Federal Republic
Germany is a federal democracy. The Federal Government Federal Government The Federal Government and cabinet is made up of the Federal Chancellor and the Federal Ministers. While the Chancellor holds the power to issue directives, the ministers have departmental powers, meaning that they independently run their respective ministries in the framework of those directives… Read more › and the 16 Länder (states) each have their own areas of responsibility. Responsibility for internal security, schools, universities, culture, and municipal administration lies with the states. At the same time, state administrations implement both their own laws and also those of the Federal Government. State governments are directly involved in the federal legislative process through their representatives on the Bundesrat The Bundesrat The Bundesrat represents the federal states and alongside the Bundestag is a form of Second Chamber. It is obliged to deliberate on each federal law. As the chamber of the federal states, the Bundesrat has the same function as those Second Chambers in other federal states that are mostly referred… Read more › .
Federalism in Germany is more than just a system of government. Deeply rooted in tradition, it reflects the country’s decentralised cultural and economic structure. Over and above their political function, the states also embody distinct regional identities. Their key role was enshrined in the Basic Law The Basic Law The Basic Law determines that Germany is a constitutional state: All state authorities are subject to judicial control. Section 1 of the Basic Law is of particular relevance. It stipulates that respect for human dignity is the most important aspect of the constitution: “Human dignity shall be… Read more › in 1949.
Germany’s 16 federal states
Since reunification in 1990, Germany has consisted of 16 federal states Federal states Germany is a federal state. Both the central federal government and the 16 federal states have independent areas of jurisdiction. The government in Berlin is responsible for foreign policy, European policy, defense, justice, employment, social affairs, tax and health. The federal states are… Read more › ; five new states were established when the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic: Brandenburg Brandenburg Brandenburg surrounds the capital city of Berlin and benefits from the latter’s “gin and martini belt”. However, with its numerous lakes and forests it also has several trump cards of its own. With the Hohenzollern castles, and in particular Sanssouci Castle, which is included in the UNESCO World… Read more › , Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony Saxony Meissen may well be a small town but, thanks to its porcelain, is as well known as the state capital Dresden and Leipzig, the trade-fair city. The Free State is one of the most dynamic economic regions in East Germany, in particular in IT; precision watch-making and car-making are typical of this… Read more › , Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia Thuringia The mountains in the Thuringian Forest provide a backdrop for one of Germany’s most beautiful trails, the 168-kilometer long Rennsteig. It is just as much a trademark of the state as its long thin sausages, the historic Wartburg and the Weimar poets Goethe and Schiller. However, Thuringia not only… Read more › . North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia No state in Germany has more inhabitants than North Rhine-Westphalia, and there is a correspondingly large number of cities: Cologne, with its Gothic cathedral, Bonn, the Federal Republic’s first capital city, Düsseldorf, the fashion-conscious state capital, Aachen, under the rule of Charlemagne… Read more › is the state with the biggest population at around 18 million, while Bavaria Bavaria The “beer state” of Bavaria also produces fine wine in the Franconia region. The Oktoberfest, Neuschwanstein Castle and the magnificent Alpine scenery attract more foreign tourists than does any other federal state. Yet the slogan “Laptop and Lederhose” demonstrates that there is more to Bavaria… Read more › is the largest in terms of surface area at around 70,540 square kilometres. The territory of three federal states is limited to a single metropolitan region: these are the “city states” of Berlin Berlin Once a year, during the Berlinale film festival, the world of the silver screen focuses its attention on Berlin. And the city’s inhabitants are used to global interest. After all, the people of Berlin have lived in a capital city since 1458. However, there is also a shady side to the city’s history… Read more › , Bremen Bremen The Hanseatic city of Bremen arose through classic maritime trading, in particular with coffee. In the smallest of the federal states (divided into the city of Bremen, and Bremerhaven, some 60 kilometers to the north) the port accounts for every fifth job. The largest private employer, however, is… Read more › /Bremerhaven and Hamburg Hamburg In the city and state of Hamburg it is the port that is the power-house of the economy, though with Airbus, Otto Versand and Beiersdorf also located here, this is not immediately apparent. The tanker terminals, mean that almost all the major oil-refining companies are represented in the port. For… Read more › .
Eine Reise durch die Bundesländer
Baden-Württemberg
The third-largest state is located in south-west Germany, bordering France and Switzerland. The state capital is Stuttgart. With a population of over eleven million, Baden-Württemberg is well-known for its holiday regions such as the Black Forest and its cultural centres such as Heidelberg (photo). It is also an economic powerhouse. Baden-Württemberg is Germany's number one export state and home to both large, internationally famous corporations and smaller global market leaders – so-called “hidden champions”.
Bavaria
In the south-east of Germany lies the largest federal state with its panorama of the Alps to the south. Germany’s highest mountain is also to be found in Bavaria: the Zugspitze. The state capital of Munich (photo) hosts the world’s biggest funfair and beer festival every year: the Oktoberfest. With a population of over 13 million, Bavaria is also home to Bayern Munich, Germany’s most successful football club. It is one of the Germany’s most powerful regions economically.
