| Sometimes referred to as Das Land der Dichter und Denker or the Land of Poets and Thinkers, Germany and its culture have been tremendously influential in the Western world. Germany was the homeland of myriad renowned musicians and composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Felix Mendelssohn, and Johannes Brahms, as well as many prominent writers of the likes of Martin Luther and the Grimm brothers. Today, a wide variety of music is enjoyed and created in Germany, including jazz, rock, and rap. Sport is another very important aspect of modern German culture. Football (soccer) and tennis are especially popular, as well as cycling and basketball. Participation in winter sports is also widespread in Germany, as evidenced by the fact that Germany took home a total of 30 medals from the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Germany has also seen great success in the fields of science and research, from the discoveries of Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit to those of Albert Einstein and Max Planck. Maintaining its reputation for excellence in the scientific field, Germany boasts 103 laureates who have won the Nobel Prize |