The German Way: Life in Austria, Germany, Switzerland
Interviews with Expats in Germany

Interview with Tom Urich in Wiesbaden 2


Tom works late
Tom Urich (left) and best friend Jürgen Theus enjoy a crisp autumn afternoon on a Rhine cruise ship.
Photo: Tom Urich


See the introduction to this interview in Part One.

We interviewed Tom Urich from his home
in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Interview with Tom Urich (Part 2)

What have your own language experiences been? Are your own German skills a factor in how you interact with Germans?

Since I work exclusively for Americans, my day-to-day activities don’t give me the language exposure I would prefer. I have purchased a fairly comprehensive CD tutorial set, in addition to my dictionary, and I am teaching myself Deutsch vigorously. My “colleagues” are constantly breaking my bad habits, and after a year now, I’m very good at comprehension and listening, but not as proficient in offering grammatically proper German sentences and responses. It sometimes leads to laughter, that is, my clumsy phraseology in Deutsch to the Germans, but a good laugh never hurt anyone. Just last evening, oder, gestern abend, Manfred Brandt, my good friend who owns my Stammkneipe (“regular bar”) asked me, “Just what language are you speaking now?!?”

It helps that I have a German surname. The people in and around Wiesbaden have grown accustomed to Americans since the Occupation assigned Hessen (the local Land, state) to the Americans following WWII. The other side of the Rhein (where Mainz is) was occupied by the French, so there is quite a multi-cultural mix here. Since the US Army and Air Force have had a major presence here, there is a lot of American tradition which has been adopted. Some staunch conservatives resent Americans, but most adults take it in stride. To the north and east you’ll find a stronger anti-foreigner attitude (“Ausländerfeindlichkeit”). I have been called Ami a couple of times. [“Ami” is not necessarily a bad term for Americans. It depends on how it’s said, and if any additional words go with it. - Ed.]

Overall, I do fairly well. It takes a while to make a “friend,” since the concept of friendship implies a lot more than it does in the USA. It’s sort of like going steady! You have a good strong association with one or two friends, the remainder are called simply colleagues or Bekannte. Friendship is not taken lightly.

On a personal level, outside of work, do you find it easy to make friends? What are some of the differences or similarities compared to life in an American community?

Because I come from a performing arts breed of Germans, I have always been comfortable making associates and friends with ease. I tend to trust people too quickly, however, and I have learned the hard way on occasion. I am an extrovert, for sure. The differences are mentioned in the previous question, but the similarities are thus: You can make a German smile just like an American if you give him or her money, more so, the interaction between “tourist” and resident is presumed immediately to be polite and strictly business. The subtle differences are not realized until the day you walk down the street and someone walks right up and starts talking at you like you are a local resident. I really felt at home the first day a child asked me to help look for her dog! (Grinning.) Basically, Americans are viewed as capital opportunity.

Photo 4
Tom Urich and another good friend, Barbara Dieterich,
in their favorite Wiesbaden pub. Photo: Tom Urich

How have you adjusted to life in Germany? Any special problems or successes?

Being this is my second chance at selecting a lifestyle and a career, it is much easier not having to consider the ramifications and responsibilities of a family. (I am not married, anymore.) I don't know how I would approach it! I have met a few American transferees from General Motors to Opel AG near here in Rüsselsheim. They enjoy a lot of orientation and logistical support from their employer. The adjustment to the lifestyle here is made a lot easier when you work for such a giant concern. I took on this assignment at CCC with a clean slate and didn’t bother to look back.

How does Wiesbaden compare to a US town of the same size? How did you choose it?

I chose Wiesbaden because of what I had observed in my travels. The cultural community is the most stimulating I have ever experienced, and that is saying a lot since I lived in Ann Arbor, Michigan for over nine years.

Wiesbaden is the capital of Hessen. The population is around 300,000. There are few buildings over three stories tall, save six large insurance headquarters. We are situated in the heart of the Rhein Valley (note spelling) and there are over 80 vineyards/vintners located here. Not to mention, in this country of 80 million, there are over 1300 breweries, too! The climate is much like North Carolina during spring and autumn. The summer is more like Tucson. I’m told our winters have been mild the last few years and we had no snow last year.

Most buildings are over 100 years old. Kaiser Friedrich chose to live here, as did the Duke of Nassau and the Duchess of St. Petersburg (Russia). With the Taunus mountains as a backdrop, and the Rhein flowing in and around, splitting into the Main river, it is breathtaking. But so is the smog when we have a summer ozone alert!

What have your driving experiences in Germany been like? What do you think of German drivers in general?

