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Stampfer
Wildbesteck
Jan 23, 2005 20:22
19 yrs ago
2 viewers *
German term

Mitteldeutschland

German to English Other Geography Region in Germany
A topic of some heated debate between my hubby and I at the moment.... Does Mitteldeutschland mean Central Germany, or the area around Leipzig?

Confused.

Thanks

Alison
Proposed translations (English)
4 +2 Central Germany
5 +1 middle of Germany
5 +1 explanation -- not for points
4 +1 Central Germany
4 s.u.
2 +1 1. mittlerer Teil Deutschlands. 2. der thüringisch-obersächsische Raum.

Discussion

Aniello Scognamiglio (X) Jan 24, 2005:
...oder sonstige Hintergedanken!!! Im �brigen w�rde ich von Norddeutschland, der Mitte Deutschlands und S�ddeutschland sprechen (sprachlich gesehen!). So, nun aber genug.
Francis Lee (X) Jan 24, 2005:
Patrick makes a very good point below; it depends who is using the term and what they perceive it to mean. Before the two world wars, Mitteldeutschland certainly would have been Sachsen-Anhalt and Berlin/Brandenburg (if not more).
Aniello Scognamiglio (X) Jan 24, 2005:
Ich habe meinen Vorschlag "gel�scht". An einer politischen Diskussion beteilige ich mich nicht. Bin davon ausgegangen, dass es eine sprachl. Frage war. Und da ist das ehemalige Deutschland f�r mich Ost-Deutschland (geografisch gesehen), ohne politische
Francis Lee (X) Jan 24, 2005:
Well, what did the newspaper article actually say? And was it referring to MDR, which is based in Leipzig? For me, "Mitteldeutschland" would strech from Frankfurt/Main to Magdeburg, probably including Th�ringen.
Aniello Scognamiglio (X) Jan 24, 2005:
Aber jetzt wundert mich nicht, warum du ein "heated debate" mit deinem G�ttergatten hast;-)) Mit �bersetzern ist manchmal wie mit �rzten;-)
Aniello Scognamiglio (X) Jan 24, 2005:
Generelle Bemerkung dank Chandu: mein Vorschlag und mein Kommentar haben NICHTS mit Politik zu tun, das war NUR geografisch gemeint!
Johanna Timm, PhD Jan 23, 2005:
I found it Alison, and what's more,I've got a Scotsman & Google to prove it: it's "mediocre Germany"!!! ... and the draw with a mediocre Germany in the group ...
thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport.cfm?id=7992005
Aniello Scognamiglio (X) Jan 23, 2005:
This is really confusing! http://www.mitteldeutschland.com/deutsch/Homepage/index.html
However, if you look at the "Impressum"... Nevertheless, Mitteldeutschland=Central Germany!
Aniello Scognamiglio (X) Jan 23, 2005:
Zentraldeutschland? I would not say that, 45 years in Germany;-)
http://www.jungewelt.de/2002/07-31/018.php
Non-ProZ.com Jan 23, 2005:
Sparked off... This was all sparked off by a newspaper article about a TV station in "Mitteldeutschland" - target audience for the article: all of Germany.
Joseph Hovan Jan 23, 2005:
Coincidentally, I would say that Leipzig might fit in here, although to most Germans, I would say they would say "Im Osten", therefore, eastern Germany. I hope I'm not giving you both any grounds for divorce :-). I'm just a stupid Ami, anyway! Good luck!!
Joseph Hovan Jan 23, 2005:
I think it depends on your Weltanschauung. I.e. is the viewer from Leipzig and does s/he have the famous "New Yorker" view of the rest of the world? :-). I lived in Germany for 13 years and heard this used interchangeably with "Zentraldeutschland".

Proposed translations

+2
6 mins
Selected

Central Germany

There is absolulety no reason why it should be around Leipig. It's anything that's not too far north and not too far south.
Peer comment(s):
agree Aniello Scognamiglio (X)
10 hrs
agree Jonathan MacKerron
12 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Graded automatically based on peer agreement."
38 mins

s.u.

Ich würde sagen, dass mit "Mitteldeutschland" die Bundesländer Thüringen, Sachsen und Sachsen-Anhalt gemeint sind. Der "Mitteldeutsche Rundfunk" MDR jedenfalls ist das dritte Programm für diese Länder.

