Typisch Deutsch! | Galileo Lunch Break

Punctuality, order and diligence.

Allegedly, these are
the typical German virtues.

But is it true?

We were wondering what
are actual German traits,

what we found is surprising.

A German is supposed
to be punctual by minute.

He is supposed to be
a champion in drinking beer,

love garden gnomes

and apparently wear
slides over white socks.

But is that really typically German?

The Germans are conscientious.

That is not just a stereotype.

According to a study,
almost 90% Germans claim to be so.

If the traffic light is red,
we will wait,

even if no car is passing.

After all, it is forbidden
to cross at a red light.

Besides, the longest red interval
has a traffic light in Stuttgart.

Its waiting time is up to 5 minutes.

Almost every guidebook about Germany says:

The Germans are punctual.

At any rate, that is true of the trains.

95% of trains are punctual

or are less than 6 minutes late.

But they could be even more punctual:

In Japan are the trains in average

only 6 seconds late.

Another stereotype:
German bureaucracy.

Apparently, no other land

has so many rules and regulations as we.

Perhaps that's why
our paper usage is so high.

Every year, we use 247 kg per person.

That is as much as one book
with around 500 pages per day.

That is more than
25 times as much as India.

Bureaucracy and consequent
paper war is thus typically German.

Considering food,
in Germany it's all about the sausage.

♪ Yeah, the sausage is ...
the centre of my life. ♪

With 1,500 types of sausage,
we are the front-runner of selection.

The same goes for bread: 500 types!
Nobody bakes more.

Besides, according to
international guidebooks

'Guten Appetit!' should
always be said before a meal.

- 'Guten Appetit!'
- Thank you.

It is the stereotype about us,
the Germans:

We love beer, we drink it
all the time and above all, a lot.

But that isn't quite true.

As in fact, the biggest quantity of beer
is drunk by the Czechs.