Berlin he had “had to put up with a lot” as a result of the lack of knowledge about religion: “People give religion a very high status, but they don’t know much about it,” he said. It was a matter of identity. Erdogan doesn’t yet know who will finance a future job for him, but he thinks it quite possible that he will work in the field.

‘Very exciting’

Thomas Rachel, junior minister in the education department, followed the discussion closely and told Deutsche Welle afterwards that it had shown that the development was a “historic” one, comparable with the rise of protestant Christian theology after the Reformation 500 years ago. Muslim theology would be firmly established in German universities, and thus also in German society.

Rachel said it was “very exciting” that the decision in favor of Islamic theology at universities had led to it quickly becoming very popular among students from abroad.

Schulze reported that Swiss, French and British students were specifically seeking out courses in Germany. And some of his colleagues said they had even seen interest from students in Muslim countries in Asia.

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GOETHE

Germany’s Greatest Man of Letters

J

ohann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German writer.

George Eliot called him “Germany’s greatest man of letters... and the last true polymath to walk the earth.” Goethe’s works span the fields of poetry, drama, literature, theology, humanism, and science. Goethe’s magnum opus, lauded as one

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of the peaks of world literature, is the two-part dramatic poem Faust. Goethe’s other well-known literary works include his numerous poems, the Bildungsroman Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship and the epistolary novel The Sorrows of Young Werther.

Goethe was one of the key figures of German literature and the movement of Weimar Classicism in the late 18th and early 19th centuries; this movement coincides with Enlightenment, Sentimentality (Empfindsamkeit), Sturm und Drang, and Romanticism. The author of the scientific text Theory of Colours, he influenced Darwin with his focus on plant morphology.

Overview

Goethe was a German poet, novelist, dramatist, theorist, natural scientist and long-serving Privy Councilor (“Geheimrat”) of the duchy of Weimar. He was born Johann Wolfgang Goethe; in 1782 he was ennobled, becoming von Goethe.

Goethe is also the originator of the concept of Weltliteratur (“world literature”), having taken great interest in the literatures of England, France, Italy, classical Greece, Persia, Arabic literature, amongst others. His influence on German philosophy is virtually immeasurable, having major impact especially on the generation of Hegel and Schelling, although Goethe himself expressly and decidedly refrained from practicing philosophy in the rarefied sense.

Goethe was one of the key figures of German literature, with a career spanning Enlightenment (“Aufklarung”), Sentimentality (“Empfindsamkeit”), Sturm und Drang, Weimar Classicism and Romanticism. His scientific ideas influenced Darwin with his focus on plant morphology.

Goethe’s influence spread across Europe, and for the next century his works were a primary source of inspiration in music, drama, poetry and philosophy. Goethe is widely considered to be one of the most important thinkers in Western culture and is generally acknowledged as the most important writer in the German language.

Early in his career, however, he wondered whether painting might not be his true vocation; late in his life, he expressed the expectation that he would ultimately be remembered above all for his work in optics.

Works Literary work

The most important of Goethe’s works produced before he went to Weimar were his tragedy Gotz von Berlichingen (1773), which was the first work to bring him recognition, and the novel The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774), which gained him enormous fame as a writer in the Sturm und Drang period which marked the early phase of Romanticism indeed the book is often considered to be the “spark” which ignited the movement, and can arguably be called the world’s first

“bestseller”. (For the entirety of his life this was the work with which the vast majority of Goethe’s contemporaries associated him.)

During the years at Weimar before he met Schiller he began Wilhelm Meister, wrote the dramas Iphigenie auf Tauris (Iphigenia in Tauris), Egmont, Torquato Tasso, and the fable Reineke Fuchs.

To the period of his friendship with Schiller belong the continuation of Wilhelm Meister, the idyll of Hermann and Dorothea, and the Roman Elegies. In the last period, between Schiller’s death, in 1805, and his own, appeared Faust, Elective Affinities, his autobiographical Aus meinem Leben: Dichtung und Wahrheit (From my Life: Poetry and Truth) which covers his early life and ends with his departure for Weimar, his Italian Journey, much scientific work, and a series of treatises on German art. His writings were immediately influential in literary and artistic circles.

Scientific work

Although his literary work has attracted the greatest amount of interest, Goethe was also keenly involved in studies of natural science. He wrote several works on plant morphology, and colour theory. With his focus on morphology he influenced Darwin.

His studies led him to independently discover the human intermaxillary bone in 1784, which Broussonet (1779) and Vicq d’Azyr (1780) had identified several years earlier. In 1790, he published his Metamorphosis of Plants.

Light spectrum, from Theory of Colours – Goethe observed that with a prism, colour arises at the edges, and the spectrum occurs where these coloured edges overlap.

During his Italian journey, Goethe formulated a theory of plant metamorphosis in which the archetypal form of the plant is to be found in the leaf - he writes, “from top to bottom a plant is all leaf, united so inseparably with the future bud that one cannot be imagined without the other.”.

In 1810, Goethe published his Theory of Colours, which he considered his most important work. In it, he (contentiously) characterized colour as arising from the dynamic interplay of darkness and light.

After being translated into English by Charles Eastlake in 1840, this theory became widely adopted by the art world, most notably J. M. W. Turner (Bockemuhl, 1991). It also inspired the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, to write his Remarks on Colour.

Goethe outlines his method in the essay, The experiment as mediator between

subject and object (1772). In the Kurschner edition of Goethe’s works, the science editor, Rudolf Steiner, presents Goethe’s approach to science as phenomenological. Steiner elaborated on this in the books The Theory of Knowledge Implicit in Goethe’s WorldConception[7] and Goethe’s World View[8], in which he emphasizes the need of the perceiving organ of intuition in order to grasp Goethe’s biological archetype (i.e. The Typus).

Key works

The short epistolary novel, Die Leiden des jungen Werthers, or The Sorrows of Young Werther, published in 1774, recounts an unhappy romantic infatuation that ends in suicide. Goethe admitted that he “shot his hero to save himself”: a reference to Goethe’s own near-suicidal obsession with a young woman during this period, an obsession he quelled through the writing process. The novel remains in print in dozens of languages and its influence is undeniable; its central hero, an obsessive figure driven to despair and destruction by his unrequited love for the young Lotte, has become a pervasive literary archetype.

The fact that Werther ends with the protagonist’s suicide and funeral - a funeral which “no clergyman attended” - made the book deeply controversial upon its (anonymous) publication, for on the face of it, it appeared to condone and glorify suicide.

Suicide was considered sinful by Christian doctrine: suicides were denied Christian burial with the bodies often mistreated and dishonoured in various ways; in corollary, the deceased’s property and possessions were often confiscated by the Church.

Epistolary novels were common during this time, letter-writing being a primary mode of communication. What set Goethe’s book apart from other such novels was its expression of unbridled longing for a joy beyond possibility, its sense of defiant rebellion against authority, and of principal importance, its total subjectivity: qualities that trailblazed the Romantic movement.

The next work, his epic closet drama Faust, was to be completed in stages, and only published in its entirety after his death.

The first part was published in 1808 and created a sensation. The first operatic version, by Spohr, appeared in 1814, and was subsequently the inspiration for operas and oratorios by Schumann, Gounod, Boito, Busoni, and Schnittke as well as symphonic works by Liszt, Wagner, and Mahler. Faust became the ur-myth of many figures in the 19th century. Later, a facet of its plot, i.e., Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

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of selling one’s soul to the devil for power over the physical world, took on increasing literary importance and became a view of the victory of technology and of industrialism, along with its dubious human expenses. In 1919, the Goetheanum staged the world premiere of a complete production of Faust. On occasion, the play is still staged in Germany and other parts around the world.

Goethe’s poetic work served as a model for an entire movement in German poetry termed Innerlichkeit (“introversion”) and represented by, for example, Heine. Goethe’s words inspired a number of compositions by, among others, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Berlioz and Wolf. Perhaps the single most influential piece is “Mignon’s Song” which opens with one of the most famous lines in German poetry, an allusion to Italy: “Kennst du das Land, wo die Zitronen blühn?” (“Do you know the land where the lemons bloom?”).

He is also widely quoted. Epigrams such as “Against criticism a man can neither protest nor defend himself; he must act in spite of it, and then it will gradually yield to him”, “Divide and rule, a sound motto; unite and lead, a better one”, and “Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must”, are still in usage or are often paraphrased. Lines from Faust, such as “Das also war des Pudels Kern”, “Das ist der Weisheit letzter Schluss”, or “Grau ist alle Theorie” have entered everyday German usage. Although a success of less tasteful appeal, the famous line from the drama Gotz von Berlichingen (“Er kann mich im Arsche lecken”: “He can lick my arse”) has become a vulgar idiom in many languages, and shows Goethe’s deep cultural impact extending across social, national, and linguistic borders.

It may be taken as another measure of Goethe’s fame that other well-known quotations are often incorrectly attributed to him, such as Hippocrates’ “Art is long, life is short”, which is found in Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister.

Historical importance

Goethe had a great effect on the changing dynamics of the 19th century. In many respects, he was the originator of - or at least the first to cogently express - many ideas which would later become familiar.

Goethe produced volumes of poetry, essays, criticism, and scientific work, including a theory of optics and early work on evolution and linguistics. He was fascinated by minerals and early mineralogy (the mineral goethite is named for him).

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His non-fiction writings, most of which are philosophic and aphoristic in nature, spurred on the development of many philosophers, such as G W F Hegel, Arthur Schopenhauer, Friedrich Nietzsche, Ernst Cassirer, Carl Gustav Jung, Ludwig Wittgenstein and others, and of various literary movements, such as romanticism. The mystical philosopher Rudolf Steiner, founder of the anthroposophist movement, named two buildings after Goethe. In contemporary culture, he stands in the background as the author of the story upon which Disney’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is based.

Goethe embodied many of the contending strands in art over the next century: his work could be lushly emotional, and rigorously formal, brief and epigrammatic, and epic. He would argue that classicism was the means of controlling art, and that romanticism was a sickness, even as he penned poetry rich in memorable images, and rewrote the formal rules of German poetry.

His poetry was set to music by almost every major Austrian and German composer from Mozart to Mahler, and his influence would spread to French drama and opera as well.

Beethoven declared that a “Faust” Symphony would be the greatest thing for Art. Liszt and Mahler both created symphonies in whole or in large part inspired by this seminal work, which would give the 19th century one of its most paradigmatic figures: Doctor Faustus.

The Faust tragedy/drama, often called “Das Drama der Deutschen” (the drama of the Germans), written in two parts published decades apart, would stand as his most characteristic and famous artistic creation.

Goethe was also a cultural force, and by researching folk traditions, he created many of the norms for celebrating Christmas, and argued that the organic nature of the land moulded the people and their customs - an argument that has recurred ever since, including recently in the work of Jared Diamond. He argued that laws could not be created by pure rationalism, since geography and history shaped habits and patterns. This stood in sharp contrast to the prevailing Enlightenment view that reason was sufficient to create well-ordered societies and good laws.

Influence

Goethe’s influence was dramatic because he understood that there was a transition in European sensibilities, an increasing focus on sense, the indescribable, and the emotional. This is not to say that he

was emotionalistic or excessive; on the contrary, he lauded personal restraint and felt that excess was a disease: “There is nothing worse than imagination without taste”. He argued in his scientific works that a “formative impulse”, which he said is operative in every organism, causes an organism to form itself according to its own distinct laws, and therefore rational laws or fiats could not be imposed at all from a higher, transcendent sphere; this placed him in direct opposition to those who attempted to form “enlightened” monarchies based on “rational” laws by, for example, Joseph II of Austria or, the subsequent Emperor of the French, Napoleon I. This change later became the basis for 19th century thought; organic rather than geometrical, evolving rather than created, and based on sensibility and intuition, rather than on imposed order, culminating in, as he said, a “living quality” wherein the subject and object are dissolved together in a poise of inquiry. Consequently, he embraced neither teleological nor deterministic views of growth within every organism.

Instead, the world as a whole grows through continual, external, and internal strife.

Moreover, he did not embrace the mechanistic views that contemporaneous science subsumed during his time, and therewith he denied rationality’s superiority as the sole interpretation of reality. Furthermore, he declared that all knowledge is related to humanity through its functional value alone and that knowledge presupposes a perspectival quality. He also stated that the fundamental nature of the world is aesthetic.

His views make him, along with Adam Smith, Thomas Jefferson, and Ludwig van Beethoven, a figure in two worlds: on the one hand, devoted to the sense of taste, order, and finely crafted detail, which is the hallmark of the artistic sense of the Age of Reason and the neo-classicistic period of architecture; on the other, seeking a personal, intuitive, and personalized form of expression and society, firmly supporting the idea of self-regulating and organic systems. Thinkers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson would take up many similar ideas in the 1800s. His ideas on evolution would frame the question which Darwin and Wallace would approach within the scientific paradigm.

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Good Ideas from Germany Bobby-Cars

A

classic toy from Bavaria, BobbyCars have long since achieved cult status worldwide. No other vehicle can claim to be the very first car of so many people. Boys and girls alike shoot off on these push-powered cars almost before they have learnt to walk. 98 percent of Germans know what a Bobby-Car is. This is a German best-seller that to this day is manufactured in the Franconia region of Bavaria. Every day, 2,000 Bobby-Cars roll off the production line at the plant in Burghaslach. Since this popular polyethylene toy was first presented at the Nuremberg Toy Show in 1972, its manufacturer BIG has dispatched more than 17 million of the cars – which were the brainchild of Furth industrialist and engineer Ernst A Bettag.

The Bobby-Car has long since become a worldwide hit, and according to its manufacturer is the top-selling ride-on toy car in the world. It is exported to countries such as Japan, Scandinavia, New Zealand, Dubai and the USA, to name but a few.

The classic version is just under 60 cm long, around 40 cm high, has four wheels and is Ferrari red in colour. These days the BobbyCar is also available in pink and blue versions, with a special leopard pattern varnish or

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in black. There is also a Lightning McQueen model and a “Baby-Porsche”. To this day, however, the most popular version of all is the red vintage model featuring headlight stickers which look craftily ahead like eyes. A special edition was launched to mark the Bobby-Car’s 40th anniversary.

Incidentally, not all BobbyCars are enjoyed only by children. For years, an adult fan community has been staging races with specially souped-up vehicles. On closed roads with downhill

gradients, championships are held in much the same way as soapbox car races – with a helmet, of course, and with concrete added to the plastic casing. Germany even has a Bobby-Car Sports Association which invites families to fun races and keeps world ranking lists. The top speed record achieved by the pros, by the way, is an impressive 115 km/h.

Leica is not just a cult brand: these Germany-made cameras set international standards and – almost in passing – revolutionized photography and media reporting.

Leica

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pictures – which was a boon, particularly for news reporting by the print media, because journalistic articles could now be enriched with “live scenes”.

advance has concentrated on improving the functions that are really relevant. That’s why people are fascinated by the Leica brand – because we focus on the essentials.”

Photography fans will soon be able to see for themselves: the company is currently building its new headquarters in Wetzlar, Hesse, and it will include a hands-on visitor centre where people can gain an insight into the history of this traditional company.

static, single shots using heavy and bulky plate cameras. By contrast, Leica enabled photographers to take dynamic, live

Even in the digital age, Leica Camera AG remains true to its fundamental principle of focusing on the essentials: “Today, many manufacturers try to tempt the customer with countless features and absurd shapes. Almost everything is possible,“ says Andreas Kaufmann, Chairman of the Leica Supervisory Board. “But it’s the seemingly simple things that are often the most difficult. Leica always gives top priority to the needs of the users... We want Leicas to be tools for very special visual experiences, nothing more, nothing less,” Kaufmann explains. “This is why, ever since the first model, each mechanical and optical

hen Oskar Barnack developed the miniature camera 100 years ago, and the entrepreneur Ernst Leitz began mass-producing his employee’s invention, nobody could have imagined the consequences. Leica was to become a cult brand and revolutionize photography. And after Max Berek developed interchangeable lenses in 1925, its triumphant advance throughout the world began. The small, lightweight camera with the harmonious 3:2 width-to-height ratio and 24x36 mm picture format became the global standard. It also meant people could take 36 pictures without reloading. This “liberated” photography, because up until then you could only take

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d Lifestyle anEveryday Culture

By Constanze Kleis

Fresh ideas from the worlds of fashion, design, architecture and cuisine in an increasingly popular tourist destination

I

n its special edition Best in Travel 2010 “Lonely Planet”, the cult Australian travel guide, lists Germany in second place of countries to have visited. On account of its great diversity and ability to change – and because “Germany is still a country where

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you can witness history in the making”, particularly in Berlin. There are several other good reasons why a visit is worthwhile: the country’s modern approach, its openness, the quality of life, the excellent value for money, the multi-national diversity and the creativity with which Germany both renews and preserves its cultural identity. Nowadays a laissez-faire attitude and a liberal sense of curiosity are evident almost everywhere.

For example in nutrition. Of course you can still enjoy heavy regional cuisine, the hearty characteristics of the different landscapes.

