Bielefeld and Molise

Off-topic
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I just learned about the Bielefeld conspiracy, a German in-joke about the town of Bielefeld that is supposed not to exist, and proofs of its existence are just fabricated by them.

In Italy we have Molisn’t, a theory about the non-existence of the Molise region. In fact, come to think about it, nobody in this forum is either from Bielefeld or Molise. It can’t be a coincidence.

So, my question to the non-German and non-Italians (so basically three or four people) is: are there similar in-jokes about your country too?

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I wasn’t aware of any in-jokes for the UK, but I’ve just discovered that a non-existent village called Argleton used to appear on Google Maps!

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The important thing to know about the “Bielefeld conspiracy” is that it itself is a parody of a conspiracy. It is not unlike Russel´s Teapot a “proof it isn´t!” kind of thing to make a point. They just happened to choose a place from a region that is unpopular for having grown rathe unnaturally due to it´s industrial history.

You cannot rule out @someone who is an unspecified person from an unspecified town in northern germany. Heck for all we know he HIMSELF could be the town of Bielefeld! :eyes:

Yes it can.

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@Someone: We know who you are…

* dramatic pause *

…Mr Bielefeld!! :grin:

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Fun fact: there’s a village in England called “No Place”!

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“There is no place in this town for the both of us!”
“Yes indeed and there is plenty of no place!”

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Yes. :slight_smile: And Bielefeld is using this “conspiracy” as a marketing instrument/advertisement. More information here:

I can say that a very close relative of mine is actually from Bielefeld. :wink:

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:open_mouth: where?

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South of “No Where”.

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:expressionless:

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Sorry, better wait for @tasse-tee to give a serious answer.

(I never watched that show btw.)

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In the North East of England, County Durham! Not far from where I live, actually.

And it doesn’t appear on Google Maps! :open_mouth: Apparently there’s a pub called the Beamish Mary Inn that’s located in No Place, but Google Maps says it’s in a village called Stanley.

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Here we have “Erps-Kwerps” which is used mainly as a synonym for the middle of nowhere. I only discovered a few years ago it is a real place (or so we are led to believe)

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Yeah we have a couple of those, too. But that is something different than those very specific things I believe.

Erps-Kwerps is probably analogue to our Hinterdublfing or Schrunzdgunz or those other generic made up names in the nothern parts I know I know but can´t think of right now.

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In Sardinia we have Pompu, which is a small village (pop. 252) somewhere in the middle of the island. “A Pompu” is used exactly as “in the middle of nowhere”. My sister once got lost and actually ended up in Pompu, and she wasn’t even aware at the time that it was supposed to be a real place. She found it very funny.

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France has one such town that doesn´t exist and it´s called Oradour-sur-Glane.

Okay, sorry that was terrible even for me.

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Oh look, that might explain something.

grafik
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Well, that settles it. The Bielefeld conspiracy was made up by evil satanists to damage the credibilty of this author. Repent, people repent!

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Here we say “Canicattì”. Which is actually a real place as well.

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@Ema what about Vergate sul Membro? :stuck_out_tongue: