Germany

Compiled from the July 2006 Background Note and supplemented with additional information from the State Department and the editors of this volume. See the introduction to this set for explanatory notes.

Official Name:
Federal Republic of Germany

PROFILE

PEOPLE

HISTORY

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS

ECONOMY

FOREIGN RELATIONS

U.S.-GERMAN RELATIONS

TRAVEL

PROFILE

Geography

Area: 357,000 sq. km. (137,821 sq. mi.); about the size of Montana.

Cities: Capital—Berlin (population about 3.4 million). Other cities—Hamburg (1.7 million), Munich (1.2 million), Cologne (964,000), Frankfurt (644,000), Essen (603,000), Dortmund (592,000), Stuttgart (582,000), Dusseldorf (568,000), Bremen (543,000), Hanover (516,000).

Terrain: Low plain in the north; high plains, hills, and basins in the center and east; mountainous alpine region in the south.

Climate: Temperate; cooler and rainier than much of the United States.

People

Nationality: Noun and adjective—German(s).

Population: (2005 est.) 82 million.

Ethnic groups: Primarily German; Danish minority in the north, Sorbian (Slavic) minority in the east; 7.3 million foreign residents.

Religions: Protestants (26 million); Roman Catholics (26 million); approximately 3.2 million Muslims.

Language: German.

Education: Years compulsory—10; attendance—100%; literacy—99%.

Health: Infant mortality rate (1998 est.)—5.0/1,000; life expectancy (1999 est.)—women 80 years, men 74 years.

Employment: (2001 avg.) 38.8 million; unemployed (2001 avg.) 3.9 million—9.1% of labor force.

Government

Type: Federal republic.

Founded: 1949 (Basic Law, i.e., Constitution, promulgated on May 23, 1949). On October 3, 1990, the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic unified in accordance with Article 23 of the F.R.G. Basic Law.

Government branches: Executive—president (titular chief of state), chancellor (executive head of government); legislative—bicameral parliament; judicial—independent, Federal Constitutional Court.

Political subdivisions: 16 Laender (states).

Political parties: Social Democratic Party (SPD); Christian Democratic Union (CDU); Christian Social Union (CSU); Alliance 90/Greens; Free Democratic Party (FDP); Left Party (LP)/Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS).

Suffrage: Universal at 18.

Economy

GDP: (2001) $1.8 trillion.

Annual growth rate: (2001) 0.6%; (2003 est.) 0.5%.

Per capita income: $22,900.

Inflation rate: (consumer prices, 2001) 2.5%.

Natural resources: Iron, hard coal, lignite, potash, natural gas.

Agriculture: (accounts for 1% of GDP) Products—corn, wheat, potatoes, sugar, beets, barley, hops, viticulture, forestry, fisheries.

Industry: (34% of GDP) Types—iron and steel, coal, chemicals, electrical products, ships, vehicles, construction.

Trade: (2001) Exports—$628 billion: chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel products, manufactured goods, electrical products. Major markets—France, U.S., and U.K. Imports—$594 billion: food, petroleum products, manufactured goods, electrical products, motor vehicles, apparel. Major suppliers—France, U.S., Netherlands.

PEOPLE

Most inhabitants of Germany are ethnic German. There are, however, more than 7 million foreign residents, including asylees, guest workers, and their dependents. Germany is a prime destination for political and economic refugees from many developing countries. An ethnic Danish minority lives in the north, and a small Slavic minority known as the Sorbs lives in eastern Germany.

Germany has one of the world’s highest levels of education, technological development, and economic productivity. Since the end of World War II, the number of youths entering universities has more than tripled, and the trade and technical schools of the Federal Republic of Germany (F.R.G.) are among the world’s best. With a per capita income level of more than $22,900, Germany is a broadly middle class society. A generous social welfare system provides for universal medical care, unemployment compensation, and other social needs. Millions of Germans travel abroad each year.

With unification on October 3, 1990, Germany began the major task of bringing the standard of living of Germans in the former German Democratic Republic (G.D.R.) up to that of western Germany. This has been a lengthy and difficult process due to the relative inefficiency of industrial enterprises in the former G.D.R., difficulties in resolving property ownership in eastern Germany, and the inadequate infrastructure and environmental damage that resulted from years of mismanagement under communist rule.

Economic uncertainty in eastern Germany is often cited as one factor contributing to extremist violence, primarily from the political right. Confusion about the causes of the current hardships and a need to place blame has found expression in harassment and violence by some Germans directed toward foreigners, particularly non-Europeans. The vast majority of Germans condemn such violence.

HISTORY

The rise of Prussian power in the 19th century, supported by growing German nationalism, eventually ended in the formation of the German empire in 1871 under the chancellorship of Otto von Bismarck. Political parties developed during the empire, and Bismarck was credited with passing the most advanced social welfare legislation of the age.

However, Emperor William II’s dynamic expansion of military power contributed to tensions on the continent. The fragile European balance of power, which Bismarck had helped to create, broke down in 1914. World War I and its aftermath, including the Treaty of Versailles, ended the German Empire.

Fascism’s Rise and Defeat

The postwar Weimar Republic (1919-33) was established as a broadly democratic state, but the government was severely handicapped and eventually doomed by economic problems and the rise of the political extremes. The hyperinflation of 1923, the world depression that began in 1929, and the social unrest stemming from resentment toward the conditions of the Versailles Treaty worked to destroy the Weimar government.

