Inga Abel (1946–2000), actress
Mario Adorf (born 1930), actor , writer
Hans Albers (1891–1960), actor
Mark Bellinghaus (born 1963), activist, actor, poet, writer
Moritz Bleibtreu (born 1971), actor
Eric Braeden (born Hans Gudegast, 1941), actor
Daniel Brühl (born 1978), actor
Horst Buchholz (1933–2003), actor
nood Bullock (born 1964), actor
Vicco von Bülow, aka Loriot, actor and comedian
Hans Clarin (1930–2005), actor
George Dzundza (born 1945), actor
Marlene Dietrich (1901–1992), actress
Heinz Erhardt (1909–1979), actor and comedian
Gert Fröbe (1913–1988), actor
Martina Gedeck (born 1961), actress
Götz George (born 1938), actor
Heinrich George (1893–1946), actor
Gustaf Gründgens (1899–1963), actor
Eva Habermann (born 1976), actress and model
Brigitte Helm (1908–1996), actress
Emil Jannings (1884–1950), actor
Klaus Kinski (1926–1991), actor, Polish-German father, German mother
Nastassja Kinski (born 1959), actress, daughter of Klaus Kinski
Heidi Klum (born 1973), model and actress
Hildegard Knef (1925–2002), actress, singer, writer
Diane Kruger (born 1976), model and actress
Alexandra Maria Lara (born 1978), actress
Heike Makatsch (born 1971), actress
Willy Millowitsch (1909–1999), actor
Armin Mueller-Stahl (born 1930), actor
Luise Neumann (1818–1905)
Uwe Ochsenknecht (born 1956), actor
Christian Oliver, actor
Franka Potente (born 1974), actress
Jürgen Prochnow (born 1941), actor
Heinz Rühmann (1902–1994), actor
Otto Sander (born 1941), actor
Romy Schneider, actress
Hanna Schygulla (born 1943), actress
Kristina Söderbaum (1912–2001), actress and photographer
Claudia Schiffer (born 1970), actress and supermodel
Til Schweiger (born 1963), actor
Xenia Seeberg (born 1972), actress and model
Barbara Sukowa (born 1950), actress
Nadja Uhl (born 1972), actress

Germany's second largest airline, after Lufthansa. The airline operates an extensive semi-low-cost network including holiday destinations in the Mediterranean region, the Canary Islands and North Africa as well as intercontinental destinations in South East Asia, the Caribbean and the United States. Air Berlin concentrates on serving major German and European cities to attract business traffic. A total of 23 German cities are served, more than any other airline. The airline is headquartered in Berlin. Its largest hub is Berlin-Tegel Airport. Other hub airports are Dusseldorf Airport, Nuremberg Airport and Son Sant Joan Airport, Palma.

Air Berlin's parent company, Air Berlin Group or Air Berlin PLC, is publicly traded (FSE: AB1, ISIN is GB00B128C026). In February 2010, it had 8,200 employees. The airline (including subsidiaries) carried 27.9 million passengers in 2009. In January 2010 Air Berlin's fleet, including those of its subsidiaries, consisted of 146 operational aircraft

The Alps are one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east; through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany; to France in the west.

The highest mountain in the Alps is Mont Blanc, at 4,808 metres (15,774 ft), on the Italian–French border. All the main peaks of the Alps can be found in the list of mountains of the Alps and list of Alpine peaks by prominence.

The English name Alps was taken via French from Latin Alpes, which may be ultimately cognate with Latin albus ("white"). The German Albe, Alpe or Alp (f., Old High German alpâ, plural alpûn), and the French Alpage or Alpe in the singular mean "alpine pasture", and only in the plural may also refer to the mountain range as a whole.

Geography
The Alps are generally divided into the Western Alps and the Eastern Alps. The division is along the line between Lake Constance and Lake Como, following the rivers Rhine, Liro and Mera. The Western Alps are higher, but their central chain is shorter and curved; they are located in Italy, France and Switzerland. The Eastern Alps (main ridge system elongated and broad) belong to Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Liechtenstein and Slovenia. The highest peak of the Western Alps is Mont Blanc, at 4,807 metres (15,771 ft). The highest peak of the Eastern Alps is Piz Bernina, at 4,049 metres (13,284 ft). The Dufourspitze, 4,634 metres (15,203 ft) and Ortler, 3,905 metres (12,812 ft), are the second-highest, respectively.

