Standard German (German: Standarddeutsch, colloquially also Hochdeutsch) is the standard variety of the German language used as a written language, in formal contexts, and for communication between different dialect areas. Since German is a pluricentric language, there are different varieties of Standard German.

Origins[link]

Standard German originated not as a traditional dialect of a specific region, but as a written language, developed over a process of several hundred years, in which writers tried to write in a way that was understood in the largest area. Until about 1800, Standard German was almost entirely a written language. In this time, people in Northern Germany, who mainly spoke Low Saxon dialects very different from Standard German, learned it as a foreign language. However, later the Northern pronunciation (of Standard German) was considered standard and spread southward; in some regions (such as around Hanover) the local dialect has completely died out with the exception of small communities of Low German speakers. It is thus the spread of Standard German as a language taught at school that defines the German Sprachraum, i.e. a political decision rather than a direct consequence of dialect geography, allowing areas with dialects of very limited mutual comprehensibility to participate in the same cultural sphere albeit used mainly in informal situations or at home and also including dialect literature, and more recently a resurgence of German dialects in mass media.

Terminology[link]

In German linguistics, only the traditional regional varieties of German are called dialects, not the different varieties of standard German. The latter are known as Umgangssprachen and in the territory of Germany began to replace the traditional dialects beginning in the nineteenth century. They constitute a mixture of old dialectal elements with Standard German.

In German, Standard German is often called Hochdeutsch, a somewhat misleading term since it collides with the linguistic term High German. Hoch ("high") in the term for the standard language refers to "high" in a cultural or educational sense, while in the linguistic term it simply refers to the geography of the German speaking regions in Central Europe; High German of the southern uplands and the Alps (including Austria, Switzerland and parts of northern Italy as well as southern Germany) contrasting with Low German spoken in the lowlands stretching towards the North Sea. To avoid this confusion, some refer to Standard German as Standarddeutsch ("standard German"), deutsche Standardsprache ("German standard language"), or if the context of the German language is clear, simply Standardsprache ("standard language"). Traditionally, though, the language spoken in the high mountainous areas of southern Germany is referred to as Oberdeutsch ("Upper German"), while Hochdeutsch remains the common term for the standard language.

Pluricentricity[link]

The national and regional standard varieties of the German language.^[1]

Standard German differs regionally. The most accepted distinction is between different national varieties of standard German: Austrian Standard German, Germany Standard German and Swiss Standard German. Additionally, there are linguists who think that there are different varieties of standard German within Germany. Linguistic research of the different varieties of standard German has for the most part only begun in the 1990s, and especially in Austria and in Switzerland. During the existence of the German Democratic Republic, there were occasional studies about whether there were differences between the standard varieties of the German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic. The German federal state of Bavaria has promoted language diversity in the past in an effort to preserve its unique culture.

The different varieties of standard German (Austrian, Swiss and Germany Standard) differ only in a few features, especially in vocabulary and pronunciation, but even in some instances of grammar and orthography. In the written language, it may be hard or even impossible to tell what variety of standard German has been used, though in the spoken language, the different varieties of standard German are easily recognized by most speakers.

The variation of the standard German varieties must not be confused with the variation of the local German dialects. Even though the standard German varieties are to a certain degree influenced by the local dialects, they are very distinct. All varieties of standard German are based on the common tradition of the written German language, whereas the local dialects have their own historical roots that go further back than the unification of the written language and in the case of Low German belong to a different language entirely.

Continuum between standard German and German dialects[link]

In most regions, the speakers use a continuum of mixtures from more dialectical varieties to more standard varieties according to situation. However, there are two exceptions:

• In Northern Germany, there is no such continuum between the local indigenous languages and dialects of Low German varieties and standard German. Low German speakers only constitute a small minority.
• In German-speaking Switzerland, there is no such continuum between the Swiss German varieties and Swiss Standard German, and the use of standard German is almost entirely restricted to the written language. Therefore, this situation has been called a medial diglossia. Standard German is rarely spoken, and even then the accent and vocabulary is very much Swiss, except for instance when speaking with people who do not understand the Swiss German dialects at all, and it is expected to be used in school. Standard German has, however, left a clear imprint on the contemporary variants of Swiss German, regional expressions and vocabulary having been replaced with material assimilated from the standard language. Of all the German-speaking countries Switzerland has however retained its ability to use dialect in everyday situations, also a commonplace phenomenon in southern Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Alsace, and South Tyrol. The fairly common aspect of dialect use in Swiss media (both radio, internet, and television), which ranges from uncommon to rare in the media of Austria, Germany, East Belgium, South Tyrol and Liechtenstein, makes Switzerland a special case.

