Deutsche Welle (DW), Germanys international broadcaster, has launched a fun new web site targeted at youth and the young at heart with an interest in becoming typically German. The Instant Germanizer, at www.germanizer.com, is an entertaining multimedia community where like-minded people can meet and exchange information about Germany.
Before joining the club, participants become Germanized by taking a few hilarious tests to learn more about German stereotypes – such as Talk der Lingo (precision in language, such as knowing how to say I would like pigs trotters and sour cabbage for lunch ), Cookooks Knock (punctuality) and Spot the Germans (what do Germans look like?)
Once the tests are completed, the user is allowed access to an array of interactive features such as a German language course, news, a discussion forum and a picture gallery where they can upload pictures of their German experiences and send them as e-cards.
Deutsche Welle is renowned for being a provider of serious news and information. With The Instant Germanizer, weve aimed to break the mould and focus on the fun aspects of German life and culture, says Guido Baumhauer, head of DW-Online. The act of joining a club is in itself a very typical German trait.