Überall wo Flüsse sind, müssen Menschen und Tiere mit Hochwasser rechnen. (Everywhere where there are rivers, people and animals have to envisage high water.) Und manchmal tritt das Wasser sogar über die Ufer, weil das Flussbett zu klein ist um Wassermengen zu tragen, die durch starke Regenfälle erhöht worden sind. (And sometimes the water even bursts its banks because the riverbed is too small to carry the amount of water that had heightened because of heavy rain falls.) Immer wieder passiert es auch in Deutschland, das bewohnte Gebiete überflutet werden, doch was sich in diesem Jahr hier abspielt ist wahrlich eine Katastrophe. (Time after time it happens that inhabitated areas in Germany are flooded but occurs this years ist truly a catastrophe.) Es ist nicht nur ein einziges Gebiet, das von der Flut heimgesucht wird, sondern diesmal ist das gesamte Land betroffen. (It is not a single area that is haunted by the flood but this time the whole country is hit hard.)

Begonnen hatte die Katastrophe im Süden von Deutschland und zog sich über den östlichen Teil hoch in den Norden des Landes. (The catastrophe began in the south of Germany and trekked over the eastern part up to the north of the country.) Die Bilanz des Jahrhunderthochwassers: Tausende Menschen mussten in Sicherheit gebracht werden und haben ihre Existenz verloren. (The results of the hundred-year flood: Thousands of people had to be taken to the boats and lost their existence.) Brücken und Zugstrecken mussten gesperrt werden. (Bridges and railroad lines had to be closed.) Schulen haben ihre Türen geschlossen. (Schools shut their doors.) Der Schaden beläuft sich derzeit auf einen zweistelligen Milliardenbetrag. (At the moment, the damage amounts to tens of billions.)

Auch wenn die Menschen hierzulande gerade eine harte Zeit durchleben, so haben sie erfahren dürfen, dass ihnen viele Freiwille mit helfender Hand zur Seite stehen. (Even though people currently go through hardship over here, they have experienced that many volunteers give them a helping hand.) Hunderte von Menschen füllen Sandsäcke, helfen Betroffenen ihr Hab und Gut in Sicherheit zu bringen, oder bieten den Opfern einen Unterkunft in den eigenen vier Wänden an. (Hundreds of people are filling sandbags, help affected people to secure their belongins or provide vicitms with lodging in their own four walls.)

Ich wünsche allen Betroffenen viel Kraft, diese schwere Zeit zu überstehen. (I wish all vicitms much strength to ride this hard time out.)

Meißen

Grimma

Magdeburg

Passau

Prignitz

Wittenberge: Volunteers are building a levee with sandbags

Helpers take a nap.

As every year the line up was amazing. Some bands that performed this year were  Thirty Seconds to Mars, Fettes Brot, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Bullet for My Valentine, The Prodigy, Beatsteaks, Green Day, Sportfreunde Stiller, Bad Religion…

The German band SEEED started on of the biggest Harlem Shakes ever I guess…take look:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The festival took place erstmals (for the first time) in 1985. Originally it was planned to be a one time show. But due to its big success (about 75.000 people showed up) the responsible persons decided to do it every year. In 1988 the visitor rates decreased. A two year break was the consequence.

But in 1991 the biggest rock festival in Germany came back with a revised concept. One of the main focuses was to introduce more newcomers to the crowd. Some of the bands and artist who were unbekannt (unknown) by that time are bin in business nowadays. For example INXS or Alanis Morisette performed at Rock am Ring in front of a big crowd.

In 1993 the parallel festival Rock in Vienna took place for the first time. The following year it moved to Munich (Rock in Riem) and in 1995 it finally became Rock im Park in Nürnberg (Nuremberg) that takes place at the same time as Rock am Ring since 1997. Normally the same bands perform at the twin festival but because of Terminschwierigkeiten (schedule difficulties) sometimes it happens that some bands could only be seen at one of them.

A major Bestandteil (component) of the festival is camping around the festival area. But the  character of camping at Rock am Ring has changed over the years. In the beginning only a few little Zelte (tents) and Vans were there. But meanwhile there are thousands of outdoor pavillons and Wohnmobile (Campers). Even big trucks with sofas and couches appeared.