Although Luxembourgish is no longer considered a German dialect today but a language, the situation can be compared to that of Switzerland. Standard German is also taught in schools in Luxembourg and close to 90% of the population can speak it.^[2]

Phonology[link]

Pronunciation of Standard German was first prescribed in 1898 in the Deutsche Bühnenaussprache of Theodor Siebs – originally intended only for the field of theatre and movies (Bühne = stage). In Siebs' pronunciation, the phoneme /r/ was given a pronunciation of [r], while regional variants are permissible in contemporary Standard German. In many ways the pronunciation is derived from the Low German pronunciation^{[citation needed]}, for example, the written suffix "-ig" is given the pronunciation identical to "-ich," which is contrary to common usage in southern parts of the German dialect continuum that pronounce it like "-ik" or western ones that pronounce it like "-isch." Modern pronunciation differs in some aspects from Siebs' description and the current state is commonly recorded in the Duden series (volume 4: Das Aussprachewörterbuch – The Pronunciation Dictionary).

Grammar[link]

Orthography[link]

A first standardization, although non-prescriptive, of Early Modern High German was introduced by the Luther Bible of 1534. In consequence, the written language of the chancery of Saxony-Wittenberg rose in importance in the course of the 17th century, and the 1665 revision of the Zürich Bible abandoned its Alemannic idiom in favour of this standard.

The First Orthographical Conference (I. Orthographische Konferenz) was called in 1876 by the government of Prussia. Since Prussia was by far the largest state in the German Empire, its regulations also influenced spelling elsewhere.

Konrad Duden published the first edition of his dictionary, later simply known as the Duden, in 1880. The first spelling reform, based on Duden's work, came into effect in 1901. The orthographical standards predating 1901 are now known as "classical orthography" (Klassische deutsche Rechtschreibung), while the conventions in effect from 1901 to 1998 are summarized as "old orthography" (Alte deutsche Rechtschreibung). A failed attempt at another reform dates to 1944, delayed on the order of Hitler and not taken back up after the end of the World War II. In the following decades German spelling was essentially decided de facto by the editors of the Duden dictionaries. After the war, this tradition was followed with two different centers: Mannheim in West Germany and Leipzig in East Germany. By the early 1950s, a few other publishing houses had begun to attack the Duden monopoly in the West by putting out their own dictionaries, which did not always hold to the "official" spellings prescribed by Duden. In response, the Ministers of Culture of the federal states in West Germany officially declared the Duden spellings to be binding as of November, 1955.

From 1996, another reform was attempted, based on an international agreement signed by the governments of the German-speaking countries Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. The acceptance of the reform was limited. While, as of 2004^[update], most German print media use rules that to a large extent comply with the reform, some newspapers, such as Die Zeit, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, or Süddeutsche Zeitung, created their own in-house orthographies.

In 2006, there was a final revision of the spelling reform because there were disagreements like capitalizing or separating German words. Also revised were the rules governing punctuation marks.

See also[link]

	Germany portal
	Switzerland portal
	Language portal

• History of the German language
• Standard language

References[link]

1. ^ Ulrich Ammon, Hans Bickel, Jakob Ebner, et al.: Variantenwörterbuch des Deutschen. Die Standardsprache in Österreich, der Schweiz und Deutschland sowie in Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Ostbelgien und Südtirol. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin 2004.
2. ^ Europeans and their Languages – Eurobarometer, p. 13

Guilty Simpson
In Atlanta, Georgia in March 2008
Background information
Birth name	Byron Simpson
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
Genres	Hip Hop
Occupations	rapper
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1991 – present
Labels	Stones Throw Records

This article relies largely or entirely upon a single source. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. Discussion about the problems with the sole source used may be found on the talk page. (January 2011)

Byron Simpson, better known by his stage name Guilty Simpson is a rapper from Detroit, Michigan. He was previously known as Guilt. Over time, he saw that there were more emcees using the alias. In order to set himself apart from the others, he added his last name to become Guilty Simpson. He is signed to Stones Throw Records. He is also known for being a favorite of the late producer J Dilla.^[1] His debut album, Ode to the Ghetto includes production from J Dilla, as well as other frequent collaborators Madlib and Black Milk. Along with Sean Price and Black Milk, Guilty Simpson formed the rap trio Random Axe. Simpson is also affiliated with the Detroit hip hop collective Almighty Dreadnaughtz. His major influences were Big Daddy Kane, N.W.A., Scarface, and Kool G Rap.^[1]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Collaboration albums[link]

Mixtapes[link]

