Thanks.
I had read or heard a general summary by somebody down the line. It can be difficult to figure out who made the observation the first.
I remember something Merkel attributed to her dad “Be more than you appear to be.” I had remembered reading it being attributed to someone much older.
That's a joke!
That would be comparable to an American saying that his father used to remark, "A penny saved is a penny earned." Though everyone knows its from "Poor Richard's Almanac" (by Benjamin Franklin).
Mehr Sein als Schein is the commonplace German expression - attributed to Moltke.
The rule of thumb is: When in doubt, attribute it to Goethe or - if it's salacious - to Oscar Wilde.
Regards,