More than 100 pairs of slippers have mysteriously vanished from a public swimming pool in Hesse. Thanks to this strange case, a handy German word is suddenly making headlines.
A baffling series of thefts has hit the Freibad in Fürth im Odenwald, Hesse, where more than 100 pairs of pool shoes have reportedly disappeared since the start of the swimming season.
The culprit remains unknown, leaving locals wondering whether the losses are the work of pranksters, a collector or something else…
What does Schlappen mean?
Schlappen is a common German noun for backless slip-on footwear. In the singular it is der Schlappen (the slip-on), while the plural is die Schlappen (the slip-ons).
It’s an informal umbrella term covering a wide range of footwear, from flip-flops and slides to slippers or pool shoes.
The word is related to the adjective schlapp (limp, floppy or slack), which you might also hear in the context of ill-health. When Germans feel very weak or drained, they will often say Ich bin schlapp (I’m exhausted) or Ich fühle mich schlapp (I feel drained).
But what makes Schlappen easy to remember in the context of footwear is its similarity to the distinctive schlap-schlap sound that flip-flops make as you walk.
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While all backless shoes can be described as Schlappen in German, the language also has a number of more specialised terms.
For example, Badelatschen is the most common word to describe waterproof footwear for swimming pools, beaches and communal showers, whereas Hausschuhe (literally ‘house shoes’) is the term used for slippers worn at home.
Why do I need to know Schlappen?
The old stereotype of Germans wearing socks with sandals never quite disappeared and is even enjoying a comeback moment in the form of sports socks matched with Adiletten (Adidas branded slides).
In addition, many Germans routinely remove their street shoes indoors. This means you may well be offered a pair of Schlappen if you visit a German home.
Finally, you may want to voice your own theory about why so many Schlappen have gone missing from the Freibad in Fürth im Odenwald.
Is it some kind of prank or mysterious TikTok challenge? Is a shoe fetishist at work? Or could animals be behind the crime?
It wouldn’t be the first time the latter has happened, by the way. Foxes in particular have a history of making off with footwear in Germany, such as in Berlin-Zehlendorf in 2020 when a resident spotted a fox walking through the neighbourhood with a pair of blue flip-flops in its mouth.
Following the animal into nearby bushes, he uncovered a stash of more than 100 stolen shoes. The collection ranged from running shoes to sandals but apparently showed a marked preference for Crocs.
READ ALSO: Sommerlochtiere – Germany’s wildest summer ‘silly season’ stories
Use it like this:
Jemand hat meine Schlappen geklaut! Jetzt muss ich barfuß nach Hause laufen.
Someone stole my pool shoes! Now I have to walk home barefoot.
Zieh dir bitte deine Schlappen an. Der Boden ist kalt.
Please put your slippers on. The floor is cold.
Er ist den ganzen Tag nur in T-Shirt und Schlappen herumgelaufen.
He spent the whole day walking around in just a T-shirt and slip-ons.
In vielen deutschen Wohnungen stehen Schlappen für Gäste bereit.
In many German homes, slippers are kept ready for guests.
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