reaction paper to berlin calling

The movie "Berlin Calling" is that of the youth, and how it impacts society, and how youth individuals act. In the movie the main character Ickarus is a constant drug user, he seems to daily be consuming some sort of drug. Ecstasy to MDA to almost any drug one could think of is at one point found in Ickarus's blood stream. To him these pills make his life better, they I believe help him cope with his life. For we learn later on how as an 18 year old his mother died and his father could hardly raise him and his brother. So he went into the dj business. As a dj this is how Ickarus has access to all these drugs, through the "night life" seen. They are an excitement in his life for him and make his club dj-ing experience more fun. The movie shows how his usual does of cocaine and what have you starts to eat away at his life and Ickarus begins to make poor decisions in his life. The negative effects of the drugs seem to be no matter, for he continues to use. 
Many of the youth in this movie seem to be using and taking many sorts of drugs. They too find these avalible at any "night life" event. They are shown dealing in the bathrooms of the clubs. It seems that this is infact the popular thing to do at this point in time. These young people feel it give more excitement to their lives and makes things in live feel so much more better. This is not a foreign concept for even here today in America, people are using drugs to feel the excitement  or to fit into the crowd of people doing this "fad". Even in small towns kids are smoking "weed" to feel "cool". The feeling of power over their own bodies and being able to get that high from a drug regardless of the affects, seems to draw youth into the fad of using. 
This life would be shocking for me, I am from a smaller community, yet not a "sheltered" one. Kids in my high school did all sorts of drugs, but this form of mass dealing I suppose you could explain it as is just obscured. The fact that the drugs are so easily excess-able and that even in public places these people are taking the drugs right there. Drug usuing is nothing new in these times, for even now Colorado has legalized "weed". 

Questions:
Drugs to Ickarus seem to be a way to add more excitement to his life, and yet almost a way to cope with his life

The fans are taking drugs in the bathrooms of the clubs, they are sold the drugs right there, and also take "line" off of the back of the toliets, they take any from cocaine to ecstasy

Ickarus focus on drugs because that seems to be what his life revolves around after a while it seems that he enjoys the excitement it brings and helps him with his dj ing

people in my home place seem to not be anything like that of the movie. I know people in high school who took drugs, but nothing of this sort. The fact that you could buy them right in a bathroom of a club is nothing that I could imagine.

the youth culture seemed to want nothing of the old ways in Germany, from this movie. They defiantly had the power to change the way that Germany is viewed in the industrial aspect, if none of the youth fall in line and pick up after those generations that were before them

Walk the line is about Johnny Cash, it shows his influence on people, which is similar to Ickarus's influence in this movie.

Expanding on topics covered in class

My reaction to the topic of health in Germany was not so different to that of other countries. In earlier Germany, some of the topics covered within health caused a different reaction. Health all over at the earlier time periods were some what barbaric, hearing them expanded on made it even more clear just how much so. The difference of how they their health care system set up in Germany is very interesting as well.
In the earlier times of Germany many discoveries were made. One important one that was covered was that of the discovery of blood circulation. This was founded by William Harvey, who the presenters said stuck himself with needles to study the circulation. He was presumed the first to study biology as well.
Also in the earlier times of Germany, universal health care was introduced. Which is something that here in America people are arguing over in our time. The fact of universal health care is one of the major topics that is happing in debates in the States. People are calling it socialism, which to some in America it is a way of socialism, though not all agree. So to see this topic happen so long ago in another country and have it practically still in place is a wonder.
The 20th century though is where some of the most intriguing yet horrible discoveries. The 20th century like all should know was home to the error of the Nazi. Who during their "rein" "tested"(killed) drugs on Jews. They also created med/chemical that was dangerous to kill the Jews.  The fact that they used human beings to test drugs that they created was barbaric, as well as creating drugs/chemicals just for the purpose of killing the Jews was horrific. The Nazi also created a drug that they were planning on using for creating the "perfect solider", a drug that was cocaine based and made them into mindless soldiers. They also tested this drug, D-IX on the Jews as well.
During this same time period though, one of the most famous drugs was created, Bayer. Bayer is an aspirin we still see on the shelves of pharmacies, drugstore, grocery store, and more today. Bayer was developed in Barmen Germany in 1863.
They olympics at this time were highly dominated by East Germans who were taking steroids  Almost all who won at this time period, where "doping". Eleven out of thirteen medals were won because of steroids. This is just crazy, for now days all athletes are tested all the time for such things. If an athlete today was caught with steroids in his or her system today any title they won would most likely be taken away.

18th Century German Women

Talking Points [All Quiet on the Western Front]

~The novel All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque puts into words the horrors of war and its impact on soldiers

~Implicitly shows the power in politics

~Goes beyond any war novel of its time for its honesty and straight forward-ness

~Shows how once in the middle of battle at war, "animalistic-ness" becomes very common

~Erich Maria Remarque tells of a generation to which was lost to the war in more ways than just death

Stanislaus Katczinsky

Stanislaus Katczinsky from be beginning looks to be a father figure. In the beginning he seems to have a positive or at least a not-defeated view of the war stating it would not be such a bad war if only they could get some sleep. He is described as the leader of the group. A man who is “shrewd, cunning and hard bitten...” with “a remarkable nose for dirty weather, good food and soft jobs.”(pg03). Later it is said that he has to have a sixth sense for finding supplies. During most of the hard times he and his comrades go through he is the one to find something to cheer up his comrades, most of the time it is either food or somewhere to sleep. Though the story behind it is not mentioned in the novel it is said his greatest accomplishment in the area would be to finds a few crates of lobster for the men. At one time while being bombarded and running low on food there are multiple attempts to get food to the front. Then it is stated “Finally Kat tries, and even he reappears without accomplishing anything” (pg107) Food great necessity in the book and because of this Kat is a great friend to have. One such occasion when they were going hunger he and Paul go and steal geese to eat and use the feathers for a pillow. However it is not just good times for Kat. He seems to also have to make hard decisions in order to protect his younger followers. One such example would be when after rescuing a soldier and he realizes that the soldier is going to die, he asks the hard question to end it for him so as to keep the young soldier from suffering.

