Curses in german language WWII

[Arto O]

Hi,
In a serie of curious questions (some would say stupid ones): What were curse words in german language during the WWii? When somebody was hit, attacked by surprise, wounded etc. I remember, when reading "Wings" named cartoons (a long time ago) (in finnish "Siivet"), always when a German pilot was hit, he shouted "himmel". But even then I had a doubt.
with best regards
Arto

[Simperator]

Hi,

No German says "Himmel". It is technically possible, but highly unlikely. It's just one of these phrases that are understood internationally and are used by Hollywood.

When hit, some possibilities would be:

"Mein Gott/Oh Gott" (my god/oh god)
"Verdammt" (damned)
"Mist" (crap = not too bad hit)
"Scheiße" (shit)
"Verflucht" (cursed)
"Oh nein" (oh no)

But we have always to remember that people used to curse a little less than today, at least if they weren't part of the lower part of society. So, for example, there would be more modern and more primitive words today in Germany, some of them in English, like "f*ck" and so on, which are highly unlikely for this period of time, so I didn't include these in the list.

Regards,
Simon

[Urmel]

"Himmel, Arsch und Zwirn" is my favourite. But you need to have some time for that one, and you might use it if something isn't working properly and you tried hard to make it work.

Also:

"Herrgottnochmal" - (Lord again) this one's not too rough, I would use it when slightly annoyed.
"Zum Teufel" (To the Devil, i.e. go to hell) - rougher, you might use it if something just broke, or doesn't work, also an idea (Zum Teufel damit - To the Devil with this thing/idea).

[ChristopherPerrien]

But we have always to remember that people used to curse a little less than today, at least if they weren't part of the lower part of society. So, for example, there would be more modern and more primitive words today in Germany, some of them in English, like "f*ck" and so on, which are highly unlikely for this period of time, so I didn't include these in the list.

IDK, Soldiers and sailors have been quite an obscene cursing lot for 1000's of years. Roman legions had some really dirty songs they sang on the march. It is just recently that such cursing has been made light of in society and not censored as it was in the past. Keegan has a chapter on this in "The Face of Battle". IIRc.

.

That said , I think one of the reasons the Germans might not have cussed as much in WWII , was they simply did not foresee the need to have an enormous supply of the word "fuck", as their word "ficken" is not nearly as versatile, so they built less copies.

Kind of' the war in microcosm.

For some laughs check out this 2 min clip, Monty Python on the word.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26UA578yQ5g

[Arto O]

Thanks averybody for the information.
The language used 60 years ago must have been different than now. Some words dissapears and others raise.
with best regards
Arto

[Scumbagarty02]

During the WWII in Berlin, it's common knowledge that various staff elements were entertained regularly with cabaret shows ... and elements of the German Gestapo took great delight in sitting in the first rows of chairs. And the standard joke went pretty much like this ... Wie hoch war der Schnee in Russland? Soooo hoch! (punctuated by raising one's arm ... ever so slowly).

[maltesefalcon]

Hi,

No German says "Himmel". It is technically possible, but highly unlikely. It's just one of these phrases that are understood internationally and are used by Hollywood.

When hit, some possibilities would be:

"Mein Gott/Oh Gott" (my god/oh god)
"Verdammt" (damned)
"Mist" (crap = not too bad hit)
"Scheiße" (shit)
"Verflucht" (cursed)
"Oh nein" (oh no)

But we have always to remember that people used to curse a little less than today, at least if they weren't part of the lower part of society. So, for example, there would be more modern and more primitive words today in Germany, some of them in English, like "f*ck" and so on, which are highly unlikely for this period of time, so I didn't include these in the list.

Regards,
Simon

The Sheisse interjection is often repeated three times i.e.Sheisse, Sheisse, Sheisse! (Pronounced shy-zah.)

[ManfredV]

No german says "Himmel"?
But this:
"Himmel, Arsch und Zwirn" (Heaven, arse and yarn)
"Himmel, Arsch und Wolkenbruch" (Heaven, arse and cloudburst)
and some more:
"Kruzifix" (crucifix) or in Bavarian "Zefix", or "Zefix halleluja"
"Leck mich" or "leck mich am Arsch" (lick my arse), or Bavarian "jo mi leckts am Arsch"
"Kruzitürken" ( not easy to translate, a mixtrure of "crucifix" and "Turks")
"Jessmarandjosef" (Bavarian, a malapropism of Jesus, Mary and Josef)
"Heiligs Blechle" (Swabian, literally: "Holy tinplate")
I don't know if Hitler cursed, but as a common "redneck" from Upper Austria who served in Bavarian army he must have known many of these bavarian curses.