I lived in Germany for nearly two years and my brother and sister-in-law are there now, in Stuttgart. In September my daughter will be moving there, which means we'll probably go visit next year. Our in-laws living in Germany was the excuse to go the U.K. last year.
Germany has a reputation for being particularly strict with respect to laws. The U.S., on the other hand, seems to have more things that are illegal and enforcement can appear to be uneven, unfair and unpredictible. Germany has high speed limits but don't even think of breaking any traffic rules. The drinking age is lower there, the age to get a driving license is higher. You even have to get a German driver's license if you're an American serviceman or dependent, at least if you are going to drive. And it's a difficult test, I understand.
There is a hunting tradition in Germany, especially in the southern part of the country, which at one time even carried over into the army. And just like you would expect, getting permits and licenses isn't easy. But there is still hunting in the U.K., too.
More Americans, myself included, are descended from German immigrants than from any other country, supposedly, and an American could even feel at home there. There is a strong folk (volk) tradition there, too, and American country & western music even has some popularity--sung in German (Auf der Autobahn).
At the moment, at least, it is a reasonably stable country, mostly due to a prosperous economy, which probably accounts for more of the peaceful nature of the country than anything else. But maybe American policemen are more likely to shoot first.
The country is not without problems relating to foreigners. Americans sometimes imagine that the U.S. is the only place anyone would ever move to, which is a false idea. No one in their right mind would come here anymore looking for work. France also has problems with immigrants but in both of those cases, with a different background, the problems are mostly of their own making. Germany invited foreign workers to come there decades ago. France allowed immigration from their former colonies, same as the U.K. and the U.S. The country is also has strong regional differences, just like in the U.K. and the U.S., and there is just as much differences in the language.
Overall, it's a nice place and I wouldn't mind living there but it's expensive. But I'm happy where I am. Besides, I buy my jodel and accordian music from Austria anyway. Jodeln ist cool but it drives my wife crazy.
