Since cash is still mostly king here, ATMs are available even in the smallest of villages. You’re likely to see them right on the street, built into the wall of a building. Don’t use them! While crime isn’t much of a concern here in Deutschland, this is something we avoid like the plague.
Every major bank (Sparkasse, Deutsches Post Bank, etc.) will welcome you to use their ATMs or “Geldautomats” to grab whatever cash you’ll need up to ______ Euros. My experience was that if there are fees, you’ll not have your withdrawal eaten up by excess fees.
If you’re traveling for the short term, check with your bank before you leave home. Understand what fees and charges might come along with using a credit or debit card on your overseas adventure.
For those of you traveling for the “long haul” measured in years, you are likely to sign up for an account with one of the on-post/base banking establishments. There you’ll be able to have a local branch to visit, as well as have an account with “dual-citizenship” being able to operate between both American and European banking systems. For more on this, check out the post on “Military/Government Banking in Germany.”