Steer clear of German bureaucrats!
The most important thing in this regard is to avoid having anything to do with any German authority, at all cost!
German bureaucrats are a nightmare offspring of the German attitude that no one may break ranks with the general mediocracy and if you are a pilot you are per se showing that you think that you are “something better”. Someone they are all too eager to make life difficult for.
You do NOT have to do the initial medical in the same country as where you want to earn your licence. You can have the medical file transferred to the licensing authority after having gained the initial medical, if you do the medical before applying for the licence.