My answer to a cut from the "The Xenphobics Guide to the Germans"

I know that the author of this text exaggerated to make it more interesting but nevertheless, you know, I am German (we are always right) and have to answer to these things.

The title - a German would have never chosen this title because it was used by Adolf Hitler for his book and we do not make fun of this book because it is one of the reasons for the Holocaust.

The first part shows how serious the whole thing is meant by the author because of the reasons he lists why to like Germans.

Rules - yes, there are to many rules in Germany so that you have to study law to understand them. But this has nothing to do with German taxes. The high rates of German taxes have other reasons which you can find in our social system and other things. ( I did not understand the part about the hooligans)

Signs - yes, I always thought there are to many signs. But our signs are kind of usefull because somebody notes them whereas in other countries you do not need the signs because nobody pays attention to them.
Sometimes, it is really stupid to wait at a pedestrian crossing for the green light although no vehicles are comming but if there are children waiting with you I think it is reasonable, because they often can not decide if it is dangerous to cross or not. It is stupid to compare Germany with Mexico City or Cairo or other countries (maybe also other European countries) without stating the numbers of (percentage) people who died in traffic or especially at pedestrian crossings. (The German spelling of the example is wrong: Bei rot gehen, bei grün gehen, Beispiel geben).
I do not believe the Heidelberg example because I have been in Heidelberg a lot of times and I saw Germans and tourists waiting or crossing at red light.
What does the Greek example mean? Is it ok if a car is crossing the red light? Is it not easier in Germany? Here you are pretty save if you have the green light.

Language - this was a really funny part. I think nobody who does grow up with a language can feel the same in or with this language as somebody who does. For me it is normal to say "Ich liebe (this is the right spelling - the other one sounds funny) dich" to my girlfriend and it is strange for me to say "I love you" or "Je t'aime" because that sounds like a song or a movie.
To use the name Helga Ausschwitz is not funny - Ausschwitz is the name of the largest concentration camp were thousands of people were killed.
Why does everybody think of orders when she/he hears German? I saw "Schindler's list" in the USA and did not like that all orders were spoken in German (of the SS and others) but all the other conversations were in English although most of them should have been in German too. Either you translate all of it or none. I know that the German language sounds hard for other people but you also make it to that. There are wonderful songs (Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Mahler, ..) and operas in German and nobody complains about the German language there.
The word "Frau" is not one of the nicest German words but I think your dislike depends on the German usage of the "r" and the "au" (which sounds like an ache).
In German you can put words together and make a new one. But there is still a large vocabulary. Your example is really interesting. I never thought about the relation between a toad (Kröte) and tortoise (Schildkröte) (this is a french word, isn't it?). But the relation between tortoise (Schildkröte) an turtle (Wasserschildkröte) in German is clear. This is one family. I do not understand why there are two different names in English. Scrabble seems to be easier in German.
You will find kind and unkind people in Germany. Unfortunately, I have to admit that people in GB for example are in general more polite.

Police - here again the author uses a word (name) from the Third Reich (Nazi). Our police is not called "Gestapo" (secret state police) any more. Besides I would not say that there is so much police on our streets. There is much more in the USA for example. Why does he call the police fascists? Because he did something wrong and they told it him - very stupid! Thanks for the stupid Germans - I give it back to the author. That the police did not come again is a sign that they accepted the apology, isn't it?

Films - yes, it is a problem, that different actors have the same German voices but it is a problem of having and paying more different voices. The following arguments are again very stupid - what does it matter if the voice of Jodie Foster is fat Hannelore Meyer from Hamburg - can you decide about a person because of his appearance or his voice? Yes, a lot of Germans do not know what Jodie Foster sounds like, but this is not a disadvantage because I saw her last movie just 2 month ago and I was really surprised how she mumbles. I like her as an actor but I am happier with the German voice because I can understand it.
Your arguments about the titles are right - I do not know who really decides about that.

Humor - what is "Spitfire"? I am beginning to accept that we Germans do not have humor but I am not sure. So many others told me that. We might have a special kind of humor. I think this example shows only misunderstanding and the same can happen in another country.
Rice story - funny story! Bench story - thanks for calling Germans Schwines - ok, there are some fat SChwines but where not? Bus story/picture - stupid person.

Altogether I had a lot of fun with this text and lots of things mentioned are unfortunately correct. But please do not use these terms from the Nazi time.

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© 1997 Achim Schmidtmann 1