Why is Germany so clean? It seems the German penchant for extreme standards of hygiene and cleanliness has made it to the realm of Google searches. It's true that German authorities do an efficient job cleaning streets, emptying bins, gritting paths and so on. But the idea that by national magic every inch of Germany is as clean as a whistle is false – and a walk around a German city on New Year’s Day will squash the stereotype that Germans can’t stand litter.

Photo: DPA