The Heat is On

It is high summer in Germany and indeed this year's July seems to break earlier records in temperatures. Normally Germans consider it summer already when temperatures go above 30°C for one week in the year. This July however we here are already on our third week of heat above 35°C. Further, it  rarely cools down over night and it hardly rains.

How do Germans cope these days?

Well, while in countries which are known for heat and tropic climate many would be well equipped with air-con units or at least electric fans; these appliances are rarely found in German homes. So these days among Germans this summer is already an encounter with a new demand. The thought that one should consider to have appliances which help stand the heat is not yet wide spread in Germany. Only recently vehicles would be equipped with air conditioners and regular houses and homes do not have such. Offices, schools, public buildings are not furnished with fans and air-cons, so the most natural thing happens: the inside of the buildings heat up and - as those are well built - they keep the heat, they store it.

I can already see Filipinos smile over these news and somehow even have a hidden feeling of gloating towards this well developed first world country in trouble of coping with heat. Knowing that Germany never yet really had the need to ever think of any serious adjustments to summer heat and now hearing that this country suddenly has to face exactly that, I think it is easy to understand that lately stores and markets, even specialized electrical traders are completely sold out of fans and air conditioners. Wherever the place for such devices in a shop is, that space is empty this July. These days, such appliances are not anymore available in Germany. The very few markets which still have a number of fans know that it takes just two more days until these are also sold. Thus even markets which have re-ordered larger margins of these items are facing the reality: Germany is not prepared for tropical ongoing and lasting heat.

Happy winners of this summer however are all those who sell whatever is thinkable to help cool down. Chief among them are the ones running of markets for all kinds of drinks. They declare unanimously that they see their customers double as frequently as usual and that these sweating and thirsty people equally buy much more than they'd normally do. The most bought drink these days however is water - sparkling or still, with our without carbon dioxide, Frankenbrunnen or Röhnsprudel. Water is the drink of the month.