Usenet 1993 July/InfoMagic USENET CD-ROM July 1993.ISO/answers/german-faq

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Newsgroups: soc.culture.german,soc.answers,news.answers
Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!usc!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!news.kei.com!ub!newserve!sarah!cscnews!ju8025
From: [e-mail] (Johannes Ullrich)
Subject: FAQ: soc.culture.german Frequently Asked Questions (posted monthly)
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Followup-To: soc.culture.german
Summary: This posting contains a list of Frequently Asked Questions
         (and their answers) posted to soc.culture.german.
         Plase read this before you post a question.
Sender: [e-mail] (News Administrator)
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: State University of New York at Albany
Date: 24 May 93 18:56:01
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Archive-name: german-faq
Last-modified: 1993/05/24
Version: 1.4



                **************************************
                *                                    *
                *     FAQ for SOC.CULTURE.GERMAN     *
                *                                    *
                **************************************



         All new lines are marked with a # sign as first character.
         Open questions are marked by '????' (use as search string).


PLEASE:  This FAQ is very US-centered.  Help to improve this by sending
         information regarding the rest of the world ...



Contents
--------

To skip to a particular question, search for the question number
followed by two blanks.


1.     Introduction

2.     Mail Order

2.1      Bookstores
2.2      News Papers
2.3      Videotapes, Audiotapes
2.4      other stores

3.     Addresses of Embassies/Consulates

4.     Shortwave radio / Sat. TV

5.     Goethe Institutes

6.     E-mail to Germany

7.     Miscellaneous Addresses

8.     How to write Umlauts in soc.culture.german

9.     German dictionaries via FTP

10.    "de" newsgroups

11.    Soccer results (how to get them)

12.    Transferring foreign academic degrees to Germany

13.    Questions and Answers

13.1     Using American electronic equipment in Germany:  different TV
         norms and other problems

13.2     Phones in Germany

13.3     German zip codes (esp. the new ones)

13.4     Public phones in Germany, phone cards in Germany

13.5     VAT in Germany (and how to get a refund if you are not a German)



1.  Introduction

   This posting contains answers to frequently asked questions in
   soc.culture.german.  The answers are neither complete nor tested by
   me.  All information in this FAQ is free and everybody should feel
   encouraged to distribute it.

   Please check this posting first before you ask a question in
   soc.culture.german.

   Input to this FAQ is always welcome.  Please refer to
   [e-mail] or [e-mail] if you have questions
   about the FAQ.

   The FAQ was prepared by collecting different postings and e-mail msgs.

   Format and language is revised by Sebastian Lisken.


   Special thanks to:

   (...)
   Stephen A. Weatherford [e-mail]
   Michael Stanzel, [e-mail]
   Christian Zimmermann, [e-mail]
   Sven Guckes, [e-mail]
   Chrisian Schmuck, [e-mail]
   Axel Boldt, [e-mail]
   Bjarne Pohlers, [e-mail]
   Sven Kuehne, [e-mail]
   [e-mail]
   D. R. Arthur, [e-mail]
   Sebastian Lisken, [e-mail]

   and many others I forgot (sorry) ...


2.  Mail Order

   In this section you will find addresses of mail order stores which
   sell books or tapes either in German or about Germany (or both).
   This list is not necessarily based on the maintainer's personal
   experience.  The maintainer of this list is not responsible for the
   accuracy of this information.

#  You will find general mail order stores at 2.4.


2.1  Book stores


   German Information Center
   (see 2.2 Newspapers)


   Der Buchwurm
   (German Books, Music Tapes, CD's, Journal Subscriptions, etc.)
   P.O. Box 268
   Templeton, CA  93465
   Tel:  [phone]
   Fax:  [phone]


   Mary S. Rosenberg, Inc.
   1841 Broadway
   New York, NY 10023
   Tel:  [phone]
   Fax:  [phone]

      Mail order, but no credit cards!  However, checks do not need to
      clear your bank before they send merchandise.


