German Stereotypes English Version

Don't mention the towels

No sense of humour? Heard the one about the German throwing all the towels in the pool one early morning – he diligently fished them all out again later, writes Rainer Erlinger:

Yes it is true, all the cliches are correct, even the one about the towels and the sunloungers. At least as much was confirmed to me by a reliable friend, who is widely travelled. He also confirmed that only the Germans do it. Mind you, he also confounds the cliche: he once threw all the towels into the pool one early morning, along with two Brits he met in the bar the night before (another cliche).

Efficient and disciplined?

My friend also supplied some ammunition for the second stereotype: that Germans are hardworking, efficient and disciplined. When most holidaymakers from other countries complained about the towels ending up in the pool he went straight down and fished them out.

Such diligence just goes to show that he is not from Berlin. Hard work, efficiency and discipline maybe typical German characteristics but I've never heard they are traits for Germans living in the capital. Most Germans view Berliners as the Latin Americans of Germany. Obviously, it's not down to the weather, rather the more relaxed attitude towards schedules and getting things done.

Efficiency is not really a Berlin thing. Take construction. To build 2km of new tram lines to connect the new central station, they set aside three years. Delays were not even factored in. In China, they'd have built whole new cities in that time, or a high-speed motorway across the entire country. Maybe the Chinese are the Germans of the 21st century. Or maybe Berliners are just not typical Germans. Can you stereotype a country if its capital is not typical?

No sense of humour?

The third cliche is harder to understand: that Germans are stiff and humourless. It's all relative. Of course, Angela Merkel is a bit more stiff and formal than Silvio Berlusconi but it could be the other way around with Mario Monti. Hardly anyone would claim Christian Wulff [the German president] is more formal than the English queen. This may be the problem: he seems too relaxed with his friends and their generosity for many a German's liking. (Wulff is accused of accepting a large private loan from the wife of a wealthy businessman.)

Seemingly, Germans don't think it is a laughing matter when it comes to their politicians – at least not outside of satirical programmes or Carnival. If Germans do have a sense of humour perhaps it has to be clearly noted in the calendar.

German anger at Wulff's relatively minor misjudgments would make other countries laugh and blush (Berlusconi, anyone?). When it comes to cliches, the Germans are extremely diligent, efficient and disciplined about living up to them.

English translation: The Guardian Thursday 26 January 2012

Link to German version