# What would be an example of German humor? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 16, 2005, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345 "2005-02-16T13:43:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/21 "2005-02-16T20:25:05Z")
To continue the Monty Python thread, Zwei peanuts vere valking down die Strasse, und one vas assaulted. Peanut. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/22 "2005-02-16T22:05:59Z")
Well, Otto used to be quite popular and a few times he made me laugh out loud…here is his website: [http://www.ottifant.de/index\_day.html](http://www.ottifant.de/index_day.html) He also does some animation and cartoons, as well as a stand up act, films and some odd musical numbers. Also, the recent film **Goodbye Lenin** is actually pretty funny in parts. But I have to admit, although German comedians don’t exactly grow on Tannenbaums, the German audience loves American and British comedy series and comedy films. Say what you want about the film, but the recent release Meet The Fokkers was number one in Germany for several weeks, as well as Invincibles and other recent comedy releases. And a tradition at New Year’s in Germany is the telvision broadcast of a silly little British short film, **Dinner For One**. Here is a reference to that; > **[Learning and Teaching German](https://www.thoughtco.com/german-4133073)** > > Teachers and students can use these comprehensive German language guides to improve reading, writing, and comprehension skills for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/23 "2005-02-16T23:15:27Z")
[Here’s](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v496/TentacleMonster/Recycling.jpg) an example of German humor that’s actually kind of funny. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/24 "2005-02-16T23:25:39Z")
> [@griffen2](#): > > From the repertoire of a superb German comedian whose name I’ve forgotten. > > "Before I became a comedian I used to travel frequently and I became exposed to a lot of anti-German stereotypes. In fact, the reason I became a comedian was to debunk the charicature of the Germans as mechanical automatons obsessed with order and sequence. > > Now, joke number 1…" I remember this guy. It was a funny act, but I read a while ago that he was actually an American, not a German. > [@Rayne Man](#): > > A couple of years ago I read about a German comedian who was famous just before WW2 . He used to come on stage and give what looked looked like a " Heil Hitler" salute . When everyone had responded and quietened down he would come out with “In my village last year , the snow was this deep” . He was either very brave or very foolish. I wonder if this is Werner Fink, who I read about somewhere. IIRC he was popular in Berlin, but the Nazis never bothered him. He would come on stage, salute, and say “HEIL…what’s that guy’s name again?” One of Hitler’s men (I can’t remember if it was Goering or Goebbels) had married a younger wife, but he was reputedly sterile or impotent. They had a son, which prompted Fink’s joke: “I hear X is going to name his son Hamlet. Why? _Sein oder nicht sein, das ist der frage!_” (_Sein_ in German means either “to be” or “his”). ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/25 "2005-02-17T00:36:28Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > [The definitive guide.](http://www.nationallampoon.com/nl/02_fb/foreigners/02_foreigners9.asp) Man, that is some funny and pretty harsh humor. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/26 "2005-02-17T00:45:29Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > Man, that is some funny and pretty harsh humor. Yes. Yet another example of how the original National Lampoon still influences comedy even today. The only saving grace is that _every_ nationality gets the same treatment. ---
**Author:** ![Keapon\_Laffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e274bd/32.png) [@Keapon\_Laffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keapon_Laffin)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/27 "2005-02-17T01:10:08Z")
> [@RadioWave](#): > > Every german at the table laughed like crazy but the Americans just looked confused. Ahahahahhahahaha… okay, I’m not German… but this was funny… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/28 "2005-02-17T02:29:43Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Yes. Yet another example of how the original National Lampoon still influences comedy even today. The only saving grace is that _every_ nationality gets the same treatment. I was hoping for a page on Americans. As a soon-to-be-european, I need to practice mocking the Yanks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/29 "2005-02-17T06:06:35Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > -snip- > > The Kommandant says “No, we have reason to believe you are trying to escape.” I’m not terribly amused by the toilet paper joke, but _this_ is funny. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/30 "2005-02-17T11:30:13Z")