The Eastern Alps are commonly subdivided according to the different lithology (rock composition) of the more central parts of the Alps and the groups at its northern and southern fringes:
Northern Limestone Alps (from the Wienerwald to Bregenzerwald), including the Flyschzone; peaks up to 3,000 metres (9,840 ft)
Central Eastern Alps (Austria, Switzerland); peaks up to 4,050 metres (13,290 ft)
Southern Limestone Alps

The border between the Central Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps is the Periadriatic Seam. The Northern Limestone Alps are separated from the Central Eastern Alps by the Greywacke zone.

The Western Alps are commonly subdivided with respect to geography:

• Ligurian Alps
• Maritime Alps
• Cottian Alps
• Dauphiné Alps
• Graian Alps
• Chablais Alps
• Pennine Alps
• Bernese Alps
• Lepontine Alps
• Glarus Alps
• Appenzell Alps

Series of lower mountain ranges run parallel to the main chain of the Alps, including the French Prealps.

The geologic subdivision is different and makes no difference between the Western and Eastern Alps: the Helveticum in the north, the Penninicum and Austroalpine system in the center and, south of the Periadriatic Seam, the Southern Alpine system and parts of the Dinarides (see Alpine geology). Geographically, the Jura Mountains do not belong to the Alps; geologically, however, they do.

Hans von Aachen (1552–1615), mannerist painter
Albrecht Altdorfer (1480–1538), painter
Ernst Barlach (1870–1938), sculptor (and writer)
Günther Behnisch (born 1922) architect
Peter Behrens (1868–1940) architect
Joseph Beuys (1921–1986), artist
Arnold Böcklin (1827–1901), painter
Gottfried Böhm (born 1920) architect
Arno Breker (1900–1991), sculptor
Lovis Corinth (1858–1925), painter
Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1553), painter
Lucas Cranach the Younger (1515–1586), painter
Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528), painter
Egon Eiermann (1904–1970), architect and designer
Max Ernst (1891–1976), surrealist painter
Caspar David Friedrich (1774–1840), painter
Walter Gropius (1883–1969), architect
George Grosz (1893–1959), artist
Hannah Höch - artist
Hans Holbein the Elder (c. 1465 – 1524), painter
Hans Holbein the Younger (c. 1497 – 1543), illustrator, painter
Harro Magnussen (1861-1908), sculptor
Jörg Immendorff, painter
Helmut Jahn (born 1940) architect and designer
Anselm Kiefer (born 1945), painter
Martin Kippenberger (1953–1997), painter
Leo von Klenze (1784–1864) architect
Hans Kollhoff (born 1946) architect
Käthe Kollwitz (1867–1945), painter
Max Liebermann, painter
Markus Lüpertz (born 1941), painter and sculptor
Franz Marc (1880–1916), painter
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969) architect, designer
Frei Otto (born 1925) architect and research scientist
Sigmar Polke (born 1941), painter
Gerhard Richter (born 1932), painter
Karl Friedrich Schinkel, architect, painter
Oskar Schlemmer (1888–1943), choreographer, painter, sculptor, stage & costume designer
Eberhard Schlotter (born 1921), painter
Kurt Schwitters, painter, poet
Fritz Schumacher (1869–1947) architect and urban designer
Max Slevogt, painter
Carl Spitzweg (1808–1885), painter
Birgit Stauch (born 1961) Sculptor
Franz Stuck, painter

Baden-Baden is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the western foothills of the Black Forest, on the banks of the Oos River, in the region of Karlsruhe.

