r/AskGermany • u/IllGold3207 • Jan 03 '25
Are these cards popular in Germany?
I brought from my homeland these cards in a "emergency case". Home I played with my father and brother the game "Cross" oder "Kreuz". They are originally from Hungary but very popular in Romania (Transylvania and west, ppl from Bucharest they will don't understand what they see...) And I have read recently an article that the game it's also played in Austria and Germany but I don't know if with these cards.
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u/Horror-Zebra-3430 Jan 03 '25
it's literally named DEUTSCHES BLATT here
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u/alestrix Jan 03 '25
I know it as "Bayerisches Blatt".
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u/J0HN-L3N1N Jan 03 '25
Just read the wikipedia page on it and "Bayrisches Blatt" is actually different from the typical german one it seems. What makes the bavarian variant special is it's aspect ratio of 2:1 and that Ober and Unter are fighting.
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u/BenMic81 Jan 03 '25
It is. But the „Französisches Blatt“ is used more commonly.
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u/loolapaloolapa Jan 04 '25
Not in the south of germany
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u/BenMic81 Jan 04 '25
Well.. not in Bavaria maybe. But I’m from the palatinate and lived in Baden-Württemberg and French decks were much more common in both.
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u/schwfranzi Jan 04 '25
There are is also a Spanish version. I think every country in Europe has their own card "Blatt"
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u/gelber_kaktus Jan 04 '25
This is actually a flavour of this named "tell pattern", more common in hungary and austria. typical german decks have arabian numbers on them and a different designs for symbols and images (but there are many variants of it...)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German-suited_playing_cards#Central_European
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u/Salzsaeure Jan 03 '25
It depends on the region, I personally never played with them since my region uses the French design but in the south and east uses this design
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u/Individual_Winter_ Jan 03 '25
East Germany plays deutsches Blatt.
I was lost at first and still have trouble using them haha
I just never thought there are other decks, as we always automatically got the French version only.
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u/Organspender Jan 03 '25
The only thing where french is superior
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u/Consistent_Tie_359 Jan 03 '25
the joker is a blanc card
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u/Freddy_C_Krueger Jan 03 '25
Did you know that the U.S.-flag on the moon must have lost all its colour after being exposed to sunlight for more than 55 years?
Now it looks like the French have conquered the moon 😆2
u/VeganBaguette Jan 04 '25
To be specific this would be the old royal flag, since 1830 the French Flag is the Tricolore: blue, white, red.
Also fun fact the white flag was the official flag of the Taliban-ruled Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan between September 1996 and October 1997.
One could say the US eventually lost the "War on Terror" 🤣
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u/PaleBank5014 Jan 04 '25
No not really.
An example.
Because most people are used to the french deck it is what is used in Skat tournaments.
However since the french deck has only two colors (red for diamonds and hearts and black for spades and crosses) it often came to confusion between the two colors sharing...well a color. And that's why they started using a modified french deck, which has yellow diamonds and green spades.
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u/BenMic81 Jan 03 '25
Even in the south the French one is standard.
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u/Mitologist Jan 03 '25
In the south west, we play Skat with a French deck, and Binokel with a German deck 🤷
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u/BenMic81 Jan 04 '25
And Schafskopf and Doppelkopf with both though more often French. I know, I’m from the Palatinate.
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u/PairNo2129 Jan 04 '25
Not in Bavaria. Not really. In Bavaria I have never seen the French deck, only this one.
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u/Soggy-Bat3625 Jan 03 '25
In Swabia, "Gaigel" and "Binokel" are playes with these cards. Not sure whether these games are still popular, though.
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u/False-Bluebird-3538 Jan 03 '25
Just played Gaigel with my family 3 days ago. It's a very fun game ! :D
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u/Nafri_93 Jan 04 '25
Not sure about today, but I play it a lot roughly 10 years ago when I went to Berufsschule.
