German Stereotypes: The Dirndl, Humor And German Efficiency | Meet the Germans
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- Опубліковано 29 бер 2021
- How does the rest of the world see Germany? You're bound to find many different answers to that question, but there are a few stubborn stereotypes that always seem to come up. So how much truth is there behind them, and where did they even come from? That's what Rachel wants to find out in this week's Meet the Germans.
Rachel moved from the UK to Germany in 2016. As a relative newcomer she casts a fresh eye over German clichés and shares her experiences of settling into German life. Every two weeks she explores a new topic - from unusual bans to meaty cuisine or haunted castles. This week: Lederhosen and punctuality!
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Which German stereotypes do you think need to be ditched for good? And are there any particular clichés about your own country that get on your nerves?
Yes, I hate the stereotype that Filipinos work as maids in other countries.
The stereotype about comedy and humor. I've spent many hours laughing with my German friends. The Northerners are very dry, and I love it!
@@markmontes007 really? When I hear "Filipino" I immediately think of a country where everybody can sing really, really good.
As an American, I hate it when people think we are all fat and greedy! Not fair !
@@RioMuc a lot of them sing really good, I'm not one of them 😂
"Das P in Deutsche Bahn steht für pünktlichkeit" was the best german joke i ever heard.
Good one, I haven't heard that yet.
@@doppelkammertoaster hahaha thanks, but the credit belongs to 9gag
Breaking news: Deutsche Bahn changes name to Deutsche Pahn to fight image problems.
"Die vier Erzfeinde der deutschen Bahn: Frühling, Sommer, Herbst und Winter" is also one of my faves
@@leDespicable Breaking news: Deutsche Bahn changes name to Deutsche Pahn, because of Pannen.
German humor is so efficient, people start laughing before the joke has been told
Zeit ist Geld 😊
Good one
Nah they are being on time thus laughing five minutes early
*The Cologne Church took 632 years to be fully built*
are you sure about that?
@@guapelea Now that IS efficient.
German: We aren't pedantic!
Also German: Allow me to introduce you to our wide range of regional glassware.
wait until you hear about our bread
@@Matthias3000 and our sausages
Dude you should see belgian beer glasses. Every brand has their own type of glass if not more, and it is frowned upon to serve a beer in an inappropriate glass.
Lol!!
@@Matthias3000 Welche der 10000 Brotsorten meinst du?
"Well, whoever decided that forgot to tell the trains."
As a German who has to use those every day, I just burst out laughing at how accurate this is xD
Perhaps I was lucky but when I was in Germany I found the inter-city and metro trains to be value for money, fantastic and always on-time, much better than the dreadful, expensive, late trains at home (UK). I think that our train staff work hard - I am not blaming them, but the UK governments believe that the trains should make a profit rather than being an 'enabler' to transport people and increase the economy. That's why they don't invest much money and the ticket prices are always increasing.
I've worked in tourism for many years in Copenhagen, Denmark. German tourists are usually the most friendly and kind... but they are a bit like "fish out of the water". They are very cautious and nervous about little things that's not clearly marked or signed. A usual catchphrase we often would get; "Is the tour also in German?", even though we have signs in German saying it is. One thing you can be sure of with German tourists is " there's no bad weather... only bad clothing"
The weather can change 20 times within a day, yet somehow a German tourist is always prepared and can flip their attire within seconds.
The rucksack full of all-weather gear 👌😂
Interesting point!
Checking out my bag for the next trip!
It's called "allwetterjacke" and means something like "jacket for every weather".
I think every German owns one
I heard a saying that you're not a real German unless you are ready for 3 out of all 4 seasons at any given time 😅
I think maybe with making sure to follow your rules is to show respect, maybe also to try and make up for the time when their German ancestors broke so many rules, like invade Denmark for example.
Hey, we do want to break up with bureaucracy, it just takes time for the registry office to process the divorce papers
Bureaucracy has worked quite well for a fairly long time. Then neoliberalism came and cut out its soul and ate its heart while accountants fried its brain. Now it's just a shambling zombie.
@@sasas845 Yeah, bureaucracy is not the issue. The current implementation and management is.
@@sasas845 Sie nennen es Bürokratie, wenn es ineffizient ist. Ansonsten nennt man es Management, Kontrolle und Problemlösung.
@@guapelea Manche der schlimmsten Arbeitsbeschaffungsmaßnahmen laufen leider gerade unter den Titeln "Management & Kontrolle" ab (würde mich mir auch nicht wundern, wenn die Erstellung eine rauchenden Kraterlandschaft als "Problemlösung" verkauft würde); bei karrieregeilen MBA-Jogis muss man leider mit so ziemlich allem rechnen, und sei es noch so selbstzerstörerisch, Kafkaesk, unmoralisch oder alles zusammen.
Everything you must sooner or later confirm with a letter coming to a home address. Even if you find a way to register online.
I live in Sweden. The Queen of Sweden is German. The Archbishop of the Swedish Lutheran Church is German. When growing up our closest neighbour was a German man named Ernst. From my childhood I remember him as an angry man, but as an adult I found out that Ernst is really funny with a really drastic humour! The mother of one of my best friends is German too. I have also studied the German language for five years in school, so I would say that there are no place left for stereotyping Germans. I find Germans in general to be quite similar to us Swedes.
