Various terms used for Germans
Encyclopedia
There are many alternative ways to describe the people of Germany
, though in English the official designated nationality as well as the standard noun
is German. (see also demonym
). During the early Renaissance, "German" implied that the person spoke German
as a native language. Until German unification, people living in what is now Germany were named for the region they lived in, examples include Bavaria
ns, Brandenburg
ers and Hanoverian
s. Some other terms are humorous
or derogatory slang
, and used mainly by people from other countries, although they can be used in a self-deprecating way by German people themselves. Other terms are serious or tongue-in-cheek attempts to coin words as alternatives to the ambiguous standard terms.
The phrase "Pennsylvania Dutch
" is a corruption of the German word for German, "Deutsch". To this day, descendants of German immigrants who resettled in Pennsylvania continue to refer to themselves as Pennsylvania Dutch. They may identify themselves as being Pennsylvania German, too. Some may or may not be members of the plain sects found in southeastern Pennsylvania, which includes the Amish
.
Today, aside from that exception, the word Dutch is only used to refer to the people of the Netherlands
or their Dutch language
.
and ultimately comes from the Latin name for the Germanic tribe of the Alamanni
. It was used alongside "Dutch" but unlike Dutch had a more limited meaning. It fell out of use when "German" was introduced but remained a poetical term (like Teuton) for quite a while.
of Attila the Hun
. This term was used heavily during World War I
and was often seen on Allied war posters.
The origin of the term was the notorious Hunnenrede (Hun speech) of Emperor Wilhelm II on 27 July 1900, when he bade farewell to the German expeditionary corps sailing from Bremerhaven
to defeat the Boxer Uprising. The relevant part of the speech was:
The theme of Hunnic savagery was then developed in a speech of August Bebel
in the Reichstag
in which he recounted details of the cruelty of the German expedition which were taken from soldiers' letters home, styled the Hunnenbriefe (letters from the Huns).
The Kaiser's speech was widely reported in the European press and then became the basis for the characterisation of the Germans during World War I as barbarians and savages with no respect for European civilisation and humanitarian values.
soldiers employed a variety of epithets for the Germans. "Fritz
" was popular in both World War I
and World War II, with "Jerry" favoured in the latter.
and Canadians
referred to Germans, especially German soldiers as "Heinies", from the pet form of the common German male proper name
Heinrich.
In the film 1941
the Slim Pickens
character calls a German Officer "Mr. Hynee Kraut!"
In Codename: Kids Next Door
, Numbuh 5 ((Aka Abigail Lincoln)) oftens calling her German candy-loving rival/best friend Heinrich/Henrietta Von Marzipan "Heinie", and he/she calling her "Liebchen" Which is meaning "Sweetheart" in German.
Heini is actually a common German colloquial term with a slightly derogatory meaning similar to moron or idiot, but it could be of different origin.
Jerry was a nickname given to Germans during the Second World War by soldiers and civilians of the Allied nations, in particular by the British. Although the nickname was originally created during World War I
, it did not find common use until World War II.
Jerry has analogues from different eras in Tommy
(British), Charlie
(Vietnam—"Victor Charlie" for VC (Viet Cong), later shortened to just "Charlie"), Sammy
(Somalia) and Ivan
(Russians).
The name is most likely a simple alteration of the word German. Some have claimed that the World War I German helmet, shaped like a chamber pot
or jeroboam
, was the initial impetus for creation, although this is almost certainly revisionist history
. One ongoing use of "jerry" is found in the term jerrycan
.
After World War II, settlements and camps sprang up around British garrisons in the former West Germany
, and the colloquial term of "Boxhead" became common amongst British troops and their families. This term has its origins in "square-heads" as a reference to the almost square-shaped helmets used by the Germans in both world war
s.
Also the term "Jerry-rigged" (an adapted form of the much older nautical term "jury rig
") was adopted by many allied troops and became a common term that transferred into everyday usage. The term was given for how some of the German equipment was maintained during the latter parts of the Second World War. As Hitler's war machine was breaking down, lack of supplies meant that the equipment had to be held together in a patchwork fashion. As Allied troops came across abandoned vehicles and machinery they could see shoddy workmanship used to hold the machinery together. Since the German soldiers were already known as Jerrys the term Jerry-rigged seemed fitting. (See also "jerry-built")
Recently the term "Eric" has become popular amongst British troops, originating from an episode of the British TV comedy Auf Wiedersehen, Pet
, in which the name "Eric" was used instead of "Jerry" in an attempt to confuse some Germans who were fluent in English
.
, Kraut has, in the English language, come to be used as a derogatory term for a German. This is probably based on sauerkraut
, which was very popular in German cuisine
at that time. The stereotype of the sauerkraut-eating German pre-dates this, as it appears in Jules Verne
's depiction of the evil German industrialist Schultze as an avid sauerkraut eater in "The Begum's Millions
."
One possible explanation of the origin of this term is this:
Raw sauerkraut
is an excellent source of vitamin C
. Captain James Cook
always took a store of sauerkraut on his sea voyages, since experience had taught him that it was an effective remedy against scurvy
. Later, on British ships, sauerkraut was replaced by lime
juice (for the same purpose). German sailors continued with the use of kraut, calling their British colleagues "limeys" and being themselves called "krauts."
In "War and Peace" when the Russians are preparing a pre-dawn march to counter a French outflank maneuver, amid the chaos in the fog, Tolstoi says that the Russian troops felt if there was a slip up, it would certainly be attributed to the "stupid Germans, and everyone was convinced that a dangerous muddle had been occasioned by the sausuge eaters." War and Peace
Book 3 Chapter 14
The rock music genre krautrock
has been commonplace in music journalism
since the early 1970s and is of English invention; it is not considered offensive.
In the Fawlty Towers
episode The Germans
, Basil performed an Adolf Hitler
impersonation. When the German guests asked him to stop, Basil exclaimed "I'm trying to cheer her up, you stupid kraut!"
" in the show Seinfeld
; or as "clipboard
Nazi", a person questioning strangers or controlling access into celebrity events.
. - see also Teutonic
and the Teutonic Order.
-Prussian) the term Piefke historically characterized the people of Prussia
only. Its exact origin is unclear, but it was meant to be derogatory most notably because of the term's Polish roots: Referring to every Prussian as Piefke, which is a typical example of a Germanized Polish family name (Piwka), suggested that all Prussians were merely Germanized Poles. The term increased in usage during the 19th century because of the popularity of the Prussian composer Johann Gottfried Piefke
. Since Prussia and its eastern territories ceased to exist, the term now refers to the cliché of a pompous (Protestant
northern) German in general and a Berlin
er in particular. However, the citizens of the free Hanseatic
cities and the former northern duchies of Oldenburg, Brunswick and Mecklenburg are quite offended by the terms Piefke and Saupreiß (offense for every German who is not native Bavarian), since they take some pride in having staunchly resisted Prussian expansionism as independent (federal) states and have no Prussian history at all. In 1990, Austrian playwright Felix Mitterer wrote and co-directed a TV mini-series, Die Piefke-Saga, about Germans on holiday in Tyrol
. Sometimes the alteration "Piefkineser" is used, or "Marmeladinger" (probably because Germans call jam Marmelade while Austrians will speak of Konfitüre.) Some Austrians use the playful term "Piefkinesisch" (Pief-Chinese) to refer to German spoken in a distinctly German (not Austrian) accent.
, Serbian
, and Croatian
. Word "Nijemac" is derived from the word "nijem" meaning mute, dumb but in modern usage does not have any emotional connotation.
in films about World War II
and Yugoslav Partisans, see Partisan film. Word "švabo" means Swabian, coming from the name for Germans who lived in the former Kingdom of Hungary, especially in the Danube, see Danube Swabians
.
Alemão bravo, Alemão brigão, Querela de alemão, from French
expression Querelle d'allemand, a contention about trifles, soon provoked and soon appeased. Association with people who start fighting for no reason.
Rigor alemão and Rigidez/Disciplina alemã make reference to the Teutonic discipline.
word, is popular as a slang term to refer to Germans, nearly always in a derogatory way.
. Related from Italian word.
.
) is an offensive word for Germans, which has replaced the derogatory "fritsove".
—see Danube Swabians
for more. The word also applies to, and is often adopted as a nickname by Croatian Gastarbeiter
s.
