They can appear rude and threatening without meaning to or even noticing it. Germans are often described by non-Germans as having the following qualities: sensible, reserved, punctual, precise, cold, target-oriented, arrogant, sure of themselves, obedient, disciplined, plan-oriented, authoritative, stiff, unfeeling, direct, bureaucratic, professional, correct, self-assured, petty, highly orderly, strong, humorless, principled, reliable, perfectionist, organised. While hard liquor is still a no-go until 18, 16-year-olds can purchase wine and beer, and consume them without the supervision of an adult.
The number of Swiss nationals has grown from 1.7 million in 1815 to 7 million in 2016.
Click below to consent to the use of this technology on our website – and don’t worry, we respect your privacy. Members of most cultures would advise being polite when interacting with the police, but Germans have specific rules with regard to decorum in the face of the law. In the 1990 Census it was learned that the State had 3.6 million people living here.
In return, they do not easily recognise and respond to verbal subtleties such as indirect hints, messages ‘between the lines’ and many non-verbal signals. On other occasions, Germans also like to have a lot of Spass in the celebration of the Oktoberfests, wine fests, Karneval, Schuetzenfests, picnics, dancing, and other special events and celebrations. In Germany, you can buy certain types of alcohol at the age of 16, giving German teenagers an edge of 2 years over their peers in most other European countries. Doing so when encountering an item that appears to be lost is commonplace in German society in order to make it more visible when the owner comes searching for it. All of those rules of etiquette, the traditions, the attitudes, and even the quirks that are distinct to a group of people who share an origin can appear quite strange to anyone on the outside looking in. #1 Be on time. The longest word officially recognized by Duden is Kraftfahrzeughaftpflichtversicherung – liability insurance for vehicles. For example, Krampus, the demonic anthropomorphic goat, is a common fixture during the Christmas season in Bavaria. German News AZ. In German companies, there are countless rules, regulations, procedures and processes. German precision may be a stereotype, but it’s hard not to be astonished by the economy of the German language. Further, doctors have an astounding propensity for handing out sick days from work, even for being tired or having what the Germans call Kreislauf, a generalized term that translates to ‘bad circulation.’. Culturally speaking, Germans are also more customarily friendly and helpful than other northern European nations, where the norm is to keep to oneself. This knowledge is therefore an important basis for constructive cooperation between members of different cultures.