6th November 2006
Thursday, September 2nd, 2010
Die Welt aims it teutonic wit at Polish stereotypes
The German daily Die Welt has published a satire on Poles which does not shy away from stereotypes.
One aspect of the satire presented ideas on how to improve Polish-German relations, including: legalization of the shadow economy, not locking new cars, a ban on jokes about potatoes and the proposal of vodka pipeline from Russia through Poland. The most shocking element is a joke about Pope John Paul II. Die Welt writes that Poland would like to dismiss Benedict XVI and replace him with John Paul II as recreated by Gunther von Hagens (an artist infamous for exhibiting plasticized corpses). Oliver Michalski, head of Die Welt's online editor's office, said that this was a satire and that is why they had to use stereotypes. He said it has nothing to do with their estimation of Polish-German relations or of Poland. Of a different opinion is Sylvia Hartelif, the spokesperson of the Bundestag's Foreign Affairs Commission. She said that she does not think it was funny and that such a satire destroys their efforts to improve relations. The Polish ambassador in Berlin, Marek Prawda, sent an official protest to newspaper's office on Friday. (Rzeczpospolita, November 4-5, p. A1, A3) M.M.
From Warsaw Business Journal
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