I worked in various places in Northern Germany a few years ago, close to the Danish border. Some businesses and most federal and state-related institutions woul

I worked in various places in Northern Germany a few years ago, close to the Danish border. Some businesses and most federal and state-related institutions would stop working at noon on Fridays. I was told it was to alleviate the pressure on the trains and Autobahn. This would make sense, especially given the fact that a very important military population was stationed there during the cold war and the railways and roads were a mess (and probably still are). I don't know if it's true, nobody concerned would ever come to the stupid idea of questioning this nice practice.