If you get a telephone installed, you get free copies. They are published annually and you will receive a postcard to take to your local post office to collect your copy.
The white pages list numbers in alphabetical order, while the yellow pages have categories ranging from doctors and pharmacies to businesses and craftsmen. Public offices and institutions (e.g. public schools) are generally found under Stadt (city) or Land (country). Deutsche Telekom also issues a free annual book of German and foreign area codes called Vorwahlverzeichnis.
Local phone books, yellow pages and the area code book can also be found in phone booths and post offices. In most post offices, you can also look up numbers in phone books from other cities and regions around Germany. There are also CD-ROMs with number listings available, these are sold by Deutsche Telekom and other providers.
Directory Enquiries
If you do not have a telephone directory or need to find a number in a different area, you can call Directory Enquiries. The Deutsche Telekom number for national enquiries is 11833, the Auslandsauskunft for international numbers can be reached at 11834, an English service can be reached at 11837.
Information is normally charged according to the time it takes the operator to find the number. An alternative provider offers an information service under the number 11881, which can also be dialed from a mobile phone.
Internet enquiries
You will find all persons listed in the telephone book on the Internet under www.teleauskunft.de , where you can also obtain a list of all registered email addresses. Another alternative is www.dastelefonbuch.de . Yellow pages can be found under www.gelbeseiten.de .
Important phone numbers
Emergencies:
110 - Police Emergency
112 - Fire or Ambulance Emergency
Phone enquiries:
11833 - National Directory Enquiries
11834 - International Directory Enquiries
11837 - Enquiries in English
Operators:
0180 200 10 33 - Manual connections by the operator
Other numbers:
0800 33 01 000 - Deutsche Telekom product line
0800 33 02 000 - Deutsche Telekom line for faults