Order is when you know where you can go and not try to interfere.
German folk saying.
There are such myths about the Germans that they have perfect order in everything everywhere. And they have a famous phrase: “Ordnung muss sein!” (“There must be order!”). Then some come to live in Germany and are surprised: how can this be! In many ways they are such a mess! Where is Ordnung? And then they enter the next phase (when they complain about the mess, and experienced residents with many years of experience begin to give advice on how to deal with the local system). It turns out there is an ordnung. And there is a mess. But the German mess is such a very specific mess. This is not just like that - the German mess is subject to a number of fairly strict rules, there is logic in everything, and where there is no logic, there is a system. You just need to be able to handle the German mess: the rules of the mess also need to be studied carefully! :-)
Rule one: whoever needs it, runs. If they need something from you, they will fuck you up and torture you, like Pol Pot Compuccia. If you need it, learn to do the same with them.
Here's an example: I arrived a month ago conjunct
live in Berlin. He is now going through the entire bureaucratic machine - you can get pleasure from everything at once: here you can new job, and the contract, and taxes, and apartment, and insurance, everything, everything. At first everything was so wonderful: wherever you go, everything works, everyone explains what needs to be carried where, what to submit, where to call, where to sign, and everything is quickly processed and sent where needed. etc. Then suddenly there was a stupor. At work they wrote down the tax class incorrectly, the tax office said that you need to get a piece of paper from them so that it is rewritten in the correct way, and as soon as they do this (but not before) the salary will increase by three hundred. And suddenly there was silence: nothing was happening. You need to go to a certain lady in the HR department and tell her to do it. Said. She didn't. And the tax office won’t tell her what to do?
No, he won’t tell, the employee himself must go and ask. Well, okay - I went and asked - she didn’t do it. I went and asked for a second time, and I did it. Why did everything suddenly stop happening on its own? Yes, because it's a phase. where someone was entitled to something from Dima - it passed. Now the employer is calm, everything is formalized. The tax office is also calm - everything is formalized. And from which pocket these 300 euros will migrate to which one is only important to Dima. So let him run. Why didn’t the girl in the HR department do it? Yes she will! It must, and it will do it. But she has 30 of these Dim, and she sets priorities according to a simple principle: Whoever has the brightest written on his face “I will look here every three days until you do it” is more important. In the end, she will probably redo everything almost on time. And for some she will do it at the last minute.
You will laugh: she will not leave anyone without this paper. She will do them all by some deadline! But... if she is very busy, the last ones who did not come to her from the very beginning are draining their brains, she will do everything exactly at the last deadline. Like: today I received it on Thursday, tomorrow is Friday the last day to take it to the tax office, from Monday it’s already a new quarter, and you can’t get back the missed past so many euros. (Or you will return it, but you have to write a protest and more fuss will be added). Those. a person himself chooses6 to take care and shock everyone in time, and rejoice on the last Friday of the quarter. that he has everything ready. Or on the last day, run to do everything.
Moreover, if this is some kind of trivial matter that a stable percentage of the population does on the last day, everything is settled there too: they will let you go from work, and there will be a special aunt in the tax office, only for this issue, but just there on this day there will be a particularly long line (and who is to blame?).
If you live in Germany for some 20 years, you will know exactly what things are better to do right away, so as not to do them like this later. They will be done one way or another, but they can be done with stress and unnecessary fuss, like beginners, or calmly and on time, with minimal losses - like an old, experienced wolf.
Rule two: You just don’t know about some things, that it’s not a mess, it’s a feature.
