December 2003 - Nr. 12
Germans want an expanded definition of culture
TWIG - From Hamburg comes new proof that Germans’ understanding of culture is changing with the times. A new study presented by the BAT Free Time Research Institute shows that in modern Germany, little concrete distinction can be made between so-called high and low culture.
Over 1,000 people over the age of 14 were asked about their views of culture in Germany — and 69% of those believe that "culture has many faces and includes popular entertainment such as the movies, musicals, and rock or pop concerts."
The head of the institute, Horst W. Opaschowski, spoke of the coming together of all types of culture at the presentation of the study on Monday (November 17). "Variety and versatility are a part of culture today, classical and modern, serious and entertaining — culture doesn’t have to be serious and difficult," he explained.
In fact, three-fourths of the respondents younger than 34 want the understanding of culture in Germany to have a wider scope.
Opaschowski said that only the generation older than 65 continues to understand opera, the symphony, theater, ballet, and museum exhibits as the sole constituents of "culture."
Berlin as Germany’s cultural mecca
With 71%, Berlin led the list of several German cities named among the "leading cultural metropolises in Germany" by survey respondents. Following the capital city were Munich (46%), Hamburg (41%), Dresden (40%), Leipzig (20%), and Cologne (18%). Weimar, the city known for being the birthplace of classical Germany and home to the likes of Goethe and Schiller, received just 17%.
A city’s cultural scene is increasingly becoming a factor for professionals looking to change jobs. According to Opaschowski, pay raises are not the only factors drawing business leaders to other cities. Cultural life is a huge draw.
And what does this mean for the financial support of cultural institutions that Germany is famous for? Opaschowski thinks the study’s consequences are clear: "Culture should be accessible and affordable for everyone."
Funded by British American Tobacco, the Free Time Research Institute is an independent research group involved with the study of leisure activities and tourism in Germany.
