Why are views of Germany still so negative?

 

Should we stop living in the past?

Are negative thoughts still around though? What made you think to post this topic? Are you just talking about the UK?

 

I think it's all relative.

 

My mum grew up in "the War" (II). She was evacuated as she's from London etc etc, and she has no bad feelings towards the German's. No hate, no love, nothing. Just like if she saw you walking down the street. She'd feel nothing - just treat both of you the same. And that's how I've been bought up. I don't treat anyone different from the next.

 

However, someone who's been brought up to dislike the Germans, might dislike the Germans when they get older. Not all the time, but it is likely.

 

It has been proven that being subjected to a way of thinking from an early age, and it being continued throughtout life will determine, or at least have some effect, on your views and the way you behave in later life.

 

I think the majority of the "bad feeling" about Germans is embedded in our culture now. The War is a MAJOR and very important part of our history. What caused it and the effects of it is going to be talked and remembered by us forever. And this comes from the people that lived it. However, as I said my mum lived it and has no animosity there, so it's personal really.

 

Take John Cleese as Basil Fawlty, doing the March in Fawlty Towers. It was humourous. But was it a negative image? Can people take it as a joke?

 

Then there's those young lads who were doing the same thing the other day at the football and they got arrested. It was seen to be in bad taste.

 

I like Germans, I've never had any problems with them. I certainly find them a less arrogant, and full-of-sh!t race of people than the French or the English that's for sure :lol: :lol: , and they really do have a sense of humour, a very wicked one....

 

The Germans have bent over backwards to accommodate footie fans of all nationalities for the world cup and seem to be incredibly glad to do so, I've always found the Germans to be an incredibly welcoming and friendly people...

 

As for all this World War 2 stuff, let's not forget that Hitler was Austrian, not actually German, so I've always been able to draw a distinction between the Germans and the Nazis, Nazism and Fascism exists everywhere, it is far from being a German phenomenon (Hitler took most of his ideas from Mussolini's Fascist party in Italy and let's not forget about Franco's own brand of Fascism in Spain...)...

 

World War 2 was bound to happen because the League of Nations failed and the fact that the Treaty of Versailles after WW1 was so punitive against Germany that it was merely a method by France and UK to punish Germany rather than actually pursue peace. The Treaty and its effects caused so much resentment in Germany that if it hadn't been Hitler who rose up, it was bound to be someone else. So really, we should blame the French and our own politicians at the time more than the Germans for the rise of Hitler....

 

 

I think the majority of the "bad feeling" about Germans is embedded in our culture now. The War is a MAJOR and very important part of our history. What caused it and the effects of it is going to be talked and remembered by us forever. And this comes from the people that lived it. However, as I said my mum lived it and has no animosity there, so it's personal really.

 

Take John Cleese as Basil Fawlty, doing the March in Fawlty Towers. It was humourous. But was it a negative image? Can people take it as a joke?

 

Then there's those young lads who were doing the same thing the other day at the football and they got arrested. It was seen to be in bad taste.

 

 

spot on. i was a boy in the 60's and 'germans' were still thought of as the natural enemy. kids comics featured heroic brits beating the evil krauts (their language used).

 

maybe the younger generation are more amenable to the germans, but im of an age where there is a dislike for them... even in harmless tv games like 'its a knockout'. (ask yer dads!)

I actually like the Germans

 

As someone who is obsessed with cars the German's are amazing innovators and pioneers in cars and car engineering

 

I do not hold the Germans of today responsible for what happened in the 1930's

 

Britain have been responsible for some terrible atrocities in the Indian sub continent and Africa and Australia etc and I do not hate the English of today for that so nor should we hate the Germans because of the nazi's

Are negative thoughts still around though? What made you think to post this topic?

 

article in paper as usual

I found the most negative views of Germans among the French, which shouldn't be too surprising considering their history. I'd spend a weekend in Berlin, come back to Paris and everyone would ask me "WHY would you go to Germany? I guess now you know how much better France is." And I guarantee if you fumble around like a tourist in the Metro, people will point and say "les allemands!"

 

Personally I find Germans to be the nicest, most easygoing and accommodating people in Europe. They don't seem to have all the insecurities that others have. But that's just personal observation from the few Germans I've met.

As for all this World War 2 stuff, let's not forget that Hitler was Austrian, not actually German, so I've always been able to draw a distinction between the Germans and the Nazis, Nazism and Fascism exists everywhere, it is far from being a German phenomenon (Hitler took most of his ideas from Mussolini's Fascist party in Italy and let's not forget about Franco's own brand of Fascism in Spain...)...