Auch wenn es geographisch gesehen verwundern mag...

Etliches dazu findest du unter dem zweiten Link.
Reference:

http://www.mdr.de/unternehmen/daten/129631.html

http://www.mittel-de.de/gesamt/inhaltgesamt/showcontent.php3?cat_profil&meta_profil&main_profil&rand_profil

Something went wrong...
+1
1 hr

middle of Germany

I am living there! The official central point of Germany is in a little village near Duderstadt, a beautiful and charming little town not far from here. It is the region of lower Saxony, Thüringen and Sachsen-Anhalt. (Leipzig is too far away)
It is not in the North, not in the South, not in the West and even not in the East but in the centre:)
Mitteldeutsche Grüße!
Peer comment(s):
agree Vaman Kale : Yes, geographically correct.
3 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
9 mins

Central Germany

but ly the area of former East Germany, the deceased German Democratic Republic. This is way more than the area around Leipzig, the appropriate geographical term would be Leipziger Becken (Leipzig basin).Westdeutschland consequently would be the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1989.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs 20 mins (2005-01-24 00:42:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In defending the \'historical\' position:
Prior to 1989 when it came to \'Mitteldeutschland\' the reference in (West ) Germany was always to the territory of East Germany/ DDR i.e. the German Democratic Republic.
Peer comment(s):
agree Pee Eff (X) : This is the traditional view. Westdeutschland being the old Federal Republic, Mitteldeutschland being the deceased GDR and Ostdeutschland being the former German territories that nowadays are a part of Poland and Russia.
44 mins
Thank you, Patrick
Something went wrong...
+1
43 mins

explanation -- not for points

Explanation according to Brockhaus:
"Mitteldeutschland,
geographisch der mittlere Abschnitt der deutschen Mittelgebirgsschwelle. Zur Elbe fließen in Mitteldeutschland Saale, Mulde und Schwarze Elster. Über die Abgrenzung des Begriffs (entstanden aus der Sicht des ehemaligen Deutschen Reiches) zu Ostdeutschland besteht keine feste Übereinstimmung. Zu Mitteldeutschland gehören der Harz (im Nordwesten), der Thüringer Wald und Frankenwald (im Südwesten), der deutsche Anteil des Erzgebirges und des Lausitzer Gebirges, die Sächsische Schweiz und das Lausitzer Bergland (im Südosten), der Fläming (im Norden). Im Inneren Mitteldeutschlands liegen das Thüringer Becken, die Leipziger Tieflandsbucht und das Mittelsächsische Hügelland.

(c) Bibliographisches Institut & F. A. Brockhaus AG, 2001

HTH

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 46 mins (2005-01-23 21:08:23 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

NB: \"Über die Abgrenzung des Begriffs ... zu Ostdeutschland besteht keine feste Übereinstimmung.\"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 23 mins (2005-01-23 21:45:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

@ Patrick Füldner:
\"Mitteldeutschland\" is not a synonym for the deceased GDR: \"Zu Mitteldeutschland gehören der Harz (im Nordwesten), der Thüringer Wald ***und Frankenwald (im Südwesten)***, ...\" (please see explanation above)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs 46 mins (2005-01-24 06:08:23 GMT)
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@Chandu:
You are absolutely right: Germany was unified about 15 years ago, so it\'s neither East nor West Germany - it\'s Germany. It\'s about time we said farewell to all this \"Ossi\" and \"Wessi\" nonsense once and for all.
Peer comment(s):
agree moser.ilja
11 hrs
neutral Francis Lee (X) : The "Ossi and Wessi nonsense" you referred to is a reality and will remain so until today's thirty-somethings have died out (the last pre-reunification generation)
11 hrs
You're right. It's a pity the pre-unification generations still think in terms of "East and West" and "Ossi and Wessi" respectively. We are talking about "Europe", "globalisation" etc., but we are unable to realize that we live in a united Germany.
Something went wrong...
+1
11 hrs

1. mittlerer Teil Deutschlands. 2. der thüringisch-obersächsische Raum.

according to Duden, so it looks like you and your hubby are both sort of right
Peer comment(s):
agree sylvie malich (X) : very diplomatic answer!
1 hr
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