Yet several new influences have also made their mark on German cuisine and Germans now have the most international range of food in Europe: According to a survey conducted by the Allensbach Institute more than fifty percent of all Germans chose foreign cuisine when eating out, primarily Italian,

Chinese or Greek. Another trend is towards healthy eating. Organic supermarkets offer a blend of what is becoming increasingly important to Germans: Enjoyment and responsibility, lifestyle and a clear conscience.

are as many as nine European long distance trails stretching for 9,700 km throughout the country and a total of 190,000 km of signposted walks. And for cyclists there are 50,000 km of track on which to discover the country.

Destination Germany

In fine shape – fashion and design

Germany is becoming increasingly popular as a travel destination: In 2009 the German National Tourist Board recorded 54.8 million overnights by foreign guests from the North Sea to the Alps. Despite the economic crisis Germany succeeded in maintaining its high level of tourism and in comparison with other countries was even able to increase its share of the international market. Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt and Cologne are the most popular cities with international visitors. Business travelers in particular value Germany as a destination. With an 11 percent market share of all international business trips, Germany is the market leader in business tourism worldwide.

Most visitors to Germany come from other European countries, the USA and Asia. With regard to individual states, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Wurttemberg are the preferred destinations. In addition to historical sites, top-quality concert series, art exhibitions, theater performances as well as major international sports events, not to mention street festivals and atmospheric Christmas markets are just a few of the attractions that bring the visitors flocking.

The Germans love to celebrate, and never miss an opportunity to do so. Many festivals such as Munich’s renowned Oktoberfest (which in 2013 celebrates its 203rd birthday), Christopher Street Day in Cologne, the Carnival of the Cultures in Berlin, Fastnacht in Mainz and Carnival in Cologne have long become an international synonym for high spirits and a cosmopolitan atmosphere.

Whereas most foreign visitors are drawn to the big cities, Germans themselves tend to visit smaller places and rural regions in their home country: The coasts of the North and Baltic Seas, the Black Forest and Lake Constance are the most popular vacation destinations. Germany boasts no less than 14 national parks, 101 nature parks and 15 biosphere reserves. However, for active holiday makers too coastlines, lakes, as well as low and high mountain ranges are all becoming increasingly important. There are all sorts of opportunities available: There

High fashion by German designers is a firm feature on the international catwalks. For decades now designers Karl Lagerfeld, who was born in Hamburg and is the creative mind behind the French haute couture company Chanel, and Wolfgang Joop, who is nowadays enjoying success with his Wunderkind Couture label, have been global players. Of the younger generation Bernhard Willhelm, Markus Lupfer, Stephan Schneider and Daniela and Annette Felder, for example, are enjoying succees from Paris, London, and Antwerp to New York.

In Germany, Berlin has emerged as the place where the fashion scene sets trends: Twice a year the world of fashion meets there at the Berlin Fashion Week and the streetwear trade fair Bread & Butter, with around 700 fashion labels putting up stiff competition for fashion centers such as London and Paris. The German fashion designers play with identities and traditions and since r e u n i fi c a t i o n have developed an independent, self- confident style of its own.

Their fashion also has many facets – from fresh and wacky, elegant and purist to

colorful, poetic designs.

In everyday life, Germans tend to focus more on the down-to-earth. In addition to functional business attire they tend to prefer casual sportswear, such as Boss and Strenesse by Gabriele Strehle. Though headquartered in southern Germany, both labels

have long been well established in international markets. Great value is placed on creativity and individuality, both of which are more important to fashion-conscious Germans than status symbols. German fashion companies were some of the first to adopt “green fashion” and place importance on sustainability and fair trade.

German product design has a reputation for creating carefully devised, straightforward functional products. Design made in Germany – from Bulthaup kitchens to Braun razors – is held in high regard in the international arena. Companies such as furniture manufacturers Wilkhahn and Vitra still lead the way in terms of style, as do Lamy for writing implements and Erco for

luminaires.

The traditions of bauhaus in the 1920s and the Ulm College in the 1950s are still highly regarded, but in the meantime a new generation has made a name for itself. It includes Konstantin Grcic, who was born in 1965 and is one of the most innovative young designers. Born in Munich, he accords totally banal everyday objects an unfamiliar touch of poetry. The newcomers from “Studio Vertijet” in Halle, Steffen Kroll and Kirsten Hoppert, also blend playful and analytical design elements in their work. In 2010 the textile designer Elisa Strozyk won the first award presented to up-andcoming designers by the German Design Prize.

Architecture

The architectural scene in Germany has several regional centers, but since reunification it has also certainly focused on Berlin. In the capital, world-class architecture can be experienced at close quarters: Whether Lord Norman Foster, who converted the former Reichstag building into the new German parliament, Renzo Piano, Daniel Libeskind, I M Pei or Rem Koolhaas – the list of international architects who have made their mark on the face of Berlin in the 21st century is long. Vice versa, German architecture companies such as von Gerkan, Marg und Partner and Albert Speer & Partner also enjoy international success.

Sustainable building, in other words architecture which consumes as little as possible or even no energy at all, is playing an ever greater role. This is a topic which architects from Germany such as Stefan Behnisch, Christoph Ingenhoven, Werner Sobek and the duo Louisa Hutton and Matthias Sauerbruch addressed early on, and in which they have acquired expertise that is in demand worldwide. Also attracting attention is Graft, a trio of architects from Berlin that combines the avant-garde and

Germany an Environmental Policy Pioneer A modern climate and energy policy, renewable energies, green technologies and the phasing out of nuclear power

By Joachim Wille

T

he protection of the environment and climate is among the global challenges of the 21st century and is accorded a prime status in German politics, media and civil society. Germany is internationally considered one of the forerunners in climate protection and a pioneer in developing renewable energies. In 2011 Germany was the first industrial nation to decide to opt out of nuclear power . And the government assumes an active role in environmental protection, climate-friendly development strategies and energy partnerships at the global level, too. The Secretariat which supports the operation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is headquartered in Bonn.

Since 1990, Germany has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by almost 24 percent and thus has already fulfilled its obligations

outlined in the Kyoto Protocol, which came into force in 2005, of a 21 percent reduction by 2012. Germany is in one of the top places in the 2011 global climate Change Performance Index, compiled by independent environmental protection organization “Germanwatch”.

For years now, Germany has been following a course which unites climate and environmental protection in terms of sustainable management. The key: to increase energy and resource efficiency and to develop renewable energies and raw materials. This promotes the development of new energy technologies both on the supply side, in power stations and renewable energy plants, and on the demand side, where energy is used.

N (“the conservation and protection of the natural foundations of life”) has been en-

shrined as a state objective in Article 20a of the Basic Law since 1994. Intact natural systems, pure air and clean waterways are preconditions for a high quality of life and of the environment in Germany. Environmental indicators are pointing in a positive direction as regards the prevention of air and water pollution, because many emissions have been considerably reduced in recent years. greenhouse gas emissions from road traffic have been decreasing since 1999, despite a significant increase in traffic, and are now below the 1990 level.

Outfitting motor vehicles with catalytic converters is, along with other measures, partly responsible for a roughly 50 percent reduction in nitrous oxide emissions. Sulfur dioxide emissions from coal and lignite power stations were able to be lowered by 90 percent owing to the mandatory flue gas

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desulfurization process. In recent years, the daily per capita rate of drinking water consumption has also decreased from 144 liters to 121 liters, the second lowest rate of all industrialized countries.

Phasing out nuclear power Fossil fuels still make up the backbone of the energy mix both in private households and for traffic and industry. With a share totalling a good third, petroleum is the most important primary energy source, followed by natural gas, coal, nuclear fuel and lignite.

The federal government plans to gradually phase out nuclear power, which accounts for around nine percent of total generation and replace it with renewable energies. The promotion policy set in motion back in the early 1990s makes the use of renewable energies attractive and economical.

The Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), a market incentive program to promote the use of renewable energies is regarded as the driving force behind the u p -

swing in climate-friendly energy sources and its fundamentals have been adopted by several countries. The increased use of renewable energies and the efficient use of energy also formed the core of the Federal Government’s 2009 coalition agreement on the topic.

In spring 2011 the federal government decided on a “change in energy policy”: the accelerated phasing out of nuclear energy. On the back of a re-evaluation of safety following the nuclear disaster in Fukushima in Japan, the eight oldest of the 17 nuclear power stations in operation were immediately shut down. In addition the Bundestag, with a big majority, passed a schedule according to which the remaining nine reactors would also be decommissioned by 2022.

Within the space of 11 years it envisages atomic energy, which in 2011 still supplied around 18 percent of the electricity consumed, being reliably replaced by, among other things, renewable forms of energy, an expanded electricity grid, and new storage capacity for green electricity. By the year 2020, renewable energy sources are intended to account for 35 percent of electricity, and by the year 2050 for 80 percent.

In Germany, green electricity was booming even before the “change in energy policy”,

its share rising from five percent in 1990 to 20 percent in 2011.

Trailblazing and efficient: Renewable energy Against the background of the consequences of climate change, which science has described in vivid detail and which include increases in temperature, floods, droughts, accelerated melting of the polar icecaps and species extinction, as well as the constantly increasing global consumption of fossil fuels, renewable, climate-friendly alternatives are becoming increasingly more significant.

The availability of wind, water, sun, biomass and geothermal energy is unlimited and they release no emissions which are damaging to the climate.

Renewable energies now make up for more than ten percent of all German energy consumption. With almost 14 percent of global wind energy output, Germany places third behind China and the USA. The North Sea Offshore Initiative, in which Germany and eight other EU Member States have joined forces, sees new potential for its use. With regard to photovoltaic technology, which is used to turn the sun’s rays into electricity, Germany, with an installed output of 17,300 megawatts, even placed first ahead of Spain

and Japan in 2010. The Desertec initiative, which is largely being funded by German companies, is a major European investment in sustainable energy technology. By 2050 the energy produced by solar power stations in North Africa is intended to cover 15 percent of European electricity requirements.

Innovative and good for exports: Green technologies The measures in the Integrated Energy and climate protection Program not only serve to protect the environment, but also to promote the development of an innovative future industry, which is a real job creator, is highly internationally competitive and increasingly active in foreign markets. In 2010 one solar cell in five and every seventh wind turbine came from Germany. More than 360,000 people work in the renewable energies industry.

In addition, there are around one million more jobs in environmental technology, such as water purification, filter technology, recycling and renaturalization. Another job driver are companies, which, in times of rising energy prices, are focusing on energy efficiency technologies (power stations with higher levels of efficiency, combined generation of electricity and heat, energy efficient construction, energetic building renovation, energy-saving cars). According to information from the International Energy Agency (IEA), Germany is already in the top group of countries which demonstrate a substantial economic performance with relatively low energy use.

International climate cooperation: a must Germany sees itself as a pioneer in environmental and climate protection. With the goal it set itself Germany put itself at the very top worldwide: no other comparable industrial country has a similarly ambitious and concretely formulated program: By 2020 the federal government intends lowering greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent compared with the 1990 level. Furthermore the use of renewable energies is to be consistently expanded and energy efficiency increased further. The goal is for renewable energies to become the major source of energy supplies.

In an international context, too, Germany played a decisive role in getting environmental and climate protection on the agenda. Thus the German EU and G8 presidencies in 2007 made climate protection objectives and energy policy two of their main goals.

The European Council, with its challenging resolutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the declaration of the G8 Summit in Heiligendamm, Germany, where heads of

state and government pledged “to seriously test” the objective to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, were important steps towards a global answer to climate change.

The Climate Change Conference in Bali in 2007 laid the foundations for the so-called “post-Kyoto process”, which, in addition to the industrial nations increasing their measures, also involves actively including emerging nations in climate protection. That is decisive, as according to the Intergovernmental Panel on climate Change (IPCC) the worldwide emissions of CO2 will have to be halved by 2050 if global warming is to remain under control this century. The aim is to prevent the average global temperature rising by more than two degrees Celsius.

However, the plan to pass a successor agreement to the Kyoto Protocol at the 2009 climate Summit in Copenhagen failed. The community of nations did declare, though, that limiting global warming to at maximum of two degrees above the pre-industrial level was a goal worth pursuing. The summit failed, however, to agree on concrete, binding goals for the reduction of CO2. The reduction obligations outlined in the Copenhagen Accord are not sufficient to achieve the two degree goal.

As agreed in Copenhagen, more than 100 countries, which together are responsible for over 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions had notified the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bonn of their national climate protection objectives. These, however, are not enough to achieve the two degree target. The EU is a pioneer in this. It has agreed to lower the emission of greenhouse gases such as CO2 by at least 20 percent in comparison with the 1990 level by 2020 – or by 30 percent provided other industrial

countries commit themselves to comparable reductions.

The share of renewable energies is intended to rise to 20 percent and consumption to fall by 20 percent as a result of improved energy efficiency. The EU Climate and Energy Pact is being implemented in the 27 Member States in accordance with national quotas.

Germany will make an above-average contribution to reducing greenhouse gases.

Despite the difficulties agreeing on compromises the federal government supports an international climate protection regime and a new world climate order. Hopes for substantial progress on the post-Kyoto Protocol now rest on the next regular climate summit in Mexico.

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A Dynamic Creative Sector New developments in art, music, literature, theatre and film built upon a strong historical foundation

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and of the poets and thinkers.

Goethe was German, as were Bach and Beethoven. And yet as a nation of culture Germany still has no national authority with overall responsibility for culture for the country as a whole.

According to the Basic Law, culture is the responsibility of the individual federal states. Yet why are cultural affairs something that the nation itself as a whole cannot, or is not meant to, govern? Ever since the era of Kaiser Wilhelm II in the late 19th century, German culture as the expression of a single German nation was suspected of being the reflection of a craving for status. The disaster of national socialism ultimately resulted in a re-alignment. Following the Second World War the opinion gradually gained sway that Germany would only be able to return to the world community if it avoided all semblance of exaggerated emotionalism as regards the national culture.

This is one of the reasons why, when the Federal Republic was founded in 1949, one bore the federal tradition in mind and handed over cultural sovereignty to the federal states. Only since 1999 has a state minister for culture and media been part of the Federal Chancellery. Since then Germany has once again seen this or that cultural matter as being something the entire country should be involved with. Federal film production was reorganized, and the German Federal Cultural

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Foundation founded. Berlin is increasingly turning into a magnet for the creative class, and has already become a cultural force, a melting pot of cultures, whose museums are a reflection of the history of humanity.

Cultural federalism, in turn, kindles the ambition of the federal states. Cultural policy is local policy. Over many years, the Ruhr district, for example, a former mining and steel-producing region in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, has reinvented itself as a cultural region.

Literature - a universe of stories

Germany is a book country: With around 94,000 titles published or re-published annually, it is one of the world’s leading book nations. International Frankfurt Book Fair, which is held every October, is still the international publishing world’s most important meeting, while the smaller Leipzig Book fair in the spring has also made a name for itself as reading festival for the general public. Since reunification Berlin has established itself as a literary center and international city of publishing, from which exciting big city literature is emerging, the like of which Germany has not experienced since the end of the Weimar Republic.

In the first ten years of this century internationally successful authors

dominated the top places of the bestseller lists. They include Joanne K. Rowling, Dan Brown, Ken Follet and the German children’s author Cornelia Funke. At any rate, few decidedly literary books succeeded in occupying the top places. Alongside Daniel Kehlmann’s bestseller “Measuring the World” (2006) one such work was Charlotte Roche’s novel “Wetlands” (2008), which triggered a debate about female sexuality and role models, documenting in a highly lively manner that literature can still treat socially relevant topics bluntly, even if these are more private than political in nature.

Furthermore, based on the Booker Prize in the UK and the Prix Goncourt in France, the German Book Prize (bestowed for the first time in 2005) honors the best novel of the year and has been successful in effectively marketing highbrow literature to the public.

In addition to the prize money, winners of the German Book Prize can look forward to high sales figures and media attention.

Although several of the great post-War literary figures such as the Nobel Prize winner Günter Grass, Martin Walser, Hans Magnus Enzensberger and Siegfried Lenz are still writing, their recent works have had less impact on the language of literature.

Following the aesthetically innovative postWar decades and literature in the 1970s that was dominated just as much by social analysis as it was by experiments with

terms o f

language and form, around the turn of the millennium a return to more traditional narrative forms, to ingeniously simple stories (Judith Hermann, Karen Duve) became discernible. This included, alongside skilful narration, formal experiments (Katharina Hacker), the diverse literary forms of authors moving in various cultures (Feridun Zaimoglu, Ilija Trojanow), and the linguistic power, oblivious of fashion, of Herta Muller, who hails from Romania. Since winning the 2009 Nobel Prize for Literature she is now known beyond the literary scene.

At the same time the boundaries between highbrow literature and entertaining works have become more penetrable. In the work of younger authors readers search in vain for political and moral stances. Yet in what would appear to be a retreat into the private sphere, precisely those topics are being addressed that literature has always focused on: How do individuals deal with society’s requirements and expectations?

What impact is the global dominance of the economy having on individuals? In that sense, in contemporary literature the private sphere is indeed political after all.

stimulus, attention a n d money. For many this is a luxury, especially as box office takings amount to a mere 10– 15 percent of theater expenses.

The system has long since passed i t s zenith and is now in a difficult position because time and again art is measured in terms of the material requirements.

Peter Stein, a unique figure in German theater, is a “world-class” d i r e c t o r.

As opposed to other dramatists he created an oeuvre that is clearly recognizable by virtue of the continuity of repeated motifs, themes and authors.

A theater of memory, with a directing style that takes its cue from the text.

