Transcript Marriages in Germany

Social Relationship:
Marriages in Germany
By:
Camille Lopez
Difference between Germany
and U.S
• Small towns “punish” single people over the age
of 30 by cleaning the city hall.
• The civil wedding takes place 6 weeks before the
actual marriage in the city hall.
• If the couple wants to have a church wedding
then the civil wedding happens a week or a day
before the wedding.
• Polterabend: friends and families break old
porcelains in front of the bride and groom for
good luck.
• The couple leaves the dinner AFTER the last
guest leaves.
Polterabend
http://www.travelscopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Polterabend.jpg
Traditions
• The engagement ring (gold band) is placed on
the left hand ring finger before the marriage. It
then goes on the right hand ring finger after the
wedding.
• Couples get a wedding contract (similar to
prenuptial agreement) called Heiratsvertrag.
• The bride doesn’t throw a bouquet of flowers to
the bridesmaid. The bridesmaids have to dance
around the bride (who’s blindfolded) and they’ll
get picked.
• The newlyweds share a piece of bread for a
future full of food.
• It’s seen as a bad luck for brides to take off their
crowns before midnight.
Bread Sharing
http://www.weddingsetups.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Picture+3.png
Same-sex Marriage
• 2001: Life Partnership Act was passed by the
German Parliament (take last names, allowed to be
divorced, may support each other financially).
• 2004: Revised the act; can't testify each other,
may apply for state pension, and allowed to adopt
biological children).
• Both parties have to be 18 years old or older to be
wed (parental supervision is needed if they're 14 to
17 years old).
• Non Germans may apply for citizenship if they're
getting married to a German citizen.
• Still goes through the process of civil marriage.
Organization (LSVD) Logo
http://www.fahnenversand.de/fotw/images/d/de%7Dlsvd.gif
Quiz
1. What does the bride have to wear till midnight or
else it'll be considered as a bad luck?
A. Crown
B. Shoes
C. Ring
2. How many does the couple have to have their
civil wedding prior to their real wedding date?
A. 4 weeks
B. 5 weeks
C. 6 weeks
Answers
1. A (crown)
2. C (6 weeks)
Article Titles and URLS
• Article #1: Marriage in Germany
(http://www.topicsmag.com/internatl/weddings/germanwedding.htm)
• Article #2: German Wedding Lore & Traditions
(http://www.weddingdetails.com/loretradition/germany/)
• Article #3: Same-sex Marriage in Germany
(http://germany.angloinfo.com/family/marriagepartnerships/same-sex-marriage/)
Culture Photo