Sitzpinkler: Do German Men Sit Down to Pee?

In this article, we will reveal the secret of how German men pee. It is a strange but interesting topic. This article will also talk about the advantages for men to sit down to pee.

Don’t all men stand up to pee in the bathroom?

As a woman, this is a topic that I have never really thought about before. Only until recently, I heard about this interesting German culture that nobody is really talking about. I found it so interesting that I have to write a blog post about it.

It is about how men pee in Germany. I mean, if they sit down or stand up to pee in the bathroom. In the past, I always supposed that men stood up to pee. I mean, how could I know? I am normally not in the bathroom when a man pees.

The fight about the toilet lid

I did hear before that some German men sit down to pee when they are at home. I have always thought that it was because of the debate about the toilet lid. So, some men open the toilet lid and pee standing up. And they are too lazy to put the lid back down afterward. This irritates other women in the house as they always have to put the lid back down when they use the toilet.

I thought that was it. Sitting down to pee was all about the lid. Isn’t it?

Sitting down to pee keeps the bathroom clean

Oh well, it is probably one of the reasons why German men sit down to pee. But there is another (even more) important reason: Sitting down to pee keeps the bathroom clean!

As a woman, I never knew that standing up to pee will make a mess in the bathroom. Maybe I am lucky as I never had a mess to deal with. Recently, I just learned something new. When a man pees standing up, the pee can be splashing everywhere. Around the toilet, on the wall or on the floor. 

Yuck! Now that sounds disguising to me. Even though one may not see it, the small pee droplets are splashing everywhere when a man pees standing up. And they accumulate. At some point in time (if they don’t get cleaned up), the pee stains will be seen everywhere around the toilet, and may even become smelly.

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In some bathrooms in Germany, men are required to pee sitting down

To keep the bathroom clean and thus be nice to the person who needs to clean it, you will find a sign in many German bathrooms, requiring you to sit down to pee. You can find some funny signs here.

This is especially common at home or in a living community like a shared flat, because someone who lives there will need to clean up the mess afterward. At home, it is most likely the mother who requires all the men to sit down to pee in the bathroom. In a shared flat, the cleaning task is usually shared among those who live there. Especially when women are living in the flat as well, there is usually a rule that everyone should sit down to pee in the bathroom.

And actually, many German men are raised by their mothers to sit down to pee at home. Therefore, sometimes it goes without saying that you should sit down to pee at other people’s homes. So, as a courtesy, remember to sit down to pee next time when you visit your German friends. 

A “toilet ghost” that reminds you to sit down to pee

To remind those who still stand up to pee, you may find an interesting device in Germany called “WC-Geist”. Literally, it means “toilet ghost”. It is a device attached to the toilet seat where an alarm will go off if the toilet lid is lifted. For example, this toilet ghost imitates the voice of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, asking you to sit down to pee.

A book about how German men pee…

If that is not crazy enough, do you know that there is even a book that talks about how German men pee? The name of the book is German Men Sit Down to Pee and Other Insights into German Culture. This is a great book that explains many dark secrets of German culture. It is funny and informative, and you will learn a lot of things that people normally don’t talk about.

I don’t understand why it is so difficult for men to sit down to pee

To me, the hygiene part sounds like a perfect reason for men to sit down to pee. Then, why do some men find it so difficult to do so? 

Well, I heard that it has something to do with the fact that women sit down to pee. Therefore, sitting down to pee can be considered unmanly or weak for a man.

Then, I don’t understand: If you are in a bathroom and lock the door, who knows if you stand up or sit down to pee? Who can think that you are unmanly if they don’t know about it? This leads me to think that it is mostly psychological, meaning that some men just can’t because for them, sitting down to pee goes against the grain.

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There is a German word for men who sit down to pee

I always believe that there is a German word for everything. The German word “Stehpinkler” refers to a man who stands up to pee. On the other hand, “Sitzpinkler” is a negative word that describes men who sit down to pee. It somehow implies that the man is not manly. 

To me, it is a bit confusing. On one hand, many bathrooms have signs that require men to sit down to pee. On the other hand, a man who sits down to pee is called “Sitzpinkler” which means that he is not manly. Uh?

A lawsuit: Standing up vs. sitting down to pee

Not only are there German words for how you pee, but there was also a lawsuit about how men should pee!

In 2015, there was a lawsuit in Düsseldorf, Germany. A landlord claimed that his marble floor in the bathroom was damaged by piss stains as his tenant urinated while standing up. He demanded his tenant to pay for the damage.

The result? The judge ruled in favor of the tenant’s right to pee while standing up! The tenant did not have to pay for the damages resulting from uric acid splashing onto the bathroom’s floor. The rationale behind was that standing up to pee was still a common practice and thus men could not be held responsible for the damage.

In short, German men have the legal right to pee standing up!

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Why should men sit down to pee?

Ok, now we have learned about the small secret of German men in the bathroom. What about you? Are you going to follow the German culture and sit down to pee too? 

In case you are not convinced, here are some more reasons why men should sit down to pee:

Sitting down to pee keeps the bathrooms clean

If you live in Germany, you have probably seen the traditional German toilet which is called the “shelf shitter”. There is a “shelf” in the toilet where your poop will stay on. I heard that this toilet design allows you to examine your poop for health reasons before flushing it away.

Now, let’s imagine you stand and pee into this toilet, on this flat shelf surface. Your pee will shoot everywhere in the bathroom for sure.

Personally, I have seen this kind of toilet many times in Germany, especially in old buildings. However, I think modern toilets do not contain this shelf anymore. 

Even so, men should sit down to pee as there are always some small pee droplets splashing outside the toilet. They can be on the toilet lid, or even on the wall or on the floor. So, either sit down to pee or clean up the mess afterward. Your choice.

Sitting down to pee may have some health benefits

According to a study, sitting down to pee is a better option for men with prostate problems such as lower urinary tract symptoms. These men can pee faster, at a greater pressure, and have less urine left behind in their bladders when sitting down to pee. 

When men sit, their pelvic and hip muscles are relaxed. And this helps them to pee easier. So, sitting down to pee is good for men with prostate problems or for those who cannot stand up for a long time. For some men, sitting down is the only option that they can feel like getting all their pee out.

When men age, they have a higher risk to have prostate problems. That is why sitting down to pee is especially beneficial for older men. Among healthy men though, there is no health difference if they stand or sit down to pee.

However, men are sometimes too embarrassed to pee as they are afraid that they may take a poop or fart, especially while standing up in a public toilet. So, they may try to hold it back and this action activates their pelvic and hip muscles, which makes it more difficult to empty their bladders fully.

Sitting down to pee gives you a break

Life is already stressful enough. Sitting down to pee allows men to relax. It is a break during a busy day. You can even have a quick scroll through Facebook and Instagram.

Sitting down to pee is quieter

It is making less noise when men sit down to pee. This is especially beneficial in the middle of the night as it is less disturbing for others.

Sitting down to pee allows men to switch to their big business easily

It is more convenient for men to sit down to pee because they do not need to change their position again if they change their minds and decide to take a poop.

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Men have the advantage to stand up to pee

Don’t get me wrong. I think it is a great gift for men that they can choose to stand up to pee. I am always jealous of it. And it is a great advantage to pee standing up if there is a tree, a urinal, or a disgusting public toilet.

For private bathrooms, sitting down to pee is clean, considerate, and relaxing. It is a courtesy for the others and they will thank you for that. There is no need to pick up and put down the toilet seats anymore, which eliminates toilet battles in households. 

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What is your experience with German toilets? Do you have household debates about standing up or sitting down to pee? Leave a comment below and share your experience!

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