You are safe in Germany! Here is a little background on these "irritating" plants....
The word poison entered the English language in 1387 as "poysoun", and in Memoirs of American Academy of Arts and Sciences, v. 1, 1785, the word poison-ivy was used for the first time: "Poison ivy ... produces the same kind of inflammation and eruptions ... as a poison wood tree". The first known reference to poison-ivy, Toxicodendron radicans, dates from the 7th century in China and the 10th century in Japan. Since Toxicodendron species do not grow in Europe, the plants remained unknown to Western civilization until explorers visited the New World seven centuries later. Capt. John Smith (1579-1631) wrote the first description of poison-ivy and originated its common name; he noted a similarity in the climbing habit of North American poison-ivy to English ivy (Hedera helix).
All the Urushiol oil containing plants (poison ivy, oak, or sumac) are not actually species of ivy, oak, or sumac. They are all part of the Cashew family! They get their names because of the resemblance of their leaves to those type of tree leaves. Poison oak leaves look similar to an Oak tree leaf, etc. but again are not the same species.
Europe does have Stinging Nettles which cause immediate blistering and itching, but unlike poison ivy and it's relatives, it's duration is only a day or two. It does not contain urushiol, but has an irritant in tiny stem hairs on the plant that puncture the skin.
Be glad your country is void of urushiol containing plants....having an outbreak is pure misery! Take care :)
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