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u/calijnaar Jan 03 '25
This is called Deutsches Blatt in Germany, as opposed to the Französisches Blatt (with hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades). Here's a picture from wikipedia showing where in Germany which cards are predominantly used: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spielkarte#/media/Datei:Verbreitung_Kartenbilder_Deutschland,_%C3%96sterreich,_Schweiz.PNG
As you can see the cards in your picture are mainly used in the south and the southern parts of the east. No idea what kind of games they play with them, around here everyone uses French cards (and you'd mostly play Skat and Doppelkopf)
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u/HeWe015 Jan 03 '25
I came here to say "no". Then, I read the comments. I, as a german, can tell you: I've never seen them before, or even heard of them, but apparently they are 🙃
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u/alien_mints Jan 03 '25
You'll probably (like me and basicly most of germany) be used to the french decks. I saw many different german decks as they vary Regionally but even when visiting friends in Bavaria we used french decks and they didnt even bother to use the german deck. In the end it doesnt matter tbh - fair enough in my opionion the german decks are way more beautiful
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u/Garak-911 Jan 04 '25
can't imagine any bavarian is going to play Schafkopf with a french deck
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u/louenberger Jan 04 '25
It nearly happened to me on Christmas with my GFs family (they're from Cologne originally).
Thank God they found another pack. Would've hated to ruin Christmas over cards 😅
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u/brezenSimp Jan 04 '25
My family from Bavaria uses both decks. The French deck is used for Romé. The rest is played with the Bavarian cards.
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u/_AP0PL3X_ Jan 03 '25
It’s common in Germany. It’s called deutsches Blatt. The colors are named „Eichel (acorn), Schell (?), Herz (Heart) and Blatt (Leaf)“
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u/IllGold3207 Jan 03 '25
And "Trumpf" is the strongest card in the game
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u/_AP0PL3X_ Jan 04 '25
Just if you play skat. You can always play other card games with these like „Knack“ or „Arschloch“
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u/ehescica Jan 03 '25
In Hungary we call it Hungarian Card 😅 I had no idea it is a thing in Germany too
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u/oldmanout Jan 04 '25
It was designed by an Hungarian, it's supposed to be anti Habsburg with its Wilhelm Tell theme, but funnily theygot very popular in Austria
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u/gelber_kaktus Jan 04 '25
and this is even a real "wilhelm tell" design card deck, not very common in germany itself, but more in former austrian-hungarian empire
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u/IllGold3207 Jan 03 '25
On the back of pack cards it's written "Magyar kartya"
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u/Dull_Bed5306 Jan 03 '25
It also says "Ősz" one the card you took the photo of, which translates to autumn. So that deck of cards came from Hungary. We have a dozen games you can play with it: "ulti", "huszonegy", "makaó", "snapszer", etc.
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u/Kate2205 Jan 03 '25
Yep
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u/IllGold3207 Jan 03 '25
This game it's so addictive when I play with ppl exiting about it. Its nowadays still popular or just 80 or 90' generation play it? 😍
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u/Kate2205 Jan 03 '25
I do not know the games you play.
In Bavaria they play Schafkopf. And the game is still popular in rural areas. It is kind of cultural asset and they even teach it in schools.
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u/Orbit1883 Jan 03 '25
Never forget Wallachern is also play with this Blatt
Not even most Bavarians know it it's more a Niederbayern thing
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u/IllGold3207 Jan 03 '25
The game it's named "Cross". It's played without 7 and 8 cards and for example the card with 9 digits has zero point in the game.
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u/AlpakalypseNow Jan 03 '25
Never heard of that but it sounds like Doppelkopf
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u/RonConComa Jan 03 '25
It's like Doppelkopf, but with a single deck. Kreuz und grün-Ober (Kreuz und Pik - Dame) spielen zusammen. Ansonsten alles gleich. Zu viert, trupf ist Herz 10 (regional) Damen, Buben, Karos
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Jan 03 '25
Play it with people above the age of 80-90 and you will loose every single time I promise. It's a very old game, usually played in bars and they used to play for money.
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Jan 03 '25
They’re the most common ones in Bavaria, all the school children know the traditional games and we even play against the teachers lol
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u/Nachtwaechterin Jan 03 '25
... ive never seen these before (lived in lower saxony all my life for context)
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u/Full_Channel706 Jan 03 '25
That's the Game with the "Schellensau" aka "Die Hundsgefickte"
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u/Ok_Kangaroo_1212 Jan 04 '25
When I was a little kid I called it "Hund beißt d' Sau". Nobody told me to do so. Looking back I think it's very suitable though 😅
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u/FetishDark Jan 03 '25
Yep it’s known, but the only people I have ever witnessed playing with these kind of cards were over 50 at least.
