[Moltke]

I have a friend who trademarked the word Icke (Berlin slang for I or me) in Germany.

There are five "icke" trademark applications on record with the German Patent and Trademark Office. Three of which were rejected outright. Of the remaining two, one is a combined word/device (i.e., a logo) mark for fashion related goods, and the other is a word mark owned by a meat processing company (goods are not listed in the register, but should be obvious). Since you claim your friend owns a word mark, that must be the meat processing company?

Anyway, for a mark to registered, it is always examined with respect to certain specific goods or services (currently 45 classes according to the Nice Agreement (Nice, as in town-in-France). A mark may be descriptive for some goods/services (and thus be rejected) and distinctive for other goods/services (and thus be allowed).

[Berlin_Freeper]

That could be. Or maybe he sold it since then. He does have enough money to buy and sell you several times. LoL!

[Berlin_Freeper]

BTW, I think it is kind of weird of you to dedicate your time looking up the identity of a friend I mentioned. That is something I will need to be more mindful of.

Maybe he was one that was rejected after he told me about it. I will ask him. But maybe you should know, nothing in German bureaucracy happens “outright”.

There must have been a lengthy process involved with much rubber stamping. LoL!