"Ich zeig dir, wo de Bartli de Most holt" (German: "I'll show you where Barthel gets the cider")

December 12, 2018
The first literary sources of this idiom can be found in the 17th century. The origin, on the other hand, is highly disputed and various explanations have been attempted. In order not to bore you now, the three most common ones are briefly summarized below:
  1. One theory is that the idiom originates from the crook language and the two Hebrew words בַּרזֶל (CHA: barzæl) 'iron'. and מָעוֹת (CHA: māʿōt) 'money, coins'. united. Folk etymology would then have the Hebrew words become Barthel and Most reinterpreted. Accordingly, the meaning of the idiom would be to knows how to get money with the help of a crowbar.
  2. According to a Saxon legend, the expression goes back to a German innkeeper named Bartholomew room back. We write the early 16th century - Meissen, near the Polish border. That very Bartholomew was known for his great Expertise in the field of wine known. He obtained wines only from the best warehouses and maintained his own vineyards. Thus it is not surprising that with this man. only the finest wine products were to be found. So Barthel knew where to get the cider. In this regard, the following doggerel verses were also found: 
  3. Another interpretation of the idiom assigns its Origin in the Rhineland one. Again, the core of the story revolves around the sweet alcohol of the grape. According to the then common designation of calendar days after Catholic saints was the August 24 commonly referred to as St. Bartholomew's Day known. For fresh wine at this time of year it was actually much too earlyAfter all, the harvest of grapes begins only at the end of October. Apparently, however, some clever farmers still managed, with the help of a good location of the vines and a good pruning of the vines, the Harvest grapes already earlier and thus be able to offer good wine earlier. So who took to heart these factors, knew where Barthel got his cider.
Text sources
  • Klaus Müller (editor): Dictionary of idioms. Origin and meaning of German idioms. Bassermann Verlag, Munich 2005, ISBN 3-8094-1865-X, DNB 974926760, "know where (the) Barthel gets the cider", page 48
  • Duden editorial office (publisher): Duden, Idioms. Dictionary of German Idiomatics. In: The Duden in twelve volumes. 2nd, newly revised and updated edition. Volume 11, Dudenverlag, Mannheim/Leipzig/Vienna/Zurich 2002, ISBN 3-411-04112-9, "knowing where Barthel gets his cider," page 95
  • Wander: Deutsches Sprichwörter-Lexikon, 1867: Barthel
Image source
 
 

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