Northern Germany

Northern Germany(German:Norddeutschland,[ˈnɔʁtdɔɪ̯tʃlant]) is a linguistic, geographic, socio-cultural and historic region in the northern part ofGermanywhich includes the coastal states ofSchleswig-Holstein,Mecklenburg-VorpommernandLower Saxonyand the two city-statesHamburgandBremen. It contrasts withSouthern Germany,Western Germany, andEastern Germany.
Northern Germany generally refers to theSprachraumarea north of theUerdingenandBenrath lineisoglosses, whereLow Germandialectsare spoken. These comprise theLow Saxondialects in the west (including theWestphalian languagearea up to theRhineland), theEast Low Germanregion along theBalticcoast withWestern Pomerania, theAltmarkand northernBrandenburg, as well as the North Low German dialects.
Although from the 19th century onwards, the use ofStandard Germanwas strongly promoted especially by thePrussianadministration, Low German dialects are still present in rural areas, with an estimated number of five to eight million active speakers. However, sinceWorld War IIand the immigration ofexpelleesfrom theformer eastern territories of Germany, its prevalence has steadily reduced. Besides which,Frisianis spoken inEastandNorth Frisia, as well asDanish(Standard andSouth Jutlandic) in parts ofSchleswig.
The key terrain feature of Northern Germany is theNorth German Plainincluding themarshesalong the coastline of theNorthandBaltic Seas, as well as thegeestandheathsinland. Also prominent are the low hills of theBaltic Uplands, theground moraines,end moraines,sandur,glacial valleys,bogsandLuch.
These features were formed during theWeichselian glaciationand contrast topographically with the adjacentCentral Uplandsof Germany to the south, such as theHarzandTeutoburg Forest, which are occasionally counted as part of Northern Germany.
Northern Germany has traditionally been dominated byProtestantism, especiallyLutheranism. The two northern provinces ofSchleswig-HolsteinandLower Saxonyhave the highest proportion of self-reported Lutherans in Germany.Exceptions include the Catholic districts ofEmsland,CloppenburgandVechtain the west, traditionally linked to the Catholic region ofWestphaliain the south, and the southernmost region ofLower Saxony, around the city ofDuderstadt, comprising part of the traditional Catholic enclave ofEichsfeld.
Culturally and socially, Northern Germany is characterized by higher levels of income equality and gender equality than southern and south-western Germany. While the national federalGini coefficientfor Germany stands at around 30, the southern states have a Gini coefficient of 30.6 whereas for the Northern states the Gini coefficient stands at 27.5 which is closer to the Scandinavian average of 25. Traditional society in the western part of Northern Germany (Schleswig-Holstein,Lower Saxonyand some parts ofNorth Rhine-WestphaliaandSaxony-Anhalt) until the early 20th century was based on well-off, literate and landowning yeoman farmers owning relatively large pieces of land, making a living growing grain crops and raising dairy cattle and pigs, and a large and educated middle class in the towns and cities working in the civil service, or as businessmen, artisans, blue-collar workers and skilled workers. Thus, the proportion of serfs, landless labourers, semi-skilled industrial workers and large landlords was relatively smaller, making for a more stable society than elsewhere in Germany like the Rhineland region and the region east of the Elbe river. Additionally, Northern cities likeHamburg,BremenandRostockhave always been economic powerhouses of trade and commerce and have had a long tradition of innovation and creativity in business and industry.
The traditional northern German daily diet is centered around boiledpotatoes,ryebread, dairy products, cabbages, cucumbers, berries, jams,fish, andporkandbeef. A breakfast specialty is thecrispbread(Knäckebrot), eaten with a variety of toppings such as ham, soft cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, and liver paste. Lentil stews and soups are very popular as a working lunch. Regional specialties inSchleswig-Holstein,Mecklenburg-VorpommernandLower Saxonyincludeblood sausage(Blutwurst) and a variety ofblack puddingscommonly eaten forbrunch. Another northern German regional specialty aremeatloaves(Hackbraten), made from a mixture of ground pork and beef and served with mashed potatoes, brown sauce andlingonberryjam. Many traditional meat-based lunch dishes are served with boiled or mashed potatoes and brown sauce. Eatingbrunchis very popular during weekends in the larger towns and cities. In regions nearer to the coast, fish is very popular, withpickled herringandsalmonbeing delicacies.
Drinking coffee is firmly rooted in northern Germany and the northern provinces on average consume around 8 kilograms (18 lb) of coffee per capita annually. This is more than the 6 kilograms (13 lb) of coffee per capita consumed in the south. Coffee is frequently drunk four times a day: at breakfast, after lunch, in the evening at around 4 pm, and after dinner. Many people also drink a coffee at their place of work at the start of the day's work, and a coffee break with colleagues around an hour before or after lunch. There is also a strong tradition of taking coffee breaks and visiting cafés with friends and acquaintances. In places such as publicly funded universities where free coffee is not available to students, it is not uncommon for students to bring their own hot coffee in insulated flasks and drink from it intermittently. Cafés usually offer medium-fat milk andsugar cubesalong withfilter coffee. Commonly eaten desserts includewaffleswith ice cream, pancakes, the sweet bun roll with cream known asHeißwecke, and blueberry pie (Heidelbeerkuchen) with vanilla cream.
