ABSTRACT
This German form of ‘Captain’ is quoted in Absolute Beginners, by Colin MacInnes. At one time, from 1952-60 especially, most British people would have recognized the phrase as an allusion to the Goon Show, which ran on BBC radio during that eight-year period. It was much used by one of the crazy characters in the show, with names like Eccles, Major Bloodnok, Neddie Seagoon, and Bluebottle, voiced by Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, and Michael Bentine.
