It's not just Germany...
 

This is what we've just learnt about the London Olympics:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15110730

So - where does this leave people from countries where credit cards are all Mastercard-branded? Where does it leave Germans with their Maestro cards?

And this is a prime tourist venue, not a supermarket frequented mostly by locals...

Thank you for your prompt response, Aviatrix.

To bring things back to where this thread started - in beautiful downtown Essen - my first attempted purchase with a Visa-issued debit card was at Lidl in the Hauptbahnhof. Result: a refusal.

Onwards and downwards to Ikea. Same procedure, same result.

Nothing daunted, I then tramped up the street to the beautiful Aalto-Theater where I tried (out of desperation and sheer devilment) to buy some tickets for a performance. EC card? Sure. Visa debit card? Get lost.

Germany likes to present itself as being a commercially aware country and an economic world leader. Visa and Maestro are both universally recognised modes of payment. As I wrote in an earlier message, it's annoying, subjective, little things like refusing a certain brand of debit card that can deter foreign investment.

Why, therefore, do German banks and merchants behave like ostriches with their heads in the sand, doughtily ignoring the fact that almost every other country will accept Visa debit cards?

While I do find that kind of sponsorship deals questionable, at least it's a major international card (VISA) and not an obscure domestic one (EC-Karte/Girocard, Dankort...).

Therein lies my main objection: Domestic-only schemes really have no place in today's integrated European economy. Unfortunately some countries get away with it either because they are big (Germany) or because of local legislation that favors the local card (Denmark).

The card that is accepted in Germany is Maestro - not some obscure national card. Maestro is generally accepted everywhere that accepts Mastercard (because it's part of the same company)

Germany is somewhat unique in that it also has a standalone processing system for Maestro cards, enabling retailers to accept Maestro payments without having to enrol in a credit card processing scheme.

I still see the problem as being with UK banks - which have stopped issuing Maestro cards in favour of Visa debit cards. If UK banks were still offering Maestro cards the OP's issue would not have arisen.

Thank you for your thoughts. However, using a Mastercard affiliated Debit Card instead of a Visa affiliated Debit Card is certainly not more "ostrich like" than refusing to adopt the currency used all over Europe, than to drive on the wrong side of the road (compared to Europe), than to issue bank notes and stamps for an area as small as some continental market towns and asking for exceptions from European rules all over the place. Just a few examples :p

Every country has its peculiarities and I "grumble" all the time when taxi drivers in London will not accept my Euro notes or even worse, not accept my Jersey, Guernsey or IoM notes - absolutely unnecessary bureaucracy and making commercial life as difficult and as frustrating as is humanly possible. And when crossing a street - how bad: I always have to consider that the cars will hit me from the other side....

So every country is different and this does certainly not make my life anyhow difficult. We are all part of a big international community and adopting to the small peculiarities is not that difficult. :)

Why should they? The specie you mentioned are not legal tender in the United Kingdom. FYI, the Channel Islands and the IoM are Crown Dependencies, and not constituent parts of the UK. How many taxi drivers in the Euro zone will accept sterling bank notes, by the way?

On the other hand the unique selling point of Visa, and other debit and credit cards, is their universal acceptance. I really do not want to carry on laboring the point, but the apparent German refusal to recognize anything other than Maestro is like a squad of soldiers, all marching in step - except Germany!

I know that I am "on a hiding to nothing" by trying to get recognition for Visa debit cards in Germany, but the debate has been interesting, to say the very least.

You now answered your original question yourself. Why should they? Visa debit cards are not "legal tender" in Germany. I do not complain that I cannot use my IoM currency in other places of the British Isles, however you complain that you can't use your Jersey (or UK) issued debit card abroad. :)

And by the way: Several hundred million people use the Euro. A little British Island - inter alia - refused to introduce it. Ok, this is a UK decision. However, it is "absolutely unnecessary bureaucracy and making commercial life as difficult and as frustrating as is humanly possible". And now even UK banks withdraw from the Maestro concept and introduce own Visa debit cards. This is absolutely unnecessary bureaucracy and making commercial life as difficult and as frustrating as is humanly possible.

Wouldn't it be more fair to complain with your bank instead of complaining that "German banks and merchants behave like ostriches with their heads in the sand" or even coming up with the statement that "one can only assume that there is something in the German psyche that adores unnecessary bureaucracy"?? I can use all of my US and German CCs in Germany, I can use my Maestro Card, however, I cannot use my UK issued Visa Debit card because Visa obviously does not provide the IT to use it....

This debate is now going round in circles.

The only conclusion I can draw from the discussion surrounding my original question is to stow my Visa debit card safely in my wallet when visiting Germany and to use cash.

Thanks to everybody who took part!

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Do not feel offended by my posts - remember, I am a simple minded international traveller.

It is in many places. I can use my US Visa debit card in almost any shop in Israel with no problem.

(In real life, however, I very rarely do so. I don't like paying forex charges, so I use my Israeli-issued Visa here, my German-issued MasterCard or Maestro in the EuroZone, and my U.S.-issued Amex everywhere else (to get HHonors points).

This, however, raises another question: I have a Gold MasterCard from Deutsche Bank. As far as I can see it has absolutely no points program. Does anyone know if any DB credit card does give points?

(I plan to spend a lot more time in the EuroZone and thus the points are starting to become important to me.)

Not that I would be aware of. Considering that you have a German Bank account it should be not a problem at all for you the apply for a Lufthansa Miles & More Credit card (which gives LH miles), a HH Credit Card (which is stingy but gives HH points) or a CC offered by Payback or one of the other loyalty programmes.

Lufthansa requires a German address, not just a German bank account. I have an American HHonors card and I have to admit that I don't know what "Payback" is.

Are you sure about the German address?

From the Credit Card FAQ:

For the non-german speaking people:

Requirements are:

The residence is of no importance as long as there is a German bank account.

According to the FAQs, the identification can be done at a German bank.

There certainly is no German address required. This is clearly said in the FAQs:

"Der Wohnort ist für die Ausstellung einer deutschen Miles & More Kreditkarte ohne Bedeutung, sofern eine deutsche Bankverbindung vorhanden ist."

This is as clear as it can be. Payback? Google is your friend.

It used to be the case but perhaps no longer is. I do not have the temporary Miles & More number I was given years ago and sent an e-mail asking for it. (It is needed for the process of applying for the credit card.)

I have a meeting in my DB branch in December. What do you mean by "the identification can be done at a German bank"?

Also, do you know if Lufthansa will do a status match for my Delta Gold?

When applying for an credit card, bank account, ... you do have to identify yourself. Since the LH credit card is not issued by your bank next door, you do have to identify yourself somewhere else. This can usually be done either at a German Post Office with a letter that has been sent to you by LH (Postident) or by going into a German bank if identification. Since you do have a meeting with your DB branch in December, I would suggest to do it at that date.

In case you talk German, just have a look at the second link I posted.