Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

   

This FAQ covers all questions frequently asked on /r/Germany. Feel free to add your own.  

Travelling

Q: What kind of clothing should I bring?

A: Germany has temperatures ranging from ~-15°C to ~34°C (5°F-93°F). Both of these are extremes that occur only during a few weeks in the year. Usually having a warm jacket during the winter, and a wind jacket or raincoat during the rest of the year should be fine. In the summer and spring, bring both long and short clothing, in autumn and winter, bring long clothing. What you should not bring are baseball caps. They look just weird and nobody really wears them. There is snow in the winter, and a lot of rain through the year.

Q: Is it possible to hitchhike through Germany?

A: While hitchhiking isn’t that common any more, it should still be possible to do it. Hitchhike from Autobahnrastplatz (motorway station) to Autobahnrastplatz, and you should be fine.

If you’re looking for a very cheap way to travel, see below for “what’s the cheapest way to travel?”.

Q: It is June and I just decided to visit the Oktoberfest. Where to find a place to stay?

A: You’ve started planning way too late. By now, all rooms at hotels will be booked. Your best hope is to book a room in the surrounding cities. Ingolstadt, Dachau, and such. Any place with a train station works.

Q: Is the Oktoberfest actually worth it?

A: It is a tourist trap and super expensive. If you want a more authentic German experience, visit a local Kirmes/Kirchweih/Volksfest anywhere else in Bavaria.

Q: I am Arab / dark-skinned / etc. and about to visit Germany. Should I be worried?

A: There’s not really a reason to worry. Germany is still a relatively safe place to live, and cases of violence against foreigners are very isolated. Especially Western Germany and large cities have large immigrant populations, many of them being Turks. That being said, you shouldn’t encounter any problems, even if you or your companions wear a hijab or similar clothing. Mind, however, that clothing that requires one to cover one’s face with a veil is often seen as a sign of oppression, and people might not like seeing it. You might also experience milder types of discrimination while looking for a job, looking for an apartment, trying to get into clubs etc.

Q: What food should I totally eat while I’m there?

A: There is this nice list on Wikipedia which covers pretty much all local dishes - restaurants will serve those, after all. Common answers include

Q: I want to bring snacks or other gifts for my friends / host family. What things can’t you get in Germany that I could bring from the US?

A: First of all, keep German customs regulations in mind - notably, bringing meat and fish products into the EU can be problematic, and you can only bring limited quantities of alcohol in duty-free.

Common suggestions for good gifts include:

  • Products from your town or area (e.g. local crafts, guidebook, or cookbook). Depending on your host family’s tastes, sport apparel (e.g. a jersey from a local sports team) may also be a good gift.
  • American chocolate uses different ingredients and is not to most Europeans’ taste.
  • Alcohol is another common suggestion, but it strongly depends on your hosts’ tastes (do they drink alcohol? A local wine or a local craft beer? Or a national liquor?); therefore, be considerate, and if you’re unsure, wine is a good default option. If your hosts have kids, make sure they are above the age of 18 before giving them alcohol.
  • Certain higher-end brands (e.g. clothes, makeup, bags) are much cheaper in the US than in Europe, but particularly when buying clothes, keep in mind that American clothes are often cut more loosely than European clothes, and so may not be to everyone’s tastes.

Snacks are always a popular gift item; here are some of the more common suggestions for American snacks that are difficult to find in Germany:

  • Root beer flavored candies
  • Candy corn
  • Rare Oreo flavors
  • Chex Mix
  • Kool-Aid mix
  • Nutty bars, pecan rolls and honey buns
  • Twinkies
  • Ranch flavored things

Q: I am visiting Germany and I need to know how to get from x to y? What is the cheapest way to travel?

