MyMemeCards editorial team
Watch the ref
Nobody has added this meme's ref yet. Got the original video or post?
In MyMemeCards, the meme card game, “Wäre, wäre, Fahrradkette” is a common card of the German Memes pack, number 103 of the collection, and the 150th best-known meme of its 300 cards. Here is what the meme means, where it comes from, and how to get its card.
What does the “Wäre, wäre, Fahrradkette” meme mean?
The line mocks reasoning built on unreal conditions: the moment someone starts a sentence with “if it had been,” they get this absurd rhyme as a reply, cutting them off by pointing out that speculating about what could have been changes nothing about what is. The joke sits in the contrast between a serious debate and the childish lightness of the rhyme, which instantly deflates any attempt to argue from hypotheticals.
Where does the “Wäre, wäre, Fahrradkette” meme come from?
The original line, “Hätte, hätte, Fahrradkette,” is a quote from German politician Peer Steinbrück, the SPD's candidate for chancellor in the 2013 federal election, which he lost to Angela Merkel. It dismisses questions built on unreal conditions, playing on the rhyme between “hätte” (would have) and “Kette” (chain). The phrase got a second life when comedian Florian Schroeder used it as the title of one of his books; Steinbrück then asked him for a bottle of red wine in return, before joining him on a 2017 cabaret tour. The variant “wäre, wäre” (would be, would be) keeps the same rhyme-and-dismiss mechanic, applied more broadly to any discussion built on guesswork rather than facts.
- 2013Peer Steinbrück, the SPD's chancellor candidate, popularizes the line “Hätte, hätte, Fahrradkette” during the campaign against Angela Merkel.
- 2017Comedian Florian Schroeder uses the line as a book title; Steinbrück later joins him on a cabaret tour.
How to use the “Wäre, wäre, Fahrradkette” meme
- In a debate sinking into hypotheticals, someone throws in “Wäre, wäre, Fahrradkette” to pull the discussion back to the facts.
- A friend imagines how things “could have gone” differently, and gets the rhyme as a reply to cut off pointless regrets.
- Under a comment endlessly speculating about a fictional scenario, the rhyme is quoted to close the topic with humor.
Also searched as
- Hätte, hätte, Fahrradkette
- wäre wäre fahrradkette meme
- hätte hätte fahrradkette steinbrück
- hätte hätte fahrradkette meaning
- peer steinbrück bike chain quote
- florian schroeder hätte hätte fahrradkette
The “Wäre, wäre, Fahrradkette” card in MyMemeCards
| Number | No. 103 |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Common |
| Collection | German Memes pack |
| Fame | 50/100 · #150 of 300 |
| Recycle value | 5 MemeCoins (15 in Shiny) |
How to get the “Wäre, wäre, Fahrradkette” card
Every pack holds 5 meme cards, the first 3 of them Common; Wäre, wäre, Fahrradkette comes out of the German Memes pack as a common card. The pack odds say what each rarity weighs.
Your first pack is free and needs no account. After that a new free pack lands every 10 minutes, up to 3 waiting for you. You can also buy the card with MemeCoins on the market, bid for it at auction, or trade it — and a double recycles into 5 MemeCoins.
Open your free pack
5 meme cards, one of them at least Rare. One free pack per person.
Free · no account needed
Odds per card, averaged over a pack: Common 72%, Rare 23.9%, Epic 3.2%, Legendary 0.56%, Mythic 0.3%, Full Art ≤ 0.1%, Shiny 0.2%. Cards 1 to 3 are always Common, cards 4 and 5 climb the rarities. Rates drop for cards that circulate a lot. Details
Memes like “Wäre, wäre, Fahrradkette”
More cards of the German Memes pack
Frequently asked questions
What does “Wäre, wäre, Fahrradkette” mean?
It is a variant of “Hätte, hätte, Fahrradkette,” a German rhyme that dismisses an argument built on a hypothetical “if,” pulling the conversation back to the facts.
Where does the “Wäre, wäre, Fahrradkette” meme come from?
The original line comes from politician Peer Steinbrück, the 2013 chancellor candidate, who used it to wave off hypothetical questions. It later became the title of a book by comedian Florian Schroeder.
Why “Fahrradkette” (bike chain) in this line?
The word rhymes in German with “hätte” (would have) and “wäre” (would be), giving the line its absurd, mocking nursery-rhyme effect.
How do I get the Wäre, wäre, Fahrradkette meme card?
Open a pack of MyMemeCards: “Wäre, wäre, Fahrradkette” is a common card of the German Memes pack. Your first pack is free, with no account, and you can also buy, trade or win the card at auction.
How rare is the Wäre, wäre, Fahrradkette card?
It is a Common card. Rarity decides which pack slot can deal it, and what it is worth on the market.
Sources: Peer Steinbrück (Wikipédia) · checked on October 30, 2026.
Read next
Want Wäre, wäre, Fahrradkette in your collection?
Open your free pack: 5 meme cards, no account needed.