Most Germans don’t believe money can buy happiness, according to a survey released on Monday which found that only 13 percent of German men care deeply about getting rich.

The figure for women is even lower, with only six percent saying they regard wealth as an important goal, according to the poll carried out by the TNS Infratest market research company last month.

Money matters slightly more to younger Germans, of whom 18 percent said becoming rich is a thrilling prospect.

Germans also define wealth rather modestly, the poll showed.

Only a third of the 1,106 people canvassed think one has to have more than 1.5 million euros (two million dollars) to qualify as rich and 12 percent put the wealth threshold as low as 150,000 euros.

In the economically depressed former communist east of the country, that figure rises to 22 percent.

‘The most modest people live in eastern Germany,’ TNS Infratest concluded in a statement.

The poll showed that unemployment hardly affected Germans’ attitude to cash.

Only 10 percent of the country’s jobless said becoming rich was ‘very important.’ Germany’s unemployment figure dropped to 8.8 percent last month amid a robust economic upswing.

AFP

Güncelleme Tarihi: 16 Temmuz 2007, 15:13