The National Socialist (Nazi) Party, led by Adolf Hitler, stressed nationalist and racist themes while promising to put the unemployed back to work. The party blamed many of Germany’s ills on the alleged influence of Jewish and non-German ethnic groups. The party also gained support in response to fears of growing communist strength. In the 1932 elections, the Nazis won a third of the vote. In a fragmented party structure, this gave the Nazis a powerful parliamentary caucus, and Hitler was asked to form a government. He quickly declined. The Republic eroded and Hitler had himself nominated as Reich Chancellor January 1933. After President Paul von Hindenburg died in 1934, Hitler assumed that office as well. Once in power, Hitler and his party first undermined and then abolished democratic institutions and opposition parties. The Nazi leadership immediately jailed Jewish opposition and other figures and withdrew their political rights. The Nazis implemented a program of genocide, at first through incarceration and forced labor and then by establishing death camps. Nazi revanchism and expansionism led to World War II, which resulted in the destruction of Germany’s political and economic infrastructures and led to its division.

After Germany’s unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945, the United States, the United Kingdom, the U.S.S.R. and, later, France occupied the country and assumed responsibility for its administration. The commanders in chief exercised supreme authority in their respective zones and acted in concert on questions affecting the whole country.

The United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union agreed at Potsdam in August 1945 to treat Germany as a single economic unit with some central administrative departments in a decentralized framework. However, Soviet policy turned increasingly toward dominating that part of Europe where their armies were present, including eastern Germany. In 1948, the Soviets, in an attempt to abrogate agreements for Four-Power control of the city, blockaded Berlin. Until May 1949, the Allied-occupied part of Berlin was kept supplied only by an Allied airlift. The “Berlin airlift” succeeded in forcing the Soviets to accept, for the time being, the Allied role and the continuation of freedom in a portion of the city, West Berlin.

Political Developments in West Germany

The United States and the United Kingdom moved to establish a nucleus for a future German government by creating a central Economic Council for their two zones. The program later provided for a constituent assembly, an occupation statute governing relations between the Allies and the German authorities, and the political and economic merger of the French with the British and American zones. The western portion of the country became the Federal Republic of Germany. On May 23, 1949, the Basic Law, which came to be known as the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany, was promulgated. Konrad Adenauer became the first federal Chancellor on September 20, 1949. The next day, the occupation statute came into force, granting powers of self-government with certain exceptions.

The F.R.G. quickly progressed toward fuller sovereignty and association with its European neighbors and the Atlantic community. The London and Paris agreements of 1954 restored full sovereignty (with some exceptions) to the F.R.G. in May 1955 and opened the way for German membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Western European Union (WEU).

The three Western Allies retained occupation powers in Berlin and certain responsibilities for Germany as a whole, including responsibility for the determination of Germany’s eastern borders. Under the new arrangements, the Allies stationed troops within the F.R.G. for NATO defense, pursuant to stationing and status-of-forces agreements. With the exception of 45,000 French troops, Allied forces were under NATO’s joint defense command. (France withdrew from NATO’s military command structure in 1966.)

Political life in the F.R.G. was remarkably stable and orderly. After Adenauer’s chancellorship (1949-63), Ludwig Erhard (1963-66) and Kurt Georg Kiesinger (1966-69) served as Chancellor. Between 1949 and 1966 the united caucus of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU), either alone or with the smaller Free Democratic Party (FDP), formed the government. Kiesinger’s 1966-69 “Grand Coalition” included the F.R.G.’s two largest parties, CDU/CSU and the Social Democratic Party (SPD). After the 1969 election, the SPD, headed by Willy Brandt, formed a coalition government with the FDP. Brandt resigned in May 1974, after a senior member of his staff was uncovered as an East German spy.

Helmut Schmidt (SPD) succeeded Brandt, serving as Chancellor from 1974 to 1982. Hans-Dietrich Genscher, a leading FDP official, became Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister, a position he would hold until 1992.

In October 1982, the FDP joined forces with the CDU/CSU to make CDU Chairman Helmut Kohl the Chancellor. Following national elections in March 1983, Kohl emerged in firm control of both the government and the CDU. He served until the CDU’s election defeat in 1997. In 1983, a new political party, the Greens, entered the Bundestag for the first time.

Political Developments in East Germany

In the Soviet zone, the Communist Party forced the Social Democratic Party to merge in 1946 to form the Socialist Unity Party (SED). Under Soviet direction, a constitution was drafted on May 30, 1949, and adopted on October 7 when the German Democratic Republic was proclaimed. On October 11, 1949, a SED government under Wilhelm Pieck was established. The Soviet Union and its East European allies immediately recognized the G.D.R. The United States and most other countries did not recognize the G.D.R. until a series of agreements in 1972-73.

The G.D.R. established the structures of a single-party, centralized, communist state. On July 23, 1952, the G.D.R. abolished the traditional Laender and established 14 Bezirke (districts). Formally, there existed a “National Front”—an umbrella organization nominally consisting of the SED, four other political parties controlled and directed by the SED, and the four principal mass organizations (youth, trade unions, women, and culture). However, control was clearly and solely in the hands of the SED. Balloting in G.D.R. elections was not secret. On July 17, 1953, East Germans revolted against totalitarian rule. The F.R.G. marked the bloody revolt by making the date the West German National Day, which remained until reunification.

Inter-German Relations

During the 1950s, East Germans fled to the West by the millions. The Soviets made the inner German border increasingly tight, but Berlin’s Four-Power status countered such restrictions. Berlin thus became an escape point for even greater numbers of East Germans. On August 13, 1961, the G.D.R. began building a wall through the center of Berlin, slowing down the flood of refugees and dividing the city. The Berlin Wall became the symbol of the East’s political debility and the division of Europe.

