No, 'reanimate' is a false friend and is a relatively uncommon word in English. It might be used in some figurative contexts, but it is not used for CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).

And the phrase the traveling German needs to have tattooed on his chest is 'Do not resuscitate' -- but that is probably not legally binding, so he also needs to have a signed form. The abbreviation is DNR, and the signed form you may want to carry with you in the US if you are terminally ill, or post on your bedroom door, is an 'out-of-hospital DNR' (O[O]HDNR), which gives permission to the EMTs / paramedics / ambulance technicians to refrain from attempting CPR. The form may need to be the exact one provided by the US state in which you are living or traveling, as laws vary from state to state. Once you are in the hospital, you will probably need a different DNR form, which may be expressed as a wrist bracelet.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_not_resuscitate
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/do-not...
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructi...
https://www.compassionandchoices.org/wp-conte...

http://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/ems/po...
http://health.mo.gov/safety/ems/pdf/dnrfaq.pdf
http://www.health.pa.gov/My%20Health/Emergenc...
https://www.dads.state.tx.us/news_info/public...
http://www.njha.com/media/33220/outofhospital...
http://www.floridahealth.gov/about-the-depart...

Hope that helps.

Korrektur @OP:

Und was ist mit dem Film "Re-Animator"?

Maybe the tattooed guy sees himself as a cartoon character? Does he look like Popeye or one of the Furry Freak Brothers, for instance?

I've heard of envoys being sent to the Middle East to "reanimate" peace talks, but not in connection with CPR.

ob er damit außerhalb Deutschlands überhaupt verstanden wird. - bei einem englischsprachigen Tatoo frage ich mich auch, ob er damit innerhalb von Deutschland überall verstanden wird ...

In den USA wird das wohl keiner verstehen. Aber selbst wenn er das korrekte "do not resuscitate" auf dem Brustkorb hätte, würde das maximal bei Laien helfen. Medizinisches Personal in den USA is verpflichtet, wiederzubeleben, es sei denn sie haben die "do not resuscitate order" (DNR) mit eigenen Augen gesehen (nein, es reicht nicht, wenn ein Familienmitglied sagt, dass eine DNR existiert) oder es ist klar, dass Wiederbelegung nicht erfolgreich sein wird (Leichenstarre hat eingesetzt, zu grosser Blutverlust, zu grosse Verletzungen,...).