We shouldn’t forget that every country has its own strange facts. What is so strange about Germany? Few foreigners in Germany say that you don’t find apartments in Germany with a kitchen. You have to build your own kitchen after you rent the apartment. The country has strange people, strange culture and strange laws. One such strange fact about its society is that Germans decided to build a place where Christians, Jews and Muslims can worship. This place is known as The Berlin House of One. Their language has a word which is 79 letters long, the longest word in German. And many do not know that drinking alcohol in public is legal in Germany. Adolf Hitler was a crazy person to the world but luckily he wasn’t born in Germany. There are few really bizarre facts about Germany that can change the way you look at this country.
Let’s see the list of 12 weird facts about Germany that are crazy, interesting and mind-blowing:
12. Pillows Are Considered as Weapons
According to the laws in Germany, a pillow can be considered as a “passive” weapon. According to German laws, hitting someone with pillows can lead to charges of assaults. You may need to think twice before pillow fighting in Germany.
11. East & West Germany Still Look Different From Space
Before West Germany and East Germany became one, the street lights used were different. Because of this the aerial view of these regions still look different. The above is the satellite image of the region still illuminated differently and dazzling brilliantly from the sky.
10. About 5,500 World War II Bombs Are Discovered Annually – Approx. 15 per Day
There are still thousands of tons of unexploded bombs in Germany that were left out after World War II. It is strange that these bombs, close to 5,500 bombs are discovered every year averaging 15 bombs per day.
9. Show Correct Signs to Get The Right Number of Beers in Germany
When you are in a German pub you have to show the correct finger signs for getting the correct number of beers. To get one beer in Germany, you show your thumb. Show your first finger to get 2 beers: one with the thumb, and one with the finger.
8. The Munich Oktoberfest Actually Starts in Late September
Oktoberfest is a popular and world’s largest beer festival. The event happens annually in the city of Munich, Germany. The strange thing about this fest is that it actually starts in September and not in October as the name says. The festival begins in mid or late September every year. Oktoberfest sees a wide range of traditional foods of Germany and amusement rides. The festival is an important part of Bavarian culture since 1810. More than 6 million people attend the celebration from different parts of the world.
7. No Drilling on Sundays
It is against the law of Germany to drill your walls on Sundays. This law came into existent because Sundays are considered an important part of German people’s relaxing times. No noise pollution on that day. It is forbidden to drill on Sundays when people in the country are either relaxing or enjoying. Germans prefer a silent Sunday. Germans also prefer not to do their laundry on Sundays fearing noise.
6. It is Illegal to Run Out of fuel in the German Autobahn
According to a law in Germany, you may not run out of gas in German autobahn. To be accurate, it’s verboten to stop on the nation’s fast-paced autobahns. Stopping or running out of fuel on these highways involves risks for other drivers. It is also oddly illegal to walk on these legendary autobahns. This odd law if broken can lead you to a penalty of close to $100. Be careful when you are next time driving in German highways.
5. Prison Escapes Are Not Punishable by Law
In most of the countries it is illegal and punishable to escape from prions. Jailbreak is considered as a crime in these countries. But, this is not the case in Germany. If you escape the prison and get caught, you will return to serve the jail term once again from where you left. It is absolutely legal to break out of prions in Germany. This law dates back to 1880, when the German government thought that it is human instinct to run towards freedom. There are few things that are illegal when escaping prions. One, assisting someone escape prion is illegal. Two, damaging jail properties and government properties while escaping prison is illegal. But, escaping prisons in Germany is not a joke.
4. College is Free for All in Germany
College tuition fee is absolutely free in Germany. This is not something weird but very helpful to the society. The weird thing is college fee is free for foreign students as well. Many international students, especially from the U.S. are seeking admissions in German universities to save thousands of dollars on their studies. Political figures in the country feel that tuition fee is “socially unjust”. This is great and mind-blowing to students aspiring education from a reputable university in Germany. Apart from free education, the admission process is easy as well. The problem Germany faces due to this is the surge in foreign students taking admissions.
3. Fake Bus Stops
Fake bus stops are real in Germany. The German nursing homes and the Government together have come up with a strategy to install many fake bus stops to help Alzheimer’s patient from wandering off. This may sound weird and even funny, but this strategy really helps the patients. Alzheimer’s patients have short-term memory problems and can remember long-term stuffs, which helps them to remember that bus stops are for “going home” by bus. These green and yellow signs on the bus stops help these patients remember that they have to wait here to go home.
2. Wishing Someone “Happy Birthday” in Advance is considered a Bad Luck
Germans consider it as a bad luck when someone wishes “Happy Birthday” before the actual day. According to a saying in German “Du sollst den Tag nicht vor dem Abend loben.” which translates to “Don’t praise the day before the evening” which shows that German have the habit of not being too sure before something really happens. In Germany, like the measurement of precision in the fields of science and engineering, birthdays are also measured exactly. This superstition makes German different from others and wishing them “Happy Birthday” in advance is regarded as a bad luck and bad etiquette. Germans would love to be wished on their birthdays. If you have a German friend, then you will get lots of calls and letters for your birthdays. This shows that Germans value friendships a lot.
1. The Government May/Can Reject Weird Baby Names
This one is the weirdest in this list. Funnily, Government can or may reject weird baby names. This is the reason that Germans have names that are common. You are actually breaking the law if you keep weird names for babies. It is not just Germany but other countries like Japan, Sweden and China restrict names from being weird. Why? Because, the Government doesn’t want the baby to feel embarrassed by their names in the future, gender problem in names and it is simply a rule. Strangely, in Germany, the names Stompie, Woodstock and Grammophon have been turned down, whereas the similarly strange Speedy, Lafayette and Jazz were allowed.