• 2007: Stray Bullets (mixed by DJ Rhettmatic) (Stones Throw)
• 2009: Madlib Medicine Show Vol.1: Before the Verdict (Feat. Guilty Simpson) (produced by Madlib)
• 2010: Ghettodes (Beats by Oh No)
• 2010: OX to the D (With Roc C) (produced by Soul Professa)

Singles[link]

• 2007: "Man's World" 12" (Prod. J Dilla)
• 2007: "Getting Bitches" 12" (Prod. Mr Porter) b/w "She Won't Stay At Home" (Prod. Madlib)
• 2008: "Ode To The Ghetto" 12" (Prod. Oh No) b/w "Home Invazion (Madlib Robbery Remix)" (Prod. Madlib)
• 2008 ""Guilt Trip" b/w "Trusted (Lying Bitch)" Digital Single (Prod. L.G.P)
• 2008: "Footwork (Size 12 Version)" 7" (Prod. Madlib)
• 2009: "Stress" 12" (Prod. J Dilla)
• 2009: "Coroners Music" 12" (Prod. Madlib) b/w "OJ Simpson" (Prod. Madlib)
• 2009: "Acquired Taste" 7" (Prod. Metro)

Appearances[link]

2003

• "Strapped" (Jaylib - Champion Sound)
• "As Serious As Your Life (J Dilla Remix)" feat. J Dilla (Four Tet - As Serious As Your Life 12")

2004

• "Alert" (B.R. Gunna - Dirty District: Vol. 2)

2006

• "Heartbreaker" (T3 - Olio: The Mixtape)
• "Special" feat. Paradime (Dabrye - Two/Three)
• "Baby" feat. Madlib; "Jungle Love" feat. M.E.D. (J Dilla - The Shining)
• "Clap Your Hands" (Peanut Butter Wolf - Chrome Children)

2007

• "Money Motivated Movements" (Peanut Butter Wolf - Chrome Children Vol. 2)
• "Take Notice" (J Dilla - Ruff Draft)
• "Nightmare" (Phat Kat - Carte Blanche)
• "Watch Your Step" feat. Vinnie Paz (Percee P - Perseverance)
• "Play Your Position" (Skyzoo - Corner Store Classic)
• "For The D" feat. Eric Lau (Producer No. 1 - The Album)
• "For The D (Harmonic 313 Remix)" feat. Eric Lau (Producer No. 1 - Remix EP)
• "Supreme" feat. Invincible (Buff1 - Pure)
• "Sound The Alarm" (Black Milk - Popular Demand)
• "Mouth Music" feat. Busta Rhymes (Black Milk & Bishop Lamont - Caltroit)
• "Before I Die (Hip Hop Version)" (The Heliocentrics - Stones Throw Promo Sampler 2007)
• "Mash's Revenge" feat. MF DOOM; "Make It Fast" (Peanut Butter Wolf - 2K8 B-Ball Zombie War)
• "Electric Gangstas" feat. S.A., Tenacity, and Shi-Dog; (Abolitionist Projects - Impossible Obstacle (Replacements))

2008

• "Rapcats Can't Fuck" feat. Mr Smee (DJ LKB & Miles Flint - Spezial Blend EP)
• "Bad Man" feat. Scorpion (Fat Ray & Black Milk - The Set Up)
• "Just LIKE A Man" (88-Keys - Adam's Case Files: The Mixtape)
• "Middle Of The Map Pt. 2" feat. Black Milk (Kidz In The Hall - The In Crowd)
• "Can't F*** With My City" (Trick Trick)
• "Psycho (Guncheck)" (D3CCPT - Psycho (Guncheck) 12")
• "Strategies" (Shawn Jackson - First Of All...)
• "Ferocious" (DJ Design - Jetlag)
• "Do My Thing" feat. Royce Da 5'9" (DJ Revolution - King Of The Decks)
• "Blow The Horns On 'Em"; "Go!" (Madlib - WLIB AM: King Of The Wigflip)
• "R U Listening" (Illa J - Yancey Boys)
• "It Dont Stop" (Dj Wich - The Golden Touch)
• "Unstoppable" (Dj Wich - The Golden Touch)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Guilty Simpson

• Guilty Simpson on Myspace
• Guilty Simpson on Stones Throw
• Guilty Simpson interview with Peak Street Magazine (2010)
• Interview with Guilty Simpson for Cream.Cz
• April 2008 Interview with L.A. Record
• Interview with La Famiglia Magazine

This section may need to be rewritten entirely to comply with Wikipedia's quality standards. You can help. The discussion page may contain suggestions. (October 2010)

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2010)