Sights

• Kurhaus — The Kurgarten (spa garden) at the Kurhaus annually hosts Baden-Baden Summer Nights, an outdoor event featuring live classical music concerts.
• The Casino
• Friedrichsbad
• Caracalla Spa
• Lichtentaler Allee
• Sammlung Frieder Burda — One of Germany's most extensive collections of modern art
• Old Castle "Hohenbaden", built in 1102, a ruin since the 15th century
• New Castle (Neues Schloss), 15th century, former residence of the margraves of Baden and later of the grand dukes of Baden and now housing the historical museum
• The famous Festspielhaus Baden-Baden
• Ruins of Roman baths, ca. 2000 years old, excavated in 1847
• Stiftskirche, a church including the tombs of fourteen margraves of Baden
• "The Paradise" (Paradies), an Italian style Renaissance garden with lots of trick fountains
• Mount Merkur with Merkurbergbahn funicular railway and observation tower
• Fremersberg Tower
• Sturdza Chapel on the Michaelsberg, a Romanian chapel with a gilded dome which was erected over the tomb of prince Michel Sturdza's son

Tourism

Baden-Baden is the most picturesque of all the German bathing towns. The city offers many options for sports enthusiasts. Golf and tennis are both popular in the area. Horse racing fans enjoy the international racing season each August at nearby Iffezheim. The countryside is ideal for hiking and mountain climbing. In the winter Baden-Baden is a skiing destination.

The springs of Baden-Baden have been known for more than 2,000 years, and their composition resembles that of the Roman baths of the 3rd century. The water at the baths of "Caracalla-Therme" spa is rich in sodium chloride, and comes from artesian wells 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) under the Florentiner Mountain.

The Spielbank casino is more than 200 years and the oldest of its type in Germany. Dostoyevsky is said to have written The Gambler after he lost his money and even his shirt here. The rooms were designed in the style of a French château.

There is a picturesque 18-hole golf course in Fremersberg.

Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, bordering Alsace (France) to the west, Switzerland to the south, Bavaria to the east and northeast, Hessen to the north, and Rhineland Palatinate to the northwest. Most of the states' major cities straddle the banks of the Neckar River, which runs centrally through the state (downstream (from southwest to the centre, then northwest) first Tübingen, then Stuttgart, Heilbronn, Heidelberg, and Mannheim). It is third largest in both area and population among the country's sixteen states, with an area of 35,742 square kilometers (13,800.1 sq mi) and 10.7 million inhabitants (both almost equivalent to all of Belgium). The state capital is Stuttgart.

Economy

Baden-Württemberg is among the most prosperous states in Germany and is one of the wealthiest regions in Europe with a traditionally low unemployment rate. A number of well-known enterprises are headquartered in the state, for example Daimler AG, Porsche, Robert Bosch GmbH (automobile industry), Carl Zeiss AG (optics), and SAP AG (largest software enterprise in Europe). In spite of this, Baden-Württemberg's economy is dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises. Although poor in workable natural resources (formerly lead, zinc, iron, silver, copper and salts) and still rural in many areas, the region is heavily industrialized. In 2003, there were almost 8,800 manufacturing enterprises with more than 20 employees, but only 384 with more than 500. The latter category accounts for 43% of the 1.2 million persons employed in industry. The Mittelstand or mid-sized company is the backbone of the Baden-Württemberg economy. Medium-sized businesses and a tradition of branching out into different industrial sectors have ensured specialization over a wide range. A fifth of the "old" Federal Republic's industrial gross value added is generated by Baden-Württemberg. Turnover for manufacturing in 2003 exceeded 240,000 million, 43% of which came from exports. The region depends to some extent on global economic developments, though the great adaptability of the region's economy has generally helped it through crises. Half of the employees in the manufacturing industry are in mechanical and electrical engineering and automobile construction. This is also where the largest enterprises are to be found. The importance of the precision mechanics industry also extends beyond the region's borders, as does that of the optical, clock making, toy, metallurgy and electronics industries. The textile industry, which formerly dominated much of the region, has now all but disappeared from Baden-Württemberg. Research and development (R&D) is funded jointly by the State and industry. In 2001, more than a fifth of the 100,000 or so persons working in R&D in Germany were located in Baden-Württemberg, most of them in the Stuttgart area. Baden-Württemberg is also one of the Four Motors of Europe.

