What a strange country Germany is.

As a German nation with a population of more than 80 million, its character is also impossible to be consistent. Some Germans are deep, introverted and steady, while others are cheerful, generous and funny ... But over the years, they have been constantly influenced and shaped by German culture, so that Germans have developed some more * * * characteristics.

(1) Pay attention to order

The German nation is a nation that pays attention to order. In Germany, everything from space, land and architecture to housewives going out shopping is arranged in advance. Signs to maintain order and prohibition signs can be seen everywhere, and everything is clearly defined. For example, the business hours of shops are strictly regulated. Generally, shop assistants go to work at around 7: 00 a.m., clean doors and windows, sort out goods, open at 8: 00 a.m., close at 6: 00 p.m. and have no rest at noon. From 2 pm on Saturday, the shops are closed and closed on Sundays. This business hour must be strictly observed by all shops, and it is not allowed to operate beyond the time limit.

Germany has strict traffic laws and regulations, and various road signs are clear and eye-catching. Some people say that for a foreigner, as long as he knows all kinds of traffic signs, he can travel all over Germany without speaking a word of German. These signs have become an important means of maintaining traffic order in Germany. German public transport is famous for its punctuality. Residents only need to check the timetable at home and get on the bus at the station on time, without waiting at the station in advance. Even if the bus arrives early, wait until the punctual start.

(2) Strong principle

Germans are conscientious and have a strong sense of responsibility, and they can't be perfunctory about their work. If they are careless and neglect their duties, they can't go easy on them. They always carry one thing with them, that is, notebooks. Germans write everything down in notebooks. One of their habitual actions is to reach for the notebook. An idiom is: Please wait a moment, let me look at my notebook. Everyone from company managers to middle school students and housewives has a notebook.

In Germany, you must make an appointment in advance to make a trip. Germans must make plans first, even housewives should make a shopping list first. When I first met the Germans, they often gave people the impression of being silent, unsmiling and dull. Especially in public social occasions, Germans are very stiff and not good at humor. They are methodical, sit tight, do things seriously and follow the rules and regulations. Germans love happy scenes very much and take every opportunity to hold entertainment activities, but at this time it still gives people a heavy feeling and lacks real relaxation. There is a saying in Germany that "business is business, and shochu belongs to shochu". Friends who don't care about alcohol and tobacco in private have a clear business, but they don't talk about anything ambiguous. Germans are meticulous and selfless, just like a machine, strict and cold.

(3) Diligence and neatness

Germans' hard-working spirit is not only reflected in employees, but also in senior officials and big entrepreneurs. German-style strict school and family education also determine that they are incompatible with the relaxed style. After observing Germany for a long time, an American teacher made such a comparison to children of virtue in his investigation report: on a sunny day after rain, an American girl will be attracted by the bright sunshine and play outside for a while before reading; And a little girl in Germany will go out to play after finishing her homework. Work first and then play. This is German education. Usually, there are few idle people on the road, and even the entertainment places on weekdays are deserted. Only on weekends, parks, theaters, museums, suburbs and places of interest are crowded with tourists. People have the right to enjoy life only after hard work. Germans have diligent and tidy living habits. Most people sweep the courtyard at dawn, and the living room is orderly and spotless. German housewives love cleanliness very much. After seeing her husband and children off in the morning, they put on their work clothes and started the most meaningful work of the day: cleaning the house. They will kneel on the ground and scrub every corner. Even if cleaners and gardeners are asked for help, housewives often work with their classes until the windows are spotless. Every German housewife's greatest wish is to create a warm, comfortable, beautiful and clean home. So in German villages and towns, beautiful garden villas can be seen everywhere. Germans attach great importance to houses, and castles are the most in the world. It is said that there are 14000 castles.