Black Milk
Background information
Birth name	Curtis Cross
Born	(1982-08-14) August 14, 1982 (age 29)
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, United States
Genres	Midwest hip hop Detroit hip hop
Occupations	Record producer, rapper
Instruments	Drums, Turntable, Sampler, Keyboards, Synthesizer, Fender Rhodes, Drum Machine
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Fat Beats Records / Decon
Associated acts	Danny Brown, B.R. Gunna, Slum Village, J Dilla, Random Axe, Royce da 5'9", Elzhi, Bishop Lamont, Jack White, Name Tag, Phat Kat, Guilty Simpson

Curtis Cross, (born August 14, 1982) better known as Black Milk, is a hip hop producer and MC from Detroit, Michigan.^[1][2]

Biography[link]

Performing in Toronto in 2012

In 2004, he formed B.R. Gunna, with Young RJ, and Fat Ray, and together they released Dirty District: Vol. 2, a follow up to a compilation released in 2001 by Slum Village, which he had contributed production to. Black Milk released a solo album, Sound of the City, Vol. 1, the following year and in 2006 he signed a record contract with Fat Beats Records (Fat Beats is currently distributed by Koch Entertainment, the largest independent distributor in the U.S.). In the fall of 2006, he released an EP, entitled Broken Wax. March 13, 2007 he released a second album, Popular Demand.^[1]

In addition to Slum Village, Black Milk has worked with J Dilla,^[3] Elzhi, Phat Kat, Frank-N-Dank, Lloyd Banks, Canibus, and Pharoahe Monch, and handled most of the production on T3's Olio mixtape of 2006.

In the Winter of 2007/2008 Black Milk paired with Aftermath recording artist Bishop Lamont to release a mixtape entitled Caltroit, which was nominated for Best Hip Hop Mixtape at Justo's Mixtape Awards.^{[citation needed]}

Black Milk released an album with Fat Ray entitled The Set Up on March 4, 2008 and his third official solo release "Tronic" on October 28, 2008. He also handled the majority of production^[4] on Elzhi's album The Preface, released August 12.

Elzhi's "The Leftovers Unmixedtape" was released on December 11, 2009. Black Milk produced four of the tracks on it.

On December 25, 2009, he leaked the first single from his upcoming album Album Of The Year. The song is called "Keep Going". He also released two more singles named "Welcome (Gotta Go)" and "Deadly Medley" featuring Royce Da 5'9" and Elzhi.

On August 22, 2010, he released the music video for "Deadly Medley". The video features Black Milk, Royce da 5'9" and Elzhi.

Album Of The Year was released on September 14, 2010 through Fat Beats and Decon. Black Milk has announced he has already started work on his 5th studio album which he aims to finish and release some time in Summer 2012.

In March 2011, Black Milk released a 7" single entitled 'Brain'. The single was the result of a collaboration between, Black Milk and his band (AB, Daru Jones and Malik Hunter) and Jack White of the White Stripes. A B Side, entitled Royal Mega, was also released.
As the buzz of many of hip hop’s young leaders-to-be evolves from loud commotion into hushed whispers, Black Milk has stayed relevant by remaining focused on creating music that endures. He’s achieved recognition from fans, critics, and his peers as one of the best producers around, and when coupling that talent with his sharp lyricism and stylish delivery as an emcee, Black has proven to be one of the most vital hip hop artists of his generation.

This is already clear to those who heard his 2008 album Tronic, which capped a successful and astonishingly prolific year (in which he also released collaborative full-length releases with rappers Bishop Lamont and Fat Ray, as well as producing the acclaimed solo album from Slum Village’s Elzhi). Tronic showcased a growth in production technique that few expected from a beatmaker best-known for chopping samples, as his signature drums were now peppered with live instrumentation and richer arrangements.

2009 looked to be another year of tremendous progress for Black Milk’s career. After touring Europe with his newly-formed band, consisting of drummer Daru Jones and keyboardist/singer AB, he returned home to Detroit ready to launch efforts on his next album. The year took an unexpected turn as his mentor Baatin of Slum Village–who Black credits with launching his professional career–died. Only weeks later, Black’s manager HexMurda fell into a coma and was paralyzed with a rare pontine stroke. The quick succession of these events eerily mirrored the abrupt deaths of Detroit legends J Dilla and Proof in 2006, stunning the close-knit hip hop community in the Motor City. Things only got worse for Black as he dealt with additional deaths within his family over the next few months. 2009 had become the most difficult year of his life.

As the year came to a close, he returned to recording, and announced that his next release would be audaciously titled Album of the Year. Black quickly explained that the title was referring to the course of events from the previous 12 months. Many fans and critics discounted that explanation, expressing either excitement or objection that he was brashly proclaiming that his work would be the year’s best before the year had even started.

