At the area council offices in adjoining Tarsdorf, a young planning official called Gabriele, who asked for her surname to be kept secret for fear of provoking reprisals, revealed that each sign cost at least €300 to replace and this was reflected in local taxes. "There was even some discussion about changing the name because it has become such a serious issue," she said. "But everyone decided that F***ing had been here for so long that it would be a shame to consign it to the past. The older people don't like being laughed at by some of the younger ones from other villages, but we are proud of our beautiful F***ing."