There are things that look like a mess, but this is actually order. For example, if someone receives some kind of social assistance, or some other assistance from the state (especially for all sorts of very trivial things that crowds of newly arrived foreigners receive), the German organization will demand EVERYTHING from you every single time a set of all sorts of papers. All sorts of strange things, like a work history, bank statements, bills for electricity, gas, papers about part-time jobs... They will ask for 25 copies. And after 3 months, when payments need to be extended again, a letter arrives: “Bring copies of such and such documents.” And everyone howls: “Damn it, where are you putting them? Well, I’m definitely bringing them to the same aunt for the tenth time, why does it have to happen again every month?!” But in fact, this is all because there are a lot of cunning people who begin to correct something in such papers. There they have an extra hundred euros in earnings, here they have an extra month of something unfinished. When they are asked to do this for the first time, they are often struck by an incredibly powerful thought: “But this is how I can forge this paper!” And all sorts of corrections of numbers and figures in copies begin - in banking, etc. Or they manage to ask someone for some fake paper about a fee or about a part-time job. And then a month later - let's start all over again! Many things that you managed to get somewhere once, you can’t get again once a month, or once every three months. Or people paste something, falsify it, hand it in - and don’t think about the fact that in a month they will be asked to hand in the same thing again. And after some time they get the feeling that no one reads anything there at all, what papers are not kept (otherwise why would they be asked to submit them again every time?!), and they are in their corrections and forgeries, and breeding fake papers, begin to show negligence.
And then they are called, and they say: “Sooooo...” and they take out from the shelf ALL copies of EVERYTHING for the last 150 years, and there is the same paper - and twisted this way and that 20 times. And the number no longer matches (so which is the correct one, and why was it suddenly different that time on the same paper?!), and for some reason something is written on the copies of the same document in a different font, it’s awkward.
And then a scaramental phrase is uttered: “You probably think that we are such fools here, right? Or that we are such a mess that we just don’t remember or see anything!”
True, there is still a feeling of shit. If you are an honest person, you really stupidly bring the same paper every time, and no one reacts to it in any way, because it is real and genuine. And therefore, you don’t see any signs that they have preserved the other two million versions - you just stupidly wear the same thing for the thousand-millionth time. You can't think about it, and you can't be nervous. You just have to carry it and send it, they said, send it. And sometimes it really seems like it’s diving somewhere there forever, and after a month they’ve lost everything about you again, so they ask.
Rule three: you can get out of all problems through 33 loopholes. But the right to use loopholes is immediately lost if you decide to ignore the problem.
In Germany, many bureaucratic letters are written in such a way that when you read them, your legs give way under you. On the second line it already seems that that’s it - now you will be put in prison, deprived of everything, or at least executed in the square. But you have to read it carefully. All these letters, which begin with texts like: “You didn’t do this and that, so a terrible punishment awaits you,” end (after 3 pages) with the phrase that you only have 7 last chances left. First, you will receive three more recent Chinese warnings, then you will be able to write three refutations and three protests, and then, if you turn out to be wrong, you will still have the opportunity to solve the problem in three ways: piecemeal, in a roundabout way, and over the head. And for each of these stages you have a period from 2 weeks to 2 years. But!
The worst thing you can do is not react to something like this. All these last-to-last chances remain yours only on the condition that you strictly follow the order of (in)actions. If you can’t pay, write that you can’t pay. If you can’t bring the paper you need, write (or call) and say that you’re so sorry, all the conditions are stacked against you, everything didn’t arrive on time, and you have no chance of getting the paper you need on time. But do it. Go around to everyone, so that at some point ALL the women in the right office know - oh, this one has already called, YES, we know that he will be late by a week, he asked for a deferment, everyone knows. Then you will get a second paper, but you will miss the third, then they will promise you a fourth in 3 to 9 months. But you will already be written down in everyone’s folder “this one is trying, he’s just having some difficulties.” If you start a fairly violent activity at the beginning, it will go peacefully, and will soon get bogged down in structures where the promised execution comes with a month, and sometimes a year, delay. There again reigns the necessary degree of chaos, thanks to which you will be forgotten for a while. And this time will continue to lengthen. But the main thing is to get out of the line of fire, where they shoot with hatred, without understanding, and with particular cruelty: into the ranks of those who do not bother to respond to the first warnings at all! These are bastards who sleep peacefully and do not realize the gravity of the situation! They immediately demonstrate that they don't care, they can't solve the problem, and they're not going to. What about running? Are you afraid to send 20 papers? Should we interview everyone, find out all the options, how to fix it? Well, now we have you! As soon as we unscrew the meter and take it out of the house (or we close the account, or we don’t send the money), you will learn to respond and react. Dysh-dish.
The main rule: In Germany it is very useful to know what you are entitled to.