In 1969, Chancellor Brandt announced that the F.R.G. would remain firmly rooted in the Atlantic Alliance but would intensify efforts to improve relations with Eastern Europe and the G.D.R. The F.R.G. commenced this “Ostpolitik” by negotiating nonaggression treaties with the Soviet Union, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, and Hungary. Based upon Brandt’s policies, in 1971 the Four Powers concluded a Quadripartite Agreement on Berlin to address practical questions the division posed, without prejudice to each party’s view of the city’s Four Power status.

The F.R.G.’s relations with the G.D.R. posed particularly difficult questions. Though anxious to relieve serious hardships for divided families and to reduce friction, the F.R.G. under Brandt was intent on holding to its concept of “two German states in one German nation.” Relations improved, however, and in September 1973, the F.R.G. and the G.D.R. were admitted to the United Nations. The two Germanys exchanged permanent representatives in 1974, and, in 1987, G.D.R. head of state Erich Honecker paid an official visit to the F.R.G.

German Unification

During the summer of 1989, rapid changes took place in the G.D.R. Pressures for political opening throughout Eastern Europe had not seemed to affect the G.D.R. regime. However, Hungary ended its border restrictions with Austria, and a growing flood of East Germans began to take advantage of this route to West Germany. Thousands of East Germans also tried to reach the West by staging sit-ins at F.R.G. diplomatic facilities in other East European capitals. The exodus generated demands within the G.D.R. for political change, and mass demonstrations in several cities—particularly in Leipzig—continued to grow. On October 7, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev visited Berlin to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the G.D.R. and urged the East German leadership to pursue reform.

On October 18, Erich Honecker resigned and was replaced by Egon Krenz. The exodus continued unabated, and pressure for political reform mounted. Finally, on November 9, the G.D.R. allowed East Germans to travel freely. Thousands poured through the Berlin Wall into the western sectors of Berlin. The Wall was opened.

On November 28, F.R.G. Chancellor Kohl outlined a 10-point plan for the peaceful unification of the two Germanys. In December, the G.D.R. Volkskammer eliminated the SED’s monopoly on power. The SED changed its name to the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS), and numerous political groups and parties formed. The communist system had been eliminated. A new Prime Minister, Hans Modrow, headed a caretaker government that shared power with the new, democratically oriented parties.

In early February 1990, Chancellor Kohl rejected the Modrow government’s proposal for a unified, neutral Germany. Kohl affirmed that a unified Germany must be a member of NATO. Finally, on March 18, the first free elections were held in the G.D.R., and Lothar de Maiziere (CDU) formed a government under a policy of expeditious unification with the F.R.G. The freely elected representatives of the Volkskammer held their first session on April 5, and the G.D.R. peacefully evolved from a communist to a democratically elected government.

Four Power Control Ends

In 1990, as a necessary step for German unification and in parallel with internal German developments, the two German states and the Four Powers—the United States, U.K., France, and the Soviet Union—negotiated to end Four Power reserved rights for Berlin and Germany as a whole. These “Two-plus-Four” negotiations were mandated at the Ottawa Open Skies conference on February 13, 1990. The six foreign ministers met four times in the ensuing months in Bonn (May 5), Berlin (June 22), Paris (July 17), and Moscow (September 12). The Polish Foreign Minister participated in the part of the Paris meeting that dealt with the Polish-German borders.

Of key importance was overcoming Soviet objections to a united Germany’s membership in NATO. The Alliance was already responding to the changing circumstances, and, in NATO, issued the London Declaration on a transformed NATO. On July 16, after a bilateral meeting, Gorbachev and Kohl announced an agreement in principle to permit a united Germany in NATO. This cleared the way for the signing of the “Treaty on the Final Settlement With Respect to Germany” in Moscow on September 12. In addition to terminating Four Power rights, the treaty mandated the withdrawal of all Soviet forces from Germany by the end of 1994. This made it clear that the current borders were final and definitive, and specified the right of a united Germany to belong to NATO. It also provided for the continued presence of British, French, and American troops in Berlin during the interim period of the Soviet withdrawal. In the treaty, the Germans renounced nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons and stated their intention to reduce German armed forces to 370,000 within 3 to 4 years after the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty, signed in Paris on November 19, 1990, entered into force.

German unification could then proceed. In accordance with Article 23 of the F.R.G.’s Basic Law, the five Laender (which had been reestablished in the G.D.R.) acceded to the F.R.G. on October 3, 1990. The F.R.G. proclaimed October 3 as its new national day. On December 2, 1990, all-German elections were held for the first time since 1933.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS

The government is parliamentary, and a democratic constitution emphasizes the protection of individual liberty and division of powers in a federal structure. The chancellor (prime minister) heads the executive branch of the federal government. The duties of the president (chief of state) are largely ceremonial; the chancellor exercises executive power. The Bundestag (lower, principal chamber of the parliament) elects the chancellor. The president is elected every 5 years on May 23 by the Federal Assembly, a body convoked only for this purpose, comprising the entire Bundestag and an equal number of state delegates.

