Important Facts about Germany – Part Two

Important Facts about Germany – Part Two -
Reality Views by sm -
General Information Regarding Germany, Inventions and Education
Below is the Link for Important Facts About Germany Part One -
http://realityviews.blogspot.com/2010/03/important-facts-about-germany-part-one.html

59.The Basic Law accorded The Federal Constitutional Court the right to repeal legislation passed as part of the legitimate democratic process should it come to the conclusion that such legislation contravenes the Basic Law


60.The German supreme court, namely The Federal Constitutional Court holds a monopoly on interpretation of the constitution with regard to all jurisdictions

61.The administration of justice is entrusted to independent judges who are answerable to the law only. As a matter of principle, these judges may not be dismissed from office or transferred against their will. Special tribunals are banned.

62.In the early 20th century, about one third of all Nobel Prizes were won by German scientists.

63.Of the total 80 German Nobel Prize winners to date, 68 won the prize for services to the natural sciences or medicine.

64. In Germany 96 percent of students attend public institutions that are subject to state supervision and control

65.Education is free and in most types of school is coeducational. Almost all elementary and secondary schools and about 95 percent of higher education institutions are public. College, graduate, and postgraduate students pay a nominal fee

66.German schooling is based on nine years of compulsory education for all children. Attendance of all government schools is free of charge. Once children are aged six, they as a rule attend primary school for four years, Up to age 18 education is compulsory.

67.Lessons in German schools tend to be in the mornings but the Federal Government has provided EUR 4 billion to support the creation of all-day schools

68.Federal Government and the states are committing about EUR 2 billion to research projects from a variety of disciplines – they are chosen by an independent jury.

69. as per 1991 figures - 99 percent literacy rate in population over age fifteen

70.In 2005, a Federal Constitutional Court ruling overturned the traditional taboo on Tuition fees. Hitherto, in Germany it was (almost) only the state that paid for tertiary education. Since 2007, seven federal states have from the first semester onwards charged tuition fees, albeit relatively modest ones by international comparison.

71.About 90 percent of population covered by comprehensive compulsory insurance for sickness, accidents, disability, long-term care, and retirement.

72.1796: Homeopathy - Heal a disease with something similar to it: This was the idea Samuel Hahnemann (1755–1843) used to create the principle of homeopathic therapy. Today, just under 40 percent of Germans have used this soft form of medicine

73.1817: The bicycle - Karl von Drais (1785–1851) was especially taken by the “two-wheeler principle”

74.1854: Light bulb - The clockmaker was well ahead of his day. For in 1854, when Heinrich Göbel (1818–1893) caused bamboo fibers to glow in a vacuum, there was still no electrical grid.

75.1861: Telephone - The era of revolutionary communications technology commenced with Philipp Reis (1834–1874). A mathematics teacher, he was the first person to transform sounds and words into electric current that could be reproduced elsewhere

76.1876: Refrigerator - On March 25, 1876 Carl von Linde (1842–1934) was awarded the patent for the first refrigerator, which used ammonia as a cooling agent. In 1993, German company Foron introduced the world’s first CFC-free “Greenfreeze” refrigerator

77. 1876: Otto engine - Take in, condense, ignite, work, expel: Nikolaus August Otto (1832–1891) has gone down in the annals of technology as the inventor of the four-stroke engine, accelerating the pace of motorization

78.1930/1931: Television - On Christmas Eve, 1930 Manfred von Ardenne (1907–1997) was the first person to succeed with an electrical television broadcast. Today, 95 percent of German households have a TV.

79.1941: Computer - Konrad Zuse (1910- 1995) invented the first binary calculator: the Z3. The first computer managed four basic arithmetic functions in three seconds.

80. In Germany Almost all households are equipped with one or more TVs and a radio. Germans make extensive use of the media. They listen to more than 3.5 hours radio every day, watch TV for three hours, read a daily paper for 36 minutes, and in addition peruse TV, general and special interest magazines and glean information from weekly and monthly magazines.

81.In Germany, public authorities are obliged to provide journalists with information. BPA, the Press and Information Office of the federal Government, acts as intermediary between the government and the public and coordinates the Chancellery’s press and PR activities.

82.Military service is compulsory for men at the age of 18 serve nine-month tours of duty. But can join and do the civil service also instead of military service.

83.Germany is the world's fifth largest consumer of energy and the government has set the goal of meeting half the country's energy demands from renewable sources by 2050.

84.In 2000, the government and the German nuclear power industry agreed to phase out all nuclear power plants by 2021

85.In 2005 Germany produced approximately 35% of the world's wind energy. There are over 20,000 wind turbines off the coast of northern Germany, the largest of which reach 200 metres in height.

86.The international code is +49. The internet country code is .de.
87.Currency: Euro
88.GDP per Capita: U.S. $26,200
89.Literacy Percent: 99 percent

90.German people are the second biggest consumers of beer in the world (after the Irish), with an average of 119 liters per person per year (or 0.32 l per day).

91.You would have to try one kind of German bread per day for almost a whole year in order to be able to taste them all! There are over 300 different kinds of bread in Germany.

92.The first cuckoo clock was made in Germany in the early 17th century. It is a clock, where a bird appears through a small trap door and imitates the call of a cuckoo while the clock is striking the hours.

93.Germany is a leader in garbage separation. More than 80 % of paper and glass is recycled.

94.Prostitution in Germany is legal, and so are brothels. Prostitutes may work as regular employees with contract, though the vast majority works independently. Brothels are registered businesses that do not need a special brothel license

95.Prostitutes have to pay income taxes and even have to charge VAT for their services, to be paid to the tax office.

96.Germany is a legally and socially tolerant country towards homosexuals. Civil unions have been permitted since 2001.

97. Gays and lesbians can legally adopt their partner's biological children (stepchild adoption).

98.The Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and the mayors of the two largest German cities, Berlin and Hamburg, are openly gay.

99.National flag - Three horizontal stripes in black, red
100.Emblem - Stylized eagle
101.Anthem - Third verse by August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben ”Das Lied der Deutschen” to a melody by Joseph Haydn “Kaiserhymne“
102.State holiday - October 3, Day of German Unity
103.Births - On average 1.4 children per woman