I've always been amused by the German fascination with aristocratic titles. It seems like every middle-manager in Munich is either a count or a baron. Germany's defense minister, Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg owes much of the intense media interest about him and his wife to his noble lineage (his full name is Karl Theodor Maria Nikolaus Johann Jacob Philipp Franz Joseph Sylvester Freiherr von und zu Guttenberg). This adulation in the press of the aristocratic politician zu Guttenberg upsets Katja Kipping, deputy chairperson of the Left Party (die Linke) in Germany, who detects "anti-democratic tendencies" in this worship of a historical relic. She wants to abolish aristocratic titles altogether:
“Adelstitel sind in einer Demokratie überflüssig”, sagte Katja Kipping der “Süddeutschen Zeitung”. “In Österreich hat man 1919 die Adelstitel abgeschafft. Es ist an der Zeit, dass wir das auch in Deutschland tun”, erklärte sie. Besonders griff sie Verteidigungsminister Karl-Theodor Freiherr zu Guttenberg (CSU) an. “Guttenberg versucht, sich als jemand darzustellen, der anders ist als das politische Establishment”, sagte Kipping. […]
Guttenberg knüpfe “an die Unzufriedenheit mit der real existierenden Demokratie” an und spiele mit dem “Bedürfnis nach einem aristokratischen Führungsstil”. Somit würde er eine stille “vordemokratische” Sehnsucht in Teilen der Bevölkerung bedienen.
(Noble titles are superfluous in a democracy," said Katja Kipping in the SZ. "Austria abolished noble titles in 1919. It is time that we also do this in Germany," she explained. She singled out defense minister Karl Theodor Freiherr zu Guttenberg (CSU) for special criticism. "Guttenberg tries to present himself as different from the political establishment," said Kipping.
Guttenberg has tapped into "the dissatisfaction with the real, existing democracy" and is playing into the "longing for an aristocratic style of leadership." This only serves to nourish the "pre-democratic" tendencies among some groups in the population.)
Frau Kipping's frustration is understandable, but misplaced. The persistance of aristocratic titles is not so much a anti-democratic undercurrent in Germany, but rather a manifestation of some deep-seated need to create and worship celebrity. Besides, what better outlet is there for the servile obsequiousness of the middle class?
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Also Frau Kipping should be aware that aristocratic titles are already abolished. The nobles could keep them as a part of their names but they hold no real meaning anymore. They only influence “nobles” in Germany have is through money, land that is in their family for generations and the old boys club. There are more than enough Freiherren who work as clerks and have no political sway whatsoever. But let the left annoy the voters with ridicules issues, the sooner they crumble under the 5% barrier, the better we are off.
Not all aristocratic titles are abolished: Like “Herr” and “Frau”.