According to a recent survey, comparing humour in different European countries, found that the Germans could actually laugh about any kind of joke while others were more into e.g. political or racial etc. though personally I must admit I never understood British humour. Nevermind, my all-time favorite is the: Waterproof tea-bags[/quote]
Actually, I was just having a go at WR’s post and assumed he was German. I am, naturally, very glad to hear that Germans are totally indiscriminating when it comes to what they will laugh at.
When I did my German Cinema course, our lecturer went to great lengths to explain to us what an amazing variety of different films there were going to be. After 6 months of some 50 or so (often fantastic) films, however, it transpired that there was not a single comedy. There, were however sausages in fully a third of the films. So I developed my German joke:
“Someone came up to me in the street and said “here have a sausage”, but I wasn’t even hungry, ha ha”
Oh, Ok seriously now, I think the question to be asked is not “why don’t Germans have a sense of humour?”, but “how id Germans get the reputation for not haVING A SNSE OF HUmour?’ or how come we think Germans don’t have a sense of humour?”
Uh-oh… I started all this off with my stereotyping one-liner.(1)
Let me just get it on record that the Germans I have met by and large displayed what I would call a “puckish” sense of humour.
In addition, I don’t see how any nation can survive without having any sense of humour… although I have lived in a couple places that came pretty close.
Where?
Oh no… discretion is the better part of valour this time.
I guess that is one of the reasons I like Taiwan - people here are never far from laughter.
(1) In the products that never made it to market thread, from which this thread appears to have been culled.
The German phenomenon of Ostalgie - nostalgia for the former East Germany - has sparked plans for a theme park celebrating all aspects of life in the communist state.
With surly border guards, bland regulation restaurant food and typical East German Trabant cars trundling the streets, the 10,000 square-metre (107,000 sq ft) park promises to provide its punters with an authentic eastern experience.
“We don’t want to poke fun at what it used to be like - we want to provide a truly historical experience,” Susanne Reich, spokeswoman for the project, told BBC News Online.
Although the plan is just at the idea stage, the company, Massine Productions, is confident that interest is sufficient to see it realised - possibly in the east Berlin suburb of Koepenick." :shock:
When I crossed over from the West to the East in the good old days of the Berlin Wall, I found myself liking it much better on the Communist side. Perhaps it was the nearly-carless streets and dirt-cheap beer that gave me such a positive impression – but I did also find the people there much more laid-back and friendly.