WHEN one hears the word ‘Germany’, the first thing that might pop into the mind is another word, ‘Hitler’.

What might come as a surprise though, is that Hitler is not the only popular name that can be associated with the world’s fourth largest and Europe’s largest economy. For Germany brought about other great names like Ludwig van Beethoven, Friedrich Nietzsche, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Max Weber and Karl Marx.

This, and other aspects of German culture, were highlighted in the ‘Germany for Beginners’ exhibition that was hosted at the Assembly Hall on the University of the West Indies Campus, from September 14-23. This was organised by the Jamaican German Society, in collaboration with the German Embassy and the German Cultural Agency, the Goethe-Institut, named in honour of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. This exhibition is an international travelling one, as it has been to Vancouver and Panama and is headed to Mexico, with the sole purpose of showcasing life in modern Germany.

According to Cecile Clayton, the president of the Jamaican German Society, this exhibition was a very “interactive exhibition”, as information about Germany was presented in such a way that it was educational, amusing and fun to look at. From “A” for Arbeit (work) to “Z” for Zukunft (future), the 26 letters of the Alphabet were oversized and used to artistically present contemporary German culture.

An important letter “D”, which stands for ‘Deutsch sprechen’ (speaking German), highlighted the common language of the population. Around 120 million people speak the German language and many are proud of its use by poets and philosophers who have helped to strengthen German literature and the culture within the society.

One of the most important letters though, was “G” for Gemütlichkeit (comfort), under which Oktoberfest was featured. This is a festival celebrated in Germany as part of Germany Week from October 2-8. The third day, however, is highlighted as one of the most important days of the week of festivities, as it is recognised as Annual National Day which represents the day Germany was unified.

The twist though, is that Jamaicans are being given a once in a lifetime opportunity to join the festivities, as Oktoberfest will be held at the Hotel Alhambra Inn, opposite the National Stadium. It’s a chance to see Germany’s culture in action and one must find the zeal to attain this knowledge of a foreign culture, for indeed, Wissen ist Macht (Knowledge is power).

The Jamaican German Society can be contacted via e-mail at jamger@cwjamaica.com.