You are entitled to an incredible amount of everything. Everything can be cheaper, simpler, longer. Everything can be abandoned a hundred times over, everything can be reissued, everything can be sent, delivered, done without that last piece of paper. But everywhere there are people who “test clients for lice” and simply snatch something (what if he doesn’t understand his rights for two months, and manages to pay twice - and that’s money). Or, if this is not so important and does not bode well for those who created difficulties or extra expenses, they are simply negligent. If you ask, I will give it. If you don’t ask, they will give it later, or when you ask. The Germans are generally virtuosos at controlled negligence. They clearly maintain a balance between what can be pushed aside and what cannot.
Learn the phrases “I paid for it” and “I’m entitled to it.” Often you want something - no, today it won’t work out.
- But I’m supposed to!
- Oh yes? Okay, here you go. It's supposed to be that way.
- But I’m supposed to do it now, not next time! Yes?
- Okay, get it now.
The Nemectian plumber (loader, electrician, housemaster) will arrive exactly at seven in the morning, as agreed. He will work exactly for the hour agreed upon. He will do what was agreed upon. Just negotiate carefully - nothing has been agreed upon. that won't happen. Or it won’t be on the favorable terms that we managed to agree on for the rest.
And be careful with any nice phrases said out of politeness. He's calling:
- Oh, sorry, I'm 15 minutes late! I’m stuck in a traffic jam, everything in the previous order was stretched out!
Tell him:
- Oh well, I’m not going anywhere anyway, there’s no light - and he’ll suddenly be an hour late. Because in the next order, someone is yelling into the phone: “Because of you, I took two whole hours free, I’m now going to miss a deal of two million and you will be responsible for it!” and they rush there. And if you say: “Oooh, listen, let’s hurry up, I have work, I’ve worked so hard to free up this hour for you, it will be so difficult to re-negotiate later - if you screw this up for me, you won’t be paid anything for it, and In general, I will complain to your superiors, because I asked in advance for this meeting to be carried out accurately and without delay." Suddenly... and he got away with it, then got through the traffic jam, and galloped up, almost on time, and he was in a hurry and managed to do everything, just 5 minutes later than he had planned. You need to kick, or at least show that you are one of those bores who wants to get exactly what you are entitled to, and you will not agree to anything less. You will humbly be added to the list of those who need to give 100%. And they will grab some percentage of their “hack work” elsewhere.
The last rule: pretend that you respect the Ordnung, and the Ordnung will not bite you.
Or, as the Germans themselves say, “a ceremonial example.” Freelancer and tax. To become a freelancer, you need to write to the tax office that you want to be a freelancer, and that you want to receive separate fees for your work, or sell some of your own things, and receive separate fees for it. After this, you will receive a letter saying “you are now registered with us with such and such a number, please indicate it with each declaration.” What will happen next? After some time (in a year, the tax office will send a letter, they say, let’s freelance, I’ll file my tax return. And the freelancer, for example, didn’t earn anything - it didn’t work out for him. (Let’s say this is a housewife or a student who opened an online shop , and then the business died out, or she didn’t have time to start selling anything). we didn’t receive any answers here, so we asked ourselves how much you could earn from your declared activities. We decided that you earned five thousand, so pay us a couple of hundred in tax. And if you don’t agree, now is your last chance to send us your real declaration - in a week!!!
This is not how you should do it. You need to sit down and fill out all the paperwork. Write zero everywhere. (I'm serious.) Earned zero, sold - zero, made - zero, this zero, this zero. Place this zero honestly everywhere, sign and send. They will sigh, file their papers and leave. They'll write again in a year. If you write zero-zero-zero everywhere again, next time they’ll ask in two. Or they’ll ask in a year, but start threatening you in two. The longer you honestly fill out what you can, demonstrating a willingness to cooperate (even if there is a complete lack of success), the more their rage gives way to sympathy and shaking their heads: this is a useless element, but neat, he tries.