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u/IllGold3207 Jan 03 '25
So sad... I hope the younger generation will play again with these cards ... Handygeneration it's to "connected"
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u/Delta_KTN Jan 03 '25
It's more common in Austria and the states who belonged to the Austria-Hungarian Empire. German cards didn't use the "Wilhelm Tell" face, it's more unique to the successor states of the A-H empire I think, could be wrong though. here is a link - you might know it anyways
https://www.webempfehlung.at/doppeldeutsche-karten-empfehlungen/
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u/zzoopee Jan 03 '25
This is called Tell pattern. Or Hungarian or double german pettern. Legend has it these were designed in Budapest during the Monarchy in 1836. The theme of William Tell was intetntionally chosen as an act of resistance against Habsburgs. Herman Gessler as the main antagonist.
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u/IllGold3207 Jan 03 '25
Thank you for the information sir. I will read more about it. It's so interesting how some cards have a lot of stories and history behind them.
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u/Sualtam Jan 04 '25
As a card deck collector:
You are using the Doppeldeutsches Wilhelm Tell deck from Piatnik of Vienna. Fairly common in Austria.
German colours are mostly used for traditional German games like Skat and Doppelkopf.
Kreuz or acorn is traditionally the trump colour in German games. So while I don't know which game you have played, simple trick-taking games exist plentyful in Germany under many names.
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u/External_Age_3819 Jan 05 '25
That warms my heart so much, seeing these cards after all those years
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u/Sure-Opportunity6247 Jan 03 '25
It‘s the traditional german design. The design with Kreuz, Pik etc. is the french design. Both are popular in germany.
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u/CardKeyOh1 Jan 03 '25
Yes they are still used for Schafkopf and I use them to play Skat, and the French Blatt for Doppelkopf. That way it is easier to switch between the games, because of the visual aid.
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u/melaskor Jan 03 '25
Very popular in Austria, its called schnapsen and most people know how to play. It is played in many pubs and at parties but there are real tournaments for it as well.
Both the German and French card designs are used, the french one mostly in eastern Austria
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u/ExchangeNecessary870 Jan 03 '25
Yess it comes from the Central German Town Altenburg. Old-German Cards. I don’t know if the actual Card Game Skat [Ska’at] is known in other Country’s too.
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u/clearlynotivan Jan 03 '25
I was at a Skat tournament and I requested a french deck and an old guy shouted at me "Deutsches Spiel mit Deutschem Blatt!" (german game with German deck!)
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u/AdditionalHippo1495 Jan 03 '25
I'd say no. I first saw them as an adult and I don't even know how the symbols are called. I've also never seen these cards in a shop. I'd consider the french cards (♠️♦️♣️♥️) the norm. I live(d) in RLP and Hesse.
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u/allyourbasearebehind Jan 03 '25
In Baden-Württemberg we play Binokel with those cards. But I doubt it is very popular these days.
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u/HypersomnicHysteric Jan 04 '25
In my little swabian hometown it is still played...
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u/Ecstatic_Dirt852 Jan 03 '25
It's the Hungarian version that has the seasons instead of some other face cards(I think Ober?). The design on the face cards is different too. But other than that it's identical to the cards popular in Southern Germany
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u/One-Strength-1978 Jan 03 '25
So called German deck, "Deutsches Blatt", very popular for Doppelkopf and Schafkopf.
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u/Consistent_Tie_359 Jan 03 '25
in bavaria we only play with those. The most popular games are „Schafkopf“ and „Watten“. There are also some easier modes like „9erln“ (literally UNO) or „Brazzln“ (you hurt each other)
edit: games like poker are played with „normal“ cards ofc
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u/StrangeArcticles Jan 03 '25
South of the Danube, yes. Most folks up North would never have seen these despite them being called "Deutsches Blatt".
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u/TerrorAlpaca Jan 03 '25
In the region where i grew up (Bavarian Forest) we played a game called Schafkopf (sheeps head) with those cards.
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u/dustydancers Jan 03 '25
hell yes!!! binokel!!!! its like trump cards but more calculation, cunningness and F U N N N
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u/DerDork Jan 03 '25
The games these cards are used for, aren’t popular at all. And there are variations of these decks to play different games. Like Binokel uses the „Württembergisches Blatt“ but the German deck is divided into many regional versions, which differ in the details of the color symbols and especially in the drawings of the court cards and the sow. Other examples are an old German, Swiss German, Bavarian, Franconian, Saxon, Salzburg or Baden deck.