But Swedish people are bit of boring!😒
@@koushikdas1992 Excuse me? What gives you the right to say that?
@@callmefranordie Personal freedom! I have just expressed my thought about Swedish people! I didn't say that they are bad people. I only said that they are a bit of boring compared to Eastern & Western Europe & U.S.A., Canada, Australia, Newzealand. That's all. But I also want to say that they are loving people. ❤️
As a German who lived in Sweden I can confirm that. Germans and Swedes have a lot of similarities.
There is a saying. "Germany is like Sweden - but for grown-ups!" True ...
I was like: "Im not dry, mean old lady! .. but than i was "uh she called me smart, well i guess i forgive her" :)
Dry in this case is a type of humour that is not obvious and in your face. It is subtle and needs a keen wit to enjoy it. I am from East Anglia in England and our humour is like that, people from other areas don't really understand...which makes the jokes even better.
😂
@@marisolalpuerto7943 HELLO
@@siyajungkookdisturbsmeinmy5441 Hello too:)
@@marisolalpuerto7943 I am from Bangladesh.I think you are from Germany.Right?
I love the way Rachel Stewart speaks in German.
She looks a little like sasha gray to be honest
@@burgundowykutacz She looks like Carla Gugino
@@burgundowykutacz omg, true!
@Tom Jose She is a well known american DJ, musician, writer and youtuber. You can easilly find her videos on youtube ;)
@Tom Jose yes, a super famous actress who starred in the super famous Hollywood show about a super famous Hollywood star, as herself. Truly super famous, as you can see 😉
Humor often gets lost in translation.
Definitely, often due to differences in languages. One problem (not really a problem) with the German language is that it is so precise, with lots of verb and noun endings and agreement strictly enforced. As a result, you can't have many jokes based on language misunderstandings. I speak a little German and a little Italian but mostly English and French. A lot of English-language humor comes from subject/object confusion in a sentence, mostly due to the lack of inflection in English verbs. On the other hand, French humour is mostly based on "double entendres" (literally means double understandings), since the French language has lots of words that sound the same or nearly the same, and words that link up (liaison) so it is hard to hear where one ends and the other begins. German definitely has humor, but it is more about funny/absurd situations. As for Italian humor, I really can't explain it, it's just silly.
@@colemannee9898 can u tell some German jokes that u really liked pls?
@@mahdi24me black humor is a big deal in Germany. sadly its too black to get outside the cellar . ^^ (not good for mainstream stuff)
@@toniberger6005 wow, so what does German jokes about?
@@mahdi24me depends on the person you talk with. but normaly it dosent matter. Politik,ww2,jews,christian,nations,history,kids,ect ect. german dark humor is very even with the british dark humor. you just cant use them outside your "friendzone" because of german laws.
but the biggest diffrence is in the language.
jokes from german dont translate well to english. German is a bit to precise, contra to english. thats why we dont have many "Dad-jokes" here.
btw sry for my bad english
"How many germans do you need to change a light bulb?" "One, we are efficent and don't have humor!"
None, german light bulbs do not need changing...
@@miltospep21 From time to time they do. But I dare you not to get it fixed in a Vertragswerkstat!
The very sad thing is that this joke was told to me by my host father when being an exchange student in the US. I must admit, at that time I hadn't entirely understood how these light bulb jokes functioned and at the time I was just confused by the question. Hence, my answer was just: "One? What would you need more than one person?" Ever since, my host father loves to bring this point up as this had indeed proved his point... I am honestly very sorry for unintentionally participating in the reinforcement of German stereotypes
@@marafortune3713 How to prove stereotypes 101 xD
I think some people think that Germans do not have a humor because Germans do not laugh from stupid jokes. A lot of people call me boring when I do so, but they do not realize how crazy I go when something is really originally funny. I'm from Russia, btw.
"That the German language sounds aggressive"
It almost feels like a threat when the guys says it.
He was a bit annoyed a threat is way louder
you must not speak German...when someone is annoyed, they have a tone. I am sure you never do that in your own language though...
@@rebeccapetrilli3097 That's the point, Rebecca. For foreigners, it sounds menacing.
I speak some languages, not German.
Man. Those Germans. They got a word for everything! Sometimes a noun or even a verb is just a long compound word that is basically a description.
@@diezgp it doesn't sound aggressive, it's just people being obsessed with a certain mustached man and want to hear and find him in anything even remotely german. to many germans italians and spanish sounds aggressive, like people are fighting, so that can go both ways. just maybe eventually stop the obsession with that man from the past and not feed on every stereotypical bs
My grandma in-law has enough food reserve in the basement to feed a village. She's almost 90, lives alone, but still keeps them "just in case"
Goes back to war and post war times when food was very scarce. My Austrian mother in law was very pleased when she saw we had raised beds for veg, as we'd 'never need to go hungry!'
During this corona times we survived already 2 14 days quarantines without any food supply from outside for me and my wife. With a full freezer (33 years old), a full fridge and a full pantry you can stay calm. And we seldom throw food away.
@@ssdctm781 You should rethink the continued operation and properly dispose old refrigerators in order to protect the environment.
So what? I do the same thing. German Katastrophenschutz recommends enough food and water for at least two weeks (better three) on storage.
