This is very much a tactical game, with bluffing playing a large and central role. This results in a number of games' having a similar feel. If you like the feel of one game, you may enjoy another that shares the same mechanisms. The BGRS takes input on which games you like and dislike, matches your tastes with those of other registered users and provides recommendations based on those users' opinions. The results are fairly reliable.
Board games are a big enough industry in Germany that awards are given out.
Most of the games listed above are either winners or nominees of one or both awards. A lot of gamers refer to German games by their German names. The best anyone can surmise, Germany just happens to have a long tradition of game-playing. It's a hobby there, just as it is in other countries. It just happens to be a much bigger hobby.