Speibecken

A Speibecken or Kotzbecken is a basin for people to vomit into. These sinks are installed in some bars, restaurants and student fraternities in German-speaking countries[1][2] as well as in bars in Vietnam.[3]

A Speibecken
A Speibecken next to a urinal at the VLB Berlin

The Speibecken is often a large ceramic bowl installed at waist height with handles for the user to hold onto and a shower head to flush the unit.[1] They are encountered more often in men's facilities than in women's.

In Germany and Austria they have become associated with the heavy drinking traditions of student fraternities.[2][4] They have also been provided at supervised injection sites for drug users.[5]

Names

Speibeck comes from the German speien ("to spit" but also "to vomit") and Becken ("bowl, basin").[6][7] The term also has the meaning of the traditional spittoon, used by tobacco chewers or in dentist's surgeries.[8] In some parts of Austria and Germany they are known as Kotzbecken (from kotzen, "to puke").[2][4] In Vietnam they are called bồn ói [nôn], meaning "puke sink".[3]

Speibecken are nicknamed Papst ("pope") often said to be because people must bow their heads to use them. In some German-speaking regions vomiting is known as papsten ("poping"). The shower head fixed nearby to flush the Speibecken is also nicknamed "large white telephone".[1]

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Speibecken.
  1. Ehmke, Kurt (2 June 2015). "Speibecken für Brech-Burschen". Neue Westfälische (in German). Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  2. Schmid, Fabian (2 March 2020). "Missbrauch in der Burschenschaft: "Mach jetzt mit, sonst ..."". Der Standard (in Austrian German). Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  3. Godfrey, Calvin (19 October 2014). "OP-ED: The problem with Vietnam's vomitoriums". Thanh Nien Daily. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  4. "RNZ-Leser zu Erstsemester-Feiern: "Studenten? Feiern? Passt wahrlich nicht zusammen"". Rhein Neckar Zeitung (in German). 12 October 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  5. ""Fixerstuben" in Karlsruhe: Drogenkonsumraum soll mehr Sicherheit in Problemviertel bringen". Rhein Neckar Zeitung (in German). 3 December 2017. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  6. "Speien :: German-English translation". Dict.cc. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  7. "Becken :: German-English translation". Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  8. "Speibecken :: German-English translation". Dict.cc. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
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