You’ve probably heard this age-old joke: To Germans, humor is no laughing matter.
Historically, the world has seen Germans as cold, logical, and deeply humorless. When one thinks “German humor” (nope, that’s not an oxymoron) what springs to mind might actually be the antithesis—perhaps something along the lines of a serious-looking mustachioed man with furrowed brows and a monocle standing against a brutalist building. There are a few factors that contribute to the humorless German stereotype:
1) History: Germany’s history in the last 100 years is exceptionally heavier than most other countries.
2) Culture: This history has shaped a culture that presents more earnest, direct, and efficient than facetious, playful, and frivolous.
3) Language: To those who don’t speak the language, German can sound quite harsh and aggressive, which doesn’t exactly evoke feelings of merriment.
However, stereotypes are just that: overly simplified and oftentimes unfair assessments of a people, place, or thing. In reality, Germans love to laugh and German culture celebrates a whole array of humor and different types of comedy, from political satire to wordplay. If you’re not convinced, just look at these three series on MHz Choice:
Miss Merkel: Based on the book series of the same name by David Safier—and a nod to Agatha Christie’s beloved amateur detective Miss Marple—the new whodunnit comedy imagines Angela Merkel as an amateur sleuth post-retirement. Now living in a historic village in northeastern Germany with her husband, bodyguard, and pug, the former chancellor of Germany solves murders in a small town filled with clashing personalities and deeply buried secrets.
Crime Scene Cleaner: Follows the misadventures of Heiko “Schotty” Schotte (played by Bjarne Mädel), a crime scene cleaner whose assignments land him in some sticky situations, and not just from all that blood.
Homicide Hills: Also featuring Bjarne Mädel, this eccentric series follows Detective Sophie Haas (Caroline Peters), head of the homicide department in a sleepy Mountain town, whose cases are as quaint as their surroundings.
In many ways, these three are the perfect series to showcase the various ways Germans love to have a laugh. We’ve created a guide to the types of quintessential German humor using uproarious examples from Miss Merkel, Crime Scene Cleaner, and Homicide Hills.
Types of German Humor
Political Humor & Satire
Political satire has always been a cornerstone of German culture. In the early 20th century, German kabarett (cabaret) venues started sprouting up, providing a space for people to let loose and escape reality through song, dance, and political criticism. The spirit of the kabarett has persisted through the decades, influencing other forms of entertainment like radio and TV. In 2024, that spirit is alive and well in Miss Merkel, which is a veritable treasure trove of political humor and Easter Eggs.
When Angela meets Philipp von Baugenwitz, an eccentric and schmoozy local actor in the town’s historical festival, she compares him to former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. The media tycoon-turned-world leader was known for perhaps being a little too schmoozy with women who were not his wife.
When Joachim says he’s off to take his myriad of pills before bed, Angela’s reminded of her time in the old men’s club that is politics.
In episode two, Angela’s itching to crack another case, but her bodyguard Mike insists she leave the murder-solving to the local kommissar, Hannemann. After Hannemann proves his utter incompetence in episode one, the chancellor-turned-sleuth has a choice comparison for the kommissar. Andreas Scheuer has one of the worst track records as German transport minister and his legacy will likely be defined by the colossal failure that was his plan to introduce highway tolls for foreigners.
Political satire can also be seen in the series premiere of Crime Scene Cleaner, with a deftly handled WWII reference. As Mrs. Hellenkamp lists off the prominent historical figures who have sat on her now-destroyed sofa, she names the wife of a Gauleiter, a high-ranking Nazi official. Naturally, this is a sensitive topic for Germans, but when the situation is well-crafted, the humor can provide a welcome outlet for channeling anxieties about a dark past.
Sarcasm & Deadpan Humor
Germans are masters of sarcasm. This is due in part to their stoic nature, which lends itself exceptionally well to sarcasm, deadpan humor, and dry wit. All three are frequently on display throughout our three series.
When von Baugenwitz asked how Angela enjoyed his performance in the play, which involved a tragic end, she wastes no time in doling out some sarcasm.
And when von Baugenwitz asks how she’s enjoying their local cuvée, Angela doesn’t exactly give a glowing review.