   Schoenhof's Foreign Books
   76A Mount Auburn Street
   Cambridge, MA  02138
   Tel:  [phone]
   Fax:  [phone]

      Accepts Visa, MC, and Amex.
      French, German, Italian, and Spanish books


   Adler's Foreign Books, Inc.
   915 Foster Street
   Evanston, Illinois 60201
   Tel:  1-800-ADLERS-1

      Accepts major credit cards,
      no current catalogue!


   International Book Import Service, Inc.
   2995 Wall Triana Highway, Suite B4
   Huntsville, Alabama 35824-1532


   Continental Book Company
   80-00 Cooper Avenue
   Bldg. #29
   Glendale, NY 11385


   MAIL ORDER KAISER
   Postfach 401209
   W-8000 Muenchen 40
   Germany
   Tel:  [phone]

      Mail order bookstore in Germany.
      Delivery worldwide at German domestic prices.
      Monthly newsletters.


   ATS (Associated Technical Services)
   855 Bloomfield Ave.
   Glen Ridge, NJ 07028

      Technical Dictionaries


   2001
   Ferdinand-Porsche-Str. 39
   Postfach 61 06 37
   W-6000 Frankfurt/Main
   Tel:  [phone]
   Fax:  [phone]

   or:

   Kantstr. 41
   W-1000 Berlin 12
   Tel:  [phone]

      they also have CDs


   Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft
   Hindenburgstrasse 40
   Postfach 11 15 53
   W-6100 Darmstadt 11
   Germany
   Tel:  [phone]
   Fax:  [phone]



2.2  Newspapers


   Deutschland Nachrichten / The Week in Germany

   The German Information Center
   950 Third Ave.
   New York NY
   10022
   Tel:  [phone]

      "Deutschland Informationen" or its English version "The Week in
      Germany" is a free 8 page flyer.  It features selected articles
      from various German newspapers, soccer results, and the $/DM
      exchange rate.  The German Information Center also distributes
      lots of other information (books, maps, ...)  for free.  They
      are a particularly helpful resource for those who may have to
      prepare a school presentation about Germany.


   Der Spiegel

   German Language Publications, Inc.
   153 South Dean Street
   Englewood NJ
   07631

      Published weekly, subscription price for the USA is $280 p.a.


   DIE ZEIT

   Distribution:

   German News Company Inc.
   220 E 86th St, NY
   New York
   10028-3098
   USA
   Tel:  [phone]

   or:

   Die Zeit
   29 Coldwater Road             P.O. Box 9868
   Toronto, ON                   Englewood, NJ
   M3B 1Y8                       07631-1123
   Canada                        USA

      "Die Zeit" is available either via air mail or as international
      edition via surface mail from Canada.  The international edition
      is much cheaper but contains less pages.

      If you order it at the German News Company you have to call and
      send them a check for $30 payable to German News Co.  This gives
      you 6 months subscription.


#  The German Tribune
#
#     does not exist any more ...


   Die Nordamerikanische Wochenpost

   Die Nordamerikanische Wochenpost
   1120 E. Long Lake Road
   Troy, MI
   48098

      3 month trial subscription: $15, one year $42.95

      This is a general interest newspaper.  The front page generally
      features news from/about Germany.  There are special pages for
      regional, domestic American news of interest to German speakers
      (e.g. Florida, New York, Chicago/Milwaukee, and Detroit).
      Additionally, there's a special page for news from/about
      Austria.  All the major sections that you would expect in any
      newspaper are represented:  politics, sports, the economy,
      fashion, cartoons, features, editorials, etc.  There are also
      several short-stories and a serialized novel.  There's a list of
      German-language radio broadcasts for North America (US and
      Ontario, Canada).  It also contains a list of German-American
      associations.


   Tages-Anzeiger

   Tages-Anzeiger
   Abonnentendienst
   Postfach
   CH-8021 Zuerich
   Fax:  [phone]

      prices (Sfr) for all countries, first four issues free.

                  air mail    surface mail
      3 months       41.74           33.75
      6 months       78.50           66.50
      1 year        135.00          111.00

#     Tages-Anzeiger is one of the major Swiss daily newspapers
#     (besides Neue Zuericher Zeitung). Their international edition
#     is published weekly.



