[cabinpark]

Bullshit. I live in Germany and am learning German but everyone here speaks English. If you even sound the slightest bit non-German they respond in English. It does vary from city to city but I have experienced this universally and have colleagues who have lived elsewhere in Germany that this is indeed the case.

[bayesianhorse]

I know lots of Germans who speak almost no English or would very much prefer not to, in any case. That even includes recent graduates.

It's also somewhat like being disabled, e.g. you have to get everything explained to you personally.