Cool moments in History: JFK, did he declare himself a Jelly Donut
The Speech
On the 26 of June, 1963, American President John F . Kennedy gave his famous speech in West Berlin where he declared his solidarity with the people of West Berlin, West Germany and Europe in general in the opposition to the rising Soviet tide. This solidarity was wrapped up with the immortal words 'Ich bin ein Berliner'
Source Youtube
The problem is that the more common way to say 'I am a Berliner' is 'Ich bin Berliner'. Also like with many words in many languages, they can have multiple meanings, in this case a 'berliner' can also refer to a German pastry that resembles a jelly donut (or jam doughnut)
Mistake?
So did JFK declare to the world that he is a jam doughnut? Many years ago my German speaking history teacher Mr Kelly taught me that he had. And I have to say my life has been a happier one for it, believing that such a famous and serious speech had such a comical mistake in it.
The idea that the most powerful man in the world stood infront of hundreds of thousands of Germans who were nervous and fearful of an encroaching Russia, viewed by millions around the world terrified of a nuclear war and declared 'I am a jam doughnut'. It was just too good, it was with great disappointment that I learned it was a non story.
While if you were a jam doughnut and wanted to declare the fact, you would indeed say 'Ich bin ein berliner' it can also convey the meaning JFK intended. Here is a quote from an article quoting Anatol Stefanowitsch, a Berlin professor of linguistics
Stefanowitsch said the construction with the article "ein" is used when a speaker wants to say that he doesn't literally belong to the group, Berliners in this case, but rather wants to express that he has something in common with them.
So JFK , or at least his speech writers, were perfectly correct and no matter how much I want to believe the jam doughnut version of events, I am forced to live in a world where American presidents don't say idiotic things.
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One of the best bits on Eddie Izzards "Dress to kill".