There are worlds

Nor can audiences be really shocked any longer, theatrical provocation mostly comes to nothing and is frequently little more than routine attacks on surviving cliches.

The theater of today’s young people no longer sees itself as being avant-garde; it strives for independent forms of expression.

In this context the number of premieres of works by contemporary authors has risen considerably with the dawn of the new century. Varying enormously in quality they reveal the entire range of current forms of presentation, traditional theater merging with pantomime, dance, film sequences and music to create ever new blends.

Significantly these performances, which are frequently very open and dominated by improvisation are called “dramatic installation” and “scene production”.

Frank Castorf, General Manager of the Freie Volksbühne Berlin, who has texts dismantled and put together again, is one of the role models for this young generation of directors. Christoph Marthaler also represent a different interpretation of what theater is about and the search for new opportunities for expression

Theater - a genre constantly reinventing itself

Outside the country, German theater frequently has a reputation for being brash and self-absorbed. It is, however, theater with a much-admired system behind it.

Even provincial cities boast artistically interesting venues catering to three areas of the performing arts (theater, opera, ballet), which can mostly be classified as repertory theaters, in other words have several productions in their program simultaneously, and as a rule a permanent ensemble. Overall there is a distinct theater world, a well-established network of state, municipal, traveling, and private theaters.

In Germany a lot goes into this system: in

between the up-and-coming generation of directors and a Peter Stein, Claus Peymann, the Principle of the Berliner Ensemble, and Peter Zadek, who died in 2009. Contemporary stage productions can no longer be portrayed using the vocabulary of the generation that created what is known as director’s theater. Terms such as enlighten, instruct, expose, and intervene sound antiquated.

that are appropriate to globalized capitalism and a world dominated by electronic media.

Michael Thalheimer is regarded as an expert on difficult subject matter with an eye that Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

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concentrates on the essentials. Armin Petras, Martin Kusej and Rene Pollesch have created styles of directing that prioritize style over content; traditional narrative methods that stick close to the text are not something they are necessarily familiar with. On the other hand there is repeated criticism, which at the same time demonstrates how lively the world of theater is, despite all its strife.

For an alert, interested audience this diversity is a step forward, providing as it does new access to what were regarded as familiar texts; it can unsettle, annoy, entertain and create ever new images of our life.

fore. The violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter even has an enormous following beyond classical music enthusiasts and is “the” German international star.

German pioneers of electronic music such as Karlheinz Stockhausen, who died in 2007, and his traditionalist opposite number, opera composer Hans Werner Henze, have had a resounding international influence on contemporary music since the mid20th century. Nowadays there are a wide array of stylistic trends: Heiner Goebbels combines music and theater,

Music – a vibrant spectrum of styles

Germany’s reputation as an important musical nation is still based on names like Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Handel and Richard Strauss.

Students from around the world flock to its music academies, music lovers attend the festivals – from the Wagner Festival in Bayreuth to the Donaueschingen Festival of Contemporary Music.

There are 80 publicly financed concert halls in Germany, the most important being in Hamburg, Berlin, Dresden and Munich as well as Frankfurt/Main, Stuttgart, and Leipzig.

The Berlin Philharmonic, under the star British conductor Sir Simon Rattle, is considered to be the best of around 130 symphony orchestras in Germany.

The Frankfurt “Ensemble Modern” is a fundamental engine room behind contemporary music production. Every year it masters some 70 new works, including 20 premieres. In addition to internationally known maestros such as Kurt Masur and Christoph Eschenbach, of the young conductors Ingo Metzmacher and Christian Thielemann in particular have come to the

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fan group “Tokio Hotel” also come in the category of German superstars.

Furthermore, over the past few years young artists such as the singer Xavier Naidoo (of the group “Sohne Mannheims”) have been successfully basing their work on American soul and rap. Especially in this particular scene, many young musicians from immigrant backgrounds such as Laith Al-Deen, Bushido, Cassandra Steen and Adel Tawil are emerging as stars. Most recently, the success of the Berlin band “Wir sind Helden” has influenced a whole new wave of young German bands. The founding of the “Pop Academy” in Mannheim clearly demonstrated the wish to put German pop music on an international footing.

In the club scene as well, Germany has numerous “in” locations, in particular in the major cities Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt/Main, Stuttgart and Mannheim.

With the disco trend of the 1970s, the Rap/ Hip-hop of the 1980s and the techno style of the 1990s, DJs liberated themselves to become sound artists and producers. Scratching, sampling, re-mixes and computer technology made sound media into infinitely changeable raw mass for meta music. In Sven Väth, the “Godfather of Techno” and Paul van Dyk, Germany has produced two of the absolute top stars of the club scene.

while Helmut Lachenmann takes the possibilities of instrumental expression to the extreme. Wolfgang Rihm reveals how in the way it is developing it appears possible for music once again to become more comprehensible. With his sense of the zeitgeist and the sensitivities of his fans,at the other end of the musical spectrum the pop singer Herbert Gronemeyer has been enjoying success with songs in German for years now. The Punk rockers “Die Toten Hosen”, the heavymetal band Rammstein and the teenage

Cinema – a success story in moving pictures

Shortly before the dawn of the new millennium a firework woke the slumbering German film industry: Tom Tykwer’s 1998 film “Run Lola Run”. The experimental comedy about the redhead Lola, fate, love and chance captures the spirit of the late 1990s. The global audience saw Lola’s daredevil race against time through the streets of Berlin as a metaphor for the

nothing to do with the market economy.

restlessness of an era. “Run Lola Run” proved to be the international breakthrough for director Tom Tykwer. For the German cinema it marked the beginning of a revival.

For the first time since the era of so-called auteur cinema and Rainer Werner Fassbinder (died 1982), foreign commentators once again began to enthuse about German cinema, which is now enjoying international success. In 2003, Caroline Link won an Oscar for “Nowhere in Africa” and in 2007 Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck won the cherished trophy for his film “The Life of Others”, and the same year the Cannes International Film Festival awarded its prize for best script and its special prize to Fatih Akin for his film “The Edge of Heaven”.

While at the beginning of the new millennium it was comedies that surprisingly boosted German cinema’s prospects – such as Hans Weingartner’s “Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei“ (2004) – by the end of the first decade attention focused on serious films. The themes have remained the same, however: The tragicomedy “Good Bye, Lenin!” (2003) was a success in over 70 countries because it portrayed the failure of socialism, and Donnersmarck’s “The Life of Others” (2007) is about life and suffering in East Germany’s police state.

Fatih Akin, a Hamburg citizen with Turkish roots, on the other hand, tells the story of life in Germany at breathtaking speed. In his movie “Head-On” (2004), which among other things won the B.I.F.F, Golden Bear, he offers us the love story of two Turks brought up in Germany, and how they are crushed between the two cultures. The story is brutally precise, but deliberately not a tearjerker. And in 2007 in his “Edge of Heaven” he tells the story of six people in Germany and Turkey, whose lives are tied up by destiny. For the German film prize this was worth no less than four awards. In 2009 in “Soul Kitchen” he creates a movie testimony to Hamburg, this time in a comedy.

German films are successful because they use national themes when telling universal stories. Yet the filmmakers filter the material of which their movies are made from the history and difficulties in their own country and their own biography.

Fine Arts - a place for new ideas

Since the 1990s German painting and photography have been enjoying international success. Abroad, this new German painting revelation is known under the label “Young German Artists“. The artists involved come from Leipzig, Berlin and Dresden. Neo Rauch is the best known representative of the “New Leipzig School“.

His style is characterized by a new realism that has emerged, free of all ideology, from the former “Leipzig School” of East German art. The paintings reveal for the most part pale figures that would appear to be waiting for something indefinite; a reflection, perhaps, of the situation in Germany at the beginning of the new millennium. Socalled “Dresden Pop“, propagated among others by Thomas Scheibitz, references the aesthetics of advertising, TV and video to playfully deal with the aesthetics of finding certainty in the here and now.

For most younger artists, dealing with the Nazi era, as was the case in the works of Hans Haacke, Anselm Kiefer and Joseph Beuys, belongs to the past. Rather, a “new interiority” and an interest in spheres of experience that collide with one another are emerging in the art scene: The works of Jonathan Meese and Andre Butzer reflect depression and compulsive phenomena; they are seen as representatives of “Neurotic Realism“. The subject of Franz Ackermann’s “Mental Maps”, in which he points out the disasters behind the facades, is the world as a global village. Tino Sehgal, whose art exists only at the time it is performed and is not allowed to be filmed, is aiming for forms of production and communication that have

The interest shown in art in Germany can also be witnessed at the documenta, the leading exhibition of contemporary art worldwide held every five years in Kassel. In contrast to the fine arts – whose importance is underlined by the boom in the foundation of new private museums – photography had to struggle for a long time to be accepted as an art form in its own right. Katharina Sieverding, who in her self portraits sounds out the boundaries between the individual and society, is considered to be a 1970s pioneer. The breakthrough came in the 1990s with the success of three young men who studied under the photographer duo Bernd and Hilla Becher: Thomas Struth, Andreas Gursky and Thomas Ruff portray in their pictures a double-edged highgloss reality and possess such a trailblazing international influence that they are simply referred to as “Struffsky”.

German – an attractive foreign language

German is one of around 15 Germanic languages, a branch of the Indo-Germanic family of languages. It is the most frequently spoken mother tongue in the European Union (EU) and one of the ten most widely spoken languages in the world: Around 120 million people speak German as their mother tongue. After English German comes second in terms of foreign languages in Europe. There are currently some 17 million people worldwide learning German as a foreign language at institutions and schools.

The teaching of the German language abroad is promoted by the federal foreign office and entrusted to organizations: The Goethe Institute offers German language courses in 127 cities in 80 countries. 440 German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) lecturers work on behalf of the DAAD at universities in 102 countries. The Zentralstelle für das Auslandsschulwesen (ZfA) manages 135 German schools outside the country, as well as some 1,900 German staff teaching abroad. “Schulen: Partner der Zukunft” (Schools: Partners for the Future), a federal foreign office Initiative aims to establish German as a foreign language more strongly abroad. The goal is for a network of 1,500 partner schools.

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Welcome to

Wellbeing Wellness in Germany is a great way to revitalize. Over 300 modern health centers, more than 50 climatic health resorts, 48 seaside health resorts, 62 Kneipp hydrotherapy resorts and over 160 mineral spas and mud spas and a whole range of hotels and specialist wellness centers are all ready to cater to relaxation, fitness and well-being of the customer.

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witch off your mobile, close your eyes and really relax. Let yourself sink into a realm where your senses are alive to every smell, every sound and every touch. Your room is on the fourth floor.

It is beautifully quiet. The window looks straight out onto, let’s say, the Mecklenburg Lakeland area. Or the Black Forest mountains. Wherever you are, a glimpse of the countryside is enough to instantly release any tensions that persist even after your hot bath or massage. The new energy

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you will take away from your wellness holiday will be due in no small part to the beauty of nature. Beauty that will make you see with new eyes; beauty that will allow you to smell, feel and hear with a new intensity.

The choice is vast. In Germany, the idea of cultivating a sense of wellbeing has a great history: in the 18th and 19th centuries, many crowned heads and great figures from the worlds of art and culture would meet up at German spa resorts. One can discover traces of those days at every turn in spa resorts such as Baden-Baden, Bad Kissingen, Bad Neuenahr and Bad Wildungen. The flair and elegance of these towns will transform a visit into a wellness experience for all the senses. And for those on a business trip, the day spas and wellness centres at hotels in Germany are perfect for business travelers to relax and unwind.

Mineral Spas and Mud Spas Between the River Neckar, the Hohenlohe region and the Swabian mountains is the Salt and Brine Route, where enormous salt deposits are an inexhaustible reservoir for health and well-being. A large number of wellness centres and hotels offer sophisticated luxury breaks and fitness packages based on the valuable saline springs that bubble up to the earth’s surface here.

The pleasant water of the thermal baths and the moisturizing natural mudpacks provide the whole body with vital minerals and trace elements. One can feel the skin become noticeably smoother, healthier and softer to the touch. These waters can also have a revitalizing and healing effect on the internal organs.

With each breath of air, valuable minerals and trace elements are taken into the whole body, where they have a long-lasting beneficial effect.

This traditional form of “spa treatment� is offered in the form of more than 160 different mineral and mud baths in Germany. These waters were considered to Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

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be a fountain of youth as long ago as the times of the Ancient Romans and Teutons.

Today, the attractions of the health centers include the stunning architecture as well as an impressive range of sport, dietary and beauty programmes.

Climatic Health Resorts Taking exercise in natural surroundings is the elixir of climatic therapy, which is about actually breathing your way to all-round health. From Holstein’s Switzerland in the north to the Allgau in the south, Germany has 53 climatic health resorts that invite visitors to replenish their energy reserves in pure air and glorious natural surroundings.

If one opts for a wellness holiday by the sea, after only a few days one will discover that the skin is tauter, complexion clearer and hair shinier. But perhaps the most important thing is the feeling – quite unlike any other – that you only ever get at the seaside. The high humidity levels and salt and iodine content of the air stimulates the metabolism and opens up respiratory passages. And sweater affects the body in the same way as a fountain of youth. High levels of potassium purifies and prevents allergies, magnesium is good for the circulation, whilst calcium helps the skin retain moisture and inhibits inflammation.

Sea sand is also very beneficial for the skin,

Seaside resorts and health resorts when used properly: is smoothes roughness by the sea and acts as an astringent. Fresh sea air is The sea is an inexhaustible source of beauty and fitness. All one needs on a visit to one of Germany’s 60 seaside resorts or health resorts by the sea is a little time and patience.

The seaside climate, seawater, sea mud and seaweed are the ingredients in this type of therapy. Thalasso treatments are also widely available, and have been for more than 200 years.

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reputed to be good for bronchial tubes with its revitalizing particles. To get yourself breathing really deeply, go for a walk across the mudflats every day or have a game of badminton on the beach. Germany borders on two seas, the North Sea coast. For a relaxing holiday with the whole family, the Baltic Sea is more restful and has a more temperate seaside climate.

The Kneipp Spa From the beginning of time, water has fascinated people, especially since they realized early on that its elementary properties could even heal illnesses.

In the eighteenth century the German physician Johann Hahn wrote about the power and effect of fresh water on human health. In 1849, it inspired Sebastian Kneipp (1821 to 1897), a pastor, to develop the treatment that was later named for him. A holistic concept is central to his teachings.

According to Kneipp, the health of a person can be strengthened by means of a therapy based on five principles: hydrotherapy, herbal therapy, healthy nutrition, exercise and discipline.

Kneipp’s teachings were and still are continuously developed and updated. Don’t be put off by what is possibly the bestknown application – strengthening the body through affusions of cold water. Using warm water and alternating hot and cold water is much more effective which provides a holistic method that is up-to-date and in line with modern science.

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facts and figures About Kuwait Capital Kuwait City Geography The State of Kuwait is found on the north eastern shore of the Arabian Peninsula.

It is bordered by the Arabian Gulf from the east, Iraq from the north and west and the KSA from the south. The area of the State of Kuwait is of 17.818 thousand square kilometers. The length of the coastal line along with the islands, reaches approximately 500 kilometers. The Gulf of Kuwait is considered one of the main coastal attractions. The State of Kuwait includes nine islands, which are: Bubyan, Failaka, Miskan, Kubbar, Qaruh, Um Al Maradim, Um Al Naml, and Auhah Island.

Administrative Distribution The State of Kuwait is distributed into six governorates, which are the Capital, Hawally, Al Farwaniya, Al Ahmadi, Mubarak Al Kabir and Al Jahra.

Climate Since Kuwait is located in a desert region, the climate is continental distinguished by long hot dry summers and warm

short winters with occasional rainfall.

Sandstorms often occur during the summer months.

Demographics The population up until 30/June/2007 reached approximately 3,328,136.

1,038,598 of whom are Kuwaiti nationals and the rest expatriates and foreigners.

Religion and Language The official religion of the State is Islam, with believers of other religions having their full rights to practice their religion, provided that they do not disrespect or harm Islam; the official language is the Arabic.

Flag The Kuwaiti Flag was raised for the first time following the independence of Kuwait on 24 November 1961. It includes a rectangle which is divided into three equal and horizontal sections, the first of which being green, followed by the white and then red colors. The flag holds a trapezium of black color. The colors were inspired from the following verse of Arabic poetry:

White are our actions Black are our wars Green are our fields Red is our past Coat of Arms of Kuwait The Coat of Arms consists of the shield of the flag design in color superimposed on a falcon with wings displayed. The falcon supports a disk containing a sailing ship (dhow) with the full name of the State written (in Arabic) at the top of the disk.

National Anthem The National Anthem was first recited on 25 February 1978 and it is still recited today.

The idea of having a national anthem was that of the ministerial cabinet, that was headed by the late Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah, when he was a crown prince and prime minister during the reign of the late Sheikh Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah, the ruler of Kuwait at the time.

Currency The currency in the State of Kuwait is the Kuwaiti Dinar.

Local Time +3 hours from GMT. Telephone Code +965 Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

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Germany: An unforgettable

experience beyond expectations

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ermany is the ideal destination for Arab travelers coming for different reasons; families, youths, patients or business travelers will be dazzled by the multitude of offers that satisfy all the tastes. Germany›s towns and cities provide something for everyone – whether it›s the big city buzz or the famous architecture, the historic sites, the national parks or the heavily frequented shopping streets.

