| Germany
Quick Facts
Capital Berlin
Government federal republic
Currency euro (EUR)
Area total: 357,021 sq km
water: 7,798 sq km
land: 349,223 sq km
Population 83,251,851 (July 2002 est.)
Language German
Country calling code +49
Internet TLD .de
Time Zone UTC +1
Germany (Deutschland in German) is the largest country in
central Europe and a founder member of the European Union.
It is bordered to the north by Denmark, to the east by Poland
and the Czech Republic, to the south by Austria and Switzerland,
and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Table of contents [showhide]
1 Regions
1.1 North
1.2 West
1.3 Middle
1.4 East
1.5 South
2 Cities
3 Other destinations
4 Understand
4.1 History
4.2 Politics
5 Get in
5.1 By plane
5.2 By train
5.3 By Boat
5.3.1 England
5.3.2 Scandinavia
5.3.3 Russia
5.3.4 Baltic States
6 Get around
6.1 By car
6.2 By train
6.2.1 Long distance
6.2.2 Regional travel
6.2.3 Online information and bookings
6.2.4 Fares
6.3 By plane
7 Talk
8 Buy
8.1 Currency
8.2 Tipping
9 Eat
9.1 Imbiss
9.2 Backeries and butcheries
9.3 Biergarten
9.4 Brauhaus
9.5 Gasthof/Gasthaus
9.6 Restaurant
9.7 Typical dishes
9.8 Local specialities
9.9 Seasonal specialities
9.10 Miscellaneous
10 Drink
10.1 Beer
10.2 Cider
10.3 Coffee
10.4 Gluhwein
10.5 Spirits
10.6 Tee
10.7 Wine
11 Sleep
12 Learn
13 Work
14 Stay safe
14.1 Emergencies
14.1.1 Medical emergencies
14.2 Racism
14.3 Papers, please!
15 Stay healthy
16 Respect
16.1 Photography
17 Contact
17.1 Telephone
17.2 Internet
17.3 Postal Service
18 External links
Regions
Map of GermanyGermany is a federal republic consisting of
16 states (so-called "Bundesländer" or short
"Länder"). Grouped roughly by geography, these
are:
North
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)
Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen)
Hamburg
Schleswig-Holstein
Bremen
West
North Rhine-Westfalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen)
Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz)
Saarland
Middle
Hesse (Hessen)
Thuringia (Thüringen)
East
Brandenburg
Berlin
Saxony (Sachsen)
Saxony-Anhalt (Sachsen-Anhalt)
South
Baden-Wuerttemberg (Baden-Württemberg)
Bavaria (Bayern)
Cities
There are many cities in Germany; these are some of the more
prominent travel destination cities.
Berlin - Capital city of Germany; known for its division during
the cold war - and the Berlin Wall
Frankfurt - City of national and international banking, largest
airport hub in Germany
Hamburg - The great northern harbour city
Heidelberg - considered to be among the most beautiful cities
of Germany
Munich (München)
Other destinations
Other popular tourist destinations in Germany:
Baltic Sea coast
Bavarian Alps (Berchtesgaden, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Mittenwald,
Neuschwanstein castle)
Konigsee nearby Berchtesgaden, Bavaria St. Bartolomä
by JensANDMarian.
Black Forest
Bodensee - the lake of constance in the south
North Sea coast
Odenwald
Rhine Valley
Understand
When visiting Germany be prepared that everything is bigger
and better than in the surrounding European neighbour countries
and to some extend that applies to the rest of the world as
well. Germany runs Europe’s biggest economy, is the
biggest country in Europe, has the highest population in Europe,
has the city with the biggest beer culture on the planet (Munich)
where beer is served in 1liter mugs and everything else is
considered a small beer, has the highest skyscrapers (Frankfurt)
of Europe, home of the Berlin biggest Love Parade in the world
with more than one million visitors, is home of the best cars
in the world (Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Maybach and Porsche), has
a unmatched high speed train network, Frenchman would probably
argue that the TGV is great, but it certainly doesn’t
match the build quality of the ICE 3, a train that has clubs
seats of extraordinary quality, so sit down and relax, wait
till the doors of the train close with a deep sounding “cluck”,
a plasma TV screen in front of you, restaurant and wait till
the train driver pushes the joystick forward and the let the
16000 hp strong engine catapult the train to its cruising
speed of up to 330 km/h. Germans generally love to travel
fast and have besides the fast trains the famous “Autobahn”
highway systems that has no speed limits and you have to take
this literally. German car manufactures latest flagship products
such as the BMW M5, Mercedes S600, Audi A8, Porsche Carrera
turbo and Maybach produce up to 500 hp and are good enough
to reach the in-official speed limit of 250 km/h were the
engines get electronically cut off although most of those
engines would be capable of going beyond 300 km/h and a lot
of people are waiting for the Volkswagen sportscar that is
supposed to produce 1001 hp!!!!! Rumours say that it is going
outperform any other car in the world and that the acceleration
beyond 200 km/h is breathtaking, at last Germany is home to
a lot great sportsman such as the unforgettable Boris Becker,
Steffie Graf and Michael Schumacher and great scientists that
have changed the path of the world such as Einstein who was
certainly the unrivalled genius of the 20th century. Plus
Germany had a great military history in central Europe and
they have invaded most of their fellow neighbours at least
once, but clashes with the French were enjoyed most.
