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German law is very strict about hardcore pornography, especially when compared to very liberal laws about softcore pornography, prostitution and sex shops. Supplying hardcore pornography to a person under 18 is an offense, and shops selling it must keep people under the age of 18 from entering their premises. If only a part of the shop is dedicated to pornography, it must be completely closed off from the rest of the premises. Alternatively, shops may choose not to display their goods or advertise that they sell them, in which case minors may be admitted. Websites hosting pornographic material within Germany must comply with very strict rules about verifying that viewers are over 18.
Soft porn is less restricted, and may even be broadcast on TV at night. The age threshold is usually FSK-16. Note in contrast that many uncut action films or video games easily reach the FSK-18 rating.
Germany has a much more certain definition of (soft)porn than the USA, so much material that would be considered soft porn in the USA is harmless in Germany. In Germany it is porn, if it is intended to be porn, while it doesn't matter much what body parts are seen. The only content that is automatically porn, are images of an erection, an opened vagina or hardcore porn. Anatomical education material is generally not porn (which is important, because a girl might begin a nurse-apprenticeship before being adult). Nudity in German films or TV is generally no problem, thought nude women seen usually have natural pubic hair (as opposed to porn actresses, who usually shave them), so the opened-vagina-criterion doesn't matter anyway (note the harsh contrast to Japan). On the other hand, a telephone-sex advertisement showing completely dressed women (for example a domina) is considered porn and only broadcast at night, despite not showing any lewdness, because it is intended to be porn.
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