Sick Day

What I learned about myself, Germany, the USA, and history by getting sick.

The Sick Man of Europe is a metaphor used to define a state located in Europe that is facing economic difficulties, instability, and social unrest.

The term was coined for the first time in history by the Russian Emperor Nicolas I in the mid-19th century to define the situation of the Ottoman Empire.

Here is a caricature made by the Punch Magazine in 1892. Here we see Sultan Abdul Hamid II with a “flaccid” sword reading a sign that says “We own you now ”Copyright for the image. F — k that guy btw.

Emperor Nicholas I was right, the Ottoman Empire did collapse and dissolve approximately 60 years after he used the term. But that’s not our topic today…

Since then it has been used for other countries at different periods. Germany was one of them, and once again it is labeled as “the Sick man of Europe”. But this time, literally.

Throughout history, Germany was called the Sick Man of Europe in three different periods.

1 — Post WW1: Weimar Republic.

Well, the peace treaties after the first world war and the Great Depression crippled the German economy, and inflation was uncontrollable. As social unrest and unemployment soared, people became furious and desperate. It wasn’t to only reason but we know the rest of history.

2 — 90’s to early 00's