Get To Know A Famous Man

@MALUSE (69428)
Germany
January 15, 2017 12:40pm CST
It never hurts to broaden one’s horizon. Get to know one of the most interesting German politicians. His name is Jakob Maria Mierscheid (pronounced Méershayd). He's been a member of the German Bundestag (GB: ~House of Commons, USA: ~House of Representatives) since 1979. He's a Catholic and a member of the SPD (Social Democratic Party). He's a taylor by trade, widowed and has four children. He's the archetypal backbencher who only occasionally makes himself known. His career has always been humble. He's a member of the Trade Union of Peasants and Lumber Jacks and an honorary member of the Choral Society of the Trade Union for Wood and Plastic Workers. Politically he was known as the deputy chairman of the Committee for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses. A short excerpt of his writings: He is the author of a four-part series on the Travel Routes of the Ring-Tailed Wood Pigeons and its Avionics published in the Central Journal of the Carrier Pigeon Breeder Association. He's also been admired for his contribution for the Stone Louse Symposium in Frankfurt. The Mierscheid Law from 2002 deals with the correlation of federal election results and West German industrial production. - Several approved biographies have been written about him. - Two office buildings in Berlin for members of Parliament are connected with a pedestrian bridge across the river Spree. It is called Mierscheid Bridge. - A mountain trail near his home town carries his name. - Two cafés, one in the former German capital Bonn, the other later in the current capital Berlin, were called Mierscheid. (Both are closed now, therefore Past Tense) - In 2013 the President of the German Bundestag congratulated Mierscheid officially on the occasion of his 80th birthday. (The speech can be watched on youtube). Unfortunately, Mierscheid couldn't be present. Nobody was sad about this, though. On the contrary, there is a lot of giggling to be heard from the members of Parliament. Q: WHY? A: Because THERE IS NO Jakob Maria Mierscheid ! There has never been one ! He was created in 1979 by two politicians. They - together with some supporters - are responsible for the care and fostering of the phantom. Funny, eh? --- photo: pixabay
21 people like this
18 responses
@xFiacre (12541)
• Ireland
15 Jan 17
@maluse What? Are there people who believe in this phantom? I'd love to fool people in that way!
2 people like this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
15 Jan 17
Yes, there are.
3 people like this
@Inlemay (17714)
• South Africa
16 Jan 17
that is weird - who would do something so extreme and to what purpose?
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
16 Jan 17
What a question! For fun, of course. I find the whole thing very funny.
1 person likes this
@Inlemay (17714)
• South Africa
16 Jan 17
@MALUSE Bizarre - well I suppose many people make up people in their heads, but none so famous that there is a statue - well not yet . . .
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
16 Jan 17
@Inlemay Oh, that is a misunderstanding. The statue has nothing to do with the post. I was thinking of a fitting illustration and thought a monument would be a good idea. I didn't expect anyone to connect the pic and the text in this way. No modern monument would look like this.
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22412)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
15 Jan 17
That is a good one!
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
15 Jan 17
Sounds a bit like the thousands of ghost employees in the Indian government departments. Never having worked a day in their lives but still drawing salaries. I am trying to think of a recent incident here in British politics something similar occurred. How strange it must be tricks our politicians find highly amusing!
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
15 Jan 17
This phantom politician has never robbed money from the state. So the comparison with lazy Indians isn't applicable.
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
16 Jan 17
That is funny, but a big waste of time.
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
16 Jan 17
That's a strange argument in my opinion. Fun is never a waste of time.
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
16 Jan 17
@DianneN That is a possibility. There are worse things, however, one can do in one's free time. Creating something amusing for oneself and others is one of the good things.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
16 Jan 17
@MALUSE I assume the politicians had lots of time on their hands.
@Daljinder (23222)
• Bangalore, India
15 Jan 17
WHAT? So, he is a hoax? How did they manage that?
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
15 Jan 17
@Daljinder I've explained that in detail.
4 people like this
• Philippines
20 Jan 17
Oh, my god I hope the german people would be wise in voting candidates and avoid having jokesters in the legislature. Those people don't deserve tax payers money.
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
20 Jan 17
I think I've made it clear in my post that there is no danger of this man getting anywhere. Not one cent of taxpayers' money was ever spent on him.
@jaboUK (64363)
• United Kingdom
16 Jan 17
But what was the point of creating him?
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
17 Jan 17
@jaboUK I've already mentioned it in other comments. The point was fun. I thought that British members would have no problems understanding this and also appreciating it. Yet, surprisingly (for me) this is not the case.
1 person likes this
@GreatMartin (23678)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
18 Jan 17
Not any funnier than the politicians we have!! :O)
@nanette64 (20368)
• Fairfield, Texas
16 Jan 17
Oh my gosh @MALUSE ; what a surprise ending to the post. You really had me going there.
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
16 Jan 17
Goody! This was my intention. :-)
1 person likes this
@Ronrybs (17765)
• London, England
16 Jan 17
Sounds like a couple of politicos with far too much free time!
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
16 Jan 17
I'd say with a sense of humour. Other people also have free time but don't have such a funny idea.
@theBlock (2657)
• United States
15 Jan 17
@MALUSE Wow---I was impressed at first :) Do you know why those 2 politicians made him up?
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
15 Jan 17
No, I don't, but I don't think it matters. I guess the discussions they had to listen to were boring. Maybe they were jokesters by nature.
1 person likes this
@theBlock (2657)
• United States
15 Jan 17
@MALUSE Oh, ok. Yeah, they were probably wise guys
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40250)
• United States
17 Jan 17
Oh my goodness, so he's entirely fictional? Shocking....
• Trinidad And Tobago
18 Jan 17
An elaborate ruse, eh?...to what purpose? And is this on a national scale? How come no one has righted this wrong?
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
19 Jan 17
"To what purpose?" is a question I didn't expect when I wrote this post. But you're not the only one who doesn't see that it was done FOR FUN! There is nothing to explain if people don't get it. I let it be now.
@celticeagle (157593)
• Boise, Idaho
15 Jan 17
How interesting.
@Tampa_girl7 (48855)
• United States
16 Jan 17
What an intriguing discussion.
@Freelanzer (10745)
• Canada
17 Jan 17
A well thought out lie but an interesting and intriguing one
• United Kingdom
16 Jan 17
Ha ha, what an odd thing to do!