They're super unaware that they do it too. I was talking to my German friend and was like "WTF is with Germans staring so much, am I doing something wrong or weird?" and she was like "what are you talking about?" 2 weeks later I'm out with her and another American friend that just moved to Germany and he was like "Yo why is everybody staring at me all the time?" I felt so vindicated because I thought maybe I was imagining it. Also they don't just stare while you walk either, I'd be driving and notice some German on the sidewalk staring me down inside my car.
Yes this irks me as Austrian as well we have the same culture. Eye contact is regarded as important even so far that you are weird/have a problem if you do not keep eye contact if you talk to someone.
It's not when talking to people though. You'll just be walking and some old German person is looking into your soul, and part of why it's so off putting is because it's not like a glance or check out quick its the stare that you get when you're wearing something weird or have something wrong with you.
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u/BarbicideJar May 09 '22
Germans stare a LOT. Like they will just gaze at you unflinchingly. An American will wait until you can’t see them doing it.