The Bundestag, which serves a 4-year term, consists of at least twice the number of electoral districts in the country (299). When parties’ directly elected seats exceed their proportional representation, they may receive more seats. The number of seats in the Bundestag was reduced to 598 for the 2002 elections. The Bundesrat (upper chamber or Federal Council) consists of 69 members who are delegates of the 16 Laender (states). The legislature has powers of exclusive jurisdiction and concurrent jurisdiction with the Laender in areas specified in the Basic Law. The Bundestag has primary legislative authority. The Bundesrat must concur on legislation concerning revenue shared by federal and state governments and those imposing responsibilities on the states.

Germany has an independent federal judiciary consisting of a constitutional court, a high court of justice, and courts with jurisdiction in administrative, financial, labor, and social matters. The highest court is the Bundesverfassungsgericht (Federal Constitutional Court), which ensures a uniform interpretation of constitutional provisions and protects the fundamental rights of the individual citizen as defined in the Basic Law.

Political Parties

Social Democratic Party (SPD). The SPD is one of the oldest organized political parties in the world. It originally advocated Marxist principles. In 1959, in the Godesberg Program, the SPD abandoned the concept of a class party while continuing to stress social welfare programs. Although the SPD originally opposed West Germany’s 1955 entry into NATO, it now strongly supports German ties with the Alliance. Gerhard Schroeder led the party to victory in 2002 on a platform strongly opposing the war in Iraq. The SPD has a powerful base in the bigger cities and industrialized Laender.

Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU). An important aspect of postwar German politics was the emergence of a moderate Christian party—the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)—operating in alliance with a related Bavarian party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). Although each party maintains its own structure, the two form a common caucus in the Bundestag and do not run opposing campaigns. The CDU/CSU has adherents among Catholics, Protestants, rural interests, and members of all economic classes. It is generally conservative on economic and social policy and more identified with the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches.

Alliance 90/Greens. In the late 1970s, environmentalists organized politically as the Greens. Opposition to nuclear power, military power, and certain aspects of highly industrialized society were principal campaign issues. In the December 1990 all-German elections, the Greens merged with the Eastern German Alliance 90, a loose grouping of civil rights activists with diverse political views. The Greens joined a federal government for the first time in 1998, forming a coalition with the SPD.

Free Democratic Party (FDP). The FDP has traditionally been composed mainly of middle and upper class Protestants, who consider themselves heirs to the European liberal tradition. The party has participated in all but three postwar federal governments and has spent only 10 years out of government in the 50-year history of the Federal Republic.

Left Party (LP)/Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS). Spurred by common opposition to Agenda 2010 and Hartz IV reforms, in July 2005 the PDS and the WASG (Wahlalter-native Soziale Gerechtigkeit) agreed to form a left alliance for the 2005 Bundestag elections. The alliance agreed on the name “Left Party,” with the option of listing PDS afterward. The WASG was established in late 2004 by western leftists, trade unionists, SPD dissidents, and former PDS members. The PDS was established in December 1989 as the successor party to the SED (the communist party of the G.D.R.). It has renounced most of the extreme aspects of SED policy but retains much of its Marxist leanings.

Other parties. In addition to those parties that won representation in the Bundestag in 2005, a variety of minor parties won a cumulative 2.7% of the vote, down from 3.0% in 2002. Several other parties were on the ballot in one or more states but did not qualify for representation in the federal Bundestag.

Principal Government Officials

Last Updated: 10/13/2006

President: Horst KOEHLER

Chancellor: Angela MERKEL

Vice Chancellor: Franz MUENTEFERING

Min. for Consumer Protection & Agriculture: Horst SEEHOFER

Min. of Defense: Franz Josef JUNG

Min. for Economic Cooperation & Development: Heide Marie WIECZOREK-ZEUL

Min. for Economics & Technology: Michael GLOS

Min. for Education & Research: Annette SCHAVAN

Min. for Environment & Nuclear Safety: Sigmar GABRIEL

Min. for Family, Seniors, Women, & Youth: Ursula VON DER LEYEN

Min. of Finance: Peer STEINBRUECK

Min. of Foreign Affairs: Frank-Walter STEINMEIER

Min. for Health: Ulla SCHMIDT

Min. of Interior: Wolfgang SCHAEUBLE

Min. of Justice: Brigitte ZYPRIES

Min. for Labor & Social Security: Franz MUENTEFERING

Min. for Transportation, Construction, & Housing: Wolfgang TIEFENSEE

Min. Without Portfolio & Chancellery

Chief: Thomas DE MAIZIERE Pres., German Federal Bank: Axel A. WEBER

Ambassador to the US: Klaus SCHARIOTH

Permanent Representative to the UN, New York: Thomas MATUSSEK

Germany maintains an Embassy in the United States at 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 (tel. 202-298-4000). Consulates general are located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle. Germany has honorary consuls in more than 30 U.S. cities.

ECONOMY

Germany is the world’s third-largest economy and the largest in Europe. Recent performance has not been dynamic, however, and the German economy is vulnerable to external shocks, domestic structural problems, and continued difficulties in integrating the formerly communist east.

From the 1948 currency reform until the early 1970s, West Germany experienced almost continuous economic expansion. Real gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed down, and even declined, from the mid-1970s through the recession of the early 1980s. The economy then experienced 8 consecutive years of growth that ended with a downturn beginning in late 1992. Since unification, Germany has seen annual average real growth of only about 1.5% and stubbornly high unemployment. The best performance since unification was in 2000, when real growth reached 3.0%. Although final figures are not yet available, most forecasters expected growth of about 0.5% for 2003, with unemployment rising to 10.4%.

