This contrastive study aims to compare forms of address in German and Russian. The data for the empirical analysis is derived from surveys of participants in Germany and Russia, dialogues containing forms of address from German and Russian films, targeted interviews, and participant observations of address situations. The formal address is defined as a linguistic action pattern that serves to establish contact, show respect, and mark distance. The address situation is characterized by the following factors: degree of acquaintance, age of the addressee, social status, nature of communication, and gender. In a situationally based contrastive comparison, similarities and differences in addressing a known versus an unknown addressee, as well as regularities in the use of formal and informal address in both languages, are identified. Means of establishing contact and marking distance are determined, and a new classification of address patterns is proposed.