Our language is shaped by very different areas – one of which is war. An exhibition in Oberschleißheim shows the connections.
“Bombenwetter”, “verfranzen”, “Helicopterparents”: The German language is full of terms that have their roots in the military. The Flugwerft Schleissheim is now devoting a special exhibition to this phenomenon. The show “Bomb Weather – Air Warfare and Language”, which was initially conceived for the Military History Museum (MHM) Berlin, can be seen until the end of February 2023.
It is intended to show “what war does to us and what language can do to us,” said Robert Kluge, who currently manages the Flugwerft on an acting basis.
Around 100 phrases are used every day, said the curator of the exhibition, Rolf-Bernhard Essig. Many of them came from agriculture or crafts, but many of them also came from the military or specifically from the air war.
The exhibition deals with almost 30 terms, including “bomb weather”, “dud” or “high-flyer”. The word “verfranzen” also comes from the First World War, because the term “Franz” for an observation officer crept in there. Essig also attributes the term “helicopter parents” to the air war, because helicopters were originally intended primarily for combat use. (dpa)