LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK INFORMATION
Dangers & Annoyances
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Germany is a very safe country to live and travel in, with crime rates that are low by international standards. Theft and other crimes against travellers are rare. Of course, to be on the safe side, you should still take all the usual precautions, such as locking hotel rooms and cars, not leaving valuables unattended, keeping an eye out for pickpockets in crowded places and not taking midnight strolls in city parks. Train stations tend to be magnets for the destitute and drug-dependent who might harass you or make you feel otherwise uncomfortable, especially at night.
Definitely avoid groups of intoxicated football (soccer) hooligans, especially those whose team was on the losing side. These people are erratic, unpredictable and often violent. Many belong to neo-Nazi and skinhead organisations who tend to target especially those they perceive as ‘foreign-looking’. Assaults are also possible in a nonfootball setting, of course. Statistics sadly show the eastern states to have higher rates of racially motivated crimes. While we won’t go so far as to recommend avoiding these areas altogether if your skin colour is not white, you should exercise extra caution in these states, especially in rural areas. Cities are generally safer, although they too may have so-called ‘no-go zones’. Ask at your hotel or phone the local police for advice. If you do find yourself in a threatening situation, try not to provoke these aggressors get away from the scene as fast as possible and notify the police.
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