Strangely, the normal word for an ethnic German, or a German citizen, Nijemac, originally means "one who can't speak" ("nijem" means "mute"), but, it is not a slur at all, it's just a normal word, the only one, for an ethnic German/German citizen. Meanwhile, Švabo should be an ethnonym (and, in fact, the most of German speaking people the Croats and Serbs historically have had close contacts with had indeed been of Swabian origin).
When English language books and movies concerning World War II are translated to Czech, "Skopčák" is often used to translate "Jerry" or "Kraut".
. Derogatory, containing allusions to Lapland War
and sack of Lapland. Rarely used, today rather influenced by the English usage.
(or someone who wears them), similar to spaghetti for Italians and rather common.
negative word nichts/nix (nothing) and -manni for "man". Rarely used.
(originally Saxony
). Saku is a Finnish male name; sakemanni is a combination of "Saksa + -manni, referring to "man". Especially sakemanni is relatively common.
of allemand (French for German) and caboche (slang for head). Used mainly during the First
and Second World Wars, and directed especially at German soldiers.
, a North African ethnicity - a term with racial connotations. It also denotes the absence of words beginning in Schl- in French. It was used mainly in World War II
(for example, in the film Inglourious Basterds) but is also used now in a less offensive way like in the film Taxi
.
in French. This term was used during World War II, but is less common than Boche, Fritz or Frisés. It refers to the fact that the Germans during the Occupation took large part of the production of France's agriculture and industry.
.
Frisés and Fridolins are variations of Fritz.
and is still used occasionally in a non-official way, to designate Germans. In the standard High German language Teutsch is an archaic way of rendering Deutsch, with the same meaning (often translated as "Teutonic").
word kruh, which means bread, because Austria-Hungary sent people of Croatian descent to garrison its Italian dominions. In World War II
Italian soldiers originally referred to the Yugoslavia
n combatants as crucchi and the North-Eastern war zone was dubbed terra crucca. In the course of the war the term underwent a shift of meaning: During the German invasion the Italian partisans called the German soldiers crucchi. Today it's a disrespectful way to address people from all German speaking regions in general (cruccolandia), even the German-speaking population of the province of South Tyrol
, who are themselves Italian citizens.
) eater(s)", sometimes use even with "wurstel", because of the cliché of the "kraut-and-wurstel-eater beer-drinker German"
"Germanico" (pl. germanici) is frenquently used in Southern Switzerland to distinguish between Austrian, Swiss German or people from Lichtenstein which are culturally Germans (tedeschi).
Because of intense history between Italy and Germany is even rarely used.
n. Used to describe any German since the establishment of a Prussian Garrison in Fortress Luxembourg in 1815. Still commonly used today but most popular with World War II survivors.
n.
the most common term for the German people, after the regular/official one, is "mof". It is regarded as a derogative term, used exclusively for Germans and reflected Dutch resentment of the German occupation of the Netherlands during the Second World War and the respective German actions. The use of the word has been gradually fading since the late 1990s. The word "Mofrika" (Germany) is a portmanteau of Africa
and "mof".
In the late 16th century the area now known as East Frisia
and Emsland
and the people that lived there were referred to as ""Muffe". At the time that the Netherlands were by far the richest country
in the whole of Europe, and these people were looked down upon greatly by the Dutch. The area of Western Lower Saxony
was at that time very poor and a good source for many Dutch people looking for cheap labour. The inhabitants of this region were known to be rather reserved and were often described as "grumpy", "rude" and "unsophisticated" by the Dutch. Later the term was used to describe the whole of Germany, which, at the time, wasn't much better off economically
than Western Lower Saxony, mainly due to the various wars waged on its territory by foreign powers. The term seemed to have died out around 1900 but returned following the German invasion of the Netherlands
in 1940.
A popular humorous (but false) etymology of the word "mof" by the Dutch
is that it is actually a German
abbreviation meaning "Menschen ohne Freunde" ("people without friends").
dialect the word poep or poebe is used, as well as poepelân (Fr.), poepenlaand (Gr.) for Germany itself. In Gronings and Dutch poep means faeces, though the word does not seem to originate from that. A theory is that when Bernhard von Galen
and his Westphalian troops arrived at Groningen in the 17th century to conquer the city, they used the word "Puppe" (meaning puppet). The people from Groningen laughed about that because it sounds exactly like poebe, which means faeces. Another theory is that it originates from that same era, but from the word Bube, being a fondle word for boy. From the city of Groningen it spread out into the province of Groningen
and the border region with Drenthe
.
the word "Oosterbuur" (Eastern neighbour) nearly always refers to the German people or Germany itself, as Germany
and the Germans are located to the East of the Netherlands and Belgium
. Similarly, the Flemish
refer to the Dutch as "Noorderburen" (Northern Neighbours) and the Dutch use "Zuiderburen" (Southern neighbours) for the Belgians
.
of Niemiec (see above).
. Used by Polish diaspora in the United States from the English word German.
Helmut. Also from Helmut Kohl
, Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998.
Helga. It is a term to describe a German woman, usually tall, blue-eyed, blond and strongly built, which are considered typical physical features of German women. It also implies the negative opinion about this kind of look.
n), is derogatory when referring to any Germans instead of just the inhabitants of Swabia. The origin of this usage remains unclear, as Swabia and Poland are relatively far apart.
, it was first used for German soldiers and later for any German.
, meaning "mute", because of the mutual unintelligibility between the languages. The original meaning was not passed into Romanian, and the word is generally not used in a derogatory sense, although its colloquialism in contrast to the formal alternatives for "German" (German, pl. germani) and, rarely, "Austrian" (austriac, pl. austrieci) was used in certain offensive or polemic contexts.
It appears in placenames like Piatra Neamţ
("The German rock").
were called "şvabi", in reference to Schwaben, even though only few of the immigrants came from there.
Russia
The standard Russian term for a "German person" is nyemets (singular) or nyemtsy (plural). The roots of the term lie in Slavic
etymology, with the original meaning being "mute, unintelligible, incomprehensible". The term was initially used to designate any non-Russian-speaking person (foreigner), but was eventually reserved for Germans only. It no longer means "mute" and has no negative meaning in modern Russian. Germany is called Germaniya .
A derisive inflection
of nemets, nemchura ("немчура") is also in use. In general, Russian language abounds in suffix
es that may bear diminutive or derisive connotation, so one may also see such forms as "nemchishka", "nemchik" ("Germanie"), "nemchatina" ("German meat"). In late 1980s and early 1990s the term bundes was also popular (from "Bundesrepublik Deutschland").
the names "Fritz" and "Hans" (Фриц Frits, Ганс Gans) have been widely used to denote Germans, especially German soldiers. In Russian, "Hans" is rendered as Ганс and is pronounced as Gans in standard Russian, which makes it worse (Gans (f) in German means "goose" or "(female) fool").
. Application of this term to Germans in general is considered extremely hostile and is seldom used.
German .
s. A number of Swabians were re-settled in the Banat
, then part of Austria-Hungary
, by Maria Theresa of Austria
to offset the Serb population predominance in the region.
.
.
es (Kartoffeln) and refers to their, supposed, eating habit/cuisine.
In Early Modern Spanish (for example in Don Quixote), tudescos (cognate with Deutsch and the Italian tedeschi) was used sometimes as a general name for Germans and sometimes restricted to Lower Saxony
.
Theories include the stereotype of Germans talking too much or nodding their heads endlessly when listening to superiors.
(western neighbour of Bavaria) or further south (Austria
, Switzerland
, South Tyrol
(Italy
)).
In this context, the river Main, as border between Preißen and Bavaria, is referred to as Weißwurstäquator
(Bavarian-German spelling: Weißwurschtäquator; Weißwurst is a Bavarian, white veal sausage, literally: white sausage equator). However, Franconians, being citizens of the Free State of Bavaria, are not referred to as Preissen, even though they regularly insist on being not Bavarians (and wouldn't be accepted as such by most Bavarians), and may be described as the Prussians of Bavaria. As seen above, Preiss might be offensive especially for those Germans who never were under Prussian rule. The derogatory element came into importance because of the alleged, or real, threat of Prussian predominance over Bavaria who, after stripping the King of real power (Bavaria's participation in the 70/71 war was due to a enforced treaty after the defeat of 1866) saw themselves as stadholders of Progress etc. - for love of Bavaria, as Kurt Wilhelm in the highly popular drama Brandner Kaspar lets one of his characters comment sarcastically. Indeed the anti-Prussianism as, for instance, professed by G. K. Chesterton would meet the heartiest Bavarian support.
