Was Ist Deutsch?

Rating:
Summary: Was ist deutsch NICHT!
Review: A better title for this book could have been, "Was ist deutsch NICHT!" This book examines everything that is bad about German culture and the Germans from the perspective of minorities living in Germany. Most of the contributors in this book have a big chip on their shoulder. For example, May Ayim whose Mother was German (white) and Father African (black), describes the racial prejudice in Germany. She tells how she overheard someone making a racial comment on the Streetcar, and how clerks in department stores are sometimes amazed that she can speak the German language so good and be black.

Setsuko Matsui, a visitor to Germany from Japan, wonders why the Germans do not smile more. It was on his first trip to Germany when he buys himself a glass of wine and tries to engage the tired old waitress in conversation. She is at the end of her shift and has neither the energy nor the inclination to try and make sense out of his broken German. He concludes that the Germans should get a better sense of humor and learn to smile more.

This book only focuses on negative and isolated experiences of minorities in Germany. This book does not discuss how the majority of Germans think or feel, or what is typically German.

I was in a German culture class where this was the text. At the end of the course we all agreed that this book is sick, disgusting, and an insult to anyone with a sincere interest in better understanding German culture.