 

True. Although, most young people of this generation wouldn't know that because Hitler/the two wars etc etc isn't an everyday issue for them, so when the subject's brought up they tell what the general (and nearly always mis-informed) knowledge is: that the German's invaded England and France and Hitler started the War. Mis-informed, I know, but that is the common view, and so that's what they have been brought up to know.

 

You have got to think about it from today's society's POV, as that's what the question is about: today's society.

 

 

World War 2 was bound to happen because the League of Nations failed and the fact that the Treaty of Versailles after WW1 was so punitive against Germany that it was merely a method by France and UK to punish Germany rather than actually pursue peace. The Treaty and its effects caused so much resentment in Germany that if it hadn't been Hitler who rose up, it was bound to be someone else. So really, we should blame the French and our own politicians at the time more than the Germans for the rise of Hitler....

 

Indeed, I agree, but the 2nd WW was a result of everyone's mistakes. And I don't think anyone is blaming the GERMANS as a whole race. It was Hitler that was the leader.

 

However, He is not immune just because Chamberlain was a right Royal prat. Hitler didn't have to have a paddy at the Geneva Disarmament Conference. The British allowed him to build up the German Navy, which (with the reamament after his Geneva paddy) didn't help either as it gave him the arms to bomb Guernica! He went and did that all on his own, Britain didn't bully him into that. Of course, supporting Franco in the Spanish Civil War was nice of him, wasn't it?!

 

In regards to Germany now. I don't care if you are black, white, brown, green, blue, purple or pink. If you are nice to me, I'm nice to you back.

 

 

 

 

I don't have any negative feelings towards my neighbour country.

I found the most negative views of Germans among the French, which shouldn't be too surprising considering their history.

 

maybe the Danes? but then again they are supposed to be the rudest people in the whole of Europe. (no word for Please in Dansk you see :lol: )

I don't have any negative feelings towards the Germans. The war is over - it should stay that way between the UK and Germany.

 

However, I do despise the French :angry:

I don't have any negative feelings towards the Germans. The war is over - it should stay that way between the UK and Germany.

 

However, I do despise the French :angry:

 

I don't despise the French just the Parisians

 

I have been to areas like the south of France, Burgundy region, other parts of France away from Paris and I found them very friendly, very hospitable, making an effort to be helpful etc

 

But the many times I have been to Paris I have found the Parisians to be surly, arrogant, unfriendly, cold obnoxious creatures who I wouldn't p*** on if they were on fire, a far cry from the residents of the Burgundy region etc

 

French people I like from experience, Parisians suck

I don't despise the French just the Parisians

 

I have been to areas like the south of France, Burgundy region, other parts of France away from Paris and I found them very friendly, very hospitable, making an effort to be helpful etc

 

But the many times I have been to Paris I have found the Parisians to be surly, arrogant, unfriendly, cold obnoxious creatures who I wouldn't p*** on if they were on fire, a far cry from the residents of the Burgundy region etc

 

French people I like from experience, Parisians suck

 

Yes, I tend to think that probably my opinions of France are likely distorted somewhat because of the Parisians, who I find to be utterly up their own arses and so bloody arrogant.... Paris is a lovely city though, just a shame it has to have Parisians living there... :lol: :lol:

Paris is a lovely city though, just a shame it has to have Parisians living there... :lol: :lol:

 

Spot on :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

One of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to but resided in my obnoxious cretins

Yeah my opinions also generally come from Paris :angry: arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!!!

i renember in year 7 a boy in my class was being bullied because he was half german

 

World War 2 was bound to happen because the League of Nations failed and the fact that the Treaty of Versailles after WW1 was so punitive against Germany that it was merely a method by France and UK to punish Germany rather than actually pursue peace. The Treaty and its effects caused so much resentment in Germany that if it hadn't been Hitler who rose up, it was bound to be someone else. So really, we should blame the French and our own politicians at the time more than the Germans for the rise of Hitler....

 

I learnt all about this History GCSE. I actually felt a bit sorry for the Germans because of them being forced to sign saying they started WW1. It was as much Britain and France's fault, not just Germany.

 

German people just had to do what they were told during the wars. Or they would get killed. Simple as that.

The Germans now are a different generation of people, people who weren't even born during WW1 or 2.

I don't have anything against Germans.

Edited June 22, 200619 yr by x-The_Royston_Poisoner-x