The Concept of "Heimat"
When I try to explain the concept of "Heimat" to people, it doesn't translate well. In German, it can sound cheesy but I think it's still valid and everyone can relate to a degree. I have come across it so many times now that I decided to goggle and see how others describe this typical German word in English. One thing I found that I believe sums it up pretty well ~
"Heimat is a German word that has no simple English translation. It is often expressed with terms such as home or homeland, but these English counterparts fail to encapsulate centuries of German consciousness and the thousands of connections this quintessential aspect of German identity carries with it.
The meaning of Heimat:
Heimat is a specifically German concept to which people are bound by their birth, their childhood, their language and their earliest experiences. Heimat found strength in an increasingly alienating world as Germany's population made a massive exodus from rural areas into more urbanised communities around the country's major cities. Heimat was a reaction to the onset of modernity, loss of individuality and intimate community. It began as an integral aspect of German identity that was patriotic, without being nationalistic. Regional identity (along with regional dialect) is an important foundation for a person's Heimat. The specific aspects of Heimat - love and attachment to homeland and the rejection of anything foreign (I obviously disagree with that last part!!) - left the idea vulnerable to easy assimilation into the fascist "blood and soil" literature of the National Socialists.
Sociology:
Many see the post-war concept of Heimat as having emerged as a reaction to Germany's self-imposed position on the world stage, a symptom of the forced introversion following the world wars, and an attempt at individual distancing from responsibility for Nazi Germany's actions. In the wake of World War II, Germans are still rarely seen demonstrating a specific pride in their 'Germanness'. With the emergence of a renewed sense of Heimat, Germans show pride in their regional origins as Berliners, Bavarians, Prussians, Swabians, or children of the Hunsrück.
Support in International Law:
In international law the "right to one's homeland" (German: Recht auf Heimat; French: droit au foyer; Spanish; derecho a la patria) is a concept that has been gaining acceptance as a fundamental human right and a precondition to the exercise of the right to self-determination."
~~~~~
Question to the German people in the group:
How would YOU describe the concept? What does it mean to you, if anything?
And everyone else:
Where are you from? After reading this, can you relate the concept to your own country? How? Is it the same where you are? More regional than national, or different?
I'm really curious about this now. Thanks all. :)
"Heimat is a German word that has no simple English translation. It is often expressed with terms such as home or homeland, but these English counterparts fail to encapsulate centuries of German consciousness and the thousands of connections this quintessential aspect of German identity carries with it.
The meaning of Heimat:
Heimat is a specifically German concept to which people are bound by their birth, their childhood, their language and their earliest experiences. Heimat found strength in an increasingly alienating world as Germany's population made a massive exodus from rural areas into more urbanised communities around the country's major cities. Heimat was a reaction to the onset of modernity, loss of individuality and intimate community. It began as an integral aspect of German identity that was patriotic, without being nationalistic. Regional identity (along with regional dialect) is an important foundation for a person's Heimat. The specific aspects of Heimat - love and attachment to homeland and the rejection of anything foreign (I obviously disagree with that last part!!) - left the idea vulnerable to easy assimilation into the fascist "blood and soil" literature of the National Socialists.
Sociology:
Many see the post-war concept of Heimat as having emerged as a reaction to Germany's self-imposed position on the world stage, a symptom of the forced introversion following the world wars, and an attempt at individual distancing from responsibility for Nazi Germany's actions. In the wake of World War II, Germans are still rarely seen demonstrating a specific pride in their 'Germanness'. With the emergence of a renewed sense of Heimat, Germans show pride in their regional origins as Berliners, Bavarians, Prussians, Swabians, or children of the Hunsrück.
Support in International Law:
In international law the "right to one's homeland" (German: Recht auf Heimat; French: droit au foyer; Spanish; derecho a la patria) is a concept that has been gaining acceptance as a fundamental human right and a precondition to the exercise of the right to self-determination."
~~~~~
Question to the German people in the group:
How would YOU describe the concept? What does it mean to you, if anything?
And everyone else:
Where are you from? After reading this, can you relate the concept to your own country? How? Is it the same where you are? More regional than national, or different?
I'm really curious about this now. Thanks all. :)