> [@tschild](#): > > [An example](http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/zwiebelfisch/0,1518,grossbild-436525-341732,00.html) of what the web site of Germany’s largest newsmagazine presents as chuckleworthy. (the sign, on a cinema’s front, says: “It is not allowed to consume food or drink taken from outside”). I think what’s supposed to be funny is that next to that sign are NO DOG/ NO ICE CREAM symbols, implying people consume dogs. ---
**Author:** ![Coil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Coil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coil)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/31 "2005-02-17T12:09:52Z")
> [@Knowed Out](#): > > The closest I can come is the rock group Laibach, what does Wagnerian covers of ditty pop tunes like _Life is Life_ with goose stepping, kettle drums and herald trumpets. Even then, it’s done more for shock value than humor, as you’re not really sure whether they’re being serious or not. Laibach is not a German band, they’re from Slovenia. Laibach is the German name for Ljubljana the capital of Slovenia. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/32 "2005-02-17T14:08:20Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > I’m not terribly amused by the toilet paper joke, but _this_ is funny. But surely the POW joke is **about** Germans ( probably by a Brit ) and not\*\* by \*\*Germans? I think the original post was asking about German humour, not jokes about Germans from other countries. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/33 "2005-02-17T14:15:42Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > I was hoping for a page on Americans. As a soon-to-be-european, I need to practice mocking the Yanks. 🙂 personally, I just read the website of the New York Post. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/34 "2005-02-17T14:16:47Z")
> [@Coil](#): > > Laibach is not a German band, they’re from Slovenia. Laibach is the German name for Ljubljana the capital of Slovenia. Hm, well, scratch one example of German humor then. Doesn’t seem to be much left… ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/35 "2005-02-17T14:31:39Z")
Wow, this toilet paper joke has me totally intrigued. A short survey of my friends uncovered NO non-German descent people who even “get it” or understand why it’s supposed to be funny (Out of 6 whom I sent the joke to). One American raised by German grandparents laughed heartily, one with two German parents STILL hasn’t stopped laughing, and two who were raised listening to, but not understanding, German radio think it mildly amusing. The English-descent mathmetician is still trying to figure out if it’s a number joke. I admit, I don’t get it. My mother is of German descent, but I guess it’s not strong enough in me. Not only do I not find it funny, but I really can’t figure out what about it is \*supposed \*to be funny. Even those friends who found it funny can’t explain why. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/36 "2005-02-17T15:19:47Z")
> [@griffen2](#): > > From the repertoire of a superb German comedian whose name I’ve forgotten. > > "Before I became a comedian I used to travel frequently and I became exposed to a lot of anti-German stereotypes. In fact, the reason I became a comedian was to debunk the charicature of the Germans as mechanical automatons obsessed with order and sequence. > > Now, joke number 1…" I vaguely remember one joke that I think is from the same comedian. It was something like, “I went to a baseball game recently in Germany. It was Helmet Day. Everyone named Helmut got in free.” (yeah, it doesn’t come out right on paper, but out loud it’s funny) ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/37 "2005-02-17T17:16:52Z")
I learned some jokes from German exchange student who went to my high school. Of course, none of them are even remotely appropriate for this forum. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/38 "2005-02-17T18:44:13Z")
If my dad is any indication, wordplay is huge. The man loves a pun, any pun, and he’s always delighted with himself when he can pun in English as well as German. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/39 "2005-02-17T22:27:20Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > I saw a video of Monty Python singing the lumberjack song _in_ German. Does that count? 😉 Monty Python did a couple of shows entirely in german. If you look on the internet you can see them. complete with subtitiles. It’s the same jokes as in the english versions. ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345/40 "2005-02-18T05:05:38Z")
OK, now I must know. Why is the toilet paper joke funny? slinks off, feeling pathetic [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-an-example-of-german-humor/290345.md?page=3)