IMHO during the mid 90’s Germany was really really nice. Fast forward to today day it is very different.
Generally back then a department store was very high end, today Walmart looks better. The standard of living is much lower than here. Houses are smaller, cars are smaller and cheaper and in many cities 60% of the population do not own cars. The skill sets in manufacturing has gone backwards. Just a lower standard of living overall.
I trained with Mercedes in Stuttgart in the early 80’s the skill sets were amazing, mind boggling.
I had to close down a canning factory with about 750 employees in 2016, the working hours, the cost of operating and the skill sets available were such that we could not make a profit. It is a different Germany today.