Germans often describe their economic system as a “social market economy.” The German Government provides an extensive array of social services. The state intervenes in the economy by providing subsidies to selected sectors and by owning some segments of the economy, while promoting competition and free enterprise. The government has restructured the railroad system on a corporate basis, privatized the national airline, and is privatizing telecommunications and postal services.

The German economy is heavily export-oriented, with exports accounting for more than one-third of national output. As a result, exports traditionally have been a key element in German macroeconomic expansion. Germany is a strong advocate of closer European economic integration, and its economic and commercial policies are increasingly determined within the European Union (EU). Germany uses the common European currency, the euro, and the European Central Bank sets monetary policy.

Despite this external vulnerability, most foreign and German experts consider domestic structural problems to be the main cause of recent sluggish performance. An inflexible labor market is the main cause of persistently high unemployment. Heavy bureaucratic regulations burden many businesses and the process of starting new businesses. German employers, even during periods of relatively fast growth, say they often prefer to invest overseas or install more machinery, rather than make job-creating investments at their domestic facilities.

Fifteen years after reunification (October 3, 1990), Germany has made great progress in raising the standard of living in eastern Germany, introducing a market economy and improving its infrastructure. At the same time, the process of convergence between east and west is taking longer than originally expected and, on some measures, has stagnated since the mid-1990s. Eastern economic growth rates have been lower than in the west in recent years, unemployment is twice as high, prompting many skilled easterners to seek work in the west, and productivity continues to lag. Eastern consumption levels are dependent on public net financial transfers from west to east totaling about $11.5 billion per year. In addition to social assistance payments, the government will extend funds to promote eastern economic development through 2019.

The United States is Germany’s second-largest trading partner, and U.S.-German trade has continued to grow strongly. Two-way trade in goods totaled $89.1 billion in 2002. U.S. exports to Germany were $26.6 billion while U.S. imports from Germany were more than $62.5 billion. At $35.8 billion, the U.S.’s fifth-largest trade deficit is with Germany. Major U.S. export categories include aircraft, electrical equipment, telecommunications equipment, data processing equipment, and motor vehicles and parts. German export sales are concentrated in motor vehicles, machinery, chemicals, and heavy electrical equipment. Much bilateral trade is intra-industry or intra-firm.

Germany has a liberal foreign investment policy. From 1998 to 2001, annual average flows of U.S. direct investment in Germany were $5.4 billion, while those of German investors in the United States reached $27.2 billion. U.S. firms employ about 800,000 people in Germany; German firms likewise employ about 800,000 people in the United States.

Despite persistence of structural rigidities in the labor market and extensive government regulation, the economy remains strong and internationally competitive. Although production costs are very high, Germany is still an export powerhouse. Additionally, Germany is strategically placed to take advantage of the rapidly growing central European countries. The current government has addressed some of the country’s structural problems, with important tax, social security, and financial sector reforms.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Germany continues to emphasize close ties with the United States, membership in NATO, and the “deepening” of integration among current members of the EU. The Federal Republic of Germany took part in all of the joint postwar efforts aimed at closer political, economic, and defense cooperation among the countries of western Europe. Germany has been a large net contributor to the EU budget. Germany also is a strong supporter of the United Nations and of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

During the postwar era, the Federal Republic of Germany also sought to improve its relationship with the countries of eastern Europe, first establishing trade agreements and, subsequently, diplomatic relations. With unification, German relations with the new democracies in central and eastern Europe intensified. On November 14, 1990, Germany and Poland signed a treaty confirming the Oder-Neisse border. They also concluded a cooperation treaty on June 17, 1991. Germany concluded four treaties with the Soviet Union covering the overall bilateral relationship, economic relations, the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the territory of the former G.D.R., and German support for those troops. Russia accepted obligations under these treaties as successor to the Soviet Union. Germany continues to be active economically in the states of central and eastern Europe and to actively support the development of democratic institutions, bilaterally and through the EU.

Berlin

Shortly after World War II, Berlin became the seat of the Allied Control Council, which was to have governed Germany as a whole until the conclusion of a peace settlement. In 1948, however, the Soviets refused to participate any longer in the quadripartite administration of Germany. They also refused to continue the joint administration of Berlin and drove the government elected by the people of Berlin out of its seat in the Soviet sector and installed a communist regime in its place. From then until unification, the Western Allies continued to exercise supreme authority—effective only in their sectors—through the Allied Kommandatura. To the degree compatible with the city’s special status, however, they turned over control and management of city affairs to the Berlin Senat (executive) and House of Representatives, governing bodies established by constitutional process and chosen by free elections. The Allies and German authorities in the F.R.G. and West Berlin never recognized the communist city regime in East Berlin or G.D.R. authority there.

During the years of Berlin’s isolation—176 kilometers (110 mi.) inside the former G.D.R.—the Western Allies encouraged a close relationship between the Government of West Berlin and that of the F.R.G. Representatives of the city participated as nonvoting members in the F.R.G. parliament; appropriate West German agencies, such as the supreme administrative court, had their permanent seats in the city; and the governing mayor of Berlin took his turn as President of the Bundesrat. In addition, the Allies carefully consulted with the F.R.G. and Berlin Governments on foreign policy questions involving unification and the status of Berlin. Between 1948 and 1990, major events such as fairs and festivals took place in West Berlin, and the F.R.G. encouraged investment in commerce by special concessionary tax legislation. The results of such efforts, combined with effective city administration and the Berliners’ energy and spirit, were encouraging. Berlin’s morale remained high, and its industrial production considerably surpassed its prewar level.