After so much good news could there be anything wrong about
Germany?????????
Well, maybe you don’t grow fond of the Germans straight
upon your arrival and you may think that they are not a very
friendly bunch and it takes only a while to crack the shell
and you find them friendly. Or you ask a German “how
are you?” and because he takes it literally he is going
to tell you that things are not well, the taxes are generally
to high, unemployment is since years very high and is currently
at about 4 million, we had no Love parade in Berlin either
and as a lot of things the education system is in crisis and
since Einstein emigrated to the US, Germany had not seen many
Nobelprice winners lately. Nevertheless, most of this things
are not important for a traveller so don’t be put of
and visit a very nice country.
History
Germany as a state has existed only since 1871, when a large
number of previously independent German kingdoms united under
Prussian leadership to form the German Empire (Deutsches Kaiserreich).
The empire ended in 1918 when Emperor (Kaiser) Wilhelm II
was forced to abdicate after Germany's defeat in World War
I (1914-1918). The Empire was followed by the short-lived
Weimar republic, which tried to establish a liberal, democratic
regime. However, the young republic was plagued with massive
economic problems, strong antidemocratic forces and inherent
organizational problems of the Weimar constitution.
1933 witnessed the final rise to power of the nationalistic
and racist National Socialist German Workers' (Nazi) Party
and its charismatic leader (Führer), Adolf Hitler, to
power. Under the Nazi dictatorship, democratic institutions
were dismantled and a police state installed. Jews, Gypsies,
homosexuals, handicapped people, socialists, communists and
other groups not fitting into the Nazi ideology faced persecution,
and ultimately murder in concentration camps. Hitler's militaristic
ambitions to create a new German Empire in central and eastern
Europe led to war, successively, with Poland, France, Great
Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States - despite
initial dazzling successes, Germany was unable to withstand
the combined attacks of the Allies.
After devastating defeat in World War II (1939-1945), Germany
was divided into four sectors, control by the French, British,
US and Soviet forces. With the beginning of the Cold War,
Germany was divided into an eastern part under Soviet control,
and a western part which was controlled by the Western Allies.
The western part was transformed into the Federal Republic
of Germany, with [Bonn] as the capital. The Soviet-controlled
zone became the communist German Democratic Republic (GDR).
Berlin had a special status, with the eastern part featuring
as the capital of the GDR. The western sectors of Berlin were
de facto an enclave of the Federal Republic.
Germany was reunited in 1990 after the fall of the GDR's
communist regime in 1989. The reestablished eastern states
joined the Federal Republic on the 3rd of October, a day which
is since celebrated as the German National Holiday (Tag der
Deutschen Einheit). Together with the reunification the last
post-war limitations to Germany's sovereignty were removed.
Politics
Germany is a federal republic, consisting of 16 states ('Bundesländer').
The federal parliament ('Bundestag') is elected every four
years in a fairly complicated system, involving direct and
proportional representation. A party will be represented in
Parliament if it can gather at least 5% of all votes. The
parliament elects the Chancellor ('Bundeskanzler') on it's
first session, which will serve as the head of government.
Formal head of state is the President ('Bundespräsident'),
who has only ceremonial and representative duties. All true
power lies with the chancellor.
The 'Bundesländer' are represented at the federal level
through the Federal Council ('Bundesrat'). Many federal laws
have to be approved by the council. This can lead to a situation
where Council and Parliament are blocking each other if they
are dominated by different parties.
The two most important parties are the Christian Democrats
('Christlich Demokratische Union (CDU)') and the Social Democrats
('Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD)'). Due to
the proportional voting system, smaller parties can also be
represented in parliament. The only "smaller" parties
of any importance are the Liberals ('Freiheitlich-Demokratische
Partei (FDP)') and the Green party ('Bündnis 90/Die Grünen').
There have been some attempts by right-wing parties to get
into parliaments, but they have failed at the 5% requirement.
The 'PDS', successor of the GDR's communist party, has also
failed to reach 5% of the voters in the last elections. However,
there are still two PDS MPs due to a peculiarity of the voting
system.
Get in
Germany is a member of the European Union and the Schengen
Agreement. European visa policy will be covered in the article
about the EU. In brief, a visa to any other signatory state
of the Schengen Agreement is valid in Germany too. No visa
is required for citizens of other EU member states, and those
of some selected nations with whom the European Union or Germany
have special treaties. Inquire at your travel agent or call
the local consulate or embassy of Germany.
As of May 2004 only the citizens of the following countries
do not need a visa for entry into Germany. Note that citizens
of these countries (except EU nationals) must not stay longer
than three months in half a year and must not work in Germany:
Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda,
Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia,
Finland, France, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Paraguay,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Sweden, Switzerland,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, South Korea, United
Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela
Also, there are no border controls between Germany and other
Schengen Agreement nations, making travel less complicated.
