That's how the German embassy replied when questioned about their Ambassador's recent remarks to a gathering of German industrialists in Dublin. I have trouble imagining any Ambassador as humorous, but for some reason the idea that the German ambassador is humorous is itself somewhat amusing.
Anyway, today it seems that not only was he joking, but his jokes were mistranslated.Or at least, his speech was mistranslated, which might help explain why fellow speaker and Irishman Gay Mitchell was offended. Mitchell thought the Ambassador "did a number on Ireland and the Irish".
I can't see that describing Irish history as even sadder than Poland's is all that offensive. Maybe he was offended by the remark that Irish people seem pretty keen on new cars? I don't know. I haven't been able to find a copy of the actual speech.
One Irish Independent columnist (Kevin Myers, I'm guessing) is not offended, but is professing his admiration for the Ambassador in a funny open letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
