What is Your opinion about Germany, German people and German culture?

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Bernd the milkman III

They are very nice people indeed. They are smart and welcome people from other countries. I like them because they are more liberal then others on this planet.

chrmd srnty

I went to Germany in 2002 and fell in love. People were super nice to be and the old buildings and legends were just fascinating. Since then I kinda started a bit of a love affair with the place. The place has so much for me- kings, queens, war, communism, hard times, philosophers, scientists, writers, musicians... I especially love the little legends and fairytales that seem to be attached to places (I know this is in a lot of places in Europe too). I've had to return there and took German classes just to learn more about it.

Lilly_loves_willies

A really great country.
A lot more liberal and a lot more culture than the US

Lexi

I was in Germany back in November (my brother is stationed there in the Army and his wife is German) and it's a very nice place. It's clean and they take care of their environment well. The people are generally nice. The food and desserts are great. Overall, it's a beautiful country and I would love to go there again.

ShlomoNYC

Germany is a very interesting country and Hamburg is my favorite place in Germany: GermanyÂ´s melting pot.

Gooey: yes it is right that some laws are different in Germany - hate crimes are illegal. In the US swastikas are legal - in Germany they are not.

Then again: prostitution is legal in Germany, we censor European and American movies if they show nudity, it is illegal in the US to burn the American flag - in Germany u can burn a German flag ...

My favorite city Hamburg is run by a gay jew - would that be possible in many American cities?

Sandy B

I love it

David

German people are great people. They have a very beautiful culture, full of art and music. The country has a powerful economy and is a great place.

Biedronka

My opinion is good. I like the culture especially music and art. There are tons of free live classical concerts in summer and we are lucky to live here. I come from S. Africa, which is a cultural desert, as far as good music is concerned. We just don't have the money to support the arts as much as in Germany.

The people, it is hard to say. In Berlin 40% are foreign. In the country and further south Bavarian culture is v. strong and prominent, but in big cities north, and east they are still recovering from socialism.

Ethical Living

I Just Love Germany!

well, since you are studying about German culture, the below link will be useful for you!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Germany

Jennifer K

The below are my opinions about Germany after living here for 6 months:
Germany is a lovely country but the people tend to be a little cold. They will usually warm up to you if you are American. In Germany you generally would not start a conversation with a stranger as you might do in America at the bus stop or checking out at the store. Every German who I've spoken with that has been to America has said they love how friendly the people are in the US cause Germans tend to be kind of dour. If you get on a bus or a train in Germany you hear very little conversation. Germans drive better than people in the US.
Marion is a hippy (bleh) you have no first amendment over here - it's actually against the law to flip some one off on the autobahn. There school system is too rigid. You need to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life when you're 10 so you make sure you get into the right schooling track! Something else I noticed after I made a short trip home: there are no homeless people on the on ramps with signs looking for free money.

marion.ofsherwood

German culture is varied and colourful. There are conservative regions, but as a whole, there is much more freedom of speech and liberty and respect for other people than in the USA or Britain. The papers dare to openly criticise the government and say things they would be locked away for in the USA. The media is not wrapped up by large corporations for the most part and not censored as in the USA, so people actually have the chance to get to know the truth.
Germans are less strict to their children and the students at school and emphasise the importance of speaking one's own mind, even if it might be inconvenient. Children are not trained to blind obedience like in the USA, but a certain amount of defiance is considered a good thing. Also the military is not glorified by the citizens, but seen very critically. From childhood on, Germans learn to stand up for themselves and form their own opinion. This is based on the experience of the nazi period, where blind obedience of a whole people led to catastrophe. And people realise that the building of self-esteem and questioning orders must be taught to children early.

Denise G

Well, this is going to be a very generalized opinion - there are always exceptions!

In general, I would call Germans:
clean, orderly, direct, polite, honest to the point of being rude, moral
The country is:
green, clean, cold, wet, beautiful in the summer
The culure is:
traditional, polite, family-oriented, slow-paced (take time for cake and coffee!)

Overall, I think Germany is a very nice place, however for me, the directness of the people (which can come off as rudeness) and the weather are two main reasons I wanted to leave.

XxEmoSaurusRexX

NO.

Gooey

To make a correction to the first poster, freedom of speech in Germany is actually less than the US, and has been criticized by the US State Dept. It's a "wehrhafte Demokratie" which limits some rights and freedoms to protect the institution of democracy. Freedom of press however, is very well established.

I like the environmental consciousness here and some of the social programs. The work/life balance seems much more sane in comparison to the US.

I don't like the bureaucracy, and restricted freedom of movement/choice in education and careers.

People are more direct here, to a point where many anglos (Brits, Canadians, Americans, etc) would find it rude. The younger people are more open/friendly. They are much more anal about following the rules. You can get yelled at by old men for walking across the street against the light, even if the streets are deserted. I don't know what this says about the culture, but an old school insult here is to call someone "a person who takes warm showers."

I could go on...! ;P

TeutonkÃ¶nig14

The best. Sorry I have answered this question so many different times that I don't really have the urge to summon it up all again.

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