2.3  Tapes


   VIDEO:

   (To convert videotapes (NTSC <-> PAL) see 12.1)


   German Language Video Center
   7625-27 Pendleton Pike
   Indianapolis, Indiana 46226
   Tel:  [phone]

      free catalogue


   AUDIO:


   The Olivia and Hill Press
   P.O. Box 7396
   Ann Arbor, Michigan 48107
   Tel:  [phone]
   Fax:  [phone]

      Selection of German-language cassette recordings of novels,
      plays, and radio plays, e.g. Duerrenmatt's "Der Richter und sein
      Henker".  Free catalogue.


   Schau ins Land
   P.O. Box 158067
   Nashville, TN 37215-8067
   Tel:  [phone]

      Monthly audio magazine of news, stories, music, etc.  Comes with
      a written transcription including a vocabulary glossary.
      Approx. $120/yr. in the US.



# 2.4  other stores
#
#  "Quelle" have an office in Oceanside, N.Y.
#  ???? Can anybody supply more information ????



3.  Addresses of Consulates/Embassies

   The Consulates are very helpful in getting information about anything
   concerning Germany (travel, politics, laws ...)  They're very
   thorough and supply lots of information in response to requests.  The
   German Information Center (see 2.2) is sponsored by them.

   There is a list of all embassies/consulates in the US.  You get it
   from the Department of State.  Its title is "Foreign Consular Offices
   in the United States" and it contains addresses, names of the staff
   and phone numbers.  You might find the booklet in most public
   libraries.


   Consulate General of the
   Federal Republic of Germany
   One Union Square, Suite 2500
   600 University Street
   Seattle, WA 98101


   The German Embassy
   4645 Reservoir Road NW
   Washington, DC  20007


   Consulate General of the FRG
   2100 Edison Plaza
   660 Plaza Drive
   Detroit, MI 48226-1849
   Tel:  [phone]
   Fax:  [phone]


   Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany
   460 Park Ave.
   New York, NY
   Tel:  [phone]


   Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany
   6222 Wilshire Blvd. , Suite 500
   Los Angeles, CA 90048
   Tel:  [phone]

   Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany
   Miami, FL
   ???? street, phone ????



4.  Shortwave Radio / Sat. TV

   The official German shortwave station is the "Deutsche Welle".  It
   broadcasts worldwide in a variety of languages.  To get a monthly
   free schedule write to

      Deutsche Welle
      Postfach 100444
      W-5000 Koeln 1
      Germany
      Tel:  [phone]

   The "Deutsche Welle" also broadcasts TV using different satellites.

   Europe: EUTELSAT II-F1 (13 deg. east)
           Transponder 27, 11,163 GHz, vert. pol, 15-05 UTC, PAL.

   Nord/South America: INTELSAT-K (21.4 deg. west)
           Transponder H7, 11,605 Ghz,
           North America: hor. pol.
           South America: ver. pol.
           15-05 UTC, NTSC M

   North America: SATCOM C-4 (135 deg. W)
           Transponder 5V, 3,8 GHz, pol. vert., 15-05 UTC, NTSC M

   Look also for the Suedwestfunk (SWF3).  It is a regional station
   broadcasting at 7265 kHz in Europe.

      Suedwestfunk
      Postfach 820
      W-7570 Baden-Baden

   Consult the "World Radio and TV Handbook" for a complete listing of
   all shortwave stations.  The book is updated annually and can be
   found in many libraries.

#  For Information about Switzerland you might want to listen to
#  "Schweizer Radio International"
#
#  Swiss Radio International
#  PO Box CH-3000
#  Berne 15, Switzerland
#
#  Or for Austia:
#
#  Radio Austria
#  A-1136
#  Vienna, Austria


5.  Goethe Institutes

   The various "Goethe Institutes" are funded by the German government
   to provide an opportunity for people outside Germany to become
   acquainted with German culture.  They offer exhibitions, movies, and
   German classes.  To get more information, call one of the following:

      Ann Arbor       [phone]
      Atlanta         [phone]
      Boston          [phone]
      Chicago         [phone]
      Cincinnati      [phone]
      Houston         [phone]
      Los Angeles     [phone]
      New York        [phone]
      San Francisco   [phone]
      Seattle         [phone]
      St. Louis       [phone]
      Washington DC.  [phone]

      Montreal        [phone]
      Toronto         [phone]
      Vancouver       [phone]

      Kyoto           75/761218-889
      Osaka           6/3413051-53
      Tokyo           3/35843201 or 03-3584-3267


6.  E-Mail to Germany

   If you are looking for an E-mail address in Germany, give the address
   servers a chance.

