5 ms·

Please note that another german culture is to be overly pedantic in following rules, no matter if their initial intention applies or whether we just set them fi

Please note that another german culture is to be overly pedantic in following rules, no matter if their initial intention applies or whether we just set them five minutes ago. Rules are followed because. This culture makes administrative processes bulky and tedious and tiring. It often fuels my Ungeduld, because I want to get st done zügig.

moconnor 12y ago
This is true; it's also true that Things Work here. Processes, equipment, social organizations. To get your fishing permit you will need to provide all the right bits of paper and stamps, no exceptions. The flip side of this is that if you follow a set of precise, unambiguous instructions you will get your fishing permit. Source: moved from UK to Germany 8 years ago.
- Argorak 12y ago
  My favorite expat quote is: Germans have rules for everything, but with some though put into them, most of them are quite sane. ;)
lectrick 12y ago
Sounds like an opportunity to convert all the paperwork to some kind of IT-powered workflow.
- jsilence 12y ago
  First you'd have to file all the neccessary application forms for a project like that. Good luck! ;-) And even if you succeed, in the end there'd be a rule that requires the Pdf to be printed, signed, copied, filed, scanned and filed again, digitally.
Moru 12y ago
Indeed. I needed some paperwork when I got married with a german. I'm from Sweden. I called the tax office in sweden that was taking care of the papers I needed to file for marriage certificate in Germany and the woman on the phone was laughing heartily saying "Then you know how byrocrazy feels!" :-) They happily sent all papers I needed in the mail to me in Germany, translated to English. The clerk in Germany was eying it suspiciously and asking some colleagues and took quite some time before finally putting down his stamp.

5 ms·

Please note that another german culture is to be overly pedantic in following rules, no matter if their initial intention applies or whether we just set them fi

by jsilence 12y ago

moconnor 12y ago
This is true; it's also true that Things Work here. Processes, equipment, social organizations. To get your fishing permit you will need to provide all the right bits of paper and stamps, no exceptions. The flip side of this is that if you follow a set of precise, unambiguous instructions you will get your fishing permit. Source: moved from UK to Germany 8 years ago.
- Argorak 12y ago
  My favorite expat quote is: Germans have rules for everything, but with some though put into them, most of them are quite sane. ;)
lectrick 12y ago
Sounds like an opportunity to convert all the paperwork to some kind of IT-powered workflow.
- jsilence 12y ago
  First you'd have to file all the neccessary application forms for a project like that. Good luck! ;-) And even if you succeed, in the end there'd be a rule that requires the Pdf to be printed, signed, copied, filed, scanned and filed again, digitally.
Moru 12y ago
Indeed. I needed some paperwork when I got married with a german. I'm from Sweden. I called the tax office in sweden that was taking care of the papers I needed to file for marriage certificate in Germany and the woman on the phone was laughing heartily saying "Then you know how byrocrazy feels!" :-) They happily sent all papers I needed in the mail to me in Germany, translated to English. The clerk in Germany was eying it suspiciously and asking some colleagues and took quite some time before finally putting down his stamp.