Far from a melancholic work, Album of the Year once again sees Black Milk working to break new ground in hip hop production, and to both refine and redefine his sound. While continuing to construct the skeletons of the tracks on his same trusted AKAI MPC-2000 XL that he’s been using for years, he now employs a team of studio musicians and session players to add new layers of fat and muscle to his songs, with most of the players’ parts composed by the artist himself. A broad range of influence shines through in the tracks, with tinges of rock, reggae, and afrobeat joining his trademark hip hop bangers.

Other than the heavy contributions from both members of his live band (vocalist/keyboardist AB and drummer Daru Jones), the album exclusively features players and vocalists from his hometown of Detroit, including vocalist Melanie Rutherford, bassist Tim Shellabarger, and the versatile horn player and string arranger Sam Beaubien (who arranged horns and strings on Mayer Hawthorne’s A Strange Arrangement). The few guest raps are provided by Royce Da 5’9″, Elzhi, and newcomer Danny Brown.

Few artists in hip hop are able to create music that can rise above expectations and defy categorization. Black Milk welcomes the challenge to accomplish what others cannot, and he’s doing it not only with his acclaimed recordings but also with an electrifying live show. Performing with Daru and AB, the tracks are taken to another level on stage. Both Album of the Year and exciting live performances across the globe are sure to elevate Black Milk that much closer to the star status many have predicted.

Musical style and influences[link]

Cross cites some of his main musical influences as J. Dilla, Easy Mo Bee, Pete Rock, Questlove, A Tribe Called Quest, and De La Soul. His music is very soulful, as he was raised on the sounds of the latter two in the 80s and 90s. The late producer J. Dilla had a large impact on him with his soul-influenced, jazzy beats.

Discography[link]

Solo[link]

• 2005: Sound of the City
• 2006: Broken Wax
• 2007: Popular Demand
• 2008: Tronic (US R&B: #76)
• 2010: Album of the Year (US: #136, US R&B: #28)

Collaborations[link]

• 2004: Dirty District Vol. 2 (with Young RJ as B.R. Gunna)
• 2008: Caltroit (with Bishop Lamont)
• 2008: The Set Up (with Fat Ray)
• 2008: The Preface (with Elzhi)
• 2011: Random Axe (with Sean Price and Guilty Simpson as Random Axe)
• 2011: "Brain" b/w "Royal Mega"(with Jack White)
• 2011: Black & Brown EP (with Danny Brown)^[5]
• 2012: Searching for Sanity (with Melanie Rutherford)

Production[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Black Milk

• Black Milk on Myspace
• Official website
• Template:Http://blackmilk.biz/bio/
• Black Milk RBMA lecture

Mesut Özil

Özil playing for German national team.
Personal information
Full name	Mesut Özil
Date of birth	(1988-10-15) 15 October 1988 (age 23)
Place of birth	Gelsenkirchen, West Germany
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Playing position	Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current club	Real Madrid
Number	10
Youth career
1995–1998	Westfalia 04 Gelsenkirchen
1998–1999	Teutonia Schalke-Nord
1999–2000	Falke Gelsenkirchen
2000–2005	Rot-Weiss Essen
2005–2006	Schalke 04
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2006–2008	Schalke 04	30	(0)
2008–2010	Werder Bremen	71	(13)
2010–	Real Madrid	71	(10)
National team‡
2006–2007	Germany U19	11	(4)
2007–2009	Germany U21	16	(5)
2009–	Germany	33	(8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:47, 13 May 2012 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20:11, 31 May 2012 (UTC)

Mesut Özil (German pronunciation: [ˈmeːzut ˈøːzil], Turkish pronunciation: [me̞ˈsut ˈø̞zil]) (born 15 October 1988) is a German footballer who plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Germany national football team. Özil has been a youth national team member since 2006, and a member of the German national team since 2009. He gained international attention during the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was nominated for the Golden Ball Award, which is awarded to the tournament's best player. Following his breakout performance at the World Cup, he was transferred from Werder Bremen to Real Madrid in August 2010.

Özil is acclaimed for his finesse and improvisation as an attacking midfielder. His style and knack for providing assists for his team-mates has been compared to that of Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane. In 2011, he ranked second in assists in La Liga with 17, and first in major European competitions with 25.^[2][3]

Club career[link]

Gelsenkirchen and Rot-Weiss Essen[link]

Özil began his youth career playing for various clubs in Gelsenkirchen and then played five years for Rot-Weiss Essen.