   I will no longer include information about e-mail connections to
   Germany.  It's too difficult to acquire and maintain current and
   accurate information about the various non-Internet networks etc.  I
   don't live in Germany at the moment and don't use German systems.
   How about some volunteers?  I could include their e-mail address in
   the FAQ; and people who have questions about a given net could ask
   this contact person.  It would be ideal if the contact person uses
   the network on a regular basis and is, therefore, up-to-date about
   gateways between internet/bitnet and such.

   I found that there are gateways from Internet to:  FIDO, MAUS, SEVEN,
   Z-NETZ, MagicNet.

7.  Miscellaneous Addresses


   Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
   Kennedyallee 40
   W-5300 Bonn 2

      They are something like the NSF in the USA.


   Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst
   Kennedyallee 50
   W-5300 Bonn 2
   Tel:  [phone]

      Very important for foreign students who want to study in Germany
      and also for German students who want to study in another country.
      They also have an office in New York (check the phonebook for
      German Academic Exchange Service)


   Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes
   Mirbachstr. 7
   W-5300 Bonn 1
   Tel.:  [phone]

      An important source of scholarships for German students abroad and
      in Germany.


   Konferenz der Kultusminister
   Postfach 22 40
   5300 Bonn 2

      This is the place where they decide about transferability of foreign
      academic degrees.  Maybe they answer questions.
      ???? Any experience how helpful this address is ????


   Representative of German Industry and Trade
   One Farragut Square South
   Washington, DC. 20006
   Tel:  [phone]


   Zentralstelle fuer Arbeitsvermittlung
   Feuerbachstrasse 42-46
   W-6000 Frankfurt/Main
   Tel:  [phone]
   Fax:  [phone]

      This is an important address for people who want to work in Germany.


   Association for International Practical Training (AIPT)
   217 American City Building
   Columbia, MD 21044-3492
   Tel:  [phone]


   Chamber of Commerce

   The German-American Chamber of Commerce
   465 California Street, Suite 910
   San Francisco, CA  94104
   Tel:  [phone]

   German-American Chamber of Commerce
   104 S. Michigan Ave. Suite 600
   Chicago, IL 60603-5978
   Tel:  [phone]

   German-American Chamber of Commerce
   909 Fannin Suite 3750
   Suite 3418
   Houston, TX 77010
   Tel:  [phone]

   German-American Chamber of Commerce
   3250 Wilshire Blvd.
   Suite 1112
   Los Angeles, CA 90010
   Tel:  [phone]

   German-American Chamber of Commerce
   666 Fifth Avenue
   New York, NY 10103
   Tel:  [phone]

   German-American Chamber of Commerce
   Peachtree Center Harris Tower
   233 Peachtree Street NE
   Suite 2701
   Atlanta, GA 30303
   Tel:  [phone]

      They maintain a list of the German companies in the US along with
      their address which you can purchase.  The price varies according
      to how detailed a list you wish to have.


8.  How to write Umlauts in soc.culture.german

   As you may have noted, there are various ways to write umlauts.
   There is no generally accepted way to do this in soc.culture.german.
   Periodically, therefore, you will observe hard-fought battles on this
   topic in this group.

   Here are the two methods most often used:

   "common" Version   ae  oe  ue  AE  OE  UE  ss or sz
   TeX Version        "a  "o  "u  "A  "O  "O  "s

   Please!  if you have a German-style keyboard with umlauts, and if
   you're using it to, say, post something in soc.culture.german, DON'T
   use the umlauts.  They probably won't get displayed correctly on
   terminals in, say, North America.


9.  German dictionaries via FTP

   German word lists and German-English dictionaries are available via
   FTP from the sites listed below (with brief descriptions following
   the filenames).  This list includes only those sites which I believe
   are the most current and complete.