A study performed in 2007 by the pr campaign "Initiative for New Social Market Economy" (German: Initiative Neue Soziale Marktwirtschaft (INSM)) and the trade newspaper "Wirtschaftswoche" awarded Baden-Württemberg for being the "economically most successful and most dynamic state" among the 16 states.

Tourism

Baden-Württemberg is a popular holiday destination rivalled in Germany only by Bavaria in its natural landscapes and variety of culinary and cultural offering and its possibilities for outdoor activities. Main sights include the capital and biggest city, Stuttgart, modern and historic at the same time, with its urban architecture and atmosphere (and famously, its inner city parks and historic Wilhelma zoo), its castles (such as Castle Solitude), its (car and art) museums as well as a rich cultural programme (theatre, opera) and mineral spring baths in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt (also the site of a Roman Castra), the residential (court) towns of Ludwigsburg and Karlsruhe, the spas and casino of luxurious Baden-Baden, the medieval architecture of Ulm (Ulm Cathedral is the tallest church in the world), the vibrant, young, but traditional university towns of Heidelberg and Tübingen with their old castles looking out above the river Neckar, sites of former monasteries such as the ones on Reichenau Island and at Maulbronn (both World Heritage Sites) as well as Bebenhausen Abbey, the lush Upper Neckar valley (where Rottweil is famous for its carnival (Fastnacht)) and the pristine Danube valley, rich old Free Imperial Cities such as Biberach, Esslingen am Neckar, Heilbronn, Ravensburg, Reutlingen and Schwäbisch Hall, and the southernmost and sunniest city of Germany, Freiburg, close to Alsace and Switzerland, being an ideal base for exploring the heights of the nearby Black Forest (e.g. for skiing in winter or for hiking in summer) with its traditional villages and the surrounding wine country of the Rhine Valley of South Baden. The countryside of the Swabian Alb (with Hohenzollern Castle), the largely pristine Swabian Forest, the Rhine Valley and Lake Constance (German: Bodensee), where all kinds of water sports are popular, with the former Imperial, today border town of Konstanz (where the Council of Constance took place), the Neolithic and Bronze Age village at Unteruhldingen, the flower island of Mainau, and the hometown of the Zeppelin, Friedrichshafen a.o., are especially popular for outdoor activities in the summer months.

In spring and autumn (April/May and September/October), beer festivals (fun fairs) are taking place at the Cannstatter Wasen in Stuttgart; the one in the autumn, the Cannstatter Volksfest, is the second biggest such festival in the world after the Munich Oktoberfest. In late November/early December, Christmas markets are a tourist magnet in all major towns, with the biggest one in Stuttgart, lasting for the three weeks prior to Christmas.

Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of the country. With an area of 70,548 square kilometres (27,200 sq mi) and almost 12.5 million inhabitants, it is the largest German state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany. Its capital is Munich in Upper Bavaria.

One of the oldest states of Europe, it was established as a duchy in the mid first millennium. In the 17th century, the Duke of Bavaria became a Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire. The Kingdom of Bavaria existed from 1806 to 1918, and Bavaria has since been a free state (republic). Bavaria is a predominantly Catholic state with a distinct culture. Modern Bavaria also includes parts of the historical regions of Franconia and Swabia.

Some features of the Bavarian culture and mentality are remarkably distinct from the rest of Germany. Noteworthy differences (especially in rural areas, less significant in the major cities) can be found with respect to:

Religion
While 56.4% of the population adhere to the Catholic Church, 21% are affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria.

Most of Bavaria is predominantly Roman Catholic, but the Evangelical Lutheran Church has a strong presence in large parts of Franconia. Only Saarland has a higher percentage of Catholics among the German states.

The current pope, Benedict XVI (Joseph Alois Ratzinger), was born in Marktl am Inn in Upper Bavaria and was Cardinal-Archbishop of Munich and Freising.

Religion remains important to many in the region, as expressed by the typical Bavarian, Austrian and Swabian greeting: "Grüss Gott!" (Greet God!, originally "es grüsse Dich Gott" - "God may bless you").

