Not so funny Friday

For anglos from places without residence registration requirements, the German system feels a bit big brotherish. I still can't wrap even a minute section of my shriveled brain around the idea that the default in Germany is for one's registered address to be open to anyone who requests it.

Filing for a non-disclosure flag requires justifying your wish in writing, and only gives you the right to be asked to explain yourself again should someone request your information. A clerk then decides whether to protect or release your registered information. However, even this doesn't protect your information from government agencies.

On my to-look-up list: the actual regulations of all this in German law.

Because it seems that non-government public establishments such as churches and church-related charitable organizations have a bit of a loophole.

Which is just fabulous if you'd requested the non-disclosure to keep the church off your back or you wanted to protect your privacy from someone closely involved with a hospice organization where you once volunteered.

Will fill in details once I've done my homework on what the regulations really say.

Maybe this is just another privacy issue I should chalk up to the one-world government thing my grandmother used to talk about. After all, I'm in the EU, which is satanic according to Nana: the flag has a circle of stars.

Not in a mood to post obviously hilarious German law at the moment.