Germans grant information access based on legitimate reason to know, not general principles of openness or secrecy. The question is: does this person or organization have a legitimate purpose for this information? Role, relationship, and purpose determine access.
This applies throughout German life—from what parents share with children at what ages, to what companies share with employees versus shareholders, to what government shares with citizens. When requesting information from Germans, establishing your legitimate interest helps. Explain why you need the information and what you will do with it. Conversely, understand that information boundaries are not personal rejection but appropriate differentiation based on role and purpose. As relationships develop and your legitimate interest becomes clearer, information access typically expands.
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