Nur Bares ist Wahres €

Yes it’s 2019. Yes Germany has the third largest economy in the world. And yes, “nur bar ist wahr”, or only cash is real. Germans have a very strong liquidity preference. Perhaps it’s due to the hyperinflation, which historians^[1] will argue led to the rising of the National Socialists, they experienced from 1914-1923, where at times a single loaf of bread was sold for an insane, 105 billion Reichsmark. Or perhaps it is due to the Germans love for Datenschutz or data privacy, which eased credit card use does not allow for.

At any rate, you will still need cash to get around. Safe bet is to have at best a Zwani (20€), best best it to have a Fünfziger (50€), just in case. Yes it’s a Gewohnheit _habit, but with a Sparkasse or bank at nearly every corner, you have no reason to not make the stop and avoid potentially awkward moments at the bakery, bar, or pretty much anywhere where you would expect a credit card to accepted.  Also while we are on the topic of credit cards, Germans seem to have a different understanding of Visa being the “world’s most accepted card”, in general Maestro (Girokarte) is Germany’s most accepted card. Also, when opening a bank account, remember that PIN because you will be asked for it quite often. And if you really want to fit in, then use your other hand to completely cover what 4-digit mystery you are typing in – you’ll blend right in! 

^[1] https://www.google.de/amp/s/amp.welt.de/print/die_welt/finanzen/article121872998/Ein-Brot-fuer-105-Milliarden-Reichsmark.html