Warum wir Deutschland mögen

Fotos, Zitate und andere deutsche Häppchen Photos, quotes, and other German treats

[thatswhywelovegermany]

sich in die Tasche lügen

literally: to lie oneself in the pocket

to kid oneself, to deceive oneself

Origin: An empty pocket remains empty, to matter how hard you pretend that there is something in there.

[thatswhywelovegermany]

Wenn Gott zürnte und alle Gelehrte aus der Welt wegnähme, so würden die Leute gar zu Bestien und wilden Tieren; da wäre kein Verstand noch Witz, kein Recht, sondern eitel Rauben, Stehlen, Morden, Ehebrechen und Schaden tun.

If God were to grow angry and remove all scholars from the world, people would turn into mere beasts and wild animals; there would be neither reason nor wit, nor law—only rampant robbery, theft, murder, adultery, and the infliction of harm.

Martin Luther (1483 – 1546), German monk, professor of theology, and church reformer

[thatswhywelovegermany]

etwas aufs Tapet bringen

literally: to place something on the fabric-covered conference table

to bring something up, to introduce a new topic into the discussion

Origin: Adopted from French, where "tapis" referred to the tablecloth on the conference table.

[thatswhywelovegermany]

Wissen ist Macht!

Knowledge is power!

Wilhelm Liebknecht (1826 – 1900), German politician, founder of the Social Democratic Party

[thatswhywelovegermany]

Es ist noch nicht aller Tage Abend.

literally: It is not yet the evening of all days.

It’s not over yet. Nothing has been finally decided yet. A lot can still happen.

[thatswhywelovegermany]

Wenn einer kümt un tau mi seggt: Ich mak dat allen Minschen recht, Denn segg ick: Leiwe Fründ, mit Gunst, O, lihrn S' mi doch des' swere Kunst.

Wenn einer kommt und zu mir sagt: Ich mache es allen Menschen recht, dann sage ich: Lieber Freund, mit Gunst, oh, lehren Sie mir doch diese schwere Kunst.

If someone comes and says to me, "I please everyone," then I say: "Dear friend, oh please, do teach me this difficult art."

Fritz Reuter (1810 – 1874), German poet and writer in the Low German language

[thatswhywelovegermany]

mit jemandem Tacheles reden

literally: to talk objective / purpose with someone

to address or discuss something openly and without beating around the bush

Origin: From Yiddish, derived from the Hebrew word tachlit (תכלית) meaning "goal" or "purpose".

[thatswhywelovegermany]

Mancher steht und wartet in der Welt, Und weiß nicht recht, worauf er warten soll.

Some stand and wait in the world, and do not quite know what they should be waiting for.

Ludwig Tieck (1773 – 1853), German poet, writer, publisher, editor, and translator

[thatswhywelovegermany]

Süßholz raspeln

literally: to rasp / grate sweet wood (liquorice / licorice)

to sweet-talk someone; to butter someone up; to flatter someone clumsily

Origin: Liquorice / licorice is a perennial plant whose root contains a sugary sap used, among other things, to produce liquorice / licorice candy.

[thatswhywelovegermany]

Wenn wir einmal das Gebiet des Rechts verletzen und das der Willkür betreten, so sehe ich darin nur den Anfang des Endes.

Once we transgress the realm of law and enter that of arbitrariness, I see in this nothing but the beginning of the end.

Otto von Bismarck (1815 – 1898), German politician and statesman

[thatswhywelovegermany]

jemandem die Suppe versalzen

literally: to oversalt someone's soup

to spoil someone's plans; to deter someone (also unintentionally) from doing something

Origin: Over-salted soup is inedible.

[thatswhywelovegermany]

Vor der Natur gibt es kein Urteil; sie hat immer recht.

There is no judgment before nature; it is always right.

Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 – 1926), German poet

[thatswhywelovegermany]

jemandem in die Suppe spucken

literally: to spit into someone's soup

to spoil / thwart someone's plans; to foil someone's intentions

Origin: A soup into which someone else has spat is no longer fit to eat.

[thatswhywelovegermany]

Alle auf das Recht anderer Menschen bezogene Handlungen, deren Maxime sich nicht mit der Publizität verträgt, sind unrecht.

All actions relating to the rights of other people, the maxims of which are incompatible with publicity, are unjust.

Immanuel Kant (1724 – 1804), German philosopher

[thatswhywelovegermany]

die Suppe auslöffeln, die ein anderer eingebrockt hat

literally: to spoon up the soup that someone else has crumbled in

to have to deal with the mess someone else has made; be punished (jointly) for the actions of a third party

[thatswhywelovegermany]

der Sündenbock sein

literally: to be the sin buck

to be the scapegoat

Origin: On Yom Kippur, a male goat was driven into the desert after the High Priest had laid the sins of the people upon it.

[thatswhywelovegermany]

Sommerfrische

Zupf' dir ein Wölkchen aus dem Wolkenweiß, das durch den sonnigen Himmel schreitet. Und schmücke den Hut, der duch begleitet, mit einem grünen Reis.

Verstecke dich faul in der Fülle der Gräser, weil's wohltut, weil's frommt. Und bist du ein Mundharmonikabläser und hast eine bei dir, so spiel was dir kommt.

Und lass deine Melodien lenken von dem freigegebenen Wolkengezupf. Vergiss dich. Es soll dein Denken nicht weiter reichen als ein Grashüpferhupf.

Summer Holiday

Pluck a little cloud from the white of clouds drifting across the sunny sky. And adorn the hat that accompanies you with a green sprig.

Lazily hide amidst the abundance of grasses, for it does you good, for it is wholesome. And if you are a harmonica player and have one with you, then play whatever comes to mind.

And let your melodies be guided by the liberated plucking of the clouds. Lose yourself. Let your thoughts reach no further than the leap of a grasshopper.

Joachim Ringelnatz (1883 – 1934), German poet