The members of this association, called "Sensenverein Deutschland e.V.," believe in the "revival of the scythe" as an environmentally-friendly alternative to the lawnmower. They say it's not only good exercise; there's also something meditative about this form of mowing. The club organizes classes to promote the proper use of the tool and events to get people scything as a group.

The tallest living man, Sultan Kosen (pictured here with the world's shortest man), might be tempted to join this association: the "Klub langer Menschen" (Club of Tall People). Open to women at least 1.8 meters (5 feet, 11 inches) tall and men with a height of over 1.9 meters (6 feet, 3 inches), it organizes networking events throughout Europe and publishes a newspaper with tips for its members.

If you never add sugar to your coffee in a restaurant, it's a collection that's easy to start. Germany has some 150 sugar collectors, also known as sucrologists, as well as different associations allowing them to exchange their sugar packets. A German also holds the Guinness World Record: Boasting 14,502 different sugar packets, Ralf Schröder proved he had the world's largest collection in 2013.

Everyone knows that the classic toy, invented in Germany in 1972, was conceived for toddlers. But in the 1990s, extreme athletes started testing the sturdiness of the Bobby Car by holding races on steep roads. The current official speed record, reached in 2018, is 119 km/h. The association promoting this unusual hobby is the "Bobby-Car-Sport-Verband e.V."

Although not officially recognized in most countries, there are churches of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM) throughout the world. One such church in Templin, north of Berlin, made international headlines by clashing with the city on the right to display street signs announcing the time of their service, as other churches are allowed to do. Posing here with the sign is chairman Rüdiger Weida.

Jugger, the brutal game played in the Australian post-apocalyptic film "The Blood of Heroes" (1989), inspired an actual sport whose goal is to get a dog skull — made of foam — into the opposing team's mound. Players are armed with various weapons. Germany led the way in organizing the first international jugger tournament. Teams often have gladiatorial names, such as the Hannover Living Undeads.

With the world's various beard and mustache championships, it's no wonder that Germany also has a few associations celebrating the art of the spectacularly groomed beard. Jürgen Burkhardt (right), pictured here at a German competition held in Baden-Württemberg, was not only named world champion several times, he is also the founder of the club "Belle Moustache e.V."

Apparently the benefits of voluntary laughter are the same as spontaneous giggling, and forced laughter is highly contagious anyway. That's why people meet up to do it as a group — a practice known as laughter yoga. A list of associations in Germany can be found under www.lachclub.info.

Members of the club "Furz dich frei" (Fart Yourself Free) don't take their mission too seriously. It's a Carnival club, just for fun. Yet 20 years as the association's president didn't look so good on the resume of one county council politician in Rhineland-Palatinate. When they found out about it, citizens asked for his resignation.

The Streetbunnycrew is the largest charity motorcyclist association in Germany. For their fundraising events, riders wear pink bunny costumes. The unusual combination increases their media visibility and lands them on lists like this one.

While Germany is known for shyness when it comes to patriotism and vocal when it comes to gun control, it has its own centuries-old tradition of shooting clubs and festivals. What began as a medieval self-defense strategy has turned into a light-hearted affair steeped in tradition. The largest so-called Schützenfest runs from June 30 - July 9 in Hanover. Here's what you need to know before you go.

In the Middle Ages, the region which is now Germany and Switzerland was divided into Germanic principalities. To defend itself, each village set up its own paramilitary group, usually made up of farmers. To hone their skills, they met for shooting competitions - and made a party of it. Pictured is a medieval shooting festival in Switzerland.

Germany became a unified country relatively late in history (1871), and regional identities developed independently in the many smaller principalities. Even today, dialect, cuisine and customs can vary greatly if you travel just a few kilometers. Today, shooting festivals remain a celebration of regional culture and are most common in Bavaria, Lower Saxony, Rhineland, and Sauerland.

Some traditions stay the same no matter where the Schützenfest takes place, and the actual shooting competition is the most prominent part. Nowadays, marksmen don't take aim at live birds as they did in the past. Instead, they shoot wooden representations of birds or other animals. They take turns shooting the same target. The marksman that causes the last piece of wood to fall wins.

The winner of the contest is given a huge necklace and holds the title of Schützenkönig (King of the Marksmen) for one year. Pictured here is a Schützenkönig celebration held during the Oktoberfest in Munich. Some shooting clubs now allow women to participate. A few gay winners have stirred controversy in recent years, and in 2014 a winner had his title revoked for being a Muslim.

Huge parades with military fanfare are an important part of every Schützenfest. Members of the local shooting club turn out in uniform - complete with their award pins, of course - while brass marching bands, flag brigades and drum lines play traditional folk music.

Apart from testing marksmanship skills and marching in the parade, enjoying the local brew is part of every Schützenfest. Every new medal of honor for shooting success is a good reason for a toast. Firearms play a smaller and smaller role at modern-day festivals, and even though participants use very low-caliber guns, participants are advised to lock them up before the reveling begins.

Proper dress is an important part of every Schützenfest, and if you don't follow the dress code, you'll stand out. Members of shooting clubs turn up in military-style uniforms complete with feathered hats and decorations.

Pins worn on hats and jackets demonstrate loyalty to the local club and boast about marksmen victories. Each club has its own logo or coat of arms, and the medals often resemble military paraphernelia. Naturally, the more you have to show, the better.

The world's two largest Schützenfests take place in Hanover (June 30 - July 9) and Neuss (August 25-29). German-style shooting fairs have also found fans abroad and take place in many regions that have a large number of German immigrants, including Australia, Brazil and parts of the United States.