There are a number of ways to get into Germany. From neighboring
European countries, a drive with the car or a train ride are
feasible; visitors from further away will probably be using
air travel.
By plane
The most important airports are Frankfurt (FRA), Munich (MUC),
and Dusseldorf (DUS). Berlin (TXL, SXF and THF) and Hamburg
(HAM) have some relevance to international travellers as as
well.
Discount airlines land mostly at smaller airports, like Hahn,
Baden-Baden, Dortmund, Paderborn or Lübeck. Connections
to the nearest cities may be worse than for larger, more established
airports - but the details vary greatly with location.
By train
Regular train services connect Germany with neighboring countries.
The caveat with train travel is that due to incompatible systems,
you will not be able to use any of the European high speed
trains to cross into or out of Germany and are instead limited
to more conventional "intercity" trains. Travel
times from Paris to Frankfurt, for example, are about six
hours; while a train ride from Paris to Hamburg can take nine
hours or even more.
http://www.bahn.de - German railway corporation
By Boat
Some international ferry services exist, notably to Scandinavia
and Great Britain. An incomplete list of connections follows:
England
From Harwich, England to Hamburg and Cuxhaven
Scandinavia
From Rodby, Denmark to Putgarden
From Gedser, Denmark to Rostock
From Trelleborg, Sweden to Rostock, Travemuende and Sassnitz
From Malmo, Sweden to Travemuende
From Gothenburg, Sweden to Kiel
From Oslo, Norway to Kiel
From Helsinki, Finland to Rostock and Travemuende
From Hanko, Finland to Rostock
Russia
From Kaliningrad, Russia to Sassnitz and Luebeck
From St. Petersburg, Russia to Kiel, Sassnitz and Luebeck
Baltic States
From Klaipeda, Lithuania to Kiel
From Liepaja, Lithuania to Rostock
From Riga, Latvia to Luebeck
Get around
By car
Germany has a world-famous network of excellent roads and
highways (Autobahn). Car rentals are available in most cities,
but gasoline prices are kept high by taxation. When renting
a car, be aware that most cars in Germany have manual gearbox
(stick-shift), so you might want to ask for a car with an
automatic gearbox if you're used to. German drivers tend to
drive faster and more aggressively than you might be used
to, especially on the parts of the highway system without
speed limit, which is taken to be literally. Although German
car makers have agreed to limit the speed of their cars to
250 km/h. Be aware that Germans drive fast and they adhere
pretty much to rules. Never ever reverse on a highway when
you missed exist, go to next exit and make a U-turn.
In case of a breakdown you may call the ADAC, Germany's largest
automobile club. The number is +49 180 2222222 from fixed
lines and 22 22 22 from mobile phones regardless of network.
On the Autobahn, the ADAC must come to you free of charge.
In other situations, there may be costs involved if you're
not a member. If you're a member of a foreign AA or automobile
club, you may want to check if the ADAC honours your membership.
By train
Germany has a dense railway system, which reaches almost every
part of the country. Unless you travel by car, the train will
be your major mode of transportation.
The trains are operated by Deutsche Bahn ("German Rail"),
the formerly state-owned railway company privatized a few
years ago. In the last few years, the reputation of the DB
has suffered due to higher prices and increased delays. Nevertheless
the trains are usually reliable, and a comfortable and safe
way of travel. If not otherwise indicated, the information
in this section is about DB-run trains.
There are some independent railway companies which run regional
trains or aim at specific target markets, like business travellers.
http://www.bahn.de - German railway corporation
Long distance
All major cities are linked by ICE (InterCity Express) and
regular InterCity trains. The ICE are high speed trains, reaching
top speeds of 300km/h; and even though they rarely cruise
at such high speeds travel is faster than by car and quite
comfortable. Be sure to get a reservation - it's not mandatory,
but you may end up standing or sitting on the floor without
one.
The high speed ICE is the most expensive option, of course.
On the major lines, an ICE or IC train will run each hour
or so during the day. There are also EuroCity (EC) trains,
which connect the larger European cities. For inner-Germany
travel, these are virtually identical to the regular ICs.
Regional travel
Apart from the long-distance trains, there is a vast network
of regional trains ("Regionalbahn"). The service
will take you almost everywhere the intercity trains won't
go or stop. Trains include 40 year old cars as well as brand-new
carriages. Many are used by commuters - if you wish to have
a relaxed travel, avoid the early mornings or later afternoons.
Don't hesitate to inquire at the ticket counter at what times
the trains are usually packed.
Online information and bookings
All information and an online timetable are available from
the Deutsche Bahn homepage. The page is in German, but timetable
inquiries can be made in English. You may also book your tickets
online with a credit card. The most comfortable option is
to take an "online ticket", which you can print
out at home. Note that these tickets are non-transferable
and that you'll be required to show your BahnCard or credit
card as an ID. (Note that you do have to print them on paper
- a PDF export or something similar is invalid.)
Currently (2004) seat reservations are free if you buy your
ticket online or through a ticket vending machine at a station.
Fares
Soon after the introduction of a quite complex structure of
fares and prices public protest led to a significant re-simplification.
