German customs
Germans are characterized by diligence and self-confidence. The strict self-disciplined Germans pay great attention to formality and punctuality. For public and private matters, time must be agreed upon in advance and appointments must be attended on time.
It is impossible to meet a German without prior agreement. If you need to postpone or cancel the appointment for any reason, you must call the other party to inform them
Otherwise, it is not only disrespectful, but also considered a huge insult. Germans pay attention to efficiency, discipline and meticulousness in their work.
There are many social activities in my spare time. There are receptions, cocktail parties, buffets, dances, etc. In addition, Germans love to travel, especially in winter and summer
Two seasons. After returning from travel, I like to gather at friends’ homes and hold a banquet to wash away the dust.
The Germans are a nation that values ??order. Everyone has his or her own "belonging", and even everything has its "proper" place. Foreigners
Traveling in Germany. The first feeling is that everything there is very organized. Signs and prohibition signs to maintain order can be seen everywhere. When Germans appear in public places and interact with others, they pay attention to be dignified, respect others appropriately, and follow the rules in everything.
As the saying goes: Every place has its own customs, and Germany is certainly no exception. In the past, Germans divided "guest" into courtesy visits, farewell visits, thank you visits, return visits, inaugural visits, overnight visits, and fiancée visits, etc. Later, someone also discovered that there are two types of guests: Mr. Guest and Ms. Guest. For the first time being a guest, a quarter of an hour or half an hour is enough. The guests brought no gifts or bouquets, and the host did not entertain anything. The best time to be a guest is from 6 to 6:30 in the evening, or close to 12 noon. It is best to notify the interviewee in advance.
In Germany, there are many rules for dining. A decent meal must always be preceded by an aperitif. Whether they are serving in a restaurant or at home, Germans always like to have some bitter aperitifs. After all the guests get to know each other, they first stand together and chat, talking about something insignificant and relaxed. A pleasant thing, because good wine
Good food requires a good atmosphere. When taking a seat, men cannot sit down before the hostess and other female guests sit down. The man must help the woman move the seat.
Keep your body straight, relaxed, feet on the ground, and don't move too much. You can only eat when the hostess picks up the tableware.
Germans are more economical in giving gifts, and they give things for different reasons, such as birthdays, engagements, weddings, etc. Guests only bring something small, like a bouquet of flowers, a bottle of wine, or something they made themselves. It is known as "a small gift that nourishes friendship".
The statutory holidays throughout the year in Germany include: New Year’s Day (January 1); International Labor Day (May 1); Day of Creation (the seventh Sunday after Easter)
; German Unity Day (October 3); Shrovetide (November); Christmas (December 25-26); Oktoberfest (the last week of September every year)
to the first week of October); the promulgation date of the Basic Law (May 23). Visitors should note not to visit during the two weeks before and after Christmas and Easter.
Communicating with Germans
The first impression of Germans will usually give you a very friendly feeling. Indeed, no matter if you have any questions and ask for help from classmates, Germans you just met, or even people you meet on the street, they will patiently give you advice. It turns out that when I was learning German in China, I took a listening exercise, which was about asking for directions. A foreigner asked a German for directions. Since the person being asked did not know the direction, the German asked the person next to him to help him ask. As a result, the two Germans recently got into a dispute over which way to take. When I heard it at the time, I thought it was a joke. But when I came here, I found that this situation was so understandable. If I were to write about my interactions with Germans, several books would probably not be enough. Even everyone's experience will be different. Let’s talk about the issues we should pay attention to and the mistakes that newly arrived students tend to make. Let’s talk about what comes to mind later. First of all, if you have any questions and you want to ask the Germans for advice, just believe that they are all foreigners with different skin colors. It may be inappropriate to ask in-depth questions about legal aspects, because their answers may lead to legal liability.
