☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics address the bureaucratic obstacles and absurdities that people can experience when collaborating with authorities.
- The frustration and confusion of the protagonist are described, who is sent from one office to another to get the right application.
- The text humorously criticizes the incomprehensible language and the difficulties people have in navigating this system.
- The inefficiency and complexity of the system are highlighted, and it prompts reflection on possible improvements.
- The song lyrics end with a small hope that the old forms will be scrapped, thus achieving a simplification of bureaucratic processes.
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song "Ein Antrag auf Erteilung eines Antragsformulars" by
Reinhard Mey are about the bureaucratic hurdles and absurdities one can encounter when dealing with authorities. The protagonist of the song is asked by the Central File Exploitation Office North to submit an application for the issuance of an application form, in order to confirm the nullity of a copy. The text describes the frustration and confusion of the protagonist, who is sent from one office to another to get the right application.
The lines "Einen Antrag auf Erteilung eines Antragsformulars, Zur Bestätigung der Nichtigkeit des Durchschriftexemplars, Dessen Gültigkeitsvermerk von der Bezugsbehörde stammt, Zum Behuf der Vorlage beim zuständ'gen Erteilungsamt" are repeated several times and highlight the absurd bureaucracy the protagonist is faced with.
The lyrics humorously criticize the incomprehensible language used in offices and the difficulties people have in navigating this system. The protagonist struggles with the different offices and their representatives, who cannot help each other. At the end of the song, the file messenger comforts the protagonist and promises that the old forms will be scrapped as they are completely unnecessary.
Overall, the lyrics of the song are about the absurd and frustrating experiences people can have with authorities and criticize the bureaucracy and paper war they are confronted with. They show the complexity and inefficiency of the system and encourage reflection on possible improvements.