As of today, the problems of Bavarians with Prussians restrict themselves to occurrences as answering the question "Could you show me the way to the Central Station" (of a supposedly non-Bavarian formalism) with "Yes, I could" or the like. However, the Christian Social Union
still feels the need of having a distinct party for Bavaria only (being not a regional subdivision, but a "(little) sister party" of the Christian Democrats
), and the failure of Bavarians to reach the most important state offices does not remain unnoted (President Herzog
had careered outside of Bavaria as CDU, not CSU member; both Franz-Josef Strauß 1980 and Edmund Stoiber
2002 slightly failed to secure the chancellorship, with the suspicion of a "Bavaria malus" among the non-Bavarian electorace).
"Preiß" has breeded the confessedly insulting word Saupreiß, literally: pig-Prussian. However, additions as in Saupreiß, japanischer, taking away the national character for a plainly artistical composition (this being a somewhat joking reference to the many Japanese tourists in Munich
), originated in the late 20th century as a parody on the Saupreiß term, have a mostly good-natured meaning.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, though in English the official designated nationality as well as the standard noun
Noun
In linguistics, a noun is a member of a large, open lexical category whose members can occur as the main word in the subject of a clause, the object of a verb, or the object of a preposition .Lexical categories are defined in terms of how their members combine with other kinds of...
is German. (see also demonym
Demonym
A demonym , also referred to as a gentilic, is a name for a resident of a locality. A demonym is usually – though not always – derived from the name of the locality; thus, the demonym for the people of England is English, and the demonym for the people of Italy is Italian, yet, in english, the one...
). During the early Renaissance, "German" implied that the person spoke German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
as a native language. Until German unification, people living in what is now Germany were named for the region they lived in, examples include Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
ns, Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
ers and Hanoverian
Hanoverian
The adjective Hanoverian is used to describe:* British monarchs or supporters of the House of Hanover, the dynasty which ruled the United Kingdom from 1714 to 1901.* things relating to the Electorate of Hanover, Kingdom of Hanover, or Province of Hanover...
s. Some other terms are humorous
Humour
Humour or humor is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement...
or derogatory slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
, and used mainly by people from other countries, although they can be used in a self-deprecating way by German people themselves. Other terms are serious or tongue-in-cheek attempts to coin words as alternatives to the ambiguous standard terms.
Dutch (obsolete)
Initially the word Dutch could refer to any Germanic-speaking area, language or people, deriving from Deutsch, which means "German" in German. For example:- The Chronography and History of the whole world, Vol. II (1677) mentions the mathematician that "...the Dutch call LeibnitzLeibnitzLeibnitz is a city in the Austrian state of Styria and at the 2001 census had a population of approximately 7.577 .It is located to the south of the city of Graz, between the Mur and Sulm rivers....
," adding that Dutch is spoken in the parts of Hungary adjoining to Germany.
- Versions of the traditional drinking song "Drunk last night" include the lyrics: "Oh, there's the AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
Dutch and the Rotterdam Dutch / The PotsdamPotsdamPotsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
Dutch and the other damned Dutch"
The phrase "Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
" is a corruption of the German word for German, "Deutsch". To this day, descendants of German immigrants who resettled in Pennsylvania continue to refer to themselves as Pennsylvania Dutch. They may identify themselves as being Pennsylvania German, too. Some may or may not be members of the plain sects found in southeastern Pennsylvania, which includes the Amish
Amish
The Amish , sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches...
.
Today, aside from that exception, the word Dutch is only used to refer to the people of the Netherlands
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
or their Dutch language
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
.
Almain (obsolete/poetical)
Almain is a historical term for Germans (often specifically the ones living in the South of Germany) borrowed from FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and ultimately comes from the Latin name for the Germanic tribe of the Alamanni
Alamanni
The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Rhine river . One of the earliest references to them is the cognomen Alamannicus assumed by Roman Emperor Caracalla, who ruled the Roman Empire from 211 to 217 and claimed thereby to be...
. It was used alongside "Dutch" but unlike Dutch had a more limited meaning. It fell out of use when "German" was introduced but remained a poetical term (like Teuton) for quite a while.
Hun (derogatory)
Hun (or The Hun) is a term used in reference to the medieval Hunnic EmpireHunnic Empire
The Hunnic Empire was an empire established by the Huns. The Huns were a confederation of Eurasian tribes from the steppes of Central Asia. Appearing from beyond the Volga River some years after the middle of the 4th century, they first overran the Alani, who occupied the plains between the Volga...
of Attila the Hun
Attila the Hun
Attila , more frequently referred to as Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire, which stretched from the Ural River to the Rhine River and from the Danube River to the Baltic Sea. During his reign he was one of the most feared...
. This term was used heavily during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and was often seen on Allied war posters.
The origin of the term was the notorious Hunnenrede (Hun speech) of Emperor Wilhelm II on 27 July 1900, when he bade farewell to the German expeditionary corps sailing from Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
to defeat the Boxer Uprising. The relevant part of the speech was:
"Kommt ihr vor den Feind, so wird derselbe geschlagen! Pardon wird nicht gegeben! Gefangene werden nicht gemacht! Wer euch in die Hände fällt, sei euch verfallen! Wie vor tausend Jahren die Hunnen unter ihrem König Etzel sich einen Namen gemacht, der sie noch jetzt in Überlieferung und Märchen gewaltig erscheinen läßt, so möge der Name Deutscher in China auf 1000 Jahre durch euch in einer Weise bestätigt werden, daß es niemals wieder ein Chinese wagt, einen Deutschen scheel anzusehen!"
Trans: "When you meet the enemy, he will be defeated! No quarter will be given! No prisoners will be taken! Those who fall into your hands are forfeit to you! Just as a thousand years ago, the Huns under their King EtzelAttila the HunAttila , more frequently referred to as Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire, which stretched from the Ural River to the Rhine River and from the Danube River to the Baltic Sea. During his reign he was one of the most feared...
made a name for themselves that make them appear awe-inspiring in tradition and myth, so shall you establish the name of Germans in China for a 1000 years, so that a Chinese will never again dare to look askance at a German."
The theme of Hunnic savagery was then developed in a speech of August Bebel
August Bebel
Ferdinand August Bebel was a German Marxist politician, writer, and orator. He is best remembered as one of the founders of the Social Democratic Party of Germany.-Early years:...
in the Reichstag
Reichstag (German Empire)
The Reichstag was the parliament of the North German Confederation , and of the German Reich ....
in which he recounted details of the cruelty of the German expedition which were taken from soldiers' letters home, styled the Hunnenbriefe (letters from the Huns).
The Kaiser's speech was widely reported in the European press and then became the basis for the characterisation of the Germans during World War I as barbarians and savages with no respect for European civilisation and humanitarian values.
Fritz (offensive)
BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soldiers employed a variety of epithets for the Germans. "Fritz
Fritz
Fritz originated as a German nickname for Friedrich, or Frederick , as well as for similar names including Fridolin...
" was popular in both World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II, with "Jerry" favoured in the latter.
Heinie (offensive)
The AmericansAmericans
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
and Canadians
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
referred to Germans, especially German soldiers as "Heinies", from the pet form of the common German male proper name
Name
A name is a word or term used for identification. Names can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. A personal name identifies a specific unique and identifiable individual person, and may or may not include a middle name...
Heinrich.
In the film 1941
1941 (film)
1941 is a 1979 period comedy film directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, and featuring an ensemble cast including John Belushi, Ned Beatty, John Candy, Toshiro Mifune, Christopher Lee and Dan Aykroyd...
the Slim Pickens
Slim Pickens
Louis Burton Lindley, Jr. , better known by the stage name Slim Pickens, was an American rodeo performer and film and television actor who epitomized the profane, tough, sardonic cowboy, but who is best remembered for his comic roles, notably in Dr...
character calls a German Officer "Mr. Hynee Kraut!"
