About Hamburg

In the rest of Germany, Hamburgers are known as a cool, stubborn bunch – but we’re not quite that bad. If you greet a Hamburger on the street with “Moin!” you can be sure to get a cheerful grunt back.

The Hanseatic heritage

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The local mentality is strongly influenced by the city’s Hanseatic heritage, which led to flourishing trade and economic prosperity. And don’t forget that Hamburg was an independent city until it finally joined the German Confederation in 1815 – even today, as its own state, it is a “free city”. Freedom, whether in terms of religion, fashion style, choice of music or political orientation, is still one of Hamburg’s most important cultural characteristics. But despite a healthy pride, Hamburgers appreciate a sober attitude, perhaps because the city knows that it owes its place on the world stage to the work of ordinary people – dockworkers, market vendors, fishermen and sailors.

Work hard, play hard. Many big cities have taken this motto to heart, and Hamburg is no exception. Our bustling port city is home to Airbus, NIVEA, Montblanc and numerous other companies that contribute greatly to the local economy and the city’s “work hard” mentality. And the St. Pauli entertainment district is a great place to experience the “playful” half of this motto. Here you’ll find the infamous Reeperbahn – home to the red light district and traditional bars where sailors and students alike sip caraway.

Local Celebrities

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You’ll quickly make new friends if you casually drop these names in conversation:

Hans Albers (1891-1960) was one of Germany’s most famous singers and actors, known for his humorous songs about drunken sailors and the nightlife in his hometown of Hamburg.

Former Federal Chancellor Helmut Schmidt (1918-2015), one of Hamburg’s most charismatic residents, was in the public eye well into his 90s, always surrounded by his characteristic cloud of cigarette smoke.

Filmmaker Fatih Akin, known for award-winning films such as Short Sharp Shock (1998), The Edge of Heaven (2007) and Soul Kitchen (2009), was born in Hamburg-Altona and still lives there – as does local actress Sibel Kekili.

Fashion fans will be interested to know that designers Karl Lagerfeld and Jil Sander also have their roots in Hamburg.

Hamburg was the first home of composers Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) – famous for his “Overture to a Midsummer Night’s Dream” – and Johannes Brahms (1833-1897).

In the early 1960s, the Hamburg music clubs became the springboard for the stellar career of the Beatles. Their energetic live performances on the Reeperbahn earned them their first recording.

Hamburg’s hip-hop music scene produced artists such as Jan Delay, Dendemann, Fünf Sterne, Samy Deluxe and Deichkind and is still unsurpassed in Germany in terms of quality.

And last but not least, the eternal and fiercely contested rivalry between the two big Hamburg soccer clubs HSV and St. Pauli has shaped the city for decades. You haven’t been to Hamburg if you don’t know the skull symbol of St. Pauli. Uwe Seeler (born 1936) is revered by supporters of both clubs. He is Hamburg’s most famous striker and is considered one of the best German footballers of all time.

Rules and commandments in Hamburg

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You are new in Hamburg? Sooner or later you will be confronted with the unwritten social rules. Prepare yourself here.

Hamburg’s newcomers can look forward to being confronted with the city’s unwritten social and cultural rules sooner or later. Although it’s sometimes uncomfortable to commit a cultural faux pas, it’s all part of finding your way around a new environment.

To help you prepare, we’ve summarized the most important Dos & Don’ts to give you a head start!

Dos:

• Try to speak a little German. Even a cheerful “thank you” will help you out!
• Give a firm handshake to the people you meet, whether men or women. Save hugs and kisses for close friends and family.
• In a professional setting, you address people by their title and last name – for example, Doctor Jansen – until you are specifically asked to use their first name. When speaking to a person who has multiple academic titles, start with the most important one.
• Inform your neighbors a few days in advance if you are organizing a barbecue or party. A friendly note somewhere in the house for all to see is enough, and even a general invitation can go a long way, even if it is likely to be taken only as a gesture.
• Stick to the rules, even though they may not make sense to you. Germans value equality and tend to despise people who act as if they are “above the law.”
• Withdraw cash from an ATM – many stores, restaurants and bars don’t take debit or credit cards, although that’s slowly changing.
• Before you take the first sip of your drink, make eye contact with your drinking partners and say “Cheers!”. Failure to do so will bring unhappiness and other undesirable consequences.
• Greet and thank cashiers, waiters and cleaning staff. In the late afternoon, a polite “nice closing time” (wishing people a good night’s work) is welcome.
• Make eye contact and smile politely at your waiter when you need him. Unlike in some other countries, it is good manners in Germany to leave your guests alone while you eat.
• Tip in cafes, bars and restaurants. While it’s not mandatory, it’s customary to tip 10% on top of the total, or at least round up the bill for small purchases.
• Split the bill if you want. If your waiter asks “Together or Separate?”, he’ll give you the option to pay separately.
• Bring chocolates, flowers, or something to drink if you’re invited to someone’s home.
• Unwrap the birthday gifts while the gift giver is still there. Don’t forget to beam with joy and thank them for the wonderful gift.

Don’ts

• Be upset if you don’t understand jokes. German humor is difficult for foreigners to understand because it often relies on complex wordplay and puns. Sarcasm is generally not considered funny.
• Make jokes about “German” stereotypes. Germany is a diverse country, and many Hamburgers just don’t relate to schnitzel-eating, lederhosen-wearing mountain climbers. (Feel free to make jokes about Bavarians, though.)
• Avoid serious topics. Germans are usually well-informed and not so keen on small talk, so feel free to start a conversation about politics, religion, or the state of the world.
• Wishing someone a happy birthday before it’s actually their birthday – that’s bad luck for the person having the birthday! Oddly enough, it’s okay to wish someone a happy birthday long after the actual day.
• Start eating until the others at your table have also had their food and you have wished each other “Bon appétit!”
• Expect hamburgers to always be neat, even if there is no rule requiring it. Germany may have an international reputation as the land of law and order, but if there is no formal system or cultural norm, that is quickly forgotten.
• Running a red light. Whether you’re driving, biking, or walking, red means stop, and it’s not okay to ignore the light. At least be considerate of the children!
• Don’t ride without proper headlights and taillights, both for your own safety and that of others. The lights aren’t just to help you see better at night – they also make sure you’re visible to other road users
• Try to board the bus or train before everyone who wants to get off has gotten off.
• Spit on the ground. This is considered very rude and should be avoided at all times.
• Make noise on Sundays. Under German law, Sunday is considered a day of rest or “silent day.” The absence of loud disturbances is taken very seriously. So it’s best to refrain from drilling holes in the wall or assembling furniture, and check with your landlord before throwing a garden party on a Sunday.

The Bundesautobahn in Berlin is part of a national highway network opened before World War II. The system is connected to the Berlin Ring, a circle of highways around the city with Berlin at the center of the access spokes. Even before 1990, the two German states cooperated in maintaining road and rail traffic to and from Berlin. A new highway linking Berlin to Hamburg was financed by West Germany. Since 1990, both the highway and rail networks have been expanded to serve Berlin’s metropolitan and capital functions.