You can’t do anything, and you have to evade everything together. According to general rules, and in the right words. The right words are when, firstly, you know well what is due to you, and what is not due to you, and with looking smart you say this wherever someone tries to trample on your rights. And on the other hand - where you owe someone - portray a passionate desire to give everything to everyone in the best possible way and on time. I just don’t sleep at night, thinking about how to do everything in the best possible way. But I went around everyone, asked everyone, it didn’t work out like that - give me a reprieve, please. And then we made a circle: “I heard that if a person tried very hard, and he has an extreme case, then as a last resort he is entitled to ... a deferment or some kind of roundabout option!”
And then they will throw out the last exception that you are entitled to. But it is only due to those who, up to this point, have honestly tried to do everything according to the rules. And arrogant slobs who think that they can simply bypass the system - they are entitled to nothing but trouble.
As a result, in Germany you can find a huge scope for imagination, where you can simplify your life and get comfortable. If you really study well who is entitled to what, and send exactly on time and to the right authority what will lull your vigilance and formally fulfill all the conditions, you can achieve a lot for yourself. (And you can also get away with a lot, if you do it correctly.) Especially freelancers, small entrepreneurs, and other people living on complex social means can twist a lot for themselves. But just don’t try to simply deceive someone, steal here, hide here, or, God forbid, offer a bribe or anything else. (What visitors like to try on the fly. :-))
No, this will immediately end very badly - they will be punished, taken away and slapped on the wrist. You have to twist everything everywhere, beg, formalize, bring, do, fulfill all the conditions, and then find out what else you are entitled to under some additional point of the thirtieth paragraph, and under what conditions you don’t have to pay for three years, etc. d.
Millions of people don’t get a lot of things in Germany, although they could. Simply because they didn’t go and take it. But to take it, you need a stamp there, and a piece of paper here, and they won’t chase you with it. But if you ask, they will give it. It was started for them, and they even advertise it somewhere - but without fanaticism. You have to find out about many things yourself, what are the benefits and
For example, there is a Berlin pass in Berlin. Anyone who lives on social assistance or unemployment benefits receives it. But 80% do not know that (only because they already have this card in their hands) hundreds (!) of places have free or greatly reduced entry. Museums, courses, holidays, theater, concerts. Now on the Senate page there are more than 300 events that you could go to for free or almost free with this card. Where they were given this card, by the way, there are brochures calling a hundred times to use all this. But, if you don’t read the brochure and ask for it yourself, no one will offer it, of course. You have to look everywhere yourself: does this theater (course, swimming pool, attraction) have a special price or free entry for holders of this card?
If something is mysterious, then there is simply a rule for it that you don’t know yet. And someone has already learned all the rules, and his strange dance is simply walking along the path of least resistance.
In fact, there are many examples, and I could write here endlessly. Recently, in the comments, they asked why in many cities everything is closed after 6 pm, and whether it is possible to somehow bypass all the laws and open a store that will be open later. For an outside observer, it all looks so absurd: that some kind of rule has been introduced. and poor entrepreneurs cry into their pillows, but are forced to close everything at six. In fact, open up as much as you like - just fulfill all the “buts” and move on. And if you take a closer look, it will immediately become clear that all the stores are closed for the simple reason that it is not profitable for them to be open. There is no demand, no one needs them in this place 24 hours a day. Needed for 6 hours. And they looked around, counted, and based on simple mathematics, they identified for themselves those 6 hours at which it makes the most sense to open. And if it is from 12 to 6, then they will all be open for this time, and then they will do other things. And the difficulties that must be overcome (not so great) in order to open for another 5 hours are simply not even close to being worth the candle.
And this is how you can sort out any messy situation that many outside observers seem absurd in Germany.
So - if anything else German seems inexplicable to you, you ask, and I will write a separate post about it. And if I myself remember a separate good example, I’ll also write it myself. :-)
P.S. Reading your comments, I realized how deeply I was immersed in German reality, and “assimilated with the aksakals and saxauls” - about many things it doesn’t occur to me that this is interesting to some of you, or seems unusual. And then people write: “Write about this,” and I’m surprised. :-) so thank you for your curiosity. And ask if anything happens.