Schalke 04[link]

In 2005, he moved to the youth department of FC Schalke 04. He was a midfielder and wore 17 as his squad number, after starting as a playmaker and central attacking midfielder in the place of the suspended Lincoln in Ligapokal matches against Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich.^[4] On making the first team there, he was described as "the next big thing," but he eventually fell out with club management and moved on to Werder Bremen in January 2008.^[5]

Werder Bremen[link]

On 31 January 2008, he moved to Werder Bremen for a reported fee of €4.3 million, signing a contract with the German club until 30 June 2011.^[6] Fresh off his fallout at Schalke 04, he stepped into the shoes of Brazilian playmaker Diego to help lead the north German club to the 2009 DFB-Pokal with the winning goal in a 1–0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in Berlin.^[7] He also excelled in Europe where he led Werder Bremen to the final of the last ever UEFA Cup, losing out to Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine.^[8] Although Bremen failed to get going in their 2008–09 Bundesliga season, eventually finishing a disappointing 10th, Özil managed to make a significant impact in most games and came away with a respectable three goals and 15 assists that highlighted his attacking credentials.^[8] In his second season, Bremen finished a respectable third, with Özil contributing nine goals and 17 assists in 31 league fixture appearances.

Real Madrid[link]

2010–11 season[link]

Mesut Özil and Daniele Bonera during Real Madrid – Milan, 2010–11 UEFA Champions League.

Due to his performances in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he ensured his place among Europe's top young talents. He was sought by teams like Barcelona, Arsenal, and Manchester United and reports even claimed that a deal was struck for a transfer to Barça. Werder Bremen denied the report and on 17 August 2010, the team announced that they had reached an agreement with Real Madrid.^[9] The transfer fee is believed to have been in the region of €15 million.^[10] Upon signing, Özil said, "When the offer came in to join Real Madrid, there is no decision to make. Let's be honest – you don't refuse this club. I was in no rush to leave Werder Bremen, but this is one club you say yes to. They are an institution, a club with a fantastic history, stadium and squad full of world-class players. The prospect of performing at the Bernabeu is so awesome you jump straight in."^[11]

He made his debut on 22 August in a friendly match against Hércules, which Real Madrid won 3–1.^[12]

Özil warming up against Leicester City in a pre-season friendly in 2011.

Özil's jersey numbers were changed often before the season started. He was given the number 26 in the pre-season and 19 for his debut. But following the transfer of Rafael van der Vaart to Tottenham Hotspur, he was given the vacant 23.

Özil was brought in to back up teammate Kaká, but due to his surgery, Özil obtained a starting role. He then made his La Liga debut for Real Madrid as a substitute for Ángel di María in the 62nd minute against Mallorca, which Real Madrid drew 0–0.^[13] Özil made his season debut in Champions League on 15 September. He got his first assist with Real Madrid in the 74th minute against Ajax after he crossed in the ball, resulting in a Gonzalo Higuaín goal.^[14] Özil's performances for Real Madrid have been praised by media, fans and players.^[15]

He walked off the pitch as a second half substitute to standing ovations in his first two games as a starter at the Santiago Bernabéu. His first goal came in a league match against Deportivo La Coruña on 3 October 2010, in a 6–1 victory.^[16] Özil's first Champions League goal with Real came in the 14th minute against Milan on 19 October 2010.^[17] On 22 December, he made his debut in the Copa del Rey, scoring once in a 8–0 victory over Levante.^[18]

On 6 March 2011, after providing two assists in a 3–1 victory over Racing de Santander, Özil was greatly praised by worldwide media thanks to his performance on the pitch, thus consolidating his outstanding season so far.^[19] He finished the 2010–11 season with Madrid with 25 assists, the highest for any player in any major European competition that season.

2011–12 season[link]

Özil began wearing the number 10 shirt for Real Madrid in 2011–12, signalling manager José Mourinho's intent to use the German international as his main playmaker.^[20] On 14 August 2011, Özil scored his first goal against Barcelona in El Clásico in the first leg of the 2011 Supercopa de España.^[21] On 17 August 2011, Özil was sent off in the last minute of the second leg of the 2011 Supercopa after an altercation with Barça forward David Villa.^[22] Özil expressed his desire to end his football days at the club in an interview with German magazine kicker, saying, "I'd like to end my career at Real Madrid. I know it will be difficult because I have many more years ahead of me and many younger and good players will also be out there, but I want to be part of that future. I know what I'm capable of and I'm convinced I'll stay at Real Madrid many years."^[23]

Özil was on the short-list of this year's FIFA Ballon d'Or award.^[24]