My German father, born 1940 and a lucky survivor of the allied city bombings of civilian houses in WW2 has the same attitude. When he built the house of my childhood, he made sure parts of it were as bomb proof as possible and added a room exclusively for storing supplies. Up to this day he also could never be motivated to throw away anything which could potentially be of value, may it be old wooden planks, crates, 80 year old iron tools, you name it.
I know he was trying to make a joke, but when Christoph Waltz was talking about Germany and the German language on Conan's show, I thought to myself, "You know the prejudices aren't true, you don't need to reinforce them. The Americans will probably believe you tell the truth."
And he is Austrian, what doesn't make him a very good ambassador for Germany
@@MaximusG6 yea we do have some ... history ... with austrian influncers in german politics ;)
@@MaximusG6 We must always beware of Austrians, especially when they talk about Germany, and they like art.
That was a prime example of Austrian cynicism.
He is both:
From Wikipedia:
Waltz was born in Vienna to a German father who applied for him to become a citizen of Germany after his birth. He received Austrian citizenship in 2010, thus holding citizenships of both Austria and Germany, but considers his German passport a "legal, citizenship law banality" despite the fact that he had not previously been able to vote in Austria's national elections. Asked whether he felt Viennese, he responded: "I was born in Vienna, grew up in Vienna, went to school in Vienna, graduated in Vienna, studied in Vienna, started acting in Vienna - and there would be a few further Viennese links. How much more Austrian do you want it?"
If he is still German, he must have applied for his German nationality to stay!
From the Federal Ministry of the Interior website:
"Any German citizen who applies for and acquires foreign citizenship, whether in Germany or abroad, automatically loses his or her German citizenship. This occurs automatically by law; you do not have to make a special declaration or notify the German authorities. And it makes no difference how you acquired German citizenship. To avoid losing your German citizenship in this way, you must apply for and be granted permission to retain your German citizenship before acquiring foreign citizenship."
My grandfather came to Mexico from Heilbronn, Germany in 1926. He WAS a German stereotype! My mom would invite him for dinner at 7pm. 6:55 pm grandpa would arrive. If dinner was not served by 7:15pm he would say auf wiedersehen and leave! He was also very serious. Worked very hard and very productively. Maybe it was a generational thing? Germans of my grandfather's time were really like that and the stereotype remained even as Germans evolved themselves in Germany. Great show, I love seeing all your videos Rachel!
I live in Germany for 30 years now. Germany is a big Country and there are heavy differences between north and south east and west and even regionally there are some remarkable differences.
I like Germans. Germans are mostly polite and and have a deep sense for duty and me personally learned a lot of the German culture.
Speaking about stereotype is always wrong because it will be thrown all kind of people in the same jar. But, there are some traits that the most Germans shares: they tends to believe to know things better that others. Germans have humour but is a kind of sarcastic one, if you have the same one everything is fine. If you have an ironic one, well in this case it may be a problem. What I have learned in the time being here is to clearly and always manifest what your intentions are, if you want to tell a joke, say it before you tell it. And this is a very helpful habit for every situation, not only in Germany.
"If you want to tell a joke then signal it.."
No.
Please.
No.
Much love, but just no.
I've lived in Germany for more than 30 Years and I fully agree with the conclusions in this "Clip". I live just outside Cuxhaven and have taken (or been granted) German Citizenship. This prevents my being sent back to the UK after "Brexit" ! I love it here 😍😍😍
I will be 77 in two Weeks.
And we're glad to have you. ;)
Happy birthday in advance 🥳
Got my German citizenship a year ago for the same reason. After living in Hamburg for 15 years I didn’t want to take any chances and now have dual citizenship.
Don't you ever leave!!
nearby Wilhelmshaven was my home for a few years and I enjoyed it there ;)
I have served in Germany on two occasions; once for 3 years in my early 20's, and the second time for 18 months in my late 30's. I absolutely love the country. My regrets are, The first time I was there I never really left Sennelager/Paderborn, I never made any real attempt to learn the language after meeting an aggressive Dr in one of the local hospitals. Second time I served there, I was older and more mature, I did do some travelling, got to Berlin, Koln, etc, but the job I was doing was really restrictive so the opportunities weren't there like the first time round, I did learn a little of language and made a couple of German friends.
I have a 5 year old son and I am going to ensure that he learns a second language and he has the opportunity to travel. Once we can all travel again, I intend to visit regularly and with my son. In truth, I absolutely love the country.
Hope your son enjoys discovering Germany!
@@RachelStewart04 Thank you. He will, even if we have to walk there.
Sorry you ran into this asshole of a doctor. I think I know exactly what this experience was like. When I visited England for the first time I also made some very unpleasant experiences with the locals (a bus driver and hotel staff) despite that I do like the country overall.
I was stationed in Augustdorf right next to Senne, and boy, lemme tell you, that is rural Germany.
@@DerDerDeinenKopfFick we used to go to Sennek, Bonkers and the Dome. Always remember the Dome, you had to get beer tokens to get a drink, and when we were on exercise you could see the lazer light from the Dome, that was always demoralising when you know everyone is out enjoying themselves and your shivering on the training area. Best 3 years of my life, I really wish I made more of it.
