---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Under the ground, in Munich, Germany, two…"
description: "\"“Under the ground, in Munich, Germany, two people stood and spoke in a basement. It sounds like the beginning of a joke: 'There's a Jew and a German st..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/markus-zusak-165_joke_under-the-ground-in-munich-germany-two-p_1327407.png"
---

#  Under the ground, in Munich, Germany, two people stood and…

![“Under the ground, in Munich, Germany, two people stood and spoke in a basement. It sounds like the beginning of a joke: 'There's a Jew and a German standing in a basement, right?...' This, however, was no joke.” quote by Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/markus-zusak-165_joke_under-the-ground-in-munich-germany-two-p_1327407.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/markus-zusak-165_joke_under-the-ground-in-munich-germany-two-p_1327407.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/markus-zusak-165_joke_under-the-ground-in-munich-germany-two-p_1327407.png)

> ““Under the ground, in Munich, Germany, two people stood and spoke in a basement. It sounds like the beginning of a joke: 'There's a Jew and a German standing in a basement, right?...' This, however, was no joke.””

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The passage highlights the absurdity and horror of historical atrocities, using a dark joke setup to underscore the seriousness of the Holocaust.

**In simple terms:** Even jokes can reveal deep tragedy.

Key Takeaway

Recognize humor's limits when confronting atrocity.

Themes

history humor atrocity memory ethics

Mood

somber thoughtful serious

Type

educational historical reflective

When to use this quote

- classroom discussion
- historical education
- memorial planning
- ethical analysis

Key Concepts

dark comedy historical trauma narrative irony

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we teach painful history without desensitizing?
- What role does satire play in remembering tragedy?

A Different Perspective

Humor may trivialize suffering if not handled carefully.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke/)

## Related quotes

> [I am a fan of whatever makes me laugh my ass off. If it happens to be a Jew joke, then it's a Jew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-borstein/i-am-a-fan-of-whatever-makes-me-laugh-my-ass-off-if-it-happens-to-be/)

[Alex Borstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-borstein/)

> [Shame about how we’re gonna die here, though. I mean, seriously. An Arab and a half-Jew enter a store in Tennessee. It’s the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/shame-about-how-we-re-gonna-die-here-though-i-mean-seriously-an-arab/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [I remember I would always joke among my friends about a remake of 'Point Break'. I would say, 'You know what? Whenever there's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-ramirez/i-remember-i-would-always-joke-among-my-friends-about-a-remake-of/)

[Edgar Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-ramirez/)

> [“Caleb fed me better food during my kidnapping than these people. I laugh at my own joke”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/caleb-fed-me-better-food-during-my-kidnapping-than-these-people-i/)

[C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/)

> [“Well, you better look out. They got a new bureau in the guvamint files. It’s called U.W. Stands for Useless Wimmen. Tha’s secret plans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/well-you-better-look-out-they-got-a-new-bureau-in-the-guvamint-files/)

[Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/)

> [There were guys in 'The State' who would take one script and rewrite it and rewrite it and rewrite it and fight for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/there-were-guys-in-the-state-who-would-take-one-script-and-rewrite-it/)

[Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/)

> [Tell me that I misunderstood a joke, but don't tell me that my choice of cravat is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/tell-me-that-i-misunderstood-a-joke-but-don-t-tell-me-that-my-choice/)

[David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/)

> [If there's something tender going on like that, I can't make up a joke and put it on Twitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-beaumont/if-there-s-something-tender-going-on-like-that-i-can-t-make-up-a-joke/)

[Lucy Beaumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-beaumont/)

> [Westminster is no joke. I took some tough classes there. It prepared me for a tough career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-baldwin/westminster-is-no-joke-i-took-some-tough-classes-there-it-prepared-me/)

[Brooke Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-baldwin/)

> [I don't like it when I see a racist comedian go up and say, 'What are we gonna do about all these immigrants?' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-don-t-like-it-when-i-see-a-racist-comedian-go-up-and-say-what-are/)

[Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/)

