■German Society and Culture
◆ A Planning Culture
◇In many aspects, Germans can be regarded as the masters of planning. This is a culture that values forward thinking and knowing what they will be doing at a specific time on a specific day.
◇Prudent planning, in one’s business and personal life, supplies a sense of security. Rules and regulations make people know what is expected and plan their life accordingly.
◇Once the appropriate way to complete a task is discovered, it is not necessary to think of doing it in other ways.
◇Germans believe that establishing clear dividing lines between people, places, and things is the surest way to live an organized and ordered life.
◇Divide work and personal lives rigidly.
◇Every activity has its proper time. When the business day is over, you are expected to leave the office. If you must stay after normal closing, it shows that you did not arrange your day properly.
◆ The German Home
◇Germans are very proud of their homes. They are always kept neat and tidy, with everything having its position.
◇In a culture which stresses formal communication, the home is the place where one can relax and let your own individualism shine.
◇Only close friends and relatives are invited into the sanctity of the house, so it is the one place where more informal communication may take place.
◇There are many unwritten rules concerning the exterior maintenance of one’s home.
◇It is necessary to always keep common areas clean, such as sidewalks, pavements, corridors (in apartments), and steps.
■German Etiquette and Customs
◆ Meeting Etiquette
◇Greetings are formal.
◇The traditional greeting is a quick, firm handshake.
◇Titles are very important and indicate respect. Use a person’s title and their surname until you are allowed to use their first name. You should say Herr or Frau and the person’s title and their surname.