Though, there are still some special promotions and prices
the rail company offers at various times. Your best course
of action is to check their website, or to ask at a train
station or their telephone hotline for current details. However,
some general points to keep in mind are:
Children up to fourteen years travel free when accompanied
by at least one of their parents or grandparents.
If you plan to travel by train a lot, you may consider getting
a BahnCard, which gives you discounts on all ticket purchases.
The BahnCard 25 costs €50 (€100 for first class)
and gives you a 25% discount on all further ticket purchases.
Spouses and kids of a BahnCard 25-owners can get additional
cards for €5.
The BahnCard 50 is €200 (€400 for first class) and
gives you a 50% discount on all tickets. You can get this
card for half the price if you're a pupil or student (up to
26 years of age), a pensioner of more than 60 years or disabled.
By plane
Airlines like Deutsche Lufthansa connect major cities in Germany
to each other and foreign destinations. Due to the comparatively
short distances and relatively high hassle of air travel -
especially when you travel with luggage - domestic air travel
is used mostly for business purposes. Recently (2003-2004)
many airlines have been offering very low prices due to the
high competition in the industry, so it makes sense to compare
the prices for plane tickets to those of the railway tickets.
Talk
The official language of Germany is German. The standard form
of German is called "Hochdeutsch" (High German).
This is accent-free German, the "official" form
of the language. It is understood by all and spoken by many
Germans. However, most regions have their own dialects, which
might pose a challenge to those who speak even good German
- and sometimes to native speakers as well.
Most Germans learn English at school, so you should be able
to get by with English in most places. Many people in the
tourist industry also speak French or Spanish, but if you
can't speak German, English remains your best bet. Even if
the staff doesn't speak English, you are likely to find someone
who does and is more than willing to help you.
If you are speaking English with Germans, you should be aware
of the following points:
Germans less fluent in the English language often say "become"
instead of "get" because the German word "bekommen"
("get") is phonetically so close to "become".
Since it's polite to reply "Bitte" if someone thanks
you, Germans may literally translate this with "please"
instead of "here you are" or "you're welcome".
While Germany uses the 24 hour format for times, people still
use 12 hour times in conversations. There is no real suffix
like "AM/PM", though you can add "vormittags"
(before noon) and "nachmittags" (after noon) when
it's not clear from the context.
Expressing "fractional hours" differs slightly
among various regions of Germany. The "normal" way
of doing it is:
Quarter past one - Viertel nach eins also Viertel zwei
Half past one - Halb zwei (half two)
A quarter to two - "Viertel vor zwei" also Dreiviertel
zwei
In addition, Germans say numbers "backwards": instead
of "twenty-two" they say "two and twenty".
Numbers below 20 are said the same way as in English. This
becomes especially important when you inquire for prices,
although most who speak English with you should use the correct
form.
The question "How are you?" in German is usually
meant as a serious inquiry, so you might get a somewhat lengthy
answer half of the time.
For more German, consult the German phrasebook.
Buy
Currency
Germany is part of the European Union and the Eurozone; as
such it replaced German Marks with the Euro (symbol: €)
in the year 2002.
Since it has been only a few years since the introduction
of Euro cash, a few people will still use the old national
currency names. For example, it is entirely possible that
a German would still refer to "Mark" and "Pfennig".
They mean Euros and Cents, so just mentally substitute the
two.
Do not expect anybody to accept other types of currency,
or to be willing to exchange currency. An exception are shops
and restaurants at airports and also - more rarely - fast-food
restaurants at major train stations. These will generally
accept at least US Dollars at a slightly worse exchange rate.
If you wish to exchange money, you can do so at any bank,
where you can also cash in your traveller's cheques. Currency
exchanges, once a common sight, have all but disappeared since
the introduction of the Euro. Again, international airports
are an exception to this rule.
Do not accept German Marks from anybody. While you can still
exchange them for Euro at some banks, this will mean a lot
of hassle for you.
Credit cards are often accepted, but less universally than
in many other European countries or the United States. If
you want to pay by credit card, it is best to check in advance
if your card will be accepted. Most ATMs will allow you to
withdraw money with your credit card, but you'll need to know
your card's PIN for that.
Tipping
It's common in Germany to round up the bill in restaurants
or pubs. Since the introduction of the Euro, a tip of about
10% is customary if you were satisfied with the service. Of
course you can tip more, if the service was really good.
However, there is no obligation to tip, especially if the
service was bad. Unlike in some other countries, service staff
is always paid by the hour (albeit not always that well).
A tip is a matter of politeness, and shows your appreciation.
Eat
German food sticks pretty much to its roots and a dish will
be pork/beef with some form of potatoes and gravy accompanied
by vegetables or salad. However, the modern German cuisine
has been influenced by other European countries such as Italy
and France and it gets a little bit lighter. Dishes show a
great local diversity and it might be interesting to discover
those. Most bigger employers have a “Kantine”
for their employs and therefore you will find much less sandwich
shops and takeaways than in the angloamerican world and therefore
the eating out culture in Germany is dominted by the Gasthaus/Gasthof
and Restaurants to have proper food. Putting places to eat
in 6 categories gives you a hint about the budget/taste kicking
of from the cheaper end:
Imbiss
Is a place to have a sausage and fries, “Döner
Kebab” sells turkish fast food, classic american fast
food (McD, BB and Wendy): Coca Cola and burgers, Pizza Hut
is a ever growing pizza retailer. Nordsee is classic german
seafood chain: “Rollmops” and other stuff. You
will get what you pay for and you don’t have to come
to Germany to enjoy most of them either.
