Literally: “barn smell” / meaning: sense of shared background that can lead to benefits within a particular group
Fans of Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund have a love-hate relationship with this word and the concept behind it. When it comes to selecting their coaches, the club is said to have a very particular approach. Experience and competence are of secondary importance, critics says. What is more important is that the candidate is a man “from the club’s own ranks” with a deep connection to the team. In other words, someone with the right Stallgeruch.
The term is rooted in agricultural life, where animals from the same stable carry a distinctive odor. Over time, this concept took on a figurative meaning. For example, in the corporate world, Stallgeruch is said to play a significant role in hiring decisions at big companies. For instance, the word was often mentioned in the German media in connection with the appointment of Oliver Blume as the new CEO of Volkswagen in 2022. Many speculated that his long tenure at Porsche, a Volkswagen subsidiary, and his deep familiarity with the company’s culture—his Stallgeruch—helped him clinch the top job over external candidates.
While the meaning of the word is not exclusively negative—after all, it conveys a sense of camaraderie and cultural understanding—it has a certain, well, smell to it. There’s always the accusation hanging in the air that someone with the right Stallgeruch would achieve their goal without the necessary effort. So, the next time you wonder why someone keeps getting promoted despite their questionable skills: Maybe it’s not about what they know, but how they smell.
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