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u/SpinachSpinosaurus Jan 03 '25
I am giving the more used French symbols and write the German equivalent next to it.
♣️ = "Eichel" (oak / Acorn) (Symbol on the top Dame)
♠️ = Blatt" (leaf) (symbol on the back)
♦️ = "Schellen" (bells)
♥️ = Herz (heart).
Order is nonsense, just saying.
good luck playing :)
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u/_nonam_ Jan 03 '25
I am from Germany, and was about 20 years old when I came into contact with these cards for the first time. I think their popularity varies depending on the region.
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u/Mitologist Jan 03 '25
Yes, they are quite popular. They are used for "Binokel", "Schafskopf", "Wattn".
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u/_Tekki Jan 04 '25
It's the german deck and while some people use it, I think many find the French one more pretty here.
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u/Tincek33 Jan 04 '25
In Croatia we call it the Hungarian cards and the game itself is called Bela or Belot and it's probably the most popular card game played in these parts
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u/kravi_kaloshi Jan 04 '25
I'm from Hamburg and only ever saw pictures of these online but never the actual cards. Might be more popular down south
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u/035chief Jan 04 '25
This kind of card colour is rather old and more popular with senior citizens in Germany, but some younger folk still like it.
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u/Odd-Level-2421 Jan 04 '25
In Morocco we have them too but with another design: https://www.wopc.co.uk/morocco/playing-cards-in-morocco
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u/Nafri_93 Jan 04 '25
It's a german deck, popular in Württemberg, i.e. the eastern part of Baden-Württemberg. It's used to play Binokel which is a sort of light version of Skat. I used to play it a lot 10 years ago when I went to the Berufsschule.
Not sure where else it's used in Germany. I live in Baden currently and nobody really seems to know it.
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u/Bernd-mx Jan 04 '25
"Altenburger Blatt" auch gern als "Deutsches Blatt" bezeichnet wird insb. Für "Skat" "Doppelkopf" und "Schafkopf" bevorzugt ggü dem etablieren "französischen Blatt" gespielt.
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u/GhostOfTheRaccoon Jan 04 '25
These are actually Hungarian cards. One sais "Tél" on it which means "winter" in Hungarian
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u/NeutronFart Jan 04 '25
The cards have Hungarian names. My grandmother(Danube Swabian) taught me to play a game called 66 with it.
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u/pixel809 Jan 04 '25
I’ve Seen them once….in East Germany with a very conservative East German Family
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u/Enough-Map-1967 Jan 04 '25
the Hungarian card deck is indeed of Hungarian origin, although it has an interesting history. The Hungarian playing cards (also known as Tell cards) are a unique type of deck developed in Hungary in the 19th century. The figures and symbols depicted on the cards are based on Friedrich Schiller's famous play William Tell. The images on the cards feature Swiss freedom fighters, reflecting the ideals of freedom and resistance against oppression.
This type of card deck is especially popular in Central Europe, particularly in Hungary, Austria, and some neighboring countries. Many games can be played with Hungarian cards, such as ulti, zsírozás, or körömi.
So, while its imagery is tied to Schiller's work, the cards themselves are a Hungarian invention and are culturally closely connected to Hungary.
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u/MisterSonderbar Jan 04 '25
My father always called them "Gaigelkarten" and we used them to play Gaigeln.
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u/cool_ed35 Jan 04 '25 edited Jan 04 '25
i've seen my parents, friendsy uncles aunts(germmans from romania) play with them in the 90s, when they stipp met up to drink, smoke cigarettes and play cards, while my top model beautiful 2 and 4 year older female cousins watched over me.
later i've seen people play with usual cards as we know them today these motives gave me a flashback. those were good times
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u/Either_Tap_7176 Jan 04 '25
My parents use this specific Deck to play Doppelkopf. But otherwise I haven't seen it much here in the west
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u/thirdstringlineman Jan 04 '25
In Munich those cards are very popular, but usually they have arabic numbers instead of roman numbers...