He finished atop the La Liga assists chart,with 17 assists.^[25] On 2 May 2012, he helped Real Madrid to clinch its 32nd La Liga title as he assisted Real Madrid's first goal and scored the second goal against Bilbao, which Real Madrid later won by 3-0. Eleven days later, Özil scored two goals in the final game of the regular season against RCD Mallorca, once again consolidating his excellent performance with the club. The win made Real the first club in the Spanish top flight to ever reach 100 points in a season.^[26]

International career[link]

Career start[link]

In an interview with FourFourTwo Magazine, Özil spoke about his choice to play for the German National Team: "I am third generation in Germany: my father grew up here. Turkey will always be a special country for me but I did not doubt my decision to play for Germany – ever. I started to play for Germany in the youth teams."^[27]

In September 2006, Özil was called up for the Germany under-17 team. Özil has been a member of the German under-21 team since 2007. On 29 June 2009, Özil was selected the man of the match in a 4–0 win over England during the U-21 European Championship final.^[5]

He made his debut for the senior side during a friendly match against Norway on 11 February 2009. He scored his first goal for the senior team in his third appearance, another friendly, against South Africa on 5 September in Leverkusen at the BayArena.

Mesut Özil playing for Germany.

On an individual level, Özil was rewarded for his outstanding Bundesliga play by being named the best player of the first leg of the 2009 season.^[28]

2010 World Cup[link]

Özil was selected for Germanys squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, starting in all of the team's matches. Özil provided an assist for Cacau's goal to the 4-0 final score against Australia in Germany's first group game. He scored a left-footed half-volley from the edge of the penalty area against Ghana in the final group game, ensuring Germany progressed to the second round as group winners.^[29] On 27 June 2010, he played in Germany's win over England in the last 16 match, setting up the fourth goal with a cross to Thomas Müller as Germany triumphed 4–1.^[30] During the quarter-final match against Argentina, he assisted the second goal for Miroslav Klose with a cross to ensure the 4–0 final score for the Germans. FIFA announced that he was among the ten tournament players nominated for the Golden Ball.

Euro 2012[link]

Özil was one of the leading forces in Germany's qualification for UEFA Euro 2012, scoring five times during the campaign as Germany won 10 out of 10 games to top their group.^[31] Özil also confirmed his reputation as a decisive passer, as he provided seven assists, more than any European international during Euro 2012 qualification.^[32][33] When asked about his country's chances at Euro 2012, Özil simply replied, "We have the potential to beat anyone and we have what it takes to win the title."^[34]On 29 February 2012, Özil was recognised as Germany's best international of the year for 2011 prior to kick-off at a friendly against France in Bremen.^[35][36] Özil's Germany were drawn with the Netherlands, Denmark and Portugal into Group B at Euro 2012, widely touted as the "Group of death".^[37]

Style of play[link]

Germany under-21 manager Horst Hrubesch once said, "We in Germany are prone to rave about foreign players. We praise Wayne Rooney to the heavens, likewise [Cristiano] Ronaldo or Messi. But we have our own Messi. Our Messi is Özil." ^[38] Özil brings finesse and improvisation to the midfield and his magical left foot can open any doors. Özil possesses great footwork and is known for his amazing passes in difficult situations, setting up his teammates for strikes on goal. He has superb ball control and has great awareness of the game on the pitch, which at its best can devastate any defence. He also boasts a powerful shot from distance, as evident during his match against Ghana during the 2010 FIFA World Cup or in the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier against Belgium, where in the latter match, he scored a goal which has been described as a "piece of art."^[5][39] Germany coach Joachim Löw hails Özil for his 'genius moments' and his performance without the ball.^[40] Real Madrid Teammate Xabi Alonso describes Özil as "the kind of player you don't find these days," adding, "He understands the game, sees things, combines and thrives between the lines, unlocking teams," while José Mourinho says, "Ozil is unique. There is no copy of him – not even a bad copy."^[41] Assistant coach of the Germany national football team Hans-Dieter Flick says, "We are proud to have him in our team. When he has the ball, you can feel the excitement and astonishment among the fans."^[42]

His nicknames have included "der Rabe" (The Raven, or in Spanish, "El Cuervo") – playing on his smart and opportunistic style of play,^[43] and at Werder Bremen “der neue Diego” (the new Diego) in reference to Brazilian Diego, whose playmaker role he inherited,^[44] "German Messi"^[45] and "German Zidane".^[46] At Real Madrid he's supposedly called "Nemo" – in reference to the clownfish Nemo from the Pixar movie Finding Nemo.^[41][47] His attacking midfield partnership in Germany internationals with young talent Mario Götze has earned the 'magic duo' the nickname Götzil, alluding to their similar playing positions, technique, abilities, and style of play.^[48]

Personal life[link]

