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der Treppenwitz
   l'esprit de l'escalier, afterwit ("staircase wit," thinking of a clever comeback after it's too late [as you are going down the stairs]); missed chance/opportunity; foolish or ridiculous behavior; stupid/ironic joke, something ironic
ein Treppenwitz der Geschichte (idiom)
   an irony of history, one of history's cruel ironies

Reicht es den Entwicklern nicht, dass Duke Nukem inzwischen zum größten Treppenwitz der Videospielgeschichte geworden ist?
Isn't it enough for the developers that Duke Nukem has in the meantime become the biggest cruel irony in the history of video games?
Dass er sich verweigert, das Management eines Fußballspiels der Moderne anzupassen, ist ein Treppenwitz.
His refusal to bring the management of a soccer game into the modern age is a missed opportunity.
Es ist fast schon ein Treppenwitz, dass gerade die USA, deren Wirtschaftspolitik seit Jahr und Tag am eigenen Interesse orientiert ist, von Deutschland "Solidarität" einfordern.
It is almost an ironic joke that the USA, of all things, whose economic policy has long been oriented to its own interests, is demanding "solidarity" from Germany.

Related:
der Witz joke, wit
die Treppe stairway
das Treppenhaus staircase

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