What is the silent day in Germany?
The National Day of Mourning (Volkstrauertag) is an occasion to remember all victims of war and tyranny. Like the Sunday of the Dead (Totensonntag), the National Day of Mourning is a “silent day” - this means that in some regions of Germany music or dance events are prohibited.
The law dictates that on Good Friday — the beginning of the four-day Easter weekend — it becomes illegal to dance in public for the entire day in 12 out of the 16 German states. The other four states only have a partial ban. The stricter bans are found in the states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria in the south.
Noise laws have made a legal requirement for Germany as Germany is a very religious country, so the German government has imposed a law in all cities in Germany regarding quiet hours. This allows German people to attend church on Sundays without any work responsibilities.
In Germany, quiet hours are regulated by law which effectively means: no loud music, drilling, or vacuuming on Sundays.
Sunday is also a day of rest at home in Germany. Though what is considered as "Quiet law" varies from town to town, it is generally frowned upon to do any noisy housework on Sundays in Germany. This includes using motor-driven lawn equipment, such as a lawnmower, or home equipment like a loud vacuum.
Work on Sundays and public holidays is generally prohibited. There are exceptions available for workers in the service industry. However, work on Sundays has to be compensated for by corresponding time off within the next two weeks (or eight weeks in the case of work on public holidays).
The most famous and fought-over ban imposed by these laws to protect silent public holidays is the ban on public dancing. On Good Friday, all German states ban public dancing, although the ban lasts longer in some states than in others.
Germany. The Ladenschlussgesetz "shop closing" laws on Sundays and public holidays are in effect, since 1956. Green: Large supermarkets and shopping centers are generally open on Sundays. Blue: Large supermarkets are allowed to be open for no more than 6 hours on Sundays.
But it is an unspoken (OK, sometimes finger-waggingly spoken) rule that You Do Not Hang Out Laundry On Sunday™. At one time, Germany had very strict (and quite firmly written) rules about no work on the Sabbath. Even today in most parts of the country, most shops are closed by law on Sunday.
Otherwise, if you make noise during the quiet hours — between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. — your guests have ten minutes to leave the premises and you get fined,” she explains. Despite the numerous rules — or perhaps because of them — she finds life in Bavaria peaceful.
Is Germany friendly to American tourists?
Most Germans are welcoming to Americans provided you are courteous. It doesn't matter where you go outside the US as long as you are soft spoken and polite you will do well. There are some things you need to not do like throwing empty wrappers and such on the ground and being boisterous.
The German Beer Purity Law
It is the oldest regulation related to food and drink in the world. To achieve a consistent level of quality in beer brewing, the German Beer Purity Law dictate that the ingredients for beer must be water, barley malt and hops.
In some apartments it is forbidden to use the vacuum cleaner, so you have to wait until Monday. Hammering or drilling will annoy your neighbors, so don't do any DIY project on a Sunday. Better don't do any loud party.
In the Federal Republic of Germany, the Ladenschlussgesetz or "Shop Closing Law" (abbreviated: LadSchlG) is the federal "blue law" compelling retail stores to close to the public on Sundays and Christian holidays.
In the evening you are not permitted to mow the lawn after 8 p.m. General evening quiet time begins at 10 p.m. SUNDAY ALL DAY (includes lawn mowing, car washing, loud children, stereo or radio (loud)--if it can be heard outside your dwelling or vehicle it is too loud.)
Don't wash the car in the car park: car washing in Germany
In the realm of car washing rules, Germany is miles ahead of Australia, that's for sure. Car washing laws in Germany are quite strict to prevent soap and oil getting into the waste water system, apparently, so don't just set up at a car wash at your house!!
As of 2022, the average annual wage of Germany was 45,457 euros per year, a growth of almost 6,000 Euros when compared with 2000. From 2000 until 2007, wages rose by less than a thousand euros, with wage growth accelerating mainly in the period after 2010.
According to the Federal Holidays Act, all employees in Germany with a 5-day week are entitled to a minimum of 20 vacation days per year. Most collective agreements, however, include entitlements to larger numbers of days.
As a matter of principle, an employment contract contains compulsory information about working hours. A full-time job in Germany usually comprises between 35 and 40 hours each week. You may not work more than 48 hours each week ac- cording to the German Working Hours Act.
Easter Monday is a public holiday. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed. The customs on egg races vary during Easter time in Germany.
What do Germans eat on Good Friday?
Good Friday is the day of Jesus Christ's death. On this day, what is known as "The Passion" took place: the procession, Christ nailed to the cross, and Christ's burial. On Good Friday, Christians in Germany eat fish (no other kinds of meat).
While Holy Saturday is not a public holiday, it is categorized as a silent day (stiller Tag) in all or part of Germany. In some states, special restrictions may apply for certain types of activities, such as concerts or dance events.
- Medicinal products and narcotics.
- Cash.
- Fireworks.
- Instruments of torture.
- Dangerous dogs.
- Publications or media likely to harm minors and unconstitutional publications.
- Cultural assets.
- Food and feed.
The tax rates for alcoholic beverages in Germany are below average compared to the rest of Europe, and there are very few regulations governing availability. Drinking in public is generally legal and considered socially normal.
That means that young people in Germany can drink beer and wine at age 16, two years before they become eligible for a driver's license at age 18. To drink or purchase hard liquor, young people must be at least 18 years of age.
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