The Final Settlement Treaty ended Berlin’s special status as a separate area under Four Power control. Under the terms of the treaty between the F.R.G. and the G.D.R., Berlin became the capital of a unified Germany. The Bundestag voted in June 1991 to make Berlin the seat of government. The Government of Germany asked the Allies to maintain a military presence in Berlin until the complete withdrawal of the Western Group of Forces (ex-Soviet) from the territory of the former G.D.R. The Russian withdrawal was completed August 31, 1994. On September 8, 1994, ceremonies marked the final departure of Western Allied troops from Berlin. In 1999, the formal seat of the federal government moved from Bonn to Berlin. Berlin also is one of the Federal Republic’s 16 Laender.

U.S.-GERMAN RELATIONS

U.S.-German relations have been a focal point of American involvement in Europe since the end of World War II. Germany stands at the center of European affairs and is a key partner in U.S. relations with Europeans in NATO and the European Union.

German-American ties extend back to the colonial era. More than 7 million Germans have immigrated over the last three centuries, and today nearly a quarter of U.S. citizens claim German ancestry. In recognition of this heritage and the importance of modern-day U.S.-German ties, the U.S. President annually has proclaimed October 6, the date the first German immigrants arrived in 1623, to be “German-American Day.”

U.S. policy toward Germany remains the preservation and consolidation of a close and vital relationship with Germany, not only as friends and trading partners, but also as allies sharing common institutions. During the 45 years in which Germany was divided, the U.S. role in Berlin and the large American military presence in West Germany served as symbols of the U.S. commitment to the preservation of peace and security in Europe. Since German unification, the U.S. commitment to these goals has not changed. The U.S. made significant reductions in its troop levels in Germany after the Cold War ended, and, on July 12, 1994, President Clinton “cased the colors” at the Berlin Brigade’s deactivation ceremony. The U.S., however, continues to recognize that the security and prosperity of the United States and Germany significantly depend on each other.

As allies in NATO, the United States and Germany work side by side to maintain peace and freedom. This unity and resolve made possible the successful conclusion of the 1987 U.S.-U.S.S.R. Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), the Two-plus-Four process—which led to the Final Settlement Treaty—and the November 1990 Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty. More recently, the two allies have cooperated closely in peacekeeping efforts in the Balkans and have worked together to encourage the evolution of open and democratic states throughout central and eastern Europe. Following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, DC, Germany has been a reliable U.S. ally in the campaign against terrorism. As two of the world’s leading trading nations, the United States and Germany share a common, deep-seated commitment to an open and expanding world economy. Personal ties between the United States and Germany extend beyond immigration to include intensive foreign exchange programs, booming tourism in both directions, and the presence in Germany of large numbers of American military personnel and their dependents.

The United States and Germany have built a solid foundation of bilateral cooperation in a relationship that has changed significantly over nearly six decades. The historic unification of Germany and the role the United States played in that process have served to strengthen ties between the two countries.

German-American political, economic, and security relationships continue to be based on close consultation and coordination at the most senior levels. High-level visits take place frequently, and the United States and Germany cooperate actively in international forums.

Principal U.S. Embassy Officials

BERLIN (E) Address: Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5; APO/FPO: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265; Phone: [49] (30) 238-5174; Fax: [49] (30) 238-6290; Workweek: Monday–Friday, 0830-1730; Website: www.usembassy.de.

Last Updated: 12/12/2006

DUSSELDORF (CG) Address: Willi Becker Allee 10; APO/FPO: Unit 2215, APO AE 09103; Phone: +49-211-4706-130; Fax: +49-211-788-8936; Workweek: Monday–Friday 08:00–17:00; Web site: www.usembassy.de.

Last Updated: 12/20/2006

FRANKFURT (CG) Address: Giessener Strasse 30, 60435 Frankfurt; APO/FPO: PSC 115, APO AE 09213-0115; Phone: 49-69-7535-0; Fax: 49-69-7535-5410 (Mgmt); Workweek: 8:00 a.m. -4:30 p.m. M-F.

Last Updated: 12/14/2006

HAMBURG (CG) Address: Alsterufer 27/28, 20354 Hamburg; Phone: 049-40-411-71300; Fax: 049-40-411-71222; 049-40-417-665; Workweek: M–F; 0800–1700 local; Website: www.usembassy.de.

Last Updated: 8/8/2006

LEIPZIG (CG) Address: Wilhelm-Seyfferth-Str. 4; APO/FPO: AmConsul Leipzig, PSC 120. Box 1000, APO AE 09265; Phone: (49) (341) 213-8418; Fax: (49) (341) 213-8461; Workweek: 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, Mo thru Fri; Website: www.embassy.de.

Last Updated: 1/16/2007

MUNICH (CG) Address: Koeniginstrasse 5; APO/FPO: Unit 24520, APO AE 09053-4520; Phone: 49-89-2888-745 (Mgmt); Fax: 49-89-283-047; INMARSAT Tel: Iridium: 8816-7631-0884; Workweek: Monday–Friday, 0830-1730; Website: http://munich.us.consulate.gov.

Last Updated: 8/4/2006

TRAVEL

Consular Information Sheet : February 12, 2007

Country Description: Germany is a modern and stable democracy. Tourist facilities are highly developed. In larger towns, many people can communicate in English.

Entry Requirements: A passport is required. A visa is not required for stays for tourist/business stays up to 90 days within the Schengen Group of countries, which includes Germany.