Furthermore, having one of the world›s most innovative and advanced healthcare systems, Germany enjoys an outstanding reputation when it comes to treating patients from all over the globe. Needless to mention, Germany occupies a leading position as an international business location. On the top of all the highlights is Germany›s healthy climate, healing waters, natural therapies and beautiful scenery.

Nature as a family attraction

Germany is a country rich in natural beauty having no fewer than thirteen national parks whose landscapes and often rare plants and animals are deemed worthy of conservation.

Its flora and fauna are wonderfully diverse and often unique – perfect for experiencing nature at its best. Between the North Sea, the Baltic coasts in the north and the peaks of the Alps in the south lay extremely diverse landscapes, with everything from wide expanses of river and lakeland scenery to hilly uplands, densely wooded regions and agricultural plains. Germany›s over 150 scenic routes are ideal for discovering the country by car, motorbike or bicycle.

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Entertainment for all ages and interest groups

At Germany›s theme parks and family attractions travellers can have the time of their life. Europa Park, Germany’s biggest theme park for instance offers a sensational mix of adventure and entertainment. Its 85-hectare grounds are divided into themed lands, 13 of which feature the architecture, food and flora of a particular European region. Volkswagen has opened the fantastic Autostadt theme park in its home city of Wolfsburg. Set in more than 25 hectares of parkland, Autostadt Wolfsburg takes visitors on a fascinating journey through the world of the automobile. Adrenaline and action are guaranteed at Germany›s five major race tracks where you can get behind the wheel and experience the thrill of being a racing driver. Families can marvel at all kinds of exotic and indigenous animals at more than 800 zoos and wildlife parks in Germany. No ape enclosure anywhere is bigger than the one at Leipzig Zoo, while Berlin›s zoo has the world›s greatest number of species.

Germany for young people

The Arab youth will find travelling to Germany simple, safe and affordable. Getting around is quick and easy thanks to the excellent roads and superb public transport. Not only that Germany›s hotels, guesthouses and other types of accommodation are among the best in Europe, but they also provide more than sleeping accommodations; they also offer entertainment and outdoor activities. Young Arabs will get to discover

that visiting the big cities is a promising adventure where they can go to Düsseldorf for fashion, Berlin for music and Hamburg for art. In Munich youths can have a great night out; while in Cologne they get to enjoy the mouth-watering chocolate. For the sporty mood, the latest trend sports on land, on water and in the air can be tried, the theme parks on the other hand, will definitely guarantee adrenaline rushes and exciting shows.

Explore UNESCO World heritage and museums in Germany

Only the finest monuments to human and natural activity have the honour of bearing the UNESCO World Heritage title.

Germany is home to some of the finest of these as there are no fewer than 37 places in Germany on the UNESCO World Heritage which range from historical buildings to exceptional natural landscapes and even whole towns. Around 4000 museums in Germany serve as worlds of discovery and use exciting concepts to explore art and history, technology and architecture, literature and the natural world. Visitors will gain an insight into various cultural epochs at Berlin›s Museum Island, admire art in Frankfurt›s Städel Institute, and learn about science and technology at the worldrenowned Deutsches Museum in Munich.

You’ll be well looked after in Germany

Germany enjoys an outstanding reputation when it comes to treating international

Feel Good in Germany Antje Roeding-Boudier, Director Marketing & Sales Office Gulf Countries, German National Tourist Office GNTO, Dubai reveals what Germany has to offer Gulf tourists.

What are the major attractions that appeal to visitors from the GCC region?

There are many factors that make Germany a preferred destination for Gulf travellers. Visitors from this region are not only offered a broad range of events or shopping opportunities; but also a chance to stroll through the beauty and nature of the countryside.

Families from the GCC mostly arrive during their summer vacations to enjoy the mild and pleasant German climate. Besides visiting the vibrant nature and fascinating towns and cities in Germany, visitors from the Arabian Gulf love to enjoy the country’s highly-reputed medical system, appreciating the excellence in the sector and the several specialised services offered by the medical structures to international patients.

How was the performance of the German tourism sector in the last years?

The latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office show that Germany has been continuously attracting more visitors, an upward trend that seems unstoppable. Overnight stays by international visitors totalled 68.83 million in 2012, equating to an increase of 8.1 percent compared with the same period of the previous year. The Arab Gulf States particularly maintained their highly positive trend, with overnight stays rising by 27.7 per cent as compared to the same timeframe in the previous year, with 1.28 million-overnight stays by GCC travellers in 2012. Therefore, the countries of the Arabian Gulf continue to be among the top 20 source markets of the German tourism industry, having recorded continuous growth over the past few years.

patients. With ones of the world›s most innovative and highest-quality healthcare systems it offers some of the highest standards of medical care in the world. The unparalleled level of collaboration between science, research and specialist clinics assures Germany’s leading position. To bring

What are the main activities of the GNTO in regards to the promotion of Germany as a travel destination?

The diversity of Germany as a travel destination is presented with various projects implemented all year round. Among these projects designed for the Arabian Gulf, the GNTO launches an annually recurring road show centred each year on a different theme. The road show named ‘Dallal fi Almania’ (“Feel Good in Germany”) aims at showcasing the country’s offers and attractions in different countries of the GCC. Other measures include study tours, training and presentations for travel trade representatives.

Furthermore, the Germany Travel Mart (GTM) is the biggest annual marketplace for inbound tourism to Destination Germany where Tourism providers from Germany meet with influential buyers from the international travel industry. In May, the German National Tourist Board will be present with partners from the tourism industry at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai.

For further information on the travel destination Germany and the German National Tourist Board, please visit: www.germany.travel.

Arab visitors can find extensive information in Arabic, including those related to medical tourism to Germany.

medical tourism closer to the Arab world, an Arabic brochure all about Germany as a destination for medical treatment was released. Reaching both customers and key market players, it not only demonstrates the outstanding level of healthcare centres where doctors specifically deal with patients

from abroad, but also presents a wide range of treatment options for all sorts of conditions .

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Berlin Europe’s Biggest Party

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Far from being haunted by its tumultuous modern history, Berlin has recast itself as one of Europe’s most exciting destinations.

This edgy, energetic metropolis might be Germany’s capital, but in many ways it is the antithesis to the rest of the country.

A creative hub of international repute, Berlin is a ragtag city with a multicultural population and a thriving underground scene. Its hedonistic nightlife is probably the best in Europe and undoubtedly the most liberal.

Of course, Berlin’s history is inescapable; the scars of war are still visible on some of the most iconic monuments, while sections of the Wall, which divided the city for nearly three decades, still stand today. There are also plenty of world-class museums offering a glimpse into life under the Nazis and then the Soviets.

A combination of cheap rents, vacant buildings and liberal attitudes has helped a generation of home-grown, creative types flourish. The mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, summed it up when he coined the phrase ‘poor but sexy’ to describe his city. However, it could well be that this crop of sexy talent helps Berlin get back on its feet; the city’s street art has become an attraction in itself, while the thriving music industry is now Berlin’s third biggest economic force, employing nearly 15,000 people. This should come as no surprise. The German capital has long been a source of inspiration for international artists; Lou Reed, David Bowie, Nick Cave and Iggy Pop have all spent time living and writing in Berlin.

Like these international artists, tourists are also lured to the city by its inexpensive living costs; eating, drinking and sleeping can all be enjoyed on pretty meagre budgets. The dining experience probably offers the best value for money and you’re just as likely to eat Vietnamese, Turkish or Japanese food as you are German. With its global gastronomy, fascinating history and vivacious subculture, not to mention racy nightlife, it’s easy to see how this ‘poor but sexy’ city seduces so many travellers.

Unrivalled in its ability to thrill, the only question is; why aren’t you at Europe’s biggest party?

THINGS TO SEE Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate)

Built in 1791 as a triumphal arch, the Brandenburg Gate is the only remaining town gate in the country and an enduring symbol of Berlin. Once Berlin’s main avenue and still one of its best preserved historical areas, Unter den Linden (‘under the lime trees’) is a wide, lime tree-lined boulevard that runs from the Brandenburger Gate to Alexanderplatz, the centre of east Berlin. Along the way, the street takes in many of Berlin’s real treasures, including the Deutsche Staatsoper (German Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

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State Opera), the Neue Wache (New Guardhouse), which is now a memorial to the victims of fascism and tyranny, and the Zeughaus (Arsenal), which houses the Deutsches Historisches Museum (German Historical Museum).

Reichstag

British architect Norman Foster has transformed Berlin’s Reichstag, which was built at the end of the 19th century and has long since been emblematic of the German State, but was left as a burned out husk at the end of the war. Foster’s dome is meant to symbolise the transparency of the democratic government and visitors can pass between its layers to witness the decision-making chamber of the government (advance online registration is required). The walk through the dome itself is stunning, culminating in sweeping views of the city. The rooftop restaurant provides a way to beat the queues.

Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral)

One of the city’s grandest attractions, Berlin Cathedral is a magnificent domed building located in the charming Spree Island area. The brainchild of King Frederick William IV, the cathedral was unveiled in 1905 only to sustain heavy damage soon after in WWII. Extensive restoration work was eventually completed in 1993 and today the cathedral is one of Berlin’s top sights. You can admire its architectural splendour from the park opposite or buy a ticket and wander around the museum, chapels and Hohenzollern crypt inside. Visitors can also go to the top of the dome for stunning views over Berlin.

Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall)

Only a few sections of this most famous of cold war relics remain. The East Side Gallery, along Muhlen-Strasse (S-Bahn Ostbahnhof ), emerged in the post-Wall years as a poignant symbol of new hope, as it was covered with inspiring artwork.

But the best place to see the wall as it was is at the Gedenkstatte Berliner Mauer, a small graffiti-free stretch of the Wall that has been preserved by the authorities. A visitor centre has information about the Wall years, while a chapel is dedicated to the 80 or so victims that died trying to cross it.

Checkpoint Charlie Museum (Haus am Checkpoint Charlie)

Checkpoint Charlie was the monitoring tower used to control the area around the Berlin Wall that divided the city during the Cold War. It was demolished soon after the 1989 revolution, but the Haus am Checkpoint Charlie museum that stands in its place is well worth a visit to discover the historic significance of Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

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this apparently unremarkable site. A cinema shows films on the Third Reich and the Cold War era, and the museum also details the history of the Berlin Wall, a piece of which still stands a short distance from the museum, complete with decorations on the western side.

Bode-Museum

Bode-Museum houses one of the best collections of antique and Byzantine sculptures in the world. Closed in 1939 and left to decay for over six decades, the museum reopened its doors in 2006 after a $203 million renovation project. Boasting over 1,700 exhibits, the museum, now back to its former glory, is a must-see not just for sculpture fans, but for anyone with an interest in the arts.

DDR Museum

This fantastic museum forgets all about the politics to deliver a taste of everyday life in the GDR. Visitors to this hands-on museum can sit in communist cars, watch state-run TV in a socialist living room and experience the joys of GDR food in the neighbouring restaurant. Little wonder it was nominated for European Museum of the Year Award in 2008.

Siegessaule (Victory Column)

Siegessaule stands proud in the centre of Tiergarten and this historic landmark offers great views over Berlin. Built to commemorate Prussia’s victory over Denmark in the DanishPrussian War of 1864, this striking monument used to be located outside the Reichstag. However, as part of Hitler’s radical plans to redesign the city, it was moved to its current location in 1939. The angel at the top of the 69 m column was the perching place for the angels in Wim Wenders’s film Wings of Desire (1987).

Tiergarten

Besides having delightful tree-shaded walks, canals and flower gardens, the city’s Tiergarten park also has a couple of open fields on either side of Hofjagerallee, where the locals sunbathe au naturel.

Fernsehturm (TV Tower)

The best views in east Berlin are from this iconic Berlin landmark at Alexanderplatz. The television tower is Berlin’s tallest structure at 368 m and makes for a good reference point as well as being much loved by locals. The communist designers inadvertently made it so that sunlight reflecting on its facets forms a Christian cross. In a sign of changing times, a glare

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of advertising neon surrounds the base of the tower. Visitors can take an elevator up 203 m to the viewing platform or the revolving communist-era restaurant, for a good look over the city. It’s best to book a table in advance.

Ramones Museum

What started as an unhealthy obsession with the Ramones has gradually evolved into a museum dedicated to the seminal New York punk band. Founded by Flo Hayler in 2005, the story goes that his girlfriend got so fed up with Ramones paraphernalia littering their pad that she told him it had to go. Instead of flogging it on eBay, he decided to exhibit the stuff. Visitors can look at rare photographs and watch a documentary about the band, which is where the museum experience ends. But what it lacks in substance it makes up for in style; its retro lounge is a great place to sit back and listen to music.

Schloss Charlottenburg

The Charlottenburg Palace was built in 1699, as a summer residence for Sophie Charlotte, the wife of King Frederick III. Visits to the Old Palace are by guided tour only. Prices and hours vary for the New Wing, the Orangerie, the mausoleum and other parts of the complex. The museums and galleries that are in and around the palace include the Berggruen Collection, opposite the palace, which contains 100 artworks by Picasso, as well as a representative collection of his contemporaries.

Excursions from Berlin Potsdam

Potsdam is above all worth visiting for the wonderful palaces and beautiful parkland of Schloss Sanssouci, the summer residence of Frederick the Great, though the town itself, with its pleasant main shopping street and Dutch Quarter, as well as the nearby Babelsberg Film Studios, makes Potsdam well worth a full-day excursion. Potsdam, a UNESCO site, is located approximately 20 km from Berlin’s centre.

Spreewald

To the southeast of Berlin lies the UNESCO biosphere reserve of the Spreewald (Spree Forest), a vast and ethnically unique forested land interspersed with a labyrinth of waterways.

Beloved by Berliners for its quaint traditions and famous gherkins, this is a place to get out into nature, walk and cycle or take a boat tour. The best place to start a tour is from the large harbour in Lubbenau or one of the smaller ones in Lubben or Burg.

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Islands of Opportunity

By Constanze Kleis

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“T

he weather!” exclaim some, and immediately categorize a holiday on a Baltic or North Sea island as “adventure travel” – because of the risk of sitting in the rain for a day or two. “But what about the endless beaches?

The fresh air! The light! The wide-open spaces! And the way the sea and the sky touch at the horizon!” enthuse others and claim they would never exchange their island break on the North or Baltic Sea for a Caribbean trip. And they are in the majority: these islands within their own country are at the top of Germans’ list of dream destinations. This suggests an appealing form of indefatigability, and you will definitely need some of that in your luggage for a trip to the islands – as well as rubber boots, books for rainy days and factor-25 sunscreen – just to be prepared for all eventualities. But you will also be richly rewarded.

After all, the islands are living proof that true beauty does not only come from within, but always from outside, too: from dramatic cloud formations, or from a raging sea that can suddenly become as tame as a lapdog. There is hardly anything as incredibly quiet as Sylt’s Wadden Sea, or as romantic as Rugen’s tree-lined avenues and Usedom’s spruce forests. There are superlatives wherever you look: endless beaches, noble seaside-resort architecture, the earthiness of low, thatched cottages and the hard-edged character of the islanders. Not to mention the incredibly clean air, which is so healthy – not only for your respiratory system, but apparently somehow also for your soul. It’s pure joy – and there’s so much of it!

Germany has more than 70 of these islands. The most beautifully named is probably a tiny island called Liebes (“Darling” or “Dear One”). It’s in the Baltic between the islands of Rugen and Ummanz, uninhabited, 1,000 m long, a maximum of 200 m wide, and only 1.5 m high. Not exactly perfect dimensions for an island. Especially since the competition is so big – literally.

At the top of the list is the Baltic island of Rugen, which weighs in at 926 sq km and 1.3 million visitors a year. It’s followed by Usedom, Fehmarn and Sylt.

With its illustrious list of celebrity visitors – starlets, stars and VIPs from the spheres of culture and politics – and its high property prices, Sylt is known as the “it girl” among the German islands. By contrast, the North Sea island of Juist with the “most beautiful sandbank in the world”, is not the best place for posing, because – being almost car-free – you can’t nonchalantly roll up in your Porsche. It’s so decelerated here that even the horses are restricted to walking pace.

Hiddensee – the only true island in the Baltic because it really Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

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is only accessible by boat – is also car-free. In the 1920s, great minds like Albert Einstein and Gerhart Hauptmann used to come here to get over their mainland stress. A motivation which – alongside the excellent connections between the mainland and the island – brings hundreds of thousands onto the islands. Today, fishing is no longer the main source of income, but tourism. And the islands are increasing espousing an environmental awareness in their endeavours to help visitors find their way back to the essential things of life – and, of course, find their way back to the islands.

For the most part, the flora and fauna are looked after in an exemplary manner. Take the Baltic island of Vilm. In the old GDR days it was reserved as an exclusive vacation destination for government ministers. Today, Vilm is a biosphere reserve offering unique plants and animals – and only 30 people are allowed to visit per day. Popular lore therefore seems to have it right: “In a sea of difficulties there is always an island of possibilities” – somewhere out there, off Germany’s Baltic and North Sea coasts.