In Codename: Kids Next Door
Codename: Kids Next Door
Codename: Kids Next Door, also known as Kids Next Door or by its acronym KND, is an American animated television series created by Tom Warburton and produced by Curious Pictures in Santa Monica, California.. The series debuted on Cartoon Network on December 6, 2002 and aired its final episode on...
, Numbuh 5 ((Aka Abigail Lincoln)) oftens calling her German candy-loving rival/best friend Heinrich/Henrietta Von Marzipan "Heinie", and he/she calling her "Liebchen" Which is meaning "Sweetheart" in German.
Heini is actually a common German colloquial term with a slightly derogatory meaning similar to moron or idiot, but it could be of different origin.
Jerry
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, it did not find common use until World War II.
Jerry has analogues from different eras in Tommy
Tommy Atkins
Tommy Atkins is a term for a common soldier in the British Army that was already well established in the 19th century, but is particularly associated with World War I. It can be used as a term of reference, or as a form of address. German soldiers would call out to "Tommy" across no man's land if...
(British), Charlie
Charlie
Charlie is a common nickname for Charles and less commonly for Charlotte or Charlene.Charlie may also refer to:- Music :* Charlie , a British rock band in the 1970s and 1980s...
(Vietnam—"Victor Charlie" for VC (Viet Cong), later shortened to just "Charlie"), Sammy
Sammy
-People:*DJ Sammy, a musician*Sammy Davis, Jr.*Sammy Ijaz*Sammy Sosa*Sammy Hagar*Sammy Cahn*Sammy Gravano*Sammy Fain*CeCe Sammy*Sammy Baugh*Sammy Kaye* Sammy Luftspring, Canadian champion welterweight boxer*Sammy McIlroy*Sammy Kershaw*Sammy Lee...
(Somalia) and Ivan
Ivan
-Meteorology:* Tropical Storm Ivan - a number of tropical storms - Places:* Ivan Mountain in Bosnia and Herzegovina* Iván, a village in Hungary* Ivaň, name common to two villages in Czech Republic...
(Russians).
The name is most likely a simple alteration of the word German. Some have claimed that the World War I German helmet, shaped like a chamber pot
Chamber pot
A chamber pot is a bowl-shaped container with a handle, and often a lid, kept in the bedroom under a bed or in the cabinet of a nightstand and...
or jeroboam
Wine bottle
A wine bottle is a bottle used for holding wine, generally made of glass. Some wines are fermented in the bottle, others are bottled only after fermentation. They come in a large variety of sizes, several named for Biblical kings and other figures. The standard bottle contains 750 ml,...
, was the initial impetus for creation, although this is almost certainly revisionist history
Historical revisionism (negationism)
Historical revisionism is either the legitimate scholastic re-examination of existing knowledge about a historical event, or the illegitimate distortion of the historical record such that certain events appear in a more or less favourable light. For the former, i.e. the academic pursuit, see...
. One ongoing use of "jerry" is found in the term jerrycan
Jerrycan
A jerrycan is a robust fuel container originally made from pressed steel. It was designed in Germany in the 1930s for military use to hold 20 litres of fuel. The development of the Jerrycan was a huge improvement on earlier designs, which required tools and funnels to use.-Uses:Today similar...
.
After World War II, settlements and camps sprang up around British garrisons in the former West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, and the colloquial term of "Boxhead" became common amongst British troops and their families. This term has its origins in "square-heads" as a reference to the almost square-shaped helmets used by the Germans in both world war
World war
A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters....
s.
Also the term "Jerry-rigged" (an adapted form of the much older nautical term "jury rig
Jury rig
Jury rigging refers to makeshift repairs or temporary contrivances, made with only the tools and materials that happen to be on hand. Originally a nautical term, on sailing ships a jury rig is a replacement mast and yards improvised in case of damage or loss of the original mast.-Etymology:The...
") was adopted by many allied troops and became a common term that transferred into everyday usage. The term was given for how some of the German equipment was maintained during the latter parts of the Second World War. As Hitler's war machine was breaking down, lack of supplies meant that the equipment had to be held together in a patchwork fashion. As Allied troops came across abandoned vehicles and machinery they could see shoddy workmanship used to hold the machinery together. Since the German soldiers were already known as Jerrys the term Jerry-rigged seemed fitting. (See also "jerry-built")
Recently the term "Eric" has become popular amongst British troops, originating from an episode of the British TV comedy Auf Wiedersehen, Pet
Auf Wiedersehen, Pet
Auf Wiedersehen, Pet is a British comedy-drama television programme about seven English migrant construction workers. In the first series, the men live and work on a building site in Düsseldorf....
, in which the name "Eric" was used instead of "Jerry" in an attempt to confuse some Germans who were fluent in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Kraut (offensive)
Since World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Kraut has, in the English language, come to be used as a derogatory term for a German. This is probably based on sauerkraut
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut , directly translated from German: "sour cabbage", is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria, including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus. It has a long shelf-life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid...
, which was very popular in German cuisine
German cuisine
German cuisine is a style of cooking derived from the nation of Germany. It has evolved as a national cuisine through centuries of social and political change with variations from region to region. The southern regions of Germany, including Bavaria and neighbouring Swabia, share many dishes....
at that time. The stereotype of the sauerkraut-eating German pre-dates this, as it appears in Jules Verne
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
's depiction of the evil German industrialist Schultze as an avid sauerkraut eater in "The Begum's Millions
The Begum's Millions
The Begum's Fortune , also published as The Begum's Millions, is an 1879 novel by Jules Verne, with some elements which could be described as utopian and others which seem clearly dystopian. It is remarkable as the first published book in which Verne was cautionary and to some degree pessimistic...
."
One possible explanation of the origin of this term is this:
Raw sauerkraut
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut , directly translated from German: "sour cabbage", is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria, including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus. It has a long shelf-life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid...
is an excellent source of vitamin C
Vitamin C
Vitamin C or L-ascorbic acid or L-ascorbate is an essential nutrient for humans and certain other animal species. In living organisms ascorbate acts as an antioxidant by protecting the body against oxidative stress...
. Captain James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
always took a store of sauerkraut on his sea voyages, since experience had taught him that it was an effective remedy against scurvy
Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C, which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans. The chemical name for vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is derived from the Latin name of scurvy, scorbutus, which also provides the adjective scorbutic...
. Later, on British ships, sauerkraut was replaced by lime
Lime (fruit)
Lime is a term referring to a number of different citrus fruits, both species and hybrids, which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3–6 cm in diameter, and containing sour and acidic pulp. Limes are a good source of vitamin C. Limes are often used to accent the flavors of foods and...
juice (for the same purpose). German sailors continued with the use of kraut, calling their British colleagues "limeys" and being themselves called "krauts."
In "War and Peace" when the Russians are preparing a pre-dawn march to counter a French outflank maneuver, amid the chaos in the fog, Tolstoi says that the Russian troops felt if there was a slip up, it would certainly be attributed to the "stupid Germans, and everyone was convinced that a dangerous muddle had been occasioned by the sausuge eaters." War and Peace
War and Peace
War and Peace is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in 1869. The work is epic in scale and is regarded as one of the most important works of world literature...
Book 3 Chapter 14
The rock music genre krautrock
Krautrock
Krautrock is a generic name for the experimental music scenes that appeared in Germany in the late 1960s and gained popularity throughout the 1970s, especially in Britain. The term is a result of the English-speaking world's reception of the music at the time and not a reference to any one...
has been commonplace in music journalism
Music journalism
Music journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today often referred to as music criticism , comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
since the early 1970s and is of English invention; it is not considered offensive.
In the Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers is a British sitcom produced by BBC Television and first broadcast on BBC2 in 1975. Twelve television program episodes were produced . The show was written by John Cleese and his then wife Connie Booth, both of whom played major characters...
episode The Germans
The Germans
"The Germans" is the sixth episode of the BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers. It is remembered for its line "Don't mention the war" and Cleese's silly walk when he is impersonating Adolf Hitler.-Plot:...
, Basil performed an Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
impersonation. When the German guests asked him to stop, Basil exclaimed "I'm trying to cheer her up, you stupid kraut!"