Germans 🇩🇪💞
Sending love from the Philippines 🇵🇭
Gayle did not mention Heinz Erhardt! In my opinion the greatest comedian in the 1960's in Germany! He played with words better than anybody else
The way I percive "German efficiency" is that they love to make rules for everything. They have a plan for everything, but suck at executing it because their plan clashes with some other existing rules.
That is much closer to reality 😁
@@minniekay240 that drives me crazy. I would like to meet the guy who makes all these rules😂
It is true that our governments often lack flexibility. But if our plans work out, few can match our efficiency because we are pretty good at maximizing efficiency in established systems. It’s the getting to that point that we struggle with. Every coin has two sides.
This is 100% true
@@minniekay240 They do have many rules, but they do not internalize them.
Wow, I'm amazed that none mentioned the German in "sandals and socks" stereotype. At least, that's the dominant stereotype of Greek people about Germans.On the positive side of stereotypes about Germans, there's the "hard working and quality guaranteed" image.
I indeed wearing sandals and socks whole year, only during snowtime is exception. Living in Berlin there is quite few snow and driving a car there are also few wet socks. But I never feel cold with the sandals. Btw shoe size 51.
To be honest a lot of Germans do it 😅 so that's not really a stereotype.
The Germans tourists who don't, you'll probably overlook easily.
@@TrangDB9 Pro tip: You can still identify them by their Jack Wolfskin jacket or Deuter rucksack! ;)
It's not that germans don't wear it. It's rather that other nations wear it too so it's not really a german thing.
I've worked for Bayer for four years now, and one of the cultural shifts we saw after the acquisition of Monsanto was the efficiency culture. Before I didn't notice this German inefficiency until American efficiency came by. Now I think I prefer the German way. Even if it's a little bit slower, it's far more planned and aligned, and sets a good baseline for work later on.
"Sustainability" was invented in Germany.
Great video as always, and great words and explanation from Gayle! Happy to see Loriot mentioned. He perfectly embodied subtle German humor, finding those weird quirks in our day-to-day life and just slightly exaggerating them.
The stereotype that irritates me the most about Italians is that we are supposed to eat lots of spaghetti while there are: maccheroni, linguine, penne, mezze penne, rigatoni, pipe, pipe rigate, reginette, fusilli, bucatini...without counting: tagliatelle, fettuccine, pappardelle, trofie... come on! 😁🍝
😅😅😅
Haha well done
Ciao, connazionale, e vogliamo parlare dello stereotipo mafia,pizza e mandolino?
I gonna ask did you use hand gestures when talking ?
@@bondrewdthelordofdawn3744 that much is true, we do hand gestures even while speaking on the cell
It's so entertaining to watch this as a german! Another stereotype about germans that is kind of true in some cases (especially german grandmas): Einkochen or einmachen! Which literally means canning your own food. The most typical thing to can yourself is most likely jam and juices, but also vegetables or even sometimes meat. I remember when I was a kid in the late summer or early autumn, my grandma used to harvest all the fruits we had in our garden and make jam and different types of juices for weeks. When she was done, we had almost our complete basement filled with shelfs or jam.
That’s everywhere in Europe except UK.
If you want to preserve or make jam of some rare fruit, you have no choice but to do it yourself. That is the case of Davidson Plum Jam, made with the fruit of a rare tree which only grows wild native to lowland subtropical rainforests of New South Wales (and is actually listed as an endangered tree, but more common in cultivation). I'm sure others would also have unusual fruits in their countries that can't be purchased in shops.
My Grandma and Mom used to do the same! ❤
I am from Hungary.
I remember my Grandma even used to can some tiny unripe watermelons as some special pickle. (not sweet)
Haven’t eaten it since my childhood. : (
I've been to Germany many times and find the people to be thoughtful and kind. I have enjoyed every visit.
Excellent program and very, very well narrated. You did a great job.
Some very common stereotype of my country Brazil: Samba, Carnaval all the time, party all the time and really attractive woman and men. Just stereotypes that, like in germany, don't reflect the real culture of a country
I'm really sorry to say that a fascist government, burning forests and uncontrolled covid are also slowly becoming Brazilian stereotypes here in Europe.
Love the sound of brazilian portuguese, possibly the most attractive language and my preferred language for jazz vocals
@@falkjanen5050 I can ensure that all brazilians sorry it too. That it's not the image that we want outward, just the opposite. We want to bee seeing as a big nation of rich environmental resources, great exporter of seeds, minerals; with respect for all the biomes and for all the people that live in these.
@@yunussaid9288 Bossa nova it's a music genre, created here with bases on jazz; maybe you like it. Even Sinatra sang it some times
@@joaopedros.santana1967 love the bossa nova classics, gilberto, jobim and more contemporary jazz interpretations of them
Speaking of stereotypes or myths from your own country. The first one that comes to mind for Iceland is that we're all related and we have to have an app so that we don't accidentally do the horizontal mambo with a relative.
Haha, I really believed that..
I also believed that, jajaja
And here I thought you all drink alcohol until you die. ;-) By the way, Iceland is a great stopover from the US east coast on the way to mainland Europe. Well done with the "horizontal mambo" Americanism.
I've never heard that one for Iceland. The term "horizontal mambo" had me laughing!!!!
I just love your videos, Rachel. Informative and entertaining at same time.
