Country Guide for Germany

Why you should read this...

Our General Information series are intended to provide some understanding of aspects of a country which a visitor may encounter and to assist the adoption of appropriate expectations.

Being brief they are highly selective, and should be amplified with an intelligent guidebook or other publications. They attempt to avoid the cosy upbeat tone of much travel writing and sometimes contain controversial passages. While largely compiled by staff in the MRT office, they are critically appraised by natives of the country and our freelance lecturers.

•    They are sent to all participants both with the confirmation of booking and again with the final documents about ten days before the tour.

Image and reality

Germany is perhaps the most democratic, tolerant and internationalist country in Europe. Society as a whole is overwhelmingly liberal, meritocratic and progressive. Educational levels are generally high, and Germans from all walks of life engage in reasoned discussion about all manner of weighty matters.

Such a view does not conform with the prevailing image – indeed, some qualifications will be made below – but in essentials it is fair and true. So why is Germany rarely presented in such laudatory terms?

Firstly, Germany is badly served in the British media. Neglect is one transgression; except for the business and financial pages, coverage of German affairs is less than would seem to be justified for a country which is the most populous in Europe and is the third largest economy in the world. Triviality and sensationalism is another: the press tends to seize on minor infractions with puerile delight. And, of course, there’s the Basil Fawlty syndrome which seems to impel journalists and commentators to scour German affairs with the sole purpose of finding reminders of the war or of exposing right-wing tendencies (though the extreme Right is probably less important and more reviled in Germany than anywhere else on the Continent).

Simon Hoggart of The Guardian recently concluded that the British are ‘hard-wired to be beastly to the Germans’. Among the broadsheets, The Times is perhaps the most persistent offender.

Prosperity or poverty?

To this can be added the misleading picture presented by news and commentary about German economic affairs. Talk of the shrinkage of the industrial base, of rising unemployment and of the sclerotic banking system can lead to expectations of a country visibly impoverished. The reality is that, by comparison with Britain, Germany – at least the western Länder – still seems to ooze wealth. Infrastructure is formidable, public spaces are expensively made and well cared for, construction projects abound, sleek new cars crowd the roads, dereliction is practically non-existent.

Statistics suggesting stasis or decline are relative. Germany started from a high base of material well-being by the time the economy started wobbling in the 1990s. Generations of hard work, efficiency and financial prudence, both personal and institutional, have provided not just sound foundations but also a stout superstructure. The habit of thinking in the long term and investing in the future has led to much higher standards in building and construction than is the norm in the UK.

There is, however, a major qualification to be added: the territory of the former East Germany presents a very different picture. See the section on the old East below.

Encountering the Germans

In dealing with foreigners, Germans can be among the most courteous, kind and welcoming of Europeans. They tend not to be demonstrative, but you can be assured that this welcoming mode is the prevailing one. Departures from this norm mentioned below need to be seen in this perspective.

For departures there are. Germans can appear brusque, intolerant and impatient. Often this is more a matter of directness of manner than of malignant rudeness, but sensitive souls from nations whose language is less direct and whose nature is less inclined to straight talking (i.e. Britain) had better brace themselves for at least one mildly bruising encounter during a visit to the country (for independent travellers, the average may rise to one a day).

Conformity and obedience

This is an area where German tolerance and liberalism is qualified. While dissent is accommodated, there is less of a ‘live and let live’ attitude than in Britain and many other countries. Allow a little laziness to lead to the postponement of the mowing of your front lawn and the reprimand is clearly written on the faces of your neighbours as they walk by. The society is much more rule-bound and the pressures to conform much stronger than in most English-speaking parts of the world. A manifestation of this is the extraordinary obedience paid to the red man at pedestrian lights. This can lead to the bizarre sight of a spike-haired, body-pierced, rip-jeaned youth standing patiently beside an empty road waiting for the green man to appear.

