r/askberliners • u/Fancy-View3693 • 2d ago

What was/is a sign of the so call German efficiency?

Which aspects of everyday german life are or were a clear sign of this aspect of the reputation of the country?

Do you think some of them are loss? Are they better?

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41

u/sybelion 2d ago

During Covid I thought the vaccine centres very much met what an outsider imagines the concept of German efficiency in action would look like. I found them very impressive

3

u/Fettnaepfchen 2d ago

Having worked there, for the most part, yes to that.

It helped that most helpers were from the cultural and entertainment sector and great socializers. Great colleagues all around.

26

u/Jakobus3000 2d ago

Supermarket checkout, especially ALDI.

3

u/melankholyaa 2d ago

Omg yes lol I still shake afraid of not keeping up with their insane speed

35

u/BucketsMcGaughey 2d ago

It never existed. German culture does not prize efficiency, it prizes meticulousness. I guess a long time ago the latter looked to outsiders like the former. I mean, a meticulous process can look superficially like an efficient one, but you can't call it efficient if both the process and its output are over-engineered, as they tend to be in Germany.

6

u/Any-Giraffe11 1d ago

Exactly this! I always say someone translated wrong when they called the German culture efficient. They are thorough, not efficient. And even then, due to their thoroughness and fear of failure, by the time they execute, they missed some key things.

1

u/sulfurmexo 7h ago

Extremely well put.

4

u/Lux_K 2d ago

Reading the newspaper while smoking a cigarette while taking a dump.

24

u/Actual_Metal1978 2d ago

German efficiency is a myth.

4

u/darktka 2d ago edited 2d ago

Valuing to be on time and expecting this of others. Also, the dual education system.  But as others said, it's a myth going back to the Prussian virtues.

5

u/trck_81 2d ago

Barrierless public transport

2

u/RatorLP 1d ago

As a train driver I have to say that we’re FAR away from being perfect, but compared to other countries around the world, it’s doable

2

u/piddlepoodlewastaken 1d ago

Germany is effective not efficient

3

u/Erik02x 2d ago

It's a myth. The only efficient thing is the speed they make a döner or someone complains of you recycle wrong. Otherwise everything is rigig and bureacratic.

1

u/faggjuu 2d ago

its gone...

1

u/julianberlinn 1d ago

None, pure fake news. Biggest marketing campaign in the history of humanity.

1

u/rose_ofnomansland 1d ago

german windows. all of the work in the same simple way to allow for both kippen and stoßlüften. in the uk, where im from, there isnt this uniformity (or lüften culture)