A:

  • Start at Rome2Rio. Here you put in where you start and where you want to end up. This will give you general options (flying, train, bus, driving both by rideshare and alone). This doesn’t work for you, or you want to see specific options for just one of these?
  • The official train website is bahn.de and you can change the language into one you prefer. You can also download their app on your mobile phone to check routes, times, buy and store tickets on the go. There’s a limited contingent of reduced-price tickets for early booking, so if you can, book 6-8 weeks in advance. For more information, see the wiki page on train travel.
  • The Fernbus (long-distance coach) is a good alternative to the train for budget-conscious travellers - it’s usually cheaper and the coaches are comfortable, but will be slower than the train.
  • One of the largest ridesharing companies is blablacar, and there is also the Mitfahrzentrale. Share a ride with people passing through where you are and where you’re going.
  • There are internal German flights, but they tend to only make sense when you’re travelling from the northern to the southern end of Germany. You can check connections and times on a consolidator like Google Flights.
  • You may also want to look at our page on general travel advice.

Culture

Q: What main cultural differences can I expect?

A: Please visit our etiquette page.

Q: What are bad stereotypes about Americans in Germany?

A: Loud, wear baseball hats and cargo shorts, think Nazi salutes and Hitler jokes are funny, don’t speak any German (and demand that everyone speaks English to them), and can’t comprehend that things outside of the lower 48 states might even be slightly different (such as the fact that other countries might not use US dollars as their currency).

Q: Will I get in trouble if I show a Nazi symbol, do a Nazi salute, or make a Nazi joke?

A: There is a fair amount of confusion about this topic. Owning something with a Nazi symbol is perfectly legal, publicly displaying or selling it is not - except for objects are classified as art or serve to teach and educate. This means that owning a book with a Swastika on the cover (that’s not about eastern mysticism) is legal, but publicly displaying it (e.g. reading on the bus) is problematic. Having a picture in your apartment of a Nazi flag is legal, walking around the streets with one is not. Having a visible tattoo with a Nazi symbol is illegal, as is doing the Nazi salute in public.

Many World War 2 era video games sold in Germany have the Nazi symbols replaced with other symbols - even though games are classified as art (and would therefore be allowed to display Nazi symbols), game publishers don’t want the hassle of having to prove they fall under the art exception clause. However, owning a game with Nazi symbols (e.g. one purchased abroad) is perfectly legal, as long as you don’t show it to others (so streaming can problematic).

However, books/films about the Nazis or the Third Reich are totally OK, as long as they don’t seek to glorify the Nazi regime.

Making jokes about Nazis is not illegal, but are considered in very poor taste (unless done very carfully), and will very likely not elicit a positive response from your audience. Calling someone in Germany a Nazi is a serious insult, so casual terms like “grammar Nazi” should be avoided.

The Nazis are not a taboo subject in Germany by any means - it’s probably the most-discussed and debated period in German history by far - but it’s considered a serious subject. So, in general, it’s recommended that you avoid making offhand or casual references or comparisons to the Nazis - it would be a bit like comparing a particularly bad commute to the Trail of Tears, for example.

See also the Etiquette section of the wiki and the law governing symbols of banned organisations.

Q: What do Germans think of Americans?

A:

Q: How is Germany different from the US?

A:

See also our wiki page on a comparison of daily life in the US and Germany.

Q: What’s racism like in Germany?

A:

Q: Why is Germany shutting down all of its nuclear power plants?

Most of Germany’s nuclear plants are at or near the end of their operational lives, and the last German reactors will be decommissioned in 2022.

The question as to why Germany isn’t building new reactors (or overhauling the existing ones instead of decommissioning them) is long and complex, but it boils down to:

