German Men Sit Down to Pee
German Men Sit Down to Pee and Other Insights into German Culture
Niklas Frank and James Cave
HJ Publishing
ISBN: 099548130X
160 pp, paperback
Reviewed by Sean O'Conor
It is a great time to love Germany.
It is not just the fact that the Mannschaft are the world champions and near invincible at penalty shoot-outs (ask Italy) which has led to global footballing admiration and not a little jealousy.
The Bundesliga has also become the cream which has risen to the top, drawing the world's largest crowds and putting the Premier League to shame with its sensibly-priced tickets.
Berlin has similarly surpassed London for value for money and as a hub of international creativity and coolness. After decades keeping a low profile after World War Two, Germans came out loud and proud at the 2006 World Cup and the world began to like them too.
With Aldi & Lidl winning more shoppers by the day, Britain's clumsy exit from the European Union can only boost Germany as the political heart of the continent and cultural dominance will surely follow.
Like it or not the world will be taking more interest in all things German, so as a guide to an often-misunderstood country, German Niklas Frank and Irishman James Cave have penned a clever and informative guide to understanding its culture.
58 anecdotes over 150 pages make for an entertaining read, which is also at pains to explain or even demolish some clichés which persist overseas.
The myth that Germans have no sense of humour is happily demolished, while the need to be like Basil Fawlty and not mention the war, or David Hasselhoff, is explained by the typically long German word Vergangensheitsbewältigung, (coming to terms with the past).
Other popular myths may ring true. Germans are so disciplined that crossing the road on the red man is unheard of while running out of petrol on the autobahn is actually illegal.
In a short section on football, Frank and Cave confirm how disliking Bayern is as popular as cheering the national team, while explaining that, "Football is a unisex passion...and you'll find yourself cheering beside men, women, kids and even grandparents."
Some facts are enlightening: Some Bavarians drink beer for breakfast, the average German munches 30 kilos of sausage a year and thinks his country's excellent train system is rubbish. If you are celebrating your birthday don't forget to bring your own cake and buy drinks for your guests. Oh and the Döner Kebab was born in Berlin.
Learn why Germans celebrate the asparagus harvest nationwide, rap their knuckles on the table at a business meeting and go a stealing spree of Swedish road signs each summer.
Reading this charming book one leaves with a fondness for a misunderstood country and a similar feeling to that felt after spending the World Cup of 2006 in Germany - that this place is rather nice.
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