The Bavarian Identity: What Does It Mean?

Bavarian refers to anything relating to Bavaria, a state in southeast Germany, its inhabitants, or their dialect. The term was first recorded in the 1630s and is used to describe the region's culture, language, and people. The Bavarian language is a High German dialect spoken in southern Bavaria and Austria, with three main dialects: Upper Palatinian, Danube Bavarian, and Alpine Bavarian. Bavarians are an ethnographic group of Germans from the Bavaria region, and their history, traditions, and contributions have shaped the area's unique identity within Germany.

Bavarian people

Bavarians are the people of the Bavaria region, a state within Germany. The Bavarian language is native to Altbayern ("Old Bavaria"), which was roughly the territory of the Electorate of Bavaria in the 17th century. The Bavarian language is divided into three main dialects: Upper Palatinian (spoken in northern Bavaria), Danube Bavarian (spoken in central and southeastern Bavaria and in Central and Lower Austria), and Alpine Bavarian (spoken in southwestern Bavaria, in southern Austria, and in South Tyrol).

Bavarians are traditionally Catholic, much like their Austrian neighbours. Bavarians are known for their distinct culture, including their dialect, cuisine, and architecture. For example, some well-known Bavarian foods and drinks include Bavarian beer, Bavarian cream, and Bavarian pretzels.

Bavaria has a rich history that dates back to the 6th century when the early Bavarians, known as the Baiuvarii, first emerged in the foothills north of the Alps. The Duchy of Bavaria was established in the 10th century, and the Kingdom of Bavaria was established in 1805. Munich, the capital and cultural centre of Bavaria, was founded in the high medieval period and became the capital of all of Bavaria in 1506.

Some notable Bavarians include:

• Heinrich Luitpold Himmler, a leading member of the Nazi Party
• Werner Herzog, a filmmaker, actor, and writer
• Richard Strauss, a composer, conductor, pianist, and violinist
• Franz Beckenbauer, a former professional footballer and manager

Bavarian language

Bavarian refers to the people, language, or culture of Bavaria, a state within Germany. The Bavarian language is a High German dialect spoken in southern Bavaria and Austria. The language is native to Altbayern, or "Old Bavaria", which roughly corresponds to the territory of the Electorate of Bavaria in the 17th century.

The Bavarian language is divided into three main dialects: Upper Palatinian, Danube Bavarian, and Alpine Bavarian. Upper Palatinian is spoken in northern Bavaria, in the Bohemian Forest and Regensburg regions. Danube Bavarian is spoken in central and southeastern Bavaria and in central and lower Austria, including cities such as Munich, Salzburg, and Vienna. Alpine Bavarian is spoken in southwestern Bavaria, southern Austria, and South Tyrol.

Bavarian, also known as Bavarian German, is closely related to Austrian German and is considered mutually intelligible. The language has a strong influence on the culture and identity of the region, with some people preferring to identify as Bavarian rather than German.

Bavaria has a rich cultural heritage, with traditional architecture, cuisine, and customs that are distinct from the rest of Germany. The region is known for its beautiful landscapes, including the Bavarian Alps, and its vibrant cities such as Munich.

Bavarian culture

Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a state in the southeast of Germany. It is the largest German state by land area and the second most populous. Its major cities include Munich, Nuremberg, and Augsburg. Bavarians are said to be charming, proud, self-confident, and sociable, but sometimes stubborn. They are also known for their love of food and drink.

Bavaria has a distinct culture, largely due to its Catholic heritage and conservative traditions. This includes a language, cuisine, architecture, festivals, and elements of Alpine symbolism. The state's idyllic and romantic scenery, with its lakes, mountains, and castles, makes Bavarians typically quite patriotic. They are proud of their origins, and traditions are highly valued and celebrated, often forming the centrepiece of community social life.

Bavaria is also known for its beer and food. With nearly half of all German breweries located in the state, beer is ubiquitous in Bavaria. The traditional Reinheitsgebot, or beer purity law, allows only water, barley, and hops to be used in beer production. Bavarians are some of the world's most prolific beer drinkers, with an average annual consumption of 170 litres per person.

Bavarian food is typically hearty and delicious, with many meat and potato-based dishes, as well as vegetarian and sweet options. Popular dishes include "Käsespätzle", "Schweinebraten" with dumplings, and "Zwetschgendatschi" plum cake.

Bavaria also has a rich history, dating back to its earliest settlement by Iron Age Celtic tribes. It became the Duchy of Bavaria in the 6th century AD and was later incorporated into the Holy Roman Empire. It became an independent kingdom in 1806 and joined the Prussian-led German Empire in 1871. After World War I, the Bavarian monarchy was abolished, and Bavaria became a free state within the Weimar Republic.

Today, Bavaria is a prosperous and competitive region, known for its blend of old traditions and new technologies. It has a strong economy, with a diverse range of industries, including automotive, aerospace, defence, and electronics.

Bavarian history

The history of Bavaria stretches from its earliest settlement by Iron Age Celtic tribes to its formation as a stem duchy in the 6th century, its inclusion in the Holy Roman Empire, its status as an independent kingdom, and finally as a large Bundesland (state) of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Early Settlements and Roman Raetia

The earliest inhabitants known from surviving written sources were the Celts, participating in the widespread La Tène culture. The Roman empire under Augustus made the Danube, which runs through Bavaria, its northern boundary. What is now southern Bavaria was in the northern half of the Roman province of Raetia, which was the land of the Vindelici. The main Roman city was Augusta Vindelicorum, modern Augsburg. Modern-day Regensburg (Radasbona, or Castra Regina) and Passau were frontier positions.