Backeries and butcheries
Germans have no tradition for sandwich shops, but you will
find that backeries / butcheries sell quiet nice take away
food and are serious competition for the fast food chains.
Biergarten
You will get here the obvious drink and in Bavaria you can
bring your own food and most places will cater simple meals.
Brauhaus
Microbreweries sell their products straight to the customer
and you will find some nice food their as well.
Gasthof/Gasthaus
Probably 50% of all eating out places falls into this group.
They are mainly family run busines and are often owned since
generations. You can go there to have a drink only, but if
you want you can eat german food often with a local taste.
Restaurant
Place to have dinner in many flavours (German, Italian, Greec,
Turkish ….)
Typical dishes
Rinderroulade mit Rotkraut und Knodeln: this dish is quite
unique to Germany. Very thin sliced beef rolled around a "pickeled
gurken" until it looks like a mini barrel (5cm diameter)
flavoured with tiny peaces of onion, German mustard, ground
black pepper and salt. The meat gets fried shortly and is
then left to cook slowly for an hour, meanwhile red cabbage
and potato dumplings are prepared and then the meat is removed
from the frying pan and gravy is prepared in the frying pan.
Knodel, Rotkraut and Rouladen are served together with the
gravy in one dish.
Schnitzel mit Pommes frites: there are probably as many different
variations of Schnitzel as you have restaurants in Germany.
They have in common a thin sliced peace of pork often covered
in egg and bread crumbs that is fried for a short period of
time and it is often served with fries aside. Variations of
this are usually served with different types of gravy: such
as Zigeuner Schnitzel, Zwiebelschnitzel, Holzfaller Schnitzel
and Wiener Schnitzel and you can find in the south that you
will get Spatzle instead of fries with it (typical German
noodle – most Restaurants do them freshly). It is very
common to find Schnitzel on the menu of a German restaurant,
if it is not the most common dish in German restaurants.
Rehrucken mit Spatzle: Germany has maintained huge forests
such as the famous black forest, Bayrischer Wald and Odenwald.
In and around these areas you can enjoy the best game in Germany.
Rehrucken means venison tenderloin and it is often served
with freshly made noodles such as Spatzle and a very nice
gravy based on a dry red wine.
Bratwurst “fried sausage”: there is no country
in the world with a greater variety of sausages than Germany
and it would take a while to mention them all. Here is the
shortlist version: “Rote” beefsausage, “Frankfurter
Bratwurst” porksausage made in the Frankfurt style,
“Pfalzer Bratwurst” sausage made in palatinum
style , “Nurnberger Bratwurst” Nuremberg sausage
– the smallest of all of them, but a serious contender
for the best tasting German sausage,” grobe Bratwurst”
Feldjager, Thuringer Bratwurst, Currywurst ……..
this could go on till tomorrow. If you spot a sausage on a
Menu this is often a good choice, because that is food were
the German cuisine is really good. Obviously this can be served
with potato mash, fries, potato salad and it can be very nice.
Pfalzer Saumagen: known for a long time in Palatinate, but
difficult to find outside of this area. The dish became well
known to the general public in Germany as Chancellor Kohl’s
favorite dish, especially when this was enjoyed by him and
the Russian president M. Gorbatchow on a State visit in Germany
in Deidesheim. Pictures of the feast are shown in the restaurant
“ …” in Deidesheim.
Local specialities
Starting from the north of Germany going south you will find
a tramendous variety of food and each region sticks to it
origins. The coastal regions are fond of seafood and famous
dishes include “Finkenwerder Scholle”, going south
to the region of Cologne you will find Sauerbraten (a roast
marinated in vinegar).
The Pfalzer area has Saumagen (stuffed pork's stomach), Swabia
is famous for Spätzle (a kind of noodles), "Maultaschen"
(noodles stuffed with spinach and mince meat) and at the coast
there's a variety of fish dishes.
In Bavaria this may be Schweinshaxe mit Knödeln (pork's
leg with knödel, a form of potato dumplings), "Fleischkase
mit Kartoffelsalat" (kind of meatpie and potato salat),
"Nurnberger Bratwurst" (probably smallest sausage
in Germany), Weißwurst (white sausages).
The south is also famous for its nice tarts such as the "Schwarzwalder
Kirchtorte" (tart with lots of cream and spirit made
from cheeries). Vegetarian cooking hasn't quite caught on
in Germany. Most restaurants have one or two vegetarian dishes,
or will prepare something without meat; but there aren't many
places which are particularly aimed at vegetarian or vegan
customers.
Seasonal specialities
White “Spargel” asparagus floods the restaurants
in Mai/June all over Germany and it is delicious especially
in and around Schwetzingen.