Moreover, ordinary German citizens readily take on the role of mentor or, as it may seem, policeman, pointing out, often in the nicest possible way (though not always) when one is in error concerning a particular piece of behaviour or protocol. Sometimes it seems to be a nation of born National Trust volunteers, or, less comfortably, of natural corporals.

Non-conformists and dissenters need to be forceful to counter the prevalent conformity, and tend to flaunt their defiance. Further softening of the norm arises from the historically-induced and not always appropriately applied fear of authoritarianism in the upbringing of children and a vaguely post-sixties acceptance of individuality and self-expression.

Values and aspirations

Values which still predominate include hard work, discipline, financial probity, the pursuit of respectability, pride in achievement and being seen to be ‘getting on’ in life. And though these might be regarded as typifying traditional bourgeois society, they permeate all levels of society. For this reason the term ‘working class’ has much less cultural relevance than in Britain.

These values tend to lead to competitiveness. This is not necessarily a bad thing of course, but it might explain why Germans are often pushy. One manifestation of this is the fragility of the queuing system. Trying to get a taxi when demand exceeds supply can be unpleasantly revealing of this aspect of the national character: in this most disciplined of nations, queues don’t operate when it really matters (wet, late, after the opera).

Germany since the sixties has been a hothouse of radical ideas and social experiment. Nevertheless, society predominantly cherishes traditional values. Family ties and obligations are usually strong. It is still not uncommon for a young nuclear family to plan in the expectation that granny will in due course come to live in a flat in their house.

Regionalism

Germany is far from being the unified monolith of popular imagination formed by vague memories of Bismarck, the Third Reich and the 1991 unification of West and East. Local loyalties and regional identity are still strong.

In the High Middle Ages, Germany was more unified than any of the other territories which later emerged as nation states. By the fourteenth century German Kings, who were usually also Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, were beginning to loose the struggle to limit the power of regional nobles and were left with precious little real power themselves. Thus began the long period of fragmentation of the German-speaking part of Europe. In the Treaty of Münster of 1648, over three hundred separate sovereign entities were recognised; even in the period 1871 to 1918 there were five kings coexisting with the emperor. The current constitution is for a federation with important legislative powers devolved to the sixteen Länder (states).

Most Germans would probably identify with their federal Land or region first and with Germany second. There are real cultural and linguistic differences. A North Rhine Westphalian would not fully understand a conversation between two Bavarians, and the Hamburger ‘Platt’ would not be comprehensible to someone from Hesse or Thuringia. There may also be a fear of unwanted nationalistic connotations when referring to one’s German nationality; to be a Swabian, Westphalian, or Rhinelander, has gentler, less controversial connotations.

The advantages of decentralisation are huge. Cities are of manageable size while vying with one another for cultural and leisure facilities (there are 65 functioning opera houses in Germany), with short commutes and little traffic congestion. Without a single voracious metropolis, talent and opportunities are evenly spread throughout the country. And regional loyalty encourages local pride and a sense of belonging which in turn engender political and social stability.

However, the political and economic disadvantages are becoming apparent. The complex constitutional entanglements between the centre and the regions are hindering reform and inhibiting growth. Calls to readjust the balance between the federation and the states are unlikely to be satisfactorily addressed because of vested interests and the complexity of the issues.

The war

The British obsession with the Third Reich and the Second World War is puzzling and difficult to explain to foreigners. It is not shared by the Germans – not surprisingly, may be the retort. But the subject is not buried, and generally there is an admirable preparedness to face uncomfortable realities. The subject, including the Holocaust, is examined in detail in schools, and museums and documentary centres deal with the subject with admirable objectivity and analysis.

No one under sixty has any first-hand memories of the war, and few people under forty or fifty have parents who were combatants. The question of collective guilt continues to be a live issue, but it is becoming a historical and philosophical question rather than a personal or emotional one. When the subject of the war is raised, most Germans respond with detachment and objectivity, but nevertheless for a Briton or American to mention the war or the Holocaust other than in passing may be regarded as discourteous.

