Can we draw the following hypothesis from the context (see options)? 

Context:

The original spelling reform of 1996, which was meant to harmonize the spelling rules across the German-speaking countries, turned out to be a major embarrassment if not outright failure.

Hypothesis: 1996 was a bad year in German-speaking countries. 
Choices: (a). Yes. (b). It's impossible to say. (c). No.
(b).