I am from Saudi Arabia and i have german friends .. their sense of hospitality is quite spectacular , very generous , very polite and you truly enjoy conversations with … people usually roast germans for being racist , but that is not true at all .. they have very remarkable and honorable ethics that many nations lack 😃
danke schön
@@henrineumann i only said the truth brother 🤚🏻.
I wanted to visit Paris. But a trip to Germany with my choir change my perspective. I learned German in High school for singing purposes. So I pretty much had those ideas of Dirndls and lederhosen, but i knew they were Bavarian related. But as a culture i just thought the Germans would be like that SNL Mike Meyers Sprokets character. When we arrived, in Berlin, i was hesitant because of a couple on the plane told us where not to go so I thought they were going to be mean. It was the complete opposite. Everyone was warm and friendly. Especially when i spoke German. I didn't see one Dirndl. Only in Austria. That was a whole different experience. Still great, but different.
Berlin is the most ungerman city in germany. That is why many dont like it, it also has a lot of crime depending on where you go to.
Yeap at least we are still humans and while I'm one of the snoopy folks, have you made it at the end to Paris?
So glad you had a warm welcome ☺️
@@lotharschepers2240 nope. I hate that too. Because I should have gone pre covid-19.
@@tomendruweit9386 Berlin felt like what L.A. thinks it is. I'm an Angeleno so I know. My favorite German City was Venningen Schwinningen. I also enjoyed Iserlohn.
What I love the most about Germany is the respect for erudition as reflected in the attention to details. Of course genius can be annoyingly inflexible and often overthinks itself. Hopefully in the future Germans will find more balance without having to dumb down. 2010 was the year I visited Germany as a Nigerian exchange student studying in Asia. It broadened my imagination all the complexities of nationhood
Another great video, Rachel and DW Euromaxx team! Excellent job!! 😃
As an older U.S. Army Brat I grew up in Germany through the 60's and the 70's. A lot of those stereotypes were real back in those days! I loved the German culture and was sad for their history at the same time. When I was in 3rd grade I visited "Check Point Charlie" in Berlin. The M.P.s stamped my cast.
Rachel I just love you and everyone of your Meet The Germany-episodes! I am German with polish roots and thanks to you I learn so much about my own country, my culture and my identity. Your videos keep getting better and better, I wish everyday was Rachel-Day! Greets from Berlin, where we've seen it all! :D
Thanks!! 😃
After spending 2 years in Germany Stuttgart area in particular I think the the stereotypes are starting to go away. In the Stuttgart area it seems as though there is a division between Germans and Americans and rightfully so as with the American bases there it has actually hindered the economy. If you look at a glance you will disagree but speak with the average German who no longer can afford to rent a decent home and it is mostly due to the flux of Americans having the money to pay extra for accodomaditions. I absolutely loved living on the economy in Germany and would return in a heart beat. What some call rules are actually common sense. Germans will be frank which is absolutely lacking in the US. Trust is almost non existent in the Us because we fail to say what we actually think until it becomes inappropriate. I thank Germany for the 2 wonderful years that we were there and 1/4 of that time was during the Virus.
This is so enlightening. Thank you!
Outstanding video: creatively produced, well narrated and your message is interesting and to the point. You have a natural talent for public speaking/ performing in front of camera and, you a beautiful.
Thank you for the kind feedback, Roberto!
I am so excited for new episodes. I use them for my German classes and the kids LOVE it!
There was once a joke in my country where they say if the train is 15 minutes late, then its "early" and if it's 30 minutes late, it's "on time"😂
Thankfully this has changed
One of my German teachers (who teaches me German) has a humerus character and he enjoys telling jokes. He is truly the funniest teacher I have ever met. Another German teacher is so serious in oral exam that I would call it “horrifying” with respect.
So I think it’s more about personal character than national stereotype.
Nuanced and informative, as always. Thanks :)
In Spain, as in Germany, it’s the southern part that is taken as the general image for the whole country (bar the Canary Islands). And as German humor, for me it is/was Das Wochenshow, so witty and crazy.
Every time I go on a bike camping trip, I always end up running into a German also camping with their bikes.
Excellent presentation once again Rachel!!!! I am on my way to Germany so these are really helpful for me!
It's great, she presents any topic in an interesting way. Danke schon to the presenter and her team.
I loved how the woman with the red hair described the Rheinland.
Oh well.. I miss carnival and all the other good stuff that we are known for.
Lovely Rachel Lovely work!! Like your german tours..haha so well equipped with humor and Fact
☺️🙏
Eine neue Folge - endlich! Ein YT-Kanal mit hintersinnigem Humor und viel Sachwissen, das man manchmal selbst als Deutscher noch nicht kennt. Dazu eine bestens gelaunte Rachel. Es ist einfach wunderschön, wie sie mit spitzer Zunge ihre kleinen Lästereien vorträgt. Was beweist: eigentlich liegen Briten und Deutsche mit ihrem Humor gar nicht so weit auseinenader; im Gegenteil.
Vielen Dank an das DW-Team für diese Reihe :-). Und komme keiner auf die Idee, aufzuhören...
I absolutely adore you! Keep up the great work!
