Ordentlich Story

I sat the other night and was watching a news documentary piece on German TV, which took on three African immigrants (all had at least ten years in Germany).  It was a positive spin-piece....I agree.  But on the face of it.....all three had successfully integrated and were productive members of German society (no doubt).

So they came to the one guy (medical background), who had crossed the line on integration and now was going to rent a garden-hut property.

In urbanized areas (he lived in Dresden)....it's common for some city-dwellers to have this half-acre of garden property, with a hut, and a summer garden.  It's a place where you can leave the apartment at noon....bring along some beer and brats....do a bit of garden work to chill out.....grill up the brats, and relax.

So the African guy had arrived at the property.  He notes that it needs some work, as he took it over.  And then the management crew arrived to brief him on the 'rules'.

Just reading some listing is typically not enough for most German bureaucratic folks.....they want to brief you in person.

It was a fair sum of rules.

As they depart....the camera guy flips to the African guy and there is some trigger question.  The term 'ordentlich' comes up in conversation.

The African guy tries hard to convey ordentlich in some decent light but obviously, this is one of the little things about German culture that makes life difficult and he has some disdain over.

Ordentlich typically means a tidy or neat life.  In other words.....you have a highly regulated lifestyle, with a listing of ten-thousand-odd rules to ensure things run right.

He certainly didn't want to say this was bad or stupid....just that it was something you had to accept....to be part of German society.  Then he gave a slight frown....as though admitting this was an error but it was reality.

Generally, I will admit that Germany survives today....in the fantastic shape that it's in...ONLY because of this dedication to ordentlich regulations.  Streets get swept....cars are washed.....kids do homework on schedule....etc.  Without ordentlich.....it wouldn't work.

I admired the story told on all three Africans.  They took the opportunity....grabbed onto educational chances....accepted advice by Germans....and built some new life.  The ordentlich factor?  Well....yeah,  that was part of the deal as well.