Germany has a strong tradition with respect to card games, as a result the most popular game varies by region. Skat, Doppelkopf and Schafkopf are amongst the most popular, they are very similar to each other and pretty tactical. Schafkopf is traditionally played in Bavaria (South-East), Doppelkopf is more popular in the West and North, and Skat … [Read more...]

With the fifth largest economy in the world, Germany is Europe’s land of opportunity for skilled professionals. In addition to high job security and a favorable work-life balance, people are also thrilled with how safe the country is and with its high quality of medical care. For about two centuries, Germany was a land people migrated from, not … [Read more...]

The German system of gun control is among the most stringent in Europe. It restricts the acquisition, possession, and carrying of firearms to those with a creditable need for a weapon. It bans fully automatic weapons and severely restricts the acquisition of other types of weapons. Compulsory liability insurance is required for anyone who is … [Read more...]

Germans are said to be rather serious, dour, and even humorless. While this is not entirely true, German people do indeed need some time to warm up and keep a polite distance when dealing with strangers. While it might be customary in some countries to address people by their first name, Germans like to stick to formalities. At the same time, their … [Read more...]

Bread (Brot) is a significant part of German cuisine, with the largest bread diversity in the world. Around 300 kinds of breads and 1,200 different kinds of pastries and rolls are produced in about 17,000 bakeries and another 10,000 in-shop bakeries. The multitudinous variety of bread and rolls in Germany is legendary! It is based on different … [Read more...]

It's true: there are no speed limits on many sections of German autobahns. But there are plenty of other regulations you should be aware of. While most traffic rules are the same in Germany as they are in other countries, traffic signs and street markings can be very different as well as confusing. The following is some basic traffic information … [Read more...]

Sometimes, when coming to Germany, visitors have the stereotype of dour, rigid, and humorless Germans firmly lodged in their mind. Fortunately, this cliché regarding German customs and behavior is exactly that – just a cliché. Germans tend to be rather reserved with strangers, business partners and casual acquaintances. Meet and Greet In order to … [Read more...]