$ cat /etc/timezone
Europe/Berlin
$ zdump -v /etc/localtime | grep 2008
/etc/localtime Sun Mar 30 00:59:59 2008 UTC = Sun Mar 30 01:59:59 2008 CET isdst=0 gmtoff=3600
/etc/localtime Sun Mar 30 01:00:00 2008 UTC = Sun Mar 30 03:00:00 2008 CEST isdst=1 gmtoff=7200
/etc/localtime Sun Oct 26 00:59:59 2008 UTC = Sun Oct 26 02:59:59 2008 CEST isdst=1 gmtoff=7200
/etc/localtime Sun Oct 26 01:00:00 2008 UTC = Sun Oct 26 02:00:00 2008 CET isdst=0 gmtoff=3600
ntpdate *does* help, hence the workaround ;-)
$ cat /etc/timezone
Europe/Berlin
$ zdump -v /etc/localtime | grep 2008
/etc/localtime Sun Mar 30 00:59:59 2008 UTC = Sun Mar 30 01:59:59 2008 CET isdst=0 gmtoff=3600
/etc/localtime Sun Mar 30 01:00:00 2008 UTC = Sun Mar 30 03:00:00 2008 CEST isdst=1 gmtoff=7200
/etc/localtime Sun Oct 26 00:59:59 2008 UTC = Sun Oct 26 02:59:59 2008 CEST isdst=1 gmtoff=7200
/etc/localtime Sun Oct 26 01:00:00 2008 UTC = Sun Oct 26 02:00:00 2008 CET isdst=0 gmtoff=3600