Traditions
Bavarians commonly emphasize pride in their traditions. Traditional costumes collectively known as Tracht are worn on special occasions and include in Altbayern Lederhosen for males and Dirndl for females. Centuries-old folk music is performed. The Maibaum, or Maypole (which in the Middle Ages served as the community's yellow pages, as figurettes on the pole represent the trades of the village), and the bagpipes in the Upper Palatinate region bear witness to the ancient Celtic and Germanic remnants of cultural heritage of the region.

Whether actually in Bavaria, overseas or full citizens of other nations they continue to cultivate their traditions. They hold festivals and dances to keep their traditions alive. In New York the German American Cultural Society is a larger umbrella group for others such as the Bavarian organizations, which represent a specific part of Germany. They proudly put forth a German Parade called Steuben Parade each year. Various affiliated events take place amongst its groups, one of which is the Bavarian Dancers.

Food and drink
Bavarians tend to place a great value on food and drink. Bavarians also consume many items of food and drink which are unusual elsewhere in Germany; for example Weisswurst (“white sausage”) or a great variety of nifty entrails. At folk festivals, beer is traditionally served by the litre (the so-called Maß). Bavarians are particularly proud of the traditional Reinheitsgebot, or purity law, initially established by the Duke of Bavaria for the City of Munich (e.g. the court) in 1487 and the duchy in 1516. According to this law, only three ingredients were allowed in beer: water, barley, and hops. In 1906 the Reinheitsgebot made its way to all-German law, and remained a law in Germany until the EU struck it down recently as incompatible with the European common market. German breweries, however, cling to the principle. Bavarians are also known as some of the world's most beer-loving people with an average annual consumption of 170 litres per person, figures are declining in recent years in favour of soft drinks.

Bavaria is also home to the Franconia wine region, which is situated along the Main River in Franconia. The region has produced wine for over 1,000 years and is famous for its use of the Bocksbeutel wine bottle. The production of wine forms an integral part of the regional culture, and many of its villages and cities hold their own wine festivals (Weinfests) throughout the year.

Language and dialects
Three German dialects are spoken in Bavaria: Austro-Bavarian in Old Bavaria (South-East and East), Swabian German (an Alemannic German dialect) in the Bavarian part of Swabia (South West) and East Franconian German in Franconia (North).

Ethnography
Bavarians consider themselves to be egalitarian and informal. Their sociability can be experienced at the annual Oktoberfest, the world's largest beer festival, which welcomes around six million visitors every year, or in the famous beer gardens. In traditional Bavarian beer gardens, patrons may bring their own food and only buy beer from the brewery that runs the beer garden.[citation needed]

In the United States, particularly among German Americans, Bavarian culture is viewed somewhat nostalgically, and many "Bavarian villages", most notably Frankenmuth, Michigan and Leavenworth, Washington, have been founded. Since 1962, the latter has been styled with a Bavarian theme; it is also home to "one of the world's largest collections of nutcrackers" and an Oktoberfest celebration it claims is among the most attended in the world outside of Munich.

Berlin is the capital city and one of 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city and the eighth most populous urban area in the European Union. Located in northeastern Germany, it is the center of the Berlin-Brandenburg Metropolitan Area, comprising 5 million people from over 190 nations. Geographically embedded in the European Plains, Berlin is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. Around one third of the city's territory is composed of forests, parks, gardens, rivers and lakes.

First documented in the 13th century, Berlin was successively the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918), the German Empire (1871–1918), the Weimar Republic (1919–1933) and the Third Reich (1933–1945). During the 1920s, Berlin was the third largest municipality in the world. After World War II, the city was divided; East Berlin became the capital of East Germany while West Berlin became a de facto West German exclave, surrounded by the Berlin Wall (1961–1989). Following German reunification in 1990, the city regained its status as the capital of all Germany hosting 147 foreign embassies.

