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one other than the German literary genius
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832)
is quoted as saying, “The Germans make
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and for everyone else.” Could Goethe
have known 200 years ago about the challenges of
electronic communication between Germans and
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It is well-known that the experience of transatlantic
email communication sometimes falls considerably
short of sheer contentment. Business professionals
in the U.S. may feel as if they are drowning in detail
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monitor. Does a note about a new project, they wonder,
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the fall of 2007 or even further, to Charlemagne … or
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Not in emails, they conclude.
For their part, many Germans receiving emails
from the United States have invested a lot of time into
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exclamation marks behind the word “URGENT” in
the subject line—given that seemingly all emails from
the U.S. are quite urgent. Cracking this code would
help them prioritize tasks in the methodic manner to
which they are accustomed.
Relocation professionals in Germany are used to
the brevity and apparent urgency that seems to typify
communication from the U.S. Nevertheless, they
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reputation for friendliness, can be so abrupt. And
they do not believe that expressions of politeness
contribute to wordiness in their own emails.
Helmut Berg, CEO of RSB Deutschland, emphasizes, “No email to a client goes out from RSB without
a correct form of address.” Each message ends with
“Best regards” and the offer to answer any questions.
Politeness is regarded as highly as professionalism.
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Americans—and business people around the globe
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German emails to be simply too long. They wonder,
“Can we skip the formalities and get to the point?”
The scroll bar seems to shout, “This email will take
time!” even as the bullet points starting just above
the lower window frame foreshadow a daunting
amount of detail.
Yet detail is precisely what was intended in
Germany—although it is not included to frustrate the
reader. From the German perspective, professionalism is expressed in structure, in accuracy, in a concenWUDWLRQRQVSHFLÀFVUHJDUGHGDVQHFHVVDU\'HDOLQJV
with authorities in a relocation process, as well as
the intricacies of a renter-oriented real estate market
or milestones in a project, are complex and therefore
need comprehensive explanation. Relocation consultants often need to explain cultural differences—
sometimes to email recipients who may be reluctant
to take the time to understand them.
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After having put a lot of effort into, say, describing
to a client precisely how the process of acquiring an
employment visa works, it is the German relocation
consultant’s turn to be frustrated: The American
midlevel manager about to relocate to Germany
writes back, “URGENT!! Please just tell me exactly
when our work permit will be issued. I need your
50 Mobility | March 2014
response before the end of the business day.”
And then pulls rank: “Ian K. Doodle, Deputy Vice
President, Marketing.”
It’s certainly not as if Germans lack appreciation for
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made them a baron. But they do smile about the many
levels and ranks in even very small U.S. companies.
Sometimes it seems there are almost as many deputy
vice presidents as there are production workers. Most
Germans won’t be particularly thrilled about being seen
as part of the hierarchy of who answers to whom. Clear
answers to precise questions are what they would prefer. So they pick up the phone—and wind up endlessly
lost in a voice mail menu.
Frustration results on both ends. Nothing really
serious, an everyday occurrence, but it is a bit annoying nevertheless. It’s mostly a case of unmet expectations and lack of understanding. And the resulting
feeling is: “You have nuisance mail.”
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Yet, generally, both parties really do come in peace.
Since neither is likely to change the other’s attitude, it is sometimes necessary simply to endure
what may seem like an irritating style of communication—iMails, so to speak. But it helps for the
recipient to be aware that a certain style of emails
might be perfectly normal on the sender’s side,
with no harm intended. While one-line messages
might be considered clear and efficient communication in the U.S., the same is true of accuracy and
directness in Germany.
Germans, more often than not, go the extra mile
for their foreign customers, clients, or partners—not
so much because they are taking nationalities or hierarchies into account, but rather because they believe
in doing things right. Only when things are done
right will everything be in order—eventually. Goethe
recognized that attitude in Germany 200 years ago,
and it is still prevalent today. As he observed, that
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themselves and for everyone else. But checking
one’s assumptions and allowing for the possibility of
misunderstanding on either side will be a big help in
getting them out of the way. M
Cornelius Görres is founder and proprietor of cross-cultural
consulting and training provider Culture Options in Munich,
Germany. He can be reached at [email protected].
