# What is the origin of "Germany is calling and I must go"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [March 1, 2025, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-germany-is-calling-and-i-must-go/1014985 "2025-03-01T19:00:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2025, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-germany-is-calling-and-i-must-go/1014985/1 "2025-03-01T19:00:10Z")
I saw this phrase on a t-shirt. I found there are a number of different companies selling their version of this shirt. It sounds like a quote from an internet meme or a movie or a video game or something. But I can’t find any source. Anybody able to tell me its origin? And what the connotation the phrase is seeking to convey? ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2025, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-germany-is-calling-and-i-must-go/1014985/2 "2025-03-01T19:13:30Z")
The original source quote would seem to be “The mountains are calling, and I must go", written by [John Muir](https://www.onverticality.com/blog/john-muir-quote-1). I guess it’s a bit of a mashup of that quote with [Germany Calling](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany_Calling), but I’m not sure what the connotation is beyond that. It just seems to be for fun and perhaps because Germany is a popular backpacking destination? ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2025, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-germany-is-calling-and-i-must-go/1014985/3 "2025-03-02T18:27:56Z")
I just searched for “Switzerland is calling and I must go” and “France is calling and I must go” and found shirts for both. Also for Florida, Singapore, Chile, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2025, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-germany-is-calling-and-i-must-go/1014985/4 "2025-03-02T18:31:50Z")
Also a popular theme among those eligible for military service in 1914. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2025, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-germany-is-calling-and-i-must-go/1014985/5 "2025-03-03T16:13:45Z")
There are all sorts of variants out there for sale, from your favorite sport or hobby to places, like the OP referenced. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2025, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-germany-is-calling-and-i-must-go/1014985/6 "2025-03-03T16:50:56Z")
This. The asterisk is a wildcard in Google searches, so if you Google: > `*` is calling and I must go you’ll get pretty much everything. Check the image results for T-shirts, cards, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2025, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-germany-is-calling-and-i-must-go/1014985/7 "2025-03-03T16:51:49Z")
Why not London Calling? I live by the river. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2025, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-germany-is-calling-and-i-must-go/1014985/8 "2025-03-03T16:55:53Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Why not London Calling? That t-shirt would Clash with your pants ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2025, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-germany-is-calling-and-i-must-go/1014985/9 "2025-03-03T18:00:11Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Also a popular theme among those eligible for military service in 1914. That was sort of my point. It’s why I’m wondering about the origin of the phrase. If it originated as a slogan for a hiking club in 2005, no big deal. If it originated on Waffen-SS recruitment posters in 1940, it has a much different history.