Audio By Carbonatix
Germany is to revamp its phonetic alphabet to remove words which the Nazis added to expunge Jewish names - and which have survived for decades.
Most Germans use the Nazi-era terms in phone calls, such as "D for Dora", "N for North Pole", "Z for Zeppelin", unaware of their anti-Semitic origin.
Germany to wipe Nazi traces from phonetic alphabet https://t.co/NDOk8YHJSY
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) December 4, 2020
In the Weimar Republic, before the Nazi dictatorship, D had the name "David", N was "Nathan" and Z was "Zacharias".
Experts are working on new terms, to be put to the public and adopted in 2022.
The initiative sprang from Michael Blume, in charge of fighting anti-Semitism in the state of Baden-Württemberg, backed by the Central Council of Jews in Germany.
The job of devising new terms for the problematic letters is now in the hands of the German Institute for Standardization (DIN).
The commonly-used equivalent in the UK is the Nato phonetic alphabet, with terms such as "F for Foxtrot, T for Tango". But many English speakers also use terms like "D for Dennis, S for Sugar" on the phone.
Latest Stories
-
COPEC calls for continued investment to ensure TOR’s sustainability
7 minutes -
Tyler Perry sued by another aspiring actor alleging sexual assault and seeking $77m in damages
24 minutes -
Canadian national and Ghanaian boyfriend arrested for alleged arson at Oyarifa
1 hour -
Police take over Gomoa Nyanyano after two factions clash in chieftaincy dispute
1 hour -
Alavanyo Paramount Queen backs Asantehene in opposition to inclusion of Queenmothers in Houses of Chiefs
2 hours -
OSP’s preventive actions saved Ghana millions – Sammy Darko
2 hours -
Galamsey cuts off cocoa farms in Mfantseman, farmers suffer heavy losses
3 hours -
Ghanaian delegation set for January 20, 2026 trip to Latvia in Nana Agyei case – Ablakwa
4 hours -
Accra turns white as Dîner en Blanc delivers night of elegance and culture
6 hours -
War-torn Myanmar voting in widely criticised ‘sham’ election
8 hours -
Justice by guesswork is dangerous – Constitution Review Chair calls for data-driven court reforms
8 hours -
Justice delayed is justice denied, the system is failing litigants – Constitution Review Chair
9 hours -
Reform without data is a gamble – Constitution Review Chair warns against rushing Supreme Court changes
9 hours -
Rich and voiceless: How Putin has kept Russia’s billionaires on side in the war against Ukraine
10 hours -
Cruise ship hits reef on first trip since leaving passenger on island
10 hours