Further information on entry, visa and passport requirements may be obtained from the German Embassy at 4645 Reservoir Road N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007, telephone (202) 298-4000, or the German Consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, or San Francisco. Visit the Embassy of Germany web site at http://www.germany.info/relaunch/index.html for the most current visa information.

Note: Although European Union regulations require that non-EU visitors obtain a stamp in their passport upon initial entry to a Schengen country, many borders are not staffed with officers carrying out this function. If an American citizen wishes to ensure that his or her entry is properly documented, it may be necessary to request a stamp at an official point of entry.

Under local law, travelers without a stamp in their passport may be questioned and asked to document the length of their stay in Schengen countries at the time of departure or at any other point during their visit, and could face possible fines or other repercussions if unable to do so.

Safety and Security: Germany remains largely free of terrorist incidents. However, like other countries in the Schengen area, Germany’s open borders with its western European neighbors allow the possibility of terrorist groups entering/exiting the country with anonymity. Overall, the security risk to travelers in Germany is low. Germany experiences, however, a number of demonstrations every year on a variety of political and economic themes. Prior police approval is required for public demonstrations in Germany, and police oversight is routinely provided for participants and passersby. Nonetheless, these demonstrations could spread or turn violent. In addition, hooligans, most often young intoxicated “skinheads“have been known to harass or even attack people whom they believe to be foreigners or members of rival groups. While U.S. citizens have not been specific targets, several Americans have reported that they were assaulted for racial reasons or because they appeared “foreign.” All Americans are cautioned to avoid the area around protests and demonstrations and to check local media for updates on the situation.

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department’s Internet web site, where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements can be found. Up to date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

Crime: Violent crime is rare in Germany, but can occur, especially in larger cities or high-risk areas such as train stations. Most incidents of street crime consist of theft of unattended items and pick pocketing. There have been a few reports of aggravated assault against U.S. citizens in higher-risk areas. American travelers are advised to take the same precautions against becoming crime victims as they would in any American city.

Information for Victims of Crime: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy or Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, to contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.

Medical Facilities and Health Information: Good medical care is widely available. Doctors and hospitals may expect immediate payment in cash for health services from tourists and persons with no permanent address in Germany. Most doctors, hospitals and pharmacies do not accept credit cards.

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC’s Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) website at http://www.who.int/en. Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith.

Medical Insurance: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.

Traffic Safety and Road Conditions: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Germany is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Road conditions in general are excellent, although caution should be exercised while traveling on older roads in eastern Germany. The high speed permitted on the German autobahn, weather, and unfamiliar road markings can pose significant hazards, and driver error is a leading cause of accidents involving American motorists in Germany. Rules on right-of-way differ significantly from the U.S. Notice should be taken that it is generally illegal in Germany to pass vehicles from the right and that the threshold for determining whether a person has been driving under the influence of alcohol is lower than in some U.S. states. Many German streets and sidewalks have dedicated bike lanes for use by bicyclists. Pedestrians should be aware that bicycles have priority use of these lanes and should be careful to observe whether any bicyclist is approaching before crossing or stepping into the bike lane. Bicyclists also have priority over cars turning onto side streets, and motorists should always confirm whether a bicyclist is approaching from either direction before attempting to enter side streets, even when the light is in their favor. Motorists turning into a side street who hit a bicyclist who is using a marked bike lane will be held responsible for any injury or damage caused. The use of cell phones while driving is prohibited in Germany. For specific information on travel within Germany contact the German National Tourist Board Office in New York at (212) 661-7200, fax (212) 661-7174 or via the Internet at http://www.germany-tourism.de/index.html.

Travelers should also note that railroad crossings are differently marked in Germany than in the U.S. There have been several accidents involving Americans in recent years at railroad crossings. In addition to the standard crossbuck (X-shaped) sign, railroad crossings are often marked by signal lights. Signal lights at a railroad crossing means that a train is approaching and that all vehicles should stop. Individuals holding U.S. driver’s licenses may drive in Germany for up to six months without acquiring a German driver’s license.

Aviation Safety Oversight: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Germany’s civil aviation authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Germany’s air carrier operations. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s Internet website at www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.

Special Circumstances: Germany’s customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Germany of certain items such as firearms, military artifacts (particularly those pertaining to the Second World War), antiques, medications/pharmaceuticals and business equipment.

Under German law it is also illegal to bring into or take out of Germany literature, music CDs, or other paraphernalia that glorifies fascism, the Nazi past of the former “Third Reich.” It is advisable to contact the German Embassy in Washington or one of the German consulates in the United States for specific information regarding customs requirements.

Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) are widely available throughout Germany. They utilize many of the same account networks that are found in the U.S., so it is possible in most cases to get euros directly from your U.S. bank while you are in Germany without paying any inordinate fees for currency exchange. Credit cards are not accepted as widely as in the United States.

Criminal Penalties: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country’s laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating German laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Germany are strict and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States.

Children’s Issues: American citizen parents have at times encountered difficulties having visitation orders enforced in Germany. For information on international adoption of children and international parental child abduction, see the Office of Children’s Issues website at http://travel.state.gov/family.

Registration/Embassy and Consulate Locations: Americans living or traveling in Germany are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy of Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration website, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Germany. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.

U.S. Embassy Berlin is located at: Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5; TelL49)(30)238-5174 or 8305-0:

The consular section is located at Clayallee 170;
TelL49)(30)832-9233;
Fax: (49)(30) 8305-1215

U.S. Consulates General are located at:

Dusseldorf: Willi-Becker-Allee 10,
Tel. (49)(211) 788-8927; Fax: (49)(211) 788-8938.

