Friedrich Merz has a problem: the CDU chairman could soon be confused with Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

In any case, Wille Felix Zante can well imagine that the same sign name will prevail among the deaf for Merz as for Putin: During the gesture, the thumb and forefinger go over the tip of the nose and apparently lengthen it.

"That would suit Merz, he also has a pointy nose," says Zante, who works for the German Association of the Deaf.

Sebastian Eder

Editor in the society department at FAZ.NET.

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While Merz is still flying under the radar as leader of the opposition, there is a lot of discussion in the deaf community about the sign names for the new cabinet members.

Recently, for example, attention was drawn to the fact that the sign name for Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) is the sign Porsche.

"The sign name always puts a stamp on a person, but that's not meant in a bad way," says Zante.

It's all about what people associate with the person - and Lindner's preference for fast cars stuck with him.

This sign name is quite unusual.

More often than not, something flows in that you can see right away: is someone tall or short, does he move quickly or slowly, does he have a conspicuous hairstyle?

Barack Obama was depicted by some deaf people with his protruding ears. When it comes to Karl Lauterbach, the bow tie is still drawn with his hands to this day, which he actually no longer wears around his neck for a long time.

"It's always about something striking"

The sign language interpreter and teacher Katja Fischer knows from her own experience that a meaningful name can also become the basis for a sign name: She uses the sign for an angler.

"It's always about something striking," says Fischer.

This could be a visual anomaly, a certain habit or a name that goes well with the gesture.

There are also combinations: Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) has a jumping movement on her ear, which points to her previous career in trampoline jumping and her distinctive earrings.

With her Green colleague Robert Habeck, a wavy movement in front of his forehead alludes to his bangs.

Sometimes sign names change too. Angela Merkel has long been portrayed with the corners of her mouth pointing down. "At some point that was too grumpy for many, which is why the gesture was then used for 'remember'," says Fischer. A similar discussion is currently going on about the gesture for the new chancellor: So far, Olaf Scholz (SPD) has often traced his fringe of hair with a finger circling over his head. "But that's not suitable for using as an interpreter in news broadcasts." That's why other variants are being discussed: For example, two fingers next to the eyes to indicate his narrow eyes, or simply the gestures for the letters O and SCH in a row.

There is no committee that finally decides which is the official signed name.

"It's a natural process, sometimes different sign names are used," says Fischer.

For Merz, she knows a different gesture than Putin's long nose: "You pull your chin with your hand," says Fischer, "to allude to his pointed face." With the current news situation, Merz would certainly be happy if there was not too much risk of confusion with Putin would exist.