28-07-2003 16:29									#1
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quote: Germans do not know their Chancellor He is leader of Europe's richest and most populous nation and he is in his second term, yet give his citizens a photo of him and half cannot say what he does. While 99% of Germans polled by research institute Forsa may recognise Gerhard Schröder, a mere 51% could actually say that he is their Chancellor. It may be of some comfort to the Chancellor, who was also not considered trustworthy by most of those that were actually able to recognise him, that his Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer did not fare much better. Despite being one of Europe's most popular politicians and very popular within Germany itself, only 46% of the 1,630 Germans asked could correctly identify his ministerial post -though again 96% recognised a photo of him and could name him. However, there is also nothing for the Christian Democrat opposition to gloat about -only 32% could say what CDU chairperson Angela Merkel does. The survey, picked up by Spiegel Online, was carried out using a new online method by using television remote controls. Head of Forsa Manfred Güllner hopes that this type of poll leads to more objectivity because those questioned are not influenced by the interviewer.

http://www.euobserver.com/index.phtml?aid=12240

And we thought Americans were ignorant

Researcher (showing picture of Schröder): "Do you know this man?"
German: "Well, he's on the news a lot -- ain't he a weatherman or something?"

	28-07-2003 17:01									#3
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quote: While 99% of Germans polled by research institute Forsa may recognise Gerhard Schröder, a mere 51% could actually say that he is their Chancellor.

quote: Despite being one of Europe's most popular politicians and very popular within Germany itself, only 46% of the 1,630 Germans asked could correctly identify his ministerial post -though again 96% recognised a photo of him and could name him.

Interesting how the statistics changed partway through the article.

	28-07-2003 17:09									#4
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I could imagine many of those people who answered the Question wrong mistook "Bundeskanzler" with "Bundespräsident"

("Chancellor" who is the real Leader of the State here in Germany in Contrast to "President" who has only little Political Power ([other than many other States, including the USA which are ruled by Presidents])

I am not surprised about it, despite lamenting about things our Politicians do there is a general weariness about Politicians among our Population, partly caused by seeing, that both, the Christian Conservative Party (CDU) and the Socialdemocratic Party (SPD) say a lot of things during their Election Campaigns or while they are in Opposition and the other Party rules the country, but that they are not much different when they really get elected to power

	28-07-2003 17:33									#5
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quote: ...his Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer did not fare much better. Despite being one of Europe's most popular politicians and very popular within Germany itself, only 46% of the 1,630 Germans asked could correctly identify his ministerial post

Probably the high rate of error was caused by the fact that most Germans would prefer Fischer ower Schröder as Chancellor... Wishfull thinking ...
reporter: "What does Joschka Fischer do?"
"He is our Chancellor!!"

	28-07-2003 18:27									#6
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quote: Originally posted by geeslaka Interesting how the statistics changed partway through the article.

Those stats are in reference to two different people. That's why they're different you bonehead.

	28-07-2003 19:13									#7
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mein gott!
stupidity is contagious!

	28-07-2003 19:48									#8
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For comparison, they should have shown people photos of Franz Beckenbauer and Michael Schumacher, then the embarassment would have been complete.

	28-07-2003 19:52									#9
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quote: Despite being one of Europe's most popular politicians and very popular within Germany itself

How can he be popular in Germany if they don't know who he is?

	28-07-2003 20:00									#10
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96% know him says the articel.
And he gets the highest ratings in polls.

We just dont know exactly what he does

	28-07-2003 20:02									#11
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Who cares anyway There are so much people in the news, I can´t know all of them!

	28-07-2003 20:07									#12
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quote: Originally posted by DanielXY We just dont know exactly what he does

After thinking a little bit more about it ansd seeing the Situation here in Germany, I can fully understand it

	28-07-2003 20:14									#13
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Ich wusste gar nicht dass wir überhaupt schon wieder einen "Führer" haben

	28-07-2003 20:17									#14
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quote: Originally posted by DinoDoc quote: Despite being one of Europe's most popular politicians and very popular within Germany itself How can he be popular in Germany if they don't know who he is?