Frankfurt: Giessner Str. 30,
Tel. (49)(69) 75350; Fax: (49)(69) 7535-2304.

Hamburg: Alsterufer 27/28,
Tel. (49)(40) 4117-1351; Fax: (49) (40) 44-30-04.

Leipzig: Wilhelm-Seyfferth-Strasse 4, Tel. (49)(341) 213-8418; Fax: (49)(341) 2138417 (emergency service only).

Munich: Koenigstrasse 5, Tel. (49)(89) 2888-0; Fax: (49)(89) 280-9998.

There is also a U.S. consular agency in Bremen located at Bremen World Trade Center, Birkenstrasse 15, Tel: (49)(421) 301-5860; Fax: (49)(421) 301-5861.

When calling another city from within Germany, dial a zero before the city code (for example, when calling Berlin from Munich, the city code for Berlin is 030).

International Adoption : December 2006

The information below has been edited from a report of the State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Overseas Citizens Services. For more information, please read the International Adoption section of this book and review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov/family.

Disclaimer: The information in this flyer relating to the legal requirements of specific foreign countries is based on public sources and current understanding. Questions involving foreign and U.S. immigration laws and legal interpretation should be addressed respectively to qualified foreign or U.S. legal counsel.

Please Note: The U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt is the designated immigrant visa issuing post for Germany.

Patterns of Immigration: Please review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov/family.

Adoption Authority: The address of the Central Authority for inter-country adoption in Germany is:

Generalbundesanwalt beim Bundesgerichtshof
(Public Prosecutor General of the Federal Court of Justice)
Zentrale Behörde
Adenauerallee 99-103
53113 Bonn
Tel. + 49-228-40
Fax +49-228-410-5050
www.bundeszentralregister.de

Persons wishing to adopt a child in Germany should contact either one of the following institutions:

• Youth Welfare Office (Jugendamt) of each district/major city
• Youth Welfare Office (Landesjugendamt) of each German state (Bundesland).

Eligibility Requirements for Adoptive Parents: The minimum age for an adopting parent is 25 years old. Married couples can only adopt together as husband and wife, with the minimum age for one parent being 25 years old and the minimum age of the second parent being at least 21 years old. Same-sex couples cannot adopt as a couple. However, one of the members of a couple may adopt alone. There is no restriction on the nationality of the adopting parent. Singles, not in a relationship, as well as one member of an unmarried heterosexual couple, can also adopt a child in Germany. There is no legal upper age limit of an adopting parent; although German youth welfare offices prefer that the adopting parent(s) be under 40, particularly if they are adopting a baby.

Residency Requirements: There are no residency requirements to adopt in Germany.

Time Frame: There is no specific time frame for the adoption process. It varies from case to case and primarily depends upon the duration of the qualifying process and/or the difficulty of identifying a child for adoption.

Adoption Agencies and Attorneys: Prospective adoptive parents should visit the web site for the Hague Permanent Bureau for Private International Law for a list of accredited adoption agencies in Germany: http://www.hcch.net. The U.S. Embassy in Germany also maintains a list of attorneys who have expressed a willingness to work with U.S. citizens. Please see the Embassy’s web site on living in Germany at http://berlin.usembassy.gov.

Adoption Fees: There will be a surcharge of approximately U.S.$300 for the handling and review of the foreign documents; the court fees for the final adoption decree will be approximately U.S.$100-130. Prospective adoptive parents can expect to pay additional costs such as legal fees (attorneys), notarizations, flights, accommodations, etc., totaling several thousand dollars or more.

Adoption Procedures: For both domestic and intercountry adoption, the prospective adoptive parent(s) must first approach either one of the youth offices listed above, the German Central Authority for intercountry adoption, the Central Authority in the country of the child’s habitual abode or an international adoption agency for an initial consultation. After a favorable evaluation, the parents will be subject to a home study by their local youth welfare office. Their translated home study will be sent to the adoption authority office. When a child has been identified, the adopting parent(s) and the child’s legal guardian sign an agreement before a German court or notary public. Before the family court decides if the adoption may take place and issues the final decree, the adopting parent(s) have to prove that the child will be lawfully admitted into their home country.

Documentary Requirements: The following is at least a partial list of the civil documents may be required:

• the adopting parents’ certified birth certificate;
• identification (passport, photo i.d., etc.);
• marriage certificate (if applicable);
• termination of previous marriage(s) (death certificate, divorce decree, etc.);
• proof of parents’ income.

All of the above documents may require a German translation.

German Embassy:
4645 Reservoir Road NW
Washington, DC, 20007-1998
(202) 298-4000
http://www.germany.info/relaunch/index.html.

Germany also has consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco.

U.S. Immigration Requirements: Prospective adopting parents are strongly encouraged to consult USCIS publication M-249, The Immigration of Adopted and Prospective Adopting Children, as well as the Department of State publication, International Adoptions. Please see the International Adoption section of this book for more details and review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov/family.

U.S. Consulate General:
U.S. Consulate General
Immigrant Visa Unit
Giessener Strasse 30
60435 Frankfurt Am Main

The United States also has an Embassy in Berlin, as well as consulates in Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Leipzig and Munich.

Additional Information: Specific questions about adoption in Germany may be addressed to the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt. General questions regarding intercountry adoption may be addressed to the Office of Children’s Issues, U.S. Department of State, CA/OCS/CI, SA-29, 4th Floor, 2201 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20520-4818, toll-free Tel: 1-888-407-4747.