The Germans seem to have a reputation abroard for being a very busy and serious people. They are famed for their apparent lack of humour and their inability to laugh about and make fun of themselves. It is said in the UK that whereas the english work to live, the Germans live to work. A little exaggerated maybe, especially seeing that it was mainly the imported workforce from Turkey and Yugoslavia that were the real motor of the economic recovery as far as physical labour was concerned, but nevertheless…

Or maybe not? First doubts arose when they entered the zany Guildo Horn for the Eurovision Song Contest a few years ago – here’s what Wikipedia has to say about this entry…

“Written by television host Stefan Raab under the pseudonym “Alf Igel” (a reference to prolific composer Ralph Siegel), the song is a tongue-in-cheek parody of the schlager style for which Germany had become known at previous Contests. Horn (whose backing band’s name translates as “the Orthopedic Stockings”) sings about his desire to return to “a time of tenderness/When Caressing and Cuddling and Loving/Were always written with capitals” and “When I daily wrote in a poetry book:/Yoo hoo hoo – I love you”.”

While the song did not win, it is credited with rekindling German interest in the Contest, as well as paving the way for Raab’s own entry two years later with Wadde hadde Dudde da?. Following Austria‘s Boom Boom Boomerang and Belgium‘s Euro-Vision, it is considered to be the third parody song to make an appearance at the Contest.

With the rise of private television in the 80s, a number of comedians have appeared on the horizon to stand in line next to Germanys only previous comedian of note, Otto Waalkes. It is without a doubt that these people have changed the face of German humor in the last 20 years.

And now we not only have these people, but also a TV comedy series Stromberg that has already become a classic. Loosely based on the TV series “The Office” it also happens to be very funny!

But the real climax – which shows how far German humour has changed and developed – comes in a TV commercial, for a VW car of all things. In a blatent reference to the “Towel Wars” of the last few years between german and british tourists (which the respective tabloids “Bild” and “The Sun” made a big issue of), a young man is depicted in a car showroom examining a brand new VW Golf. He opens the door and is about to get into the car, when a couple stood some way behind them fling their bathtowels through the open window. They land perfectly on the seats of the car, and the woman then remarks – “I’m sorry, but this car is reserved for us” … marvellous!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXRKZzPjYV0

Who says they can’t make fun of themselves? 5 stars from me for the makers of this commercial …

Credits:
Guildo Horn Photo: Public Domain, taken by “Schlendrian”