Nazi (derogatory and highly offensive)
The nickname of the National Socialist political party that ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945. Used as a derogatory term for Germans in general or for people/items originating from Germany; for example, referring to a German-made automobile as a "Nazi-mobile". It is also used for non-German people who act in an authoritarian manner such as the "Soup NaziThe Soup Nazi
"The Soup Nazi" is the title of the 116th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was the 6th episode of the 7th season. It first aired in the United States on November 2, 1995....
" in the show Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
; or as "clipboard
Clipboard
A clipboard is a thin, rigid board with a clip at the top for holding paper in place. A clipboard is typically used to support paper with one hand while writing on it with the other, especially when other writing surfaces are not available.-Other uses:...
Nazi", a person questioning strangers or controlling access into celebrity events.
Teuton (poetic)
In a more poetical sense Germans can be referred to as "Teutons". The usage of the word in this term has been observed in English since 1833. The word originated via an ancient Germanic tribe, the TeutonsTeutons
The Teutons or Teutones were mentioned as a Germanic tribe by Greek and Roman authors, notably Strabo and Marcus Velleius Paterculus and normally in close connection with the Cimbri, whose ethnicity is contested between Gauls and Germani...
. - see also Teutonic
Teutons
The Teutons or Teutones were mentioned as a Germanic tribe by Greek and Roman authors, notably Strabo and Marcus Velleius Paterculus and normally in close connection with the Cimbri, whose ethnicity is contested between Gauls and Germani...
and the Teutonic Order.
Boche (derogatory)
Pronounced [boʃ], boche is a term used in World War I, often collectively ("the Boche" meaning "the Germans"). A shortened form of the French slang portmanteau alboche, itself derived from Allemand ("German") and caboche ("head" or "cabbage"). Also spelled "Bosch" or "Bosche".Rhine Monkey (derogatory)
Adaptation of the taxonomic "platyrrhine monkey" referring to monkeys of the New World (characterized by nostrils which are rounded and are oriented towards their ears as opposed to Old World monkeys whose nostrils are oriented downwards).Piefke (offensive)
The Austrian ethnophaulism for a German is Piefke. Like its Bavarian counterpart Saupreiß (literally: sowSow
Sow may refer to:* Sowing seed* Female animals: badger, bear, pig family* Shape in which metal is cast* Type of siege engine* River Sow, England* "Sow", a poem by Sylvia Plath* Sow , the band/spoken word project comprising Anna Wildsmith-People:...
-Prussian) the term Piefke historically characterized the people of Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
only. Its exact origin is unclear, but it was meant to be derogatory most notably because of the term's Polish roots: Referring to every Prussian as Piefke, which is a typical example of a Germanized Polish family name (Piwka), suggested that all Prussians were merely Germanized Poles. The term increased in usage during the 19th century because of the popularity of the Prussian composer Johann Gottfried Piefke
Johann Gottfried Piefke
Johann Gottfried Piefke was a German conductor, Kapellmeister and composer of military music....
. Since Prussia and its eastern territories ceased to exist, the term now refers to the cliché of a pompous (Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
northern) German in general and a Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
er in particular. However, the citizens of the free Hanseatic
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
cities and the former northern duchies of Oldenburg, Brunswick and Mecklenburg are quite offended by the terms Piefke and Saupreiß (offense for every German who is not native Bavarian), since they take some pride in having staunchly resisted Prussian expansionism as independent (federal) states and have no Prussian history at all. In 1990, Austrian playwright Felix Mitterer wrote and co-directed a TV mini-series, Die Piefke-Saga, about Germans on holiday in Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
. Sometimes the alteration "Piefkineser" is used, or "Marmeladinger" (probably because Germans call jam Marmelade while Austrians will speak of Konfitüre.) Some Austrians use the playful term "Piefkinesisch" (Pief-Chinese) to refer to German spoken in a distinctly German (not Austrian) accent.
Nijemac (standard, formal term)
Nijemac (Нијемац, plural: Nijemci, Нијемци) is a word for German(s) in all three official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina: BosnianBosnian language
Bosnian is a South Slavic language, spoken by Bosniaks. As a standardized form of the Shtokavian dialect, it is one of the three official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
, Serbian
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
, and Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
. Word "Nijemac" is derived from the word "nijem" meaning mute, dumb but in modern usage does not have any emotional connotation.
Švabo (slang, very informal term)
In slang, word "švabo" (швабо, plural: švabe, швабе) is used in a sense that is not considered very offensive although this word was frequently used in context of describing NazisNazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
in films about World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and Yugoslav Partisans, see Partisan film. Word "švabo" means Swabian, coming from the name for Germans who lived in the former Kingdom of Hungary, especially in the Danube, see Danube Swabians
Danube Swabians
The Danube Swabians is a collective term for the German-speaking population who lived in the former Kingdom of Hungary, especially alongside the Danube River valley. Because of different developments within the territory settled, the Danube Swabians cannot be seen as a unified people...
.
Alemão (descriptive and most common)
From Latin Alemannī, of Germanic origin; related to Gothic alamans a totality of people.Alemão bravo, Alemão brigão, Querela de alemão, from French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
expression Querelle d'allemand, a contention about trifles, soon provoked and soon appeased. Association with people who start fighting for no reason.
Rigor alemão and Rigidez/Disciplina alemã make reference to the Teutonic discipline.
Boche (offensive)
In Portugal, the term Boche, a word derived from 2nd World War FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
word, is popular as a slang term to refer to Germans, nearly always in a derogatory way.
Chucrute, Chucrutes or Sauerkraut (derogatory)
Related to English Kraut and French choucroute. Mostly used in Brazil to designate late 19th and early 20th century German, Austrian and Swiss immigrants.Fritz, Fritzin/Hans/Klaus/Lars (colloquialism)
Mostly in Brazil. From German masculine proper names. Not especially polite, but not offensive either.Germânico (descriptive and only as an adjective)
From the Latin exonymic demonym Germanus, and toponym Germania.Germano (descriptive)
It can refer to the ancient tribes found by the Romans or to modern Germans. Especially used in expressions like Germano-brasileiro, Germano-brasiliense, Germano-brasiliano, meaning German Brazilian.Godo/Visigodo/Suevo/Vândalo (historically descriptive and jocose)
Relative to the Goths, Visigoths, Suebi and Vandals. Occasionally used in a jocose way, to designate Germans, especially in expressions such as Visigodo derrubador de porta de castelo and Suevo do aríete, rompe muralhas, making reference to the Barbarian Invasions. From Latin Gothī, Visigothī, Suevus and Vandallus, all of Germanic origin.Huno (historical and offensive)
I.e. "Hun". Used by Brazilian soldiers in the World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Related from Italian word.
Kaiser boch/Schoppen bier/Bier garten (jocose)
Expressions that may have a jocose connotation in reference to a drunkard German.Strudel/Pretzel (jocose)
Strudel and pretzel are used to express an attractive German descendant in the same way that terms like pão and pão-de-ló, sugarloaf varieties, are used for pretty people.Teutão (descriptive/poetical)
Relative to the Teutons and is still used occasionally in a non-official way, to designate Germans. From Latin Teutonī, the Teutons, of Germanic origin.Teuto (descriptive, used as a noun or as an adjective)
Especially used in the expressions Teuto-brasileiro, Teuto-brasílio, Teuto-brasiliano, also meaning German Brazilian.Teutónico/Teutônico (descriptive, only as an adjective and literary)
From Latin Teutonī, the Teutons, of Germanic origin.Tedesco or Tudesco (descriptive, only as an adjective and literary)
Cognate with Deutsch. Used by Brazilian soldiers in the World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Nemtsi (neutral, official)
("Nemets" in singular) is from common Slavic etymology, meaning "mute, i.e. whose speech is not understandable.Shvabi (offensive)
Shvabi ("Shvaba" in singular, derived from SwabianSwabian
Swabian may refer:* to the German region of Swabia ; or* to Swabian German, a dialect spoken in Baden-Württemberg in south-west Germany and adjoining areas See also:...
) is an offensive word for Germans, which has replaced the derogatory "fritsove".
Fritsove (derogatory)
Fritsove ("frits" in singular) is a derogatory word for Germans that was widely used among the opponents of Germany, of which Bulgaria was an ally during both world wars. It was in use mostly during the first half of the 20th century, but it is rarely used nowadays.Prusatsi (derogatory)
In singular "Prusak", derived from Prussian, is a rarely used term for Germans, which bears mostly negative connotations.Švabe (friendly)
from SwabianSwabian
Swabian may refer:* to the German region of Swabia ; or* to Swabian German, a dialect spoken in Baden-Württemberg in south-west Germany and adjoining areas See also:...