In 2013 a sister festival called Rock´n´Heim is going to take place for the first time from August 16th to 18th. The Besetzung (line up) there is fantastic as well.

So if you missed Rock am Ring or Rock im Park, there´s still a chance to freak out in August!

Tell me something about the festivals in your countries. Are there big ones, famous ones or good ones? My favourite for example is the Sziget Festival in Budapest/Hungary… Let us know!

Some vocabulary to this post:
trotzdem – nevertheless
erstmals  – for the first time
unbekannt  -unknown
Nürnberg  -Nuremberg
die Terminschwierigkeiten – schedule difficulties
der Bestandteil – component
das Zelt – tent
das Wohnmobil – camper
die Besetzung – line up

yesterday was the first day since weeks that I saw the sun (honestly!). What a strange but totally liberating feeling. Though it is June, the last weeks have been affected by dark grey, cold temperatures and heavy rain. Already in May I wondered if the gulf stream ran dry…

Well, it finally seems that the Tief (depression) is over. At least in most parts of Germany. But it definitely has left it´s marks.

Hochwasser in Regensburg, 2013, Source: Wikipedia, Author: Happolati

Big areas has been überflutet (flooded). Especially regions in the east and southeast of Germany were hit by the water masses. To avoid worse disasters, a lot of people have been evakuiert (evacuated). Electricity and die Trinkwasserversorgung (drinking water supply) have been switched off in city centres. Even the Bundeswehr  (German armed forces) has moved out to secure rain-sodden Deiche (dikes) with sandbags and heavy machinery. When I see the news, it´s really hard to believe that this happens just a few kilometres away…for we have fortunately been spared!

Already in 2002 there was the so called “Jahrhundertflut” (flood of the century) in Germany and a lot of people who lost their houses, their cars, just everything back then, are affected again these days.  Beside the financial Schaden (damage) that must be millions and millions, I think it is also hard not to lose courage in starting all over again.

While the situation is getting better in many regions, especially cities and communities along the river Elbe are still worried about increasing Flusspegel (river stages). In Halle an der Saale, there is the highest level since 400 years!

If you are interested in the status quo, you can take a look at this website (german).

So what about your countries and regions? Did you experience a similar disastrous springtime?

To all the victims: Stay strong! Hopefully the worst is over very soon!

Some vocabulary to this post:
das Tief – depression
überflutet – flooded
evakuieren – to evacuate
die Trinkwasserversorgung – drinking water supply
die Bundeswehr – German armed forces
der Deich – dike
die Jahrhundertflut – flood of the century
der Schaden – damage
der Flusspegel – river stage

“Why you are the right person for our vacant position?”

Kürzlich habe ich mein Studium an der Universität beendet. (I have recently finished my university studies.) Jetzt studiere ich Stellenasuschreibungen und Ratschläge, wie man sich für diese Jobs bewirbt, um einen von ihnen ans Land zu ziehen. (Now I study job advertisements and advices for how to apply for these jobs in order to land one of them.)

Das wichtigste, was ich gelernt habe ist, dass die Suche nach einer Stelle, ein Fulltime-Job ist, einschließlich dem Anfertigen von Bewerbungsunterlagen, wie Anschreiben und Lebenslauf. (The most important thing I have learned so far is that looking for a position is a full-time job, including the drawing up of application documents, such as letter of application and résumé.) Und als ob das nicht schon genug wäre: NEIN! Das Internet ist auch noch überflutet mit nützlichen Ratschlägen und sachdienlichen Tipps, wie man es richtig macht. (And as if this wasn’t enough: NO! The Internet is overrun with useful advices and relevant tips how to do it right.)

Und es gibt sogar viele verschiedene Richtiges. (And there are even many different rights.) Was in einem Ratgeber als absolutes Muss angeführt ist, wird in einem anderen vorsätzlich verschwiegen. (What one advice page quotes as an absolute must-do is deliberately withheld in another.) Höchste Zeit für mich, eine kleine Bestandsaufnahme über meiner Erkenntnisse zu machen. (It’s about time for me to take a little stock of my insights.)

Wenn man sich in Deutschland für einen Job bewerben möchte, gehören das Anschreiben und der Lebenlauf zu den Grundlagen einer jeden Bewerbung. (If you want to apply for a job in Germany, the letter of application and résumé provide the basis for every application.)