Ordnung, die Seele des Geschäftslebens, eine Zierde des Hauswesens, der schönste Schmuck der Frauen; sie ist die Goldwage der Empfindungen, der Anker für das Schifflein Häuslichkeit, die Grundbedingung der Wohlhabenheit. Ordnungssinn ist das… … Damen Conversations Lexikon
ordnung- òrdnung m N mn nzi DEFINICIJA reg. strog red, disciplina (ob. kao asocijacija na prusku, njemačku i austrougarsku vojničku disciplinu) ETIMOLOGIJA njem. Ordnung … Hrvatski jezični portal
Ordnung- Ordnung, 1) überhaupt die Regelmäßigkeit in der Zusammenstellung gleichartiger Gegenstände od. in der Reihenfolge der Ereignisse u. Thätigkeiten, gleich viel, ob sie aus innerer Nothwendigkeit hervorgeht, wie z.B. die O. der Zahlen in der… … Pierer's Universal-Lexikon
Ordnung- Ordnung, im allgemeinen eine nach bestimmten leitenden Gesichtspunkten geschehene, regelmäßige und zweckmäßige Folge einer Reihe von Dingen und Handlungen. In naturwissenschaftlichen Systemen versteht man unter O. gewöhnlich die den Klassen… … Meyers Großes Conversations-Lexikon
Ordnung- (lat. ordo), in der Naturgeschichte eine Hauptabteilung zwischen Klasse und Familie; im jurist. Sinne (ordinatĭo) ein eine ganze Materie umfassendes Gesetz (z.B. Gerichts O., Prozeß O., Städte O.) … Kleines Konversations-Lexikon
Ordnung- Ordnung, zweckmäßige Zusammenstellung oder Aufeinanderfolge; Hauptabtheilung in einem naturwissenschaftlichen Systeme; im Rechtswesen der Inbegriff rechtlicher Formen bei dem Verfahren in Sachen der Justiz od. Verwaltung …Herders Conversations-Lexikon
Ordnung- Ordnung, Ordo, 1) in der Systematik Kategorie, die einem ⇒ Taxon zugeordnet wird und die eine oder, aufgrund ihrer Ähnlichkeit oder Verwandtschaft, mehrere Familien umfasst. Beispiele: Violales (mit den Familien Violaceae, Veilchengewächse,… … Deutsch wörterbuch der biologie
Ordnung- 1. Akkuratesse, Disziplin, Klassement, Regime, System, 2. Kollokation, Nomos … Das große Fremdwörterbuch
Ordnung- Auch: Reihenfolge Folge Bsp.: Die Wortstellung (= Wortordnung) in dem Satz ist falsch … Deutsch Wörterbuch
Ordnung- Anordnung; Regelmäßigkeit; Ordnungsprinzip; Systematik; Priorisierung; Bewertung * * * Ord|nung [ɔrdnʊŋ], die; , en: 1. ohne Plural (durch Ordnen hergestellter oder bewahrter) Zustand, in dem sich etwas befindet: eine mustergültige,… … Universal-Lexikon
Ordnung- 1. Alles nach der Ordnung, sagte der Amtmann Schlosser zum Itzik, da lebt er noch. (Emmerdingen in Baden.) – Willkomm, 138. 2. Auss guten Ordnungen werden gemeiniglich Lasstafeln. – Petri, II, 29. 3. Die Ordnung herrscht in Warschau. Nach der... ... Deutsches Sprichwörter-Lexikon
Books
- Die Natuerliche Ordnung Der Platonischen Schriften... (German Edition), Munk Eduard. The book is a reprint edition. Despite the fact that serious work has been done to restore the original quality of the publication, some pages may contain... Buy for 1,322 rubles
- Kirchen-Ordnung fuer die deutsch Evangelisch Lutherische Gemeine bey der heiligen Dreyeinigkeits Kirche in der Stadt Lancaster, Pennsylvanien, in Nord Amerika , Church Trinity Lutheran. The book is a reprint edition. Despite the fact that serious work has been done to restore the original quality of the publication, some pages may contain...
"Ordnung muss sein" (translated from German as "There must be order")
There is a similar German proverb, Ordnung ist das halbe Leben - Order is half of life.
Let us draw a logical conclusion - order is very important for a German; it is an integral component of a German’s life, literally a part of his life.