—see Danube Swabians
Danube Swabians
The Danube Swabians is a collective term for the German-speaking population who lived in the former Kingdom of Hungary, especially alongside the Danube River valley. Because of different developments within the territory settled, the Danube Swabians cannot be seen as a unified people...
for more. The word also applies to, and is often adopted as a nickname by Croatian Gastarbeiter
Gastarbeiter
Gastarbeiter is German for "guest worker." It refers to migrant workers who had moved to West Germany mainly in the 1960s and 70s, seeking work as part of a formal guest worker programme...
s.
Strangely, the normal word for an ethnic German, or a German citizen, Nijemac, originally means "one who can't speak" ("nijem" means "mute"), but, it is not a slur at all, it's just a normal word, the only one, for an ethnic German/German citizen. Meanwhile, Švabo should be an ethnonym (and, in fact, the most of German speaking people the Croats and Serbs historically have had close contacts with had indeed been of Swabian origin).
Skopčák (colloquialism)
Originally meaning "the one who came from the hills". In medieval times, German inhabitants in Czech-German borderlands often lived in hilly, mountainous areas, and when they came to lowland Czech towns to buy and sell their wares, they were addressed as "those who came down from hills". "From hills" is "z kopců" in Czech, thus "skopčáci" (plural).When English language books and movies concerning World War II are translated to Czech, "Skopčák" is often used to translate "Jerry" or "Kraut".
Frits (colloquialism)
From the German name "Friedrich", it has been used for German soldiers. It is considered as colloquial, not very polite, but not offensive either.Saks (historical, sometimes offensive)
Similar to the word sakslane ("German"), it was originally used for Germans, Saxons more precisely, but was later mostly used for German nobility in Estonia. Since then it has been offensively used for ethnic Estonian nobility. It is still sometimes used for Germans.Fritz, Günter, Helmut, Horst (colloquialism)
A variety of German first names that are perceived typical are used. They are considered as colloquial, not very polite, but not very offensive either.Hunni (derogatory)
Literally HunHuns
The Huns were a group of nomadic people who, appearing from east of the Volga River, migrated into Europe c. AD 370 and established the vast Hunnic Empire there. Since de Guignes linked them with the Xiongnu, who had been northern neighbours of China 300 years prior to the emergence of the Huns,...
. Derogatory, containing allusions to Lapland War
Lapland War
The Lapland War were the hostilities between Finland and Nazi Germany between September 1944 and April 1945, fought in Finland's northernmost Lapland Province. While the Finns saw this as a separate conflict much like the Continuation War, German forces considered their actions to be part of the...
and sack of Lapland. Rarely used, today rather influenced by the English usage.
Nahkahousu (jocose)
Literally lederhoseLederhosen
Lederhosen are breeches made of leather; they may be either short or knee-length. The longer ones are generally called Bundhosen....
(or someone who wears them), similar to spaghetti for Italians and rather common.
Niksmanni (offensive)
From German languageGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
negative word nichts/nix (nothing) and -manni for "man". Rarely used.
Saku, Saksmanni, Sakemanni (inoffensive to slightly offensive)
From the Finnish word Saksa, meaning GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(originally Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
). Saku is a Finnish male name; sakemanni is a combination of "Saksa + -manni, referring to "man". Especially sakemanni is relatively common.
Boches (offensive, historical)
Apheresis of the word alboche, which in turn is a blendBlend
In linguistics, a blend is a word formed from parts of two or more other words. These parts are sometimes, but not always, morphemes.-Linguistics:...
of allemand (French for German) and caboche (slang for head). Used mainly during the First
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and Second World Wars, and directed especially at German soldiers.
Chleuh (slightly offensive)
From the name of the ChleuhChleuh
The Shilha people, commonly known as the Chleuh are a Berber ethnic group. They live mainly in Morocco's Atlas Mountains and Souss Valley. The Shilha population is estimated to be approximately 8 million.They speak the Shilha language in several regional varieties...
, a North African ethnicity - a term with racial connotations. It also denotes the absence of words beginning in Schl- in French. It was used mainly in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(for example, in the film Inglourious Basterds) but is also used now in a less offensive way like in the film Taxi
Taxi (1998 film)
Taxi is a 1998 French action-comedy film starring Samy Naceri, written by Luc Besson, and directed by Gérard Pirès.- Plot :The film takes place in Marseille, France, and involves an aspiring racecar driver named Daniel , who initially works as a pizza delivery boy, but changes jobs to become a taxi...
.
Doryphores (offensive, historical)
Doryphore means Colorado potato beetleColorado potato beetle
The Colorado potato beetle , also known as the Colorado beetle, the ten-striped spearman, the ten-lined potato beetle or the potato bug, is an important pest of potato crops. It is approximately 10 mm long, with a bright yellow/orange body and five bold brown stripes along the length of each...
in French. This term was used during World War II, but is less common than Boche, Fritz or Frisés. It refers to the fact that the Germans during the Occupation took large part of the production of France's agriculture and industry.
Fritz (offensive, historical)
From the German Christian name, used since World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Frisés and Fridolins are variations of Fritz.
Teutons
Relative to the TeutonsTeutons
The Teutons or Teutones were mentioned as a Germanic tribe by Greek and Roman authors, notably Strabo and Marcus Velleius Paterculus and normally in close connection with the Cimbri, whose ethnicity is contested between Gauls and Germani...
and is still used occasionally in a non-official way, to designate Germans. In the standard High German language Teutsch is an archaic way of rendering Deutsch, with the same meaning (often translated as "Teutonic").
Tedesco (official)
In Italian, although Germany is called Germania, German is tedesco.Crucco (offensive)
The common (especially Northern) Italian ethnophaulism for a German is crucco, which roughly translates as pighead. Etymologically, the term most likely derives from the CroatianCroatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
word kruh, which means bread, because Austria-Hungary sent people of Croatian descent to garrison its Italian dominions. In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Italian soldiers originally referred to the Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
n combatants as crucchi and the North-Eastern war zone was dubbed terra crucca. In the course of the war the term underwent a shift of meaning: During the German invasion the Italian partisans called the German soldiers crucchi. Today it's a disrespectful way to address people from all German speaking regions in general (cruccolandia), even the German-speaking population of the province of South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
, who are themselves Italian citizens.
Tetesken (colloquialism)
It is simply the Italian word for "German"(Tedesco), purposefully corrupted in a comic way by pseudo-German stylization. Even if not really rude, it is not considered a polite thing to say in front of a German, because it derides German "harsh-sounding" pronunciation, and implies a low knowledge of Italian language.Mangiapatate (offensive)
Translated as potato eaters, this slightly offensive term refers to the alleged German habit of eating potatoes at every meal. It is in current usage with ordinary people and it is sometimes used in dubbed feature films as a translation for "Krauts".Mangiacrauti (offensive)
Literally "kraut (cabbageCabbage
Cabbage is a popular cultivar of the species Brassica oleracea Linne of the Family Brassicaceae and is a leafy green vegetable...
) eater(s)", sometimes use even with "wurstel", because of the cliché of the "kraut-and-wurstel-eater beer-drinker German"
Kartoffeln
It refers to their, supposed, eating habit/cuisine. It comes from the German word for potatoes (Kartoffeln).Teutonici
Every so often used in the emphatic slang of the football commentaries: la squadra teutonica (as the German team), i giocatori teutonici or i teutonici (as the German players). Although not exactly derogatory (many nations are jocularly identified in Italy with their ancestors), it conveys some unwelcome associations because as an adjective, "teutonico" defines rigid, pernickety, inflexible attitudes. (camposanto teutonico a graveyard behind the St. Peters in the vatican)Teutoni
Only used in old-fashioned poetic language. It is the Italian adjective for "Teutons", a Germanic tribe, but it's also used to describe all the German population.Germani
More used as adjective, doesn't mean "German", but "Germanic" (either historic and meliorative), similar to other expressions like "Italic", "Gallic", etc.(sometimes hironical about fascist retorical propaganda, in which "Germanico"(Germanic) was preferred to "Tedesco"(German))."Germanico" (pl. germanici) is frenquently used in Southern Switzerland to distinguish between Austrian, Swiss German or people from Lichtenstein which are culturally Germans (tedeschi).
