How to be a better neighbor in Germany

by Senior Airman Elizabeth Baker
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Ralf Hechler, Ramstein-Miesenbach mayor, notified the German-American Community Office of several complaints neighbors made involving U.S. military members. The U.S. military enjoys good standing in the Rheinland-Pfalz area, and it’s important for service members to make sure it continues.
The 86th Airlift Wing and GACO provided the following information to help families navigate living in a new community:
Quiet hours are determined by law:
On week days, quiet hours are from 1 to 3 p.m., and 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Sundays. On German Holidays, quiet hours are all day. During the night, any behavior which disturbs sleep is not authorized. Please refrain from making loud noise, such as mowing lawns and using loud equipment, during that time period. Fines of up to 5,000 Euro and court cases are possible.
Cleaning around your residence:
During fall and spring, residents are required to remove leaves and flower blossoms from the ground around their houses. Grass that causes a safety hazard when wet needs to be pulled. Tree branches need to be shortened when reaching into the walking area.
Recycling trash:
Ask your landlord about trash removal. There are English versions of the “Garbage Guide” at the Kaiserslautern city/county administration offices, and at GACO.
Mailboxes:
Post your name on the mailbox to receive official mail. Never dispose of mail that is in German and has a date in the middle of the letter. This indicates that it is most likely an important letter, and not an advertisement. — Photo by pp1 / Shutterstock.com
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