Let's take this into account and say a word about German order.
Having become a household name, the notorious “German order” turned into a kind of fetish, a kind of standard of accuracy, clarity, punctuality.
Where did this standard come from and what exactly is it? I noticed that beauty and perfection among the Germans is also part of “order”.
It is clear that the Germans have historically developed proverbs about order, i.e. order is part of German culture, but where exactly did it appear?
Let's Google it and see what the Internet gives us. I didn’t see anything special, but I noticed a lot of photographs from the times of the Great Patriotic War, as well as a large number of phrases such as “How the Germans restored order in Belarus, Ukraine...”, and God knows where else. Moreover, the bulk of the photographs are of German soldiers in the occupied territories. So to speak, they taught us barbarians to order, or rather to their own, German order.
What is typical is that very often in old photographs you can see inscriptions that a violation of order means execution. In addition, I came across this:
As I understand it, there are many rumors like this:
“….In 1939, Hitler issued an order for Berlin: to shoot stowaway passengers on trams. The order was announced throughout the city five days before it was put into effect. The Berliners didn't believe it. Over the course of a few hours, about forty people were shot. SA stormtroopers stopped the tram, took all the passengers out, lined them up, put all the stowaways against the wall and shot every tenth one. There is a memorial near Frankfurt dedicated to the victims of the exemplary shooting of stowaways arrested on several commuter trains and trams...”
but there is no confirmation of this, I also rummaged around on the Internet, trying to find a photo of this memorial, but found nothing. There are also allegations that stowaways were not shot in Germany, but only in the occupied territories, but somehow I’m tired of searching now and I will be glad if you, my inquisitive reader, send me a link or another...
But let’s google photos on the topic “Prisoned Germans in the Soviet Union”
This is Chelyabinsk, a quarter built by the Germans, what can I say - beautiful!
In general, you can find plenty of photographs, but let’s return to our days, to our, so to speak, modernity. And you, dear reader, you ask me, why all this nonsense about the German order?
Instead of answering, I will offer you a few more photos for comparison.
We also google, the topic is “Refugees in Germany”
Tell me, can you somehow explain this?
Personally, no, I have no explanation for this. I know for sure that this is not the same people who, just 70 years ago, tried to teach us order and contemptuously called us -Russisch Schwein.
Well, now, after the “first course and second”, let’s move on to dessert, because it will be the main topic of this article.
In response to the photographs of refugees posted above, some will tell me:
“What can you do, after all, these are refugees, and some time must pass for their settlement and assimilation,” with which I, of course, agree, but the following reasoning will be dissonant for me.
So I'll start:
In my article “Middle Eastern Olivier...” http://cont.ws/post/224913, trying to analyze the latest events in Syria, I wrote: “...First of all, this is a powerful signal to the Pindos in the person of Erdogan...”
Why is this signal to all Pindos, in the person of Erdogan, you, my inquisitive reader, ask?
Well, I’ll answer.
Have you, dear reader, by chance crossed the border, not at the airport, but as an intruder, through the security control strip? No? So, I will probably surprise you if I say that the border guards shoot in this case. Especially if the border guard is German or Italian. As you saw above in the military photos, they are clearly not humanists, and when they are called upon to defend the border, they shoot. And this, I will tell you 100% here, even “don’t go to grandma.” And they, the Italians or the Spaniards or the Germans, don’t give a damn whether you are a refugee or not. If you are a refugee, then go to the station, on a plane or train, but at the border you are either a violator or a terrorist. And for them, due to their mentality, there is no third option. So, by sinking a dozen vessels in the Mediterranean Sea, or towing them back to Africa, the whole problem would be solved overnight. Or maybe you forgot about the signs with the word “execution”? Do you think the Germans have become different, more humane since then? Of course not, as they say - “The grave will correct the hunchback”!
You and I see that the border guards do not shoot in this case. Don't they shoot?
THIS MEANS THERE IS A CLEAR INSTALLATION, NO NOT AN INSTALLATION, BUT
ORDER - DO NOT SHOOT!
refugees dreaming of getting into the “German order”
And behind this hype, ARTIFICIAL BUZZ, they tried to hide from us the true goals of this I’m not afraid of this name
COLOSSAL OPERATION!