However, you can ask for general questions, whether in life or study, and don't feel that asking too many questions seems too troublesome. If you ask a question at the beginning, but you still don’t understand it after listening to his explanation, and you are too embarrassed to ask further, if you let him notice it, he will feel that you don’t pay attention to his explanation. Don't give Germans heavy gifts casually. His first reaction to expensive gifts is wariness. Small gifts such as a small bunch of Chinese tea leaves, a few paper cuts, etc. will be very popular. If you have the opportunity to be a guest at a German home, stay ten to fifteen minutes later than the agreed time. If you are invited to dinner, you can bring a bottle of wine, a small bouquet of flowers, or a dish you cooked yourself. Can. The most distinctive thing about interacting with Germans is Termin. Everything must be agreed in advance. Visits without an appointment, whether for personal or business matters, are not welcome. Honesty is also a principle in dealing with people. When it comes to eating, when you go to a German home, if the host gives you more food and you politely say that's enough, then no one will add more food to you like in China. When a German comes to your home for a meal, if he says enough is enough, don't keep asking for permission like in China. To understand the Germans, you must understand their thinking habits. Direct and simple ideas may not fit well with China’s thousands of years of humility and gentleness. If you stay for a long time, you will gradually accept it. Conversations with Germans can be broad, and you can argue when it’s time to argue. I often argue with them over issues such as Taiwan and human rights, but they forget about it many times faster than you do. And don't think you can convince him.
When dealing with Germans, I think everyone wants to leave a good impression on them. My experience is that honesty is the most basic and best way to make a good impression. And this is something everyone can do. The rest depends on your efforts. In the experience of most of us, Germans are very willing to make friends with Chinese people. And he is full of praise for all kinds of Chinese food. If you want to practice your speaking at the beginning, tell a few short Chinese stories. Let me tell you a secret. Every German has a great interest in the fable of a blessing in disguise, and I find it to be a very tempting highlight in their thinking. Give it a try. At the same time, while they are intoxicated with thousands of years of Chinese culture, they can help you correct grammatical errors in expression.
It seems a bit off topic, but since I have written it, I will put it here. Next time I'll sort it out and put some other interesting things up. Be sure to remember:
Don't try to deceive Germans, unless you want to lose your German friends, or lose your dignity as a human being here.
Reference: Reprinted to: "Customs and Customs of Germany"
Answer: yixia | Level 1 | 2007-5-16 20:30
Germany Human characteristics are diligence and self-confidence. The strict self-disciplined Germans pay great attention to formality and punctuality. For public and private matters, time must be agreed upon and appointments must be attended on time. It is impossible to meet a German without prior agreement. If you need to postpone or cancel the appointment for any reason, you must call the other person to inform him. Otherwise, it is not only disrespectful, but also considered a huge insult. Germans pay attention to efficiency, discipline and meticulousness in their work.
There are many social activities in my spare time. There are receptions, cocktail parties, buffets, dances, etc. In addition, Germans love to travel, especially in winter and summer. After returning from travel, I like to gather at friends’ homes and hold a banquet to wash away the dust.
The Germans are a nation that values ??order. Everyone has his or her own "belonging", and even everything has its "proper" place. Foreigners traveling in Germany. The first feeling is that everything there is very organized. Signs and prohibition signs to maintain order can be seen everywhere. When Germans appear in public places and interact with others, they pay attention to behaving dignifiedly, respecting others appropriately, and following the rules in everything.
As the saying goes: Every place has its own customs, and Germany is certainly no exception. In the past, Germans divided "visits" into courtesy visits, farewell visits, thank you visits, return visits, inaugural visits, overnight visits, and fiancée visits, etc. Later, someone also discovered that there are two types of guests: Mr. Guests and Ms. Guests. For the first time as a guest, a quarter of an hour or half an hour is enough. The guests brought no gifts or bouquets, and the host did not entertain anything. The best time to be a guest is from 6pm to 6:30pm, or around 12pm. It is best to notify the interviewee in advance.
There are many rules when it comes to dining. A decent meal should always be preceded by an aperitif. Whether they are serving in a restaurant or at home, Germans always like to have some bitter aperitifs. After all the guests get to know each other, everyone first stands together and chats, talking about insignificant and light-hearted things, because of the good wine and delicious food. There needs to be a good atmosphere. When taking a seat, men cannot sit down before the hostess and other female guests sit down. The man must help the woman move the seat. Keep your body straight, relaxed, feet on the ground, and don't move too much. You can only eat when the hostess picks up the tableware.
Germans are more economical in giving gifts, and they give things for different reasons, such as birthdays, engagements, weddings, etc. Guests only bring something small, like a bouquet of flowers, a bottle of wine, or something they made themselves. It is known as "a small gift that nourishes friendship".
Weddings and funerals are important events in the journey of life. A person may not marry or stay single throughout his life, but among all things, there is death among all things, and this is inevitable. It is painful for people to say goodbye to the world. When a person dies, he must hold a funeral. This is a custom all over the world. In order to allow the deceased to leave peacefully, there are various folk customs in various countries.
