Germany has a real economy, the Germans believe in good education (or at least skilled vocational training), there are tons of hackers, a great nightlife, and the rule of law.
A big one for me was that the cops here ignore people who aren't criminals. Coming from the USA it's like a breath of fresh air.
I think that, paradoxically, Hitler and the nazis helped make Germans an honest and decent people that care greatly about the law and taking care of minorities.
Almost everything Hitler did was legal under German law. He just changed the laws first.
There is a section on the Wikipedia page about the USA PATRIOT Act that illustrates the parallels with the Reichstagsbrandverordnung (Reichstag Fire Decree).
The first section reads (translated):
"Articles 114, 115, 117, 118, 123, 124 and 153 of the Constitution of the German Reich are suspended until further notice. It is therefore permissible to restrict the rights of personal freedom [habeas corpus], freedom of (opinion) expression, including the freedom of the press, the freedom to organize and assemble, the privacy of postal, telegraphic and telephonic communications. Warrants for House searches, orders for confiscations as well as restrictions on property, are also permissible beyond the legal limits otherwise prescribed."
Are there really tons of hackers (in the way SV or even Silicon Roundabout understands it) remember a lot of the cream of engineering grads and technicians all want to work at Audi et all and get an office with "Doktor" on the brass plate
And this is from experience in having to work with german parent companies on behalf of their uk subsidiaries on web/internet work.
Makes working with France Telecom in Agust seem childs play
hmm a country where the local government FFS has its own "secret police" and you have to register with the police when you move house.
You have heard of the recent fiasco where one of the local secret police forces manged to miss (for several years) a neo nazi group under its nose who killed several people form ethic minorities finally committing suicide
>you have to register with the police when you move house.
First of all, this is done by the government, not the police. Second of all, this happens in the US as well. It's just done passively, when you file your taxes instead of actively.
I understand your sentiment, and realize that several govt organizations are likely operating illegally. But I find that as a somewhat poor rationale for moving to a different country. If anything, it would be even more possible/legal for the NSA to keep track of your internettings/going abouts if you are outside the country. I'm sure they have the ability to track you just as well overseas too.