NIE ACTIVITY
GEOGRAPHY CONNECTIONS
This year-long series
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HAMBURG,
GERMANY
Guten Tag, or Good Day! Thanks for
stopping by Hamburg, Germany’s second
largest city. It is home to over 1.8 million
people, and as luck would have it, a major
transport hub for Germany. It is home to
the most important railway junction to
Scandinavia! This city offers much more
than transportation though, as it boasts
both old and new architecture that attracts
tourists almost daily.
With the city being identified as one of
the most affluent within the European
Union, Hamburg is considered one of the
top places to live in the world! Sadly, in
the quest to create a more “affluent feel”
for Hamburg, the gentrification - the
restoration of run-down areas by the
middle class - is creating conflict.
Other cities in Germany may voice their
concerns in other ways, but residents of
Hamburg are unique, because they take
their protests to the streets. Is their unique
tactic something that should be celebrated
or re-evaluated?
National Flag:
DID YOU KNOW?
TAKE 5
LOCATION - The Absolute
Location of Hamburg,
Germany is 53.5653*N,
10.0014*E. Hamburg is
located northwest of Berlin.
PLACE - Hamburg is an
environmentally friendly city,
about 14% of its businesses
and industries use green
practices, making it the
greenest city in Germany.
HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT
INTERACTION - Rivers and
seas surrounding the city
are fished to support the
growing appetite of seafood
lovers.
MOVEMENT - The city is a
major transportation hub,
connected to 4 autobahnen
(motorways).
REGION - Located in
Germany Hamburg is
a sought out vacation
destination for those on
the North and Baltic Sea
coasts.
Port on Elbe River
44036-01
Common Core Curricular Connections
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI: 5.1-5.10
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH: 6-8.4 --- 6-8.8
...the Beatles launched their music career by playing at various clubs in Hamburg from 1960-1962!
...Hamburg is also known as “Germany’s capital of sport,” because no other city in the country has as
many international sporting events!
...the city is called “The City of Rivers,” because it has more bridges than Venice and Amsterdam
combined! That’s over 2,300 bridges!
...that Hamburg’s town hall has 647 rooms!
...Tierpark Haganbeck was founded in 1907 as the first zoo without cages, so visitors
could observe animals in their natural habitats!
MAPPING ACTIVITY
Many people in Hamburg are
upset by the gentrification
of their city, and are taking
their protests to the streets. If
police do not intervene, and
the protests remain violent so
travel is difficult, which cities
would be impacted? Are there
other possible routes or modes
of transportation you would
suggest if thel rail lines were
unavailable because of the
protests?
Using the News
With tourism being a source of revenue for the state of Germany, new buildings and attractions are being
built in Hamburg to attract citizens from all over the world. Using English.hamburg.de, identify a new
attraction the city is promoting. What types of citizens do you think they are trying to attract?
Even though tourism continues to grow, many citizens, particularly of the older generation, are unhappy
with the “make-over” Hamburg is - and has been - undergoing. Looking at the article
from a local German newspaper, do you think that citizens are warranted in their
protests, and why/why not? If you were the First Mayor of Hamburg, how would you
advise your citizens and police force to act, keeping in mind that street protests are a
part of Hamburg’s culture?
Online Resources:
http://www.thelocal.de/20140120/protests-make-hamburg-different-danger-zone-riot
http://english.hamburg.de/
http://www.globalblue.com/destinations/germany/hamburg/10-facts-about-hamburg/
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/germany/hamburg
http://www.math-inf.uni-greifswaid.de
For students who are blind, learning disabled or print challenged, visit CRIS Radio at
http://www.chrisradio.org and click Kids On-Demand for a free audio version of Geography Connections.