PLZ
Postleitzahl — the 5-digit postal code system used in Germany and the standard abbreviation for postal codes in German-speaking countries.
Germany was one of the first countries to implement a postal code system, introducing a 2-digit Postleitzahl in 1941. After reunification in 1990, West Germany's 4-digit and East Germany's 4-digit systems were unified into a new 5-digit PLZ on July 1, 1993. The first two digits identify a routing region (Leitregion) and the remaining three narrow down to a specific delivery area.
Deutsche Post manages roughly 28,000 active PLZ codes. The system is hierarchical: PLZ 10115 (Berlin-Mitte) belongs to region 10 (central Berlin), while PLZ 80331 (Munich city center) belongs to region 80.
Austria uses a 4-digit PLZ, and Switzerland uses the same abbreviation for its own 4-digit system. In everyday German, the term PLZ is widely understood across all three countries.