The eastern question

The emergence of the Federal Republic (Bundesrepublik Deutschland or BRD) in the West and the Soviet-dominated German Democratic Republic (Deutsche Demokratische Depublik or DDR) in the East as two separate nations was an unintended outcome of peace in 1945. Following the breach of the Berlin Wall on 9th November 1989 there was a headlong rush to bring about the political unification of the two countries, the speed necessitated, so it was believed, to save the East from complete collapse.

In retrospect, it is surprising that after fifty years of radically different development, stitching the two entities together again was not more troublesome. But it is also the case that the difficulties and cost of bringing the former East up to scratch economically were grossly underestimated. The process has involved considerable hardship, upset and despair for many citizens of the Neue Länder (‘new states’) as the former communist territories are referred to.

Unemployment is still considerably higher in the East than the West, average wages are lower and many of the people look undernourished and unhealthy by comparison with their western compatriots. Despite amazing achievements of construction and restoration since 1990, infrastructure and the quality of the built environment are still much inferior. It is as if the region hasn’t fully woken from a half-century sleep, a degenerative, corrosive slumber which allowed much of the historic fabric of the towns and villages to slide into desuetude and dereliction. A sort of architectural caries has afflicted the region - not ameliorated by the intermittent intrusion of Communist-era constructions.

Socially and attitudinally there have also been enormous changes, but many older people are finding it hard to adopt western service values. Slowness, surliness and an inclination to say ‘no’ is quite widespread in the Neue Länder – and in Berlin, where the juxtaposition of the different heritages can be quite startling. It will take another generation or two to rinse out some of the less agreeable attitudes and behaviour patterns characteristic of Communist countries.

Roads and traffic (and pedestrians)

Germany has a magnificent and well-maintained road system, and most drivers – and pedestrians – are alert and well-trained. As one might expect, obedience to the rules is generally of a high order. But for pedestrians there are some important points to note.

•    Crossing roads: wait for green. Pedestrian lights are mandatory, not advisory, and you should not cross when they are red, even if there is no traffic in sight. Zebra crossings operate as in Britain: step on them, and vehicular traffic is obliged to give way to you.
•    Beware of bicycles. Generally cyclists don’t defer to pedestrians and will often abuse you for getting in their way. Cycle paths are widely provided, but they are often no more than a subdivision of a footpath, so look out for them. It seems also to be accepted practice to cycle on pavements and in pedestrian zones even where there is no designated cycle path.
•    Speed. Contrary to popular belief, there are speed restrictions on many stretches of Autobahn (motorway), though they are widely ignored (one of the few areas of German life where rules are habitually broken). Coaches are limited to 90 kilometres per hour, with a variety of other lower limits on ordinary roads.
•    Traffic jams. The roadworks needed for the maintenance and continual extension of the road network means that severe traffic jams are not uncommon – especially in former East Germany, where there is still a lot of catching up to do.

Environmental awareness
Germany is one of the world’s most environmentally aware countries (their ‘Green Party’ has been participating in government for several years) and many measures to control pollution and preserve the environment are in place. These are some examples you may come across as a traveller:
•    Coaches are not permitted to run their engines while parked, with the result that neither heating nor air conditioning will function until after the coach moves off.
•    Pedestrian zones occupy extensive tracts of the centre of all towns and cities. However, delivery vans and other vehicles are admitted at certain times, usually before 10.00 a.m., so proceed with care.
•    Towels in hotels will not usually be changed unless you signal that you want fresh ones by leaving them in the bath or on the floor.
•    Soap is often provided in liquid form from a dispenser fixed to the wall in order to reduce the waste of providing fresh cakes for every guest every day. This does not mean that it is inferior soap.
•    Rubbish bins in public places are sometimes subdivided to aid recycling, colour coded to denote different categories of waste material.