Nazi
Highly offensive.Because of intense history between Italy and Germany is even rarely used.
Preiss (offensive)
Derived from the local name for PrussiaPrussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n. Used to describe any German since the establishment of a Prussian Garrison in Fortress Luxembourg in 1815. Still commonly used today but most popular with World War II survivors.
Švaba (offensive)
Švaba (plural Švabi; ), from SwabiaSwabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
n.
Mof (offensive)
In DutchDutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
the most common term for the German people, after the regular/official one, is "mof". It is regarded as a derogative term, used exclusively for Germans and reflected Dutch resentment of the German occupation of the Netherlands during the Second World War and the respective German actions. The use of the word has been gradually fading since the late 1990s. The word "Mofrika" (Germany) is a portmanteau of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and "mof".
In the late 16th century the area now known as East Frisia
East Frisia
East Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....
and Emsland
Emsland
Landkreis Emsland is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany named after the river Ems. It is bounded by the districts of Leer, Cloppenburg and Osnabrück, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia , the district of Bentheim and the Netherlands .- History :For a long time the region of the Emsland was...
and the people that lived there were referred to as ""Muffe". At the time that the Netherlands were by far the richest country
Dutch Golden Age
The Golden Age was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, military and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. The first half is characterised by the Eighty Years' War till 1648...
in the whole of Europe, and these people were looked down upon greatly by the Dutch. The area of Western Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
was at that time very poor and a good source for many Dutch people looking for cheap labour. The inhabitants of this region were known to be rather reserved and were often described as "grumpy", "rude" and "unsophisticated" by the Dutch. Later the term was used to describe the whole of Germany, which, at the time, wasn't much better off economically
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
than Western Lower Saxony, mainly due to the various wars waged on its territory by foreign powers. The term seemed to have died out around 1900 but returned following the German invasion of the Netherlands
Battle of the Netherlands
The Battle of the Netherlands was part of Case Yellow , the German invasion of the Low Countries and France during World War II. The battle lasted from 10 May 1940 until 14 May 1940 when the main Dutch forces surrendered...
in 1940.
A popular humorous (but false) etymology of the word "mof" by the Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
is that it is actually a German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
abbreviation meaning "Menschen ohne Freunde" ("people without friends").
Poep/poebe (offensive)
In Frisian (minority) language and GroningsGronings
Gronings, in the dialect itself called Grunnegs or Grönnegs, is a collective name for some Friso-Saxon dialects spoken in the province of Groningen and around the Groningen border in Drenthe and Friesland. Gronings and the strongly related varieties in East-Frisia have a strong Frisian influence...
dialect the word poep or poebe is used, as well as poepelân (Fr.), poepenlaand (Gr.) for Germany itself. In Gronings and Dutch poep means faeces, though the word does not seem to originate from that. A theory is that when Bernhard von Galen
Bernhard von Galen
Christoph Bernhard Freiherr von Galen was prince-bishop of Münster. He was born into a noble Westphalian family....
and his Westphalian troops arrived at Groningen in the 17th century to conquer the city, they used the word "Puppe" (meaning puppet). The people from Groningen laughed about that because it sounds exactly like poebe, which means faeces. Another theory is that it originates from that same era, but from the word Bube, being a fondle word for boy. From the city of Groningen it spread out into the province of Groningen
Groningen (province)
Groningen [] is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. In the east it borders the German state of Niedersachsen , in the south Drenthe, in the west Friesland and in the north the Wadden Sea...
and the border region with Drenthe
Drenthe
Drenthe is a province of the Netherlands, located in the north-east of the country. The capital city is Assen. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and Germany to the east.-History:Drenthe, unlike many other parts of the Netherlands, has been a...
.
Oosterbuur (friendly)
In the Dutch languageDutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
the word "Oosterbuur" (Eastern neighbour) nearly always refers to the German people or Germany itself, as Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the Germans are located to the East of the Netherlands and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Similarly, the Flemish
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
refer to the Dutch as "Noorderburen" (Northern Neighbours) and the Dutch use "Zuiderburen" (Southern neighbours) for the Belgians
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Pruusj (neutral)
Used in the Netherlands in parts of Limburg. Can be used to indicate the German TV channels: What are you watching? "De Pruusj" (=The Prussian/The German TV)Niemiec
Niemiec (plural Niemcy) - official term. Derived as in other Slavic languages from nem meaning "mute". See Names of Germany.Niemiaszek (irreverent)
Niemiaszek (plural niemiaszki). Derogatory diminutiveDiminutive
In language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form , is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment...
of Niemiec (see above).
Niemra (offensive)
Niemra (plural Niemry) - German woman, especially rather old, or ugly. See Niemiec above.Germaniec (irreverent)
Germaniec (plural Germańcy) traditionally used to refer to all Germanic peoplesGermanic peoples
The Germanic peoples are an Indo-European ethno-linguistic group of Northern European origin, identified by their use of the Indo-European Germanic languages which diversified out of Proto-Germanic during the Pre-Roman Iron Age.Originating about 1800 BCE from the Corded Ware Culture on the North...
. Used by Polish diaspora in the United States from the English word German.
Helmut (irreverent)
Helmut (plural Helmuty) from formerly popular German nameGerman name
German names consist of one or several Vornamen and a Nachname . The Vorname is usually gender-specific.-Forenames:...
Helmut. Also from Helmut Kohl
Helmut Kohl
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl is a German conservative politician and statesman. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998 and the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union from 1973 to 1998...
, Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998.
Helga (offensive)
Helga from German nameGerman name
German names consist of one or several Vornamen and a Nachname . The Vorname is usually gender-specific.-Forenames:...
Helga. It is a term to describe a German woman, usually tall, blue-eyed, blond and strongly built, which are considered typical physical features of German women. It also implies the negative opinion about this kind of look.
Fryc (offensive)
The name fryc, plural fryce (after "Fritz", short for Friedrich/Frederick), widely considered as typically German, is sometimes used as a noun for Germans.Szwab (offensive)
Szwab (plural szwaby; literally SwabiaSwabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
n), is derogatory when referring to any Germans instead of just the inhabitants of Swabia. The origin of this usage remains unclear, as Swabia and Poland are relatively far apart.
Szkop (offensive)
Szkop (plural szkopy) is another, similarly derogative term (original, now obsolete meaning: "castrated ram", but see also the term Skopčák for Czech); during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, it was first used for German soldiers and later for any German.
Neamţ (colloquialism)
The formal term is German (plural germani). The traditional term, still widely used in common language, is neamţ (plural nemţi). The root of the term is originally SlavicSlavic languages
The Slavic languages , a group of closely related languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages, have speakers in most of Eastern Europe, in much of the Balkans, in parts of Central Europe, and in the northern part of Asia.-Branches:Scholars traditionally divide Slavic...
, meaning "mute", because of the mutual unintelligibility between the languages. The original meaning was not passed into Romanian, and the word is generally not used in a derogatory sense, although its colloquialism in contrast to the formal alternatives for "German" (German, pl. germani) and, rarely, "Austrian" (austriac, pl. austrieci) was used in certain offensive or polemic contexts.
It appears in placenames like Piatra Neamţ
Piatra Neamt
Piatra Neamț , , ; is the capital city of Neamţ County, in the historical region of Moldavia, eastern Romania. Because of its privileged location in the Eastern Carpathian mountains, it is considered one of the most picturesque cities in Romania...
("The German rock").
Saşi/şvabi (friendly)
Other names existed for specific German minorities, usually in relation with their place of origin. Transylvanian Saxons (immigrated starting from the XII century), were called "saşi". Germans in BanatBanat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
were called "şvabi", in reference to Schwaben, even though only few of the immigrants came from there.
RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
The standard Russian term for a "German person" is nyemets (singular) or nyemtsy (plural). The roots of the term lie in SlavicSlavic languages
The Slavic languages , a group of closely related languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages, have speakers in most of Eastern Europe, in much of the Balkans, in parts of Central Europe, and in the northern part of Asia.-Branches:Scholars traditionally divide Slavic...
etymology, with the original meaning being "mute, unintelligible, incomprehensible". The term was initially used to designate any non-Russian-speaking person (foreigner), but was eventually reserved for Germans only. It no longer means "mute" and has no negative meaning in modern Russian. Germany is called Germaniya .