(1) Dying consolation
In the Rhine region of Germany, an ancient custom that has been passed down since the Middle Ages is still followed: drinking deathbed wine. When a person is dying, he must take a sip of old wine. It is said that this kind of wine is holy wine, which can awaken the souls of the dead, disperse the evil spirits surrounding the hospital bed, and bring peace to the dying. Before a person dies, the family will light the baptismal candle, communion candle, and holy light candle, and light a large red candle at the same time, and place them next to the deceased. First, they use candlelight to bless the deceased; second, they illuminate the deceased. Light the way to heaven.
In German folklore, the mirror is regarded as a tool of the devil and a hiding place for the god of death. The devil uses the reflective ability of the mirror to disturb people's peace. Therefore, people should cover the mirror with cloth before they die, so that the deceased soul can peacefully get rid of the sins of the world and ascend to the Western Paradise. In the mountains of southern Germany, when a person is dying, his family will open the windows and remove the roof tiles. The purpose of this is to open a passage to another world for the dead, because they believe that people will live in another world after leaving the mortal world. People use these end-of-life comforts to enable the deceased to die peacefully.
(2) Funeral
In Western Christian countries, funerals are generally held in churches. If someone dies in your family, you must first agree with the church on a funeral date and notify relatives and friends in an appropriate manner. In addition, the body must be washed with clean water. They believe that water has unlimited magical power. It can purify the human body, purify the human mind and soul, and dispel evil and suppress demons. People must be baptized when they come to the world, and their bodies must be washed when they leave the world to wash away all the sins in the world.
On the day of the funeral in the church, relatives and friends came to the church one after another holding flowers or wreaths. First, the pastor or priest presides over the memorial service, and the funeral participants sing hymns, play mourning music, pray, and read out the life story of the deceased provided by the bereaved family according to prior arrangements. The church funeral is only the first half of the funeral. The second half is held in the cemetery. Only the family, close relatives and close friends of the deceased attend. Generally, friends can leave after attending the church funeral without going to the cemetery. In Germany, most funerals are burials, with relatives and friends watching the coffin being buried in a pre-designated grave. People gathered around the tomb and prayed for the deceased, may his soul rest in peace and ascend to heaven. When invited to attend a funeral at a relative or friend's home, the only gift that can be given is flowers. You can send bouquets of flowers or wreaths made of fresh flowers (Germans do not use paper flowers to make wreaths). The names of the deceased, the mourners, and inscriptions such as "RIP" and "Farewell" should be written on the ribbons of flowers.
Author: scftnt 2006-11-8 00:52 Reply to this statement
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2 German customs [ZT]
The most important thing to note when attending a funeral in Germany (and even Western countries) is to wear black as much as possible For clothes, men should wear black ties without floral patterns. If black clothes are not available, wear dark and dark clothes, and avoid bright clothes.
At the same time, you must remain solemn and quiet at the funeral, and do not talk or laugh loudly. Otherwise, it will be regarded as disrespectful to the bereaved family, and it will also appear that you lack education. The entire funeral was immersed in a solemn atmosphere from beginning to end, with no scenes of chest-beating or crying. Except for the soft sobs, most people were meditating and praying silently to bid farewell to the deceased. Contrary to people's solemn expressions and dim clothing, Tokume's cemetery is colorful and full of flowers. The cemetery is surrounded by lush trees, mainly evergreen pines and cypresses. In the warm season, flowers bloom. Flowers not only represent people's remembrance of the dead, but also provide comfort to the living. Whenever they think of the deceased, people go to the cemetery to sweep the grave, lay flowers, and stay quietly for a while to express their grief.
After the funeral, the bereaved family still has a mourning period. Although the requirements in this regard have become less stringent in recent years, as a newly widowed woman, she will inevitably attract criticism for dressing up and socializing frequently just after her husband's death. Generally, newly widowed women are required to wear mainly plain and elegant colors. They should not participate in dances, banquets and large-scale lively events except for small gatherings. Relatives and friends should also be careful not to invite her to festive gatherings so that she can live a quiet life. Get through the period of mourning. The requirements for men with value-added couples are not as strict as those for widows, but they are also required to dress more appropriately within a certain period of time and avoid extravagant socializing.