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Germans are tagged with plenty of stereotypes—sausage and beer, anyone? But there are other quirks of the
German people that many don’t know about. Hin und weg, a program on Germany’s international broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, listed these:
6VVVVKLW·V6XQGD\You might think that Sunday
is the perfect day of the week to check some
things off your to-do list—mow the lawn, vacuum
the carpets, or put a new shelf on the wall. But put
the hammer and drill away. In Germany, Sunday
is Ruhetag, or “quiet day.” Shops will be closed
everywhere, and neighbors will complain if your
noise disturbs their resting day.
Close that window! Germans are known for their
network of trains crisscrossing the country. But
there’s one train Germans are deathly afraid of:
the Luftzug, or “air train.” A common belief is that
fresh air coming through an open window can
make you sick. German doctors even give sick
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an air draft. So remember, even in summer, close
all doors and windows!
'RQ·WEORZRXWWKHFDQGOHVWRRVRRQ Saying
“happy birthday” to a German before the actual
date can lead to angry stares and even outrage.
Why? For most Germans, a premature birthday
wish is bad luck. They simply can’t understand
why anyone would celebrate their birthday too
soon. They celebrate “into” a person’s birthday at
midnight—but not before.
(YHU\WKLQJDQGWKHNLWFKHQVLQNFor many
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Germany a kitchen is not a compulsory item in the
apartment. When Germans move, they take their
entire kitchen with them, leaving only the pipes
for the water connection behind. Oven, fridge,
countertops, cupboards, and sometimes even the
sink—everything will move into the new place.
6XSHUPDUNHWFKHFNRXWVDUHDUDFHGrocery
shopping in Germany can be like the Indianapolis
500. Things go fast in the checkout line. The
cashier scans items with blazing speed, and there
isn’t much space for the groceries. Shoppers can
struggle to bag items while they continue to pile
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around—there’s a line of waiting customers giving you the evil eye if you’re not fast enough.
:DWHUQHHGVWRÀ]]If you order water in a
German restaurant, you’ll likely get sparkling
water. Germans love their sparkling water and
mix it with everything—apple juice, beer, wine—
the options are endless. Every beverage mixed
ZLWKÀ]]\ZDWHUEHFRPHVDSchorle (spritzer). A
German would never give tap water to a guest;
that’d simply be considered rude. Water has to
bubble or at least needs to be bottled.
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Confusing, huh? Here’s an example. If you’re
asked in German whether you would like some
more of that delicious German beer, make sure
you don’t simply say danke (“thanks”), assuming
that will get you more. Danke will be interpreted
as “no, thanks.” If you do want more, then say
bitte (“please”), which in this context means “yes,
please.” Otherwise, you might go thirsty.
/XQFKLVKRWGLQQHULVFROG Germans call their
dinner meal Abendbrot, or “evening bread.” That’s
because they prefer having a hot home-cooked
meal for lunch and a quick cold meal for dinner. It
consists of German bread with ham, cheese, and
some veggies. Almost every workplace, large or
small, has a canteen that prepares the beloved hot
lunch. That way no German is deprived of their
hot meal during the workday.
7UDQVODWLQJ(QJOLVKLQWR(QJOLVKIt’s one thing to
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in Germany, every American actor has his or her
personal German voice-over artist. But sometimes
English-language movie titles are also translated—
into an easier form of English. The movie Bring It
On, for instance, goes by the name of Girls United in
Germany. Maid in Manhattan is Manhattan Love Story.
Why? That’s a good question.
Get naked! FKK, Freikörperkultur or “free body
culture,” is said to have originated in Germany—
for a reason. Many Germans love to strip off their
clothes on an FKK beach and stroll around the
way Adam and Eve once did. It doesn’t matter
how old you are, what you look like, or who
you’re with—at designated FKK spots and in the
sauna, mixed or not—you’d better get naked, or
you’ll be considered the weird, prudish foreigner.
© DW 2014. Reprinted with permission.
www.WorldwideERC.org | Mobility 51