Life there still seems to be part utopia: suggesting that life itself could be like that – detached from the stress of the mainland, infinitely open, yet clearly encircled by the sea, so that we immediately feel at home and in good hands. No wonder people’s love for an island often lasts a lifetime – from the first sand castle until the last spa concert at Westerland’s big shellshaped bandstand. Through pleasant, sunny times and rainy days alike.

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Munich: ‘Jolly Germany’ L

ocated in southern Germany north of the Bavarian Alps, on the River Isar, Munich is Germany’s third largest city, its most visited after Berlin, and a city that seems to revel in its contradictions.

Munich perpetuates the folklore of the ‘jolly Germany’ – rosy-cheeked, lederhosenwearing men singing, ginger-bread architecture fresh from fairy-tale illustrations, and Gemutlichkeit (cosy, hearty hospitality).

The flip side is a city that displays all the trappings of 21st-century world prosperity – gleaming BMWs (the manufacturers’ base is here), flashy boutiques and glitzy nightclubs.

In reality, Munich’s citizens encapsulate all of this, demonstrating a cosmopolitan refinement as well as genuine passion for the region’s many traditions. Tourists flock to the city for the world-famous Oktoberfest, indulging in an orgy of Bavarian revelry.

However, there’s more to Munich than this stereotypical image, thanks to its strong cultural scene, richly endowed art collections, romantic palaces and excellent shopping. Indeed, from balmy summers in the gardens to the glittering Christmas markets during snowy winters, Munich is a popular destination all year round.

THINGS TO SEE BMW Museum and BMW Welt (BMW World) The BMW Museum in Munich

provides a fascinating account of transport technology, through the vintage cars, mementoes and historic film footage devoted to the iconic Bavarian motor company. It is located beside the landmark BMW Building and the Olympic complex.

Also here, the new BMW World centre, with its intriguing space-age architecture, provides an extension of the museum, focussing exclusively on new cars.

Deutsches Museum (German Museum) Munich’s vast German Museum presents a dauntingly comprehensive survey of science and technology, from prehistoric tools to space-age inventions. Permanent interactive exhibitions are organised around various themes, including Aerospace, Computers, Mining, Technical Toys and Telecommunications. Next door, the Forum am Deutsches Museum (German Museum Forum) houses a planetarium and a 3D cinema. Another branch of the museum, Flugwerft Schleissheim (Schleissheim Aerodrome), located at Germany’s oldest aerodrome, Effnerstrasse 18, Oberschleissheim, focuses on aviation history.

park in Germany and a quiet oasis in the heart of busy Munich, popular with locals and tourists alike for strolling, cycling, sport, sunbathing, swimming in the river and picnicking. Further attractions include the Seehaus restaurant and the Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Tower), both with great gardens, the Japanisches Teehaus (Japanese Teahouse) and the Monopteros, a Greek-style temple. During summer months, there is boating on the Kleinhesselhoher See (a lake in the centre of the park) and open-air concerts and theatre at the scenic Amphitheater.

The Haus der Kunst gallery (which hosts temporary modern art exhibitions), and the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum (Bavarian National Museum) are located on Prinzregentenstrasse, on the southern edge of the park.

Marienplatz Marienplatz has been at the heart of Munich since the city’s foundation in 1158. The area is now a major hub for the urban transport network. For centuries, it was known as the Schrannenmarkt (the place where farmers and

Englischer Garten (English Garden) The English Garden is the largest urban

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merchants came to buy and sell their goods) but was renamed after the statue of the Virgin Mary in the centre in 1854. The north side of Marienplatz is entirely dominated by the neo-gothic Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall), built in the 19th century. Miniature statues of Bavarian rulers and other characters adorn the hall’s façade, while the 85 m tower houses a glockenspiel consisting of 43 bells accompanied by performing mechanical marionettes. Visitors can ascend the tower by lift. Nearby, other buildings of note include the 15th-century Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall), which houses a delightful toy museum and, just a stone’s throw from the square, the impressive and symbolic Frauenkirche cathedral, which houses the legendary ‘Devil’s Footprint’, intriguingly embedded in the church floor.

Munchner Stadtmuseum (City Museum) For a true taste of Munich’s eclectic personality, head to the City Museum. The diverse collections - which include musical instruments, marionettes, weaponry,

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photography and fairground rides - are sure to appeal to the whole family. The city’s Film Museum is also here, and the history of Munich is thoroughly documented, with special focus on National Socialism. Finally, there is a new and light-hearted collection of items entitled ‘Typical Munich’.

Olympiapark Ever since the 1972 Olympic Games, the Olympiapark has been one of Munich’s landmarks, with its striking skyline and massive tower - the tallest reinforcedconcrete construction in Europe. Today, the park is a major centre for sport and recreation - a veritable green lung just north of the city centre, built on the Olympiaberg (Olympic Hill), which was constructed from wartime rubble. Alongside the massive sports arenas are picnic areas and playgrounds, an artificial lake, a mini train and the Olympiaturm, with its revolving restaurant which offers unforgettable views of Munich and the Alps on a clear day.

Residenz (Residence) The Residenz in Munich dates from 1385, when it originated as a small castle.

Successive members of the Wittelsbach dynasty expanded the original 14th-century castle to create a complex of palaces around seven courtyards. The elaborate rooms contain antiques, sculptures, paintings and tapestries amassed by the Wittelsbachs between the 16th and 19th centuries. Such is its size that there is a morning tour or an afternoon tour (each featuring different rooms). Other royal treasures are on show in the Schatzkammer (Treasury). The entire Residenz complex, including the rococo Cuvillies-Theater, was rebuilt and restored after being reduced to rubble during WWII. Schloss Nymphenburg (Nymphenburg Palace) Located on the western edge of the city, the Nymphenburg Palace was built between the 17th and 19th centuries. Highlights within the main palace include the late-rococo

The Three Pinakotheks The Three Pinakotheks are Munich’s trio of acclaimed art galleries. The Alte Pinakothek (Old Gallery), constructed in the 19th century, is home to one of the world’s oldest and most important collections of paintings by European Old Masters, including Dürer, Raphael, Rembrandt and Rubens. The Neue Pinakothek (New Gallery), located opposite in a modern building, was conceived by Ludwig I, as a showcase for contemporary art. The museum houses European painting and sculpture from the second half of the 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century.

German painting of the 19th century forms the core of the collection. The third Pinakothek der Moderne (Gallery of Modern Art) is considered among the world’s greatest collections of 20thand 21st-century art, with four major museums under one roof, featuring modern art, applied arts, graphic art and architecture.

Steinerner Saal (Hall of Stone) and the Gallery of Beauties - a collection of portraits of beautiful women commissioned by Ludwig I. The extensive grounds conceal four miniature palaces within their landscaped confines, one of which, the Amalienburg, is considered the most attractive rococo palace in Germany. The Nymphenburg complex also includes the Marstallmuseum, which houses royal coaches and riding equipment, as well as an historic collection of Nymphenburg porcelain, with exhibits from 1747 until the 1920s.

EXCURSIONS FROM MUNICH Dachau About 15 km northwest of Munich and easily accessible by public transport, the former concentration camp at Dachau makes for an unmissable, if emotionally draining, excursion. The free Konzentrationslager-Gedenkstätte (Concentration Camp Memorial) complex consists of a central building housing a poignant museum, reconstructed barracks and the camp crematorium (including a gas chamber that was mercifully never used).

Memorials to the victims can be found throughout the grounds. The entrance to the site is still guarded by the iron gates with their infamous message - Arbeit macht frei (‘work brings freedom’).

Oberammergau Famous for its Passion Play, the small village of Oberammergau, 60 km south of Munich, off the A95 toward Garmisch, is an attractive destination for a day trip, offering an Alpine setting, rural charm, elaborately painted houses and a heritage of woodcarving.

The tradition of the play began in 1634 (as a thanksgiving for deliverance from the plague) and is performed every 10 years, in years ending with a zero (ie the next play is in 2020).

Schloss Neuschwanstein Neuschwanstein Castle is one of three castles built by ‘mad’ Ludwig II of Bavaria, who was born in 1845 and died in 1886. This fairytale castle sits perched among the natural splendour of the Alps. Its Neo-Romanesque architecture imitates that of a medieval castle and, in turn, Neuschwanstein was the inspiration for Disney’s Magic Kingdom.

Built between 1869 and 1886, only about a third of the castle was actually completed as Ludwig II was found to be mentally unfit by a government commission. Nearby Marienbruecke (Mary’s Bridge), which spans a deep gorge, provides magnificent views of the castle.

Starnberger See Munich’s nearest lake, 35 km southwest of Munich, is a popular place for the inhabitants of the city to escape at the weekend, for sunbathing and fun on its shore. Many German TV stars and politicians own properties around this picturesque and quiet lake, which makes it a perfect location for celebrity-spotting. The S6 S-Bahn line stops at a couple of towns along the lake, from where Bayerische Seen Schifffahrt offers one- to three-hour boat cruises.

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Frankfurt: Germany’s ‘Mainhattan’

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ermany’s fifth largest city, Frankfurt am Main is the nation’s economic powerhouse, as well as being a highly regarded cultural centre. Located in the middle of the highly productive Rhine-Main region, right at the centre of Europe, the city is the financial heart not only of Germany, but also of the European Union. The modern skyscrapers of banks and big business in the central business district are potent symbols of Frankfurt’s economic strength and create a skyline that is more North American than European in aspect – indeed, the city is often dubbed ‘Mainhattan’.

Most of Frankfurt’s visitors come for one of the numerous trade fairs, exhibitions and congresses. But Frankfurt has another side.

As the birthplace of Germany’s most revered writer, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (17491832), the city is at pains to impress with its cultural pedigree. Excellent museums, high-calibre performance groups and local festivals tempt too.

Things to see Frankfurt Zoo

Frankfurt’s zoo is one of the most attractive in Europe and is very popular with both

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locals and visitors. It celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2008 and is Germany’s second oldest after Berlin. There are 13 different areas in these 14 hectares of land, where thousands of animals from all over the world, including eight endangered species, can be observed. The obvious highlight is the Grzimek Haus, where artificial darkness is created in order to observe nocturnal animals going about their business.

Geldmuseum der Deutschen Bundesbank (Money Museum of the German Federal Bank)

Reflecting Frankfurt’s central financial role both in Germany and Europe, the museum features collections of historic coinage and notes, together with explanations of the roles of money through the ages. The museum also explains the complex nature of monetary policy (especially the new European system) using films, challenging computer games and interactive teaching programmes. Guided tours available.

Goethe-Museum and Goethe-Haus

Completely destroyed by Allied bombers in 1944, the house where Goethe (1749-1832) was born and spent most of his youth was rebuilt after the war, in 1951, and restored

to its former 18th-century glory. Visitors can see the family music room, library, living room and Goethe’s own puppet show and study. Next door, the Goethe-Museum displays German paintings and sculpture from the late baroque period up to early Romanticism. There are daily guided tours (in German) of the house at 1400 and 1600, and audio-visual guides are available to hire in several languages. Tours of the museum can also be arranged on request.

Historisches Museum (Historical Museum)

The Historical Museum is housed in a complex of imperial buildings on Romerberg, overlooking the Main, which also includes the 12th-century palace chapel. The museum traces the story of Frankfurt (including its destruction in WWII) and visitors can learn about the traditions of ebbelwei in the museum cafe. There are guided tours on the last Saturday of each month.

Museum fur Moderne Kunst (Museum of Modern Art)

The outside of the Museum of Modern Art alone would count as one of the city’s major attractions. It is therefore a bonus

that this museum, designed by Viennese architect Hans Hollein, is filled with a superb collection of post-war art, predominantly

by German and American artists, including Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, Andy Warhol and Joseph Beuys. There is also a cafe-restaurant.

Palmengarten (Palm Garden)

The Palm Garden is a wonderland of tropical plants and exotic birds. Hidden away from the bustle of the city centre, the attractions of this botanical garden include glasshouses, some 300 different palms and a boating lake. There are concerts staged here in summer, as well as a number of exhibitions and events.

Romerberg

In 1240, this low hill was the site of the city’s first official trade fair. It is bordered by half-timbered houses, reconstructed after total destruction in 1945, and the former court chapel - the Nikolaikirche (Church of St Nicholas). The main attraction, however, is the Rathaus Romer (Frankfurt’s city hall since 1405) with its Gothic stepped gables made of red sandstone. The coronation of German emperors was celebrated in the Kaisersaal (Emperor’s Hall) on the upper Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

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floors. Portraits of 52 emperors hang on the walls. It is a working town hall, however, and there are currently no tours. A Christmas market takes place every December, one of the best in Germany, and has taken place since the late 14th century.

Sankt Bartholomausdom (Cathedral of St Bartholomew)

Between 1562 and 1792, German emperors were crowned in the Cathedral of St Bartholomew, hence its other name - the Kaiserdom (Emperor Cathedral). In the 1950s, this was Frankfurt’s tallest building, at 96 m, which illustrates just how much the city has developed since then. The cathedral has a red sandstone facade and interior and is one of Frankfurt’s most recognisable landmarks.

The present structure was rebuilt after WWII but contains a number of original carvings.

There are also great views of the city from the tower. A museum, the Dom-Museum, is attached to the cathedral and is packed full of ancient archaeological findings.

Senckenberg Naturmuseum (Natural History Museum)

Covering some 6,000 sq m, the Senckenberg Natural History Museum tells the story of

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four billion years of life on Earth, from its earliest beginnings to the dinosaurs and the modern period. It also covers the planet’s non-biological processes, including geology and meteorology, and features many rare and impressive exhibits. A new annexe behind the main building stages regular specially-themed exhibitions.

Stadelsche Kunstinstitute und Stadtische Galerie (Stadel Art Institute and Municipal Gallery)

An exemplary and comprehensive collection of European painting from the 14th to the 20th centuries is housed in this museum (commonly known as just Stadel) on Frankfurt’s legendary Museumsufer (Museum Embankment). German masters, such as Cranach, Holbein and Beckmann, are displayed alongside the likes of Botticelli, Rembrandt and Rubens. Around 500 sculptures from the 19th and 20th centuries are also on show, including works from artists such as Rodin, Kirchner and Picasso. There is also a cafe, and an excellent bookshop. Ambitious plans are currently afoot to extend the gallery with 3,000sq m of extra exhibition space, whose focus will be on post-1945 art.

Excursions from Frankfurt Heidelberg

Approximately one hour by IC train, 75 km south of Frankfurt, lies one of the most visited towns in Germany. Heidelberg fulfils all expectations with its romantic setting on the banks of the Neckar, its gothic and Renaissance castle and the oldest university in Germany. The picture-perfect town is boosted by numerous lively festivals and popular student taverns.

Taunus

This line of mountains to the north and west of Frankfurt provides a wooded setting for a number of famous spa towns including Wiesbaden, the capital of Hesse, and Bad Homburg, where hot saline springs are set in a beautiful park. From the attractive town of Konigstein, the road continues to the Grosser Feldberg - the highest point in the Taunus at 881m. Most Taunus destinations can be reached by S-Bahn, but the area is probably best appreciated by car. While in the region, visitors are recommended to stop at the Open-Air Museum Hessenpark, Laubweg, Neu-Anspach, which shows an original village of traditional half-timbered houses, inside and out.

Cologne City of Substance

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ologne (Koln) is a vibrant German city famous for its awe-inspiring cathedral, atmospheric brauhauses and its edgy, exciting ability to have a good time. The first thing you’ll notice, whenever you hit the centre, is the impressive spires of its heavyweight cathedral, the Dom. Once the world’s tallest building and still both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Germany’s most frequently visited monument, its silhouette, combined with the curves of the Hohenzollernbrucke bridge, have become the icons that define the city.

While Catholicism still flourishes here, Cologne’s certainly not a place for puritanical restraint. Crowds flood the streets during carnival each year and its Pride parades are some of the best attended in the country. The University of Cologne gives the city a young, fresh, energetic feel while Cologne’s reflective look at its dark points in history keeps the place grounded.

When it comes to food, you can expect men in white shirts and leather waistcoats to serve sauerkraut or perhaps bratwurst and flammkuchen. Yet Cologne’s culinary scene has opened up over the last few years, with a range of Michelinstarred restaurants serving French and Asiatic fusion flavours, not to mention the Berlin and student favourite: currywurst.

Art comes in many styles, from Roman mosaics unearthed every few weeks, to medieval sculptures and impressive stained glass to world-class art museums that feature Andy Warhol, Roy Liechtenstein and Pablo Picasso among others. Then there’s the classic European seduction: the narrow streets and the houses painted in peach, lemon and lilac in Cologne’s Old Town. While much of this area is repaired or restored following the brutal bombing the city underwent in WWII, the atmospheric gardens, parasols and unhurried sense of joie de vivre make it just as romantic and enjoyable as parts of Paris, Venice and Rome.

Yet Cologne is a city of substance. A place with grit when it needs it. It’s ready for business, with trade fairs, conference centres and transport hubs to suit the world. Its modern towers give views to rival that of the Dom, while its strategic position makes it a good base for day trips to Bonn, Essen and Aachen. It caters for children with one of the world’s best zoos complete with pink pelicans and yellow-breasted monkeys and we haven’t even got started on the non-Disney-but-spectacular theme park Phantasialand nearby. Last, but by no means least, there’s one more thing you ought to know. Cologne has a chocolate museum in pride of place on the Rhine. Now that’s a city with its priorities right.