Özil is a third-generation Turkish-German,^{[49][28][50][51]} who, in reference to his game, concludes, "My technique and feeling for the ball is the Turkish side to my game. The discipline, attitude and always-give-your-all is the German part."^[52] Although of Turkish descent, his entire life has been committed to Germany.^[28] His ancestors are from Devrek, Zonguldak in Northern Turkey.^[53]

He is a practicing Muslim. He recites the Quran before his matches. Talking to the Berlin-based daily Der Tagesspiegel, Özil said, "I always do that before I go out (on the pitch). I pray and my teammates know that they cannot talk to me during this brief period."^[54][55]

In 2010, Özil received the Bambi award for being a prime example of successful integration within German society.^[56]

Career statistics[link]

Club statistics[link]

As of 23 May 2012^{[57][58][59][60][61]}

¹Includes other competitive competitions, including the Supercopa de España.

International goals[link]

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	5 September 2009	BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany	South Africa	2–0	2–0	Friendly
2	23 June 2010	Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa	Ghana	1–0	1–0	2010 World Cup
3	8 October 2010	Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany	Turkey	2–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2012 Qualifying
4	7 June 2011	Tofiq Bahramov Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan	Azerbaijan	1–0	3–1	UEFA Euro 2012 Qualifying
5	2 September 2011	Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany	Austria	2–0	6–2	UEFA Euro 2012 Qualifying
6	2 September 2011	Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany	Austria	4–1	6–2	UEFA Euro 2012 Qualifying
7	11 October 2011	Esprit Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany	Belgium	1–0	3–1	UEFA Euro 2012 Qualifying
8	15 November 2011	Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, Germany	Netherlands	3–0	3–0	Friendly
Correct as of 15 November 2011

Honours[link]

Club[link]

Werder Bremen

• DFB-Pokal: 2008–09
• UEFA Cup: 2008–09 Runner-up

Real Madrid

• La Liga : 2011–12
• Copa del Rey: 2010–11
• Supercopa de España: 2011 Runner-up

Country[link]

Germany under-21

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2009

Germany

• FIFA World Cup: Third place – Bronze medal: 2010

Individual[link]

• 2010 FIFA World Cup Most assists (3) (shared with Thomas Müller, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Kaká, and Dirk Kuyt)
• 2009 UEFA European U-21 Championship Final - Man of the match.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mesut Özil

• Real Madrid official profile
• Profile at La Liga
• Mesut Özil at kicker.de (German)
• Mesut Özil at fussballdaten.de (German)
• The Polite Boy with the Faux-Hawk
• ESPN Profile
• BDFutbol profile
• Transfermarkt profile
• 2010 FIFA World Cup profile
• Mesut Özil at National-Football-Teams.com
• Mesut Özil – FIFA competition record

Germany squads v t e Germany squad – 2007 UEFA Under-19 Championship 1 Männel 2 Schwaab 3 Feick 4 Höwedes 5 Eberlein 6 Evljuskin 7 Boateng 8 Sam 9 Schmidt 10 Ben-Hatira 11 Kruse 12 Fährmann 13 Konrad 14 Tyrala 15 Sauter 16 Petersen 17 Özil 18 Falkenberg Coach: Engel v t e Germany squad – 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Winners (1st Title) 1 Neuer 2 Beck 3 Boenisch 4 Höwedes 5 Boateng 6 Aogo 7 Ebert 8 Khedira 9 Dejagah 10 Özil 11 Marin 12 Fromlowitz 13 Wagner 14 Johnson 15 Hummels 16 Schwaab 17 Grote 18 Adlung 19 Ben-Hatira 20 Castro 21 Schmelzer 22 Ede 23 Sippel Coach: Hrubesch v t e Germany squad – 2010 FIFA World Cup Third Place 1 Neuer 2 Jansen 3 Friedrich 4 Aogo 5 Tasci 6 Khedira 7 Schweinsteiger 8 Özil 9 Kießling 10 Podolski 11 Klose 12 Wiese 13 Müller 14 Badstuber 15 Trochowski 16 Lahm (c) 17 Mertesacker 18 Kroos 19 Cacau 20 Boateng 21 Marin 22 Butt 23 Gómez Coach: Löw v t e Germany squad – UEFA Euro 2012 1 Neuer 2 Gündoğan 3 Schmelzer 4 Höwedes 5 Hummels 6 Khedira 7 Schweinsteiger 8 Özil 9 Schürrle 10 Podolski 11 Klose 12 Wiese 13 Müller 14 Badstuber 15 L. Bender 16 Lahm (c) 17 Mertesacker 18 Kroos 19 Götze 20 Boateng 21 Reus 22 Zieler 23 Gómez Coach: Löw