   FTP SITES:


   site:  ftp.informatik.tu-muenchen.de
   directory:  /pub/doc/dict

   -rw-r--r--  1 gruner   ftp         37070 Oct 19  1990 exercise.vok.Z
   -rw-r--r--  1 hartl    ftp        761528 Aug 21  1991 German-wordlist.Z
   -rw-rw-r--  1 stumpf   ftp        761910 Oct 23  1991 German-wordlist.new.Z
   -rw-r--r--  1 bartel   staff      137591 May 13  1991 Germanl.Z
   -rw-r--r--  1 gruner   ftp         55447 Oct 19  1990 idioms.vok.Z
   -rw-r--r--  1 gruner   ftp         11089 Oct 19  1990 technik.vok.Z

   These files are mirrored at
      site:  ftp.uni-kl.de
      directory: /pub2/packages/doc.tum/dict
   and, of particular interest for people west of the Atlantic, at
      site:  arthur.cs.purdue.edu
      directory: /pub/pcert/dict/German/ftp.informatik.tu-meunchen.de

   * also at
   * site:  ftp.th-darmstadt.de
   * directory:  /pub/dicts/German


   site: ftp.uni-muenster.de
   directory:  /pub/dict/German

   -rw-r--r--   1 stephan  all           186 Aug 17 11:39
      German-English-Computer.dict.README
   -rw-r--r--   1 stephan  all         45440 Aug 17 11:39
      German-English-Computer.dict.v9.tar.Z
   -rw-r--r--   1 stephan  all          1683 Aug 17 11:40 German-english.README
   -rw-r--r--   1 stephan  all        419898 Aug 17 11:39 German-english.tar.Z
   -rw-r--r--   1 stephan  all        761910 Aug 17 11:44 German-wordlist.new.Z
   -rw-r--r--   1 stephan  all          6703 Aug 17 11:40 German.README.1st
   -rw-r--r--   1 stephan  all        761919 Aug 17 11:58 German.ispell.Z
   -rw-r--r--   1 stephan  all        137591 Aug 17 11:40 Germanl.Z

   Or look at
   site:  nestroy.wu-wien.ac.at
   directory: /ftp-raimund/pub/lib/info

   A different version of German.english.tar.Z, called english-German.dic,
   is available at
   site:  reseq.regent.e-technik.tu-muenchen.de
   directory:  /physik.archive/mailserv.zdv.uni-tuebingen.de


   FILE DESCRIPTIONS:


   Germanl                         : alphabetized list of ~ 27,000 German words
   German-wordlist,
   German-wordlist.new             : alphabetized list of ~160,000 German words
   idioms.vok                      : 2400 German idioms
                                     with English translations
   technik.vok                     : 810 alphabetized German technical terms
                                     with English translations
   German-English-Computer.dict.v9 : several hundred computers terms in German
                                     and English, alphabetized by English, some
                                     with German explanations
   German-english                  : several English-German and German-English
                                     lists, including the .vok files

   The file German-english.tar.Z at ftp.uni-muenster.de (formerly
   switek.uni-muenster.de) was corrupted and got replaced by a new
   version.  The new version has 419898 Bytes versus the 102912 Bytes of
   the old (bad) version.


# 10.  "de" newsgroups
#
#  If you would like to know more about Germany and you are able to read
#  and write German try the newsgroups in the "de" hierarchy.  Those
#  newsgroups are available in Germany and at many sites in the US.
#
#  For a list of these sites send e-mail to the author of this FAQ
#  ([e-mail]).


11.  German soccer results

   If you ask Thomas Hofmeister ([e-mail])
   he will send you the most recent soccer results via e-mail.


12.  Transferring foreign academic degrees to Germany

   (Because this is only important for Germans, I write this in German.
   There are just too many special legal terms involved to do it in
   English ...)


   ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ????

   Hier fehlen mir noch Literaturhinweise (Gesetzestexte) und Beispiele.
   Speziell der zweite Teil (Bundeslaender ausser Bayern) braucht Hilfe!

   ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ????


   Hier einige wichtige Fakten, die ihr wissen solltet.


