How Bavaria is different from the rest of Germany?

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Alwin E

Bavaria - the countryside where I live in - is probably more liberal than you would expect. Bavaria is a big state (in fact, Germany's biggest), and we're used to doing things our own way and we're famous for not caring about the federal government. Some people call us "little Texas", and maybe that's what we are. The famous German writer Goethe (or was it Schiller?) named us "a stubborn mountain folk", but whoever it was, he copied from an ancient Roman writer who wrote the same. We're not really conservative here; when I was a young voter, it was Bavarians who first voted the Greens into regional parliaments. Here in Bavaria, we're not much concerned about federal politics, unless it concerns us; and I think and sincerely hope that in this year's federal elections, Bavaria will take revenge on those politicians who cheated and mistreated us and the German people. Be ready for a surprise. Bavaria is big, and we have common vote here. We ousted the long-lasting conservative government in our state by just a few percent, but we did it. Who says we can't oust the federal government?

james S

Bavaria is more conservative than the rest of Germany. Many of them consider themselves Bavarian as opposed to being German - Bavaria was one of the last states to join Germany.

However...outsiders visiting Bavaria will find it very 'German'. It's not unusual to see people in traditional costume (lederhosen etc)...and they drink lots of beer!

Thomas t

If you visit Munich, you visited Bavaria. Not germany.
But it would be the same with every other city in germany.
Visit Hamburg and you see the northern lifestyle.

You cannot visit one city and get an impression of Germany.

And no: WeiÃŸwÃ¼rste and Pretzel are not german. Its bavarian. I never ate stuff like that in my life

somekindofknowitall

You really start to understand any country when you learn the language. And I certainly have living in Bavaria (chiemgau province). I took a high german course here and to be honest HIGH GERMAN is VERY VERY different to BAVARIAN dialect. It's the howdy and Y'all of let's say Texas. its MUCH more laid back in language and lifestyle to the north of Germany and a tiny bit laid back compared to Austria. Its casual, friendly, clean and beautifully green. Obviously people in the city work differently as opposed to people in the countryside....but that's everywhere. People in city (time is money attitude)....people in the country (sit down stay awhile). Hamburg is a great Northern city offering a great music scene and big red light district type atmosphere. Frankfurt is very finance. Munich is business/art scene. Berlin is Big Art Scene (more laid back than Munich). Salzburg, Austria is old world with a high end lux scene. Have fun and don't forget to learn some bavarian before you go:
Pfeti (may god walk beside you...used after a convo.)
Servus (at your service...used before and after a conversation...this also works in Austria)
Gruss gott (greet god...used before a convo.)

Viel spass!!! (have fun)

Poppy_I.

When you compare the north of the US to the south of the US. There is a difference, too.

For Germans it is sometimes annoying to be seen as Bavarians only. I do not like Weisswurst and I do not dance like them either.

But, since the US Soldiers have mainly been in the south of Germany, it was not avoidable.

Munich is a nice town, large and town like. Still it is a little different than Berlin, Frankfurt or Hamburg. It is Bavarian. Lol.

Ada

Bayern is really different from the rest of Germany, and similar at the same time. We hold on to our culture much more than "normal" Germans. I am from a small village named Erlbach. It is very different from the rest of Germany. We only have around 1200 inhabitants here in Erlbach so I know everybody in my village. We do have a pub but there are greater drinking possibilities in Vilsbiburg. Vilsbiburg also has great architecture and it is not far from Erlbach. Vilsbiburg is a cozy town!
In Erlbach (my town), everybody wear dirndls and lederhosens all of the time. We are very bound to our Bavarian traditions.......If I want to go to a bigger, more stressful city I go to Landshut. Munchen is a good city but it is not the real Bayern! It is good if you want to go shopping or clubbing but it is more an international town than a Bavarian town. If you want to see real Bavarian life you should come to a smaller town or village, like Erlbach or Vilsbiburg. Come to Bayern instead of "Germany"! You will feel at home and more welcome.

Biedronka

Berlin is the capital city of Germany, Munich is the capital city of Bavaria. Bavarian sounds much closer to Austrian than to any other German dialect. Berlin, where I live is different in terms of culture, dialect and general day-to day living. Since Germany as a country has only been around for the last 150 years or so, it is no surprise that there are these differences.

When tourists visit Germany they tend to pin Bavarian culture onto Germany as a whole. I find the 'east' far more interesting. There are also less tourists and you can have the opportunity to practice German a lot more.

In the east there was a more Prussian influence(google Potsdam), as Brandenburg and Berlin were once a part of Prussia. The most foreigners live in Berlin and Hochdeutsch (what kids and foreigners learn at school) is spoken in Hannover/Hamburg regions.

amiga*

hey :)

bavaria is a federal state of germany an munich is the capital city of bavaria.bavaria is not different from the rest of germany.. :)
munich is a very interesting and beautiful city
germany is known for beer and weiÃŸwÃ¼rste i dont know whether you understand the word weiÃŸwÃ¼rste :) im sorry i dont know how to say it in english :)
and brezeln i think i english i have to say pretzles are very tasty too you should have a try :)
i hope that helps

sorry if there are grammatical or any other mistakes

artist formally known as franke

it a german city. i traveled round the whole of germany for 3 weeks and the one thing that i did notice, when you visit towns and cities in the east of the country, you definitely see the difference between the east/west divide. it just seems to get grayer the further east you go. as for munich well its german through and through, its Germany's jewel in its crown.

hope this helps, even though it didn't quite answer your question

: )

Antonio

There is one big difference:
Bavaria never accepted the "Grundgesetz" which is the german "constitution", so they actually are not really Germans

German city.

German Navtive

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