One Sunday in the life of an average German

DW (English)

How do average Germans spend their Sundays off? In church? On the couch? Outside in the fresh air? We look at how our average Michael Müller spends his truly free day – according to statistics!

Transcript

00:00 This is Michael Müller, the average German, and we're following him to understand how

00:05 German people work.

00:11 Now we're joining Michael for a proper German Sunday.

00:14 But how is he going to spend his day of rest?

00:17 Is he going to go to church, meet a friend, make sport?

00:25 Like 60% of Germans, Michael wakes up after 8am on the weekend.

00:30 Let's see how he's doing.

00:36 In Germany, Sunday is a sacred day.

00:38 The right to rest is even enshrined in the German constitution.

00:43 51% of Germans say they like to chill at the weekend.

00:51 And because it's Germany, there are rules to this chilling.

00:54 Sonntagsruhe, or Sunday quiet time, regulations apply in most German states.

01:07 Breaking quiet time rules could land you a fine, a visit from the police, or worse,

01:11 your neighbour Wolfgang.

01:20 Generally all supermarkets in Germany are closed on Sundays.

01:26 And while that might sound annoying to you, 54% of Germans remain against things being

01:33 open on Sundays.

01:34 So if our Michael still wants his bowl of cereal, the options are limited.

01:38 45% of Germans say they only buy groceries from the gas station in an emergency.

01:44 Why?

01:45 66% say the price is just too damn high.

01:50 And not all hope is lost.

01:53 Many bakeries are open on Sundays.

01:58 Church attendance in Germany has declined dramatically over the past 50 years, both

02:02 for Protestants and Catholics.

02:06 64% of German adults from all religions never go to church services.

02:15 Like 12 million Germans, it looks like Michael is on his monthly visit to the Flohmarkt,

02:19 or flea market in English.

02:21 Besides online platforms, Flohmarkt are the second most popular place for Germans to buy

02:26 second-hand goods.

02:29 He's likely to find clothing, books, furniture, and DVDs.

02:34 DVDs in 2023.

02:39 67% of Germans have bought second-hand clothes.

02:46 And by the looks of it, Michael has found yet another practical rain jacket.

02:51 And now it's time to bargain.

02:54 Germans aren't exactly known for their love of haggling, but there are some rules.

03:00 Build a relationship with the seller.

03:02 Be likable, but don't show too much enthusiasm.

03:05 Use a friend to create time pressure.

03:08 Consider buying more items to get a discount.

03:18 It's 3pm on a Sunday, which means only one thing for the Germans.

03:21 Kaffee and Kuchen, aka coffee and cake.

03:27 Kaffee klatsch, the glorious German tradition of chatting over coffee and cake, dates back

03:31 to the 17th century.

03:34 Germans also have a relatively sweet tooth.

03:36 In 2021, they ate 22kg of sweet treats, with cakes and baked goods being the most popular.

03:46 And when it comes to the cake vs tart debate, one groundbreaking study found that 44% of

03:52 Germans like both equally.

03:59 It's no secret that Germans are a sporty nation, and football is by far the most watched sport.

04:10 One third of German fans watch it multiple times per week on TV, and almost half of Germans

04:15 like to watch football with friends.

04:19 Like mustard to pretzels, beer is a natural accompaniment to watching football.

04:23 And forget the craft stuff, Germans want beer with a low drinking resistance, basically

04:27 beer without a strong aftertaste that you can drink a lot of.

04:31 Although the emotional excitement of football can get too much for Germans, a study in the

04:36 Scientific Report recorded increased hospital admissions for heart attacks during the 2014

04:42 World Cup.

04:51 They finish their day with a Sonntagsspaziergang, a Sunday stroll.

04:54 Germans love walking, and there's a rumour that Michael and Paul are still going.

04:58 Wow, Michael's had a busy day.

05:01 Perhaps he needs a holiday, somewhere... exotisch?

05:06 As always, like and subscribe for more Average German.

05:10 (upbeat music)

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