Berlin adopts viral 'nihilistic penguin' to promote European unity

The German government has waded into the world of viral memes by using the "nihilistic penguin" to deliver a message of hope about the power of European solidarity, reported dpa.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul released an AI-enhanced video on his Instagram account featuring the internet's favourite melancholic bird.

The post rebrands the meme of a small penguin taking a lonely journey toward the vast Antarctic mountains as a symbol of European perseverance in the face of major challenges, rather than an expression of existential despair.

The meme originated from a clip in Werner Herzog’s 2007 documentary "Encounters at the End of the World." In his distinctive stark and raspy narration, Herzog suggests the penguin is on a suicide mission and asks: "But why?"

In Wadephul’s video, the penguin is rendered as a colourful AI creation. The bird is shown grinning and trekking across an icy tundra. Then, despite not having the ability in real life, it takes flight and soars over snow-covered peaks.

On its back, it carries a colorful rucksack featuring the portraits of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The video soundtrack includes clips from the leaders’ recent speeches, including Macron’s "for sure" catchphrase from his recent speech at World Economic Forum in Davos, which has itself become a popular meme online.

The "nihilistic penguin" or "lonely penguin" meme has exploded in recent weeks on social media, and the German government is not the first to join in.

The White House previously posted its own AI-generated version showing a penguin and President Donald Trump walking through snow toward Greenland’s flag in the distant mountains, despite the fact that penguins do not live in Greenland.