  • Nuclear energy is incredibly expensive, and most of the costs have to be borne by society, in particular future generations. The current price paid doesn’t even begin to account for the full cost.
  • Germany (along with most of the world) must radically decarbonise its electricity generation within the next ten years to stave off the worst effects of climate change. A new nuclear plant takes at least 10-15 years to build. Therefore, even if we started building them right now, they would come far too late.
  • Nuclear power is the only form of energy generation with the potential to make over half the country uninhabitable at a stroke. Every current (and projected future) reactor technology has at least one failure case which results in this. Germans do not want to live with this sword of Damocles over their heads, especially as we suffered through the consequences of one major nuclear disaster (Chernobyl - many of us remember how we were forbidden from picking mushrooms and had to shower every day afterwards). People who quote “deaths from nuclear power so far” are missing the forest for the trees - it would be a bit like flying in a new model of aircraft for a month and declaring “this plane hasn’t crashed, therefore it’s 100% safe!”.
  • There is no long-term solution for dealing with nuclear waste. Saddling tens of thousands of future generations with this burden is a deeply antisocial policy which we are not willing to accept. Not to mention that if these costs were accurately accounted for (as opposed to shoving them onto future generations), then nuclear energy would be utterly uneconomical.
  • If nuclear power was the only way to prevent climate change then it could be an option - but it isn’t. Germany has more than enough wind and solar potential to meet our future energy needs, and we would much rather deal with the challenges of a non-steady energy supply (which involves active load management, energy storage, power to gas etc) than to be saddled with the enormous downsides of nuclear power.
  • Decommissioning the nuclear plants has nothing to do with pro-Russian lobbying and the NordStream 2 pipelines. The decision to shut down the reactors was taken all the way back in 2002. In the German strategy for transitioning to renewable energy, gas serves as a “bridge technology” - gas plants are easy to build, very quick to ramp up and down (to counteract unsteady supply from wind and solar), and can easily be converted to use hydrogen (produced by excess electricity from wind farms) once there is enough supply available. Nuclear cannot serve this function; from our point of view, it’s a dead-end technology.

Nuclear in Germany is dead, and when asked, not even the energy companies want to revive it.

For more in-depth discussion, see these recent threads:

Also, this analysis from Cleanenergywire goes into a lot of details on the background, timeline, and rationale behind Germany’s path out of nuclear power. Additionally, this paper from Scientists for Future (there is an English abstract a bit further down) goes into a lot of details on all the points mentioned above, and concludes that nuclear has no further role to play in the German energy mix.

Q: What are those signs above the doors of houses reading “20 * C + M + B + 22”?

A: It’s a symbol left by the Sternsinger (star singers). In many areas of Germany, on the festival of Epiphany (January 6th), groups of children will go from door to door, usually dressed as the Biblical Magi (known as the “Three Wise Men” in Germany), sing songs, recite poems, and collect donations for a charitable cause. Once they’ve visited a house, they will write the initials “CMB”, with the year around it (so 2022 in the example above), either in chalk or as a black sticker with white writing on it, above the door of the house. “CMB” either stands for “Christus Mansionem Benedicat” (Christ bless this house) or “Caspar Melchior Balthazar” (the names of the Magi in the German tradition) - sources differ on which one it really is. While some groups focus on the homes of other members of their church, others ring every doorbell, so merely having these symbols above a door doesn’t necessarily signify that the people living there are members of a church or even religious.

Studying

For more details, see the wiki pages for studying in Germany.

Q: What are good universities for my subject?

A: Among public universities, there aren’t any “good” or “bad” universities, and “university rankings” are fairly meaningless in Germany. Having said that, some individual professors may have more standing in their subject than others (which is relevant for graduate and postgraduate research). Private universities are generally seen as less good than public universities.

Q: Do I need to learn German?

A: As a general rule, yes. Degrees entirely in English are rare (particularly for Bachelor’s degrees), and even if the course is in English, daily life is in German. Don’t expect your bank, your landlord, the police, the shopkeepers, or the city authorities to speak English to you. Here is a longer explanation.

Q: Is studying (really) for free in Germany?

A: The study fees have been abolished, but universities still require you to pay the term fees (Semesterbeitrag), which are also used to pay for your Semesterticket for public transport. Also, keep in mind that you need enough money to support yourself (food, somewhere to live, clothes, transport…). The cost of living varies greatly by city and by how frugal (or not) your lifestyle is, but as a rough guide: in the cheapest parts of the country, living frugally, you can expect to spend around 10 k€ per year on cost of living. For “average” cities budget 12 k€ per year, and for the most expensive cities (particularly Munich) budget more than 15 k€.

Q: Are there any special requirements?

A: You need to have proof of financial resources to verify that you can pay for your period of study. At least the living expenses for your first year in Germany must be fully financed. You need around 10 k€ in income or assets for the first year. The German embassy in your home country will provide more information on the proof that needs to be provided.

Living

Q: How to make friends in Germany?

