22. A Cliché Prussian Trait With a Basis in Reality
Germans have long been mocked – not least by fellow Germans – for a perceived national trait and cultural tendency to blindly obey the orders of authority figures. For generations, an often repeated cliché had it that otherwise intelligent and rational Germans could simply turn off the independent thinking part of their brains in the presence of authority figures. As a result, they are said to turn into automatons who obey otherwise questionable commands simply because they are orders issued by higher ups.
Sometimes, the consequences are horrific. After World War II, many Germans prosecuted for war crimes sought to evade responsibility with variations of “I was only following orders“. Many or most genuinely believed that acting in accordance with the commands of superiors absolved them of responsibility. Other times, as seen below, the consequences are merely absurd. Like when a homeless German drifter walked into a mayor’s office, and managed to order everybody around and loot the place simply because he was dressed in an officer’s uniform.