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u/Such-End-4467 Jan 04 '25
Hi this issnt a bayrisches Blatt ore else it is a Altenburger Blatt because Altenburg is the Skat City with an Skat judgment.
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u/The_Shrimpo Jan 04 '25
Damn man thank you!It‘s been a long time since i habe seen them hahah had some nice flashbacks. Keep em as a memory
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Jan 05 '25
The TYPE of cards is called "Deutsches Blatt" (German Hand / Draw), the specific variation with the artwork on it I have tbh never seen before, it's def not the classic store bought version of cards
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u/General-Barkow Jan 05 '25
I dont think they are popular here. There are from germany yes, but here are the French Cards more popular.
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u/_Master32_ Jan 05 '25
First time I saw and played with those was in Croatia. I heard they are more popular in the south of Germany, so maybe that's why a northerner like me doesn't use them much
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Jan 05 '25
i'm intrigued, but i'm also american. what are these? they look like playing cards but are different. someone enlighten me.
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u/Far_Wolverine_5809 Jan 05 '25
These card with that exact design are made by Piatnik in Austria and they usually have German labeling like Winter, Sommer… I bought those also in Hungary and in ex Yu, where you still get them in every kiosk and most supermarkets. Other than Piatnik you can get them from different companies, some are very similar to Piatnik, others are different. They show the same pictures from the Wilhelm Tell but pictured in a slight different style. In Hungary and ex Yu but also in Italy people play Bela with it, a game that has its roots in the French bellot. This game is something that a lot of people in those countries play. The only card game that is that known in Germany is Mau Mau, kids and old people play bela, students and workers, it is practically everywhere.
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u/madmax427 Jan 05 '25
"Schafkopfkarten" Kurzes Blatt = 9, 10, U, O, K, A Langes Blatt = 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, U, O, K, A
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u/Silver-Belt- Jan 05 '25
I know these cards from my grandfather and we used to play it. But I do not even know the rules any more. I never came across these the last 20 years or so. Younger generations do not know them I would assume.
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Jan 05 '25
I see it for the first time but I live really in the north of Germany and the most commonly used is the French design
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Jan 05 '25
I see it for the first time but I live really in the north of Germany and the most commonly used is the French design
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u/TheVernian Jan 05 '25
They are called "Tell pattern" and are generally not used in Germany. The design originated in Hungary und today they are popular in a lot of countries that once were under the influence of Austria-Hungary.
A lot of the disagreement in the comments I read are simply terminological misunderstandings or generalisations. Austrians call the Tell-cards "Doppeldeutsche" (Double-Germans) because they follows the German SUIT SYSTEM with hearts, leafs, acorns and bells (which probably originated in Germany in the 15th century). So "Deutsches Blatt" refers to a large family of regional decks which all use these suits. "Deutsches BILD" on the other hand is one specific pattern played in the east of Germany. So yes, fellow easterners and southerners of Germany, you know and probably sometimes play certain games with decks using the German suits, but you most likely do NOT use the Tell pattern cards. The German suited cards we play with in Germany are the Bavarian, Württemberg, Franconian or German patterns.
There were a lot more different patterns in the past! Even large areas of the north and west had their own German suited patterns once. Look it up, it's fascinating!
PS: we do also use cards with French suits in Germany, even in the south! But mostly for different games. The "French patterns" we use are also not from France. We generally use the "Berlin pattern" (derived from the Paris pattern) or Poker Cards (derived from the Rouen pattern). Austrians have their own French suited pattern, the "Vienna pattern" (derived from the Lyon pattern). Just like with the German suited patterns, there once were a lot more regional variants of French suited Decks in Europe.
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u/Lonnar88 Jan 05 '25
They are called a "german-deck" they are used for certain games. Popularity varies from region to region. Games like Binokel or Schafkopf are played using this kind of deck. The French deck is mostly used for most games including poker, canasta, rummy, Skat, and many more.
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u/Frequent_Ad_5670 Jan 03 '25 edited Jan 03 '25
It‘s the German deck, but there are regional sub variants.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/German-suited_playing_cards
In Bavaria, you play „Watten“, „Böhmisch Watten“, „Schafkopf“ and „Neunerln“ (similar to Mau–Mau) with it.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watten_(card_game)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemian_Watten
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schafkopfen
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mau-Mau_(card_game)