A: Germans are known to have a hard shell and are bound to be less sugary in their initial interactions than Americans, for example. The analogy that’s often used is “peach” vs “coconut”. Americans are (stereotypically) a “peach” culture - very easy to make casual acquaintances and friends, but friendships tend to stay pretty shallow. Germans, on the other hand, are stereotypically considered a “coconut” culture - it takes a while to become friends with them, but if you do, then friendships tend to go much deeper. It’s often said that a German “friend” is more like an American “best friend”.

Therefore, it takes time and patience to become friends with Germans - so don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t work immediately. One challenge for newly-arrived foreigners, of course, the language. Learning German is essential to becoming friends with Germans - while many Germans speak good-to-excellent English, equally many may not be comfortable using English in social settings, or, more likely, social settings all gravitate to German by default anyway. Therefore, if you’re looking to make friends, make learning German a priority.

Germans tend to make friends through shared social activities (a setting in which communication is easy and you have common interests), as opposed to meeting random strangers (say, by chatting them up in a bar or on the train). Additionally, Germans tend not to be friends with their work colleagues, preferring to keep “work life” and “private life” separate.

Germany has a very strong Verein (“association” or “club”) culture, so joining one is usually a good way to make friends. It doesn’t matter what you are into - you will definitely find an association that suits you, whether it be football, rowing, gardening, book discussion, bowling, archery, mapmaking, model railways, board games, dog ownership, ballroom dancing, or genealogy - there is very likely a Verein for that hobby nearby. Of course, you can also become a member of political or professional associations, although the latter tend to be more spread out, or start volunteering somewhere.

Therefore, as a first stab at making friends, see if you have any hobbies which can be done with others (team sports are fantastic, but as explained above there are also plenty of others), then see if you can find groups of people (often, but not always, through a Verein - or, as an alternative, see if there is a “meetup” for your particular interest) who share your interests. Go along to their events/training/etc, start chatting to the people there, and see if you can connect with any of them. Alternatively, for parents, see if your children are interested in going on playdates with other children who attend the same school/kindergarten, and use that as an excuse to get to know their parents.

Additionally, there are often groups like “new in ", which are great for new arrivals to meet, mingle, and chat about their experiences. Since many people will be new in a particular place, many will be open to meeting new people. The only downside is that they tend to be somewhat immigrant-heavy, and can lead to you being trapped in the "immigrant bubble". So by all means make friends with other newly-arrived people, but also try "branching out" and making friends with locals.

Q: What kind of SIM card would you recommend? Where can I buy SIM cards?

A: Price-wise, the SIM cards sold by discounters (Aldi, Netto, Lidl) are cheapest. SIM cards can be bought from supermarkets, telecom stores, large electronics stores, and online. Note that pre-paid SIM cards need to be activated before they can be used, which, while straightforward for German residents, can be a bit of a hassle for tourists.

For more information about mobile phones and SIM cards, see the connectivity page

Q: What internet providers are there in my region?

A: Enter your area code (PLZ) on this website. The connectivity page has more details on home internet options.

Q: What kind of banks can you recommend?

A: It depends on your passport and situation. Some passports are not recognised by most banks, so they only let you open an account if you have a residence permit. Other banks even require permanent residency. In general, look for a bank with low fees and free ATM withdrawals.

You may also want to look at the banking page for more details.

Q: How do I get rid of small change? Can I exchange it for cash or deposit it somehow?

A: Your own bank will do it for free, although not every branch does have a machine. If you’re not a customer, you usually have to pay a small fee. The Bundesbank (Federal Bank) will exchange it for free. See this guide for more details.

Q: I didn’t pay bill/fine XY. What are the consequences?

A: Don’t ask for it. We will not help you there. Just pay them like anyone else.

Q: Is streaming legal? What about torrents?

A: Streaming or torrenting illegally obtained video (i.e. video which the copyright holder has not released to the public for free) is illegal. If you download such material via BitTorrent then it’s very likely that you will be caught and fined. If you stream such material, or use a VPN, then the chances of being caught are lower.

For more information on watching videos in Germany, see the media download page.

Q: A company is trying to scam me, e.g. by sending me fake bills for services that I don’t think I signed up for.

A: Contact both the Verbraucherschutzzentrale and the Bundesnetzagentur so they can take action on your behalf. Also, try and see if there are other victims (Google).

