DB culture is good?

Former DB guy: 

Yes, 100% would say DB has a better culture than their "peers". I think our peers are Jef and UBS (LOL; just read through all the threads on how UBS and Jef culture as a whole sucks especailly Jef Houston and UBS Tech) and on the slightly worse of us side RBC (read through threads on how RBC nice is fake and that RBC PU&I + M&A are some of the sweatiest and toxic groups on the street where almogst every analyst tries to lateral). Once heard from an RBC lateral to an EB that the EB WLB was super chill because although the hours were similar, the EB was significantly less toxic. 

I have honestly heard way worse things about RBC culture than Jef and UBS ones from people I know at all 3 firms, but that could just be group-specific to whatever groups they were in (for UBS, I know people in Industrials and CR; and for Jef, I know people in LevFin and CR for reference. I know none of those groups at either bank have been called out for bad culture, so perhaps sampling bias is at play).

Look, I am not going to claim DB doesn't have some bad MDs or that everyone is extremely nice, but I think compared to our supposed peers, the culture is better, or at the very least, we have fewer really terrible culture groups. I am not going to sit here and lie/tell you the hours are great at the DB top groups; they aren't. However, the culture is very collegial and, for lack of a better word, nice, whereas everyone genuinely wants to help you/look after you as a junior starting down from the seniors.