THINGS TO SEE Kolner Dom (Cologne Cathedral)

Unmissable in every sense, this behemoth is one of the most aweinspiring buildings in the world and holds a number of treasures. Look out for the golden casket holding the remains of the Magi, the ninthcentury Gero crucifix, the Stefan Lochner triptych and the medieval stained glass windows. Climb the 509 steps to the viewing platform of the 157-m-high South Tower for the dizzying views and down below look in the Schatzkammer (Treasury Museum). This is not just a cathedral; it’s a symbol of the city, its struggles and its recovery.

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Romischer-Germanisches Museum

Cologne has been uncovering, quite literally, its Roman history in recent years. Even bars undergoing renovation have discovered a mosaic or two down in the underground basement. This museum celebrates Cologne’s importance as the capital of Roman Germany and is built around a superbly preserved mosaic floor (the best of its kind in north Europe.) You’ll also find the world’s largest collection of Roman glassware as well as some chic Roman jewellery in the permanent collection.

Set in a stunning building on the Rhine, this entertaining and educational exhibition (in English) studies every possible aspect of the fascinating history of chocolate and features a real working production line that culminates in a chocolate fountain. But before you send yourself dizzy with chocolate mania while taking in the city skyline, there are actually plenty of opportunities to really learn. Real cocoa butter, vanilla and lecithin are on display as well as a tour through the tropics and a history lesson on the origins of the lovely brown stuff.

Cologne’s Romanesque Churches

Museum Ludwig

Cologne boasts 12 wonderfully atmospheric churches, largely unassuming from the outside, which were originally built between the 10th and the mid-13th centuries, then rebuilt and restored after severe war damage.

Don’t miss Gross St Martin, St Aposteln, St Gereon, St Maria im Kapitol, St Cacilien (now home to the Schnutgen Museum of Sacred Art) and especially St Ursula with its amazing and macabre Goldene Kammer bone chapel and reliquary room.

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Imhoff-Stollwerck-Museum

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This world-class modern art museum is full of eye-catching pop art icons from the late 20th century, including masterpieces from Andy Warhol (Munroes and Campbell soups), Roy Liechtenstein and Rene Magritte, plus several hundred lesser works by Pablo Picasso. Dali’s huge La Gare de Perpignan is worth the entrance fee alone. Exhibitions staged here represent modern art from around the world in a fresh, engaging fashion.

Nazi Documentation Centre

For an unflinching look at the darkest period in German history, step inside the Nazi Documentation Centre. Housed inside the city’s former Gestapo headquarters, today the building tries to educate as well as commemorate the lives of those lost during the Third Reich. It’s designed to work both as an academic research centre and an exhibition centre for the public, with a mix of permanent and temporary exhibitions.

Rathaus (Cologne Town Hall)

At first glance, the Town Hall looks like any other administrative building you’d find in Europe: staid and classical, with stone figures representing nobility. In fact, more than 100 of them peer down, from kings and queens to saints and prophets. However, look more closely, and you’ll discover a few surprises; sculptures with their tongues hanging out and their trousers pulled down and even ones with genitals on display. Consider yourself warned. Once you’ve seen those, you may have a hard time concentrating on the Roman remains and impressive wooden carvings on the interior.

Wallraff-Richartz-Museum

“We offer children a free trip to the realms of adventure.” So proclaims the Wallraff-Richartz Museum which collects together more than 700 years of art beneath one roof. It earliest work dates back to medieval art from around 1300 and it takes visitors all the way through to Impressionism at the end of the 19th century. Famous artists from all over Europe gather here in Cologne, such as Cranach the Elder, Rubens, Rembrandt, van Dyck, Tintoretto, Renoir, Monet, Manet, van Gogh, Cezanne, Gauguin and Munch. It’s an overwhelming collection to take in on a single visit, but there’s nothing to stop you from coming back.

Cologne Zoo

Cologne Zoo lays claim to being one of the best in Europe, and it certainly scores well in terms of both numbers and location. With over 4,000 animals representing 500 species, it follows up diversity with beauty in the form of the botanical gardens next door. Find elephants, giraffes and yellow-breasted capuchin monkeys among giant anteaters and pink pelicans. Then head into the aquarium to see seahorses, crabs and some fearsome piranhas. Combine a trip here with a flying visit over the Rhine on the adjacent Seilbahn (cable car open mid-March to early November).

Hohenzollern Bridge

What makes a railway and pedestrian bridge so special? Why the expression of love, no less! While this is a tradition that’s swept across the world, here in Cologne it’s taken on a life of its own. In most places, lovers place a single padlock on a bridge, inscribe their names upon it and throw the key into the river. In this way, they symbolise their devotion towards one another and their confidence in marine ecosystems when it comes to surviving heaps of discarded keys.

Cologne has put its own party style onto the proceedings, replacing padlocks with bicycle chains and fluffy heart-shaped locks with racy looking handcuffs.

EXCURSIONS FROM COLOGNE Aachen

Less than an hour by train from Cologne’s imposing Dom cathedral lives another cathedral worthy of recognition: the cathedral at Aachen was the first German monument to make it onto the UNESCO World Heritage List and a visit today still shows why. Charlemagne made Aachen his Frankish capital and it’s his influence that put the place on the map in the 8th century. That and the rich mineral springs keep people coming today.

Bonn

Bonn, the former capital of the Federal Republic, is a popular and easy 27 km side trip from Cologne taking 25 minutes by train. Highlights include the 18th-century old town hall, the market square, Beethoven’s house and the Bonn Museum of Art. The city also celebrates its most famous son, Ludwig van Beethoven, and you can visit his former house.

Essen

Once an industrial powerhouse known principally for coal and steel, Germany’s seventh largest city has immersed itself in culture over the last few years and managed to snag the title of European Capital of Culture in 2010. Now it’s complete with a Van Gogh museum and a selection of crown jewels, as well as a colliery that’s achieved UNESCO World Heritage Status at the Zollverein Coal Mine. Essen is less than an hour from Cologne by train.

Phantasialand

If you have children in tow, Phantasialand at Bruhl, 15 km from Cologne, is Germany’s biggest and best theme park (open April to October).

Both the food and the shows take you into the fantasy versions of Asia and Africa and then off into Aztec and Mayan Mexico. Bruhl itself is a pleasant town boasting two UNESCO World Heritage palaces.

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Hamburg Germany’s Greenest City

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lthough it’s several more miles before the mighty Elbe empties itself into the North Sea, Hamburg has all the atmosphere and attributes of a busy harbour town. There’s cultural diversity, conspicuous, hedonistic consumption, immigrant workers from Portugal and Turkey, and a large student faculty, all rubbing shoulders within Germany’s largest port, which continues to thrive despite global trends, thanks to booming trade with Eastern Europe.

Aesthetically, Germany’s second largest city is less like Berlin and Munich, its national economic rivals, and feels more akin to northern European capitals such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen. All are cities borne on water (Hamburg in fact has more bridges than Amsterdam or Venice), where cutting-edge contemporary architecture and historic buildings stand side by side along quaysides and canals. Hamburg can also happily boast being Germany’s greenest city, with a full two thirds of the area here dedicated to parks and green land, or occupied by beautiful lakes.

Away from the greenery though, the colour and flavour of Hamburg can change at the turn of a corner. This was where the Beatles nurtured their talents in the early 1960s, playing the dingy clubs of notorious Reeperbahn. A slice of history which in many ways encapsulates much of Hamburg, a city like Amsterdam, where a polite, modest and liberal populace proudly display every facet of their hometown, including its salacious side.

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Things to see Hafen Hamburg (Port of Hamburg)

Hamburg’s port and harbour district is a busy commercial area that’s still the beating heart of the city’s affluence and economic success, as it has been for centuries. It also makes for a great tour.

Check out the city’s newest landmark, the 4-km-long Kohlbrandbrucke (Kohlbrand Bridge) which spans the Elbe to link this area with the rest of town, then stroll along the Hafenrandpromenade, a pedestrian route around the harbour running from the Messberg to the Fischmarkt, before visiting the famous Warehouse district. Known as the Speicherstadt, this historic section of Hamburg’s port is the world’s largest warehouse complex. Its impressive, 19thcentury, gothic red-brick buildings continue to store a treasure trove of exotic merchant goods. Many of these warehouses now contain museums, including the excellent Hamburg Dungeon, detailing the more gruesome aspects of the city’s past.

Kunsthalle

As one of Germany’s most important art museums, Hamburg’s Kunsthalle houses a wealth of work from leading German artists, including the country’s masterful yet overlooked impressionists. There’s also plenty of space devoted to two of 19thcentury romanticism’s most important painters, Caspar David Friedrich and Philip Otto Runge, as well as rooms given over to

modern art, contemporary work, new media and print-making. One of the museum’s artistic highlights is the Grabow Altarpiece depicting the creation, painted for St Petri Church in 1379 by Master Bertram, Hamburg’s first famous painter.

Museum fur Hamburgische Geschichte

(Museum of Hamburg History)

Put the city in context with a visit to the fascinating Museum of Hamburg History, and follow the story of this crucial harbour town, from its origins as an early settlement to its burgeoning role as a port, trading from the eight century right up to the present day. Detailed scale models of Hamburg

at various times during its development will also help with orientation for further exploring. Conveniently located in the city centre, but closed on Mondays.

Planten un Blomen

In a bustling metropolis that’s currently home to nearly 1.8 million people, this beautiful park right in the centre of Hamburg provides a green and leafy sanctuary for visitors and residents alike. This oasis of calm, created in the early 1800s, is a sizable 47 hectares of fountains, lakes, lawns and flower-beds.

It also houses Hamburg’s botanical garden.

The park is open all year-round, and the peace is only occasionally punctuated by

one of the park’s spectacular water-light concerts, or equally popular open-air theatre and live music performances.

St Michaelis

From humble origins, Hamburg’s church developed, from 1647 onwards, into the grand edifice that today forms such a prominent city centre landmark. With its unmistakable, 132m-high baroque tower stunningly clad in beaten copper, St Michaelis continues to form an unmistakable part of the city skyline, even though it has undergone major reconstruction three times in its history, most recently after WWII. The tower can be climbed for an unsurpassed Germany-Kuwait (1963 - 2013)

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view of Hamburg. Equally impressive inside is the church’s mammoth organ, on which recitals are regularly given. Outside above the door, a huge bronze statue depicting the archangel Michael vanquishing the Devil, lets you know exactly where you are.

Tierpark Hagenbeck (Hagenbeck Zoo)

It may seem a slightly dated concept these days, but Hamburg’s zoo is still well worth a visit, being widely regarded shortly after its founding in 1848 as the zoo that set the gold standard for others around the world.

Hamburg’s zoo was one of the first to do away with cramped, fenced enclosures in favour of large, open paddocks. Following the marked route through this large complex is recommended - and soon you’ll be strolling past carefully recreated, open environments housing flamingos, crocodiles, zebras, elephants, lions, giraffes, penguins, sea-lions and more.

Excursions from Hamburg Alster Lake

The essence of Hamburg is to be found at the water’s edge. Located in the junction of the rivers, the Alster and the Bille, Hamburg is aesthetically set around the two lakes Binnenalster (Inner Alster) and Aussenalster (Outer Alster). Cruising the Aster Lake is a charming and scenic experience allowing you to view the Hamburg district and its grand villas and bridges from a uniquely scenic perspective. One of the best boat trips is the Alster-Kreuz-Fahrten, which makes nine stops on its leisurely two-hour journey, allowing you to hop on and hop off at will, visiting bucolic lakeside cafés and restaurants, or stopping for a picnic.

Blankenese This

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popular

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destination is one of the quaintest and most charming riverside villages, and a favourite spot for city-dwellers on weekend breaks.

Perched upon a steep hillside overlooking the north bank of the Elbe, the village first gained favour with ship’s captains as the perfect location for a quiet retirement.

Narrow, winding streets lined with beautifully preserved fishermen’s cottages lead down to a picturesque harbour scattered with cafes and restaurants, where many happy hours can be spent watching the steam ships come and go. There’s even a string of small, attractive sandy beaches here that are perfect during summer.

Lubeck

Located 60 km northeast of Hamburg, with trains running half-hourly, the beautiful medieval town of Lübeck was one of Germany’s most important, being head of the influential Hanseatic League controlling the highly lucrative Baltic Sea routes during the Middle Ages. Today, the city is a UNESCO World Heritage site, whose 16th-century Old Town, located on a central island, retains a unique architectural legacy as well as picture-perfect looks. Boat trips are available, there are several small museums, plus some very pleasant cafes and restaurants here, all combining to a truly pleasant day out.

Sylt

Another popular local excursion from Hamburg is Sylt. This island, projecting north-westerly into the North Sea, is Germany’s most northerly point, and for decades much of it has also been the preserve of the country’s jet set. However the miles of broad sandy beaches backing into secluded dunes, pine forests and heath can be enjoyed peacefully by all. The island is connected to the mainland by a causeway

carrying the railway line, and trains regularly make the three-hour journey here from Hamburg’s Altona and Hauptbahnhof stations.

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Frank M. Mann Ambassador

from the

A Message

Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany

There are good reasons why Germany is often considered to be the “export champion� of the world!

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usiness relations between Germany and Kuwait are of special importance to both countries. Judging by trade figures Germany

ranks first compared to all EU member states – in a worldwide comparison German companies are third in their importance for their Kuwaiti partners.

This success is the result of the hard work of all German companies and especially those companies that are members of the German Business Council Kuwait (GBCK) in cooperation with their Kuwaiti counterparts. It is at the same time the success of GBCK who has contributed enormously to further developing and deepening the commercial relations between Kuwait and Germany. The Council provides an important forum for networking, information exchange and cooperation and is thus complementing efforts by the German Embassy in the promotion of trade.

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The Membership Directory whose second edition is now ready for distribution comprises all companies who - as members of the council have contributed to this success story. They join their experience in and knowledge of the Kuwaiti market not only to further their own interests but as well to share it with new comers to the Kuwaiti marketplace. It is of no surprise that the German Business Council Kuwait has been steadily growing over the past years. I would like to congratulate and to express my sincere gratitude to all members of the council and to its past and present boards.

The official visit of HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to Germany in April 2010 underlined the excellent state of relations between both countries. It gave as well an opportunity for German companies to demonstrate to His Highness the high technological standard, the high quality and reliability of products made in Germany. In November 2012 the third session of the KuwaitiGerman Joint Committee on economic, industrial, and technical cooperation was held in Berlin.

It took a most positive stock of the relations between Kuwait and Germany in the respective fields. The Committee agreed on a number of key areas such as for example information technology and communications, environment, sustainable development and energy where German companies find a very supportive environment for future activities. Activities such as water management and cooperation in the improvement of public infrastructure especially in rail and road transport are of growing importance.

Kuwaitis appreciate German products ranging from industrial plants to cars, machinery, high end consumer goods to kitchen appliances. German products are praised for their high quality and longevity. There are good reasons why Germany

is often considered to be the “export champion� of the world!

Economic ties between Germany and Kuwait are not limited to German exports to Kuwait - they are leading in both directions. Germany offers most favourable investment opportunities both for state and private investors. Since 1997 a bilateral agreement on the promotion and protection of investment has been in place and since 1987 an agreement for the avoidance of double taxation.

It is therefore no surprise that Kuwaiti citizens and the Kuwait Investment Authority(KIA) hold substantial investments in Germany.

Kuwaiti investors are appreciated in Germany as reliable partners who are interested in long term investment. Germany provides a stable and reliable investment climate based on a trustworthy legal system. Excellent trade relations cannot exist by itself. They need to be supported by equally excellent political relations. The visit of HH the Amir in Germany in 2010 and the participation of the German President in the festivities of 50 years of independence, 20 years of the liberation of Kuwait and the 5th anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Sabah to his high office have been proof of the exquisite relations which Germany and Kuwait enjoy. President Wulff visited Kuwait for a second time in December 2011 followed by a visit

by Minister for Foreign Affairs Guido Westerwelle in September 2012.

I am confident that these excellent relations will further flourish in future and that the GermanBusiness Council Kuwait and its members will play an important role to this end.

Frank M Mann Ambassador

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MESSAGE FROM THE GBCK CHAIRMAN

GBCK Provides Key Platform

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Mr. Ralph Geyer Chairman

he German Business Council Kuwait (GBCK) was established in 2005 representing various German companies operating in Kuwait as well as German (and German speaking) businessmen and –women and specialists working for local companies.

The GBCK is also a platform for its members to communicate with representatives of the government and the private sector in both countries and give the opportunity to obtain and exchange valuable business related information.

The creation of the GBCK would have not been possible without the great opportunity and support given to us by the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce (especially M. Ali M T Alghanim) as well support of all Kuwaiti government authorities, giving us the opportunity to be organized as the German Business Council Kuwait. Furthermore we like to thank all of those who supported the successful development of the GBCK since its foundation in 2005.

Germany being one of Kuwait’s top trading partners even in these especially difficult financial times, the GBCK keeps as one of its main objectives the continuous activation of commercial and personal relationships between its members and associates promoting the economical, social and cultural relations between Kuwait and Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The success of the GBCK is based on regular meetings that cover a wide range of interesting topics reflecting Kuwait’s development in a fast changing environment. Through various

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presentations of ongoing developments, projects and other business related information, our members and business partners contribute to and benefit from a useful exchange of information and ideas. The GBCK serves as a contact platform for all interested parties/ business communities who evaluate possible future business activities in Kuwait.

