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Bavaria
Bayern
By Peter Luker
Hans-Peter
Bavaria’s Key Facts
Bavaria is home to
about 12.4 million
people.
It is 27,241 square
miles.
Bavaria is the
southernmost state in
Germany.
Bavaria is Germany’s
largest state.
History
The Bavarians emerged from a region
that was originally inhabited by the
Celts.
The Bavarians seemed to have evolved
from the Romans after their withdrawal
in the 6th Century AD.
The Bavarians spoke Old High German
just like the other Germanic tribes.
The name “Bavarian” means “Men of
Baia”. The name Baia is believed to
coincide with Bohimia, the homeland of
the Marcomanni.
The Marcomanni are one of the oldest
known Germanic tribes.
Bavaria was mostly unaffected by the
Protestant Reformation in the 8th
century and today the leading religion is
Roman Catholic.
Bavaria became a kingdom in 1806
under Napoleon.
Bavaria’s defeat in the 1866 AustroPrussian War led to its incorporation
into the German Empire.
The Nazi Third Reich used Bavaria as a
stronghold and a manufacturing center
during WW2.
Bavaria adopted a new constitution in
1946 and became a state of the Federal
Republic of Germany in 1949.
Bavaria’s Land & Climate
Bavaria is known for its beautiful
landscapes.
It’s most notable include the Main and
Danube rivers and the Bavarian Alps as
well as the Bohemian Forest.
Bavaria’s highest point belongs to the
Zugspitze mountain of the Bavarian
Alps. It stands 9,700 feet high.
Bavaria’s climate does not differ much
in the summer. The northern part of the
country is pretty similar to the southern
part. In terms of winter however, it is
not uncommon for the Germans to have
lakes and rivers freeze over.
The Zugspitze Mountain
Culture & Customs
Bavaria has a huge tradition of
cultural history and it has over
1,100 museums and special
collections to prove it.
Bavaria’s museums alone attract
over 20 million visitors per year.
Bavarian’s take much pride in their
culture and continue to practice
their lasting traditions. During
special occasions, special costumes
are usually a common sight.
Tradition starts young as folk
music and poems are recited in
nursery school.
In Bavaria there is a great value
placed on food and drinks. Foods
like white sausage are traditionally
Bavaria and are uncommon in other
parts of Germany.
Beer consumption in Bavaria is
statistically higher that in the rest
of Germany.
Bavarians believe that water,
barley, and hops are the only true
ingredients for beer.
The average annual consumption of
beer is 170 liters per person.
Customs cont.
Oktoberfest is one of the largest
events in all of Germany. It is
the worlds largest beer festival
and it welcomes over 6 million
people each year.
The festival takes place in
Munich and lasts two weeks.
The event ends on the first
Sunday of October. At the end
over 1 million gallons of beer
will be consumed.
Traditional German gifts
include Cuckoo clocks,
nutcrackers, and beer steins.
Bavaria’s beer gardens are a
notable custom. At a beer garden
people bring their own food and
consume beer that is supplied from
a specific brewery.
Economy
Bavaria’s economy had underwent an
enormous change since WW2. The
economy has shifted from an
agricultural state to a modern industrial
state. It has had the highest rate of
industrial growth of all Germany.
Today, Bavaria’s GDP is over 385
billion euros.
Some of the largest companies in the
world are headquartered in Bavaria.
They include BMW, Audi, Siemens,
Puma, and Adidas.
The European Aerospace and Defense
Company is also centered in Bavaria. It
has the task of building civil and
military aircraft.
Government & Politics
The Christian Social
Union has ruled in Bavaria
since 1957 and it does not
seek election in any other
state of Germany.
The head of government is
the minister-president.
Every minister since 1957
has been a member of the
CSU.
Bavaria has a unicameral
Landtag which means
state parliament.
Bavaria is divided into seven
different administrative regions.
They include Upper Franconia,
Middle Franconia, Lower
Franconia, Upper Bavaria, Lower
Bavaria, Upper Palatinate, and
Swabia.