‘Be authentic, people will sense it sooner or later, anyway’: Jana Sprinzová on cultural differences, social media & growing up in Germany

by Jana Ševčíková

Jana Sprinzová, on social media known as @jancasprinz and @byjanii, is an aspiring model and social media content creator, who was born in Czechia, but for most of her teenage years raised in Germany. She has been active on social media since 2020, gaining during the years more than 22 thousand followers on TikTok and 10 thousand on Instagram – and counting.

Capturing attention with her striking visuals, diverse outfits choices and eye for detail, she has built herself a well kept presence not only in the Czech, but also German digital sphere. She has worked with brands such as Calvin Klein, Armani, Swarovski or Zalando, for which she now has an ongoing partnership.

Jana Ševčíková: You moved to Germany pretty young, how was the adaptation for you?

Jana: Hello, Jana! Thank you for having me. Yes, you are correct – I was actually 12 years old. It was actually quite easy because I was in a special class for people from other countries. So everything was designed specifically for foreigners, which was great because I felt welcomed and felt like I belonged there. Thanks to that, I learned German quickly because I wanted to understand people, hang out outside and make new friends. I needed German for that, so it was really great and positive. I always got the support I needed.

Jana Ševčíková: And have you ever experienced any form of discrimination as a Czech?

Jana Sprinzová: No, not really…Rather Czechs say more that I am “too German”, but Germans have almost never a bad thing to say, rather they say “Oh, your Czech accent is beautiful!”.

Jana Ševčíková: It is true that you have a very nice accent. So, when it comes to Germans or Germany as a whole, what are the biggest differences you notice compared to the Czech Republic?

Jana Sprinzová: I feel like in Germany, people work a lot. Like, here, it feels like there’s not much free time. People work just to live, so when I have to work during the week, I miss my social life. It’s like in the past – people just worked to survive. Another difference is, that I always feel safe in Germany – Germans also tend to keep their distance. Czechs seem more welcoming to me, at least where I am from. Everyone kind of knows each other. In Germany, it takes longer to socialize.

Jana Ševčíková: And if you would compare the countries through social media? Do you see any major differences between them?

Jana Sprinzová: It’s quite similiar, but I feel like the influencer scene is more developed in the Czech Republic. At least it’s easier to get known faster. Czechs also tend to curse a lot more than Germans in their videos, haha!

Jana Ševčíková: Speaking of social media, what made you start posting online? 

Jana Sprinzová: I actually started posting on Musical.ly, when I was younger – playing around with my stepsister, making random videos. But only during Covid have I started posting seriously. That was the time when I started doing livestreams, that gained me the most attention. But now, because of work and school, I don’t have as much time to dedicate to it, so I am more on hold. But if you do it with passion and 100% effort, success comes naturally.

Jana Ševčíková: I know you post nowadays mainly for Czech audience, but did you focus on the German audience at the start? Sometimes, you make videos in German, right? What kind of feedback do you get from the audience?

Jana Sprinzová: I have both German and Czech followers, and I thought about doing content in English too, but it isn’t perfect. Recently, I tried adding Czech subtitles to my German videos and it is noticeable Czechs appreciate that. They often ask me questions about German culture and language, so it feels useful. But I’m still trying to decide which language to focus on. Maybe Instagram in English, sometimes Czech, and TikTok mainly in German with Czech subtitles.

Jana Ševčíková: What about opportunities? Do you get more offers from German brands, or also from Czech ones?

Jana Sprinzová: I started with Czech collaborations at the beginning, but now it’s mainly Germany.

Jana Ševčíková: Yes, like German Zalando, for example. But tell me, who would you consider to be your biggest inspiration from both countries?

Jana Sprinzová: Germans have more style, but I do not really follow German influencers, if so, I have more Czech people in my following list. But from the top of my head, I can’t tell you specifically which one! I take inspiration from both countries surely.

Jana Ševčíková: That is okay. Lastly, I would like to know what advice would you give to people who want to start on social media but are scared?

Jana Sprinzová: Protect your privacy – don’t share too much about your family or where you live. Also be creative and authentic as much as you can. It is not really worth it trying to be someone you are not. People will sense it sooner or later, anyway.