The same way everyone could know who Hillary Clinton is but have no idea what committee she sits on in the Senate, I suppose.

	28-07-2003 20:20									#15
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They could at least tell you she's a senator...

	28-07-2003 20:23									#16
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quote: Originally posted by Kirnwaffen They could at least tell you she's a senator...

I think those people which were asked also at least knew that Schröder is a Politican.

They just didn´t know that he is the Chancellor
(and/or what he does for the BRD )

	28-07-2003 20:26									#17
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Yeah, Fischer is akin to Powell (Foriegn Minister akin to Secretary of State). I guess it would be asking if people in the US knew what position Colin Powell was... I think it might net the same results .

	28-07-2003 20:41									#18
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quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui Yeah, Fischer is akin to Powell (Foriegn Minister akin to Secretary of State). I guess it would be asking if people in the US knew what position Colin Powell was... I think it might net the same results .

I doubt most Americans even know what the "Secretary of State" does.

I've seen several people assert Powell was the VP, and at least a couple say he is the Sec. of Defense (which is fairly reasonable, I suppose, as far as mistakes go).

Most amusing was the one saying he was Secretary of War! I thought that was Wolfowitz...

	28-07-2003 20:45									#19
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Secretary of War? I thought they got rid of that department more than 50 years ago, in favor of our mis-named "Department of 'Defence'"...

	28-07-2003 20:49									#20
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See! Everyone says Americans are dumb but I think people just spend more time trying to find out where Americans are dificent. There are dumb asses from every country in the world.

	28-07-2003 20:51									#21
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Of course there are. Stupidity is the universal language.

	28-07-2003 20:56									#22
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quote: Originally posted by mrmitchell Secretary of War? I thought they got rid of that department more than 50 years ago, in favor of our mis-named "Department of 'Defence'"...

That was the point...

	28-07-2003 21:02									#23
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If you were to hold up a photo to me of any cabinet secretary besides Rumsfeld, Ridge Powell, Thompson and Ashcroft, I doubt I'd be able to name them or tell you what position they held. The only others I can name besides them are Norton and Mineta (though I think there is a "Page" and a "Chao"?), and I wouldn't know them if I saw them, nor be able to name their specific role. I can't name the Treasury Secretary!

	28-07-2003 21:08									#24
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Then again, ministers are far less important in the States than they are in most European countries (at least in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Britain). In the US, they're basically lackeys of the President (bluntly put), if I understand the American system correctly. In Europe, they mainly serve their department, not their Prime-Minister.

But with all these Italian practices we've been having here in the Netherlands lately, I also think I'd have a lot of trouble placing all the Dutch ministers correctly

But at least I know what our Jan Peter Balkenende does for a living (he's a famous wizard, right? )

	28-07-2003 21:11									#25
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Ok... This suks, America is no longer #1 in stupid anymore? I am going to work as hard as I can for now on becoming stupid... We need to be #1 at everything!

	28-07-2003 21:12									#26
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I could probably tell the positions of a dozen or so Israeli ministers, and the partisan membership of a few tens of parliament members. Your apathetic behavior staggers and scares me.

	28-07-2003 21:14									#27
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quote: That was the point...

I know...

	28-07-2003 21:15									#28
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quote: Originally posted by Japher Ok... This suks, America is no longer #1 in stupid anymore? I am going to work as hard as I can for now on becoming stupid... We need to be #1 at everything!

Have no fear, this hasn't dethroned our "Most Stupid" position.

	28-07-2003 21:17									#29
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Well, Schröder and Fischer aren't exactly second zone politicians. It's strange so many people couldn't name their function, or at least for Schröder : about every time I see the German news, his name is always preceded by his title.

	28-07-2003 21:19									#30
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quote: Originally posted by Locutus Jan Peter Balkenende

Who's that ? (serious)