# What does this German Beer Stein Say? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 28, 2007, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744 "2007-05-28T00:49:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/1 "2007-05-28T00:49:09Z")
I went to an auction today and I am now the proud owner of a 2 liter (16-1/2" tall) German Beer Stein (circa 1957) with the head of a large 12 point buck jutting out from the wooded motif of said stein by almost 2 inches. Despite my girlfriends displeasure of my spending $40 on a (to her) useless item for myself I am quite happy with my purchase and intend on using it tomorrow to become a drunken boar at the cookout. šŸ˜ƒ My problem is this, being a man of obvious taste and refinement, I will of course be asked (and expected to know) what the saying on the Stein means. It has this imprinted under the afore mentioned trophy head: ā€œIm Wald und aufder Haide da such ich meine Freude.ā€ A quick Bablefish inquiry gives me ā€œIn the forest and up that Haide there look for I mean joy.ā€ Which is both helpful and gibberish at the same time. I sure that I could fake it knowing just that much, but I would prefer to enlighten my friends and family with the type of precise and complete explanations that my fellow dopers have been able to provide me in the past. Could someone at least help me out with Haide? Is it a proper name? A name that would be familiar to beer drinking Germans who hunt? Provide me a good explanation and Iā€™ll drink in Stein in your honor tomorrow! šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/2 "2007-05-28T00:58:04Z")
My German is very rusty, but ā€˜auf der Haideā€™ could refer to a mountain or a river called Haide (more or less pronouced Hi-duh). ā€˜Meineā€™ is ā€˜mineā€™. So: In the forest and up the Haide River (or on Haide Mountain, or whatever) I look for my joy. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/3 "2007-05-28T01:04:20Z")
Slow server made me miss the edit window. Thereā€™s a municipality in Rhein-Lahn-Kreis called Holzhausen on der Haide. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/4 "2007-05-28T01:05:06Z")
My German friend says, ā€œIn forest and meadow I seek my pleasureā€ is a good translation. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/5 "2007-05-28T01:07:31Z")
[Here is an ebay auction](http://cgi.cafr.ebay.ca/German-Lidded-Beer-Stein-with-Dogs_W0QQitemZ230128762464QQihZ013QQcategoryZ40042QQcmdZViewItem) for a stein with same inscription, and the owner transalates it as: > [@](#): > > ā€œIm wald und auf der haideā€(In the woods and in the fields) > ā€œDa such ich meine freudeā€ (there is the pleasure that I seek). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/6 "2007-05-28T01:08:45Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons] My German friend says, ā€œIn forest and meadow I seek my pleasureā€ is a good translation. [/QUOTE] See? I told you my German was rusty! ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/7 "2007-05-28T01:11:05Z")
Could Haide a girl perhaps? Or does it refer to a meadow? Iā€™m thinking that ā€œIn the forest with Heide I find my pleasure?ā€ šŸ†’ Or is that just wishful thinking and just too far fetched? ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/8 "2007-05-28T01:12:06Z")
Haide= old spelling of Heide. Cognate, I suspect, with ā€˜heathā€™/ heather etc. ---
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/9 "2007-05-28T01:19:48Z")
[QUOTE=Si Amigo] My problem is this, being a man of obvious taste and refinement, I will of course be asked (and expected to know) what the saying on the Stein means. It has this imprinted under the afore mentioned trophy head: ā€œIm Wald und aufder Haide da such ich meine Freude.ā€ [/QUOTE] Literally, it means ā€œin the woods and on the heather, there I search for my joy!ā€ A more connotative translation would be ā€œMy happiness is in the woods and fieldsā€. My guess is that itā€™s the motto of the company whose beer is advertised in the stein. ā€œHaideā€ is literally heather; I canā€™t figure out why Babelfish couldnā€™t translate it! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/10 "2007-05-28T01:23:17Z")
