History Main / GermanicEfficiency

* The UsefulNotes/MP3 file compression format was developed by computer scientists at the University of Nuremburg in the early 1990s. Together with file-sharing app Napster, the format proved to be such a KillerApp for the early years of TheInternet, it sent [[DigitalPiracyIsEvil major record labels into a panic]].

* Inverted in ''Series/HogansHeroes'', where every single German is completely incompetent.
** Every single ''recurring'' German. Many of the one-off villains were actually threatening, but were usually handled by the end of the episode.

** Or played straight to emphasize the extent of the VD ruthlessness.

* [[ThoseWackyNazis Rudolph von Stroheim]], a supporting character in ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency''. 30 days after being blown to smithereens with a grenade defending Joseph Joestar from [[ItMakesSenseInContext an ancient Aztec vampire]], he is not only back in action, a feat he attributes to German medical science, but his body has been augmented with fantastic cybernetics far outclassing the capabilities of the vampires. Not only that, in the same span of time, the German military developed weaponry specifically to defeat the race of vampires which now threatened the world, including [[StupidJetpackHitler ultraviolet light cannons, telescopic machine guns, and flawless prosthetics.]] It's not for nothing that Stroheim remains one of the more memorable characters in the entire series and his [[MemeticMutation memetic]] catchphrase is that German science is the best in the world.[[labelnote:*]]While the full phrase spoken by Stroheim is "Bakamono ga! Doitsu no kagaku wa sekai ichi!" which translates to "You fool! German science is the world!", simply shouting "sekai ichi!" in [=JoJo=] fan circles tends to make it fairly obvious what's being memed.[[/labelnote]]

** Franchise/JamesBond has made Walther Arms and its associated weapons very famous, most notably the Walther PP/PPK series of compact pistols and the Walther P99 series of full-sized pistols, as well as the Walther WA2000 sniper rifle.

Compare with UsefulNotes/DichterAndDenker, UsefulNotes/GermanPeculiarities, AsianAndNerdy (especially the Japanese, a longtime ally, friend and fan of Germany), and ProudIndustriousRace (of which Germany or its FantasyCounterpartCulture might be an example in works where the author seeks to emphasize in their portrayal tireless diligence and labor ambitiousness). Contrast with GermanicDepressives and FascistButInefficient.

Compare with UsefulNotes/DichterAndDenker, UsefulNotes/GermanPeculiarities, ProudIndustriousRace (which seems to be an inevitable consequence of using this trope in the portrayal of Germany or its FantasyCounterpartCulture), and AsianAndNerdy (especially the Japanese, a longtime ally, friend and fan of Germany). Contrast with GermanicDepressives and FascistButInefficient.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'' series tends to portray Germany as an [[ProudIndustriousRace industrial powerhouse]]. In ''Civ IV'', the Germans get an Assembly Plant that is more productive than a standard Factory, the Hanse in ''Civ V'' is a Bank that provides a city increased production based on how many trade routes the empire has with city-states, while in ''Civ VI'', the Hanse is an improved industrial district, complemented by the fact that Germany can uniquely build more districts around their cities than other civs.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'' series tends to portray Germany as an industrial powerhouse. In ''Civ IV'' the Germans get an Assembly Plant that is more productive than a standard Factory, the Hanse in ''Civ V'' is a Bank that provides a city increased production based on how many trade routes it has with nearby city-states, while in ''Civ VI'' the Hanse is an improved industrial district, while Germany can uniquely build more districts around their cities than other civs.

Compare with UsefulNotes/DichterAndDenker, UsefulNotes/GermanPeculiarities, and AsianAndNerdy (especially the Japanese, a longtime ally, friend and fan of Germany). Contrast with GermanicDepressives and FascistButInefficient.

* Almost every modern action film and video game will have lots of German-made [[CoolCar cars]] and [[CoolGuns guns]] which are usually portrayed as being the best available. Works set in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII will also have German {{tank|Goodness}}s.

*** UsefulNotes/WorldWarII made the Walther P38 famous/infamous for its [[CoolGuns cool looks]] and for being the Nazi's pistol of choice after its introduction in 1942 to replace the Luger.