Q: I am getting unwanted promotional calls.

A: Contact the Bundesnetzagentur.

Q: Is there a German Craigslist?

A: There is eBay Kleinanzeigen. For women’s stuff, there is also Kleiderkreisel. For cars there is Mobile.de. Apart from that, look for local Facebook groups.

Q: How do I deregister from paying the Rundfunkbeitrag due to leaving Germany or notify them that someone else at my Wohnung is paying?

A:

  • Go here and download the form called “Abmeldung der Wohnung”
  • Section 1: Fill in your information
  • Section 2: Date that you are leaving OR date from which you have been living with someone else paying the bill
  • Section 3: If you are leaving, check the second box. This will require a copy of your deregistration form. If someone else where you live is paying, pick the first option. You will need to provide their account number and name.
  • Section 4: Fill in your information
  • Section 5: Date and sign
  • Send the form and any required documents to the address listed.

See also our guide to the Rundfunkbeitrag for more details and background.

Q: Is marijuana / pot / weed / cannabis legal?

A: No, cannabis is an illegal drug in Germany. However, the authorities are not obligated to prosecute people (which is not the same things as making it legal!) for possession or consumption of small quantities for personal use, except in cases where it would harm the public good (e.g. smoking in front of a school). The exact limits of what counts as “small quantities” varies by state, between 6 and 10g.

Selling cannabis or driving while intoxicated are actively prosecuted and carry stiff penalties. Note that “driving while intoxicated” is measured by the THC levels in your blood (even if you claim not to feel intoxicated), and these THC levels can persist above the legal limit for weeks after you last smoked. Additionally, the same limits apply to any self-propelling vehicle, including cars, motorcycles and electric scooters. Therefore, if you smoke cannabis, it may be better not to operate any vehicle for a few weeks afterwards.

While the new German government (elected in late 2021) has promised to legalise cannabis, the legislation for this hasn’t even been proposed yet, and so cannabis remains illegal until the laws have actually been changed - which could take quite a while, as the government has plenty of other more important things to deal with right now.

Q: Can I own a gun in Germany?

A: Firearms are strictly controlled in Germany. Generally speaking:

  • To own a gun (but not carry it around with you), you need to a member of a sports shooting club or a licenced and active hunter, pass a gun safety exam, and have a clean police record. You can then own and use a gun, but only in certain locations (e.g. a shooting range or a designated hunting forest), and outside of those areas, the gun must be unloaded, locked in a container, and the ammunition carried in a separate container. At home the gun must be locked away in a gun safe.
  • To carry a gun with ammunition around with you, you need to show that you have an urgent need to do so. This is generally only granted to a very small number of people who are at a significantly higher risk of being violently attacked - e.g. controversial high-profile public figures, professional bodyguards, etc. Simply saying that you “feel unsafe” or “want a gun for self protection” is not sufficient.

(source: comment by /u/MedEwok)

Even if you have a permit to carry a loaded gun around with you, you can only legally use it in self-defence if you can make a convincing case that it was the last resort available to you, and that your use of the gun was proportional to the threat you faced.

Q: Is the tap water in Germany safe to drink?

A: Tap water in Germany is extremely strictly regulated (much more strictly than bottled water) and always safe to drink. Having said that, water in some parts of Germany can be a bit hard (high calcium oxide content), and some people may not like the taste - in that case, you might want to consider a water filter. Additionally, some people prefer fizzy water, which can be bought as bottled water, or created at home with a CO2 cartridge.

Working

Q: Can I just come to Germany and start working?

A: Contrary to popular belief, it is not possible to just come to Germany and work here. Non-EU citizens need a residence permit to work from the German government, and these are only granted under specific circumstances.

See our wiki guides to how to move to Germany and working in Germany for more details.

Q: I am here on visa X and I would like to change it into visa Y so I can continue/start to work here. What to do?

A: Go to your local Ausländerbehörde - they will give you all the information you need for your specific case. Generally speaking, there are no preferential conditions for “changing” visa - you have to apply and meet all the requirements for the new visa as if you were applying “from scratch”.

Q: I am a native xy speaker. Can I become a teacher?