[QUOTE=Si Amigo] Could Haide a girl perhaps? Or does it refer to a meadow? Iā€™m thinking that ā€œIn the forest with Heide I find my pleasure?ā€ šŸ†’ Or is that just wishful thinking and just too far fetched? [/QUOTE] I think that would be ā€˜Im Wald _mit_ Haideā€™. ā€˜Aufā€™ means ā€˜onā€™. (e.g., ā€˜auf dem Tischā€™: 'on the table.) So ā€˜in the forest and on top of Heidiā€™ā€¦ šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/11 "2007-05-28T01:26:46Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] I think that would be ā€˜Im Wald _mit_ Haideā€™. ā€˜Aufā€™ means ā€˜onā€™. (e.g., ā€˜auf dem Tischā€™: 'on the table.) So ā€˜in the forest and on top of Heidiā€™ā€¦ šŸ˜‰ [/QUOTE] They will never know the difference tomorrow, Iā€™m going with that one. šŸ™‚ Thanks everybody. This thing is big enough I can drink a whole 6 pack out of it so thats one for each of you! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/12 "2007-05-28T01:28:26Z")
[QUOTE=Si Amigo] They will never know the difference tomorrow, Iā€™m going with that one. šŸ™‚ [/QUOTE] Maybe as the joke answer before you tell them the real one. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/13 "2007-05-28T01:31:01Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] Maybe as the joke answer before you tell them the real one. [/QUOTE] Of course. Must fight ignorance you know. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/14 "2007-05-28T01:37:28Z")
[QUOTE=Si Amigo] Of course. Must fight ignorance you know. [/QUOTE] Of course, of course. Still, we were going to play a prank on a friend. We were going to get him to get us a couple of beers. ā€˜Beineā€™ being ā€˜beersā€™, of course; and a request for two beers (preferably to a large and mean-looking barkeep) being ā€˜Sie haben schƶne Beine.ā€™ šŸ˜ƒ Sadly, our victim decided heā€™d rather stay in the States with his new girlfriend than go gallivanting around Europe. Eh, what can I say? We were young and it would have been funny at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/15 "2007-05-28T03:19:51Z")
ā€œda such ich meine Freudeā€ shows up on many steins and not always with the ā€œIm Wald und auf der Haideā€ So the stein makers liked to use "Here I find my pleasure. I found ā€œda such ich meine Freudeā€ alone at times so I take it to be German humor on drinking when itā€™s alone on the stein. More often they replaced the forest and meadow or heather with something else. Iā€™m going to post my translation, because I worked on it a bit, and itā€™s close. In woods and bounding heather, there I seek my pleasure. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/16 "2007-05-28T13:05:27Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] See? I told you my German was rusty! [/QUOTE] Have you thought of oiling him? šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/17 "2007-05-28T13:10:37Z")
[QUOTE=Si Amigo] They will never know the difference tomorrow, Iā€™m going with that one. šŸ™‚ Thanks everybody. This thing is big enough I can drink a whole 6 pack out of it so thats one for each of you! [/QUOTE] After you quaff a six pack of beer, how much pleasure is Heidi gonna get? šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/18 "2007-05-28T15:34:50Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] After you quaff a six pack of beer, how much pleasure is Heidi gonna get? šŸ˜ƒ [/QUOTE] She tells me that she is going to get her own stein with something about seeking her pleasure in a penthouse suite and a guy named Bjorn. :eek: Yep, todayā€™s starting out good . . . :rolleyes: So where can we order one? Do they make eroctic ones? šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/19 "2007-05-28T20:04:44Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons] My German friend says, ā€œIn forest and meadow I seek my pleasureā€ is a good translation. [/QUOTE] From the fact that it has a 12-point buck on it Iā€™d also assume itā€™s meant as a celebration of the sport of, in the forest and on the field. ARe there any other hunting-specific symbols, like little horns and so on? The buck is a symbol of the hunt, and appears on the Jagermeister label (Jagermeister=master hunter). ---
**Author:** ![zoltar7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b38774/32.png) [@zoltar7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoltar7)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744/20 "2007-05-28T20:20:15Z")
The lines are from the 19th century folk song _Im Wald und auf der Heide_, lyrics by [Wilhelm Bornemann](http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakob_Wilhelm_Bornemann), adapted from the Latin _Silva et fruticeta sunt gaudio repleta_. This [Boston SƤngerchor site](http://prichard.net/saengerchor/1003notes.html#gehricke) has the original Latin lyrics, the German text, and an English translation of several verses. Their English translation of the first lines is: In the forest and in the heather, there I seek my joy. Basically, itā€™s all about how cool it is to be a hunter. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-german-beer-stein-say/405744.md?page=2)