Germany

Location:

Introduction
Location: Central Europe, bordering Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic,Denmark,France, Luxembourg , Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland Capital: Berlin Currency: Euro() Population: 82 million Germany is a federal parliamentary republic of 16 states Protestants are 39%, Catholics are 31%, Orthodox are 4-7%, others 25%. Official Languages: German Calling Code:+49

Mountains: the Alps highest - 2,963m Area: 357,021 sq km Seas: North-east-Baltic Sea; north-west-North sea Rivers : Rhine, Danube and Elbe

Culture
The masters of planning Careful planning, in one's business and personal life, provides a sense of security. Federated states are in charge of the cultural institutions. There are 240 subsidised theatres, hundreds of symphonic orchestras, thousands of museums and over 25,000 libraries spread in Germany. The UNESCO inscribed 33 properties in Germany on the World Heritage List

Popular traditions

Polka is a very traditional dancing from Austria but it's very popular in the zone of Bavaria. It's a fast dance which is danced by couples or groups.

There is an important rock festival called Rock am Ring at Nrburgring. It is also the track for a Formula One grand prix.

Food
Meat

Potatoes

German Dish
Sauce

Vegetables

Meat

Pork

Beef

Poultry

Vegetables

Peas

Carrots

Cabbage

Potatoes

Mashed

Fried

Sauce

Cuisines
Similar to English and American Cooking Styles (The Netherland, France, Poland, Austria) Sausage is the most famous food product

Typical German Food

Dessert

Apple strudel Apple pie

Drinks

Beer

Interesting Facts
Germans love their beer. They rank second in the world for beer consumption The biggest Beer Festival in the world is of course the Oktoberfest in Munich, Bavaria, where the size of the beer glass is not 500ml but a whole liter, the Mass!

 To get ONE beer in Germany, you show your thumb. To show your first finger means that you want 2 beers: one with the thumb, and one with the finger. So, unless you really want 2 beers, be careful what finger you show!

 It is cheap to buy beer in Germany but deciding is a different matter. There are 1,500 types of beer!!! Germany has over 300 kinds of bread!

Dogs are treated like kings. They can go anywhere. They even have their own pools! Germans love paprika! However, to them this is a red pepper! They put red peppers in and on everything!

Football/Soccer
Most popular 2 million play just for fun Interest was only about a 100 years ago. Bundesliga (Federal League) is the highest level league

Business Culture
Deference given to authority. Subordinates rarely contradict or criticize boss publicly. Decisions debated informally before meetings with compliance rather than consensus expected in meeting. Meetings formal, scheduled weeks in advance. Take punctuality for meetings seriously. Remain silent until addressed or able to make an informed contribution. Take business very seriously, no levity. Are competitive, ambitious, hard bargainers.

Way to address
First names are usually reserved for family members, as

well as friends and close colleagues The highest ranking person enters the room first, regardless of gender or age Professional rank and status in Germany are largely determined by the individual's achievements

Corporate attire
Tend to dress in more conservative, muted colours, both in business and social environments
Suits are seldom worn by clerks and other office staff,

and are standard dress for only managers at the upper levels. On a daily basis that Germans tend to dress up much more than North Americans.

Making appointments
Never underestimate the importance of punctuality Preferred times for business appointments are between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. or between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m Avoid scheduling appointments on Friday Germans generally have six weeks of paid vacation.

Gift Giving Etiquette

If you are invited to a German's house, bring a gift such as chocolates or flowers Do not give red roses as they symbolize romantic intentions Do not give carnations as they symbolize mourning Do not give lilies or chrysanthemums as they are used at funerals If you bring wine, it should be imported, French or Italian Giving German wines is viewed as meaning you do not think the host will serve a good quality wine

 Gifts not exchanged at business meetings Gifts are usually opened when received Give books, bourbon, whiskey, or classical music

Business Etiquette (Dos and Donts)

DO take plenty of business cards with you and ensure they include full details of your background, qualifications, and titles DO maintain direct eye-contact when addressing German colleagues, especially during initial introductions DO use the formal version of you (Sie), unless someone specifically invites you to use the informal Du form

 DONT discuss personal matters during business negotiations, as this is considered to deviate from the task at hand DONT attempt to continue negotiations after a contract has been signed DONT use exaggerated or indirect communication styles during business meetings with you German counterparts

Some German Phrases

Guten tag! Good Day! Guten Morgen! Good morning! Guten Abend! Good evening! Guten Nacht ! Good night! Wie geht es Ihnen ?How are you Gut,danke. Fine, thanks. Ich liebe dich. I Love You Auf Wiedersehen. Good-bye.

Danke schn!!!