In what stereotypic mold do Germans fit?

I have observed a marked tendency to being orderly. Example: I once visited a Spanish beach north of Barcelona and there were scads of German campers there. I watched as one camper was setting up his tent near another tent and watched as he pulled out his tape measure to make sure his tent was at right angles with the other tent. Then I noticed that all the tents seemed to have the same exact set backs from other tents. Does any other group of humans go to these extremes? The Spaniards and the French weren't camping like that you can be sure.

I also have noticed that it seems that the farms of people of German sounding family names in our country seem to be clutter free and thrifty. What is it about Germans that make them behave like that?

Just curious.

I have a friend that is German, and when he comes in for coffee in the morning he ALWAYS places his coat on this chair just so and it always looks great.

Im german .... but boy my place isnt like that!
What i have noticed we have pot bellies and like to eat!! german and any ethnic food :}

Not really sure but seems most of the ones I saw at the airforce base in Jordan looked like Garry Buicy

I'm German and clutter and messes bother me. I don't demand perfection, but I can't stand clutter and not putting stuff where it belongs. Everything has a home, put it there.

I have a refrigerator magnet that reads....".Living with a German builds character"

Germans are among the most astounding, accomplished horsemen on earth...along with the Irish.

They, and the German bred warmblood hunter/jumpers clean up at the Dressage world events horse sports.

Attention to detail in unmatched talent.

And have less cluttered lodges than the Comanche?

You mean like this Wolfie?

They love order, they border on being neurotic about it. I think that is one reason the people supported Hitler, they had been living in a period of disorder and he provided hope for order. I have an old 8th grade world history book written in the 1890's and it even describes the German people as desiring to live in what amounts to a Police State. Makes them feel all warm and fuzzy I guess.

I have a friend who is an airline pilot who's normal route is from JFK (NYC) to Europe and back. All air traffic control all over the world is done in English. He has said that French Airports, the English is intentionally bad when talking to American pilots. Sort of like giving us the middle finger. At German airports the English is better than we speak it.

I think the Swiss are probably just as bad. I had a friend who moved to Geneva for a couple of years. He noticed that in the apartment complex he lived in everyone had geraniums in their widow planter boxes. So, he went to the market, got some geraniums and put them in his window planter. A couple of days later the police were knocking on his door. His offence? Planting geraniums that were the wrong shade or red as mandated by the authorities.
This is a true story, happened in the late 70's or early 80's.

I would say, yes ...

I need order and clutter free surroundings...everything in its place. Attention to detail and exact as I can be in my work. So I do appreciate the talents in the things German made, ballistics, building, etc. I am not of German lineage, but I sure appreciate their qualities in many ways.

I am half German. So my German blood is the reason I like things as orderly as possible. Who would of thunk it.

German ancestry is more prevalent than any other nationality in America. Over 50 million Americans, which is a little over 16% of Americans, have at least some German ancestry, myself included.

Keith

My old neighbor was a German and before he died he would call the house in the middle of the afternoon in the summer time and leave word for me to call him back.
I would call him and he would ask what I had been doing out in the pasture when it was over a hundred degrees.
After I told him he would always say " there's only two things that go out in heat like this, mad dogs and Germans. "

If you think the Germans are excessive compulsive and stoic visit Japan especially the older generation they are perfectionist in every way, proud and driven.

German is the ancestry for about 12-14% of Americans and in WI it is 40-50% so yes we see and live with a lot of the very Gestoltic and orderly behavior. If you travel in Germany, especially northern Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark you will notice how exacting many things are done or laid out and how in order and clean things are and all the spaces are utilized. I am Scandinavian and live in the area of WI that is over 50% Germanic so I see this every day. Many have become more "Americanized" but many have not.

Bryce