Es Ist Deutschland Hier
The BBC is on entertainingly xenophobic form in Germany, it seems. In his first press conference after the election Guido Westerwelle, Germany’s newly designated foreign minister, refused to answer a question in English for a BBC reporter who had been sent to report on the German election…despite the fact that he couldn’t speak any German.
Presumably the reporter was getting by with the traditional Brits-abroad approach of waving his arms in the air, talking slowly and loudly, and complaining that there were no proper fish’n’chip shops around. I mean, who won the War, eh?
Westerwelle, who heads the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), the preferred coalition partner of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU), was asked by the reporter how he would change Germany’s foreign policy. The reporter asked the question in English and said he would prefer an English response.
But Westerwelle apparently balked, and a second attempt by the journalist, this time with the help of a translator, garnered his answer in German.
“We could meet for a fabulous tea outside of a press conference and then speak only English…but this is Germany here” he said. Fair play, that man!
Just a hint to the BBC. If you are sending correspondents to a foreign country, choose ones who know more than “Yes”, “No” and “Beer with a receipt for expenses” in the local lingo.
We would probably bend over backwards for a foreign reporter who didn’t know enough English to conduct a proper interview. Most likely calling the Foreign Office hotline having them ship over their most diligent diplomat with a dictionary – in truth they probably already have the service: Diplomat with a Dictionary, free foreign language advice at the taxpayers expense. Aint Britain dandy?
Well done that man! I wish there were more like him in Europe. I suffered years of embarrassment working in Europe with Brits who thought everyone should speak their language.
Of course most Germans do speak English and write it too.
Shame we don’t have a standard of education here these days which allows school children the chance to have bi-lingual days as they did back in the 50s in my school.
Subrosa
Fair play to Guido Westerwelle, anyone in this country who said, ” this is England ” in response to someone speaking foreign would instantly be branded a ‘racist’. That this is so is our own fault for putting up with it.
I agree with Banned. We provide interpreters for everyone at the taxpayers expense.
In England muss man Englisch sprechen!
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tout à fait d’accord avec Herr Westwellen, tout le monde devrait réagir ainsi; BRAVO!!!
pardon! Herr WESTERWELLE