(4) abiding by discipline and law

There is a joke: only Germans drive in the middle of the night 12, and stop at a red light. On the one hand, it shows that Germans have a strong sense of abiding by the law, and at the same time, it also shows that Germany is a country with strict law enforcement. In Germany, people regard obeying the law as the highest ethical principle, and people generally have the psychology of seeking stability, fearing chaos, being content with the status quo and being complacent and self-sufficient. The formation of this kind of psychology has its certain historical origin. In Germany, all previous reforms or revolutions were carried out from top to bottom. From Bismarck's "iron and blood policy" to the dictator's launching of two world wars, centralization and dictatorship led to the "obedience spirit" or "servant consciousness" of the lower class. They even joked that because they were too disciplined, they even listened to the words of a big devil like Hitler, who made Hitler head of state. There is also a joke that one of the most annoying things in the world is to hire a German as a chef. Because German chefs can use electronic scales to calculate the ingredients accurate to grams and make the worst meals in the world. This is, of course, poking fun at the Germans, showing that they are rigid and inflexible, and have neither the romance of the French nor the appetite of the China people. Therefore, they are a group of people who are very tired in the world. People who have lived in Europe for a long time say that Germans are the most honest people in Europe. In fact, Germans are also full of artistic cells and romantic temperament. The difference is that the French are good at exaggerating all their achievements, while the Germans like to hide them, that is, "let things go smoothly."

After the war, Germany's democratic consciousness was strengthened under the impetus of western powers. People take the initiative to participate in political life and express their opinions freely. Although the obedient servant consciousness has been shaken off, some psychology left over from history still exists in the German character and consciousness. In an enterprise, subordinates absolutely obey their superiors, do everything according to the rules, and lack flexibility and initiative; Obedience is the first duty of workers, and leaders regard obedience to orders and laws as the standard to measure the quality of workers. This is also one of the reasons why Germans are rigid and inflexible. Germans are influenced by topography and climate, and people in different regions also have certain differences in personality. For example, North Germans are more open, especially Hamburg people, who are located in a port city and well-informed, but they are also somewhat exclusive, and are not so hospitable to foreigners or foreigners. On the contrary, Nande people, especially Bavarians, are located in the inland mountainous areas, with conservative thoughts, but simple, warm and helpful.

(5) Observance and punctuality

Westerners generally pay attention to punctuality, and there is a saying in Germany that punctuality is the gift of emperors. When Germans invite guests, they often send invitations or call the invitees one week in advance. If it is a phone call, the invitee can reply orally immediately; If it is a written invitation, you can also reply orally by phone. But whether you accept it or not, you should reply as soon as possible so that the host can get ready. If you don't reply later, the host will be at a loss. If you can't go as scheduled after accepting the invitation, you should inform the host as soon as possible so that the host can make other arrangements. If you are late for more than 10 minutes due to temporary reasons, you should also call in advance, because in the occasion of private banquets in Germany, the time for waiting for late guests generally does not exceed 15 minutes. When going to an appointment for dinner, in case of rush hour, you must leave early to avoid being late, but it is not early. In case of formal invitation, Germans often go out early. If they arrive early, they will drive around or take a walk nearby, and then enter their master's house.

For example: high-class dating

Last week, we were invited to the president's house of one of the largest shipping companies in Germany to attend a dinner party. The invitation says that the dinner time is 7: 00 p.m. 15. I wonder why it is not 7: 00 or 7: 30? Finally, it is concluded that the host should watch the news program at 7 o'clock. Secondly, please be on time.

At 7 o'clock that night, 10, we arrived at the master's suburban villa in advance, only to see several beautiful cars parked outside the gate, with people sitting inside, and the cars came one after another. Why don't you get off? Oh! Guests are afraid to enter in advance. At 7: 00+05, all the doors were opened, men and women were wearing fashionable clothes, but none of them were bling, which showed that the friends made by the host were tasteful. We are the first couple to go in, and the master and his wife are still in the garden. They came to meet them at the gate when they heard the bell, and the guests filed in. Five minutes later, all the guests arrived, more punctual than founding ceremony. To my surprise, except for the two of us, most of them are old friends of the host for decades. Such an old friend needs an invitation two months in advance, which is too much. Don't! This is the life etiquette of German upper class, although it is cold.

