At least in Berlin, keeping a distance from your party in the Restaurant is a sign or respect.
It is considered rude in Germany for a server, der Kellner or die Kellnerin, to keep on bothering your chat, your time together, and your meal, to check up on you.
If you want something, flag down someone — German waiters are pretty good at seeing that you want something. Don’t whistle, just catch their eye or wave your hand.
German waiters generally won’t even ask how your meal is going or if you’re having a good time until they bus your plates, at which point they will ask something like “Hat es Ihnen geschmeckt?” or “Hat’s geschmeckt?” which both mean, “Did you enjoy your meal?”
So, the reason why you feel like you’re being ignored is because they think it would be appallingly rude for them to come up to your table every few minutes asking you how your meal is, if you want more wine or beer, or if you want anything else, or — heaven forbid — may I bring you the check.
So, while I can’t confirm that this is also what happens in other places around Europe and the world, I know that if you want another anything, you need to call for it; and, if you want the bill, you need to expressly ask for the bill, “Die Rechnung bitte” or “Bitte zahlen” or just make that “I am signing a check in the air” pantomime and they’ll come with your check right away.
