A central European country has in place laws aiming to regulate noise pollution – which ask to be particularly mindful of the noise made on Sundays.
The Ruhezeit, or “quiet hours”, are times when members of the public are meant to zip it and give everyone else some peace.
Quiet hours in Germany during the week and Saturdays are typically between 10pm and 6am, but for Sundays and public holidays it is for the entire day.
So, what exactly does it mean for anyone planning on blasting out some tunes?
Residents are advised, during the quiet hours, to keep conversations in their gardens or on balconies to “a low volume,” likewise with any music – musicians be warned.
They are also warned to keep any noisy DIY to non-quiet hour times – so much for a Sunday doing up the house!
There are some exemptions. Anyone wanting to throw a party during quiet hour periods is advised to put a note through their neighbours’ a few days in advance, or better still invite them.
It appears to be common decency laid into rules. According to Germans, forging good relations with neighbours is the best way to circumvent the quiet hours without problem.
Sundays in Germany remain a true day of rest, much like the UK in the early 1980s.
German Sunday laws dictate that supermarkets are closed on Sundays, with a handful of other businesses like restaurants, museums, galleries and cafés still open.
Anyone who flouts the quiet rules risks a sanction or warning from their landlord or council or even a visit from police for repeated offenders.
