This Monday I went to my fitness center. To get there I have to turn left at a very crowded crossroads (two lanes on-coming traffic). But I did not have to wait long, a car carrying an American number plate stopped to let me pass, but when I had already started turning left, the car on the second lane did not only not stop, but actually accelerated. It was a German one. Now I know this cannot be generalized. Not all Americans are nice, and not all Germans behave like Barbarians as soon as they get into their cars.
But my personal experience is that Americans tend to be very nice, and that is not the only reason why I am going to miss the American number plates in Darmstadt …
Anyway, when we talk about things “typically American” here in Germany, it usually has a negative touch. Take this article („Zum Aufstieg verdammt“ von Karsten Seibel, Die WELT, 15.08.2006) about DekaBank head Franz S. Waas who happens to hold both nationalities, the German and the American one. Soon after having been appointed head of Deka his methods were characterized as typically American: He writes emails in the middle of the night, he calls employees directly with no regard for hierarchies, he hates bureaucracy, … nice guy, one could think, but all this is not meant as a compliment in this article at all! No he is criticised for being “too American” and accused of having caused a cultural shock. My favourite quote in the article is this one: “Der lässt die Hosenträger wie ein großspuriger Amerikaner schnalzen und stellt große Ziele auf.” (= “He lets his suspenders snap like an arrogant American while he sets up his grandiose schemes.”)
Now I do not know whether suspenders are still en vogue in the U.S. and of course I know even less whether Franz Waas is wearing them or not, but it seems as if his “American methods” were working. The DekaBank Group significantly increased fund sales during the first half of 2007 and I have just read the following headline: “Deutsche Bank`s DWS may lose German market leadership to Deka”.
Typically American?