The Rhineland Grundgesetz
Eleven Rhineland life rules in dialect, compiled by Konrad Beikircher in 2001 as the 'Rhineland Grundgesetz' — a playful nod to Germany's own Basic Law.
The Rhineland Grundgesetz brings together eleven dialectal sayings from the Rhineland, framing them as "articles" — and lent its title to Konrad Beikircher's 2001 book.
Source: Wikipedia
At a Glance
- Form
- life rules formulated as "articles"
- Also known as
- "et kölsche Jrundjesetz"
- Compiled by
- Konrad Beikircher
- Published
- 2001 in the book "Et kütt wie et kütt – Das Rheinische Grundgesetz"
- Original authors
- unknown
The eleven maxims of the Rhenish Basic Law were only published in 2001 by Konrad Beikircher, yet their roots stretch back to 1533, when Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim already described the Rhenish attitude to life, noting that 'Cologne decrees' were proverbially associated with rash and foolish plans.
Things to do here
- Read the eleven mundart "articles" aloud and have a chuckle
- Memorize your favorite saying like "Et kütt wie et kütt"
- Compare the Rhenish life wisdom with your own everyday life
- Decode and translate the dialect sayings together
Origins
Who first formulated the eleven principles, and when, has not been recorded. Beyond the eleven core articles, some authors cite additional sayings as informal supplements.
Historical Background
As far back as 1533, Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim noted that a foolish or hasty undertaking was proverbially called a "Cölnisch gebott" — a Cologne decree — or a "Cölnischer Rahtschlag" — Cologne counsel — hinting that the Rhineland's relaxed approach to rules has very deep roots.
Timeline
- 1533Agrippa von Nettesheim quotes a Rhenish proverb as a "Cologne decree"
- 2001Konrad Beikircher publishes "Et kütt wie et kütt – Das Rheinische Grundgesetz"
The eleven articles
“It is what it is.” — Accept the situation as it is — quarrelling with it gets you nowhere.
“It comes as it comes.” — Do not fear the future; the course of things cannot be stopped.
“It has always worked out so far.” — What worked yesterday will work tomorrow too.
“What is gone is gone.” — Do not mourn what is lost.
“Nothing stays the way it was.” — Be open to change.
“Do not know it, do not need it, away with it.” — Stay sceptical when novelty takes over.
“What can you do?” — Some things cannot be changed — so do not get worked up.
“Do it well, but not too often.” — Quality over quantity.
“What is all this nonsense?” — Question whether something is really necessary before spending time on it.
“Will you have a drink with us?” — Honour hospitality.
“You will laugh yourself silly.” — Do not take yourself or the world too seriously.
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Sources & links
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-26
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