| Millionär werden! | |
| German Quiz Shows Can Enrich Your Vocabulary |
Learn German and have fun
with the German versions of
"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"
Von den drei Jokern bleibt
nur der Publikikumsjoker übrig.
The prize amounts are now in euros.
Foto: RTL
Your chances of becoming a Millionär (in euros or Swiss francs) on one of the "Millionaire" quiz shows in German Europe are pretty slim. But the many British quiz show exports and their clones in German do offer opportunities to enrich your vocabulary. "Millionaire" knockoffs have mushroomed across German TV—both commercial and public. With names like Wer wird Millionär? (Who Wants to be a Millionaire?), Der Schwächste fliegt (The Weakest Link), Die Quiz Show and Ca$h, these German editions of get-rich quiz shows have produced high Einschaltquoten (ratings) but few Millionäre.
In a part of the world where the top prizes on most quiz shows have traditionally been low by American standards, this is a surprising development. Not that long ago a German quiz show contestant was thrilled to walk away with a few thousand marks. Nowadays the German Regis Philbin or Chris Tarrant (the UK host), Günther Jauch, host of Wer wird Millionär, watches people quit to walk away with 100,000 euros or more.
Günther Jauch ist der
deutsche Moderator von 'WWM?'.
Foto: RTL
Watching "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" in its German reincarnation is a déja vu experience. RTL Television's Wer wird Millionär? (WWM?) has the same sets, the same music, the same "lifelines" (die Joker) and the same format (right down to the contestant's spouse or relative spotlighted in the audience). But it is an interesting cultural study to see how the German version differs from the American in many subtle ways, just as the British and US versions vary as well. Günther Jauch doesn't use Regis Philbin's now-famous catch phrase, "Is that your final answer?" but he does occasionally try to unnerve a German contestant by asking, "Sicher?" ("Are you certain?"). There have also been "Prominenten Special" games, where German celebrities face questions to raise money for a favorite charity.
But even if you can't watch WWM? or the other German quiz shows on television, there are alternatives, online and off. WWM? is also available as a board or computer game. An interactive Trainingslager (Training Camp) from RTL lets you play the game online: "Hier können Sie Fragen die so oder so ähnlich bei WWM? gestellt werden nachspielen und fleißig üben." (Also see our actual WWM questions.)
On the next few pages we offer more info about German game shows, sample questions and the links to some of the German millionaire games.
NEXT > More Quiz Shows > Page 1, 2, 3, Links
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