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Never really Stress-Free
Former German chancellor Helmut Kohl once opened a political hornet's nest when he spoke of "Amusement Park Germany." He was simply making the point that Germans have lost their taste for hard work. The message didn't go down well in a country where four million people are unemployed. Still, there is some truth to Mr. Kohl's statement. At the beginning of the century, Germans worked hard and had some time off. Now, it seems, Germans work less and play more than ever.
This in a country where Martin Luther once spoke of the purifying importance of honest labour. Never in history have the Germans had so much free time on their hands. But that doesn't mean they spend their days lazing on the couch. Most find some meaningful way of using their leisure hours, which can lead to plenty of stress. When one gets bored with video games or surfing the internet, there is always the corner pub where people can meet to discuss their next vacation destinations.
Getting away from it all is the number one leisure time activity in Germany. Automobiles, sports and computers follow it closely. If there's time left over, some go to the fitness studio, to try and get rid of some of the evidence of an affluent society. It's as if the Olympic creed reads: Better looking; thinner; in better shape.
And of course, we can't leave out the classic sports club (The old joke goes: whenever two Germans meet, they form a club). Today there are clubs which follow every new trend from the US, from power-walking to jumping rope...or as we say in German, Seilchenspringen.
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Rakoto David Olivaniaina, from Madagascar, talks about Germans and their crazy pastimes. (German)
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