The annual birth rate of the German population has always been the lowest in the world, and the post-war population growth mainly relied on immigration. In a country with such a low birth rate, the addition of a child to a family is truly a happy event. In fact, as early as when a woman is pregnant, she will be protected from all aspects. There are many customs and habits to protect the health of the pregnant woman and the healthy growth of the fetus. In the rural areas of Württemberg, Germany, pregnant women are highly respected guests. She can enter other people's orchards to pick fruits and taste them, or have meals at neighboring houses. People there believe that the presence of a pregnant woman symbolizes new life and a good harvest. In addition, there are some customs: pregnant women are not allowed to go out at night for fear of witches and ghosts in the dark hurting the fetus; pregnant women are not allowed to look at ugly things for fear that the baby will look ugly in the future; pregnant women are not allowed to walk through cross doors or walk under clotheslines. , otherwise it will cause dystocia and harm the fetus. Although these customs are full of feudal superstition, they also show people's concern for pregnant women. In Germany, which is predominantly Christian, parents have found a godfather and godmother for a newborn before he or she is born. As soon as the child is born, the family makes an appointment with the church and a priest or priest baptizes the child.
(1) Godfather and Godmother
In Germany, parents of newborns will look for godfathers and godmothers for their children among relatives and friends long before the child is born. Since godparents have a close relationship with their children throughout their lives, parents of babies are very cautious when choosing. Parents of a child do not necessarily choose a couple when choosing godparents for their children, but they must be upright, reliable, well-behaved, respected, and reputable people. Of course, you must first obtain their consent. Generally, people who are invited to be godparents of their children will consider it as a trust in themselves and an honor, and they will be happy to take on this responsibility. The original intention of identifying godparents is to help children in their religious beliefs. Nowadays, the responsibilities of godparents are not limited to religious aspects. They can ensure that after the child is born, there will be many elders who care about his growth and take care of him when he is in trouble. In case both parents are premature when the child is underage, If the child dies, then the godfather and godmother still have to bear the obligation to raise him as an adult.
(2) Newborn Baptism
Baptism is an important ceremony held when Christianity accepts Christianity. Christianity believes that people are born with sin and must be baptized to remove dirt and become pure before they can be accepted as Christians and then qualified to enter heaven. The person being baptized is not necessarily a baby. Jesus himself was baptized by "John the Baptist" as an adult. But in Christian countries, the vast majority of people are baptized in churches by their parents when they are babies. The formal naming of the baby is carried out at the same time as the baptism, so the baptism is also called the "naming ceremony". After the baby's parents set a date in the church, they immediately send out invitations to invite relatives and friends to attend. Usually only close friends are invited, and the number of people will not be too large. During baptism, the baby is held by the godmother and stands next to the "holy water basin" in front of the altar in the church. The child's parents and others gather around, and the pastor or priest reads out the relevant chapters of the Bible and recites the prescribed liturgy. He took the child, dipped his hand in holy water and dropped it on the child's head, saying, "I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."
"Then, after saying a few words that the child will grow up to love mankind and serve God, the baptism is completed. After the baptism, there will naturally be a celebration. The baby's parents will hold a luncheon or tea party and invite the priest who performed the ceremony. Or the priest, the child's godparents and relatives and friends will attend. The invitees should bring some gifts to the child, such as toys, clothes, children's picture albums, etc. As usual, the gifts from the godparents are more expensive on the baptism day. The godfather not only wears rosemary on his chest, but also puts rosemary in the baby's cradle. It is said that this fragrant herb can cure diseases and demons, and at the same time, the godfather expresses his love. , he will also put some money under his godson's diaper or pillow as a deposit for the child's future marriage. Some godfathers give their children books and pens in the hope that the children will be smart and diligent. Nowadays, a fashionable gift is to give the boy a small and exquisite silver gift. Make a beer mug and give the girl a necklace or a silver coffee cup with the child's name and baptism date engraved on it. In rural areas of Bavaria, it is customary to have leftover bread on the table after the child's baptism dinner. After the meal, you should pack some food for the guests to take away, bring some sausages and spirits to the male guests, and bring some cakes and candies to the female guests. You should also give generous gifts to the godfather as a token of appreciation. Life is rich and more than enough. In Germany, baptismal candles are carefully collected and have special significance in a child's life. It is said that lighting baptismal candles can turn evil into good luck and eliminate all diseases. In some rural areas in Germany, this is still a pious tradition. This ancient custom is followed everywhere. In Germany, a woman can take a year's leave after giving birth, or both husband and wife can take a six-month leave, and they can jointly bear the responsibility of raising the child.