A: It is highly unlikely. The German school system is highly regulated and if you don’t have a formal education and/or don’t speak German at a near-native level, you might not even be able to become a Quereinsteiger/Seiteneinsteiger. Also, being a native speaker does not make you a great teacher. As a result, in most cases, the maximum you can do is to offer private tuition to pupils who are behind on their course work, or teach at a private language school.

Q: I have a teaching degree or a degree that is compatible with school subjects (e.g. maths or physics). Can I become a teacher?

A: One needs to take into account that teaching degrees cannot simply be converted into German ones. And again, good German is a requirement. Enquiring with the ministry of education for more info might be a good idea. If you have a degree that enables you to teach a subject, you can become a Seiteneinsteiger/Quereinsteiger (if you meet the language requirements).

Q: Am I going to be low priority because I don’t have a degree of any kind?

A: Yes; not having a university degree (or other vocational qualification, which must be equivalent to a German one) makes immigrating much harder. Many of the more straightforward residence permits require that you have a formal qualification of some kind.

Q: I am still learning German and from what I understand a lot of Germans are happy to speak English with anyone they can, but I’m worried that in a job setting me not being able to speak the language will hold me back from being the best employee I can be, should I wait until I have a firm grasp of the German language before I attempt to emigrate?

A: More than 98% of job openings in Germany require fluent German, and any candidate who doesn’t speak fluent German won’t even be considered. If you don’t speak German, then you would be limited to working in the small niches which operate in English (e.g. some parts of the IT, engineering, and finance sectors). In general, emigrating to Germany without speaking German is very difficult.

You have 2 real options.

First is probably the right solution for your situation. Apply to a German university, many classes are in English, and even entire degree programs are in English. I can’t speak of the difficulty getting into a German university. A last resort way to get your foot into Germany may be US study programs that allow you to go on exchange. If you take part in an exchange, you can speak to a counsellor in Germany and see if you can transfer permanently. This will get you a study visa. Getting into a German university and a study visa will be the only visa you get.

Another options is that if you are currently in a job in the US and they offer to send you to Germany to work. That would be the only way for you really to get a work visa. But not having a college degree, I doubt you are currently in a job that offers a transfer to Germany.

When you get into a German university you should focus on learning German culture and language as much as you do your class work.

Language

Q: I’m thinking of travelling to / studying / working in Germany. Will I get by without German?

A: As a tourist, you will most likely not have any problems to get by without speaking a word of German. It would still be nice of you to at least learn a few basic phrases.

As for a more permanent form of stay: The answer is… no. While many people speak English to a certain degree, not all do. You still need to be able to speak German in order to set up a bank account, read important documents and contracts and get serviced at all kinds of town offices. Don’t expect the municipal authorities, your mobile phone provider, or your bank to speak (or write) to you in English. Also, to truly appreciate the German culture, you need to be able to speak the language. If you plan on staying for longer, it also becomes a matter of respect.

For a longer explanation, see our guide to do I need to know German in Germany?

Q: Can I find a job without speaking German?

A: There are not many industries where you could find a job without speaking German. Engineering and Programming? Possibly. But apart from that, there are not many jobs that do not require at least some rudimentary German. The best chances to find a small job on the side to pay e.g. for university are probably in Berlin, but even then, there will not be many available. Speaking English does in no way distinguish you from well-educated German students. Mind that a lot of paperwork (as well as all of daily life) is still done in German.

For more details, see our guides to requirements for working in Germany and living in Germany without speaking German.

Q: Do Austrians and Germans have problems understanding each other?

A: I don’t really think so. While the general Austrian accent closely resembles the Bavarian one, it’s probably easier to understand Austrians than to understand Bavarians. Their version of standard German uses some words that are different from the “German” standard German, but that’s the same in Germany, especially when comparing the South to the North (e.g. “buns”: Semmel, Brötchen, Weck…). The Austrian language melody tends to be a bit different; however, after only a few days in Austria, I was able to somewhat “adapt” the melody. This will not be easy for a non-native, though.

Q: What about Swiss German?

A: It can be very hard to understand at time. The Swiss German accent is very different from standard German.

Q: Is it really impossible to speak German in Germany? I’ve heard that all Germans switch to English once they hear that you’re a foreigner because their English is so good.

