The Germans – tyrants and gregarious animals

Despite the enlightenment, the globalisation and the information age in the 21st century – the cover illustration makes it clear how the Germans are still viewed: the woman of the couple, which are engaged in folk dancing, has braids, wears a dirndl and holds a beer jug in her hand, while the man wears the matching lederhosen, in them the curved white sausage, a Hitler moustache, and besides the beer jug holds a pitchfork. In addition to their love of orderliness, meticulousness and punctuality the Germans have a penchant for obstinacy, sluggishness and humourlessness. Furthermore, they have a tendency towards tyranny and obedience. In a ranking of specific traits the designer compares the different nations extremely impressively: the number of knifes, condoms or roosters, for instance, indicates which nations are leading when it comes to murderers and vengefulness, seducers, and show-offs. The Germans are ranked first in the comparison “Tyrants and gregarious animals”, which is visually represented by a steel helmet and a pick-axe – together with the Russians, for that matter. At least they came last in the categories “thieves, liars and fraudsters” as well as “cowards and slackers”. Other positive aspects are, apart from being a football nation, the welfare state of the Germans and their innovative strength in the areas of technology and automobile manufacture. Knowing this might make it easier to cope with the comment of the English writer D. H. Lawrence made in 1929: “The Germans are very strange. And, my God, how ugly they can be.”