If only Adolf had worn Pampers

Germans are at odds over claims that harsh potty training is to blame both for Nazism and modern thuggery.

A FRIEND of mine is convinced that the German national character in all its complexities can be traced back to Germans' rigorous potty training.

Teutonic infants, he claims, are made to sit on their lowly thrones for hours on end, until pronounced house-clean, usually at a remarkably tender age. [...]

WE regret that by letter dated Tuesday, December 12, 2000 a Ms. Louise Hayman, the head of legal services at The Independent newspaper, requested that this article be removed from this website. We have adjusted the masthead accordingly.