And these goals are just part of a common goal called -
WAR WITH RUSSIA.
But more on that in the next article.
P/S. If you have any thoughts, you are welcome!
The Germans are distinguished by their synthetic mentality and show amazing patience and conscientiousness in their work. In wit and artistic taste, the Germans are somewhat inferior to the British, French and Italians. The German consciousness is always normative, the world is rational and ordered, in which everything is put in its place, the place allocated by the German spirit. And all this is reflected in phraseological units.
- Attitude to business
Deutsch sein heißt, eine Sache um ihrer selbst willen treiben. Literal translation : « Being German means doing things for their own sake.». This catchphrase goes back to the work of Richard Wagner "Deutsche Kunst und Deutsche Politik"(1867), where he writes: “...was deutsch sei: nämlich, die Sache, die man treibt, um ihrer selbst und der Freude an ihr willen treiben...”. The way it is. The Germans are hardworking and ready to bring any task to the end, often victoriously.
- Love of order
Ordnung ist das halbe Leben –order — the basis all life
Ordnung muss sein! – order above all! The great catchphrase, which hits its target like a sharp spear, gives a clear picture of the Germans.
Ordnung im Haus ist halbes Sparen – keeping your home in order is the first step towards saving money. Germans love to talk about saving. Sparen favorite verb of the Germans. Although in Lately The Germans themselves make fun of “excessive frugality.” Sparen– does not mean being a miser. This means “being economical” to the extent that you have everything, you are content with everything, you can afford a lot and at the same time you are generous. If they call you sparsam– you can consider this the biggest compliment.
- German frugality
Sparen ist verdienen – saving is about earning more.
Spare was, Dann hast du was – save, and you will have something to save.
Wer den Pfennig nothing spart, kommt nothing zum Groschen – whoever does not save pfenning will never earn a penny (cf. (Russian): a penny saves a ruble).
- Attitude to work
Arbeit adelt –labor ennobles.
Arbeit schändet nicht -Job — Not a shame
Arbeit, Mäßigkeit und Ruh’ schließt dem Arzt die Türe zu -work, moderation And rest — the best protection from diseases.
- German punctuality
nimm deine Zeit wahr! - use your time wisely!;
zur Zeit (z. Z.) -during;
Zeit ist Geld -time – money;
Wer nicht kommt zur rechten Zeit, der muss nehmen, was übrigbleibt –Late guest – bones.
- Determination
seinen Zweck erreichen-achieve his goals;
seine Zwecke verfolgen -chase their goals;
der Zweck heiligt die Mittel -target justifies facilities.
- Fear
Undoubtedly, Germany is a country where Fear rules ( Angst). They say that the result of such pervasive fear is a reluctance to do anything, but when action is needed, the Germans rush to attack. It is fear that drives the Germans in their desire to organize, regulate, control everything again and again, monitor, insure, check, document. In their hearts they believe that it is necessary to have the highest intelligence in order to truly understand how dangerous life really is. The Germans are convinced that the degree of anxiety is directly related to the intellectual potential of the nation.
die Angst macht Beine ≈fear gives agility;
die Furcht hat tausend Augen -at fear eyes big;
vor Angst vergehen -die of fear.
When we recall Germans and German culture in conversation, we often immediately imagine an orderly society in which nothing supernatural happens, since people are not accustomed to breaking laws. Where does this German love for order come from and what is hidden in the mysterious word “Ordnung”?
The importance of the Ordnung in the life of the Germans
What distinguishes Germany from other European countries is its order. It is with the intricate word “Ordnung” that the famous German order is called in the language of its speakers. The German Ordnung is a distinguishing feature of the entire German people that has been developed over the years and has become the pride of an entire nation. They say that the Germans are so proud of their order because they secretly envy other representatives of European states for their ability to relax and enjoy life to the fullest. In Germany, such a culture of relaxed pastime does not exist.