* Manuel Gottsching's ''E2-E4'' is a minimalist electronic 2-chord proto-trance track - more than twice as long as Kraftwerk's ''Autobahn" - which he wrote to "listen on long plane trips". To his surprise, it was a big hit at New York's Paradise Garage nightclub, where it was catchy enough to dance to.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* A recurring gag in the ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' episode "Ron the Man" is the contrast between [[SurroundedByIdiots the ineptitude of Dr. Drakken's henchmen]] and the Prussian efficiency of Professor Dementor's. Of course, [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption neither of them wins out in the end, anyway]].

** In one episode, Homer is kidnapped in a conspiracy and replaced by a man who ''looked'' similar, but spoke in broken English with an obvious German accent. He manages to distract Marge from questioning him by offering to take her out to dinner and then having "efficient German sex." ([[DidTheyOrDidntThey We never find out if they went through with it, though]].)
** In an earlier episode, the power plant was bought out by a German company who lived this trope through and through; Lisa even told Homer that the reason Germany is an economic power is because of this trope. Interestingly, the Germans who actually came to run the plant were portrayed as being very friendly and approachable. Despite fears of mass layoffs, they ended up only laying off Homer (which, let's face it, is understandable) and most of the employees far preferred them to Mr. Burns. The status quo is restored at the end when the Germans sell the plant back to Mr. Burns when they realize it's in such sorry shape that it would cost a fortune to bring up to spec.
* WesternAnimation/SupaStrikas The team Iron Tank is German and evokes all the cliches associated with this trope, along with a certain militaristic mindset.

* [[ThoseWackyNazis Rudolph von Stroheim]], a supporting character in ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency''. 30 days after being blown to smithereens with a grenade defending Joseph Joestar from [[ItMakesSenseInContext an ancient Aztec vampire]], he is not only back in action, a feat he attributes to German medical science, but his body has been augmented with fantastic cybernetics far outclassing the capabilities of the vampires. Not only that, in the same span of time, the German military developed weaponry specifically to defeat the race of vampires which now threatened the world, including [[StupidJetpackHitler ultraviolet light cannons, telescopic machine guns, and flawless prosthetics.]] It's not for nothing that Stroheim remains one of the more memorable characters in the entire series and his [[MemeticMutation memetic]] {{Catchphrase}} is that German science is the best in the world.[[labelnote:*]]While the full phrase spoken by Stroheim is "Bakamono ga! Doitsu no kagaku wa sekai ichi!" which translates to "You fool! German science is the world!", simply shouting "sekai ichi!" in [=JoJo=] fan circles tends to make it fairly obvious what's being memed.[[/labelnote]]

* [[ThoseWackyNazis Rudolph von Stroheim]], a supporting character in ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency''. 30 days after being blown to smithereens with a grenade defending Joseph Joestar from [[ItMakesSenseInContext an ancient Aztec vampire]], he is not only back in action, a feat he attributes to German medical science, but his body has been augmented with fantastic cybernetics far outclassing the capabilities of the vampires. Not only that, in the same span of time, the German military developed weaponry specifically to defeat the race of vampires which now threatened the world, including [[StupidJetpackHitler ultraviolet light cannons, telescopic machine guns, and flawless prosthetics.]] It's not for nothing that he declares that German science is the best in the world.

The trope ''maker'' was the intellectual climate of Germany and Austria in the 1920s. There was a powerful emotional argument that both countries had lost the war because the German people had been too soft, weak, and 'intellectual': to survive and prosper in the cruel world in which they lived, the German people had to become ruthless, strong, and calculating. Germany had to stop being ''Das Land der Dichter und Denker'' (the land of poets and thinkers) and become the land of scientists and soldiers. When they came to power, the Nazis did all they could to make these hopes a reality.

* The Empire in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}''. Naturally.

*** The PSG-1 sniper rifle.

*** The G11, the most well-developed caseless design in firearm history, considered to be way, way, ''way'' ahead of its time. Featuring an internal design so complex the whole thing was memetically nicknamed "Kraut Space Magic".

** Franchise/JamesBond has made Walther Arms and its associated weapon very famous, most notably the Walther PP/PPK series of compact pistols and the Walther P99 series of full-sized pistols, as well as the Walther WA2000 sniper rifle.