Seems there's a town in Austria called Fucking (pronounced fooking, like booking, looking, cooking....)
Here's where it's situated on the map in the Alpine wonderland of Austria:
And here's the article from I-don't-know-what-newspaper about a series of thefts by British tourists who keep absconding with the town's signs:
(Click on the image for a larger view.)I was dubious about this, but then I checked the urban myth buster, Snopes, and they confirmed that, yes, Virginia, there is a Fucking, Austria! http://www.snopes.com/photos/signs/austria.asp
More than having their signs stolen though, the real insult is in the article. The headlines says, "Germans not amused."
Germans!?!?
Austrians aren't Germans. They only speak German. Nothing irks an Austrian more than to be called a German. That's like saying the Irish are English or that West Virginians are Virginians (which is partially true, but is more insulting to ethnic Virginians than it is to West Virginians.)
Sheesh. Germans? Not even. As for Fucking, Austria, well... that's another thing all together now, isn't it?
8 comments:
How fun would it be to be solvent enough financially to move there permanently, and give your address to all the staunch Mormon relatives??
Too funny.
Aufwiedersehen, Fucking!
I personally like the trail of biking gear in the photo that leaves the impression they saw the sign and immediately commenced fucking.
SML: In may family, it would be hilarious. My Mom would likely come up with an alternate name for it.
"So, Sister Kincaid, where does Janet live now?"
"Oh, she's in Foo-King."
"Ah. China."
"Yes. China."
Actually funny thing about Austria. I use to get mail marked "Rerouted through the Philippines." Seems the post office thought the country was Australia and sent it down to the southern hemisphere. I suppose that's better than being compared to the Germans, though.
Adriana: I think Maria and the Captain honeymooned in Fucking.
Thanks for the laugh! Who the heck knew about that!?
I think that sign should have been installed in front of your frisky squirrel tree!
Yeah, so, being the smooth and soo-ahve-ay girl that I am, I mistakenly asked an Austrian where in Germany she was from.
*Brrrr*
Lesson learned.
(Crap. Delayed gratification 'round these parts...I have to have my comments sent to moderation!)
Swizzies: Oh, there's a hard lesson learned, eh? The funny thing about Austrians, too, is they're perfectly happy to let folks go on thinking Hitler was a German, when in fact he was born just outside of Linz in the province of Upper Austria. Still, at least they have Mozart.
As for delayed gratification, it's all about me getting to read your comments first and not having to dig through my blog to find them. Bawahahahaha... ;-)
But... Autrains ARE Germans, ethnically, are they not?
Culturally and natioanlly, they aren't but ethnically, for certain, ja?
oder, so ich hat gedacht.
Bill: How did you end up all the way back here in November?!
Anyway--to answer your question, yes, the Austrians are definitely ethnically German. Culturally and nationalistically, they are not.
Originally, Austria--or Oesterreich, which translates as "The Eastern Empire"--was designated such as the eastern most edge of the Roman Empire. It was inhabited by Germans and Slavs and over the centuries became increasing Germanic. Eventually, it moved from region to duchy to monarchy to federal state to republic. For a short, sad period, it was occupied ("reclaimed"), as you know, by Germany as part of Hitler's vision of a fully Germanic Europe.
Today, Austria is a member of the European Union and it classifies itself as neutral, refusing to allow foreign troops to station in the country.
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