Outside of your neighborhood, most city dwellers don't really care who you are and probably won't remember unless they have to deal with you specifically. There's too much visual noise to focus on one person. Especially during busy hours. Even weirdos are just taken as part of the scenery.
I was once in a village and nobody there knew the addresses. They just guided themselves by saying "go right from Valentino's house" or "you're looking for Alfredo's place" and similar shit. And they automatically know you're an alien.
That wasn't Germany obviously but I get what he's getting at. I don't get why people have this boner for small town life. I'd kill myself within a year.