Origins of order
The importance of order in the life of Germans has existed since time immemorial, but in the modern sense, the German Ordnung began with the rise to power of Bismarck and then Hitler, who placed order at the forefront of their philosophy on the development of the state. The Germans themselves are quite skeptical about such a stereotype regarding their nationality, so there is no point in praising German hard work and love of order once again - this is a natural state for Germans that does not need praise and close attention.
The world of the Germans is distinguished by rationality and orderliness: every thing has its place. This rule regarding order applies to everything, including the rather complex German language. The love of organization is reflected in all aspects of life, so the word “ordnung” can be found in many catchphrases, as, for example, “odnung uber alles” - order in everything.
German understanding of the Ordnung
For organized and efficient Germans, Ordnung is not only discipline and orderliness, but also correct and polite behavior that does not violate other people's boundaries, decent behavior and cleanliness. When you hear the phrase “alles ist in ordnung” from a German’s mouth, rest assured that everything is going according to plan.
Worldview mismatch
Treating all matters in which he is involved with extreme responsibility, a resident of Germany expects the same behavior from others. Having received a low-quality product that lasted less than the promised period, a German will perceive this situation as deception on the part of the seller, a violation of public order and inappropriate behavior towards the buyer. This is why good service is so valued in Germany and high-quality products are produced.
Finding themselves abroad surrounded by chaos, Germans wonder why nothing is being done to change the current situation. They cannot understand why transport is delayed, why people take away their personal time from others, because all this is illogical and violates the rights of each individual person. At home, Germans do not face such problems: the streets are always clean, the houses are in order, the garbage is in the trash can, pre-sorted, and the language is as logical as the behavior of the Germans themselves.
The concept of "Ordnung"
When considering the concept of the word "ordnung", we should turn to its etymology. The word itself comes from the Latin word "ordo", meaning weaving and marking material. From the very beginning, the concept of "ordnung" meant something precise, consistent with the rules, and was present in German since the 11th century. Examining the texts of popular authors who lived in the Middle Ages, one can notice that the word “order” (“Ordnung” in German) existed inextricably with such words as “discipline”, “hard work”, and became one of distinctive features German people.
Ordnung is often used as part of set expressions, an example of which is "ordnung uber alles" ("Ordnung uber alles" in German means "Order above all"). The phrase itself is a reflection of the type of thinking of the Germans, who prefer that order be fully present in any field of activity and respected by all members of a given society.
The presence of a large number of expressions using the concept of order reflects the value that Germans place on given word, because for them it is not just a reflection of the temperament and character of the inhabitants of Germany, but also the concept of a political and social structure: the Ordnung is a tool for achieving goals, a characteristic of the situation.
In the process of analyzing the etymology of the word "ordnung" several main concepts can be identified:
- concept of regulation method;
- lifestyle characteristics;
- discipline;
- obedience to general rules;
- law;
- system of relations;
- way to achieve well-being.
Influence of religion
German order (ordnung) appeared repeatedly in German literature and the speeches of famous religious and political figures, such as, for example, Martin Luther: he used the concepts of order and orderliness as that feature of the German people that does not allow the Germans to commit such sins as murder, theft and infidelity. For Martin Luther, the concept of order was fundamental to the life of the people.
Also, ordnung often in sermons referred to the division of responsibilities between men and women. The order was for each spouse to perform their functions properly. Thus, the concept of order refers to hierarchy. In the event of a violation of such a hierarchy, the concept of chaos appears opposite to order, which is incomparable with the normal functioning of society.
The great German poet and philosopher Goethe believes that order is a fundamental element of the prosperity of a developed society.
Word grammar
Ordnung is a word with many cognates in German, among which one of the main ones is the verb "ordnen", meaning to put in order, arrange something, or distribute. Due to great value prefixes in German words, attaching them to a given verb changes the meaning of the word, practically without changing its basic meaning.
The concept of order has an invariably positive connotation. Even in the speech of politicians one can repeatedly find an emphasis on the important role of order in the life of Germans, which becomes almost synonymous with the state. In this case, ordnung reflects a system that makes it possible to regulate social life and relationships in society.
Regarding the importance of the concept of the German word "Ordnung", a study was conducted to reveal the attitude of the Germans themselves towards this concept, as a result of which more than sixty percent of citizens expressed a positive attitude towards it.
