German Pranks

Our Anglo culture does not always understand the German sense of humor.  The best (satyrical) summary I've ever seen is from "The Xenophobe's Guide to the Germans", which says:  "The Germans take humor very seriously.  It is no laughing matter."  It's a good way to describe it.

I can speak the language quite well now, but it is hard for me to keep up with a comedian (they speak very fast, with lots of slang).  But hanging out with guys from work, I have learned that the humor is often quite directed -- they laugh "at" as much as they do "with".  And, as usual in the German culture, there is not a lot of subtlety to their humor... but when they do put together a skit or a prank they approach it like building a BMW.  All out.  As you'll see below.

Here are a few pranks from an old television program, "Verstehst du Spass?"  ("Do you understand fun?").  In the first, they set up a fake waterbed in a department store... and you know how everyone likes to try out beds (especially at 1:26 and 2:19).  The targets take it pretty well.

In the second, they use identical twins and a fake bathroom mirror to make other visitors think they don't have a reflection.  I especially like the end, where the girl has to remind her reflection to come with her (at 6:03).

The third skit is the longest and most complicated, but it's really worth it.  A guy is driving someone else's BMW, and thinks it rolls down the hill and sinks in water.  But then another guy drives a car over the same water, trying to convince him that it's just a large puddle (at 4:13).  There's even more, with a disapperaing person in the same "puddle" (at 5:07) - it's worth the time to see the whole thing, even without the benefit of understanding the language.

Finally, I have to share this classic.  It's not a prank, but a television commercial for Germans to learn English.  A German Coast Guard rookie has to help a ship in distress... Cheers.