German humour:-k is that an oxymoron?

"Inner Nazi Party" Gaffe Stuns Germany Over Klose Goal Against Australia

Another World Cup 2010 broadcasting blunder bewliders viewers in Germany.
By 101 Great Goals
Jun 14, 2010 11:12:00 AM

Media bloopers seem to be dominating the early stages of the 2010 World Cup. First ITV HD1 viewers missed England's opening goal against the USA on Saturday.

Last night in Germany though, Katrin Muller-Hohenstein produced the worst faux-pas so far which has caused furore in Deutschland thanks to a completely unnecessary remark about the Nazi party.

At half-time of Germany's 4-0 thrashing of Australia, Muller-Hohenstein picked over the opening goals with former German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn on the ZDF channel.

After seeing Miroslav Klose leap above Mark Schwarzer to reach Phillip Lahm's cross and head in the second, Muller-Hohenstein described it as "innerer Reichsparteitag" which in English translates to "inner Nazi Party".

This phrase has caused much consternation in Germany with the outrage pouring in even as the second half was under way.

'Innerer Reichsparteitag' translates roughly into "I feel as though I had just been to a Nuremberg party gathering" - the massive Nazi party gatherings in Nuremberg as "documented" by Leni Riefenstahl.

As improbable as it may seem, the statement is testimony to an existent sense of irony within the German populace. It is very politically incorrect to say that, but this is a regularly used colloquialism to express joy in a 'witty' way.

If you've enjoyed something thoroughly, you say "it was an ‘innerer Reichsparteitag’ to me." It is a non-pc, funny way of expressing happiness. It is not something that you should say on TV, but it certainly does not mean that Mrs Muller-Hohenstein has any sympathies for the Nazi party.

Like the BBC, ZDF is funded by a television license which has caused many to complain and the fact Miroslav Klose is of Polish descent has also added to the furore around the gaffe.

A video of Katrin Muller-Hohenstein's blunder (in German) and including Oliver Kahn's non-plussed reaction can be seen here.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1863/world-cup-2010/2010/06/14/1975595/inner-nazi-party-gaffe-stuns-germany-over-klose-goal-against