Not sure... but I think the problem with the efficiency is everything state-related nowadays... if it is a public project, then that project usually takes ages...
but if you then go into the industry or so... then you probably find a lot of optimization and efficiency thanks to f.e. robots.
Hi, are you German?
@@alexs7189 Jep
@@Panakotta000 Hi, being an Italian from southern Italy it makes me smile, hearing you Germans complaining about the bureaucracy, in my city we still have buildings that bear the marks of the Allied and German bombings of the Second World War, only the war ended 76 years ago XD
@@alexs7189 This is an ACTUAL very German thing. Complaigning about sliding standarts from a pure subjective perspective 🙄😁
We tend to be very centered on ourselves in that regard and if we look outside of Germany its to see how a few countries do it so much better and not to get a coesive perspective.
This is certainly a motor for improvements but it also makes us miss why things don't work sometimes and often makes us not apreciate the things we do have.
@@dianaharris8106 Hello, I understand, I think it is right to always try to improve, unless this means never enjoying the present, if anything, when you reach a good result you have to defend it over time in my opinion.
Let us not forget that Germany is still the first European economy and the fourth in the world.
"...forgot to tell the trains about" H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S 😂😂😂
Actually she expressed something else. She said that she is on board with the "national sports to moan" about train punctuality.
Indeed it is extremely common in Germany to support the point of view, that trains are never punctual, but the actual numbers show something different. Yes, sure there are trains that are late. But that is to be expected with a high speed network with such density. Overall the German trains are actually quite punctual. And if something really does not go according to plan then you usually can simply take another train. They go every half hour or so...
The actual reason _why_ many Germans complain about trains all the time is because they are looking for a reason not to use it. Germans prefer to go by car, but they always have a guilty conscience about that. For very good reasons. We _do_ have a climate crisis actually. So they need excuses. Pseudo excuses.
My grandfather (my mother's father) was a German horse soldier during World War I. He was 17 at the time. He came to the States in 1923 with his pregnant wife, and my mother, who was two at the time. They settled in Chicago where he worked for Archer Daniels Midland, all through the Great Depression and beyond. He had a wonderful sense of humor. Whenever they had friends over (and most of them were German-American), the laughter would continue until everyone went home. BTW: Both sides of my family are from Hannover. My mother was born there.
I lived in Augsburg (Bavaria) for 2 1/2 years from 72 to 74 and absolutely loved it.
Zeit ist Geld 💰 und wir Deutschen sparen gerne 💰💰💰😂🙏🏻
Zeit ist Geld, Geld ist knapp!
Am Komma hättest du sparen sollen.
@@SchmulKrieger sympathisch?
@@checkcommentsfirst3335 Worauf willst du hinaus? Ich weiß nicht, was »sympathisch?« ohne Kontext bedeuten soll.
@@SchmulKrieger Was bedeutet es, nett zu sein? Wir brauchen eine Definition in Deutsch 😂🤣😂🤣
the lady said about the humour (that there is such in Germany!☝️) with such a tone,I almost got scared from her 😂😂😂😂😂
Gayle Tufts is great. And yes, sometimes she can come across a bit intimidating :D
This was very informative. Thank you. I’m all for breaking down stereotypes.
This is so rich. Thank you Rachel!
I love this series! As a native Bavarian with a lot of British friends: is there something similar like "meet the British"? Thank you 😊
Thank you! Haha maybe if I ever move back home, my German husband could get his revenge by doing a Meet the Brits series 😁
#Britishfilms
She looks great in this dirndl
some cleavage would be appreciated in a "Dirndl".
Don't think the Dirndl has anything to do with her looking great. :)
@@laggeryt7558 you´re right, allow me to correct myself: Rachel looks even greater in this dirndl
@@benjaminh.9902 Which is a great thing about Dirndls... they only ever make a woman look better, never worse (sized correctly, of course)
2:22 that’s so cool! I live in Sweden, but I’m one quarter German on my father’s side, and I’ve heard that saying about having to be five minutes early to be on time for something my whole life!
I'm so cofused right now. You're presumably British but your German sounds almost like you're a native speaker! I've never in my life heard a better-sounding German than yours! What sorcery is this? Please do elaborate!
She is probably bilingual and has parents from both UK and Germany so she grew up with both. Perfect Queen's English as well as German without a british accent? Yeah that's probably a bilingually raised kid. I'm bilingual too.. same languages :P
My first time in Germany:
- Wait, it's not all Bavaria?
No.
That's like visiting the US and expecting it all to be Texas or even New York.
Never has been
It always has been
@@CesarGarcia-nd5xz Des moag i so net soagn. (Ein Hamburger der versucht, bayrisch zu schreiben.)
Rachel, my first visit to Germany came only in 2019 and I was not disappointed with my experiences with the locals. You comment about German “efficiency” (i.e. the new Willy Brandt airport) is well founded and the parocial attitude (we spent some time in Koeln and were mindful of ordering only Kolsch beers) was also very evident. My family came from Germany many years (19th century) ago and I was indoctrinated to “always be early for an appointment”..... I had a bit of a giggle when you mentioned that. I’m looking forward to getting back there very soon, perhaps travelling south this time. Also brushing up on my German - during my last visit, the staff also started speaking to me in German when booking in and at that stage, they appeared to be quite disappointed with the standard of my German response. Tschuess aus Australien.
