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a "quarter" means 1/4th -- it's a "quarter" turn of rotation on a physical clock, but 60/4 is always 15.

or were you making the distinction between "quarter past" and "quarter after", because I'd agree that the former is a lot less common.

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I'm not sure, but either way, "it's a quarter past 6" has gotten me blank stares.

In Germany, that would be quarter 7, which means either the quarter in the 7th hour or the 7th time that a quarter has passed since the hour, which is of course that same. (Unless you are in a part, that got conquered by the US after 2WW, which now uses "English time".)

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