So many of these observations brought back what I learned on my first trip to Europe (late September to mid-January, 1977-78). And what I lived on the "economy" in Nürnberg while working for the US Army 1982-85.
I was on the top floor of an old building that survived WW2 with minimal damage. Each floor had one large apartment on it. Above me was a storage area with no insulation. Even with radiators and a space heater I took from room to room, it was never warm.
The toilet was on a platform in a separate room with a tiny cold water only sink. The bathroom had the tub and larger sink with warm water. The tub was huge with only the typical hand-held shower wand. That was no problem for me but perplexing to my Chicago friend who visited. I quickly learned that if I wanted to bathe on Saturday, I needed to get up early or else I'd need to heat water for the tub.
There were no laundry facilities. I tried to do my laundry on more than one post, but even getting there early, all the washers and dryers would be in use. I finally gave up and bought a washer at the PX that hooked into the kitchen sink and heated its own water. It fit in the tiny kitchen between the sink and stove and worked as a counter space. The previous tenants left open shelves in the kitchen. I got a workbench from IKEA and put it under those shelves. That completed the kitchen.
There were 3 open closets of simple wood framing with shelves and a rod also left by those tenants. They were in each bedroom and in the entrance hall. I got long lace style curtrains from IKEA and attached them to the closets. At that time, anything that was enclosed was counted as a "room" for taxing purposes and Germans moved their kitchens, cabinets and all, with them.
Did I mention that there was no elevator? When my mother visited, she counted the steps, something that never occurred to my then 36 year old self. There were 99. The stairwell was quite wide with handrails on both sides. Anything that needed to go to my apartment was carried up those stairs.
When I brought the workbench up it was in a flat box that wasn't very big, but was very heavy. I had to go one step at a time with it. When my household goods were delivered, they were carried up by very strong German men, often strapped on their backs. Anything I got from the Army's free resources or bought was brought up the same way, including the clothes washer.
There was a tiny balcony off the kitchen with clotheslines. The times they worked for drying were rare due to the consistently gray, cool and damp weather. The sheets were too big for it, period. So I rigged up a clothesline in the extra bedroom from the closet to a part of the window structure. Regardless of season or weather my sheets and anything else I hung on it took 2 days to dry.
My windows were modern like the ones others have described with the tilt opening option. I loved them. I cat sat for a friend who was in a ground floor duplex in Erlangen. She had a patio door and windows that were like that. Neither of us had any screens, but being on the ground floor, she had metal roller shutters (rolladen) on all windows and doors. They were good for keeping the bugs out and for security. I had no window coverings at all, but the previous tenants did leave the apparatus for pull shades. IKEA to the rescue again with cute shades in a blue sky with clouds pattern.
My absolute favorite thing about living in Germany and about traveling in Europe is the wonderful dogs -- especially being able to see them not just outside, but also inside pubs, bars and restaurants. In Instanbul, it's the "feral" (not) cats that beg for food or snuggle up to you when you sit down.