When Angela asks Joachim to dance with her and cheer her up, he responds that he has more pressing matters to attend to. The seriousness with which he delivers his lines makes this exchange a quintessential example of German deadpan humor.
Local undertaker Kurt is embarrassed when Angela walks in on him singing Harry Belafonte, but she quickly reassures him with the last thing you’d ever expect the former chancellor of Germany to say.
In Crime Scene Cleaner, Mrs. Hellenkamp recounts her thought process behind a rather heinous act with the casualness of someone describing an apple strudel recipe. Schotty then responds with the perfect pitch of sarcasm.
Schäffer really dreams big in Homicide Hills! (Yes, that was sarcasm.)
Situational Deadpan
In addition to verbal deadpan, another popular form of comedy in Germany is situational deadpan, where a serious conversation or mission is juxtaposed with an absurd situation. This type of humor can be seen in many skits featuring legendary German comedian Loriot.
In Miss Merkel, Angela pays no mind to bodyguard Mike’s scantily clad workout as she works through her list of suspects and their alibis.
Mike’s unconventional workouts become a theme as he discusses a rather morbid topic with a baby strapped to his chest.
In episode two, Mike and Joachim go on a very important mission. Pretending to be husbands, they visit a suspect’s pole dancing studio to find clues, under the pretense that Mike wants to learn some moves.
The mission comes first, but that doesn’t mean Mike can’t actually learn a new skill in the process!
In Homicide Hills, Detective Sophie and Officer Dietmar Schäffer must go undercover in order to investigate the death of a local man on another department’s turf. Because the crime scene is near some campgrounds, they pretend to be a husband and wife on a camping trip, a cover story that proves more wacky than convincing.
In season two of Homicide Hills, the town of Hengasch is being terrorized by a mysterious culprit planting explosives in ceramic lawn statues. Cats, gnomes, geese, an entire wild boar family—no lawn ornament is safe! The townsfolk treat the situation with a seriousness that is hilariously disproportionate to the crime, even going so far as to categorize the incidents as acts of terrorism. Just the visual alone of a gloved hand putting a weaponized ceramic rabbit in place perfectly exemplifies German situational deadpan.
Wordplay
Puns are a huge part of German humor. Because the German language loves compound words, the opportunity for clever punning is abundant. Sometimes the witty wordplay goes beyond a single pun and stretches over an entire scenario. There are two instances in Miss Merkel that exhibit how a certain turn of phrase can dramatically impact the meaning of a situation, as well as plenty of amusing examples in Crime Scene Cleaner and Homicide Hills.
As Angela and Mike hide under a suspect’s bed, the suspect purrs to a male suitor, begging him to show her his “rocket” because it turns her on. Angela and Mike grimace at the innuendo, but luckily for the viewer, we learn what she really means: a literal spaceship.
It all started with “A dead man lies before me.” Within the context of a graveyard, it’s not hard to see why Emergency Services chalks Angela’s call up to a prank. Her double-meaning choice of words kicks off one of the most laugh-out-loud moments in the whole series.
Admiring Mrs. Hellenkamp’s Maserati, Schotty asks her about the car’s hydraulics. Hilariously, she mistakens his question for one about hydration.
After meeting another couple while camping, Sophie and Schäffer give off the impression that they’re swingers in a series of misunderstandings. But they all but cement the notion when Schäffer tells them that another officer is looking after their “buck,” which in old-fashioned German slang refers to a man who’s overly concerned with his appearance. He even reveals the buck’ name: Henning, which could easily belong to a man. In reality, Bärbel is assigned to a case involving a missing rabbit (a buck is a male rabbit) named Henning, but the couple are now beyond convinced of Sophie and Schäffer’s kinky ways.
About the Author
Alicia Lu is a writer, actor, and marketing strategist based in New Orleans, LA. When she is not auditioning for films and series, she is voraciously devouring them as a fan or writing about them as an online contributor. As a marketing strategist, her favorite clients are in the entertainment space. It’s safe to say she eats, sleeps, and breathes film and TV. Her husband is doing his best to keep up.
