Make Me German

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Make Me German
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2013,
Society
 -  60 min
42 Comments


Ratings: 7.92 / 10 from 155 users .



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Aren't you just bored with hearing German accomplishment stories? They're the best at football (soccer), they're the first to go on a holiday and while Britain undergoes possible unemployment rise and a huge debt, just look how well the Germans are doing. Their employment is at highest levels and Germany is a meritorious exporter. What's even more surprising, the Germans make more money than Brits and work less. So how do they do all this?
Justin Rowlatt, a journalist, and Bee Rowlatt, a writer, are on an assignment to uncover the mystery of the German success. They're taking their kids with them and they're going to live in Germany for a while. Yes, there'll be beer and sausages, but this is no time off. They're going to work, live, and play... just like typical, common Germans, because their aim is to become German!
First off, they need somewhere to live. They've moved to Nuremberg, in the heart of Bavaria. It's famous for its gingerbread, sausages, and Nazi history. They've rented a flat from Mrs. Holler. Brits may be haunted with acquiring property, but Germans aren't. More than half of them rent, compared to just a third of the Brits.
Germans seem happy to rent and they rent for a really long time. People would stay for several decades in a rented real estate. Germans also don't get into huge debts . In Britain, the average family owes £53,000, including mortgages. In Germany, the average family owes under £30,000.
Justin and Bee did quite a lot of analysis on how ordinary German lives. The typical German is called Muller, the nation's most frequent surname, and lives in a 1970's apartment block... Sabina is the most used female name. Thomas Muller is the most common male name. Germans certainly get up very early, 20 minutes prior than the average Brit. With two preschool children the typical German wife would not go to work.
Although I think the idea of the documentary is a nice one, you have to keep in mind that there are average-persons or stereotypes created in the mind of the viewer. In every country there are a lot of different realities found. I think the individual characteristics or life situation shape a person stronger than the socialisation or cultural imprints in his country. For example you can have more in common with a good friend in UK or India than your own neighbor in Germany. In comparison to India rather not concerning the habits, but your attitude to life for example.
Also i think it is naive to think that because of the succesful export economy e.g. the whole country benefits from that.
Well - one problem about trying to aspire to be a "typical" anything based on statistics is that you don't get truth, because you tell a single story and take that as a representative for a whole society.
Take that kindergarden - it is not typical in any way, I think it's rather extraordinary.
Another problem: Bavaria is not Germany. It's very traditional (or you could say - backwards) in it's views about women and their role in society. That get-together of house-moms said really a lot about it: women are actually discouraged to work (tax- division in marriage, that favors the bigger income and the fact, that there still not enough full time kindergardens, that would allow mothers to work full time) but that's not the "normal" German experience. There is a big difference in the emphasis on economical independence for women between East and West German females.
Another problem I see: there is no mention of the fact, that there are millions of working poor all over Germany (with the possible exception of Bavaria). I don't know about Faber Castell, but a lot of that "Mittelstand"enterprises are working with leasing firms that pay their workers much less than was shown on the film.
It also would have been interesting to see the family work and live by what they make for about six month - because the money, they actually get when all taxes and social insurances are paid, would probably have them struggling economically.
Another thing: if you want to see, how migrants live (and are lived with) in Germany Bavaria is not the first place that comes to mind. How about Berlin or "the Ruhrpott"?
And these "average" 4 hours daily for cleaning and washing clothes - who does this in Germany? Certainly not any woman I know - there all too busy with work, children or even fun! If they get in 4 hours a week, thats much! Did you check, how that statistics that guided you where made and who made them to what purpose? That would be really interesting. Because honestly - how much can you clean an already clean apartment?
As it is the film does paint a pretty picture that could hardly be further from Sabine and Thomas Müllers reality.
"The typical German gets up at 6:23, which is 20 minutes earlier than the average Brit"
Its really serving all possible German cliches. So lets approach that in a "germanic" way:
Germany is around 7 degrees east of Britain, so they should get up half an hour earlier to get up at the "same time of the day" according to the rotation of the earth.
==> they get up 10 minutes later than the Brits :-D
It will be interesting to see what Germany is going to look like after the massive invasion of the Muslims. All of Europe will be changed forever.
I loved this, funny and interesting!
I've heard it said before, that comparing a very homogenous (undiverse) culture, with a multi-national culture is not sensible, and doesn't work.
All in all, I get the feeling that a mixed culture is more open and flexible And even though it is less stable and more troublesome, it is worth it.
Funny to see this. I'm German. And it's roughly the truth. But i think it is not possible to understand a culture by trying to copy the average citizen. What is the average citizen of the UK or the US like? We say "Dienst ist Dienst und Schnaps ist Schnaps", could be translated as "work is work and leisure is leisure". This might be the keynote of the society.
