In the west, I mostly agree. However, culture is for aborogines for example, 40000 of perspective of a world that has none of the trappings you're talking about, and spiritual beliefs to match that. You might call that aboriginal society instead (fine with me), but that aboriginal society is struggling to exist within the anglocentric society that is trying to crush it. Culture is a simpler and quicker explanation of the differences, where they are big. A Muslim family who has carried their beliefs with them that include social mores, upbringing, memories, experiences et al has a different culture than a family from the same economic bracket but white from some small town somewhere here. Both may exist without obvious differences within the town they now share, but they have different cultures. I get you don't like the term, but I don't think society covers it all, unless you are discounting the important of those elements I mentioned for other people . (For me, I don't hold Much dear, I think, but I know I'm not normal in that sense).
My point with the above is that those societal differences between merkel's lifestyle, thought, hopes, dreams and background and that of the wealthy in this country (who are also white and with European err .. Culture) is next to none. Kraut may be a throwback to soldier lingo and nationalism, but to call it racist you would need to find some qualitative difference between the us and the them in the story. I doubt anyone can find anything as meaningful.