No need to curse dear. I believe the Japanese sent a bottle of wine with an apology note attached after Pearl Harbor. Didn't work.
See! Humor diffuses situations best.
But what you are suggesting is to go buy a child a toy after s/he has a tantrum. It's positively reinforcing bad behavior and I will not do that. We will, and have apologized and that should be enough. But you are right that there is no excuse for his behavior.

She knows he's a bully. We told her. We would never raise a fist to anyone. It is not our way, and she knows that too.

Sure, the CRIMES are called
- Ruhestörung
- Belästigung

You also can wait until the screamer gets out of air and then dryly ask "aber, äää, suscht gaaat's no ? " and turn away.

...and while you're in the store get one for your angry neighbors buzzer as well?

So my husband and daughter are walking the dog again this morning and they are in the walk way just outside the building and here comes angry dude and his wife. My husband said nothing. Looked at him, but said nothing. Then the wife begins to complain to my husband. She didn't yell, and tried to be very nice (I could here this from our flat). My husband said that we will put a sticker identifying OUR buzzer so it doesn't happen again (thank you very much!!!!! ) . Then angry dude starts yelling in German and waving his arms again, but directing it at his wife, presumably so she could translate. But of course his yelling gets my husband upset. So he starts speaking loudly and assertively. He tells Mrs. Angry that although we are all learning German, screaming at us in German wasn't helping because we have only been here 6 months and are trying our best. Then my hubby states again that we will put a sticker up so it doesn't happen again. He yells again. My husband then tells Mrs. Angry that her husband made crude gestures at him in front of our daughter. And then she tells MY husband to calm down and lower HIS voice. WTF????? My husband, very calmly, says to her, "why are you embarrassed about your husband's behavior?" She says no, and then very "nicely" says that we never came over to introduce ourselves when we moved in. Okay- well, that might be true, but where we come from, the neighbors come by to welcome you. But both points are neither here nor there in that we certainly didn't mean to offend anyone and are on very good terms with the rest of the building's occupants.

Anyway- my husband apologizes for this and then she apologizes for her husband's yelling. My husband wishes HER a good day and everyone leaves. The husband never apologizes. My daughter is hysterical and crying and now doesn't want to go out an play anymore because she is terrified that she will make a mistake again (regardless of the sticker) and also scared that she will run into this guy again. We told her that she can't let him get to her, but she needs to make an effort to be quiet and pay attention as much as possible.

I think we will go to our neighbors and see what they say. We are friendly with one neighbor in particular, who is a Swiss native, and perhaps she can shed some light on either the guy and his wife, or the situation in general. And by the way- the Swiss neighbor with whom we are friendly, came to us to introduce herself and has been nothing but VERY kind and nice. Of course, we have responded likewise.

I actually now also feel sorry for the guy's wife. I hope she is not victim to his anger and he has not scared her like he has our little girl.

Depends on what "enable" means. If "enable" means A) to let it pass at the moment it happens but thereafter to try to have a decent talk with him, alright, but if "enable" means B) to accept it endlessly, there must be a NO. And I daresay that version A) is the version generally taken here.

Douche or Pluie or Orage ?

The one beginning with D.

Mr Grumpy Git possibly also speaks a bit Italian and two bits of French. Might be worth to check it.

Not a bad idea. Perhaps I should just answer in Spanish. It would probably leave him as clueless as I am when he he speeds through his German rants. UGH. Grant a newbie a learning curve! Sheesh! (Angry guy- not you).

...I suggest moving from there...the guy is a ticking time bomb...

I didn't leave NYC after 9/11 and I am not leaving here.

I feel so, so sad for your daughter :-(

Cannut is in Canada...

The dude is clearly an idiot. I would call the police and ask about your options. They should advise you whether there's something they can do (or the conditions in which they could do something) or you need someone else (lawyer).

T'was a joke.

Me too. I don't understand deriving pleasure from scaring a little kid.

My hubby is a lawyer, but not the kind we need. We're going to try speaking with the other neighbors first and see what they say. The polizei are still an option tho.

You can report him to the police. Maybe some other neighbours have done so before, so he is registered already. People with such a personality have a history of violence and weird behaviour. It didn't start with the buzzer story of your child.

A simple reporting doesn't harm anyone, but will put you in a stronger position if this problem should persist.

I'm all for getting along with neighbours and not making a mountain of a molehill, but safety for your family and especially your daughter comes definitely first.