> [We're all basically decent human beings so if 3,000 people are laughing at a joke then it's worth telling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/we-re-all-basically-decent-human-beings-so-if-3-000-people-are/)

[Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/)

> [I don't do plays without jokes anymore. I've retired from those plays. I think it's bad manners to invite people to sit in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/i-don-t-do-plays-without-jokes-anymore-i-ve-retired-from-those-plays/)

[Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/)

> [I'm always looking at new ways to tell a joke so that it doesn't get stale while working on new jokes every night or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/i-m-always-looking-at-new-ways-to-tell-a-joke-so-that-it-doesn-t-get/)

[Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/)

> [Nobody calls me a racist when I do redneck jokes. Jeff Foxworthy can do as many 'You might be a redneck jokes' as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-mencia/nobody-calls-me-a-racist-when-i-do-redneck-jokes-jeff-foxworthy-can/)

[Carlos Mencia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-mencia/)

> [“You know where you can shove your joke. Just get me a new drink and try not to include and of your STD-laced body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrington/you-know-where-you-can-shove-your-joke-just-get-me-a-new-drink-and/)

[Kim Harrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrington/)

## More by Markus Zusak

> [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [I think that as a writer your responsibility is to search for and stir up the things that are in this world. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-think-that-as-a-writer-your-responsibility-is-to-search-for-and/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [“For two days I went about my business. I travelled the globe as always, handing souls to the conveyor belt of eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/for-two-days-i-went-about-my-business-i-travelled-the-globe-as-always/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [It is early, early morning. It's that time when it's still dark but you know the day is coming. Blue is bleeding through black.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/it-is-early-early-morning-it-s-that-time-when-it-s-still-dark-but-you/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [“I'm twenty years old and look at me-- there isn't a thing I want to do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-m-twenty-years-old-and-look-at-me-there-isn-t-a-thing-i-want-to-do/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [You should give it to Max, Liesel. See if you can leave it on the bedside table, like all the other things." Liesel watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/you-should-give-it-to-max-liesel-see-if-you-can-leave-it-on-the/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [“When a woman with an iron fist tells you to get out there and clean spit off the door, you do it. Especially when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/when-a-woman-with-an-iron-fist-tells-you-to-get-out-there-and-clean/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [In years to come, he would be a giver of bread, not a stealer - proof again of the contradictory human being. So much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/in-years-to-come-he-would-be-a-giver-of-bread-not-a-stealer-proof/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [“«¿Por qué no puede oírlo el resto del mundo? —me pregunto. En pocos segundos me lo pregunto muchas veces—. Porque no le importa —me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/por-qu-no-puede-o-rlo-el-resto-del-mundo-me-pregunto-en-pocos/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [Could she smell my breath? Could she hear my cursed circular heart beat revolving like the crime it is in my deathly chest?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/could-she-smell-my-breath-could-she-hear-my-cursed-circular-heart/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [I see how complicated it is to make a film and how many people are involved and I love the fact that I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-see-how-complicated-it-is-to-make-a-film-and-how-many-people-are/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [One wild card was yet to be played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/one-wild-card-was-yet-to-be-played/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [“Može li netko ukrasti sreću? Ili je i to još jedan unutarnji, paklenski ljudski trik?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/mo-e-li-netko-ukrasti-sre-u-ili-je-i-to-jo-jedan-unutarnji-paklenski/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [I look at my first books and am glad they weren't published… You start writing by imitating your heroes, then you keep the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-look-at-my-first-books-and-am-glad-they-weren-t-published-you-start/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

[Explore all 953 Markus Zusak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

## More Joke quotes

> [“You know where you can shove your joke. Just get me a new drink and try not to include and of your STD-laced body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrington/you-know-where-you-can-shove-your-joke-just-get-me-a-new-drink-and/)

[Kim Harrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrington/)

> [Nobody calls me a racist when I do redneck jokes. Jeff Foxworthy can do as many 'You might be a redneck jokes' as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-mencia/nobody-calls-me-a-racist-when-i-do-redneck-jokes-jeff-foxworthy-can/)

