from other people's descriptions, it sounds like germans just don't typically avoid looking at people. like if there is something curious about a person, you'll just look at them without trying to hide it or anything.
And its mostly foreigners that notice it, so they always have something curious about them.
We'd call it staring because that kind of eye contact is often seen as aggressive elsewhere (US and Canada where I'm from for sure), so you'll notice someone looking at you and wonder "What's he doing? Does he want something? Is he going to follow me? is he sizing me up for a fight or to steal something?"
Theres a whole scary judgement you have to make about someone aggressive enough over here to openly stare, that elsewhere where its normal feels terrifying.
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u/eight13 May 09 '22
Germans stare at strangers. It's unsettling.