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
-
Free speech: MFWA slams ‘weaponisation’ of state laws
13 minutes -
NITA defends ICT fees, rejects claims of ‘digital coup’
55 minutes -
UN releases $60m from central fund to tackle lethal Ebola outbreak
1 hour -
“Put people first” – Vice-President tells global financial giants at ACI Congress
3 hours -
Vice-President commissions 100 new Metro Mass buses
4 hours -
“You do not need my permission” – Bagbin clears misconception over arresting MPs
4 hours -
Ice baths, almond milk, meditation and a ‘house like a hospital’: The secrets of Salah’s success
4 hours -
This Saturday on Prime Insight: GN Savings and Loans licence restoration and the Abronye bail debate
5 hours -
Putin vows retaliation after accusing Ukraine of hitting student dormitory
6 hours -
2026 ACI World Congress: In Accra, a quiet reframe of how emerging markets see themselves
6 hours -
No break-in, no theft at Ashaiman showroom – Hisense Ghana clarifies
6 hours -
This Saturday on Newsfile: Attack on free speech and return of GN Bank
6 hours -
Opinion: The evidence before High Court continues to expose weakness of the Republic’s case against Wontumi
6 hours -
Ebola risk raised to ‘very high’ in DR Congo
7 hours -
I recommended Haruna and Muntaka for ministerial roles — Asiedu Nketia
7 hours