The northwesternmost region ofEast Frisiais an exception insofar as tea is largely preferred over coffee there, to the extent that East Frisians drink about 300 litres (79 US gal) of tea per capita and year, more than in any particular country.
Lunch at workplaces and educational institutions in northern Germany begins very early – usually between 11:45 and 12:15 pm, and dinner is usually eaten between 7 and 8 pm. This is because the work and school day starts pretty early, at 8 am sharp. Lunches eaten at home during holidays and weekends usually start later – around 1 pm.
The drinking culture in the north is more or less similar to that of the rest of the country, heavily based onbeerwithpale lagersandpilsnersbeing favourites. UnlikeBavariaandCentral Germany, dark beers or dark lagers are not at all popular in northern Germany. The north has a slightly stronger tradition ofhard liquor, such ascorn,vodka, andschnapps. Binge drinking is far more common in the north – almost 70% of binge drinking hospitalizations on weekends happen in the eight northern provinces and states containing just 40% of the population.As in all of Germany,mulled wineis a popular alcoholic drink during the Christmas season.
In theEarly Middle Ages, Northern Germany was the settlement area of theSaxontribes, which were subjugated by theFrankishrulerCharlemagnein theSaxon Warsfrom 772 onwards, whereafter the ImperialDuchy of Saxonywas established in 804. In the 10th century the Saxon lands, enlarged by theSaxon Eastern March, became the cradle of theKingdom of Germanyand theHoly Roman Empire, when the dukes of theOttonian dynastywere electedKing of the Romansand crownedHoly Roman Emperors.
From 1500 onwards, the former Saxon territories (except for Westphalia) were incorporated into theLower Saxon Circleof theHoly Roman Empire. TheHanseatic Leagueis also part of the common history and culture of the cities in northern Germany.
Northern Germany corresponds to the territory of theNorth German Confederationin the 19th century. The boundary between the spheres of political influence ofPrussia(Northern Germany) andAustria(Southern Germany)  within theGerman Confederation(1815–1866) was known as the "Main line" (Mainlinie, after the riverMain),Frankfurt am Mainbeing the seat of the federal assembly. The "Main line" did not follow the course of the river Main upstream of Frankfurt, rather corresponding to the northern border of theKingdom of Bavaria.
Cultural or political east–west divisions have existed in northern Germany since at least the early modern period, when
During theCold Warof the second half of the 20th century, a cultural division of northern Germany into an Eastern and a Western part has become more pronounced due to the1949–1990 division of all of GermanyintoWest GermanyandEast Germany, where identities based upon the formerIron Curtainand mutual prejudices regarding what once was the other side may still persist today.
A number of Scottish and English Lutheran Families settled in Northern Germany between the years 1683 and 1709, with the result that many Germans in Northwest Germany can claim Scottish and English ancestry.
The termnorthern German statesis always used to refer to the following coastal federalStates of Germany:
In some cases, it also includes the non-coastal states of:
Northern Germany as a region or as a historical landscape includes additional federal states (see geography above). Northwestern Germany is usually considered to be part ofNorthern Europeboth culturally and geographically where as the southern states are much closer to Central European cultures.
Where a city has different names in English and German, the English name is given first.
TheGerman Football Associationwas founded in Leipzig in 1900. Several cities in Northern Germany have hosted matches of the1974 FIFA World Cup,UEFA Euro 1988and2006 FIFA World Cup.
TheNordderby(Northern derby) is played betweenHamburger SVandSV Werder Bremen, whereas theHamburg derbyis played between Hamburger SV andFC St. Pauli. Other notable men's football clubs includeHertha Berlin,VfL Wolfsburg,Hannover 96,Eintracht Braunschweig,F.C. Hansa Rostock,1. FC Magdeburg. Hamburger SV won the1982–83 European Cupand six German championships, whereas Werder Bremen won the German championship four times and Hertha Berlin twice.
In women's football, theVfL Wolfsburgwon the Bundesliga three times and theUEFA Women's Champions Leaguetwice, whereas1. FFC Turbine Potsdamwon the Bundesliga six times and the UEFA Champions League twice.
NotableBasketball Bundesligateams includeAlba Berlin,Basketball Löwen Braunschweig,Hamburg TowersandEWE Baskets Oldenburg.
NotableEishockey-Bundesligateams includeEisbären Berlin,Grizzlys Wolfsburg,Hamburg Freezers,Hannover ScorpionsandFischtown Pinguins.
Notable handball teams includeGWD Minden,SG Flensburg-Handewitt,TuS Nettelstedt-Lübbecke,THW Kiel,Handball Hamburg,SC Magdeburg,Buxtehuder SV,VfL OldenburgandHSG Blomberg-Lippe.
Notable marathon races include theBerlin Marathon(one of theWorld Marathon Majors),Hamburg Marathon,Hannover Marathon.
Notable tennis tournaments include theHalle Open,International German OpenandSparkassen Open.
Other notable competitions are theKiel Week,EuroEyes Cyclassicsand theHanse Sail.
TheOlympiastadionin Berlin has hosted the1936 Summer Olympics,2009 IAAF World Championships in AthleticsandInternationales Stadionfest.
The sailing competitions for the 1936 and1972 Summer Olympicswere held at the Bay of Kiel.