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Germany


The Federal Republic of Germany is a federal state in Central Europe, the German nation-state was founded in 1949. It consists of 16 federal states and is structured as a liberal, democratic and social constitutional state. As part of German reunification, Berlin became the federal capital in 1990 and the seat of parliament and government in 1991.

The member states of the federal republic, which are officially called states (federal states). The city-states of Berlin and Hamburg each consist of municipalities of the same name, while the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, as a third city-state, consists of two separate municipalities, Bremen and Bremerhaven. Unlike other federal states, Germany does not have federal territories.

Each country has its own identity and characteristics that distinguish it from other federal states.

However, if one wants to speak in general terms, the following common clichés can be found:

  • Lack of humor is typically German. The fact that Germans are perceived as humorless is probably due to the stereotype of the "hard-working German": hard work, a sense of duty, reliability and punctuality are all "typically German characteristics", which means that Germany is well known abroad as a commercial partner. With so much business, there may not be time for jokes.
  • Efficiency and economy - Germans like to be productive and work very efficiently. People believe that hard work is rewarded: "No pain, no gain!" is the right saying. Time must not be wasted - because "time is money". For this reason, Germans prefer to do everything as quickly as possible. True to the motto: "Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today!". Therefore, the fixed plan for the day and the future is typically German. Most Germans refuse to "living in the present".ű
  • Modesty and skepticism - People see modesty as a virtue. Not only for individuals, but also for German society as a whole. Most Germans are very reserved when asked what they find particularly good about Germany or German culture. The fact that Germans don't usually express their national pride probably has something to do with German modesty (and German history). Germans express their national pride in a truly typically German sport: football!
  • Self-criticism is simply typically German! They say: "Let everyone sweep in front of his own door", which means you should look into yourself, self-reflect on yourself, rather than criticize others. It can be said that they are usually very critical, cautious or skeptical of the unknown: "All that glitters is not gold" - meaning no matter how good something looks, you must first check if it is really that good. This saying describes it perfectly Germans "we prefer not to take risks".
  • Speaking directly what one thinks is typically German. Even if it's unpleasant stuff - they deal directly with issues or criticisms. But this does not mean that Germans are unfriendly! True to the saying "the tone makes the music", how you say something is important: in a polite and respectful tone, criticism does not seem hurtful, but rather supportive! The speech should be as brief as possible - limit yourself to the most important things. Because the saying goes: "Speech is silver, silence is gold". Sometimes it's better to say nothing than to say too much or even the wrong thing. No wonder small-talk is a difficult topic in Germany. By the way, they also expect directness from their interlocutors. They don't like to "pull every word out of someone's mouth" - meaning they only get a clear answer after a lot of questions.
  • Joy and pleasure. "First work, then pleasure". This is exactly why they are efficient in Germany: they like to finish work as quickly as possible so that they can enjoy their free time. In order to be effective, a person ultimately needs regular rest to get enough energy: "There is strength in rest." Germans are particularly fond of active recreation: they are considered world travel champions and not only go on city trips, but also adventuresin nature.
  • Germans are of course truly connoisseurs when it comes to food and drink, and they definitely love aesthetics, because: "the eye eats too"! Food should also be delicious and beautiful. There are sometimes big regional differences, but typical German food is certainly hearty: countless types of bread and especially dark bread, pretzels, fried sausages, currywurst, potatoes, roast pork and sauerkraut. And of course you can't miss beer either. They especially like to drink this at garden parties, beer-gardens or folk festivals:

    Oktoberfest, of course, a typical German cliché can not be missing from this list. Oktoberfest has been taking place since 1810 in Munich's Theresienwiesen. Bavarian politicians, celebrities, Japanese, American Australian tourists meet here. The largest German folk festival generates sales of almost 1 billion euros in 2 weeks.

What characterizes a typical German? Accuracy, efficiency, frugality and directness are some of the typical German characteristics. But of course there are not only typically German ways of thinking and behaving, but also typically German products and things, such as cars.

  • Highway : Every car enthusiast loves them! The highway (motorway or autobahn) - especially without a speed limit. It's even the location of hit television shows like "Alarm for Cobra 11" and "Faster Than the Police Let You". The highway is typically German!
  • Christmas markets. For Germans, this is completely normal, but for foreigners, German Christmas markets are unique! For example, quiet Nuremberg has a population of only 500,000. 2.5 million people visit the Nuremberg Christmas market every-year! Christmas markets are typically German!
  • Waste separation: Germans love waste separation! There is dark and white glass, paper and plastic, compost and normal waste. For many foreigners, this borders on madness. But it's typically German!
  • In the USA, information boards are always worded as recommendations. However, they should be interpreted as commands. In Germany, these signals are formulated as commands. It's typical German to avoid misunderstandings right from the start!
  • The Land of Poets and Thinkers - Goethe wrote the first international bestseller. Kant is one of the most studied philosophers in the world. And Slavoj Zizek interprets many X-Men film adaptations with Hegel.
    Philosophy and literature = typically German