10 Cultural Differences Between UK & Germany

Are we really this different? Let me know what you think in the description below.

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[benboegemann]

In East Frisia ( Germany ) there is also Teetied ( tea time ). This region has the largest tea consumption per capita in the world.

[einfachisi]

In the northern regions of Germany (on the coast), we also have a tee cultur. Black tea with lemon or black tea with milk.

[cloudyh]

In Germany, we do the same as the Swedes. Our fika is called “Kaffee und Kuchen” (lit. coffee and cake). It's a social ritual practiced all over the country usually during mid-afternoon (between 3pm and 5pm).

[teeka]

Its so interesting to see you as a Brit being interested in Germany whilst me as a German being obsessed with the UK xD
Big up tho, what a guy youre so fun to watch keep it up❤️

[marchertel]

To my knowledge, the German "Kneipe" (equivalent to a pub) has been vanishing in recent decades --- much like there is concern about the pubs disappearing in Britain (admittedly according to the news I've seen). The German "Kneipensterben" (dying out of the pubs) has started a good bit earlier.
Added: Oh, carpet in the bathroom. My grandma used to have that as well, supposedly because it was the American style. In general, I'd say carpets were a lot more common in Germany a generation or two ago.

[twofinedays]

Overall, winters in Germany tends to be harsher than in UK, and German houses are built more solid - thicker walls, thicker doors, double glazing. The prevalence of carpets in UK houses is to counteract the lighter build quality of the houses - to stop draft through floor boards and lessen the noise between floors.

[LemmyD_from_Germany]

Freddie Mercury had called everybody Darling, or something like that. And everyone had expeted that he would do.
And he was also at Art school. So, very british - and I like that.
Greetings from northern germany ♥️

[nordwestbeiwest]

Dwayne believe it or not but the East Frisians drink more tea per capita than the British, i.e. the Germans in the northwest of Germany.

[barbaral.]

When I started work placements in German (south) hospitals during my studies some thirty years ago, usually one of the first tasks was to make coffee for the whole team and everyone was drawing conclusions from the result if you were any good.

[Jothaka]

Concerning her second point, maybe she originates from a bigger city?
I've grown up in a small town (around 30k-ish) and we had quite a lot of pubs that were like she described the english pubs.

In contrast I can only seem to find very few comparable pubs in Hamburg, my current residence. Most of the pubs are either more like an american sports bar or feel very focused on the faster city live style and not a cozy get-together as I'd like it.

There are other nice locations though that fill this gap for me, like for example a dedicated board-game-cafe.
All in all it is just harder to find these kind of cozy places in big cities I think.

[martingerlitz]

Yes! Carpets in the toilet is very strange! I had it in my flat. I cleaned it very much before moving in 😮

[MichaEl-rhkv]

Point 2 seems also depend on region. Regarding my region in Germany: About 50 years ago every village had still its "Dorfwirtschaft" or village pub, and many had even more than one. Those were places to socialize for rural people, but nowadays this business model seems no longer to be economically feasible, and in many villages the socializing has moved to some sports or music club or the voluntary fire brigade. In my 50k pop. town however there are still dozens of inns fulfilling that role (even if only one of those is officially a (Irish) "pub", the others are called "Kneipen", "Schenken", "Cafés" and sometimes "Restaurant"), but most of them are located in the old town district, not in the outer residential areas (the old town is also a residential area, but not mainly.)

[martingerlitz]

In London they are all stressed out. But already on the airport/custom control the officers are so nice and friendly. I had many funny and friendly experiences!

[isabellabihy]

German here: I've lived in California for 3 years in the late 1970s, and I dispised zhose sugary sayings like "Oh, darling...", "Sweetie...", and whatever else they came up with.
I can relate to what the lady is saying. I choose very carefully whose darling I want to be. Certainly not everybody's.

[tingel_]

I remember a family trip to London. At one point we were lost, standing on the sidewalk, searching the map and wondering how to get to our destination. A man came out of the bank we were standing in front of and asked us if he could help us. He explained to us how to get to our destination and the best way to get there. We didn't ask for help, he just came out and helped us. I don't think that would have happened here.

[jochenlutz]

Regarding friendlyness of the people I think we Germans don't talk to strangers without a reason. But if we are asked we will be happy to help. What we don't like at all is to be disturbed by the staff while shopping. Among other things this is the reason why Walmart failed in Germany.

[deniskramer]

She apparently compares the German city with British villages. Because she is so wrong on many points. For example, the German pub in rural areas is exactly what she said about British pubs.

[svetlanashorse]

Moin from East Frisia: the world's biggest consumer of tea per capita - ahead of the UK and Ireland! 😁🫖

[GretchenMuller-uwsl]

my grand grandma also got carpet everywhere
when she turned 90 she asked me whether I could tile her bathroom/toilet floor because that would make it easier for her to clean

i was very happy to do it for her because I find carpet in the bathroom gross

[MichaEl-rhkv]

11:40 Office culture in Germany is more built upon coffee and the coffee break. That may be partly rooted in the history of coffee and of tea in Germany, but also in different water qualities. You can buy tea "English Blend" or e.g. "Earl Grey" in Germany, but it will often not taste as in (most of) England, because many regions here have rather "hard" water (very calcareous), which changes the taste and makes especially broken tea bitter if steeped any longer than absolutely necessary. There are some exceptions e.g. in the northwestern Lowlands or the Black Forest. where the water is softer and people traditionally drink more tea. In most offices you have some coffee machine - either a fancy automatic coffee machine or a capsule machine where everyone gets their own cup out of the machine or an older coffee filter machine, where you ask you colleagues who want a cup before setting up a can big enough for all interested.