German people tend to be thrifty, be sensible, and respect one another's privacy, and they typically respect the structure and laws of society to an above-average degree. There is no place that this sense of 'order' is more apparent than in German business culture.
Germans are stoic people who strive for perfectionism and precision in all aspects of their lives. They do not admit faults, even jokingly, and rarely hand out compliments. At first their attitude may seem unfriendly, but there is a keen sense of community and social conscience and a desire to belong.
Almost half of the German population has blue eyes, and many also have blonde hair and pale skin. Many German people also tend to have square jaws: a.k.a., jaws that are about as wide as the rest of the skull. German people also tend to have quite high, prominent cheekbones – and overall, quite angular features.
Other Random Unwritten Rules in Germany:
If you are going to be late for a meeting, let the other person know well in advance. Always stand on the right side of the escalator and walk on the left. Always give people their personal space- don't stand too close. Always offer to pay for your food even when invited.
Germany is almost exclusively blonde with the coastline along the Baltics somewhat darker-haired. Iceland is a very blonde nation, and so is Norway. There is a blonde section of northern Italy that is closer to Germany and the Slavic states.
One of Europe's largest countries, Germany encompasses a wide variety of landscapes: the tall, sheer mountains of the south; the sandy, rolling plains of the north; the forested hills of the urbanized west; and the plains of the agricultural east.
It is rude to chew gum or keep one's hands in one's pockets whilst talking with someone. Cross your legs by putting one knee over the other. It is impolite to rest your feet on furniture. Tight punctuality (Pünktlichkeit) is expected in most professional and social situations.
Abstract. In the early nineteenth century, Americans believed Germans were sluggish, phlegmatic, kind, and devoted to beer-drinking. By the end of the nineteenth century Americans perceived Germans as efficient, hard-working, militaristic, and still devoted to beer-drinking.
Physical characteristics of German people include light complexions, above average heights, square jaws, and sharp facial features. The stereotypical character traits most associated with German people include their efficiency, punctuality, desire for order, using very few words, and having no sense of humor.
Typical Germans have high demands for punctuality in their acquaintances and friends as well as business partners. The lifestyle of German is very private and involves very direct structure and routines on their life. Germans relationship with food is based on traditions and rituals of eating cooked food together.
Most German households are quite small, consisting of the nuclear family alone (mother, father and their children). The extended family generally lives separately. This family form (with children living at home being under 18 years of age) continues to be the most common family structure.
Approximately 26% of Germans are blond-haired. Although not that many people have blond hair, it is certainly not rare. According to a 2003 study conducted in Germany, only 3% of the population had blond hair.
Gray: The Rarest Eye Color
New classifications have determined that gray is its own standard color.1 (It was previously, and incorrectly, lumped in with blue.) With this change, gray now tops the list as the rarest eye color.
The rarest natural hair colour is red, which makes up only one to two percent of the global population. You commonly see these hair colours in western and northern areas of Europe, especially Scotland and Ireland. However, natural redheads may not exist for much longer.
Red hair is relatively common in England, Iceland and Norway, too, while Germany, Sweden, Finland, The Netherlands and northern France are all ahead of the global average. Travel south through Europe and red hair becomes very rare. Just 0.57 per cent of Italians have it, for example, according to one study.
Yes. There exist many people with naturally curly hair in Germany. Even a smaller percentage of over 80 million people is quite a few. Some of them are Germans of foreign descent.
This isn't only a way to show the number one in German, but also a universal hand gesture for showing that everything is okay or perfect. Be cautious when using the thumbs up, as someone might think that you're counting. But in general, people understand that you're signing “perfect” or “okay” when doing this gesture.
A quick, firm handshake is the traditional greeting. Titles are very important and denote respect. Use a person's title and their surname until invited to use their first name. You should say Herr or Frau and the person's title and their surname.
Chewing gum, blowing your nose, winking at someone you don't know well, rolling down the window to chat with someone outside — all of these minor infractions are taboo in Germany.