Brits don't get it: the most influestial knowledge and social education is the one children get from their family, spending time with your mother and father. there is no money in the educational system that can pay for that education and values. The whole society benefits from it. itæs like: instead of having a reppresive para-militar state and correctionals, teach the children to be honest and socially-responsible. Thats the key for success in any long-term proyection. Focusing on having educated and responsible people thus preventing all social diseases, than spending money to cure social disease (being greed the social disease that plagues USA, UK and most of western societies)
not available too tutonics in uk, why ,we are of german stock?even hitler told his generals that?
Very serious group of people. Loved their discipline but not sure could cope with all that seriousness..... they seem to lack a sense of humour.
they have a terrific sense of humour, but you must speak German very well or be German to get it. You can't judge the French, Spanish or Portuguese sense of humour until you get the 'quirks' of the languish and the play on words.
Children start school at 6?? Wow. In the Caribbean we start at age 3!
I really enjoyed this film. It had me laughing at the amount of housework needed to be done, and the amount of pork products needed to be consumed! Too bad it was so short.
Having lived in Bavaria myself, in Augsburg, I can sympathize with them. While I loved my time there, and have nothing but respect and admiration for the German folk, I know that I am not cut out to be German, despite being of partial German descent.
However, I miss the friends I had there, the wonderful food, the excellent wine, and the prodigious beer selection. I also miss the German habit of working hard, and playing just as hard.
Pencils. Not exactly a high technology industry. This documentary seemed to be taking an easier route to understanding a certain German culture. I was hoping for a deeper investigation using a more complex situation.
But based on this documentary, the corporation I work for would fail miserably in Germany if they tried the same work policies as in the US. Business experimentation and employee abuse would probably cause WW3.
If the Brits have such a problem adjusting to German culture and society, just imagine how hard it must be for Americans. The most difficult thing appears to be German love of "Ordnumg." I always thought that was simply a stereotype, but apparently not.
I moved to Austria at age 23 and spent the first year in a state of culture shock -- and the German-speaking Austrians are anything but lovers of Ordnung. They -- the Viennese at least -- run more towards Schlampigkeit (sloppiness, or easy-goingness). Never did fully get the hang of things Austrian, and I have to go back every once in a while because I can never finish with it.
I wonder if this couple will ever have to go back and give it another try.
I heard a rich German say in a video that he didn't want to be a rich man living in a poor country. In the US, that's precisely what the rich want. They'd rather keep all that money the Germans provide to their middle-class and just make up some rationalizations for why it's OK for them to buy another yacht while the 99% suffer. The greed disease doesn't seem nearly as bad in Germany.
Good doc. One thing though: I think there are very big differences between different parts of Germany. Bavarian cultures is more conservative than for example northern Germany. Actually, Germany is probably a little like Great Britain - there are probably also big differences between the Scottish culture and, say, the London culture.
In the very last scene they clink (or klink!) their
Weißbier glasses at the top and not the base... oh dear... :-)
YOU did not win the war. The Americans did - for you. You lost your war at Dunkirk. It would never have been a WORLD war if England had not dragged all it's Dominions into the conflict. It would have been a European war as so many England fought over the centuries with about everybody, the French, the Dutch, the Spanish, the Swedes, the Dens and just about anybody one can think off. The biggest looser of WWII is England, it lost its entire Empire!!!
Wrong...The RUSSIANS won the war...the americans came way too late,,,and had to hurry cause Stalin was kicking Hitler's ass big time
Once I thought I was wrong, but I was mistaken. The Russians only re-armed with US help.
It would never have been a world war had the Americans not sold arms to both sides prior to their own involvement. As much as I love America as a nation you were more than happy to profit from your European cousins , who founded modern America and all its beliefes, who were facing losing their own democracy. Until the Japanese and peal harbour, Greed resulted in the US making money in favour of protecting the very nations whos people built modern america.
England never had an empire, England was part of the British Empire. WW2 may have been the end of the empire but WW1 was where most of England lost its wealth and ability to maintain an empire. The British empire was one of the biggest the world has ever seen and was far more sucesful than the Spanish, Dutch and French empires. Thank god we lost the empire, it was a monstrosity and caused more harm than good.
Yes England did fight with other European nations for centuries, that's what medieval Europe did because we were ran by aristocrats /royalty and not democracy back then. WW2 is in no way comparable , the bombs were no longer on the battlefield but in innocent peoples houses . It was a fight for freedom, even without intervention the British and other European nations still had a resistance, we were by no means weak sitting ducks. We would have fought till the bitter end . WW2 was mass genocide taking place.
Yes America helped in the end but don't underestimate that you actually made a bad situation worse prior to this. British debts to the US from WW2 were only paid off in 2005!
