Anja Himmelmann walks on her high heels as confidently as others in sneakers. She walks past the mowed lawn in the front yard and rings the doorbell of the bungalow in Lavesum, a district of Haltern am See with pretty single-family homes. It takes a while before Ms. Berger reaches the door with her walker and politely invites us in, although she doesn’t really know who she’s opening for.

“Ms. Berger, I greet you, you look fantastic!” says Himmelmann and simply beams away the irritation.