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Kartoffel (English: potato) is an informal term to describe Germans in the multicultural context. It can be used as an insulting term, but is often used in a humours context or as an autonym.

Usage and History
The pejorative usage of the word Kartoffel for humans is not a 21st century development. Already in the 1960s the word "Kartoffelfresser" (English: potato eater) was used especially by Italian guest workers as equivalent to food-related terms such as "Spaghettifresser" (English: spaghetti eater). In the Deutsche Wörterbuch by the brothers Grimm of 1873, the authors describe "mancherlei scherz" (various jokes) are made with the term Kartoffel, such as "Kartoffelsachsen" (English: potato Saxon) in the duchies or with the inhabitants of the Ore Mountains, which were called „Kartoffelwänste“ (English: potato paunch), because „die kartoffeln oft ihre einzige nahrung sind“ (the potato is often their only nourishment).

Nowadays, the term potato is used in different terms to denote the German in itself. As a stereotype for Germans, it is often classified in multicultural contexts as a swear word with which Germans should be reduced or insulted. The term can be attributed to the prejudice that Germans consume above average and frequently potatoes. This clichéd assumption proves to be only partially correct, as the EU-wide comparison to the per capita consumption of potatoes shows. Germany is in the lower midfield, according to the study.

Thus, the term can also be understood in response to curse words such as "Kümmeltürke" (English: caraway Turk) or "Spaghettifresser" (English: spaghetti eater) and follows the pattern of using eating habits as part of one's identity and as a demarcation field over other groups. In multi-ethnic contexts, the term also serves to distinguish between "Germans" and "Ausländer" (English: foreigner). On the other hand, potato is also taken up as a humorous mutual term in youth and everyday language or in media. For example, the term is also used in the first episode Türkisch für Anfänger (2006), in which the figure Cem welcomes the German-born protagonists Lena and Nils with the words: „Na ihr Kartoffeln“ (English: Well you Kartoffeln).

Finally, Kartoffel can also be used as a self-designation with positive or ironic meaning, for example, within the hip-hop scene and as a positive appropriation by the originally so insulted group (Geusenwort). Zuletzt potato can also as Self-designation can be used with positive or ironic meaning, for example, within the hip-hop scene [11] and as a positive appropriation by the originally so called group (Reappropriation).

Not to be confused is the term Kartoffel with the expression Kartoffeldeutsche, which can be used for the immigrant German families in southern and central Jutland.

Controversy
The term Kartoffel played a role in debates about a controversial hostility against German. For example, in 2010 the then Family Minister Kristina Schröder in an interview in the ARD stated that such as hostility would be expressed by children and young people being called "deutsche Kartoffel" (English: German potato) or "deutsche Schlampe" (English: German slut). Those insults would be forms of racism, too. In response, the Berlin senator for interior Ehrhart Körting and Grünen leader Cem Özdemir demanded consistent intervention against such behavior. However, the Grünen party politician Sven-Christian Kindler referred to Schröder's statements against it as „pseudowissenschaftliche[n], gefährliche[n] Quatsch“ (English: pseudo-scientific, dangerous nonsense).

Julian Reichelt was nominated in 2018 by the association of "Neuen deutschen Medienmacher" for the "Goldene Kartoffel" (English: Golden Potato) award in order to honor the "abysmal reporting" of the Bild newspaper about the immigration society. He then declined the price and justified this, among other things, with the statement that Kartoffel had meanwhile become an insult in schoolyards that actually refers to race and origin and that it was in no way meant lovingly.

The term also appeared in the discussion about the problems of the German national soccer team after dropping out of the 2018 World Cup early. According to a Spiegel article, there appeared to be a dividing line in the German team between self-proclaimed "Kanaken", i.e. players with migration background such as Jérôme Boateng and Mesut Özil and "typical Germans" like Thomas Müller or Mats Hummels. They state that the he difference between these groups was mainly in the lifestyle of the players and the extravagant living "Kanaken" occasionally made fun of the lifestyle of the "Kartoffeln". The national team player İlkay Gündoğan and Lukas Podolski, who was active in the DFB team until 2017, replied in response to this report that this banter among themselves were always to be understood as fun.

