Culture calendar

Nikolaus is coming

He may look similar to Santa Claus, but he is not quite the same thing. In Germany, Saint Nicholas - known as Nikolaus - also has a white beard and carries a sack full of presents on his back, but he visits children in the wee hours of December 6. This date is not incidental, as December 6 is when people called Nikolaus celebrate their name day in Germany, in honor of the saint's birthday.

The story behind the event goes back to the third and fourth century AD. Saint Nicholas - originally known as Nikolaos of Myra - was a Greek bishop. He had a reputation for gift-giving, which is why he also became the model for Santa Claus. He is also known as the patron saint of children.

In Germany, kids eagerly await Nikolaus each year. They traditionally put a boot outside the front door on the evening of December 5, expecting Saint Nicholas to fill it with gifts and sweets while they sleep. This crucial part is usually performed by the parents, of course, but they like to make their children believe that Saint Nicholas rewards those who have been good and polite throughout the year.

On the other hand, the German equivalent of Santa Claus - called Weihnachtsmann (Christmas Man) - comes on Christmas Eve, along with the Christkind (Christ child) who is also a traditional gift-bringer in Germany and other parts of Central Europe. The figure of the Christkind goes back to the times of Martin Luther, who, in line with his Protestant teachings, discouraged the worship of saints, including Saint Nicholas.

Results of the latest education study

How good is the German education system? When the first PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) study came out in 2001 - a worldwide evaluation of 15-year-old school students' scholastic performance - Germany did not score particularly well. The country's media used terms like "PISA shock" to reflect the general disappointment.

The study has been carried out every three years since then, with the latest results, due to be released on December 7, focusing on reading abilities. However, there is some controversy about how accurately the study really reflects the quality of an education system. Some critics point out that a student's performance is influenced by many factors, and so it cannot be explained by the quality of the school system alone.

Nevertheless, since the study came into existence, many are looking toward Finland for guidance, as this northern European nation regularly scores excellent marks in PISA. Some believe that the German school system may be at fault after all. The German tradition of dividing students into different types of high schools based on their academic performance has already been disputed and debated for quite some time. And the PISA study only helps to fan the flames of this debate.

Big names on the big screen

A much talked-about new movie by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, "The Tourist," debuts in German movie theaters on December 16. The director won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2007 for his East-Germany-based drama "The Lives of Others."

The film, which features Hollywood stars Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp in the main roles, is a thriller set in Venice about an American tourist (Depp) who is used by an English woman (Jolie) in an attempt to mislead those following her criminal ex-lover.

Napoleon exhibition

Talking about your country's history is not always easy - the Germans know this all too well. In the case of France, this problem relates to its former ruler and military leader Napoleon Bonaparte. Many French people are not proud of his imperialistic conquests and demonstrations of power, so it is not easy to organize an exhibition on the topic in his homeland, according to the spokesperson for the Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bonn.

From December 17, the Art and Exhibition Hall will host the exhibition "Napoleon and Europe. Dream and Trauma," which aims to explain who Napoleon really was and how he rose to power. Items on display include original documents, paintings and everyday objects. The exhibition's curator is French scholar Benedicte Savoy, who teaches art history at the Berlin Institute of Technology. The exhibition will travel to France in March next year.

Merry Christmas and happy New Year

In Germany, Advent marks the countdown to Christmas, which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. During this time, an Advent wreath decorates the tables in many German households. This tradition can be traced back to Johann Hinrich Wichern, a 19th-century German Protestant pastor, who invented the wreath to make the Advent time seem shorter for children, since they could light one candle in it each day.

Some theaters in Germany offer a special Advent program, where on each of the days between December 1 and December 24 (Christmas Eve) a little "door" is opened to reveal entertaining acts such as story-reading, dancing and music.

And once Christmas is over, it is soon time for New Year's Eve. As is customary on this special night, a large fireworks show will take place at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to ring in 2011 when the clock strikes midnight.

Author: Petra Lambeck (ew)

Editor: Kate Bowen