Berlin is a major center of culture, politics, media, and science in Europe. Its economy is primarily based on the service sector, encompassing a diverse range of creative industries, media corporations, congress and convention venues. Berlin serves as a continental hub for air and rail transport, and is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the EU. Other industries include optoelectronics, traffic engineering, IT, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, biomedical engineering, and biotechnology.

The metropolis is home to world-renowned universities, research institutes, sporting events, orchestras, museums and personalities. The urban and historical legacy has made it a popular setting for international film productions. The city is recognized for its festivals, diverse architecture, nightlife, contemporary arts, extensive public transportation networks and a high quality of living. Berlin has evolved into a global focal point for young individuals and artists attracted by a liberal lifestyle and modern zeitgeist.

The Berlin Wall was a concrete barrier built by the German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany) that completely enclosed the city of West Berlin, separating it from East Germany, including East Berlin. The Wall included guard towers placed along large concrete walls, which circumscribed a wide area (later known as the "death strip") that contained anti-vehicle trenches, "fakir beds" and other defenses.

The separate and much longer Inner German border (the IGB) demarcated the border between East and West Germany. Both borders came to symbolize the Iron Curtain between Western Europe and the Eastern Bloc.

Before the Wall's erection, 3.5 million East Germans had avoided Eastern Bloc emigration restrictions and defected from the GDR, many by crossing over the border from East Berlin into West Berlin. From West Berlin, emigrants could travel to West Germany and other Western European countries. During its existence from 1961 to 1989, the Wall stopped almost all such emigration and separated the GDR from West Berlin for more than a quarter of a century. After its erection, around 5,000 people attempted to escape over the wall, with estimates of the resulting death toll varying between around 100 and 200.

The Berlin Wall was officially referred to as the "Anti-Fascist Protection Wall" (German: Antifaschistischer Schutzwall) by the communist GDR authorities, implying that neighboring West Germany had not been fully de-Nazified. The West Berlin city government sometimes referred to it as the "Wall of Shame" – a term coined by mayor Willy Brandt – while condemning the wall's restriction on freedom of movement.

In 1989, there were a radical series of Eastern Bloc political changes associated with the liberalization of the Bloc's authoritarian systems. After several weeks of local civil unrest following the erosion of political power of the pro-Soviet governments in nearby Poland and Hungary, the East German government announced on November 9, 1989 that all GDR citizens could visit West Germany and West Berlin. Crowds of East Germans crossed and climbed onto the wall, joined by West Germans on the other side in a celebratory atmosphere. Over the next few weeks, a euphoric public and souvenir hunters chipped away parts of the wall; the governments later used industrial equipment to remove most of the rest. The fall of the Berlin Wall paved the way for German reunification. It was formally concluded on October 3, 1990.

Phytogeographically, Germany is shared between the Atlantic European and Central European provinces of the Circumboreal Region within the Boreal Kingdom. The territory of Germany can be subdivided into two ecoregions: European-Mediterranean montane mixed forests and Northeast-Atlantic shelf marine. The majority of Germany is covered by either arable land (33%) or forestry and woodland (31%). Only 15% is covered by permanent pastures.

Plants and animals are those generally common to middle Europe. Beeches, oaks, and other deciduous trees constitute one-third of the forests; conifers are increasing as a result of reforestation. Spruce and fir trees predominate in the upper mountains, while pine and larch are found in sandy soil. There are many species of ferns, flowers, fungi, and mosses. Fish abound in the rivers and the North Sea. Wild animals include deer, wild boar, mouflon, fox, badger, hare, and small numbers of beaver. Various migratory birds cross Germany in the spring and autumn.

The national parks in Germany include the Wadden Sea National Parks, the Jasmund National Park, the Vorpommern Lagoon Area National Park, the Müritz National Park, the Lower Oder Valley National Park, the Harz National Park, the Saxon Switzerland National Park and the Bavarian Forest National Park.

Germany is known for its many zoological gardens, wildlife parks, aquaria, and bird parks. More than 400 registered zoos and animal parks operate in Germany, which is believed to be the largest number in any single country of the world. The Zoologischer Garten Berlin is the oldest zoo in Germany and presents the most comprehensive collection of species in the world.