(6) It is not empty talk.

Germans are very practical, and everything is honest and reliable. Take their buildings as an example. Although the style is not beautiful, it is unpretentious, neat and generous. Every material, such as glass, locks, hinges, switches, lampshades, curtains, clothes hangers, etc. Even if it is extremely small, it is firm and not sloppy. They would rather be heavy than sloppy. In Germany, every building, every piece of furniture and every piece of equipment seems to be planning for a century, paying attention to internal quality. Everything destroyed by war should be restored to its original state when it is repaired. This is not to be old-fashioned, but to show that things in Germany are solid and reliable and not easy to damage. Just like the Germans do things, they are down-to-earth and never talk big.

In dealing with people, they are serious and formal, but honest and reliable. If you meet an unknown German on the road, it seems impossible to talk and laugh with him, but if you ask him for directions, he will take pains to help you. He doesn't know, he will ask others for you, or accompany you on a long trip, so you must understand. A German car driver, because he sent his employer to the wrong place, immediately drove back, apologized to his employer, sent him to the place he wanted to go, and exempted the fare for the latter part of the journey.

The popular buffet abroad was also invented by Germans. In Germany, there are many buffet restaurants where customers help themselves with plates and forks. Some shops have no knives, forks and plates at all. If you are given a piece of paper, you can eat it wrapped in paper or skewered with bamboo sticks. No one will wait on you, and the charge is very cheap.

Germans also travel differently from tourists from other countries. For example, every time Americans drive around a big city, they will ask the hotel for a "sticker" to stick on the outside of the suitcase and go to another city the next day. In this way, I traveled to more than a dozen cities and came home, pointing to the label on my suitcase and boasting, "I have traveled around the world." But the Germans are different. Germans choose a destination, either in the mountains or by the sea, then go there with tents and dry food, stay there for a few days, quietly enjoy the beauty of nature, or "soak" in the local museum for a few days to study and inspect. They think this is the real trip.

For example, a ticket to Zhang Deguo restaurant.

In 2006, we had the opportunity to visit Germany. When we arrive in the port city of Hamburg, we are used to going to the restaurant first, and our colleagues in the public school will inevitably welcome us. When we entered the restaurant, we walked through the lobby of a Chinese restaurant. There were few people on the table, and we were thinking: Can the restaurant go on in such a deserted scene? What is even more ridiculous is that there is only one plate on the table of a dining couple, which contains only two kinds of dishes and two cans of beer. So simple, does it affect their sweet party? Is it too stingy if a man pays the bill? Isn't he afraid that his girlfriend will run away? At another table, several white old ladies are eating leisurely. After each dish was served, the waiter quickly divided it for them, and then they ate it all.

We no longer pay too much attention to them, but look forward to our own big meal coming soon. When the resident colleagues saw that everyone was hungry, they ordered a few more dishes, and everyone refused to give way, which was equivalent to "killing" the resident colleagues. There are not many guests in the restaurant, and the dishes are served quickly. Our table was soon filled with plates and bowls. It seems that today we are the richest people here. After wolfing down, I thought that there were activities behind me, so I stopped being obsessed with tables and drinks, and the meal soon ended. As a result, a third was left on the table. After paying the bill, everyone picked their teeth and walked out of the restaurant door.

