The problem is not a general reluctance to embrace new technology, but economics.
Someone has to sponsor the account.
For students, it is next to impossible to get accounts through the university. Many faculty have never even heard of email - keep in mind that the internet domain .de is just a year old. The postal service is pushing its Datex service, but it is pay per minute, has a clumsy interface, and lacks full internet access. Modems over there are VERY expensive. So much for the portable international office.