A derisive inflection
Inflection
In grammar, inflection or inflexion is the modification of a word to express different grammatical categories such as tense, grammatical mood, grammatical voice, aspect, person, number, gender and case...
of nemets, nemchura ("немчура") is also in use. In general, Russian language abounds in suffix
Suffix
In linguistics, a suffix is an affix which is placed after the stem of a word. Common examples are case endings, which indicate the grammatical case of nouns or adjectives, and verb endings, which form the conjugation of verbs...
es that may bear diminutive or derisive connotation, so one may also see such forms as "nemchishka", "nemchik" ("Germanie"), "nemchatina" ("German meat"). In late 1980s and early 1990s the term bundes was also popular (from "Bundesrepublik Deutschland").
Frits / Hans (historical, a little unfriendly)
Since World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the names "Fritz" and "Hans" (Фриц Frits, Ганс Gans) have been widely used to denote Germans, especially German soldiers. In Russian, "Hans" is rendered as Ганс and is pronounced as Gans in standard Russian, which makes it worse (Gans (f) in German means "goose" or "(female) fool").
Fashisty (hostile)
Same as Nazis in English, the term "fashisty" is used as a reference to Nazi GermanyNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. Application of this term to Germans in general is considered extremely hostile and is seldom used.
Germanets (colloquialism)
In the meaning of "citizen of Germany" the word "Germanets" is also in colloquial use, together with the vulgarismVulgarism
A vulgarism , also called scurrility, is a colloquialism of an unpleasant action or unrefined character, which substitutes a coarse, indecorous word where the context might lead the reader to expect a more refined expression.-See also:*Euphemism*Grotesque body*Ribaldry, scatology, toilet...
German .
Nemci
Official plural form for Germans (singular: Nemac). Derived from "Nemačka" meaning "Germany".Švabe (slang)
Means SwabianSwabian
Swabian may refer:* to the German region of Swabia ; or* to Swabian German, a dialect spoken in Baden-Württemberg in south-west Germany and adjoining areas See also:...
s. A number of Swabians were re-settled in the Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
, then part of Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, by Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
to offset the Serb population predominance in the region.
Nemškutarji / Nemčurji (offensive)
A term reserved for the Germans that have Slovene ancestry and have been Germanized, now usually in connection with the population of the Austrian parts of Carinthia and southern Styria. During World War II the use was broader to include all collaborators of Nazi Germany in Slovenian landsSlovene Lands
Slovene Lands or Slovenian Lands is the historical denomination for the whole of the Slovene-inhabited territories in Central Europe. It more or less corresponds to modern Slovenia and the adjacent territories in Italy, Austria and Hungary in which autochthonous Slovene minorities live.-...
.
Alemanes (official, descriptive)
In Spain the official term for Germans is alemanes, originating from a Germanic tribe, the AlamanniAlamanni
The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Rhine river . One of the earliest references to them is the cognomen Alamannicus assumed by Roman Emperor Caracalla, who ruled the Roman Empire from 211 to 217 and claimed thereby to be...
.
Kartofen (colloquial, jocose)
From the German word for potatoPotato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es (Kartoffeln) and refers to their, supposed, eating habit/cuisine.
Cabezas cuadradas (colloquial, offensive)
Meaning ("square heads", after the alleged German inclination for fixed rules instead of improvisation).Teutones or Germanos (formal, poetic, friendly)
Germanos is mostly referred to the ancient tribes found by the Romans. Teutones, also the name of a Germanic tribe, is sometimes used as a literary synonym.Nazis (insulting)
As seen before, the nickname of the National Socialist political party that ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945.In Early Modern Spanish (for example in Don Quixote), tudescos (cognate with Deutsch and the Italian tedeschi) was used sometimes as a general name for Germans and sometimes restricted to Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
.
Gummihals (offensive)
Swiss German for (literally) Rubber-Neck. The term has been verified to be in use since the 1970s at least. Its actual meaning is subject to debate.Theories include the stereotype of Germans talking too much or nodding their heads endlessly when listening to superiors.
Non-Germans living in Germany
The term Kartoffel, meaning potato in German, is an offensive term commonly used by many foreigners (especially Turks, Afghans and Russians) living in Germany.Preiß (colloquial or offensive)
While commonly put on a level with Piefke (thus thought of as being used for every German who is not native Bavarian), Preiß actually only refers to people born north of the river Main, and therefore especially not to people from SwabiaSwabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
(western neighbour of Bavaria) or further south (Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
(Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
)).
In this context, the river Main, as border between Preißen and Bavaria, is referred to as Weißwurstäquator
Weißwurstäquator
The is a humorous term describing the very different culture and dialect of the southern part of Germany, especially Bavaria, and the rest of the country...
(Bavarian-German spelling: Weißwurschtäquator; Weißwurst is a Bavarian, white veal sausage, literally: white sausage equator). However, Franconians, being citizens of the Free State of Bavaria, are not referred to as Preissen, even though they regularly insist on being not Bavarians (and wouldn't be accepted as such by most Bavarians), and may be described as the Prussians of Bavaria. As seen above, Preiss might be offensive especially for those Germans who never were under Prussian rule. The derogatory element came into importance because of the alleged, or real, threat of Prussian predominance over Bavaria who, after stripping the King of real power (Bavaria's participation in the 70/71 war was due to a enforced treaty after the defeat of 1866) saw themselves as stadholders of Progress etc. - for love of Bavaria, as Kurt Wilhelm in the highly popular drama Brandner Kaspar lets one of his characters comment sarcastically. Indeed the anti-Prussianism as, for instance, professed by G. K. Chesterton would meet the heartiest Bavarian support.
As of today, the problems of Bavarians with Prussians restrict themselves to occurrences as answering the question "Could you show me the way to the Central Station" (of a supposedly non-Bavarian formalism) with "Yes, I could" or the like. However, the Christian Social Union
Christian Social Union
Christian Social Union may refer to:*Christian Social Union of Bavaria, a political party in Bavaria, Germany*Christian Social Union , a nineteenth and early twentieth-century organization within the Church of England...
still feels the need of having a distinct party for Bavaria only (being not a regional subdivision, but a "(little) sister party" of the Christian Democrats
Christian Democratic Union
Christian Democratic Union may refer to:* Christian Democratic Union * Christian Democratic Union * Christian Democratic Union * Christian Democratic Union * Christian Democratic Union...
), and the failure of Bavarians to reach the most important state offices does not remain unnoted (President Herzog
Roman Herzog
Roman Herzog is a German politician as a member of the Christian Democratic Union, and served as President of Germany from 1994 to 1999...
had careered outside of Bavaria as CDU, not CSU member; both Franz-Josef Strauß 1980 and Edmund Stoiber
Edmund Stoiber
Edmund Rüdiger Stoiber is a German politician, former minister-president of the state of Bavaria and former chairman of the Christian Social Union...
2002 slightly failed to secure the chancellorship, with the suspicion of a "Bavaria malus" among the non-Bavarian electorace).
"Preiß" has breeded the confessedly insulting word Saupreiß, literally: pig-Prussian. However, additions as in Saupreiß, japanischer, taking away the national character for a plainly artistical composition (this being a somewhat joking reference to the many Japanese tourists in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
), originated in the late 20th century as a parody on the Saupreiß term, have a mostly good-natured meaning.
Bazi (offensive)
Bazi is an offensive term used in Northern Germany to describe Bavarians.See also
- Offensive terms per nationality
- Anti-German sentimentAnti-German sentimentAnti-German sentiment is defined as an opposition to or fear of Germany, its inhabitants, and the German language. Its opposite is Germanophilia.-Russia:...
- German languageGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
- VandalsVandalsThe Vandals were an East Germanic tribe that entered the late Roman Empire during the 5th century. The Vandals under king Genseric entered Africa in 429 and by 439 established a kingdom which included the Roman Africa province, besides the islands of Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia and the Balearics....
, VandalismVandalismVandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable... - BarbarianBarbarianBarbarian and savage are terms used to refer to a person who is perceived to be uncivilized. The word is often used either in a general reference to a member of a nation or ethnos, typically a tribal society as seen by an urban civilization either viewed as inferior, or admired as a noble savage...