Apparently Germans look at you very intensely in public transport for no reason. I mean sometimes some people look at you, but I don't think I've ever had it happen where someone would look at me and I looked back and they didn't avert their gaze instantly. Maybe I'm just very ugly, but I think it's highly exaggerated online. There is a YouTube scene of English-speaking foreigners in Germany talking about funny, odd or positive things Germans do and they like to exaggerate a lot for content. Germans really enjoy the attention so now many have started to heavily lean into these stereotypes and don't even bother to consolidate what they are told by people on the internet with their 14+ years of life experience in this country.
I think there‘s a spark of truth to it but they definitely exaggerate. Also I believe many Americans are only stared at because they‘re way louder than we‘re used to in public.
Or bemusement. Always fun to watch (and listen) Tourists bubble over mundane stuff. "HUN, LOOK AT THIS! THE PLACE IS MORE THAN 400 YEARS OLD, AIN'T THAT INTERESTING?"
In a Tenerife hotel a German family sat at the table behind eating breakfast and the mother was sat facing me, intensely staring while eating her meal which consisted of 5 pieces of different types of bread and nothing else.
As a German - we find it impolite to ignore people, but we don't really go out of our way to be warm and friendly.
This can be uncomfortable to people who expect to be ignored or schmoozed up - "Why are you talking to me if you don't want to talk to me?". The nonverbal equivalent is staring at them with dead soulless eyes until they return it.
I heard of it before coming to Germany but if anything I'm the one staring or looking around. Not at their faces though, my autism doesn't really "like" that.
Half the time I'm just genuinely trying to look out the train windows because I get a terrible spot with no view.
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u/heavy-minium 2d ago
Never heard of a German stare (foreigner living in Germany).