# Kennedy: Ich bin ein berliner - What if he visited Hamburg instead? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 20, 2016, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594 "2016-02-20T01:05:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/1 "2016-02-20T01:05:57Z")
When President Kennedy visited Berlin, he said… “Ich bin ein Berliner” (“I am a Berliner”). Now what if he had visited Hamburg instead? “Ich bin ein Hamburger”? [Ich bin ein Berliner - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ich_bin_ein_Berliner) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/2 "2016-02-20T01:07:03Z")
Frankfurt? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/3 "2016-02-20T01:43:23Z")
Or Vienna? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/4 "2016-02-20T01:47:05Z")
Bangkok may have been appropriate, all things considered. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/5 "2016-02-20T03:47:35Z")
If it had been Denmark that had somehow had a wall built around it, would Kennedy have said, “I am a Danish”? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/6 "2016-02-20T08:11:41Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > If it had been Denmark that had somehow had a wall built around it, would Kennedy have said, “I am a Danish”? Close. A “berliner” is a jelly donut. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/7 "2016-02-20T13:20:01Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Close. A “berliner” is a jelly donut. But, [apparently not in Berlin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ich_bin_ein_Berliner#Jelly_doughnut_misconception). That item seems to be called _Pfannkuchen_ there. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/8 "2016-02-20T15:31:23Z")
Nuremburg? ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/9 "2016-02-21T20:44:12Z")
“Ich bin ein slider”? ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/10 "2016-02-21T23:33:14Z")
He probably would have got kicked in the head by a gang of young toughs jealous over the attention their women were paying him. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2016, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/11 "2016-02-21T23:53:48Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Or Vienna? [Bonn?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonn,_Germany) ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/12 "2016-02-22T09:40:07Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Frankfurt? > [@cochrane](#): > > Or Vienna? Or even [Rottweil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rottweil) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/13 "2016-02-22T12:12:04Z")
What if he had likened himself to someone born in a certain little village in Austria (known for having its signs repeatedly stolen by visiting English speakers), but who has lived in Berlin for most of his life? ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/14 "2016-02-22T12:18:45Z")
(ETA: I just now realized I came _this close_ to unintentionally Godwinizing this thread…) ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/15 "2016-02-22T12:24:42Z")
You’re OK there, I think – haven’t heard that Braunau-am-Inn gets its town-limits signs stolen much, by visiting speakers of any particular language 🙂 … ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/16 "2016-02-22T12:31:00Z")
> [@Sangahyando](#): > > You’re OK there, I think – haven’t heard that Braunau-am-Inn gets its town-limits signs stolen much, by visiting speakers of any particular language 🙂 … 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/17 "2016-02-22T15:06:32Z")
Imagine if he had visited [this place](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fucking,_Austria). ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/18 "2016-02-22T18:45:06Z")
Was going to carry on with the “almost-Godwinizing” humour; but took several glitches in a row stopping me from successfully “submitting reply”, as a sign suggesting that laying-off was indicated. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/19 "2016-02-22T18:52:34Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > What if he had likened himself to someone born in a certain little village in Austria (known for having its signs repeatedly stolen by visiting English speakers), but who has lived in Berlin for most of his life? > [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Imagine if he had visited [this place](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fucking,_Austria). Yes, I think the joke was that he would then have said “ich bin ein Fucking-Berliner.” ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594/20 "2016-02-23T02:36:28Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Yes, I think the joke was that he would then have said “ich bin ein Fucking-Berliner.” Yup. Sorry if I was too vague – but I’m glad that Siam Sam and I think alike! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kennedy-ich-bin-ein-berliner-what-if-he-visited-hamburg-instead/746594.md?page=2)