I live in Hesse, Germany. The dumbest law I know about (thatâs still in use but rarely enforced) is this:
Aus der Altstadtsatzung der nordhessischen Kleinstadt Bad Sooden-Allendorf: In § 10 Abs. 6 ist geregelt, dass âSonnenschirme [âŠ] beige-, pastell- oder sandfarbigâ sein mĂŒssen. Wer dieser Regelung zuwiderhandelt, begeht eine Ordnungswidrigkeit und kann nach dem Gesetz ĂŒber Ordnungswidrigkeiten (OWiG) mit einer GeldbuĂe von bis zu 15.000 Euro bestraft werden.
Translation: In that particular town, sun umbrellas have to be pastel/cream colors. If you put one up that is too bright / too dark / too whatever, it can lead to a fine of 15.000⏠(ca. $16,700).
Source: https://www.bad-sooden-allendorf.de/politik-ortsrecht/satzungen
In all honesty? I have absolutely no idea why this law exists. I only know that, when my mother went to rehab there after a car crash, she wasnât allowed to bring her black umbrella because the facility didnât want to risk a lawsuit. It wasnât even a SUN umbrella, mind you, but they still didnât want to allow it. Thatâs the only reason I know about this dumb law in the first place.