A: This is a very common misconception. English skills vary greatly between old and young, upper class and lower class, Hauptschüler and Gymnasiast, as sad as it is. Of course, you will come across people who will automatically switch to English. Insist on speaking German with them, either by asking them (perhaps with a smile) to speak German or by just keeping speaking German with them.

Q: What do “digga” and “alter” mean?

A: “Digga” is used as a colloquial greeting or term of endearment (similar to the American “bro” or “dude”), and can also be used as an interjection. It’s not offensive, but it’s extremely informal, so it’s generally only used between friends, in certain social settings, and generally only by young people. The origins of the phrase are unclear - it’s likely either a corruption of “dicker” (meaning “fat one” or “big guy”), or, alternatively, a corruption of “mit jemandem dicke sein” (to be very good friends with someone).

“Alter” (“old one”) is used in a similar way, as a greeting or an interjection.

Genealogy

Q: How do I get started on German genealogy? How do I obtain records or certificates?

State records start in 1870 (Baden), 1874 (Prussia) and 1876 (rest of Germany), unless your ancestor was from the area left of the Rhine, which introduced them under Napoleonic rule around 1800. Registrar’s offices will keep birth records for 110 years, marriage records for 80 years and death records for 30 years; after that, the records are moved to the state archives. Churchbooks were kept starting from the 1500s, although many early ones were destroyed during the reformation and the 30 Years’ War. Churchbooks are divided by religion (i.e. you have to know whether your ancestors were Evangelicals (Lutherans), Catholics or Jews).

This means that if your ancestor emigrated in more recent times, you should start out by applying for any certificates you know the dates and places of by submitting proof to the registrar’s office or church that you are indeed directly related. This should give you the names of the parents - what’s important is that you get past that magic data protection barrier. Genealogy is not a valid reason to retrieve records of people you’re not directly related to.

Once you reach the time before registrar’s offices, state archives and church archives are the way to go.

Large parts of Germany still live in the pre-digital era, and only a few regions (e.g. Hamburg) have agreements with sites like ancestry.com ($) and familysearch.org (free unless you order microfilms). Catholic archives are the worst, as they usually require you to be present at the archive and won’t conduct research for you. I think that so far, only one or two bishoprics have digitalised and published their records.

The following sites may be helpful for German genealogy:

  • archion.de: Archion is an attempt of the Evangelical churches to digitalise all their records. You can look if your parish has already been digitalised. If it has, you can buy a subscription to browse the records.
  • genealogy.net: genalogy.net is the largest German genealogical site. It combines many databases and user-submitted data, and can easily searched via the link above. Mind that there may be more results than the site is able to display; if that is so, the affected databases will be listed at the bottom of the search results. The site also has a Wiki with resources for each place, and mailing lists that you can sign up for.
  • verwandt.de: See where your surname appears today!
  • forum.ahnenforschung.net: The largest German-language genealogy forum. The interface sadly cannot be changed to any other language, but you’ll survive just fine with Google translate. Just post your list of surnames in the appropriate subforum and see if someone is related or can help you out (make sure you subscribe to your threads so as to get notified about any new messages).

One more thing you should know is that pre-1942 records will most definitely be written in printed Fraktur and handwritten Kurrent scripts, both of which may be difficult for foreigners to read. Hardly any Germans below the age of ~55 can read Kurrent without prior training. You can get them translated on /r/translator.

In order to get further than the churchbook limit, you’ll have to dig up old tax/tithe lists, local court records etc., which may exist either in local or regional archives.

Q: Help, I cannot find a place called “x” in the region of “y”, which is stated on my ancestor’s immigration / naturalisation / shipping record!

A: This is because the borders of back then are not the same as they are now. Take, for example, the Palatinate region, which is where a large percentage of immigrants came from: for a very long time, parts of this region was a Royal Bavarian exclave. Entering the place name in the German Wikipedia usually yields a list of possible results (make sure you find the disambiguation page for the place name).

Q: I am looking for military records or a missing person.

