What rubbish. Germans are fiercely protective of their work/life balance.
At some point, a German colleague and I went on a visit to a French Institute. Their schedule:
9.00am everybody arrived.
9.30-10.30 coffee/chat time
10.30-12.00 do sone work
12.00-1.30 lunch time
1.30-3.30 some more work.
3.30-4.30 coffee/chat time.
4.30-5.00 wrap up work for the day
5.00 everybody left.
After 3 weeks working with this schedule, my German co-worker commented that she had no idea how French managed to get anything done.
That said French people don't have the work 101% mentality but slacking off is not the norm either.