are Britain & Germany friends or foes?

[dholliday]

yeah, i know...another Guardian article, but you have to admit they offer a decent ratio of interesting discussions.

This one:


The UK welcomes German chancellor Angela Merkel with open arms today: is this a reminder that despite two great wars and too many football penalties, the two countries are in many ways more naturally friends than foes? Fully 59% of British people have a positive opinion of Germany, including the majority of supporters from all three main parties, and even 50% of those supporting UKIP, a Eurosceptic party. Only 9% of people have negative views of Germany.


The war was before anyone's time and had so many nuances and unknowns about it that we're hardly placed to judge an entire nation's people based on the other nation's history books.

The football, I concede, must be really annoying to be beaten all the time in the most significant matches, even if managing to win the odd insignificant game.

What else? How about how we're all brothers going back to Anglo-Saxon times, and that even now we can visit each other (and procreate with each other) in full-on peace, love & harmony?


What say yous? Has the old xenophobia died out or is there still a special rivalry? Poll's not public, so tick what you feel. Personally I ticked the "enlightened" option (probably because Germans are big-headed with a narcissistically-inflated opinion of their own intellectual development).

 

[WA Toffee]

Don't think Germany have ever played Britain at football. This poll is a sham

 

[Elong]

Krauts on toast please good sir lol

 

[dholliday]

Don't think Germany have ever played Britain at football. This poll is a sham

aye...typical foreigner faux-pax: thinking Britain = England. Come across it a lot outside dear ol' blighty.

 

[dholliday]

Krauts on toast please good sir lol

that might just work

 

[Elong]

It's a tricky one in some respects, as the years roll by the younger generations forget, after all it is all history. Some of us had grand parents who fought in the war and so you are brought up with prejudice. I certainly don't dislike Germans, but I have it ingrained in me from my upbringing.

It's not my place to say whether it's right or wrong how I was brought up as I didn't go through the atrocities my grandparents did, but I do think the two countries have pretty much moved on with it now.

 

[Elong]

Plus we get loads of female German tourists around this way in the summer, possibly some of the hottest creatures to walk the planet.

 

[dholliday]

It's a tricky one in some respects, as the years roll by the younger generations forget, after all it is all history. Some of us had grand parents who fought in the war and so you are brought up with prejudice. I certainly don't dislike Germans, but I have it ingrained in me from my upbringing.

It's not my place to say whether it's right or wrong how I was brought up as I didn't go through the atrocities my grandparents did, but I do think the two countries have pretty much moved on with it now.

nice post that...likely reflects a lot of people's thinking. I'm 50/50 dual-nationality: have German family and English family fighting in the wars (both infantry too). Sort of given me a perspective maybe others don't have. The war was horrific for both sides, no doubt about that.

 

[barneygumble]

When i went to Germany i experienced both sides.

The German's come across as, very dour people, in the kindest possible way, they never appeared to crack a smile, but i really enjoyed going to places, and not veing about to understand a word anyone was saying. We went to Berlin, and wel they made it very clear when you weren't welcoming.

We went to Warschauer Strasse, and well one cheap trick at robbing €30 and then following by them shoving broken bottle at us, and we knew the area was dodgy for us, everywhere else, we just tread it fine, and we had no worries, no trouble, and the people were happy enough to talk, even ended out clubbing with all the German Students

I've been to Belgium, Netherlands, and Poland and that, and when they acknowledged that we were scousers or Brits, we couldn't shut them up. German's weren't like that, they were nice enough people, and in that regard can't knock em, after all there country is immaculately clean, efficient, and an all round great place. For all the bad points we met, we had 10x more positives.

I feel they are tolerant of the British, but obviously if you take it too far, then they are quick to come moody.

 

[Elong]

You have to remember that Germans are a very proud country, and have had 70 years of shame to endure for what happened when one man was ultimately responsible for shaping their horrible past. Sure, some were willing followers, but the majority were forced to tow the line, and even today feel guilt for their fore fathers actions.

 

[chicoazul]

I wish I was German as they have an ace country, ace footie set up, ace beer, ace fraulines, ace cars and most all ace sausage.

But on saying that Fox has me crying (sorry DH lid) with his Helmut rip the other night.

Played football for a team full of Germans and very sound lads indeed.

Even during war there was a mutual respect between the two while they were going at it.

 

[dholliday]

But on saying that Fox has me crying (sorry DH lid) with his Helmut rip the other night.

haha! I thought it was sweet & considerate how when I asked him to not call me Helmut as that was my Great-Uncle he plumped for Wolfgang instead.

 

[dholliday]

We went to Warschauer Strasse, and well one cheap trick at robbing €30 and then following by them shoving broken bottle at us, and we knew the area was dodgy for us

Crikey. I must have cycled through Warschauerstr a thousand times...there's plenty of lively clubbers about but never had any trouble. Sorry on behalf of my city for your experience, mate...it's not typical. Glad you otherwise had a nice time.

Agree with you that Germans can leave a somewhat dour impression upon first contact. Even I find them too dry and serious. I miss the spontaneous cheeky humour of Brits, and the informal banter amongst colleagues and strangers. Germans do a lot right, but they're still miles behind the Brits in those respects.

Still, makes for an interestingly-different dynamic in a friendship xx

 

[Elong]

Agree with you that Germans can leave a somewhat dour impression upon first contact. Even I find them too dry and serious. I miss the spontaneous cheeky humour of Brits, and the informal banter amongst colleagues and strangers.

Mind you, I can't imagine them finding it funny when an English tourist comes up to them doing aeroplane movements singing 99 Bombers Over Berlin, like. I'd be pretty sour too lol

 

[dholliday]

Mind you, I can't imagine them finding it funny when an English tourist comes up to them doing aeroplane movements singing 99 Bombers Over Berlin, like. I'd be pretty sour too lol

aye...there's the stereo-typical stag-night Brit lads thing going on...I work in an office right next to a brewery, and on the friday night if working late often hear Three Lions and cries of "wwwwaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy!!!" from below.

All part of the fun of being a Brit on the piss abroard, I suppose...but the interesting thing is groups of other nationalities don't do things like this.