We hadn't walked a few steps when someone called us in the restaurant. I don't know what happened: did someone leave something behind? We are all curious. Let's go back and have a look. It turned out that those white old ladies were chattering with the restaurant owner, as if it were aimed at us. Seeing that we are all around, the old lady changed to speak English, so we can all understand. She said that we had too much food left, which was a waste. We think it's funny that the old lady meddles! "We spend money to eat and pay the bill. How much is left? What's it to your mother? " A colleague stood up and wanted to practice oral English with the old lady. The old lady was even more angry when she heard what her colleague said. The old lady headed by her immediately took out her mobile phone and dialed something. After a while, a man in uniform drove up and said he was a staff member of the social security office. After inquiring about the situation, the staff member actually took out a ticket and issued a ticket of 50 marks. Now we don't talk, and our colleagues' faces are distorted, so we dare not practice oral English any more. The resident colleague had to take out 50 marks and repeatedly said, "I'm sorry!" The staff accepted Mark and said to us seriously, "Order as much as you need!" The money is your own, but the resources belong to the whole society. Many people in the world still lack resources. You can't and have no reason to waste them! "We all turned red. But we all agree with this sentence in our hearts. In a rich country, people still have this awareness. We have to reflect: we are a country with a large population and not rich in resources. Usually when we invite guests to dinner, there will always be a lot of leftovers. The host was afraid that the guest would lose face and was considered a cheapskate, so he ordered a lot of dishes. There are leftovers anyway. You won't blame me for being generous. In fact, we really need to change some habits and establish a sense of "big society", and we can no longer be "poor and generous". On that day, the resident colleagues copied the tickets and gave them to everyone as a souvenir. We are all willing to accept it and determined to keep it. Others want to send some copies to others when they go back, and stick one of their own on the wall at home to remind themselves from time to time.

(seven) absolutely abide by the rules and regulations.

German laws and official regulations are as vague as hemp, and some of them are left over from the19th century. There is a joke that Germans live by law. Without laws, they don't know how to live. In China, everyone has a kind of self-discipline. Now that the country has laws, people don't know how to work. People in China will justify themselves and finally come together. No matter how chaotic the traffic is, they can come up with a logic. On the roads in Germany, if the traffic lights fail, pedestrians can wait in front of the road until they are repaired before crossing the road.

Example: A survey that makes people laugh and cry.

My brother-in-law's mother just turned 100, and my brother-in-law organized a grand celebration party. In the evening, he also read a congratulatory letter from the German President and the Mayor of Hamburg. This is not to say that she has any merits or personal friendship, but because in Germany, centenarians are already highly respected. The government has mastered the list of centenarians in Germany, and there will be special people to look after them and send them congratulatory letters. Although this is a trivial matter, it reflects a kind of attention and respect for people, and the participants are very emotional.

However, something ridiculous happened. My brother-in-law's mother lives in a luxurious nursing home. One night, she accidentally rolled off the bed. In order to avoid it from happening again, my brother-in-law added a narrow wooden strip beside the bed. After the centenary birthday, the state officials in charge of social welfare came down to care about the people's welfare. Suddenly, he found this narrow piece of wood and thought it was a violation of human rights and personal freedom, so he had a long talk with the centenarian for three hours.

As we all know, she is old, and sometimes she doesn't even know her own son, but the official went back and wrote a few pages of reports on human rights violations, preparing to sue her brother-in-law, and sent welfare doctors to check the "mental and physical torture" caused by this narrow board to centenarians, and finally wrote seven pages. My sister's brother-in-law is in distress situation.

A friend explained that this is understandable. In the current economic situation, three hours of talk, seven pages of report and two pages of appeal are all labor services. They all eat Chinese food, so we have to do something. In this way, more people in East Germany eat state food and look for things to do everywhere than in West Germany. No wonder the country's administrative expenses can't be reduced.

(8) Stubborn (serious)

Germans are famous for their stubbornness. Car accidents often happen in Germany. This is by no means because they didn't see the oncoming car, but because both drivers think they are driving correctly and don't give in to each other. They are simply stubborn to death. However, the perseverance of Germans in their work is also amazing. For example, employees working in an optical instrument factory can work to death without regrets in order to polish their lenses. In addition, the factory director can pay high wages according to the skills of employees. This is why Germany can train excellent technicians and skilled workers. German products can also reflect this German temperament. There is absolutely no such sloppy practice when they produce, and they must make the products reach the limit of performance. The most outstanding German products are automobiles, precision instruments, cameras, cutting tools and pens. These products are world-famous. German religious revolutionary Martin Luther once said, "Even though I know that the whole world will be destroyed tomorrow, I will plant my vine today." . This sentence fully shows the German spirit of hard work and perseverance.