It's more Gauleiter claptrap

[Richard Hargreaves]

Hooray!

Heute Morgen wird es erforderlich, die überarbeiteten Menschen [der Hilfs-, Rettungs-und Bergungsmannschaften] in die Betten zu kriegen. Ich habe den Eindruck, daß die Organisationen ihre Männer nicht mehr in der Hand haben. Ich habe Szenen erlebt von der Löschpolizei, die unmöglich gehen. Es kann nicht ein kleiner Mann da stehen und entscheiden, ob ich fahren darf oder nicht, und wenn ich über Blindgänger fahre! Ich habe den Mann ablösen lassen, habe gesagt, er soll ins Bett gesteckt werden. Ich bitte, sonst nichts daraus zu machen. "Flegeln Sie sich da nicht im Wagen", sagt er. Wenn die Leute ihr Letztes verlieren und so angeschimpft werden, dann müssen Sie den Mut verlieren. Ich bitte also, lassen Sie die Nichtmecklenburger heraus, der Berliner würde wieder schimpfen, aber der Mecklenburger ärgert sich darüber.

This morning it's imperative that our overworked people [the assistance and rescue teams] get to bed. I have the impression that the organisations no longer have control over their men. I witnessed scenes involving the firefighters which are outrageous. A little man cannot stand and decide whether I can or cannot pass or if I can drive past unexploded bombs! I had the men relieved and said he should be sent to bed.

...

If people are exhausted and become so short-tempered, then they're bound to lose courage. So I ask you: ...

There's still more of this ghastly stuff to come I fear.

[Richard Hargreaves]

* Bump *

[Richard Hargreaves]

* Bump bump bumpity bump *

[pak]

Hooray!
...
Ich bitte, sonst nichts daraus zu machen. "Flegeln Sie sich da nicht im Wagen", sagt er. Wenn die Leute ihr Letztes verlieren und so angeschimpft werden, dann müssen Sie den Mut verlieren. Ich bitte also, lassen Sie die Nichtmecklenburger heraus, der Berliner würde wieder schimpfen, aber der Mecklenburger ärgert sich darüber.
...

Okay, I'll have a go....

First :
fle•geln, sich; flegelte sich, hat sich geflegelt; [Vr] sich irgendwohin flegeln gespr pej; sich in sehr bequemer und lässiger Haltung irgendwohin setzen: Flegel dich nicht so auf die Couch!
From flegeln sich

Ich bitte, sonst nichts daraus zu machen. "Flegeln Sie sich da nicht im Wagen", sagt er.
Please do not make anything out of it. "Don't make yourself to comfortable in the car" he says.

If people are exhausted and become so short-tempered, then they're bound to lose courage.
I would more likely have translated it like: If people loose everything, and is shouted at like this, then ......

The next one is a bit harder, but if I have not misunderstood too much it is about people from Mecklenburg, and those not from Mecklenburg.

Ich bitte also, lassen Sie die Nichtmecklenburger heraus, der Berliner würde wieder schimpfen, aber der Mecklenburger ärgert sich darüber.

It says something like:
I also ask of you, let those not from Mecklenburg out of here. Those from Berlin will go on fulminating, but those from Mecklenburg will be annoyed by it.


Someone more fluent in German than me, might want to correct my translation, but this is what I get out of it

[Richard Hargreaves]

Thanks Pak. That's horrible in German and horrible in English.

Apparently the hall was so packed to hear his speech, that it was relayed to a nearby cinema. I wonder how many stayed until the bitter end... The reporter did. He transcribed every word, including the half-started sentences. These days we'd tidy it up to make it sound better, although I think Shakespeare would struggle tidying this one up...

[Howard]

Here's my take on this little gem:

This morning it's essential to get the overworked people (the auxiliary, rescue and recovery teams) to bed. I have the impression that the organisations no longer have any control over their men. I've seen crazy goings-on with the fire brigade. You can't have a little man standing there deciding whether or not I can drive on and if I drive over an unexploded bomb! I had the man relieved and said he should be put to bed. Please don't make anything out of this. "Stop buggering about in the car," he says. When people lose everything and are so abused, they must lose their nerve. So please, leave the non-Mecklenburgers out of this, the Berliners would curse again, but the Mecklenburgers get angry.

[hero.]

Hello to all !

I would agree with both translations in general.
But I don't know if the last sentence is already fully explained.

After reading it several times, I think what he wants to say is the following :

Leave the non-Mecklenburgers out of this => that should probably mean :
Don't put people from Berlin (with their very direct way of talking = Berliner Schnauze) in command positions here.
Because to be adressed that way, makes people from Mecklenburg angry, while people from
Berlin are used to such a tone (of communication ?!)( I'm looking for an expression like Umgangston),
and probably would simply reply in the same manner.

I hope that explains it a little bit.

Best regards
hero.

[Richard Hargreaves]

Thanks everyone. I may resort to my standard fallback on this one. If in doubt, leave it out...

If you'd like more Hildebrandt, I can recommend (if not heartily...) this volume:

http://www.amazon.de/Mecklenburg-Weltkr ... 962&sr=8-1

It runs to over 1,000 pages of claptrap.