German links

Deutsche Bundesländer
Germany is a federation of 16 Länder or states, each of which has limited sovereignty of its own. Germany is the most populous country in the European Union with 82.3 million inhabitants. The capital is Berlin, which has a population of 3.4 million.

Legislation

Bicameral system: In addition to the Bundestag the Bundesrat, consisting of delegates of the state governments to uphold the interests of the states, participates in legislation.

State structure
Germany is a federation consisting of 16 federal states, each with its own constitution, parliament and government. The highest state authority is exercised by the federal government. Through the agency of the Bundesrat, the states are represented at the federal level and participate in federal legislation.

Suffrage
Universal, equal and secret suffrage as of 18 years of age (in the case of municipal elections in part as of 16), elections to the Bundestag are held every four years.

Party system
Multi-party system, parties have a special constitutional status, receive state financial support, can only be prohibited by the Federal Constitutional Court. Parties represented in the Bundestag: Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), German Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Christian Social Union (CSU), Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (The Greens), Die Linke (The Left)

Legal system
Germany is a social constitutional state. It is based on the principle of a division of powers and the lawful administration. All organs of state are subject to the constitutional order. The Basic Law guarantees every individual citizen basic and human rights. The Federal Constitutional Court watches over adherence to the Basic Law. All the other organs of state are bound to uphold its rulings.

Studying in Germany

Freie Universität maintains exchange partnerships with several hundred partner universities worldwide. Exchange places are offered in various exchange programs - e.g. Erasmus+, direct exchange, departmental exchange.

These resources are for general information only. For further information visit www.deutschland.de

Research in Germany

This is a general portal on German research with a wealth of information on Germany as a land of scholarship DAAD wide range of information from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) on studying in Germany Freie Universität Berlin The content courses cover topics from a variety of disciplines, ranging from political science, history, philosophy, and sociology to music history, architecture, film studies, marketing/management, and art history. The program has hosted participants from a wide range of mostly U.S. colleges and universities, featuring a growing number of formal institutional partnerships. Student feedback has been very positive. Higher Education information on German higher education, data-base query service on study opportunities

Small Talk or why Germans won’t tell you how they Feel

How to avoid awkward situations with Germans | About Education, by Michael Schmitz

One of the many clichés about Germany and the Germans says that they act in a not very friendly or even rude manner towards strangers. You might get that impression when you first come to Germany and try to get to know somebody else on a train, a bar or at work. Especially as an American, you might be used to get in contact with strangers really quickly. In Germany you probably won't. And it is  a scientifically proven fact that German people simply don't chat in public places when they don’t know each other.

But what is often interpreted as rude manners, is more like a basic inability of Germans to small talk - they simply are not used to it.

FOR MOST GERMANS, SMALL TALK IS A WASTE OF TIME