Miscellaneous
Germans are very fond of their bread, which they make in many
variations. This is the food that Germans tend to miss most
when away from home. Most people like their bread relatively
dark and dense and scorn the soft loaves sold in other countries.
Bakeries will seldomly provide less than twenty different
sorts of bread and it's worth trying a few of them. In fact,
many Germans buy their lunch or small snacks in bakeries instead
of takeaways or the like. Prizes for a loaf of bread will
range from 0.50 € to 4 €, depending on the size
(real specialities might cost more).
Drink
Beer
Germans consider their beer to be the best of the world. And
although other nations may disagree, the brew is usually very
good and far superior to the bland stuff from the "international"
brands. For centuries, beer-making was governed by the Reinheitsgebot
(purity law), which states that German beer may only be made
from certain ingredients. The Reinheitsgebot has come down
with the European integration, but traditional breweries continue
to stick with it. Specialities include Weizenbier, a refreshing
wheat beer which is popular in the south, Alt, a kind of dark
ale and Kölsch, another kind of dark beer from the city
of Cologne. There are also seasonal beers, which are only
made at different times of the year. Beer is usually served
in 200 or 300ml glasses (in the northern part) or 500ml in
the South. In Bavaria, 500ml is a small beer and a litre is
a large one. Except for Irish pubs, Pints are unusual. For
Germans, lots of foam is a sign of freshness, thus, beer is
always served with a lot of head. Additionally, Germans are
not afraid to mix their pure beer with other drinks. "Cocktails"
of pils/Altbier and soft drinks like Sprite, Fanta, Coke and
so on are very common but seem to have a different name in
every town.
Pubs are open in Germany until 2 in the morning or later.
Food is generally available until midnight. Germans typically
go out after 8pm.
Cider
Undisputed capital of "Apfelwein" cider in Germany
is Frankfurt. Locals love their cider and it is very popular
around here. It is often served in a special jug called "Bempel".
The taste is slightly different from Ciders in other countries
and it tends to quiet refreshing. In autumn when apples are
turned into cider you might find "Frischer Most"
signposted at some places. That means this is first product
in the chain of "Apfelein" production and one glass
of it is nice. Two or three glasses and you will have a problem.
Coffee
Germans drink coffee. Lots of it. Coffee is always freshly
made from ground coffee or beans - no instant. However, persons
coming from countries with a great coffee tradition (like
Italy, Spain, Turkey, Greece or Austria) might find the coffee
that is served in normal restaurants a bit boring.
Gluhwein
Visiting Germany in December? Then go and see one of the famous
christmas markets and this is the place where you find Gluhwein,
a spiced wine served very hot. Just to comfort you in the
cold winter.
Spirits
“Kirschwasser” literally means cherry water, it
certainly tastes to cherry but on the other hand it is not
exactly water what you drink. There is a long lasting tradition
in making spirits in Baden and the “Kirchwasser”
is probably the flagship product and it might encourage you
to taste other specialities such as Himbeergeist, Schlehenfeuer,
saurer Fritz and Apfelkorn.
“Enzian” Bavarians like their beer as well their
Enzian. A spirit high in alcohol that suits you well after
a big dinner.
Tee
Tea is also very popular, and a large choice is readily available.
Wine
In the same that German think that their beer is the best
in the world they are passionate about their wines. The similarites
don't stop here, both products are often produced by small
companies and the best wines are consumed locally and only
the remaining ones are exported. The production of wine has
a 2000 year old history in Germany as learend from the Rheinisches
Landesmuseum Trier, but of course this was a roman settlement
at this time. Sunshine is the limiting factor for the production
of wines in Germany and therefore is the win production limited
to the countries in the south. White wine plays a main role
in the wine production, but some areas produce red wines (Ahr,
Baden Wurttenberg). White wines are produced from Riesling,
Kerner and Muller-Thurgau grapes (there are a lot more, but
to name them all would be to much) and produce generally fresh
and fruty wines. German wines can be rich in acid and are
quit refreshing. It is generally accepted that Riesling grapes
produce the best german wines, but they demand a lot of sunshine
and they grow best in very exposed areas such the Mosel, Rheingau,
Bergstrasse, Kaiserstuhl and Pflalz.
The best way to learn about wines is go to the place were
they are grown and taste them on spot. This is called "Weinprobe"
and is generally free of charge though in touristic areas
you have to pay a small fee. Good wines go usally together
with good food and therefore it is well worth to visit some
of those places.
Wine producing areas are:
Ahr Ahr is the paradise of German red wines. Half of the production
is dedicated to red wines and it is densly populated with
“Gaststatten” and “Strausswirten”.
A saying says: Who visited the Ahr and remembers that he was
there, hasn’t actually been there.
Baden
Franken: don't think bavarians make only beer. In the northern
part of Bavaria you can find a very nice wine. The wine of
often sold in a special bottle called "Bocksbeutel".
Hessiche Bergstrasse: located on the slopes of the rhine
valley it is a quiet small wine producing area and wines are
usually consumed within the area in and around [Heppenheim]].
Mosel: the steppest wineyards in Germany can be seen when
driving in the Mosel valley from Koblenz to Trier.
