The truth about Germany

(Oberlehrer = Chief Teacher (Upper teacher? – I have a problem with correct translation), „oberlehrerhaft“ means somthing close to „knowing everything better then others“)

Where does this prejudice come from? At least we even had it as a comment according this blog. So some deep truth in it?

Germany has had a long tradition of „better not tell what you think – the Authority (Lord, King, Führer) will know it better and might punish you for your opinion”. In the same time there is a big tradition of scientists, writers, philosophers who where born, raised and worked in Germany and its predecessors. For a long time our Country was called „The country of the poets and philosopher“. So maybe people had to tell something.

But „oberlehrerhaft“ doesn’t describe, that you have to tell something. It describes the way you are telling it: To lift the finger and to announce the only truth! So it means, that Germans do not respect others opinions, because they „own“ the only truth? What if we do? Maybe we are better educated, maybe we are ahead in discussion, maybe we know the best way?

Pointing on german historie, you’ll find a 1000 years period (from 1933-1945), while Germany knew the truth, but didn’t argue. A bit later Germany got new rules and laws from people who knew better.

In Germany „Lehrer“ (teacher) are civil servants. Germans own prejudice against those officials: They duck and hide themselves, as soon as an authority apears - or simply someone argues better - or just louder … just do not leave them the last word. We should have done it this way more often …

Due the last century, especially german men are well known for travelling in uniform. People from Abroad now think, that germans have a special relation to uniforms. Not all ist true about this. Sure, sometimes it is very useful to have common dresses – like we can show on the picture.    

So: How does a german man gets his uniform?    

First time dressed: Parents are used to dress their baby similar to all other babys - maybe different colors for different genders. Have you ever tried out to find a baby in a big bunch of other babys? German men learn, that a uniform is good to hide in the crowd. 

Next time dressed: Teenage time. The German man decides to be different from all other people in the world - at least different to his parents. Scientists call that a sort of “creating own personality”. The german man decides to be Punk or Skinhead or whatever – just to be different from others. Funny thing to uniform yourself to show, that you are unique. 

The third time uniform: It is not used to be a time for all: The military. Only very few german men go there – so most do not have the knowledge of power of a military uniform.   

Later german men follow the dresscodes in business, find their uniformed opinion in newspapers and follow up everything that advertising can offer them – especially when they buy cars.  The time to use a uniform just as practical clothes for travelling are over.
German men do not like uniforms - they just wear them.

In front of the soccer worldcup I’m facing this prejudice a very personal way. Because I’m not a soccer fan I’m looking for places where is no soccer worldcup hype. But I learned: All germans are addictet to this soccer worldcup!

This isn’t a prejustice but a truth.

Even my little Italian restaurant, where I’m used to sit every evening, threatens to install a big screen, so I’ll be forced to view the soccer worldcup.

So belive me, these Germans are crazy about the soccer worldcup.

Today we got the following email:

“I loved what you had to say too about German girls.:-)  I visited Munich
back in 2000 and was flabergasted at the sight of soo many beautiful
women!!!:-)

The worlds most beautiful women hands down are GERMAN WOMEN!!!!”

We asked ourselves, why he didn’t post it as comment? Maybe he’d like to stay anonymus? You can - even when you post a comment. As long as it no nonsense or spam, we promise not to delete! 

Some people in the world are discussing hard about the topic “Is manhood made by god or is it result of evolution”. In a small city in south of germany we have found the last proove for the evolution. Darwin was right!

You cannot call Bavaria a place of evil. I’d guess nowhere in germany so many people are visiting church (well, maybe places with mostly polish people). But here you find definatly prooves for Dawins Evolution: We found an old picture of an old visitor of the traditional german Restaurant “Würstlstube” in Ingolstadt. As you can see: At least Bavarians have their roots not in the rib of Adam but “Weißbier and Knoedel” from Bavaria …

You can find germans in all countries of the world an usualy you do not have to search long for them. It’s true, germans travel a lot. Several Millions of us leave Germany every year during summer-holidays. The most favorite destinations for such travels are inside Europe: The coast and Islands of Mediterranean Sea like Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey or the Mountains of the alpes in Austria or Swiss.

Sure, many Germans also stay in Germany for their holidays.

Just something about Germans travelling is a Myth: We do not have to wear uniforms while visiting Europe. This is an old myth from WW1 and WW2. And that times only the German men went out to see the foreign countries. Today most Germans do not like to wear uniforms. And the travel-Groups of single men are smaler and have a differnt interest: They look for Beer and Girls and not for conquering. Sending out uniformed travellers is privileg of other countries now.

This might be a true prejudice. The more: Germans like to have each job done till end - no halve things apreciated.

Lets take the war in Iraq as an Excample. After US bombed an officers-club in center of Bagdad to dust, german secret service found out, that there still are iraqi officers meeting there. “Just halve job done” the german Secret Service thought and teased the US guys, send them the coordinates again and confirmed their own prejudices about “Americans make their job only for half”.

But its not true, what Germans think about Americans: Those guys prooved, that they are able to use coordinates and informations and bomb something from dust to atoms - it just take sometimes some more time and sometimes the corrected informations …

From a friend in Tulsa Oklahoma I heard: “In Germany only three TV channels are broadcasted, so they can’t be informed, whats up in the world.

Are all Americans this stupid, or is this a Oklahoma hillbilly thing? How it comes, that a nation where most people do not differ between Australia and Austria judge a other nations knowledge?

Fact is, we have around 40 free TV channels, 4 news channels, at least 90 pay-TV-channels including porn TV.  Even channels like CNN and El Dschasira are broadcasted in Germany.
As you see, even if a nation has 200 TV channels, it doesn’t mean people are informed about the world.

One of the common prejudices is that all Germans are overweighed.

If you are an open eyed person, you’ll be aware about the truth. Look around there are a lot of Germans you know. Or is there somebody who will pretend Heidi Klum  or Claudia Schiffer as fat.

Of cause there are some Germans which are large, but they are mostly from south Germany, Bavaria. And as Bavarians they are not fat they are “gstandne Mannsbilder”. This is Bavarian and says they are “Real Men”.

Once more I’ve to send back this prejudice to where it comes from. Have a look at this! Nothing more to say about “Who’s Fat”.

Don’t be stupid - do not believe in any prejudice you have heard about german men. No, we do not wear Lederhosen all the time!

Maybe even the whole world may think, that german men like “Lederhosen”. There seem to be an image of this funny Hill-Billys with leather-trousers, drinking beer and singing funny songs. We do not know, where this common prejudice comes from. For sure german men do not look like this young man at the right side. And we do not like to wear them … mostly. There might be some situations, where they are very practical. Lederhosen are very strong clothers…

But there is a little bit of truth in those words about German men like Lederhosen. Maybe not the ones you are thinking of at first. But german men (except the ones from Cologne) have special things in mind, when they think about lederhosen …