Germany's hardworking reputation: Myth or reality?

DW (English)

Germans have a reputation for being hardworking and disciplined. Is that really the case?

Transcript

00:00 Hey, good to see you here. Today we will examine another German virtue together.

00:04 Puh, there we go. Today it's all about the virtues of discipline and diligence.

00:15 Well, you're rather mediocre at both of those.

00:18 Why is that and what are you doing here?

00:21 I'm your little German conscious and when it comes to diligence and discipline we excel.

00:27 It's actually what we are known for. Well, let's take a look at that.

00:31 Do Germans really live up their hard-working and disciplined reputation? I'm curious.

00:37 Me too. Now get back to pumping that iron.

00:40 Oh, I can't do anymore.

00:50 Well, well, well, you wanted to train for an hour but you've only been here for 45 minutes.

00:56 Yeah, but I can't physically do anymore.

00:58 Oh, come on, a bit more discipline please. Remember, ohne fleiß, kein preis, no pain, no gain.

01:05 Yes, but at what price? Can I just shower now?

01:08 Wasn't one of your New Year's resolutions to do more sport?

01:12 Yes, that's true, but...

01:14 Well, a little perseverance then, please.

01:16 Why are you pushing me so much?

01:18 It's for your own good. You said yourself that you wanted it and you're not alone.

01:23 Popular resolutions among Germans are to do more sport and eat healthier.

01:28 Well, but how long do these last?

01:30 Well, as long as necessary.

01:34 No, no, for just under 40% of people,

01:37 well-intentioned resolutions last less than a month. So much for German discipline.

01:43 Oh, come on, just 10 more minutes and you will be done. Come back now.

01:50 Well, discipline is important, but not the way you might think.

01:53 It's not really about being coerced into doing something.

01:57 It's more about everyone sticking to the rules and completing the task efficiently.

02:01 I suppose you're right, but anyway, you better get back to work.

02:05 I'm not going to work today. I'm off work.

02:08 What? But you have so much to do.

02:11 I don't care.

02:12 Wait a minute, we were just talking about sticking to the rules to get tasks done.

02:17 What about that now?

02:18 Well, that doesn't mean I can't have time off.

02:21 To be honest, we Germans don't work that much compared to the rest of the world,

02:25 and we do less and less overtime.

02:27 That's because we're efficient.

02:28 Well, you can look at it both ways.

02:31 And the trend is rising.

02:40 We are just hard working, but we also treat ourselves to holidays.

02:45 On average, we have more than 30 days per year.

02:49 Not bad.

02:50 Right, and that's why I'm enjoying a nice day off.

02:53 And tomorrow evening, I'm going on holiday.

02:56 All right, you win.

02:58 Don't you have to pack if you're going on holiday tomorrow?

03:05 Oh no, I can still do that tomorrow. I'm not leaving until the evening.

03:09 No, no, no, no, no. You know how the saying goes.

03:12 "Was du heute kannst besorgen, das verschiebe nicht auf morgen."

03:15 Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

03:17 Tomorrow will be much more relaxed if you have already packed.

03:21 I just want to relax.

03:23 Come on, get it out of the way. At least get started.

03:26 Okay.

03:28 Oh damn, I forgot to buy sunscreen.

03:37 See, it's a good thing that you already packed today.

03:40 Now you can still pick some up.

03:42 You are right.

03:43 Now it's time for a proper holiday.

03:58 Hi.

04:09 Yeah, yeah, I can send that by mail.

04:11 Uh-huh, no worries.

04:13 Absolutely no problem. Yeah, I'm happy to do it.

04:16 Bye-bye.

04:16 What was that?

04:19 Oh, my boss needs something.

04:21 Didn't you just boast that Germans like to go on holiday so much?

04:25 Yeah.

04:26 As much as we like going on holiday, we find it hard to stop working.

04:32 Almost 60% of Germans have worked on holiday before.

04:36 That is surprisingly high considering that we usually take the end of a working day very seriously.

04:42 Okay, enough of that now.

04:44 Hard work is good, but only when it's appropriate.

04:47 A holiday is a holiday.

04:48 You are right.

04:51 German diligence and discipline are tricky virtues.

05:00 A lot of things seem outdated.

05:03 Hey, hey.

05:04 But that's the way it is.

05:05 We Germans aren't all in the army.

05:08 We also like a more leisurely pace.

05:11 Okay, that's fair.

05:12 But diligence and discipline are still very important.

05:16 Most young Germans still believe that hard work and determination get you where you want to go.

05:22 Makes sense.

05:23 Makes sense.

05:25 [Music]

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