   Fuer alle Bundeslaender:

   - Es ist fuer deutsche Staatsbuerger _verboten_, in Deutschland
     auslaendische akademische Grade zu fuehren.

   - Um einen auslaendischen akademischen Grad in seiner Originalform
     fuehren zu duerfen, bedarf es einer "Erlaubnis zum Fuehren ..."

   - Diese Erlaubnis erteilt das Kultusministerium des Bundeslandes, in
     welchem der erste Wohnsitz liegt. Fuer Personen, die nicht in
     Deutschland wohnen, erteilt das Land NRW die Erlaubnis.

   - Die Erlaubnis kostet etwa 100-150 DM Bearbeitungsgebuehr. Die
     Bearbeitung dauert etwa einen Monat.

   - Die Erlaubnis besagt nichts ueber eine Gleichwertigkeit. Sie
     stellt lediglich fest, dass der Titel rechtmaessig erworben wurde
     und gibt an, in welcher Form er verwendet werden darf. Zum
     Beispiel wird aus einem Master of Science, der an der State
     University of New York at Albany erworben wurde, ein "Master of
     Science at State University of New York at Albany". Gleichzeitig
     werden auch zulaessige Abkuerzungen mitgeteilt (Bsp: M.S.
     (SUNYA)).


   Fuer alle Bundeslaender ausser Bayern:

   Es gibt noch den zweiten Weg (ausser in Bayern): Ihr koennt einen im
   Ausland erworbenen Titel als einem deutschen gleichwertig anerkennen
   lassen. Die Bearbeitung ist dann im allgemeinen etwas aufwendiger
   (laenger, teurer). Das Ergebnis ist, dass ihr euch dann statt Ph.D
   Dr. phil nennen duerft (oder auch Dr. rer. nat.). Die Details
   sind von Bundesland zu Bundesland sehr verschieden. Diese
   Anerkennung kann auch abgelehnt werden.

#  In einem Beispiel (Baden-Wuerttemberg) wurde ein amerikanischer
#  Master (in Computer Science) in einen Magister umgewandelt. Dies
#  wurde mit der Studienzeit begruendet, welche kuerzer war als die
#  Regelstudienzeit fuer einen Diplom-Informatiker.
#
#  Wer nicht in Deutschland gemeldet ist, muss sich an das
#  Kultusministerium von Nordrhein-Westfalen wenden. Es wird dann ein
#  Nachweis verlangt, dass man wirklich im Ausland lebt. Da es in
#  vielen Laendern (speziell USA) keine Meldepflicht gibt, muss
#  normalerweise der umgeschriebene Pass vorgelegt werden (Kopie
#  reicht). Andere Nachweise sind zum Beispiel ein Auszug aus der
#  DMV-Kartei (im wesentlichen besagt dieser, dass man einen
#  amerikanischen Fuehrerschein hat, welcher auf eine amerikanische
#  Adresse ausgestellt wurde).
#
#  Die Adresse in NRW:
#
#  Ministerium fuer Wissenschaft und Forschung
#  des Landes NRW
#  Postfach 101103
#  (Voelkinger Str. 49)
#  W-4000 Duesseldorf 1
#
#  Tel:  [phone]
#  Fax:  [phone]
#
#  Verlangt wird in NRW (wie sonst auch): Beglaubigte Kopie des
#  Abiturzeugnisses und der Verleihungsurkunde fuer den amerikanischen
#  Grad, Kopie eines Wohnsitznachweises, ausgefuelltes Antragsformular.
#  Nach der Bearbeitung wird eine Gebuehr verlangt (war 150 DM). Ein
#  Ph.D. wird in in Dr. rer. nat. (USA) umgewandelt.


13.  Questions and Answers


13.1  American electronic equipment in Germany

   If you wish to use domestic American electronics in Germany you will
   encounter difficulties such as:

   - German plugs have a different shape.
   - The medium wave (AM) frequencies have different spacings (9 kHz vs.
     10 kHz).  This will cause problems with digital receivers.
   - The voltage / frequency in Germany is 220-240 V / 50 Hz and not
     110 V / 60 Hz as in the US.  Improper voltage / frequency could
     result in serious damage.
   - TV uses the PAL norm.  American TV uses the NTSC norm.  These two
     norms are incompatible.  Therefore an American television will not
     work in Germany and vice-versa.

