More on Bruderschaft

Should we have any  readers interested in the German tradition I described earlier, I got a more elaborate description from a German lawyer today:

Brüderschaft is still common. In fact, I just drank "Brüderschaft" last night with the partners at a firm with which I am of counsel.

The Du/Sie relationship is quite important at least in some parts of the German world. There are regional differences concerning how soon and with what people you should offer to "duzen" which vary from the Rheinland (very soon) to Vienna  or Bavaria (some people work with, say, their secretary for 30 years and never "duzen").

Don't exaggerate the legal importance, however.  It may have some evidentiary importance in labor law, since in various constellations it may be a counterindication of, for example, mobbing or a sign of favoratism, etc.