The Viennese Schmäh

The Schmäh is Vienna's number one cultural technique — and often difficult for non-Viennese to grasp. It is a special form of humor that combines irony, charm, slight malice, and playful exaggeration. The Schmäh is never entirely serious, never entirely unserious — it hovers in a liminal space that can be felt but is hard to explain.

A classic Schmäh works like this: You say something slightly exaggerated or absurd with a completely serious face. The other person knows (or should know) that it's not entirely true — and plays along. It's a verbal ping-pong where both sides have fun. Those who don't understand the Schmäh and take everything literally are "schmäh-resistant" — the worst judgment a Viennese can make.

The Schmäh has an important social function: It bridges hierarchies, relaxes tense situations, and creates closeness. A taxi driver who says to you when getting in, "So, where to? Airport? Or straight to the Caribbean?" is using Schmäh. The right response would be: "Caribbean would be great, but I only have a twenty on me." You play along.

Famous Schmäh masters included Helmut Qualtinger (his "Herr Karl" is a merciless satire on the opportunistic Austrian), Georg Kreisler ("Poisoning Pigeons in the Park"), and currently cabaret artists like Josef Hader and Alfred Dorfer. Black humor — about death, failure, and transience — is typically Austrian. The famous bon mot: "The situation is hopeless, but not serious."