Of course we sincerely hope that more and more German (as well as Austrian and Swiss) companies are attracted to the Kuwaiti market and observe its opportunities and chances; for such companies the GBCK offers networking opportunities among all its members and represented companies.

For the coming years our vision is to continue presenting valuable information on high profile events and focus on a closer cooperation between the various business communities of Germany, Austria and Switzerland on the one hand and our host country Kuwait on the other hand. We intend to enhance the dialogue with our host country and its people and to address issues of common interest.

With best wishes for you and your families as well as for your current and future business activities in Kuwait.

Ralph Geyer Chairman German Business Council Kuwait

Information on GBCK

About GBCK The German Business Council Kuwait (GBCK) was founded in 2005 and is a non-governmental and non-profit seeking association representing various German, Austrian and Swiss companies operating in Kuwait as well as German, Austrian and Swiss business people and specialists working for local companies.

The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kuwait is also represented in the GBCK. OBJECTIVES The main objective of the GBCK is to promote, cultivate and assist business relations between Germany and Kuwait by forming a platform where business representatives of both nations can meet and exchange views and ideas.

As the GBCK’s memberships grows, we continue to welcome new members in order to increase and improve the scope of our activities.

ACTIVITIES To develop business and personal relations among our members, the GBCK Board organize monthly Members’ Meetings and invites guest speakers from various authorities as well as representatives from local or foreign companies to brief on latest innovations in the respective fields of industry.

We organize many business and social events throughout the year.

The German Embassy also actively supports the GBCK. The GBCK organizes regular business meetings on a monthly basis with its associates and members with occasional invited guest speakers with relevant current topics.

Apply for Membership Please click below the link to download the Application Form. Note: You will require the Adobe Acrobat Reader to open and fill out this form. Follow the link to get the latest version of Acrobat Reader Private Membership: KD 36.000 (annual fee 2013) Benefits Includes: Name in Members’ List at the GBCK Homepage Access to the German Industry and Commerce service portfolio Invitation to GBCK monthly meetings and regular special events Free copies of GBCK Members’ Directory Voting right

CONTACT US For inquiries please use the contact form, the more information you provide the easier and faster we can reply. You can also contact us via E-mail and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Corporate Membership: KD 120.000 (annual fee 2013) Benefits Includes: Company Profile in the annual Members’ Directory and photograph Company Profile at the GBCK Homepage Access to the German Industry and Commerce service portfolio Invitation to GBCK monthly meetings and regular special events Free copies of GBCK Members’ Directory Voting right

German Business Council - Kuwait E-mail us: info@gbc-kuwait.org Website: www.gbc-kuwait.org

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Information on GBCK

GBCK BOARD MEMBERS 2013

Mr. Ralph Geyer Chairman

Service Manager Albisher & Alkazemi Mercedes-Benz ralph.geyer@gbc-kuwait.org

Mrs. Hannelore Graf Board Member - Vice Chairwomen

Managing Director Merryl Lynch International Bank hannelore.graf@gbc-kuwait.org

Chairman and Partner CPMi (ME) Ltd. thomas.daehler@gbc-kuwait.org

Christof Steube Board Member - Treasurer

Fred Abou Saada Board Member - Events & Public Relations

Senior Manager Quality & Risk KPMG International csteube@kpmg.com

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Dr. Thomas Daehler Board Member - Business Services & IT

Director Regional Business Development TALEA Tailor Made Event Planner fabusada@talea-events.com

Membership Application (Subject to approval)

In accordance with Art.5 of the articles of the German Business Council, Kuwait, l,

Name | Representative |

| Nationality |

|

Company |

| Type of Business |

|

P.O. Box |

| City |

| Address |

|

Tel. Office |

| Fax |

|

E-Mail |

| Mobile |

|

herewith apply for membership for the year 2013 as under: [

] Private Membership Package (KD 36/000)

[

] Corporate Membership Package (KD 120/000)

Kuwait | Date

Signature

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DISTRIBUTORS & TECHNICAL SERVICE CONTRACTORS

Welcome to Tectron Company – Kuwait Tectron Co. is a 100% Kuwait registered and Kuwait based entity – Established in the year 1978.

HANS K. SAJONS Managing Director & Partner of TECTRON CO. Health Care Services Medical Equipment & Supplies

As a well known Distributor and Professional Service Contractor, the Company has succeeded in establishing long lasting Cooperation Agreements with renowned International Manufacturers and Suppliers of first class Products and After-Sales Service. - Further, the Company is registered as specialized Contractor with all Kuwaiti Government Ministries, Authorities, Institutions and Industry.

Tectron Co. Clients are supported by Factory Trained Product Specialists and Professional Technical Service Staff.

Clinical Laboratory Instruments & Supplies Diagnostic & Life Science Products Analytical Analyzers & Educational Supplies General Instruments & Machinery Business Contractor & Solution Services Technical Service & Maintenance

Box 25607 Safat 13117 Kuwait - Tel: (+965) 24830775 / 24814623 Fax: (+965) 24840801 E-mail: info@tectron.com.kw Web site: www.tectron.com.kw

MEMBERS’ PROFILE

Extract of GBCK MEMBERS’ DIRECTORY

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MEMBERS’ PROFILE

SIEMENS Siemens Electrical and Electronic Services (EES) KSCC Siemens Electrical and Electronic Services (EES) KSCC is a joint venture between Siemens AG and its Kuwaiti Partners with the former’s share holding of 49% and the latter holding 51% of the company shares respectively.

Adrian Wood Chief Executive Officer

Siemens EES, Kuwait has three Sectors:

Although this joint venture was formally established in 1979, our business operations began much earlier. Whether it was the installation of the first H.V. Air Insulated Substation in 1967 and the first 132 kV Gas Insulated Switchgear in 1970 for the Ministry of Electricity & Water (MEW) or the contract for the National Control Center in 1976, Siemens has immensely contributed to the infrastructural development of Kuwait, emerging a prominent partner in the region.

Energy, Infrastructure & Cities and Industry.

The Siemens EES, Kuwait Energy Sector serves its customers in the following business areas:• Fossil Power Generation • Oil & Gas • Energy Services • Power Transmission

Siemens EES KSCC is the main representative (agent) of Siemens AG in Kuwait and can be considered as a local company with the privileges and obligations of other Kuwaiti registered organizations.

We are the key players in the execution of turnkey projects in transmission substations, energy management control centres and power distribution projects. MEW is our established client and so far we have executed more than 100 turnkey substation projects for them, which constitute around 30% of the network. Our Project Office Team comprises of experts delivering the finest quality and efficiency in substation execution. We also have a Service and Maintenance team which carry out all the maintenance work for the Siemens substations for MEW.

The Siemens EES, Kuwait Infrastructure & Cities Sector serves its customers in the following business areas:• Low Voltage • Medium Voltage • Smart Grid Applications • Services • Energy Automation

Siemens EES KSCC has been associated with many significant projects - Kuwait International Airport Expansion Project - Phase 2 Electrical Infrastructure works, AZ-Zour Phase II Project which entails the conversion of the existing 1000 MW AZ-Zour South Gas Turbine Plant (also constructed by Siemens in 2005) to Combined Cycle, and thus contributing to the infrastructural development of the country. Siemens EES KSCC also has a diverse range of products and services for the Oil and Petrochemical sector of Kuwait, and serves its customers through industrial automation and drive technology like low voltage switchgears, motors and drives, automation control systems and process instruments.

The Siemens EES, Kuwait Industry Sector serves its customers in the following business areas:• Large Drives • Standard Drives • Motion Control Systems • Industrial Automation Systems • Sensors and Communication • Solution Process Industries • Siemens Water Technologies • Customer Services

Our capabilities are Product Sales, Project Management & Execution and Maintenance Services.

Position in the company Contact Person Address

Tel Fax E-mail

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: Chief Executive Officer : Adrian Wood : Siemens Electrical and Electronic Services KSCC Executive Management, P.O. Box 4990 Hawalli, 13050 Kuwait : (+965) 2 4646-000 : (+965) 2 2498-944 : adrian.wood@siemens.com

MEMBERS’ PROFILE

Michael Ruehle General Manager

Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co in Kuwait is synonymous with the brands representing luxury, prestige and leadership in technology: Mercedes-Benz & AMG. The 1950’s marked an important era in the history of Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co. From a small work shed in the deserts of Kuwait that was to become Shuwaikh Industrial Area, Haji Abdul Rahman Albisher and Haji Zaid Alkazemi planned to fulfill their vision of bringing Mercedes-Benz to Kuwait.

Today our company operates under the guidance and leadership of their sons as the Directors of the company.

Since 1950’s, Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co has been an exclusive representative for Mercedes-Benz products & services, MTU engines & Fuchs oil.

Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co. operates in the following divisions: Mercedes-Benz & AMG New Passengers Cars- Shuwaikh Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles-Shuwaikh Mercedes-Benz Service Centers- Shuwaikh, Al Rai&Ahmadi Mercedes-Benz Pre-Owned passenger cars-Shuwaikh MTU Sales & Service - Ahmadi

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Mercedes-Benz Kuwait http://www.mercedes-benz.com.kw/ Mercedes-Benz Kuwait - Mobile portal http://www.mbkuwait.com/ Facebook -Mercedes-Benz Kuwait https://www.facebook.com/MercedesBenzKuwait Instagram -Mercedes-Benz Kuwait http://instagram.com/mercedesbenzkwt Twitter-Mercedes-Benz Kuwait https://twitter.com/MercedesBenzKWT LinkedIn-Mercedes-Benz Kuwait http://www.linkedin.com/company/abdul-rahmanalbisher-&-zaid-alkazemi-co---mercedes-benz-kuwait

With a dedicated staff of about 600 employees including specialists, technicians, parts & sales consultants trained by Mercedes-Benz, we are committed to the Mercedes-Benz philosophy of product quality & customer service, which is reflected, in our motto: Simply the best.

Position in the company : General Manager Contact Person : Michael Ruehle Address : Kuwait Tel : +965 24831510 Fax : +965 24833039 E-mail : michael.ruehle@mercedeskuwait.com Website : mercedes-benz.com.kw/

Contact Details: Showroom Hotline: 24950000 Albisher & Alkazemi Co. Hotline: 1833111 MTU Hotline: 23989840

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MEMBERS’ PROFILE

Dr. Thomas Daehler

CPMi AG/CPMi (ME) Ltd. /CPMi (Asia) Ltd. Switzerland

Kuwait

India

We are an International Management Consulting and Outsourcing Company with focus on Family Business and Small and Medium Enterprises(SME) All our partners are internationally experienced top executives (C- level) and successful entrepreneurs.

We believe in professionalism, experience, results, value for money and diversity to bring the best results for our customers.

We stand to serve our customers first but society as well.

Our main focus is: • to support Family Businesses and SME from Start-Up to Growth till Restructuring and Succession solutions • to bring Western Companies to GCC and India and support them in these markets and vice-versa • we cover and manage the three strategic instruments of success: Strategy, Finance and People over the whole life cycle. To do this we have the needed tools and methods, the contacts and experience as well as the ability to implement.

• We are active in: • • • • • • •

Construction Finance Industry BPO Investments Education Health Care Services

• • • • • • •

Consulting Travel & Hospitality Luxury Goods Retail & Wholesale IT & High Tech International Trade M&A

Position in the company : Chairman CPMi AG and

Partner CPMi (ME) Ltd. Contact Person : Dr. Thomas Daehler Address : Salmiya, Kuwait Tel : +965 97 22 11 85 Email : thomas.daehler@cpmi.ch Website : www.cpmi.ch / www.cpmi.ae

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Fred Abou Saada

TALEA Tailor Made Event Planner TALEA, a regional network specialized in corporate event management for Marketing & Communication.

TALEA provide customized, integrated and innovative solutions.

TALEA, a full-service Event Planning Company develops and executes events that are both memorable and image enhancing.

Benefit from a Corporate Event to re-establish team spirit, enhance employee morale, build assurance and loyalty, celebrate achievements and improve performance and productivity.

TALEA creates, produces & delivers your event with an innovative effectiveness: the magic is in the interplay of unique ideas and personalities that take place at the meeting or event ; we articulate and convey key messages in a simple, trustworthy manner; by utilizing images and words that appeal to people›s senses and emotions, TALEA takes your concept from script to screen.

Our credentials prove our company’s 14 years of Corporate Event Organization and Management expertise that covers numerous types of activities diversified in nature and in location.

TALEA has been highly entrusted by its clients in the different market sectors and within diverse countries in the region such as Kuwait, Lebanon , KSA, Jordan, Syria and UAE , with an exposure to different cultures, and has been selected amongst the most qualified service providers as a Corporate Event Planner based on its expertise in the respective market segments.

Position in the company : Director Regional

Business Development Contact Person : Fred Abou Saada Address : Block 4, Street 5, Villa 17, Bayan Kuwait Tel : +965 25375501 Fax : +965 25375502 Mobile : +965 99431461 E-mail : fabusada@talea-events.com Website : www.talea-events.com

MEMBERS’ PROFILE

Alexander Awan

Christof Steube

KPMG International

KPMG Advisory W.L.L.

KPMG International operates as a network of member firms offering audit, tax and advisory services. Member firms’ clients include business corporations, governments and public sector agencies and not-for-profit organizations. They look to KPMG for a consistent standard of service based on high order professional capabilities, industry insight and local knowledge. KPMG member firms can be found in 156 countries. Collectively they employ more than 152,000 people across a range of disciplines.

Dear members,

KPMG Safi Al-Mutawa & Partners and KPMG Advisory W.L.L. are the Kuwait-based member firms of KPMG International and KPMG’s MESA (Middle East South Asia) business unit.

KPMG in Kuwait provides independent audit services designed to enhance the reliability of information prepared by clients for use by investors, creditors and other stakeholders, within the ambit of country-specific statutory requirements. The Audit practice also provides a range of other types of attestation reports. The Tax practice is focused on finding opportunities and leveraging them to a client’s advantage in the form of potential tax savings.

Through tailored initiatives, the practice can help reduce a client’s bottom-line expenses. The Advisory practice works with clients to tackle challenges in transactions and restructuring, performance and technology and risk and compliance.

My name is Alexander Awan, and I am working at KPMG in the Transactions & Restructuring department, with a focus on domestic and cross-border Mergers & Acquisitions (sell-side and buy-side transactions).

I am here in Kuwait on secondment, having gained comprehensive experience in the German and European market.

KPMG is a global network of professional services firms providing Audit, Tax, and Advisory services. Amongst others, we are assisting international companies in identifying strategic opportunities/ partners, and setting up business in Kuwait.

Academic record: • MSc in Finance from the University of Maastricht, Netherlands • BSc in Finance from the University of Maastricht, Netherlands, and the Australian National University, Australia • Chartered Accountant (ACCA) Hobbies: Sports, travelling, economics & politics

Christof Steube is a Senior Manager in Quality & Risk and joined KPMG in 1999. He is a German chartered accountant (Wirtschaftsprüfer) and worked as an auditor in the KPMG offices in Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Singapore before joining the Kuwait practice in March 2012. Christof Steube oversees the Department of Professional Practice in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Jordan and is in charge of all issues relating to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), including internal and external trainings.

Position in the company : Senior Manager Quality & Risk Contact Person : Christof Steube Address : Al Hamra Tower, 25th Floor Abdulaziz Al Saqr Street

P.O. Box 24, Safat 13001, Kuwait Tel : +965 2228 7470 E-mail : csteube@kpmg.com Website : www.kpmg.com

Position in the company : Assistant Manager,

Transactions & Restructuring Contact Person : Alexander Awan Address : Al Hamra Tower, 25th Floor

Abdulaziz Al Saqr Street, Safat 13001 Kuwait Tel : +965 2228 7493 Fax : +965 2228 7444 E-mail : alexanderawan@kpmg.com Website : http://www.kpmg.com/kw

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MEMBERS’ PROFILE

Philipp Rosenthal M. Eng. M.Sc.

Clean Energy & Sustainability Services

Philipp Rosenthal has joined Ernst & Young’s Kuwait office in November 2012.

Prior to moving to Kuwait, he worked as Project Manager in charge of developing the first Zero-Emission-Island Strategy for the Mediterranean Sea in Croatia funded by the German Environmental Ministry. This very successful project not only helped to shape local policies for the Croatian Island Krk, it also inspired top politicians in Zagreb, which ultimately led to an invitation to the Croatian President, Ivo Josipovic. Philipp also gained first-handed experience in assessing corporate Energy efficiency improvements and implementing IT-based Energy Management Systems for a German ‘Hidden-Champion’ company.

Privately, he is married to his wife Ekaterina Porras Sivolobova, whom he had met during his studies in Japan. Together they have a recently born son, Bo Emiliano Rosenthal Porras. Ekaterina, who is Mexican citizen with a Russian mother, also graduated from the German-Japanese Dual Master Program IMAT. Her experience spans from international development work in South East Asia to facilitation of renewable energy projects in Argentina and Russia.

Both of them are delighted to be in Kuwait now and contribute their knowledge to foster the sustainable development endeavors in the GCC countries.

Jafar Behbehani

Tristar Motorcycles Est. In the business of motorcycles & related items since 1985.

