Is it true that John Kennedy, speaking in Germany, mistakenly called himself a Berlin donut?

According to the common version, in his sign speech in 1963 in West Berlin, the American president inaccurately used the German article, calling himself not a Berlin, but a variety of bakery products. We checked whether such a mistake really took place.

We are talking about the famous performance John Fitzgerald Kennedy on June 26, 1963 before the Schöneberg town hall in the then Western Berlin. Kennedy expressed his support to local residents after the communist regime of the GDR of the Berlin Wall, designed to prevent the mass migration of socialist citizens into the capitalist world. The key emotional moment of the performance was the words Ich Bin Ein Berliner, which were supposed to mean “I am a Berlin”. However, how reports Historian and journalist Vladimir Abarinov on the air of Radio “Freedom”, “There are no such politicians who are never stipulated”: “A textbook example is the phrase of John Kennedy, who was said by him against the backdrop of the Berlin Wall on June 26, 1963:“ their bin Ain Berliner, ”the president said in German, wanting to say:“ I am a Berlin. ” The Ain’s article was not needed, in this form the phrase translates as “I am Berliner”, that is, the Berlin donut with jam. ”

Similar information can be found from articles in "Novaya Gazeta", "Kommersant", RBC and other authoritative publications, as well as on various Culinary sites. Kennedy's alleged reservation has become a common place - it is mentioned in its bestsellers by writers Karl Friedman ("Two suitcases of memories "), David Foster Wallace ("Endless joke") and Karl-Johann Valgren ("Walks with Kafka").

The performance of John Kennedy before the 120,000th audience is still considered one of the brightest events of the Cold War. Today reminds him of him Memorial board Near the main entrance to the Schöneberg Town Hall, as well as Coins different countries. The words ich bin ein berliner, the American president said twice: At the beginning of the speech, he brought this phrase as an example of a proud statement in the current free world, and at the end he already expressed it on his own behalf, as if joining the progressive masses. At the same time, as report Sources, Kennedy remained unhappy with the draft version of his speech and rewrote it. As for the German -speaking phrase, then, according to one version, the American president Turned for its correct compilation to Robert Lochner, the main translator of the group of American troops in Germany after the Second World War. Lochner, who really can be called Berlinets (he grew up in this city), knew German very well and prompted Kennedy phonetic option statements. Another translator, Ted Sorensen, in his autobiography assertedthat it was he translated the phrase for Kennedy, and did it much earlier. However, modern historians refute his point of view: the last printed draft of speech, prepared with Sorensen's participation, does not contain a German text (although the phrase appears in a separately printed selection), and the registration on it Made Already with the hand of Kennedy:

Now about grammar. Indeed, if a person wants to say that he is Berlin (in the literal sense), then the phrase in German will sound like “Ich Bin Berliner”. However, this does not make the phrase "Ich Bin Ein Berliner" inappropriate or incorrect - according to rules A German, indefinite article can be omitted if we are talking about a profession or origin of a person, but it is needed when a statement has a figurative meaning. So in fact, the translator of John Kennedy acted subtly - in his wording, the president called himself a Berliner in spirit. As an example in Russian, one can give the word “Spartan” that went beyond the scope of geography - the difference is that in the case of Kennedy, this technique was spontaneous, situational. 

As for the Berlin donuts, this dish with a sweet filling actually exists, and in the West of Germany it, indeed, is often called the word Berliner - reduction from Berliner Pfannkuchen (literally “Berlin pancake”):

However, it often happens that the same product in different regions is called differently. As can be seen from this cards, the treats in Germany have five names. In particular, in Berlin and its environs, the dish is simply called the word pfannkuchen (“pancake”, “pancake” or in some cases “Donut”). Therefore, the Berliners simply could not understand Kennedy to the most incorrect. In addition, the universal laughter, which is mentioned by some sources as a reaction to the president’s phrase, was not heard after words in German (they were met fluffal applause), and after them, when Kennedy jokingly thanked the translator for duplicating his words.

After all that we learned, a fair question may arise: where did the joke about the Berlin donut come from? One of the most likely sources of delusion is called the novel “Heim in Berlin” by the classic of espionage literature Lena Deuton, published in 1983. There is one episode: “Ich bin ein berliner,” I said. It was a joke. Berliner is a donut. The day after President Kennedy made his famous statement, the Berlin cartoonists made a lot of billet, drawing talking donuts. ”

The statement of a fictional hero is a source, to put it mildly, dubious. However, soon the observer of an influential newspaper The New York Times In his review of the novel, he managed to bring this statement in all seriousness, without any obvious hints of citation of Deuton. Listing city attractions, he wrote: “Here President Kennedy announced:“ Ich Bin Ein Berliner ” - and thereby made the townspeople because in the local Berliner language this is a donut.”

And this, apparently, was a key mistake in our entire history. Because five years have passed, and another observer The New York Times shared similar information in articlewho had nothing to do with fiction. Further this wave could no longer be stopped, and the misconception in subsequent years repeated such authoritative media as The Guardian, Time, CNN And BBC. It even got into the sensational book of the prominent historian Robert Dallek "Unfinished life: John F. Kennedy, 1917–1963". Nevertheless, modern experts argue that the legend itself is erroneous, and not the words of the 35th president of the United States.

Fake

What do our verdicts mean?

Read on the topic:

1. Expert Weighs in On Major U.S. Speeches in Berlin
2. DID John F. Kennedy Proclaim Himself to be a Jelly Dunghnut?