Word: putzfrau
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Despite the hardships of life in West Germany, most Gastarbeiter dread leaving because of the poor economic conditions in their home countries. Advertising for brides is one sign of their determination to remain. Conceded a Greek Putzfrau (charwoman) a bit exaggeratedly: "I know the West Germans wish us to hell, but we stick it out because at home we would barely have enough...
Germany's traditional Putzfrauen (cleaning women) are coming to work in hairdos and stiletto heels. Even the name Putzfrau is disappearing. Now it is Raumpflegerin (room tender), or Bodenkosmetikerin (floor cosmetician). "Nowadays," the saying goes, "instead of choosing between guns and butter, the middle-class German has to choose between having a Putzfrau or having a Mercedes, a vacation in Majorca and a TV set. And when he opts for thetPutzfrati, it's she who goes to Majorca, buys the TV set and makes a down payment...
...polite, equally weighted cousins on an inert seesaw. So scrupulously balanced is the coalition and the Proporz system of dividing up the jobs that, according to Viennese table talk, if there is one People's Party Putz-frau (charwoman) in a government building, there must be a Socialist Putzfrau too. After last November's elections, balance became stalemate; the two big parties have been haggling over a Cabinet ever since...
| 1 |