If you live in Australia instead of Germany you can be happy to live there. People are treating other people (like simple craftsmen) often bad here in Germany, people are often selfish and everyone think he's the best. I know Australia a little bit (my brother in law is from there), people are definitely more friendlier there.
It's good your government is interested in workers from other countries, especially in craftsmen, it's a good way out in a better life for German craftsmen.
We need more Rachel!
My original impressions were formed on holiday - towels on the sunbeds closest to the pool at 5 a.m. and trying to push in at the bar shouting "Ein bier". Not at all like that when I worked over there.
I agree with everything that was said in the video, especially about German efficiency. I would add that Germans really seem to like pointing out people’s, even strangers, faults and failings.
The story I most remember is that a friend of mine was visiting Frankfurt from the US. He was in a bar and a guy came up to him and said, “You’d be really attractive if you got better eye glasses.”
Germans prepare for summer holiday 1.5 years ago 😁before they booked flights 😁
ähmm... no
Beginner. I am preparing for my Japan trip for over two years meanwhile and will have to wait for another.
I discovered this when I was watching a video from Get Germanized. Thank you very much for this, it was very informative and explains so much!
I want to visit Germany and Austria so bad. My great granfather was from Germany, he came to the US at 16 by himself in the late 30s. I'm learning to speak German. I would love to learn more about him and visit the area he was from.
I think the idea of German efficiency and precision comes more from the manufacturing culture than it does the actual governance of the country. German-made PRODUCTS are always considered to be very high quality. The "Germans are always on time" probably comes from a history of Germany being associated with clock-making, as well.
Very true...lots of stereotypes! When I first lived in Germany...I initially found it so clean and beautiful. No trash anywhere, bottles separated, everything seemed done with military precision. One quick example. If there is a pothole or crack on a German Autobahn...they will shut down an ENTIRE section and literally replace the road. In the US/UK...we just fill in a pothole with patch. And those "Blitzers" will cost you big bucks if you get zapped (electronic tickets) speeding through a construction zone. HUGE fines.
because replacing a part of the road is cheaper in the long run, when there is one pothole, it's most likely just the top of the iceberg, so replacing a part of the street prevents more potholes that are most likely to come soon in that area. And that kind of logic every german understands so they accept the inconvenience.
This show is getting better and better every time
Can't find in now, but saw a YT about how Germans were thrifty. A guy cut open the toothpaste tube to get the last little bit of toothpaste.
Brilliant clip!! Thanks so much, Rachel! One thing I find particular about us Germans is change - we avoid change at all costs. Let's say a new version of MS Office comes out - Germans will complain and scream - why change, I need to re-learn or change my ways.....while others would say: hey, cool a new version, show me the new features, maybe I can use them.....
Finished? 632 years? Cologne cathedral is still under construction. And will be for at least another 632 years.
That's repairs though. Given size & compleity it will essentially have to constantly be repaired for ever. Once your done on one end the other will need repairs again.
Fun fact: the prussians forced to complete it...just to "exploit" it as a national monument for the strength, will and power of Germany.
Der Dom darf gar nicht fertig werden. Das Kölner Sprichwort besagt: "An dem Tag, an dem der Dom fertig wird, geht die Welt unter".
The cathedral must not be finished at all. The Cologne proverb says: "The day the cathedral is finished, the world will end".
;-)
@2:20 "Fünf Minuten vor der Zeit ist des Soldaten Pünklichkeit. Nur der Sanitäter kommt 10 Minuten später."
Wir wollen doch korrekt bleiben ;-):-P
Have you considered Canada's Okanagan Valley? A Canadian vacation destination, with lot of German cuisine, wine and beer. We even have a Lake Monster (Ogogpogo)!
Great times being stationed in Germany. First time was at Memmingen west of Munchen by an hour. The next time was in Roedern, Rhineland Pfalz an hour west of Frankfurt. Now, both bases I was stationed at are closed (Peace dividend).
My wife is from Ebersbach, jetzt Oberguenzburg.
We went on many a volksmarsch and to all the local fests to include Oktoberfest and visited many castles and abbeys.
My favorite is Andechs with its great views and church and the best beer in Germany.
Freistaat Bayern, Do bin I dahoam.
Guten Morgen Liebe Rachel,
Diese video wãr sehr komisch.
Absolutely spot on after my experience of living & working in Germany last year especially with the trains.
Perhaps they could take a lesson in that from the swiss.
I still loved being there in Düsseldorf though & going out into the altstadt for eine kleine bier after the work day.
Bleib gesund und geborgen auch.
Vielen danke.
Danke Sean, Grüße aus Köln!
There’s a stereotype that it’s difficult to make friends with Germans. That they stick to their Freundkreis and rarely invite others. I didn’t find this to be true, especially in Munich. But I will say, being able to converse in their native German, definitely helps bridge that gap!
I do think it is true to some degree, but also depends on how you define the term friends.
Friend is a strong term in Germany, someone you can ask for help and if they agree to help you, they usually stand by their word and actually will do it. Same goes for invites to hang out. Only ask a German to hang out if you actually mean it. And if you are asked by a German to hang out or invited to do an activity together: don't be afraid to politely reject the offer if you don't feel like meeting this person.