   Multi-norm TVs are easily available in Europe.  It is also not too
   expensive to find a VCR which is able to play NTSC and PAL tapes.
   Only very few, very expensive VCRs are able to record and play VHS
   tapes in NTSC and PAL (e.g. Panasonic W1, about DM 5000).  Some small
#  electronic stores might convert NTSC to PAL. Cheaper VCRs are able
#  to play different formats (NTSC, PAL, SECAM).

   Similarly, PAL format videotapes will not display properly using an
   NTSC based VCR and vice-versa.  There is a service in Raleigh, NC
   (see below) where video conversion from any format to any other
   format can be made (VHS, VHS-C and 8 mm types of cassettes) for a
   fee.  This will allow playback of videotapes made overseas using US
   TVs and VCRs (PAL, SECAM --> NTSC) and vice-versa (NTSC --> PAL,
   SECAM, etc ...)


   INTERNATIONAL VIDEO CONVERSION
   520 Harvest Lane
   Raleigh, NC 27606-2217
   Tel:  [phone]

   Fees: $20.00 + $5.00 S&H
      (Price of a High Grade Cassette Included, 2hrs or less)

   Delivery: Mailed back the next day, express shipping at request.

   Payment: Cheque, Cash or Money Order mailed with tape.


   or:

#  [e-mail] does it for $5 per hour + $3 for the blank tape.
   (Formats: NTSC, PAL, NPAL, MPAL, SECAM, MSECAM)


   or:


   Conversion Labs
   2250 Monroe St #263
   Santa Clara, CA 95050
   Tel:  [phone]

   $20 per tape (up to 2h, each add. hour $ 10).  Tape, S&H included.
   Mail only, next day shipping, overnight available.  Check, cash,
   money order.

   NTSC (8mm, Hi8, VHS) -> PAL (VHS)


13.2  Phones in Germany


   The law:

   The German phone system is operated by the German Telecom.  There are
   no private long-distance or local phone companies.  Every phone, fax
   or modem you connect to a phone line needs to be approved by the
   German Telecom.  Approved appliances have a special sticker with a
   BZT number on the back.

   You may own any phone but you may not connect it to the public system
#  unless it has a BZT number (Old phones: ZZF).  You may not own radios
#  or cordless phones which are not approved.  The number is usually
#  found on a sticker at the back of the case.


   The German Telecom (Deutsche Bundespost Telekom):

   They are a state-owned company which split from the German mail
   (Bundespost) a couple of years ago.  They try to act like a private
   company but don't quite measure up because of lacking competition and
   for various historical reasons.  Changes relating to the introduction
   of European Community laws can be expected.


   Pulse dial phones should work in Germany.  Tone dial is not available
   in many areas.  This is changing, however.

   Cordless phones are a real problem.  In Germany, cordless phones
   operate on different frequencies than in most other countries.  The
   frequencies many foreign phones use are used by others (police,
   emergencies, radio, TV ...).  Therefore,

      use only approved cordless phones !!! or they _will_ get you !!!

   Problems are possible with Hong Kong or British pulse dial phones
   because the pulses there are not exactly the same as in Germany.  But
   the phone system is very tolerant and with most of these phones you
   can switch to the other system anyway (same for Modems).

   The wall outlets for phones in Germany have a different shape than
   the usual modular plug.  Adaptors are available in Germany (from 2.50
   to 20 DM).  These adaptors are no problems with phones.


13.3  German zip codes (Postleitzahlen, PLZ)


   Until end of June 1993:

   Every zip code has one letter, a dash and four digits.  The letter is
   a "W" for former West Germany and an "O" for East Germany.

   You can get these zip codes via gopher at the infoserver of the RWTH
   Aachen.  The also have them as a file for FTP.

   Examples:   O-1155 Berlin
               W-1000 Berlin 33

   In many bigger cities in the west a number follows the city name
   for reasons of further differentiation.

   Mail without the O/W letter takes significantly longer (weeks!)