Rheinpflalz: biggest wine producing area in Germany. Has
some excellent wines to taste and a lot nice villages embeded
in wineyards. Tasting wine in Deidesheim is a good idea and
several prime producer of German wine are all located on the
main road. Want to see the biggest wine barrel in the world
then go to Bad Durkheim.
Rheingau: is the smallest wine producing area, but it produces
the highest rated Riesling wines in Germany. Visit Wiesbaden
and make a trip on the rhine to Rudesheim.
Rheinhessen
Wurtenberg If it was mentioned before, here the rule strictly
applies the wine production is consumed by the locals. The
wine consumption is twice as high as in the rest of Germany
and regardless if it is the red or the white wines. The speciality
of the region is the red wine called Trollinger and it can
be quit nice by German standards.
Sleep
Many hotel chains have franchises in the major German cities,
and a variety of local hotels exist. Young travellers on a
budget might also wish to consider youth hostels (Jugendherberge)
or staying with members of a hospitality exchange network.
Learn
German universities can compete with some of the best universities
in Europe or even the whole world. Since the vast majority
of the universities is state-owned, studying in Germany is
usually free of tuition fees.
German Academic Exchange Service
Goethe-Institute offers German language courses
Work
While unemployment in Germany is at a rate of more than 10
% at the moment, there are jobs for those with the right qualifications
or connections. Non-EU foreigners wishing to work in Germany
should make sure they secure the proper permits. Since this
can mean extended acts of bureaucracy for non-EU citizens,
it is likely not a good method to help your travelling budget.
If you want to stay in Germany for an extended period of
time, but do not speak German, your best bets are large multinational
companies in the banking, tourism or high tech industries.
Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Munich are likely the best places
to start looking. A good knowledge of German is usually expected,
but not always a prerequisite.
Stay safe
Germany is a safe country, but there are some districts that
should be avoided at night by the unwary, or by lone women.
Pick-pockets can be a problem in large cities or at events
with large crowds. Big cities also have their share of beggars
and punks, but these are hardly ever dangerous.
Germany has a dense network of emergency services, check
the next paragraph on how to call them.
Emergencies
The nationwide emergency number is 112 for medical emergencies
and fires, while the police emergency number is 110. Even
if you call the "wrong" number, your call will be
forwarded to the right emergency services. These numbers can
by dialled toll-free from any phone booth or (mobile) phone.
Mobile phones without a valid SIM card will still allow you
to dial the 112 emergency number.
If you're reporting an emergency, the usual guidelines apply:
Stay calm and state your exact location, the type of emergency
and the number of persons involved. Don't hang up immediately,
the operator may have further questions.
Medical emergencies
The hospitals (Krankenhaus) have emergency rooms which are
open around the clock. They will deal with all kinds of medical
problems, although you may have to wait if your problem is
minor. In life-threatening situations do not try to get to
the hospital yourself - call an ambulance via 112!
Pharmacies are called "Apotheke" and are marked
by a big, red "A" symbol. At least one pharmacy
per city or suburb will be open at all times. Each pharmacy
will post the name and address of the nearest open pharmacy
in the window.
There will also be a dentist on stand-by in each town. The
number is usually available from the yellow pages.
Racism
Germany is often considered to be a rather racist country,
especially toward non-Europeans/non-Whites/non-Christians.
The German history combined with some dramatic television
news in the 80s have left a lasting impression with many people
around the world. The real situation is far less dramatic
and of course much more complex.
Germans in general are not more racist than people of other
Western industrialized countries. People in Germany are aware
of the issue and will usually be tolerant or at least politically
correct. The worst a non-white visitor might expect here are
queer looks (often caused by uneasiness or insecurity), some
snubbing or - though rare - at worst verbal insults.
In parts of the former East Germany, the situation is slightly
different. Higher unemployment rates are a fertile ground
for racist ideas. Consequently, there are more incidences
of racist behaviour than in the West with somewhat more frequent
outbursts of physical violence. When away from large crowds
and tourist places, Non-White tourists should be somewhat
cautious, but an overly paranoid attitude would be overdoing
it.
Papers, please!
In large cities the police are working to control illegal
immigration. As a result, it's a very good idea always to
carry your passport and visa papers, if applicable - especially
if you happen to be dark skinned. If you don't, you could
at best face a considerable delay as your story gets checked,
and at worst more serious consequences. Again, remember that
German police are generally helpful, but they have heard all
the stories about "I forgot my papers" before and
will likely be very skeptical of your explanation.
Stay healthy
Sanitary and medical facilities in Germany are very good.
The phone book lists telephone numbers for various medical
services, many hotlines and services exist that are open during
"off hours". The emergency ambulance (for serious
accidents and so on) can be reached via the telephone number
112 (the fire brigade). Health care in Germany is a complicated
issue, with several types of mandatory public and private
health insurances involved. You may wish to check with your
insurance about their co-operation with German health insurance
companies.
Tap water is usually safe for consumption, you may wish to
employ caution with public sources of water (restrooms et
cetera) but even these should not be harmful. Exceptions will
be labeled ("Kein Trinkwasser", no drinking water).
