Germany has been voted the least funny country in the world in an international poll. …

The stereotype of German humourlessness is believed to derive from their reputation for efficiency, punctuality and rationality, presumed to be at the expense of humour.

Examples of German jokes include: ‘Yesterday, I met my friend Horst at the hospital. He’d swallowed a sponge. He says it doesn’t hurt but he’s always thirsty.’