Quiet Hours

In most neighborhoods in Germany there are official quite hours. Sure, it's nice to life free of excessive noise pollution. But still, these rules are a little over the top for my individual-rights loving, my-home-is-my-castle believing American.

The official quiet hours in Bonn are between 1:00 and 3:00 PM and after 10:00 PM daily. Though it is not listed on the town's guide for renters, it is also generally accepted that quite hours are extended to all day Sunday and on German holidays. During these times, residents may not use lawn mowers, operate power equipment, play loud music with opened windows, wash their cars, or let children play outside unattended.

I have to admit, I've vacuumed on a Sunday, but I always feel surprisingly guilty for doing it.

Other regions in Germany have even stricter laws. The State of Hesse for example, has quiet hours from 8:00 PM in the fall and winter and 9:00 PM in spring and summer to 7:00 AM. What's more, there you're not allowed to use a lawn mower between 7:00 and 9:00 AM or after 5:00 PM! According to these rules, when can a working person care for their yards? Saturdays, and then they have to split their time with any shopping that needs to get done since everything is closed on Sundays.

Despite these crazy regulations, I have been woken up every day this week with construction noise in my apartment building's garden! I guess the stroke of 7:00 is officially okay in these parts.