I own a German specification Mercedes-Benz 280E. The largest single observation is that it is difficult to find a place to park, unless you own a spot or a garage. I took the military driving orientation, which involves learning some 270 different signs, and passed the local tests. Most rental companies will honor a state-side license for about 10 days. They want you heavily insured, too. The laws are in the process of changing, and special requirements are soon to be added. The youth in Germany do not have the benefit of “drivers ed” in high school. Minimum age is 18, and you must spend around 2,500 DM (about $1,500) for classes at a driving school (Fahrschule). Once you get the license, though, it is good for life. If the license is ever revoked, for drinking and driving, for example, or other serious infractions, it could take years and several thousand marks to get it back.

The feeling is more “common sense” than in America — in driving and many other areas. You are responsible for what you do. Which is why there is no real minimum drinking age! Even though the law limits drinking alcohol to 16 and above, you can buy alcohol at almost any age. Of course, the shopkeeper must exercise good judgment, too. And they serve beer at McDonald’s!

How about the legendary autobahn?

The autobahn is initially very nerve-wracking. Headlights flashing, finger waving, and speed, speed, speed. There is no speed limit on much of the autobahn. There is a posted “suggested” speed, and if you operate above that limit while breaking another traffic law, you’ll be ticketed for both. Safety is a major concern, hence, drinking and driving is verboten. They will take away whatever driving privileges you maintain in Germany (be it military or international licensing) and you are simply done.

Any other bits of driving advice or observations?

The only advice I might offer is to not be surprised that the default is “right yields before left,” regardless of the width or the appearance of the street or road. In other words, the car on the right always has the right-of-way. You have the right-of-way only on such posted streets (a yellow diamond-shaped sign).

I think the parking meters are ingenious. Instead of having a bubble-gum machine at every spot, there is a Parkschein-Automat every half block. You pay and put the ticket in the window in sight of the parking officer. Trust me... there are many of them!

Can you name some of your favorite and least-favorite things about life in Germany — from an American perspective?

I miss the shopping in the USA. All of the store clerks are unionized here (it’s considered a professional occupation) and the hours are strictly adhered to by all. Some stores open at 10:00 am, and most of the smaller ones close at 12:00 for Mittagessen and then open again at 2:00 until 6:00 pm. Thursdays some stores are open until 8:00 pm. Saturday is from 10:00 to 4:00. On Sunday everything is closed, and it’s almost impossible to buy anything.

Even with the newly expanded shopping hours in Germany, my work schedule is not conducive to shopping. In Wiesbaden, as in most German cities, there are several “traditional” shop-keepers who maintain the classic old opening hours. But today, the majority have newer hours which are closer to those in the US. Chains such as Metro, Karstadt, Hertie, and especially Wertkauf (Wal-Mart) are open 9:00am-8:00pm Mon.-Fri., and 10:00am-4:00pm on Saturdays. But Sunday, as I said, is still a day of rest. Almost nothing is open, save for restaurants, gas stations, and tourist places. Depending on the holiday, these hours can be longer or shorter, and there are quite a few observances of religious and traditional Feiertage (holidays) year round. It is always posted clearly if there are changes to the operating hours. (See the GW Shopping Hours page for more.)

Photo 5
Tom Urich at work.
Photo: Tom Urich

My favorite things about Germany are that Germans are much more sensitive to the environment and re-cycling everything — and the quality of life overall. Music and art are revered and not “cut out” of the curriculum. A musician here is like an employee of the Ministry of Culture. The buildings are always tastefully restored to original, and the preservation of nature and trees in particular is top priority. For a country about the size of two Wisconsins, and a population of over 80 million, they really have got a lot on the ball.

The big election of 1998 is now history. What are your impressions of the campaign and German political system in general?

In contrast to America, there are about 10 different political parties with various shades of conservatism through liberalism and isolationism. The previous administration (Kohl/Christian Democrats) was in place for 16 years, but I suspected that the Social Democrats (SPD) would win as they did in September. I don’t know how well Gerhard Schröder, the new chancellor, will handle the change to the new euro currency and other economic matters, but we’ll see.

You told me that you think the average American isn’t able to appreciate another country. What did you mean by that?

The average American compares everything to what is commonplace in America, and hence, the appreciation that other cultures and countries have for their own way of doing things may be forgotten or ignored. This is an understandable phenomenon. Germans are just as wacky about the United States — everybody buys a cowboy hat on the way back from a vacation in the States.

I attempt everyday to immerse myself in the German way of life. It cannot be done in a two week trip, or even a two month trip. I respect my hosts to the fullest. I have joined the Evangelische Kirche (Protestant church), and I am a practicing Freemason (Freimaurer). I do not try to make people adjust to me, as most Americans would assume. Rather, I embrace the qualities and attempt to “fit in.” I am a very proud Deutsch-Amerikaner. Danke.

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