   From 1st July 1993:

   All zip codes will get changed.  The new zip codes have 5 digits.  No
   more additional numbers following city names.

   There is no easy way to convert between old and new zip codes.
   Diverse files with new and old zip codes can be found at
   ftp.uni-stuttgart.de (/info/allgemein/PLZ).  Get the README file out
   of this directory for more information.

   One city might now have more than one zip code.  Big companies get
   their own codes (as in the US zip code system).

#  The easiest way to get the new zip codes are Gopher servers.
#  They are offered at:
#
#  gopher.informatik.tu-muenchen.de
#     (here you will also find a map - GIF format - showing the new zip
#     code areas)
#
#  or
#
#  gopher.rog.twth-aachen.de
#     (They have also a list of car license plate codes and the phone
#     area codes).

   Thomas Bullinger has written a mailserver.  To get a zip code send a
   mail message to [e-mail].  The subject line should be
       Subject: #PLZ# name-of the town
   The name of the town has to be spelled in CAPS.
   Add your E-mail address to the Subject.

   example:   To:       [e-mail]
              Subject:  #PLZ# ELLWANGEN [e-mail]

#  Another mailserver is [e-mail].
#  Send a mail that uses the following syntax:
#
#  1st line:  Adresse:
#  2nd line:  street and number
#  3rd line:  old zip codes (including the letter O or W) name of the
#             town and old post office number (for larger cities)
#  4th line:  like 1st line or QUIT at the end of the mail.
#
#  example:
#
#  Adresse:
#  Hauptstrasse 5
#  W-1234 Stadtdorf 5
#  QUIT
#
#  You don't need the old zip code if there is only one town with this
#  name.

   The German mail also maintains a toll free number (0130-55555) to ask
   for a zip code.  The number is open from 0800-2200 hrs. only.  It is
   not possible to call this number from outside Germany.  (If somebody
   knows how, please tell !!!).

   The 4 digit zip codes will of course still work.  But letters will
   take longer if you use the old code.

#  The German mail have distributed a (big!) book containing all new
#  zip codes to each German household in May.


13.4  Public phones in Germany, phone cards in Germany

   Public phones in Germany work more or less like everywhere with some
   special exceptions:

   There are now quite a lot of card phones in Germany. Unlike American
   card phones, they use debit cards. German phone cards can be bought
   at any post office and most money exchanges at major train stations.
   They have a given value (12 DM for 40 units or 50 DM for 200 units).
   Once you have used up this value you must get a new card.  If you have
   an American phone card you can get connected to an English speaking
   operator from any phone by dialing:

   - AT&T Direct:    0130-0010
   - MCI Direct:     0130-0012
   - US Sprint:      0130-0013
#  - Canada Direct:  0130-0014

   Many other international long distance companies provide the same
   service. Ask your long distance carrier for the right number.

   Ask these companies for details.  All 0130 numbers are toll free.  At
   public phones you might have to insert 30 Pfennigs (the minimum price
   for a call).  But you will get the money back.

   At card phones it is not possible to use money.  If you have neither
   change nor a phone card there are nice public phones at post offices.
   You ask to make a call and pay at the counter after you are finished.
   Some of them have a (tiny) desk next to them.

   There is one special phone card which allows you to have the calls
   you make added to your home phone bill.  But you need an account at a
   German bank.  The annual fee for this card is about 15 DM.


13.5  VAT in Germany

   In Germany every retail price includes 15% Value Added Tax
   (Mehrwehrtsteuer, MwSt).  If you buy goods in Germany and plan to take
   them with you to a foreign country it is possible to get a refund for
   the VAT.  In some places you even get a discount in the shop.  To get
   the VAT refunded you usually need some proof that you are not a
   German (Passport ...)  and a special receipt from the store.  Then
   ask for your refund at the border or airport (if the store did not
   deduct the tax already).  Please ask the custom people for details.
   This refund might be not available for citizens of European Community
   member states.

==========================================================================
--
Johannes Ullrich               [e-mail]
SUNY Albany                    [e-mail]
Center for X-Ray Optics        phone [phone]
                 !!!I WILL BE GONE FROM 5/25/93 TO 6/28/93 !!!