In the Land of "The Lives of Others"

The German culture has given the world much with respect to art over the last several centuries. However, the world events of the recent past often overshadow -- for me anyway -- many of their lasting contributions to humanity. I think it’s important to recognize that Germany has notably enriched the world of music by giving us the composers Bach, Beethoven, Strauss, Wagner, Brahms, Handel and Schumann.

The country has also contributed greatly to the world of literature with the books, plays, and poems of Goethe, Bertolt Brecht, Thomas Mann, Hermann Hesse, and Günter Grass.

And a world more enlightened from the ideas of the philosophers Kant, Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, Hegel, and Heidegger.

Germany gave us the artists Albrecht Dürer and Max Ernst... 

... and also one of the world’s greatest reformers in Martin Luther.

But most recent German contributions to the world of art have come from its filmmakers. If you’ve never seen a German film -- it’s pretty easy for me to recommend a few edifying treats such as Das Boot, Wings of Desire, Run Lola Run, Good Bye Lenin!, and Downfall.

But if I had to only recommend one, it would be The Lives of Others. It’s probably one of the most perfect films I’ve ever seen.