Many lakes and rivers, as well as both the North Sea and
Baltic Sea are generally safe for swimming. This depends on
the locale, however. And while there may be no life-threatening
pollutants in most bodies of water, you would do very well
to inform yourself about local regulations. Finally, if you
intend to visit the North Sea, you should inform yourselves
about the tide schedules. Getting caught in a tide can be
fatal. There are no tides in the Baltic Sea.
Finally, while there is really no dangerous wildlife in Germany,
you should be aware of rabies (Tollwut) which has been a problem
in some areas in the past. If you want to go to Germany for
hiking or camping, you should inform yourself about the situation
at your destination and take appropriate precautions. Normally,
you won't have to worry about it however. You usually need
a permit to camp or make a campfire and German authorities
can be quite strict about this.
Respect
There are no real taboos in Germany that don't apply in other
Western countries. Drinking in public is frowned upon, for
those so inclined, but no punishment will ensue (if you become
aggressive, that's another matter of course). On German beaches,
it's usually okay for women to bathe topless, however full
nudity is uncommon and frowned upon - especially for men.
Some beaches are specifically reserved for nudists and are
labeled "FKK" (Freikörperkultur, literally
free body culture) and in most saunas nudity is compulsory.
Feeding pigeons is prohibited in many cities. It is hard
to imagine that you will get fined even if confronted about
it by a policeman, but it is entirely possible. You don't
feed rats in the street; and likewise, you shouldn't feed
pigeons either.
It is important to bear in mind that Germans at first glance
seem to be, generally, somewhat less polite than folk in English
speaking countries - but it is only the nature of the language:
don't be offended by curt remarks, that's simply how you talk
in German.
Do not be afraid to approach Germans. They are a very direct
and honest people: if they can or want to help you, they will,
if not, they will tell you so.
Be very tactful with regards to the subject of the Second
World War. The legacy of that war is well understood by Germans
and it can a very shameful burden shared even by people born
fourty years after its end. What might appear from an outsider's
perspective to be "an innocent joke" might actually
go down in a much more awkward way.
Note that technically it is against the law to insult others,
so swearing at someone or "giving him the finger"
in public is rare and could lead to unforeseen complications.
Photography
In Germany it is illegal to film or photograph a person without
their permission. The exception are of course crowds or people
just happen to stand in front of something else you take a
photo of. When in doubt, ask for permission.
Contact
Telephone
The international calling code for Germany is 49, and the
prefix for international calls is 00; the area code prefix
is 0. Some number blocks are reserved for special use: Number
starting with 010 let you choose a different phone provider
(see below), 0130 and 0800 are toll-free numbers, 0180 are
service numbers (which may or may not be more expensive than
a local call). 0190 and 0900 are prefix numbers for commercial
services and often very expensive.
Germany has a highly advanced communications network; coverage
for mobile phone is generally good unless you go into really
outlaying areas between small villages. The vast majority
of Germans own mobile phones; the disadvantage of this is
that the once-common phone booths have started to disappear
except at "strategical" locations such as train
stations. If you stay for an extended period of time, consider
buying a prepaid phone card from one of the mobile phone companies;
you won't have trouble finding a Telekom, Vodafone, E-Plus
or O2 store in any major shopping area. Mobile telephony is
still comparatively expensive in Germany, depending on your
contract you may be charged about €0.10 to €0.50
per minute (and more for international calls).
Since the liberalization of Germany's phone market, there
is a multitude of phone providers on the market. If you're
calling from a private fixed line, you can usually choose
from the different providers (and thus from different pricing
schemes) by using special prefix numbers (starting with 010-).
There's a calculator on the net where you can compare the
prices for different destinations. Hotels usually have contracts
with a particular phone provider and won't let you use a different
one.
Alternatively, you can also buy prepaid phone cards you can
use by calling a toll free number; this is especially a good
deal if you intend to make international calls. Cards' quality
and prices vary wildly, however, so a good recommendation
cannot be made.
Recently, phone shops have sprung up in the major cities,
where you can make international calls at cheap rates.
Internet
Internet cafes are common, but usually small, local businesses.
You probably won't have a problem finding at least one in
even smaller towns or large villages. Phone shops will often
offer internet access, too.
Most hotels offer internet access, but this usually takes
the form of dialup lines. You should also be aware that many
hotels have a contract with Deutsche Telekom which includes
the blacklisting of call-by-call numbers. Inquire at your
hotel before booking if this matter is important to you.
In several cities, projects exist to provide free "community"
hotspots for wireless networking. Passenger lounges at some
airports and central railway stations also provide internet
access to their customers.
Postal Service
The German postal service is reliable, if still suffering
a little from being a state-owned company. Recently privatized,
parts of their work force can be testing the patience of the
customers at time. Inquire for the rates to your destination
country at the local post office. Air mail (Luftpost) doesn't
really make sense if you want to send anything to a destination
in the European Union. If you want to send packages, there
are two options - Päckchen is a small packet. It's cheaper,
but includes no insurance and no option for the postal service
to track them, so choose wisely. Packets do not usually get
lost, but it can happen.
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