Most of the time Kat has a veteran like position to him. Where most of the men in the story are somewhere near 18 or 19 years old Kat is 40.  Most of the time the narrator seems to talk about the older soldiers in jealous nature. He and his friends were thrown into the fray at a young age with no life experience to help them after the war and little to cling onto to keep sane such as a wife or children. However Kat often gives helpful advice and is shown to be like a sort of wise elder to listen to and respect even though he does not out rank them. Other times he seems to be in a daze. One such time is when he is talking about men getting literally getting blown out of their clothes by mortars. He is killed in the end by a stray piece of shrapnel to the back of his head as he was being carried by Paul back to the medical area in order to treat his leg. He is the last of the group to die besides the narrator Paul, and was probably Paul’s closest friend. After Kat dies the book skips some time to when Paul is sent to rest for inhaling some poison gas which to me is a sign that Paul has given into depression and most likely does not care too much about the time after Kat dies.

Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

In chapter eleven of the novel All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque, many tragic events are described. This chapter is one of sorrow and despair, filled with death. Each word in this chapter makes the reader feel the pain of the solider, the pain of loss and death of those around him. It condemns the characters worst fears of losing those that he has come closest to on the battlefield.

            “War is the cause of death like cancer and tuberculosis, like influenza and dysentery”. (pg271) This quote alone sets the stage for this chapter of gloom. The main character talks of how each day passes practically unnoticed.  How each of them have grown so accustom to the war their minds have ceased to think of nothing else. How no man remembers what life outside the war could possibly be like. “It is as though formerly we were coins of different provinces; and now we are melted down, and all bear the same stamp”. (pg272) The main character goes on to talk about how the death all around them has left them as animals.

            This chapter tells of how Detering, having seen a cherry tree, goes, in a sense mad, for his longing of home has surpassed his control. The main character, Paul, tells of how one morning Detering was gone. He goes on to say that Detering had absurdly gone toward Germany, and so was caught by the field gendarmes; military police. We then hear no more about Detering, for the main character himself hears nothing of him. Müller, one of the main charcters, we learn is dead. We go on to find out that he was shot at point-blank in the stomach. He lives for a short time longer, but in utter agony.

            “Germany out to be empty soon,” says Kat’. (pg 281) At this point in the book the characters seem to be loosing hope that the war will ever end. German forces do not have the food, the artillery, or any such supplies to match the competitors. “For one hungry, wretched German soldier come five of the enemy, fresh and fit” (pg286).

            Leer, a character that went to school with the main character, Paul, has been shot. The boy bleeds out, at the same time Bertinick the Company Commander is shot. Soon after, the main character and Kat have been hit, Kat is hit in the bone, and bleeds fast. Paul carries Kat over his shoulder, stopping to get out of the way of the firing that is over them. Paul makes it to the shelter where the doctors and surgeons can tend to Kat, but only to find that his work has been for nothing. Kat is dead. “Only the Militiaman Stanislaus Katczinsky has died. Then I know nothing more” (pg 291). 

Sep. 19. Political Parties

The group I was in was to look up a general overview of all the political parties in Germany; past and present. To narrow down the search we choose to elaborate more on the parties that were not already assigned to be presented in class for the upcoming week. There-fore we found information on these particular parties, the Left Party, Christian Social Union;known as CSU, German People's Union; also called DVU, the National Democratic Party; commonly known as the Neo Natiz, as well as the Repubilkaner party. We also did look up some information on the main groups, most of which were already assigned to other groups, such as, the Free Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party, as well as the Christian Democratic Union.

The work I did was mostly on the Christian Social Union, the Green Party, Social Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic Union. For the Christian Social Union there was quite a good amount of information available via internet. I was able to find that this particular party is a sister party to the larger party known as the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). When comparing the two parties the Christian Social Union is more conservative than the Christian Democratic Union. Mainly they differ on the topics such as abortion and immigration. This group I found was founded in 1946, and the parties current leader is Edmund Stoiber. Edmund Stoiber took the position in the year 1998. This information I found on http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4219274.stm. I also found that even though it is a sister party to the CDU they are often at odds on mostly political issues. This information bit I found at http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/where-do-they-stand-a-quick-guide-to-germany-s-political-parties-a-651388.html. For the Left Party, I found information that told how the party came about. Including, that the merger in 2007 to create the party was between the Party of Democratic Socialism and WASG, which was the communist party of Eastern Germany. This information was taken from, http://www.merkur-online.de/nachrichten/politik/kampf-meinungsfuehrerschaft-opposition-502378.html. For the Green party I found information on http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4219274.stm, Some of which was very insightful. I found that they mainly focus on environmental issues, and that they were established in 1980.

The party in which I think is odd is the Green party. I find it interesting that a party can think that they can base their political party on mainly the environment. Such as I previously said, on the news.bbc.co.uk web page I found that they mainly focus on environmental issues. 

Our group had too many time conflicting schedules for us all to be in one place at the same time. Therefore I created a google docs on which we colaborated our information that we found. I then put all the information that was then posted on the doc into a power point and organized the information into a way that was presentable and looked informative. I then let the link be public so that each person could post the link onto their page.