Food and drink

Like many stereotypes, that concerning German food is not entirely without foundation. Plates heaped with coarsely cooked pork, potatoes and cabbage derivatives are still obtainable everywhere in ‘traditional’ restaurants and Gasthäuser (inns). But the point to make is that alternatives now exist. In most parts of the country, though especially in the north and west and in all the bigger cities, there are restaurants which offer high-quality cooking which is innovatory, international and healthy. Some of them even provide manageable quantities (measured by the bird-like appetites of the British). It is now possible to eat as well in Germany as anywhere else in Europe.

The variety of the restaurant scene is further enhanced by the many Greek, Turkish, Italian and Oriental restaurants, though most of these are not of high quality.

But geographical limitations to variety and quality remain. There are fewer non-traditional restaurants in Bavaria, and good restaurants are thinly spread in the Neue Länder outside Berlin and a few exceptional cities like Leipzig and Weimar. Sadly, travellers in this region have to make do with traditional fare for at least some of their meals.

The way vegetarianism is dealt with is characteristic of this variety, indeed polarisation, of Germany’s culinary scene. Salads are often superb, and thoughtful vegetarian alternatives appear on menus in many restaurants. But these concessions are less frequent in the south and rare in small-town Neue Länder. Expect a pickled gherkin (or two) with every salad.

Breakfast. Perhaps the German breakfast is the country’s  most influential contribution to world culture during the last couple of decades. Hotels everywhere have emulated the groaning buffets, with an emphasis on cheese and cold meats, which were the norm in Germany. The consequence is that while breakfasts in Germany are still ample they are no longer exceptional.

Coffee is relatively strong and taken with ‘Kondensmilch’ (evaporated milk) or cream - it is unusual to dilute coffee with ordinary milk. Italian espresso machines are now ubiquitous.

Tea. There is no tradition of tea drinking to speak of, but tea is usually available in cafés and restaurants. You will probably be served a glass of boiled water with a tea bag on the saucer and perhaps a slice of lemon. Milk will have to be requested.

Beer. There are still hundreds of breweries in Germany and a wide variety of types of beer. Sales of most brands are largely limited to the region of production, so beers are still very regional. All brewing is subject to the German Reinheitsgebot, a ‘purity law’ that permits nothing other than water, hops and malt as ingredients.

Wine. As in practically every wine producing country, standards have risen enormously in the last few years. A difference, however, is that very little good German wine is exported. So forget ancient prejudices about Liebfraumilch and simpering sugary whites and experiment boldly. Reds in particular have been advancing by leaps and bounds.

Fast food, slow food. As elsewhere on the Continent, the fast food phenomenon has not made serious headway partly because the notion of a meal as an occasion, social, gastronomic and necessarily time-consuming, has not declined as much as in the UK and the USA. This applies to some extent to lunch as well as dinner. Snacks are still less easily or conveniently obtained, except for freshly grilled Würstchen (sausages).

Miscellaneous information

Money: The currency is the Euro. All major credit cards are widely accepted.

Prices: Germany has long had a reputation for being expensive, but this is no longer entirely justified. Compared to Britain, it is perhaps a fair generalisation to say that expensive things are more expensive but cheap things are cheaper. There is also some regional variation with the Neue Länder having lower prices.

Electricity: Germany uses 220 V, AC at 50 cycles/second (as in the UK). Sockets take standard Continental two-pin plugs.

Shops are generally open Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 6.00 or 8.00, although smaller ones may close between 12.00 and 2.00 and some food shops open at 8.00. Until recently most shops were closed on Saturday afternoons and Sundays but recent liberalisation is beginning to change that.

Banks are generally open Monday to Friday, 9–12 and 2–4.30. Some exchange bureaux are open daily.

Smoking is indulged in by as small a proportion of the population as anywhere in Europe – except in the old East, and therefore also Berlin. A smoking ban is coming into place but it is under the jurisdiction of each Land (administrative state) when and to what degree this ban is to be implemented. Please refer to the Further Information document for more information.

Shower curtains are not necessarily supplied in every bath with shower attachment.