Why Aren't Eggs Refrigerated in Germany?
One of the first major differences you might notice when you first go grocery shopping in Germany are the pallets and shelves of egg cartons, unrefrigerated and often just left wherever the shop has space. As someone used to seeing eggs stored in a refrigerated case, this can be reflexively concerning ("what about the salmonella?!"), but is totally normal for Germany, and the rest of Europe. Why does this work?
In the United States, due to regulations by the USDA, eggs are required to be washed with detergent at about 110F in order to ensure that the eggs are completely clean and have any possible bacteria removed. In the process, a protective layer that naturally is present on the outside of the egg, preventing moisture and bacteria from entering the shell. This requirement is in place to reduce the risk of salmonella infecting the eggs and making consumers sick, as well as to give the "clean" look that American consumers often prefer.
In Germany and other European countries, chickens are required to be vaccinated against salmonella, making the need for egg washing moot. By accepting that eggs may have the odd feather or residue from the chicken still on them when they are purchased, German consumers also get the benefit of eggs lasting as much as four weeks without refrigeration. Provided you're not eating eggs raw, there's not really any significant risk of getting sick, as cooking will kill any bacteria present anyway.
Depending on what you're cooking, or baking, room temperature eggs have the added bonus of expanding to a much larger volume if you are whipping or whisking them into a batter or dough!