Also as a general rule if you want to make friends in Germany: do not wait to be asked, but take action, reach out, say that you are feeling lonely (only if you do of course). Usually people will leave you to your business unless you clearly state that you don't feel well. If you are not close friends, they won't ask you how you feel or if you are ok.
Same in nort Germany, I was 5 years in NiederSachsen and they were friendly.
When I first moved here. I heard that about northern Germany - that it takes a long time to be accepted but when you are then they’re super friendly and that in the south they are super friendly straight away but forget who you are a week later.
@@CockmageLVL99 A disproportionately good comment from someone called "CockmageLVL99".
@@CockmageLVL99
Last sentence 👎!
love the conclusion on efficiency, so very true that German precision drags down the overall efficiency in many occasions from my personal experience.
example: I was dealing with an government agency and they asked for the Meldebestätigung. My application was not processed until ~10 days later, and they asked for another Meldebestätigung not more than 3 months old: when they start examining my application mine was 3 months and a few days old. i.e. my Meldebestätigung was valid (< 3 months old) when upon submission, but due to the officers taking their time it exceeds the 3-month old rule, no exception can be made for those extra few days, my application get rejected and I have to start all over again...
what a great piece - never really thought about what may have influenced the change in "humor" of our people. Makes complete sense!
I'm a Dual Passport Brit/German... I've been here for 22 years... and have still to find the German sense of humour 'funny' - especially stand-up!
Plus efficiency? Have you not experienced typical paperwork here? Over efficient! 😆👍
Germany is however, A1 with hospitality and one of the most friendly places you can visit!
For german humor I highly recommend the two Loriot movies „Pappa ante portas“ and „Ödipussi“... way better than any german standup
@@lastrockgod Thanks. Yes I know Loriot 😉
I only know German footballers. Klopp and Tuchel are both quite witty. Actually they can be very sarcastic, cutting and rude, I don't know if that's a specific German quality though.
Yeah, as a brit you might enjoy the northwest german humour. It's the dry kind.
Germany has an impressive range of glassware.
Literally Belgium - HOLD MY BEER!
😁
I've been to the De Koninck brewery in Antwerp in the end of 2019. Know exactly what you're talking about.
Stop screaming in all caps or the glasses might shatter
Amateurs compared to Belgium. Belgium even has a beer sign language for busy bars.
I like how this piece does not avoid the war or try to paint an overly rosy picture of Germany. I enjoyed it very much.
This show can’t get enough likes. Very creative. Thank you,
Wow, thank you!
Most of the people you see wearing a Dirndl dress or Lederhose are tourists trying to fit in to supposed manners of the region. In the countryside of Bavaria you might see local people in these outfits on Sundays in church or other local festivities. Some will have this dress code announced for a wedding. But it is not an everyday outfit. And only in the south and Austria ... and Switzerland.
I moved to Germany in 2015 and I am still shocked how difficult basic, everyday tasks are, for example when buying a car and registering it. Or dealing with address change. There is no efficiency there. In my homeland we do everything online in 5 minutes.
Good observation. The German way is backward, overly complicated, not explained well and often hardly explainable at all.
@@gardenjoy5223 yeah, thetr is no explanation. And the people working in these offices... Yikes! Some have been helpful, but many are super annoyed by the customers.
Rachel speaks without ANY accent! Just incredible!
I'm a German and live in Australia! We had friends our neighbours from the UK,
they lived and worked for 6 years for the British Army in Germany-Monchen Gladbach.
He was a big fan for the Borussia even when they played vs an English Club.
Nice people, what I didn't understand after all this years they didn't speak any German !
Speaking of German efficiency: Elbphilharmonie 😅
the Sydney Opera House had the same issues. From estimated costs of 7 Mio it went up to 100 Mio Australien Dollars. The PM of South Wales had such a fight with the architect Jørn Utzon, that the architect left Australia and never saw the building finished. Today it is the only iconic building on the whole continent and "world cultural heritage".
Yep. Germany’s Wembley stadium.
Everybody I know from Germany complain about the trains. 🤣
Here in my hometown the trains are usually on time. But buses often aren't, even with exclusive lanes in most arterial avenues.
By the way, that Dirndl fits you very well!
Nice one Rach.. especially the humour bit.
I honestly adore the sheer quality of these videos; it speaks to Rachel's prowess that she's able to promote Germany to foreigners while simultaneously engaging locals as well. At the risk of stretching it a bit too thick, I'd compare her to a
I lived in Germany 8 years, married a German and love the culture. I am Latino so even more different than a full blooded American! I fully agree that these stereotypes been the most common. I speak the language, and truly understand and can live great among them, fantastic people. Yet they do have humor but one that even understands the language I hear the jokes and I see them laughing their guts out and they really have a very subtle compared to my culture when it comes to sense of humor. Sometimes they laugh and laugh at something and I say to myself saying “ for real!” I just don’t get it. But they do have it their own way!
Honestly, none of these stereotypes come to mind when I think of Germany. Maybe the one about humor... but not so much that “Germans don’t have a sense of humor” but “Germans have a very dry sense of humor”. Even then, I didn’t think of it as a stereotype because I, myself, have very dry sense of humor. I mean, come on. How could a people with SO MANY idioms for going #2 be considered humorless??
Another great video by Rachel.
She examines and explodes German stereotypes.