Nobody hikes like the Germans. On the weekends, up to two million hikers and nature lovers retreat to the wild green yonder. 

Germany is famous for its environmental protection policies. We were one of the first countries to separate rubbish for recycling. And now we are one of the leading countries when it comes to alternative energy technologies. 

Kitchenware, appliances, production waste... the scrap metal is piled high at the ELG company in Duisburg. But what looks like rubbish is more prized than ever as a commodity: stainless steel.Demand is currently higher than the combined production of all the mines in the world. Scrapyards are becoming tomorrow's commodities sources.  

It was made for just what its name means - it's a car for the people. And it worked. Volkswagen has built the most cars for Germans since 1948.  Wolrdwide, one in ten drive a Volkswagen, in Germany it's one in five. Michael Wigge drove to the VW's HQ in Wolfsburg where 50,000 people work for the company. Wolfsburg is a place where - 80% drive a Volkswagen! 

In this installment of our series "The Truth About Germany", our intrepid reporter Michael Wigge investigates the story behind one of the best-known German words used in the English language. Much of the English-speaking world refers to nursery care centers as kindergartens,which - as the name suggests - got its start in Germany. 

One might joke that the Germans have made an art of their signage and then you'd be on the right track for Michael Wigge's latest research. Anyone who's ever rented a car in Germany has probably noticed the abundance of traffic signs can often obscure their very meaning so Wigge took that as a sign to check it all out.

Roving reporter, Michael Wigge, continues his quest for the truth about Germany and this time he is investigating one of Germany's leading brands, Mercedes. What does the magical word actually mean to Germans? Wigge went to the home of Mercedes, the city of Stuttgart to find out.

This time around roving reporter Michael Wigge examines the rather subtle differences between romantic period art and kitsch. 

In this installment roving reporter, Michael Wigge,  explores why Germans are so good at fairy tales. Just look at the Brothers Grimm whose book on fairy tales is the most widely read German cultural book in the world and translated into more than 160 languages and dialects. Wigge visits the Fairy Tale Park "Frau Holleland", and goes to "Polle", the alleged home of Cinderella.

In this week's installment of our series The Truth About Germany, Euromaxx reporter Michael Wigge looks at Germans' growing fondness for carrying out home improvement projects themselves.

Michael Wigge looks at how true the image of Germany as a snow-covered winter wonderland really is. Not very, is the conclusion he comes to, especially not in his native Rhineland where it often doesn't snow at all.

This time our reporter Michael Wigge wants to find out what the perfect home sweet home means to Germans.

A family in Germany statistically consists of 1.37 children thereby placing the country at the end of European fertility. No wonder,considering that 41% of the population live alone. Experts have pointed to many reasons why Germans are failing to reproduce - a conservative family culture, with women expected to stay at home, schools that finish at lunchtime, and a tax system that discriminates against working women. Germany's family minister,Ursula Von der Leyen, has been doing her best to come up with ideas to encourage reluctant couples to have children. Our intrepid reporter did his own research in Berlin.

We continue our search for The Truth About Germany with roving reporter Michael Wigge. There are lots of medieval castles in Germany and in fact the middle ages are a big money spinner with medieval markets, banquets, and jousting tournaments staged throughout the country. Wigge heads for a medieval market in the Rhineland to see just how well he would have made out as a knight in shining armor back in the Middle Ages.

Germany is dog-crazy. People simply love dogs and our roving reporter Michael Wigge this time explores this theme in his continuing series about German cliches. Even though only 13 percent of German households have a dog - putting Germany in 14th place re: dog ownership - the people are still known internationally as looking upon dogs very affectionately. And they spend more than two billion euros on them each year. We visit a wellness center for dogs, a dog show and a dog salon.

Our reporter, Michael Wigge, who is always trying to find out the truth about us Germans, is on the road again. This time around he wants to find out why Germans love popular music. Do they? or is it just another cliché? Well, one thing is certain...millions of Germans refuse to go out when their favorite entertainers are on TV. 

Our reporter, Michael Wigge, investigates stereotypes and this week he's off to the Ruhr Valley region. Germany's biggest urban sprawl and former industrial heartland has been chosen as one of the 2010 European Capitals of Culture. Reason enough for Wigge to see just what role culture plays in the Ruhr Valley and among its residents.

Traditional German food is considered by many to be heavy and fatty with meat and sausage dishes accompanied by fried potatoes or sauerkraut. While German fare remains popular, a new generation of chefs is giving the country's cuisine a modern makeover. Moreover, German food is also varied with many regional specialties.

Now, wherever Germans go on holiday in large numbers, you'll find a German bakery in the vicinity, or a local bakery that sells German style bread.

Michael Wigge continues his search for the truth about Germany. Today he heads for the Autobahn, Germany's famous network of highways where you can sometimes drive as fast as you like.

This time Michael investigates the inventive side of the German Volk. Germans, after all, did invent the automobile, computer and MP3 player. Wigge travels to Munich to pay a visit to the European Patent Office. With 25,000 patents registered annually, Germany is the European champion! Curiously, over half of the registrations come from the state of Bavaria.

Germans are considered affluent and according to the German Central Bank, the country has a gold reserve of 50 billion euros; unfortunately the national debt is 1,500 billion euros. Michael Wigge goes out to see how average Germans are fairing financially, how they feel about their money and what they do or don't do with it. He also takes a few tips from the stock exchange in Frankfurt am Main, examines his own reserves and passes out money on the street.