A reasonable though not literal translation would be "hoarding as a hamster does" These rodents are known for hiding/hoarding food often by burial, as squirrels do.

I think that Germany does have more of a tradition of both state sponsored civil defence and individual preparations than is the case in most other countries.

Not just collective memory regarding the last war, but also West Germany was on the front line of the cold war, and of course more recently has been a terrorist target.