Author: scftnt 2006-11-8 00:52 Reply to this statement
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3 German customs and customs [ZT]
Today, young men and women in Germany have various opportunities to make contact. They may be introduced by relatives, friends, classmates, colleagues, or in They met at dances, travels and other entertainment activities, and then after a period of dating, they finally decided to get married. They enjoy full freedom of love, which is no different from modern Western countries. However, Germany has some interesting things about choosing a spouse.
1. The old oak tree
There is a famous old oak tree in Breedgrom, Germany, which is called "the old oak tree". There is a beautiful legend about this old oak tree. It is said that more than 600 years ago, a prince was rescued by a beautiful girl during an encounter. The prince and the girl fell in love at first sight. In return for the girl's life-saving grace, the prince planted this oak tree in the forest. Later generations were envious of the prince's adventure and came here to watch it and hope to meet their special someone. There are actually some men and women who communicate their love through oak trees and hold weddings under the trees. Over time, the old oak tree took on the role of "Yue Lao". Every day, love letters with the address "D-2420 Breedgrom's Oak in Dudau Forest" are dropped into the hole of the old oak tree by the postman. These letters are public and can be opened and read by everyone. The young men and women waiting beside "Yue Lao" can read the letters to find their special someone. If you find someone you like, you can contact them by correspondence and make an appointment to meet. It is said that more than 5,000 pairs of young men and women have been married through the oak tree. Nowadays, the story of the old oak tree spreads far and wide, so much so that young people from other countries also send love letters to this old oak tree in search of a spouse. There are as many as 800 such love letters every year.
2. Chess is a lifelong skill
There is a small town in the southwest of Berlin called Hichobeek. People here have been very keen on chess for hundreds of years, and they are so obsessed that even the hat badges of the policemen on duty have been changed. Designed in a checkerboard pattern, a checkerboard was also installed on the church's spire to represent the direction of the wind. When people wake up early in the morning, they can see local officials going to work carrying official documents between chessboards. People here learn to play chess from an early age, and the school has "chess classes" to help children learn to play chess from an early age. It is precisely because of this chess custom that when girls choose a spouse, the young man's chess skills become a major condition. Before a young man proposes to a girl, he must play a game with the girl's father.
If the young man wins, he will be warmly entertained by the girl's family, and the marriage is almost guaranteed; if the young man loses, then sorry, the marriage can only be discussed after he improves his chess skills.
3. Birch trees express deep love
In Bonn, Germany, a young man expresses his love for his beloved girl by giving a white birch tree as a poetic gift. Every spring when the flowers bloom, the young man will cut down a small birch tree with young leaves and branches and place it on the balcony or courtyard of the girl's house at midnight on April 30 or May 1, using the green tree to express himself. Deep love. During this season, you can see the lush green white willow trees in the streets, alleys, courtyards and balconies of Bonn. Some beautiful girls will have several birch trees in their courtyards at the same time. In this case, the girl will naturally be overjoyed, but the boys who gave the birch tree a gift can only wait patiently for the girl's reply and cannot act too hastily. Once he gets the girl's approval, the young man can give the girl a gemstone ring, and the girl expresses his gratitude with a kiss and accepts the courtship ring. After a while, when both parties were convinced that they were in love with each other, they gave each other silver rings to express their engagement. When they get married, they give each other gold rings to express that their love is as pure as gold.
4. Movie spouse selection
In Germany, the marriage management department helps young people solve marriage problems in various ways. One of the methods is to help some "waiting for marriage" girls to solve marriage problems in the form of filming movie advertisements. Girls can fully demonstrate their talents in all aspects of the film, especially their expertise in housekeeping such as cooking, sewing, and cleaning rooms. A very ordinary girl is often shown to people through the skillful processing of photographers and directors as a very cute and perfect girl. These films were shown to the "Lonely Hearts Association", which was formed by single men and widows. Single men could choose their favorite spouses from the films. Beautiful movies can often leave a good first impression on people, but many people will feel that they are not as ideal as the characters in the movies after meeting them in real life.
The statutory holidays throughout the year in Germany include: New Year’s Day (January 1); International Labor Day (May 1); Christ’s Day (the seventh Sunday after Easter); German Reunification Sunday (October 3); Shrovetide (November); Christmas (December 25-26); Oktoberfest (the last week of September to the first week of October each year); the promulgation day of the Basic Law (May 23rd). Visitors should note not to visit during the two weeks before and after Christmas and Easter.