Are North Germans more friendly?

Recently, I met a couple from "down south" and I feel quite perplexed by them. Usually, when you meet people for the first time there usually is an exchange of information. I found myself constantly asking questions about them and trying to get the conversation going but noticed they never asked any questions about my personal life, the usual questions people seem to launch at you when they realize you are not a local. I have never had trouble developing a conversation with Germans before and wondered if this couple were a "one off" or are the Germans in the south very egocentric? Has anyone else experienced something similar?

I lived in the South (just south of Stuttgart) and by and large your deduction is correct. For a long time I thought that this really was THE GERMANS but it's not true. I went on a trip up north and I found the people to be completely different, more humorous and a lot, lot friendlier too. I was in Potsdam and Berlin on my trips. I found Potsdam to be exceptionally friendly and at first I put this down to being in the old east. But then I found Berliners to be pretty open people (compared to Stuttgarters and Munchner Munchkins anyway).

Living in a Suburb of east Berlin, I've found the majority of people to be really friendly and helpful, the nachbars especially. I think a lot of this stems from the DDR comradeship thing and it's amazing to see sometimes how my wifes family and friends will club together on virtually anything, in order to both save money and enjoy the company.

I spent a few years stationed in W Germany before the wall came down and I'm constantly intrigued by the Öesti culture. They are a very self sufficent, non complaining, resourceful and thouroughly competent people. As a consequence I often wonder if push had came to shove how well we would have done against marauding Öesti's.

You wont find a more friendly part of Germany than the Ostfriesland , and a more miserable part of Germany than anywhere south of the Donau

Like all "Northerners"...e.g. north of Watford we are all more friendly ! But to be serious for a moment the North germans are more relaxed and down to earth sort of people , where as the Bayerns und Schwaben... nuff said !

got to agree with all that. I couldn't (and still can't!!!) understand why North Germans are always referred to as cold and stand-offish (by other Germans) - that has never been my experience in all the years I have lived oop north in hamburg...maybe it's jealousy?

Sorry to be a spanner in the works, but I've heard that people in north germany are more unfriendly that those in the south in general. A little more colder. Could be wrong, its just what I've heard.
All I know is that in my girlfriends hometown of Mainz the people are generally friendlier that in Frankfurt where I live, but I think thats more to do with people in FFM being from all over the place.
God what a weekend though eh? I love it here when the weathers good. i'm sunburnt to bits but I dont care.

well I actually think folk in the South are friendlier, always find the Bavarians to be rather a jolly bunch...the beer is without a doubt the best.

Maybe it´s me but I find the Bavarians very friendly and welcoming, I´ve lived in the North about 2 1/2 years and am really struggling to make friends. I have heard it said the southerners are more superficial and once you´ve made a friend in the north you´ve got one for life.

the south bavarians are not real germans

Exactly!!

Thats why they are friendlier

I am a firm believer that the Northerners are more friendly ! I worked near Dortmund for a while and the people from the "Ruhrpott" really are a friendly bunch ! I lived in Nürnberg for two years and whilst it is a lovely place the people were very cold and conservative. We now live near Darmstadt and as far as the friendliness of the locals is concerned it is a great improvement compared to Nürnberg.

I agree the folk in the Ruhr are friendly, but is that the north? I´m in a small town in Niedersachsen, always reminds me a bit of the Fens.

Hi Emily,

I class anywhere north of Kassel as North. Kassel to Frankfurt you could call the "Midlands" and then there is the south !

Caroline

Well I`ve worked all over germany but live in the far south, and I`d say there is no way to generalize (?), people generally are friendly if they are interested in you and/or feel a connection to you for whatever reason, whether its your accent or your way of expressing yourself or something about you that is of interest to them or they can relate to.

For me as I have relatively less contact with people in the north I find them
colder and unfriendly generally speaking, but I have had as many exceptions
to the rule as examples of it. If someone suddenly decided they have something in common with me they are then more open.

There are lots of people who are only interested in "the familiar", and if something is unfamiliar they are uninterested or feel uncomfortable and try to ignore it.

The other possibility is alot of people need more time to adjust to something or someone different and if you are to fast in your attempts to make conversation they feel "violated". With these sorts of people its better just to give them more time. We`d call it being "shy".

bear in mind that this woman married an American, her judgement is therefore brought into dispute

(still got me tin hat on, but running like hell nevertheless )