Use in music
The expression "potato" is also used in German rap and German-speaking punk as a term for Germans in song lyrics. Here are some examples:


 * 187 Strassenbande – „Ein Code“ (Album Der Sampler II) – Song line: „Und auch Kartoffeln, die Kanacken beschützen“ (English: And also potatoes that protect the Kanacken)
 * Ali As feat. Pretty Mo – „Deutscher / Ausländer“ (Album Amnesia) – Song line: „Ey, du Kartoffel, was läuft?“ (English: Ey, you potato, what's up?)
 * Audio88 & Yassin – „Schellen“ (Album Halleluja) – Song line: „Das wird man ja noch sagen dürfen, als ein stolzer Sack Kartoffeln“ (English: You can still say that as a proud sack of potatoes)
 * Egotronic feat. Emilie Krawall – „An die Wand“ (Album Keine Argumente) – Song line: „Wir stell’n ganz Deutschland an die Wand, jetzt sind mal die Kartoffeln dran“ (English: We put all of Germany on the wall, now it's the potatoes' turn)
 * Eko Fresh – „Die Abrechnung“ (Album German Dream Allstars) – Song line: „Und jetzt dieser Fler, du fette Kartoffel komm ein bisschen näher“ (English: And now this Fler, you fat potato come a little closer)
 * Fler – „Schrei nach Liebe“ – Song line: „Du redest von Kartoffeln, man merkt, dass du ein Bauer bist“ (English: You talk about potatoes, one can tell that you are a farmer)
 * Jan Delay – „Kartoffeln“ (Album Mercedes-Dance) – Song line: „Ich bin 'ne Kartoffel und ich bin cool damit“ (English: I am a potato and I'm cool with it)
 * JAW – „Fremdkörper“ (Album Die unerträgliche Dreistigkeit des Seins) – Song line: „Denn für deutsche Kartoffeln ist dieser Swag nicht umsonst“ (English: Because this swag is not in vain for German potatoes)
 * KC Rebell feat. Kool Savas – „Spiegel“ (Album Abstand) – Song line: „wo sie meinten: ‚Entscheide dich! Kartoffel oder Kanake?‘“ (English: where they said: 'Decide! Potato or Kanake?’)
 * K.I.Z. – „Was willst Du machen?!“ (Album Böhse Enkelz) – Song line: „Du Opfer, wen willst du boxen? Überall sind Kartoffeln“ (English: You victim, who do you want to box? There are potatoes everywhere)
 * K.I.Z. – „Ellenbogengesellschaft (Pogen)“ (Album Hahnenkampf) – Song line: „Verkehrte Welt, fallen gelassen von 'ner heißen Kartoffel“ (English: Upside down world, dropped by a hot potato)
 * Liquit Walker – „Deutschrapkanakke“ (Album Unter Wölfen) – Song line: „Abgestempelt als Kartoffel, wenn man anders läuft“ (English: Stamped as a potato if you run differently)
 * NMZS – „Freaks 'n' Geeks“ – Song line: „Das ist Rap für Versager, Musik für Gemüse, Kartoffelrap, Untergrund plus sehr viel Stärke“ (English: This is rap for losers, music for vegetables, potato rap, underground plus a lot of strength/starch)
 * Yassin – „Haare Grau“ (Album Ypsilon) – Song line: „Bin der erste Kanacke, den Kanacken nicht feiern, und bald die erste Kartoffel an einem Galgen in Bayern“ (English: I'm the first Kanacke, the Kanacken do not celebrate, and soon the first potato on a gallows in Bavaria)
 * Zugezogen Maskulin – „Plattenbau O.S.T.“ (Album Alles brennt) – Song line: „Das ist kein Deutsch mehr, was ich quatsche ist kartofflisch“ (English: This is no longer German, what I am chatting is potato-ish)