National German-American Day
By Sharon Schweitzer and Polina Anastassieva
This German-U.S. American heritage holiday commemorates the thirteen German-Mennonite families from Krefeld who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, On October 6th, 1683, these families established the first German settlement in the original thirteen colonies. They named it Germantown.
It was during these early years of German immigration to the U.S., that much of the cultural influence we see today occurred. For example, during this time, Germans brought the custom of Christmas trees, the delicious hamburger, the twisted pretzel, and even kindergarten. German culture stressed the importance of universal education, which heavily influenced the budding U.S. education system. German entrepreneurs, like Steinway and Studebaker, developed businesses whose products, like pianos and covered wagons, helped define important eras in U.S. life.
To honor the 300th anniversary of German-American immigration and culture into the U.S., in 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed October 6th as German-American Day. It was on August 6th, 1987, that Congress approved S.I. Resolution 108, designating October 6th, 1987, as German-American Day, and it became Public Law 100-104 when President Reagan signed it on August 18th.
To this day, Germany remains Western Europe’s main draw for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The economy is stable, and remains one of the largest in Europe, being diverse and free from excessive regulations. Fascinatingly enough, German law does not distinguish between Germans and foreign nationals regarding investments or establishing companies. The country’s highly skilled labor force, first class infrastructure, high productivity, and strong innovation are just a few of the reasons it is such an attraction.
Germany has one of the world’s shortest working weeks. When it comes to networking, if you give a German your business card, you are granting permission to freely contact you, and vice versa. Germans expect business cards to be treated confidentially. When making business deals, Germans tend to have a slow and detailed decision making process. They are competitive, hard bargainers, and true to their word. A verbal agreement is considered binding.
Most Germans appreciate structure. Rules and regulations allow people to know of what is expected of them, so that they can plan their lives accordingly. The degrees of flexibility and spontaneity are fairly low. Germans tend to dislike surprises and sudden changes in business transactions.
The country also tends to be more forward thinking. The people take pleasure in knowing what they will be doing at a certain time on a certain day. Careful planning provides a sense of security. Time is valued and schedules are respected.
When it comes to socializing, Germans prefer to do so outside the workplace environment. As a result, work and personal lives are rigidly divided. They tend to believe maintaining clear lines between people, places, and things is the surest way to lead a structured and ordered life.
Overall, it is important to remember that Germans manage their time carefully, use titles followed by last names when addressing others, and consider a counterpart’s word to be binding. Avoid making promises you cannot keep.
As of 2023, when it comes to the corruption index, Germany ranks 78th out of 100.
Photo by https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/osw-commentary
Sharon Schweitzer JD, is a diversity and inclusion consultant, cross-cultural trainer, etiquette expert, and the founder of Access to Culture. In addition to her accreditation in intercultural management from the HOFSTEDE Centre, she is an attorney and mediator. Sharon served as a Chinese Ceremonial Dining Etiquette Specialist in the documentary series Confucius was a Foodie, on Nat Geo People. Her Amazon #1 Best Selling book in International Business, Access to Asia: Your Multicultural Business Guide, won a coveted Kirkus Star, and was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books. She’s a winner of numerous awards, including the British Airways International Trade Award at the Greater Austin Business Awards.
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Polina Anastassieva, is a compliance, fraud prevention and detection, international risk management analyst, as well as an international business consultant. Polina is also an entrepreneur and a writer, her blog, specifically focuses on understanding international topics such as trade, culture, foreign affairs, and conducting business around the globe. She has also been featured on St. Edward’s University’s alumni website, as a distinguished member and supporter for the community. Additionally, she is on the board of World Affairs Council of Austin.
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