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 …

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! 

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.

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.

According words I got from friends in Italy, Germans are counted as “potatoe freaks”. No german meal without potatoes and my friends believe, we would even plant them on the balcony.

Potatoes are no regular vegetable for Europe at all. They come from South America and have been planeted since aeons by indians in the Anden (Well … hopefully they are written same way in english…). Spanish Conquestadors and British Sailors brought it to Europe … mostly because of their nice bloms. 

Carolus Clusius planted 1589 the first potatoes in Germany.  The scholar, physician and scientist organised with his relations with other scientists and rich citizens for the spreading of potatoes.  First the potato was held as ornamental plant in gardens.  Potatoes have been well known for their cures and have been used in “Grandmas medicine”.  For self-supply she was probably planted during the 30-years war in the back gardens of South Germany.  As commodity the potatoe is mentioned for the first time 1757 in Frankfurt market reports - the beginning of their commercial use as acted food. 

Emphasis of the German cultivation of potato was Prussia.  Due to wars and from this resulting emergency its cultivation was intensified. King Friedrich issued the “potato instruction” in 1756, which forced the farmers to the cultivation of the potato.  The Prussian per-capita consumption at potatoes is to have amounted to already 1875 120 kilograms.

But what is in our days? The modern Germany is not Prussia - and the wars have finally stopped. In fact the potatoe farmers are crying: Not only according analyses but also in real market the germans do eat less and less potatoes. in 2005 only 66 kg of potatoes went into stomaches of german eaters. only the halve of it in rare form … most allready processed: As “French Fies” (who the hell inveted this name for belgium “Pommes Frittes”?) and other products.

But one thing stays a truth: Even when suffering from wars have stopped - Germans take about 20% of their need of vitamine C from potatoes. A healthy potatoe eating country.

Fast Google! They do not care about little Germany but about the whole offline World. They checked out, which prejudices there are about people in different Countries and published their Prejudice Map.

According this “Google Prejudice Map” Germans have precision, they enjoy their beer, have resourcefulnes and are punctual. Nice things you’re telling about us, but did you proove?

But how did they get their ideas about Gemany? They used Google search: The rescent map was created with help of googles search engine results - and we all know, that they have still problems with their algo-update “Big Daddy”. So let us check, what will be left when “Big Daddy” is fixed.

Somewhen in WW2 people start calling Germans as “Krauts”. All Germans are eating Cabbage - or better “Sauerkraut”? Let us check this.

Cabbage is a vegetable, which is to be cultivated simply. In times of war, it might have been necessarily for the nutrition and against hunger. But now: Who are the real “Krauts”? In independent investigations one confirmed: Germans eat about 4 kg “Kraut” per year and person. But they are not champions in eating Cabbage! People in USA eat 4.6 kg Kraut per year. But ultimate kings of consuming Kraut are people from Poland: More then 20 kg per year of this vegetable went into their stomachs.