#this is before hans-jürgen gets up to close all the windows

[pharawee]

Hi! I just read your tags in a previous post and now I'm curious, why can an open window kill you in Germany?

IT'S THE DRAUGHT!!!! 😱

No, but really. There's a belief (especially among older Germans) that the draught created by an open window will give you a stiff neck, a cold or even pneumonia - all from a simple, gentle breeze.

It's so prevalent that a couple of years ago the German Red Cross had to beg people to please keep their windows open during summer because the elderly especially were at serious risk for heatstroke etc (the majority of houses here don't have AC and are designed to keep heat in).

This also applies to trains and cars. My mum absolutely refuses to sit in a car with even one window slightly down because she claims it gives her a stiff neck.

Funnily enough, we also really love opening ALL THE WINDOWS for a good five minutes every day during winter (with the heating off naturally) for airing out our houses/flats. It's actually really effective.

... but those are designated window opening times and they definitely won't cause A DRAUGHT!! 😱