[Carlos Mencia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-mencia/)

> [I'm always looking at new ways to tell a joke so that it doesn't get stale while working on new jokes every night or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/i-m-always-looking-at-new-ways-to-tell-a-joke-so-that-it-doesn-t-get/)

[Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/)

> [I don't do plays without jokes anymore. I've retired from those plays. I think it's bad manners to invite people to sit in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/i-don-t-do-plays-without-jokes-anymore-i-ve-retired-from-those-plays/)

[Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/)

> [We're all basically decent human beings so if 3,000 people are laughing at a joke then it's worth telling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/we-re-all-basically-decent-human-beings-so-if-3-000-people-are/)

[Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/)

> [I don't like it when I see a racist comedian go up and say, 'What are we gonna do about all these immigrants?' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-don-t-like-it-when-i-see-a-racist-comedian-go-up-and-say-what-are/)

[Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/)

> [Westminster is no joke. I took some tough classes there. It prepared me for a tough career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-baldwin/westminster-is-no-joke-i-took-some-tough-classes-there-it-prepared-me/)

[Brooke Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-baldwin/)

> [If there's something tender going on like that, I can't make up a joke and put it on Twitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-beaumont/if-there-s-something-tender-going-on-like-that-i-can-t-make-up-a-joke/)

[Lucy Beaumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-beaumont/)

> [Tell me that I misunderstood a joke, but don't tell me that my choice of cravat is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/tell-me-that-i-misunderstood-a-joke-but-don-t-tell-me-that-my-choice/)

[David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/)

> [There were guys in 'The State' who would take one script and rewrite it and rewrite it and rewrite it and fight for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ben-garant/there-were-guys-in-the-state-who-would-take-one-script-and-rewrite-it/)

[Robert Ben Garant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ben-garant/)

> [“Well, you better look out. They got a new bureau in the guvamint files. It’s called U.W. Stands for Useless Wimmen. Tha’s secret plans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/well-you-better-look-out-they-got-a-new-bureau-in-the-guvamint-files/)

[Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/)

> [“Caleb fed me better food during my kidnapping than these people. I laugh at my own joke”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/caleb-fed-me-better-food-during-my-kidnapping-than-these-people-i/)

[C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/)

> [I remember I would always joke among my friends about a remake of 'Point Break'. I would say, 'You know what? Whenever there's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-ramirez/i-remember-i-would-always-joke-among-my-friends-about-a-remake-of/)

[Edgar Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-ramirez/)

> [The joke is the purest, most essential form of storytelling. Every word has to count.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/the-joke-is-the-purest-most-essential-form-of-storytelling-every-word/)

[Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/)

> [“Perhaps I can make you understand. Let’s start from the beginning. A man is hired to give advice to the readers of a newspaper.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathanael-west/perhaps-i-can-make-you-understand-let-s-start-from-the-beginning-a/)

[Nathanael West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathanael-west/)

[Browse all 2,321 Joke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Under the ground, in Munich, Germany, two people stood and spoke in a basement. It sounds like the beginning of a joke: 'There's a Jew and a German standing in a basement, right?...' This, however, was no joke.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Markus Zusak"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/under-the-ground-in-munich-germany-two-people-stood-and-spoke-in-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Joke"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/under-the-ground-in-munich-germany-two-people-stood-and-spoke-in-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/markus-zusak-165_joke_under-the-ground-in-munich-germany-two-p_1327407.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/markus-zusak-165_joke_under-the-ground-in-munich-germany-two-p_1327407.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/markus-zusak-165_joke_under-the-ground-in-munich-germany-two-p_1327407.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Under the ground, in Munich, Germany, two people stood and spoke in a basement. It sounds like the beginning…” — Markus Zusak",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Markus Zusak",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Under the ground, in Munich, Germany,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/under-the-ground-in-munich-germany-two-people-stood-and-spoke-in-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/under-the-ground-in-munich-germany-two-people-stood-and-spoke-in-a/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```