The official importer of BMW Motorcycles in Kuwait in addition to the most prestigious brands of clothing, safety gear, accessories & service items.

The company is the official supplier of BMW Motorcycles to Kuwait Traffic Police, the Ameeri Motorcade and the military school, including supply of parts, riders safety gear and annual service contracts.

With Showroom in Kuwait city & Shuwaikh industrial, it also caters for the motorcycle enthusiasts in Kuwait with professional motorcycle training, and various other personalized services offered to the customers such as motorcycles registration, export shipping formalities, obtaining motorcycles ridding permit, trading used bikes etc.

The company also operates a workshop in Shuwaikh industrial area for maintenance & repair of motorcycles using latest tools & equipment and factory trained mechanics. The workshop is also equipped with state-of-the-art paint booth and electronic motorcycle Test Bench.

The reputation of the workshop brings customers from as far Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) & Doha (Qatar).

The company is owned & operated on a full time basis by Eng. Jafar Behbehani, a well known & respected enthusiast in this field with extensive contacts locally & internationally.

Under the same Commercial name, TriStar Motorcycles, two affiliated companies operate in Dubai (UAE) & Riyadh (KSA).

Position in the Company : Assistant Manager

Clean Energy & Sustainability Services Contact Person : Philipp Rosenthal Address : Baitak Tower, 19th Floor, Safat Square,

Ahmed Al Jaber Street 13001 Safat, Kuwait Tel : +965 9763 4975 Fax : +965 2245 6419 Email : philipp.rosenthal@kw.ey.com Website : www.ey.com/me

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Position in the company : Managing Director Contact Person : Jafar Behbehani Address : P.O. Box. 469 - Dasman 15455 - Kuwait Tel : +965 2484 9830 Mobile : +965 9967 4702 E-mail : jafar@tristarkw.com

MEMBERS’ PROFILE

Aysha Abdullah Budastour

Kuwait Bruckner Construction Contracting Company KSCC

Established in March 1996 with Kuwaiti and German shareholders, Kuwait Bruckner Construction Contracting (KBC) quickly developed into one of the foremost geotechnical construction companies in the Middle East. Offering a one stop service to our clients, KBC undertakes feasibility studies, detailed final designs and construction of specialist foundation and tunnel works with our fleet of modern construction plant and experienced team.

Modern, well equipped offices are often highlighted as the face of a company. However, given the nature of the specialist contracting field in which KBC operates, perhaps of even greater importance is a company’s ability to maintain its fleet of plant and equipment in reliable working order. In this respect KBC maintains a maintenance depot of some 19,000 square meters incorporating mechanical and electrical workshop, steel fabrication and machining facilities and a comprehensive computer managed spare parts and consumables stores.

KBC operate on modern principals of Quality Assurance in its practices and processes from the daily functions of its senior management right through to the handing over of a site to a client.

Geotechnical Works • Bored cast in situ piles ranging from dia’s 300–2500mm • All kind of retaining wall systems (Bored pile wall, H-Beam wall, Secant pile wall, Sheet pile wall, Diaphragm-wall) • Well drilling (Dewatering, Water supply - Deep wells, Cathodic protection) • Ground anchors (Permanent or temporary, Strand or monobar system, vertical and inclined • Microtunneling (Dia. 200 up to 2250mm) & Tunneling (Up to 5m Dia).

• Soil nailing, Under pinning, Pipe jacking, Shaft sinking, Grouting/Jet Grouting.

Position in the Company : Chairperson Contact Person : Aysha Abdullah Budastour Address : P. O. Box 23015 Safat - Post Code

13091 – Kuwait Tel : +965 22443262 / 22497890 Fax : +965 22404763 Email : admin@kuwaitbruckner.com Website : www.kuwaitbruckner.com

Mohammed Shams Al Deen

International Business Centre The International Business Center (IBC) is a part of Al-Arfaj Group of Companies. Our mother company Al-Arfaj Group was founded

by Al-Arfaj family in 1961 in Kuwait.

In 2007 the IBC was created to promote trade between international companies and companies in the Middle East. We actively work with a network of experts in Europe, North America and East Asia to highlight business opportunities in the Middle East.

The IBC enables international companies to establish their business in the Middle East in a very cost-effective and timeefficient manner.

With mutually beneficial partnerships, we offer our knowledge, expertise, local experience and resources to grow the market for us and our partners. In this sense we engage in marketing, selling and expanding distributor networks in the region for our partners.

We are the natural choice of international enterprises that look for profitable business and business partners in the Middle East. By providing you with the perfect match in your search for distributors, sales representatives, dealers and agents, we become the gateway to profitable business in the Middle East.

Position in the Company : Deputy General Manager Contact Person : Mohammed Shams Al Deen Address : P.O. Box 2410 Safat Code 13025 Kuwait Tel : +965 24929546 Cell : +965 99533905 Fax : +965 24929542 Email : shamsaldeen.ibc@gmail.com Website : www.ib-centre.com

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MEMBERS’ PROFILE

Mounzer El-Achmar

Natalia Vakulenko

Nokia Siemens Networks

Jumbo Tours & Travel Co. W.L.L.

A senior manager in the wireless Telecommunication & Technology sector with 13 years of experience. I’ve built and proud to lead a highly innovative and award-winning team of international experts within Nokia Siemens Networks in Kuwait serving Zain one of the biggest operators in the Middle East. We have developed with our customer a highly innovative mobile network in Kuwait with more than 15 world wide and regional pilots in the last few years still exceeding all account performance targets.

Jumbo Tour & Travel Co W.L.L established in 1970, once a parent company now spearheading the Jumbo Group. One of the top 3 Travel management companies in Kuwait, most progressive and rapidly growing in all business segments of the travel & tourism industry.

Our mission in this account is to keep Zain Kuwait at the edge of the technical innovation in the Telecommunication field and help them evolve and adapt to the fast dynamics of this industry.

We would like to strengthen our partnership with Zain Kuwait by enabling them serve their customers with the highest standards effectively, hence meeting our companies financial objectives.

Position in the company : Account Director (Zain Kuwait) Address : AL Marzook tower, Abu Baker Siddiq St,

Plot 14, Block 13, Qiblah

PO Box 26602 Safat 13126 Kuwait Tel : +965 97444084 E-mail : mounzer.el-achmar@nsn.com Website : www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com

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In 2007, Jumbo Travel joined hands with BCD Travel, one of the largest Global Travel Management Company strengthening Jumbo Travel’s business model and providing global support in travel solutions to both Corporate and Individual clients.

Today Jumbo Travel specializes and has dedicated divisions in Corporate Business Travel – BCD Travel, Holidays & Leisure Travel, Retail Travel and Representation; sales and marketing of Leisure products with a total of 70 plus employees and servicing over 150 corporate customers located in four locations in Kuwait.

Position in the company : Business Development Manager Contact Person : Natalia Vakulenko Address : P. O. Box 1290, Safat 15463, Kuwait Tel : +965-99692137 Fax : +965 22471635 E-mail : natalia@jumbotravels.com Website : www.jumbotravels.com

MEMBERS’ PROFILE

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

Siegfried Knoll

Bishr Alboukai

German Technical Cooperation

Al Markaz Law Firm

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been providing advisory services in Kuwait since 1991.

GIZ’s current priority area in Kuwait is the provision of advisory services to the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET).

I am a member of the Al Marakaz law Firm team and has ten years of experience in Kuwait in the following fields of law; Construction law, investment law, corporate law, structuring business vehicle(s), corporate restructuring, tax law (file maintenance & compliance), Arbitration.

Ten GIZ long-term experts are currently working at four institutes in the fields of mechanical engineering, welding & material testing (with ISO certification), electrical & refrigeration engineering, automotive, tourism, fashion and hairdressing.

Al Markaz law Firm was established in early eighties with a group of multi-lingual lawyers from different cultures. Al Markaz advices local and international companies in all aspect of Kuwaiti laws.

GIZ is a federal enterprise based in Eschborn near Frankfurt am Main. It was founded in 1975 as a company under private law. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is its major client. The company also operates on behalf of other German ministries, the governments of other countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and international clients, such as the European Commission, the United Nations and the World Bank, as well as on behalf of private enterprises. GIZ works on a public-benefit basis.

GIZ employs some 17,000 staff in more than 130 worldwide.

Around 9,000 of these staff are national personnel. GIZ maintains its own offices in 69 countries.

GIZ International Services has been active in the Gulf region for more than 40 years, where it has gained an excellent reputation for its advisory services to government agencies and for project implementation in the fields of vocational education and training; water exploration and management; infrastructure and environment.

Position in the company : GIZ Team Leader Contact Person : Siegfried Knoll Address : P.O.Box 932, 15460 Dasman, Kuwait Tel : + 965 97502922 E-mail : siegfried.knoll@giz.de Website : www.giz.de

Position in the company : Senior Associate Contact Person : Bishr Alboukai Address : P.O Box 22488, Safat-Post

Code 13085 - Kuwait Tel : +965 97122299 E-mail : bishr@markazlaw.com Website : www.markazlaw.com

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MEMBERS’ PROFILE

Karina Haum

Dr. Farid Elsayed

Kuwait Oil Company

Act and Echo Corporation

•

Act and Echo Corporation is your one-stop advisory company for investment and business transactions.

• • • • • • • • • •

Honorary Doctorate, International Biographical Centre of Cambridge – England Master of Honor in Engineering & Enhancing Society, World Academy of Letters – U.S.A. MPEO (Canada), MAPEGBC (Canada), MASCE (U.S.A.), Charter MSEI (U.S.A.), MCI (U.S.A.) Governor and Director General of the CIK Governor Group International (CIKGG-International) Secretary General, the United Cultural Convention (U.S.A.) Lifetime Vice-Chancellor of the World Academy of Letters (North Carolina – U.S.A.) Ambassador of Canada to the World Congress of Arts, Sciences & Communications AWCASC Bearer of the International Peace Prize awarded by the United Culture Convention (U.S.A.) Bearer of the American Medal of Honor awarded by Governing Board of Editors of the American Biographical Institute U.S.A. Cultural Attaché to the United Cultural Convention, U.S.A. San Francesco 2011 Chairman of Terry Fox Committee - Kuwait Chapter (2005/2006)

Position in the company : Senior Engineer Contracts Group (K.O.C.) Contact Person : Dr. Farid Elsayed Address : KOC Contracts Teams

POBox 9758 Ahmadi 61008 KUWAIT Tel : +965 997 489 01 E-mail : fsayyed@kockw.com : director.general@cikcommunity.net Website : www.cikcommunity.net

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As integrators, we bring together investors and business opportunities. Through our global team members, we have access to investment opportunities and potential business partners in virtually all markets and all sectors.

Our team comprises of high caliber individuals with extensive Middle East experience on “C” level, capable of delivering Feasibility Studies, Market Research and Market Entry Strategy.

Through our Structuring Solutions division (www. structuringsolutions.com) we provide optimal investment and business structures, including local and international tax advice.

Position in the Company : Founder and Managing Director Contact Person : Karina Haum Address : Ras Salmiya, Kuwait Tel : +965 94449148 Email : karina.haum@act-and-echo.com Website : www.act-and-echo.com

MEMBERS’ PROFILE

Justin Antony

Himanshu Bahmani

Alghanim Freight – Yusuf A. Alghanim & Sons Co. w.l.l.

M. H. Alshaya Co.

Alghanim Freight, established in 1951, is a subsidiary of Alghanim Industries (Yusuf A. Alghanim & Sons) and is one of the oldest and most professional international freight forwarders in Kuwait, with representation through a network of quality agents around the world.

Himanshu Bahmani has worked on several international projects in supply chain and aviation in India, Singapore and Germany.

Currently working with M.H. Alshaya Co. on diverse projects spanning verticals of Logistics, Supply Chain, lT and Business Intelligence in Retail Division.

We specialize in:

A graduate from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, he also holds Professional Certification in derivatives and risk management from New York Institute of Finance. He has worked on research projects in collaboration with NUS Business School, Singapore and Technische Universitat Darmstadt, Germany.

He has also worked as a volunteer under United Nations Volunteering Program providing services to Association of African Entrepreneurs.

Freight Forwarding : FCL/ LCL/ LCL Type of Shipment : Commercial, household goods &

personal effects, PET and vehicles LCL Console : Direct import and export to/ from worldwide Customs Clearance : Commercial & project cargo Overland : Normal and refrigerated trailer

transportation across GCC Warehousing : Temperature controlled warehousing Distribution : 3PL/ 4 PL/ distribution inside Kuwait

Position in the company : Asst. Business Development Manager Contact Person : Justin Antony Address : PO Box 223,Safat 13003, Kuwait Tel : +965 2474 5533 Fax : +965 2473 6083 E-mail : jantony@alghanim.com Website : www.alghanim.com/transport

Position in the company : Business Solutions Engineer Contact Person : Himanshu Bahmani Address : P.O. Box 181, Safat, 13002, Kuwait Tel : 97542789 / 2258-1348 Fax : 2224-2488 E-mail : himanshu.bahmani@alshaya.com Website : www.alshaya.com

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MEMBERS’ PROFILE

Russell Loughland

The Regency Hotel As the leading five star hotel in Kuwait, the Regency Hotel was reopened in 2009 With 203 bedrooms, of which 53 are suites.

With an Executive Lounge, the most complete conference venue in Kuwait, a dramatic lobby and spacious bedrooms The Regency is the perfect home for discerning travelers that demand a higher level of product and service.

Value is the mantra for the Regency and we welcome the opportunity to tailor make an exceptional services to fit all your requirements.

Alexander Paselk – M.Sc., PMP

“Kuwait McGill” Redevelopment Project - MMI Kuwait MMI Montreal Medical International Inc. (MMI) is committed to providing expert assistance to countries, governments and healthcare centers around the world. By educating key stakeholders and developing medical technologies and best practices, MMI helps its clients improve patient care and acquire health knowledge through research.

Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with a satellite office in Kuwait serving the GCC and Asia region, MMI works with leading health-care and academic institutions such as the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and McGill University, as well as private enterprises, to provide health-related services and expertise needed by clients to achieve their objectives.

Recognizing the need to address a growing demand for the development of state-of-the-art clinical services in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) region and Asia, MMI established a permanent satellite office in Kuwait. Under the leadership of Dr. Kamran Lari, the Kuwait office employs regional expertise as well as international resources.

Position in the company : Director of Sales & Marketing Contact Person : Russell Loughland Address : AL Bida’a, AL Tawoon St.

PO Box 1139, Salmiya 22012. Kuwait Tel : +965 25766666 Fax : +965 25766668 E-mail : russell.loughland@theregencykuwait.com sales@theregencykuwait.com Website : www.theregencykuwait.com

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Position in the company : Project Manager Contact Person : Alexander Paselk – M.Sc., PMP Address : P.O.Box 1310, Safat, Kuwat Tel : +965 6760 5253 Fax : +965 2247 0196 E-mail : alexander.paselk@mmikuwait.com Website : www.mmihealth.ca/

MEMBERS’ PROFILE

Facts and figures about Germany Form of government

Federal parliamentary democracy since 1949; German unity since 1990

Population 81.8 million

Capital

Berlin, 3.4 million inhabitants

National flag

Three horizontal stripes in the colours black, red and gold

National emblem Stylized eagle

National anthem

Official language German

Federal structure

The Federal Republic of Germany consists of 16 Länder or federal states (Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, MecklenburgWestern Pomerania, Lower Saxony, North RhineWestphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia).

Bundesrat

The Bundesrat (upper house of parliament) is the representation of the Länder. It is involved in legislation and administration at national level.

Economy

Largest national economy in the European Union and the Third verse of August Heinrich Hoffmann von world’s fourth largest economy, with a gross domestic Fallersleben’s “Song of the Germans” sung to the melody product (GDP) of 3,478 billion US dollars (2012) of Joseph Haydn’s “Emperor’s Hymn”

National day

Higher education institutions

3 October, Day of German Unity

370 universities, including some 200 universities of applied sciences, with a total of two million students

Federal President

Cutting-edge research

Joachim Gauck, since 2012 Angela Merkel (CDU), since 2005

Non-academic research is conducted by institutes of the Max Planck Society, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Leibniz Association and the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres.

Federal Government

Cultural institutions

Parliament

Last updated: February 2013

Federal Chancellor

Coalition government consisting of CDU/CSU and FDP German Bundestag in Berlin comprising 620 members in five parliamentary groups (CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP, The Left Party and Alliance 90/The Greens)

6,200 museums, 820 theatres, 130 professional orchestras and 8,800 libraries

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Gadeer Al-Soor

General Trading & Contracting Co.

‫شركة غدير السور‬

‫ل����ل����ت����ج����ارة ال�����ع�����ام�����ة وال�����م�����ق�����اوالت‬

Heartiest congratulations to the peoples and governments of Germany-Kuwait on 40 years of diplomatic ties, 50 years of consular relations!

P.O. Box 29984 Safat 13160 Kuwait Tel.: 22423310 - 22423320 - 22423341

‫ الكويت‬13160 ‫ الصفاة‬29984 ‫ب‬.‫ص‬ 22423341 - 22423320 - 22423310 : ‫تلفون‬ 61272 ‫ت‬.‫ س‬- +965 22423272 : ‫فاكس‬

Fax: +965 - 22423272 - C. R. No. 61272 Email: info@gadeeralsoor.com

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