It is true that paying in stores with my German ATM card and its PIN was nothing new when I got my first bank account in the mid-90s. However, that system used the magnetic stripe of the card (which is why skimming is still so attractive here); smart-card chips on bank cards were introduced a lot more recently.
I only have my parents recollections about this (we lived in Germany in the late 80's, but I was 0 & so can't recall ;)) - possibly it was swipe & pin, I'd have to ask.
But when the Chip 'n Pin system came in here in the UK my Dad's first comment was "oh, they were using that in Germany in '87/88"
It is true that paying in stores with my German ATM card and its PIN was nothing new when I got my first bank account in the mid-90s. However, that system used the magnetic stripe of the card (which is why skimming is still so attractive here); smart-card chips on bank cards were introduced a lot more recently.