Migrations and the Early Medieval Period

During the 5th century, the Romans in Noricum and Raetia, south of the Danube, came under increasing pressure from people north of the Danube. This area had become inhabited by Suebian groups from further north and was considered by Romans to be part of Germania. The etymological origins of the name "Bavarian" (Latin Baiovarii) are from the north of the Danube, outside the empire, coming from the Celtic Boii, who lived there earlier. Their name was already used to refer to the part of this region in the time of Maroboduus who formed the Germanic Marcomannic kingdom with its capital in this forested area.

The Stem Duchy of Bavaria

Bavaria and the Agilolfings under Frankish overlordship

The Bavarians soon came under the dominion of the Franks, probably without a serious struggle. The Franks regarded this border area as a buffer zone against peoples to the east, such as the Avars and the Slavs, and as a source of manpower for the army. Sometime around 550 AD they put it under the administration of a duke – possibly Frankish or possibly chosen from amongst the local leading families – who was supposed to act as a regional governor for the Frankish king. The first duke known was Garibald I, a member of the powerful Agilolfing family. This was the beginning of a series of Agilolfing dukes that was to last until 788 AD.

Duchy During the Carolingian Period

The history of Bavaria for the ensuing century intertwines with that of the Carolingian empire. Bavaria, given during the partition of 817 AD to the king of the East Franks, Louis the German, formed a part of the larger territories confirmed to him in 843 AD by the Treaty of Verdun. Louis made Regensburg the center of his government and actively developed Bavaria, providing for its security by numerous campaigns against the Slavs. When he divided his possessions in 865 AD, it passed to his eldest son, Carloman, who had already managed its administration, and after his death in 880 AD, it became a part of the extensive territories of the emperor, Charles the Fat.

Duchy During the Ottonian and Salian Periods

In 920 AD, Conrad's successor was the German king, Henry the Fowler of the Ottonian dynasty. Henry recognized Arnulf as duke, confirming his right to appoint bishops, coin money, and issue laws. A similar conflict took place between Arnulf's son and successor Eberhard and Henry's son Otto I the Great. Eberhard proved less successful than his father, and in 938 AD, fled from Bavaria, which Otto granted (with reduced privileges) to the late duke's uncle, Bertold.

Electorate of Bavaria

In 1623, the Bavarian duke replaced his relative of the Palatinate branch, the Electorate of the Palatinate in the early days of the Thirty Years' War and acquired the powerful prince-elector dignity in the Holy Roman Empire, determining its Emperor thence forward, as well as special legal status under the empire's laws. During the early and mid-18th century, the ambitions of the Bavarian prince electors led to several wars with Austria as well as occupations by Austria (War of the Spanish Succession, War of the Austrian Succession with the election of a Wittelsbach emperor instead of a Habsburg).

Kingdom of Bavaria

In 1806, Bavaria became a kingdom and joined the Confederation of the Rhine. In 1871, Bavaria joined the Prussian-led German Empire while retaining its title of kingdom.

Free State of Bavaria

In 1918, the Bavarian monarchy was the first to fall when on November 8, Socialist politician Kurt Eisner proclaimed the Free State (i.e. republic) of Bavaria. Eisner headed a new, republican government as minister-president. On November 12, <

Bavarian geography

Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a state in the southeast of Germany. It is the largest German state by land area, covering 70,550.19 square kilometres (27,239.58 square miles). It is also the second most populous German state, with over 13 million inhabitants. Major cities include Munich (its capital and largest city), Nuremberg, and Augsburg.

Bavaria is a country of high plateaus and medium-sized mountains. In the north are basalt knolls and high plateaus; in the northwest are the wooded sandstone hills of the Spessart. The northwest is drained by the Main River, which flows into the Rhine. To the southeast, the topography varies from the stratified land formations of Swabia-Franconia to shell limestone and red marl, the hill country of the Franconian-Rednitz Basin, and the limestone mountains of the Franconian Jura along the Danube, which divides Bavaria north and south. On the eastern edge of Bavaria are the Bavarian and Bohemian forests, and in the north is the Franconian Forest. South of the Danube is a plateau upon which lies the capital, Munich, and beyond it are the Bavarian Alps. Bavaria’s share of the Alps consists of wooded peaks of several thousand feet, with steep ridges and high plateaus, including the Allgäuer Alps in the west and the Alps of Berchtesgaden in the east. The highest point in Bavaria is the Zugspitze, which, at 9,718 feet (2,962 metres), is also the highest point in Germany.

Bavaria has a distinct culture, largely due to its Catholic heritage and conservative traditions. This includes a unique language, cuisine, architecture, festivals, and elements of Alpine symbolism. The state also has the second-largest economy among the German states by GDP figures, giving it the status of a wealthy German region.

Bavaria is divided into seven administrative regions called Regierungsbezirke. Each of these regions has a state agency called the Bezirksregierung (district government). The second communal layer is made up of 71 rural districts (Landkreise) and 25 independent cities (kreisfreie Städte), both of which share the same administrative responsibilities. The third communal layer is comprised of 2,031 regular municipalities (Gemeinden).

Frequently asked questions