Federal German States — 16 Traditions To Choose From

Germany holds a rich conglomeration of Federal States, each with its own distinct flavor, history and traditions.

There are the sandy beaches to the North and the snowy regions of the Alp south.

The country holds a Federalist base with its German states known as landers, derived from the German word for country "land."

The states (in German Bundesländer) are new by comparison, formed after the World War II years. Throughout the course of history, Germany's political divisions changed constantly.

After the war, old provinces joined forces with new territories to form new provinces, like Baden and Württemberg becoming hyphenated as Baden Wurttemberg (German: Baden-Württemberg).

Of course, there are other states prior to 1945 that remain the same time like the city states of Hamburg and Bremen.

Each German State comes with a capital city as well. As aforementioned, there are 16 German states. It all starts and ends with the German state of Berlin which is the nation's capital and its leading artistic, political, and cultural center.

The Bavarian state where Munich is located is the largest German State and home of the Bavarian Alps. The largely popular city of Frankfurt is located in the state of Hessen which is Germany's business and financial capital given its exhaustive banking industry and large list of airports.

It is known for having the tallest buildings and the most banks in all of Europe, despite its paltry population of a little less than 700,000 people.

Conversely, there is also the German state of Baden Wurttemberg which is one of the country's wealthiest states and home of popular auto companies like Porsche and Daimler Chrysler.

Stuttgart is also close to the renowned Black Forest region known for its clock making prowess, along with a neat line of universities in Freiburg and Heidelberg.

Other notable German states...

Brandenburg — With Potsdam as its capital, its small population have caused a stir within Germany's government over questions surrounding the possibility of joining Berlin and Brandenburg to form one state.

Schleswig-Holstein — This is Germany's northernmost state and has been controlled by Austria and Denmark throughout various points in history.

Hamburg — Hamburg is known for its oil refining economy, huuuuge port, and has earned a reputation as a media center rich with theatres hosting some of the country's brightest ballet stars. Musicals are the name of the game when it comes to Hamburg and its world-famous Reeperbahn.

Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate) — Rich on medieval castels, extensive wine reagons, and a colorful culture, here you'll certainly find the right place for your Germany vacation.

That's it for now!

Now pick the German State that interests you most, make sure to get there ASAP, and enjoy your time.

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