It was one action that seemed to sum up everything outlets like the ‘Bild’ newspaper have been saying for weeks about the Greek Finance Minister. Here he was, on film, literally giving Germany the middle finger. It didn’t really matter that the context was more complex, that the argument Varoufakis was making when he made the gesture was a more general one about the euro. He gave Germany the finger – and worse, subsequently lied about it.
That is the picture that has been painted in the German media recently about the ‘Finger-gate’ episode.
The only problem is that none of it is true - if at least the German satirist Jans Boehermann is to believed. (UPDATE - It has been revealed that the 'admission' by Boehermann was indeed a satirical false confession)
Whatever happens with regards to Greece’s debt negotiations, this will certainly go down as one of the most interesting episodes in the seemingly never-ending saga. And one that casts a not too flattering light on the role of some parts of the media.
Jan Boehmermann, the host of the satirical programme “Neo Magazin Royale” (the same team behind the popular ‘V for Varoufakis’ video) claimed yesterday that he and his team did in fact doctor footage of Yanis Varoufakis to make it seem as if he had raised his middle finger to Germany in one of the most subversive pranks in recent memory. (Watch the video above – English subtitles are available).
The video in question was the center of one of the latest controversies surrounding the Greek Finance Minister. Featuring a talk Varoufakis gave in 2013 in Zagreb it appeared to show the Finance Minister making an obscene gesture when talking about Germany. It was originally shown on German TV several days ago during a panel show hosted by Guenther Jauch on which Varoufakis made an appearance. Presented with the footage Varoufakis had claimed that it had been doctored, but Jauch’s program maintained that it had seen "no indication whatsoever of manipulation or falsification in the video shown during the live show".
The Bild newspaper also claimed that ‘video experts’ had scrutinized the video and found it to be genuine, prompting the tabloid to aggressively brand Varoufakis a liar.
However the truth appears to be far more delightfully subversive.
In what appears to be one of the most carefully managed pranks in Youtube history, the Neo Magazin Royale team coordinated with the hosts of the 2013 Zagreb ‘Subversive Festival’ from which the original footage was taken. They apparently carefully doctored the footage using sophisticated techniques (and an actor stand-in filmed against a green screen), and uploaded it to Youtube under the account Skripta TV, which is affiliated with the festival - giving the video all the hallmarks of being genuine, undoctored footage. The person who uploaded the video, Martin Beros of Skripta TV also subsequently claimed that it was genuine to the Guardian although slammed the media for taking the clip out of context.
Only a few clues might have revealed the truth to more careful scrutiny. One might have asked why the video, filmed in 2013 was only uploaded in late February 2015. Similarly in his Guardian interview Beros name checks Boehmermann winkingly saying that, "It is one thing when comedians Jans Boehmermann cut things out of context to make a joke. It is quite another thing when the global mediasphere limits the debate to sensationalism such as this.”
“One couldn’t have thought that anyone from Subversive Festival would have participated in such a subversive move,” the Boehmermann says wryly in his video ‘confession’ owning up to the prank.
The middle finger gesture was also first played right at the end of the ‘V for Varoufakis’ spoof music video but no one thought to contact Boehmermann to asking if perhaps he was behind it. He says that he had been waiting for his phone to ring since Sunday but no one in the German (or other) media contacted him to ask if perhaps he and his team were behind the video.
Yanis Varoufakis, needless to say will be feeling vindicated today.
Any apology in the offing @GuentherJauch65? For having used a doctored video to silence a conciliatory Greek voice? http://t.co/7SP6OcLIIv
— Yanis Varoufakis (@yanisvaroufakis) March 19, 2015 As yet there has been no news of an apology either from Jauch or the Bild newspaper.
The incident is certainly one of the most surprising in the interminable wrangling over Greece – and indeed the euro’s – future.
It is also a timely reminder for the press to exercise caution and restraint, as even the supposed ‘facts’ verified by ‘experts’ can turn out to be a delightfully subversive ruse.
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