Deutsche Autoren von Bewerbungstipps streiten sich darüber, ob nun das Anschreiben oder der Lebenslauf das Herzstück einer Bewerbung ist. (German authors of advices for application argue whether letter or the résumé is the core of you application.) Meine Ansicht ist, dass beides gleich wichtig ist. (My point of view is that both are important to the same extend.)

Das Anschreiben – letter of application

Das Anschreiben dient dazu, dem zukünftigen Arbeitgeber zu erklären, warum man ihn kontaktiert bzw. warum man ihm seinen Lebenslauf schickt. (The letter of application serves to let your future employer know why you contact him or why you are sending him your résumé.) Mit anderen Worten, es dient dazu die eigenen Absichten deutlich herauszustellen, dass man sich konkret für einen Job bewirbt und zu erklären warum man für diese Stelle in Frage kommt. (In other words, it serves to expose one’s intention that you apply for a particular job and to explain why you are the right person for the vacancy.)

Der Lebenslauf – résumé

Ich empfehle mit dem Lebenslauf zu beginnen, da man so die Möglichkeit hat, zu reflektieren welche Stationen seines Lebens man schon hinter sich gebracht hat und über welche Fähigkeiten man verfügt. (I suggest to begin with your résumé because it gives you the chance to reflect which stations you have passed in your life so far and what skills you have.)

Die Anordnung der einzelnen Lebensstationen erfolg chronologisch. (The single stages of life are to arrange chronologically.) Früher war es üblich, dass man mit dem am weitest zurückliegenden Ereignis beginnt. (It used to be common practice to begin with the incident that is dated back the farthest.) Diese Form ist heute immer noch akzeptiert, jedoch setzt sich die amerikanische Form mehr und mehr durch. (This form is still accepted but the American form becomes more and more prevalent.) Das heißt, man beginnt mit dem aktuellsten und arbeitet sich dann weiter in die Vergangenheit. (That is, you begin with which is most up to date and work your way through into the past.)

Fortsetzung folgt …

To be continued …

1. How many residents are there approximately in Germany?
About 82,45 Million.

2. Name three rivers in Germany!
Rhein, Donau, Elbe, Neckar, Spree…

3. How many “Bundesländer” are there in Germany? Name three of them, including their capitals.
There are 16 Bundesländer. For example Bayern (München), Niedersachsen (Hannover), Nordrhein-Westfalen (Düsseldorf), Thüringen (Erfurt), Baden-Württemberg (Stuttgart), Sachsen (Dresden), Schleswig-Holstein (Kiel)…

4. What is the name of the highest mountain in Germany?
Zugspitze

5. Who is currently Bundeskanzler/in of Germany?
Angela Merkel

6. Name three neighboring countries of Germany!
France, Denmark, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands…

7. The first republic with a democratic constitution was proclaimed in 1918. What was its name?
Weimarer Republik.

8. What was the name of the party that ruled between 1933 and 1945?
NSDAP (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei)

9. What happened on the 8th of May, 1945?
It was the end of World War 2 in Europe.

10. What does DDR mean?
Deutsche Demokratische Republik.

11. When was the German reunification?
In 1990. The fall of the Berlin wall took place in 1989.

12. Which right is protected by Artikel 1 of the German constitution?
The dignity of humans.

13. Which political parties are currently represented in the German Bundestag? Name at least three of them.
CDU, CSU, SPD, Grüne, FDP, Linkspartei.PDS

14. Germany has some important universities. Name three of them!
Heidelberg, Münster, Göttingen…

15. Name one nationwide newspaper and one public TV channel!
Newspapers: “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”, “Die Welt”

TV Channels: ARD, ZDF.

16. Name three German actors or actresses!
Muriel Baumeister, Meret Becker, Heike Makatsch, Til Schweiger, Christoph Waltz, Daniel Brühl…well, there are hundreds of others as well

17. Name three German sportspersons!
Michael Schumacher, Oliver Kahn, Dirk Nowitzki, Heike Drechsler…

18. What did Johannes Gutenberg invent?
Printing.

19. There were two pioneers in automotive engineering in Germany. Do you know their names?
Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler.

20. Do you know the colours of the German flag? And how are they arranged?
Black, red, gold. In this order from top to bottom.