5 Myths About Germany

All you need to know about Germany

Germany, located in Western Europe, is home to a scenic and artistic sweep of hilly mountains, luscious forests, and breezy beaches. It also holds credibility for being known as one of the Top5 economies in the world with a low unemployment rate. Some well-established companies are situated in Germany, giving it the privilege of hosting many professional possibilities. It renders a great scope for individuals to grow their careers and pave a living with promising work prospects.

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Germany, however, needs to be recognized more for its extensive scope and developmental trajectories. People have their allegories and myths pertaining about the country, which brings us to our article relating to the 5 Myths about Germany.

Let’s get right into it.

MYTH 1 – Germany has no speed limits on the road

Fact – They do have road speed limits but in a regulated manner.

Germany boasts one of the most extended motorway networks in the world and is the only European country not to maintain a standard speed limit. They have a unique system known as the autobahn, which has gained significant prominence over time. It is distinguished as a motorway with no speed limit that functions as a controlled-access highway system.  The autobahn officially translates to Bundesautobahn, which interprets to federal motorways, extending to approximately 12.996 km. Some of the top road rules to be followed in Germany are:

• You are allowed to pass on the right only in times of slow-paced traffic.

• It is advisable to check your side-view mirror before changing into the left-hand lane.
• The right side of the road is dedicated to the slower traffic.
• It is advisable to make use of the indicators more frequently.
• Always adhere to the speed limit.
• Piggybacking is a punishable offense with a penalty.

The busy roads in Germany often have signs signaling speed directions that primarily focus on slowing down vehicles. On the other hand, the left lanes are not meant for slow drivers and can be quite triggering for people to follow up behind you. 

MYTH 2 – Germans always put verbs toward the end of their statements

Fact – German verbs are used at the end of the statements but not in all cases.

German verbs usually hold the second position in a statement or are placed toward the closing of a sentence. This is primarily because German’s word order rules are different, wherein the verb always comes in the second position while the other verbs are piled at the end of a sentence.   The verb placement in some scenarios entirely depends on the structure of the sentence.

For example:

• You are allowed to come - Ihr dürft kommen
• Betty can’t knit - Betty Kann nicht stricken

MYTH 3 – Germans are usually very hostile

Fact – Germans are straightforward and punctual

There is a long-believed rumor associated with the Germans and the German Nazis. People take influence from the disinformation presented on the internet and form a general perception of the language and its people. Germans are considered one of the most forthright and straightforward people who do not believe in loosely engaging conversations. It can be presented in a way wherein Germans are known to be highly respectful of each other’s privacy. They believe in maintaining a harmonized approach and aloofness.

MYTH 4 – You are to be blamed if you do not get out of the way of the drivers.

Fact – Germans are known to follow the rules to the T.

Germany has a metric system followed to regulate the speed limits and road signs with distance.

Area	Speed
In Built-up areas	50 km
Outside built-up areas	100km/h
Motorways	130 km/h

The rule has it that drivers usually stick to the right side of the road and surpass on the left.  In traffic-laden areas, the riders tend to overtake the vehicles on the left.  Accidents tend to occur in any part of the world, not just in Germany, and one must always comply with the rules to avoid potential accidents and mishaps.

MYTH 5 – The German words are long as they are stacked with adjectives.

Fact – The words in German tend to be long owing to the mandate pronunciation rules.

Yes, German words can be long and complicated but it has everything to do with the technical rules and pronunciations of the language. While the English language gives the liberty to adjoin a group of nouns to produce a final noun, the Germans stick to eradicating the in-between spaces and are not allowed to have noun clusters.

Compound words are known as individual words that are made by combining two or more words. Germans include this in their language and implement it to form long German words. The words, nonetheless, come with meaning and interpretation to them.

There is also a very popular writing by Mark twain, an American writer that says,

All in all, despite the many myths and misconceptions, the country is said to be an ideal place for visiting Germany and for working in Germany.

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