I am American. I have lived in Germany for over 19 years. Not with the US Military. I work for a German firm in Hessen. I have a traditional Bavarian 'Tracht' Lederhosen outfit complete with blue&white checkered shirt, shoes, soxes, etc. I wear this outfit to the Oktober Fest every year. Recently I was at a work party in a local German restaurant when a guest(A younger German guy from Hamburg of all places) at another table noticed that I am not German and proceeded to make negative comments. He said that only Bavarian Germans should dress that way, I was making fun of Germany, and that as a non-German I certainly had no right to wear lederhosen. My work colleagues have no problem with my lederhosen and it almost turned into a fight, but the restuarant owner knows me(Stammgast) so he told Mr. Hamburg to shut up or leave. Kind of ruined the night for me. Anyway I was just wondering what Germans think of this?
2006-11-29 01:32:02 · 24 answers · asked by dbdoit 3 in Travel ➔ Germany ➔ Other - Germany
I'm german and I live in Munich. I have absolutely no problem with people from other countries wearing our "Tracht". I feel honored, actually, because it shows that they like and enjoy our culture. And especially at the Octoberfest, you see all kinds of people coming to town and having a blast with german 'culture' when usually we're known as being up-tight and boring people.
I hope to see you there again next year, and you better wear your Lederhosen! :-)
2006-11-30 04:21:45 · answer #1 · answered by Milka 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
German Lederhosen
2016-10-05 00:50:53 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have lived here in Germany for so long you will be aware that 95% of the Germans would never dream of wearing Lederhosen, let alone in public (SM studios might be another matter ...). It is specific Bavarian, and it is a part of folklore mostly and not of daily life. So I think it is perfectly okay for everyone, be he Bavarian, American, Japanese or African, to wear Lederhosen when visiting Oktoberfest or similar opportunities, and no German in his right mind would complain. If, on the other hand, the guy already had his share of beer, was recently fired, or divorced, or all at once, anything can happen. I hope you recovered from the negative experience and have much fun visiting future Oktoberfests.
2006-11-29 02:59:45 · answer #3 · answered by NaturalBornKieler 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm from North Germany where Bavarian Lederhosen are as common as an Indian sari or a loincloth from the stone age.
So if you enter a pub here with Lederhosen you would get the same stares as if you're wearing a sari or a loincloth. A sari would probably even be more common.
Ok, of course that doesn't mean you don't have the right to do it, if you really want, you can wear Lederhosen or loincloth, your choice. But then you've got to live with the stares and perhaps some jokes. And it doesn't matter if you're a Bavarian, an American or whatever, everybody would just think you're dressing up for Karneval or something.
Just imagine the reaction if a German enters a bar in New York dressed up in a cowboy outfit with leather chaps over the dirty jeans, boots with spurs, a vest with the sheriff's star on it, a stetson and fake guns on the belt and you get the idea.
The place to wear Lederhosen is Bavaria and it's certainly in style to wear them to the Oktoberfest, but in the rest of the country nobody wears them except for costume parties.
So my opinion: by wearing Lederhosen you don't insult me or Germany or whatever the strange Mr.Hamburg told you. You're not making fun of Germany wearing it and it's your perfect right to do it.
But if you do it outside of Bavaria no matter if you're German or American you'll risk being the laughing stock for everybody.
2006-11-29 02:16:18 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
The phenomenon is easily explained. While an American would probably be delighted to spot a German tourist in full Western garb because he would see it as a sign of voluntary integration into American society, a German spotting a non-German in German folklore outfit may see this as an attempt at "sneaking in" - simply because the USA are an immigration country which prides itself on assimilating other cultures, whereas Germany is a non-immigration country with a strong sense of exclusive ownership odf regionalized regalia. It's a bit like in Britain - ever see football hooligans brandishing their club's scarves etc.? Same thing, they freak out when someone demeans their symbols of belonging by adopting them without being part of the group. Neanderthals, if you ask me. Enjoy your Lederhosen, and next time somebody gives you a hard time for wearing German stuff in Germany, ask them to take off their bluejeans, they're American, after all!
2006-11-29 15:05:58 · answer #5 · answered by Tahini Classic 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I am sorry this guy ruined your night but I personnally also make my jokes of people wearing Lederhosen on other occasions than the Oktoberfest...its such a silly outfit!
And I can understand this guy thought you are taking the piss...just consider would you dress up in traditonal chinese/indian/japanese cloth when going to a traditional restaurant in any of those countries?
Having said that if I met you that night I might have had a good laugh about you and forgotten about it 2 mins after..wear what you like...
2006-12-01 00:51:08 · answer #6 · answered by Tanja S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've you'd wear the Lederhosen on daily basis i think people would look at you in a weird way, cuz it's not the common german dresscode. But you said you wear them for the Oktoberfest, which is totally ok. I think you being an american and wearing Lederhosen on the german Oktoberfest is great. That's what it's all about, isn't it? I think it's totally cute and all germans I know (a lot) would like it too!!!
Don't worry about that idiot!! ;o)
2006-11-29 08:05:23 · answer #7 · answered by pearl_682 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
LOL. Honestly I don't give a **** and I'm absolutely
positive most think the same. Some people however
can be annoyed. It's not really because you're wearing
it but because of the typical bavarian image germany
sometimes has. That bavarian crap can cause some
touchy reaction with some. Specially with guys from
the north. It's kinda like running around in cowboy
boots, hat and a 6 shooter in the bronx.
2006-11-29 11:40:20 · answer #8 · answered by Alex S 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I am ashamed of that guy!! I think it is perfectly ok for you to wear Lederhosen!
No, no, don't let yourself be restrained by other people's comments!!! Wear whatever you like. And in Germany, not even all Bavarians wear Lederhosen, so the guy had no right to comment on you like that!
Anyway, we also use Microsoft. If we would say the things the guy said, we shouldn't use Microsoft as only Americans should use it. It is as stupid as forbidding you to wear Lederhosen!!!
So wear them!!
2006-11-29 07:48:51 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Wow, that sounds incredibly rude of him! While I can't answer really, I do have a pair of lederhosen. I'm 99% German in heritage, but you'd never guess it because I was born and raised in the US. I can't even speak German! The only German I heard was from my grandmother who could occasionally slip into a few words.
I think it was incredibly crass of him to make assumptions just because he heard or somehow figured you weren't German. Chalk it up to rudeness and forget about it and wear the lederhosen!
2006-11-29 01:48:20 · answer #10 · answered by chefgrille 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