Why are Germans so unfriendly and rude? (life, country, people)

[Eyjafjallajokull]

Yeah, I've heard all about the fact that Germans are cold but with hearts of gold, while American friendliess is all superficial fluff. I'm neither German nor American and these explanations don't wash.

I remember an incident at Frankfurt Airport - I was in transit and feeling quite ill. The transit area at this airport has no pharmacy, but I wasn't aware of that at the time. I'm from a country that requires a visa for Germany, so I was trapped in the transit area. I asked an airport staff member if there was a pharmacy, and she looked at me like I had proposed to have sex with her. She said (gesticulating with her arms): "Do You See A Pharmacy Here? No? I Don't See One Either. There IS NO PHARMACY Here! Understand?"

This is not the only incident, but it is one that stands out. I found it particularly bothersome because anyone could see that I was visibly ill and vulnerable. Only a sadist would want to respond in such a manner.
Do you think the fact I am dark skinned, with a short and slight stature, had something to do with it?

[scobby]

That's very subjective case,it's just your own experience,it doesn't mean that germans are unfreindly or rude.
Maybe that staff did not like people with visas,dark skinned,short stature but it doesn't mean that everyone in that airport was rude .

[Perfect Stranger]

I'm sorry you had that experience, but it doesn't reflect my own interaction with Germans.

[pigeonhole]

Yes, I had sometimes this kind of interactions with Germans (or been witness of such situations). Not to criticize them, but I believe that people in the German cultural sphere are more blunt than Anglo saxons.
Myself being (I hate to admit it but it's true) rather on the passive-agressive side, my personality features are probably polar opposites of most Germans. I don't say it's better to be like me, it is just like that.

[viribusunitis]

Every time I encountered someone rude abroad was either when I was a bit of an ass myself or the person was stressed out/rude in general. A whole nation? Yeah right...

[KathrynAragon]

I lived in Germany for three years and visit there as often as possible. I love it there and I generally really enjoy the German people.

Occasionally they are blunt to the point of rudeness. When this happens, for some reason it strikes me as very funny, so with that mindset I find it actually enjoyable when I witness this very occasional behavior. It's rare, but yes - I've seen very similar outbreaks to the one described by the OP, so I do believe it can happen more often with Germans than with most other groups I've run across. I've had a German woman yell, "Dumm Amerikanische!" at me because I didn't hold the bathroom door open for her so she wouldn't have to pay the very small charge to use the toilet right behind me. (I thought that was hilarious and probably really ticked her off by laughing at her and rolling my eyes!) I've had Germans literally push my small children TO THE FLOOR pushing their way to the front counter of a backerei at closing when everything is marked half price. I've had people shove me out of the way trying to look at something on a counter at a store. And they will cut in line in a New York second. I mean, seriously - you better "mind the gap" in any line you're in or you will lose your place. They don't generally care anything about standing in a line. But that's a cultural thing, not a matter of rudeness.

That being said, the vast majority of Germans I've interacted with are very polite, helpful and friendly - NOT rude or gruff. However, they do tend to be more blunt than we're used to. I usually find that refreshing and sort of entertaining.

The key is to NOT take this sort of behavior personally. It's not you - it's them. LOL!

[GER308]

Airport workers seem often stressed and rude. I have never experienced unfriendly treatment worse than at Philadelphia Airport. Been there 3 times and it was always the worst.

[irman]

Originally Posted by Eyjafjallajokull

Germans are cold but with hearts of gold, while American friendliess is all superficial fluff. I'm neither German nor American and these explanations don't wash.

Makes me sad to hear from you that way.
I have *been there, done that*, so I do know what it feels like to be treated *harshly*.
Just keep in mind that a few experiences like that do not make a whole nation.

You need to learn how to accept what the world is like and adapt with *always a smile on your face*.
Being *not a whiteface*, makes it difficult, especially when you work in the upper echelons of the industry.

Start with saying (to yourself) *Oh well, ...* and then just let it go.
The world will not get better by complaining.

Sadly, what people remember many times are the bad things.
If you learn to remember only the good things, life will be more bearable for you.

I live in an all white neighbourhood, and am the only brown-face there.
One day I was raking leaves in the front yard when two sweet old *white* ladies approached me, and asked "What do you charge for garden services*.
I answered with, "Not that much, but at this place, I get to sleep with the Missus inside*.
I have never seen those two sweet old ladies ever again ...

[Mr Blue Sky]

Starting a thread like this could possibly be described as "unfriendly and rude".

Personally, I find threads of this type to be intellectually abhorrent.

[Threestep2]

Three posts and all three along the line of 'nobody is nice to me'.
There are no stores in any airport's immigration or customs area. Asking a question with an evident answer is bound to trigger a haired remark from someone at the end of a long shift with lots of not overly bright questions to be answered.
Well, Austria did not fare any better with OP. Have not yet seen a post about Italy.