I found this film reminiscent of the old Social Studies & Home Economic films of the 60's & 70's. That's not necessarily a bad thing, just an observation. It was actually mildly entertaining & interesting to me in that I have not yet had the opportunity to travel to Germany.
While providing a glimpse at Germany for people such as myself who have never been, I am certain this is fodder for all sorts of critiques as were the films of old. I'm sure there are countless people who know better, laughing at the "realities" of life in Germany portrayed in this doc. Just as I would find humour & criticisms with a film made to depict average, contemporary life in Canada or the USA, two countries in which I have lived.
Interesting experiment though having a BBC camera following them all the time probably influenced the behavior of the participants quite a bit. I am sure the same experiment conducted with hidden cameras would reflect a very different reality with a much more genuine portrait of the German society.
this is 'positive racism' & i can assure that this is based on statistical number jongleurism.....i'm an irish-manc with a german mother & had the fate of being born here (germany) which i'm not too proud of for multiple reasons.finding full-employment here has deteriated over here due to the changing of laws in employment regulations in course with the currency politics (euro).it's common now to have a second job here or social benefits to make the rounds where as 15 years ago that would've been unheard of & laughed off.education costs have been cut for schools & at the same time the university costs have been raised.germany ranks low in general knowledge in comparrison to other EU countries as a side-effect.this documentary is mis-leading & gives a 'good' picture which is undeserved!
we know that dmxi - however there is an essence of truth -
it was refreshing to share in Germany's holistic higher self -
why did you wake me it was such a nice dream -
sorry,mate...i just couldn't stand this fondling of 'ethel merman'(german-y).
No big thing - I was surprised it took so long for someone to post what you did :-)
On the back burner I thought the same thing you did.
I thought this was REALLY interesting because it made me realize that the sterotypes that we have of Germans are actually correct ! They really are very conservative, very controlled, very orderly and operate totally in sync with each other - just like a machine ! I am not saying this is a bad thing, we can all learn from each other - this life style to me is totally stifling, but it certainly works wonderfully - could I learn to adopt this way of life ?.
I moved to Pennsylvania recently and now I understand my feelings about the German-based society here - I am from the UK and really do not feel in-sync with my new neighbors at all - I will need to consider my options, do I want to (can I ?) live within this small-town fixed-concept society or relocate back to a freer, wilder, maybe more 'alive' New Jersey where I was a few months ago ?
I DO have the option to go back, just mulling it over until I decide !!
Try Portland, Oregon. Friendly nice place without rigidity.
Great documentary!. Must watch!. Basically the Germans have a fantastic export model, they actually make things, and those things are typically of good quality as well. They have good health care, and a pretty decent quality of life, more importantly there model is sustainable and its not built on debt like the UK or USA.
Excellent very refreshing - I'll watch it again -
They're the best at football (soccer) - aren't Brazilians the best?
The Brazilians got spanked by the Dutch. And now Spain is the reigning champion. And this summer we will find out who is best...
Yeah, but overall, Brazil is the best
Yeah, hard to deny that Brazil consistently turns out some the greatest teams, ever.
Depends a bit on what you mean by "the best". Usually people mean world-cup wins, and then brazil definitely is #1 (Italy 2nd, Germany 3rd). If you go by FIFA rank Spain is #1 currently (Germany 2nd, Brazil only 10th). But if you look at which team made it to the final 3 in the world cup it is Germany (11 times) before Brazil (9 times) for instance. I guess the combination of the above could justify one to say that they are at least number one or two in the world. But I guess it depends what and how you are looking at it.
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The Rowlatt family discover being German requires more than just leaving the bathroom door open when you're on the loo
Make Me a German … the Rowlatt family make sensible preparations for transformation. Photograph: Laurie Sparham/BBC
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A n awkward title this one: Make Me a German (BBC2). Is that as in create one for me, out of DNA in a test tube perhaps, or by twisting a balloon? Daddy, Daddy, I want a German, make me one now. Or does it mean turn me into one?
B, it turns out. In which case wouldn't Make Me German have been less ambiguous? Or Make Us German, because it's the Rowlatt family who are after Germanisation. Justin, Bee and their two youngest are leaving north London to live in a flat in Nuremberg for a while, in order to understand what it means to be German, particularly when it comes to being successful.
It should be easier for Bee – she's half German, and though she's never lived there, she has a few Teutonic traits. Like she enjoys sitting on the lav with the door open, having a merry exchange with anyone passing by. Thank you Bee, for that. Incidentally, Germans spend far longer on the loo than we do, especially the men (especially grossvater obviously), and they don't crumple their loo paper, they fold it – efficiently, of course.
Bathroom behaviour is one of the key differences between us and them.
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