  • For members of the former Wehrmacht, one can request all of their records with the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt). However, it is not possible to obtain records of surviving combatants without their permission. It is only possible to obtain information on members of the former Wehrmacht who died either in the field or in captivity, and that only with permission from the next of kin. However, the Forum der Wehrmacht suggests that if the person in question has been dead for 10 years (even if they survived the war), the WASt will hand out info to the direct descendants. If the person had no direct descendants or the direct line has died off, it is also possible for the indirect line (nephews etc.) to obtain records; however, they need to be able to provide accurate info on the family status of the person in question. The costs for one record usually amount to about 20€, according to the website (a friend of mine paid 30). It depends on the difficulty and amount of records requested. The waiting time for a full genealogical inquiry might be more than 24 months (currently (01/2017): 30 months), so it may be good to have a very distinct goal in mind, e.g. an inquiry into where someone’s death certificate may be located. That reduces the time. If you want to know everything there is, make sure to mention in your application that you’d like the WASt “to find out as much as possible about your relatives” and that “copies of records, letters and documents would also be welcome and that you are aware of the additional costs” (copies are cheap, it’s absolutely worth it).

  • The German Red Cross Tracing Service offers services that allow one to trace any missing person, be it civilian or military. This may not be the best place to look for military records, but it is a good start nonetheless. It also has a “missing person photo search” service, for which one only needs to enter some piece of information.
  • Federal Archive - Branch Office Ludwigsburg (Central Office for the Investigation of National Socialist Crimes, e-mail: ludwigsburg@bundesarchiv.de): This archive houses data on units involved in war crimes, the scenes of these crimes, suspects and culprits, as well as persons who were mentioned in the investigations of said crimes. Therefore, it might be useful to check these archives if the searched person was part of units suspected of war crimes.
  • Federal Archive - Department MA (Military Archives): These archives house files on
    • the Prussian army from 1867 onwards
    • the army of the North German Confederation
    • the Imperial Navy
    • the colonial protection force and the Freikorps
    • the Reichswehr, Wehrmacht, and Waffen-SS
    • the German work units in the service of the allied forces
    • the National People’s Army, including border troops
    • the Bundeswehr
    • However, this needs to be taken with a grain of salt - the Department MA has lost vast amounts of its files due to war. Most of the files are war diaries written by army commanders and files on the navy.
  • Federal Archive - Department R (Reich): Last straw. Has the largest pool of documents (from almost all eras), but these are mainly of a civil administrative nature (justice, finance, etc.).
  • Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e. V.: Useful for looking for war graves.

Q: I have pictures of my ancestors in military uniforms, their insignia, medals or military documents. Who can tell me more about them?

A: If you just want a translation, try /r/translator. If you want expert advice, go visit Forum der Wehrmacht; they have subforums for everything.

Q: Can you guys read and/or translate the birth record / letters / death certificate of my ancestors?

A: It would be nice if you could post these things in /r/translator instead. You will surely receive help there.

Q: My ancestors were German nationals / one parent was born in Germany. Can I get a German passport?

A: German passports are only issued to German citizens. Having German ancestors or the fact that your father and/or your mother was/were born in Germany is unfortunately not enough to attain German citizenship. Rather, your father and/or mother have to have been German citizens at the time of your birth. If you were born before 1 January 1975 and your parents were married, you only attained German citizenship if your father was German at the time of your birth or if your parents submitted a declaration by 31 December 1977 stating they wanted German citizenship for their child. Source. For more info about ways and circumstances under which it is possible to attain citizenship, refer to this page.

Note that according to German law a person renounces their German citizenship if:

  1. The person voluntarily applies for the citizenship of a country outside Switzerland or the EU.
  2. Serving in a foreign army prior to 2011.

If one or both of your German citizen parents have done this before you were born, or if you have done either of these then you were never or are no longer a German citizen.

Q: I/my ancestors was/were denationalized by the National Socialists. Can I get my German citizenship back?

A: Yes, victims of National Socialist denationalization measures and their descendants have the right to be renationalized in line with Article 116 (2) of the Basic Law even if this means multiple nationality. There is no need to prove knowledge of the German language. Nevertheless it is examined whether the German nationality of the ancestor could have been lost for reasons unrelated to National Socialism. Were this the case, the descendants would have no right to German citizenship. source