are Britain & Germany friends or foes?

[EFCNIK]

They're not teaching it in schools anymore. I can understand why and your average German is very apologetic even when there's no need to be.

To the above poster, I don't mean as individuals I mean as a nation politically. And no I won't get into it.

Germany is a very nice country though. Probably the nicest I've visited. People on the whole are ok as well. When I landed in snowy Riga on a Easter Monday and the place was dead I ended up doing a tequila shot competition with 4 of them and my mate in an otherwise empty bar at about 1pm. They were sound. And of course they won. We'd literally just got off the plane and thrown our things in the hostel. I let myself and my country down big time.

 

[quasi modo]

Personally I like Germany and ze Germans, lived there for 3 years and it has to be the best place I have stayed.

 

[rascal]

I have a very positive view of Germany (and Holland for that matter) they're a great bunch of lads.

They are our brothers from another mother.

Sure there have been times when things have got a little heated, but that's perfectly normal. We must remember our own history before judging others.

 

[Username]

I reckon germans are ace, efficient sunbed spotters too and adept at piss ups.

 

[Moomin]

All praise RTL and SAT 1 for helping me blow my biscuits as a young lad.

 

[dholliday]

When I landed in snowy Riga on a Easter Monday and the place was dead I ended up doing a tequila shot competition with 4 of them and my mate in an otherwise empty bar at about 1pm. They were sound. And of course they won. We'd literally just got off the plane and thrown our things in the hostel. I let myself and my country down big time.

I get mullered every time entering a drinking competition with czechs.

 

[Garrick]

Why the '' over British?

Anyway, no we shouldn't forget and we certainly don't try to. We try and make up for it at every bloody opportunity even still. Germans should be forgiven but not forgotten. We still haven't been forgiven.

I dunno mate, do foreigners crack jokes at your expense based on the actions of your distant ancestors when they get just liquored up enough to throw caution to the wind? Because I've watched plenty of people do that to Germans.

The best explanation I've ever received of the Holocaust from a German, born after the fall of the Wall... "We probably view it the same way you do, as a very unfortunate piece of history. My parents weren't alive for it. My grandparents were merely children. I just have no direct connection to it."

I don't think there's anything wrong with that view.

 

[Kurt.]

To be honest I prefer the Germans to the English.

 

[njligernj]

I dunno mate, do foreigners crack jokes at your expense based on the actions of your distant ancestors when they get just liquored up enough to throw caution to the wind? Because I've watched plenty of people do that to Germans.

People do that to everyone. Most of the "jokes" people make about England are based on old fashioned stereotypes. I've read stats that London has more five star (or whatever the top stars are ... three stars maybe is that the best? ... I am not a real "foodie") restaurants than Paris or Rome but in every joke "the food is terrible." Because the food *was* terrible in the 40's when loads of Americans were in town because A) it was the 40's and almost everything was terrible and B) there was a bloody war on with rationing so what did you expect? Now "English" food is Indian, Italian, French, Chinese, American etc. ... just like New York and everywhere else. The joke makes no sense but loads of people still say it.

Anyway "bad food" certainly that isn't as bad as "you're a Nazi" but most of this springs out of people with a terrible sense of humour trying to be funny so you know ... they are going to hit on the most obvious school-yard thing. "You're fat, you smell" level stuff.

We don't have to go back in time to be ashamed of our countries: the US, England, Germany etc. are all making horrible mistakes which hamper our progress as a civilization on a daily basis. We have all allowed corporations and greedy idiots to gain most of the positions of power -- we have leaders who refuse to use logic or science to guide decision making. What do any of us have to be so proud of? That we're not stoning women? Big pat on the back everyone. By grading on a curve comparing ourselves to horrendous countries run by truly evil people we look kind of okay in comparison. USA! EN-GUR-LAND!

As for German people ... GGG ... I trust them.

The big "secret" is that if you think it's ridiculous to judge a country negatively because of the actions of three generations past then isn't it equally ridiculous to be proud of a country because of the actions of three generations plus in the past? A twenty year old German had as much to do with Nazis as I had to do with Shakespeare, Churchill or any English hero or genius. I won the "birth location" lottery -- I feel happy and fortunate but I don't pretend I had anything to do with either the wrongs or the rights of the past. There are enough of those happening today for me to worry about.

We're talking about invisible lines on the ground mostly drawn up by inbreds who would be classified as mentally disabled by today's standards ... maybe we shouldn't worry about our "differences" so much.

 

[dholliday]

People do that to everyone. Most of the "jokes" people make about England are based on old fashioned stereotypes. I've read stats that London has more five star (or whatever the top stars are ... three stars maybe is that the best? ... I am not a real "foodie") restaurants than Paris or Rome but in every joke "the food is terrible." Because the food *was* terrible in the 40's when loads of Americans were in town because A) it was the 40's and almost everything was terrible and B) there was a bloody war on with rationing so what did you expect? Now "English" food is Indian, Italian, French, Chinese, American etc. ... just like New York and everywhere else. The joke makes no sense but loads of people still say it.

Anyway "bad food" certainly that isn't as bad as "you're a Nazi" but most of this springs out of people with a terrible sense of humour trying to be funny so you know ... they are going to hit on the most obvious school-yard thing. "You're fat, you smell" level stuff.

We don't have to go back in time to be ashamed of our countries: the US, England, Germany etc. are all making horrible mistakes which hamper our progress as a civilization on a daily basis. We have all allowed corporations and greedy idiots to gain most of the positions of power -- we have leaders who refuse to use logic or science to guide decision making. What do any of us have to be so proud of? That we're not stoning women? Big pat on the back everyone. By grading on a curve comparing ourselves to horrendous countries run by truly evil people we look kind of okay in comparison. USA! EN-GUR-LAND!

As for German people ... GGG ... I trust them.

The big "secret" is that if you think it's ridiculous to judge a country negatively because of the actions of three generations past then isn't it equally ridiculous to be proud of a country because of the actions of three generations plus in the past? A twenty year old German had as much to do with Nazis as I had to do with Shakespeare, Churchill or any English hero or genius. I won the "birth location" lottery -- I feel happy and fortunate but I don't pretend I had anything to do with either the wrongs or the rights of the past. There are enough of those happening today for me to worry about.

We're talking about invisible lines on the ground mostly drawn up by inbreds who would be classified as mentally disabled by today's standards ... maybe we shouldn't worry about our "differences" so much.

quality post that.

 

[Moomin]

To be honest I prefer the Germans to the English.

If we are being honest then, i prefer having crabs to the welsh.

 

[Kurt.]

If we are being honest then, i prefer having crabs to the welsh.

That's kind of you, I'm sure I and all the other Welsh appreciate you're unselfishness.

 

[Moomin]

That's kind of you, I'm sure I and all the other Welsh appreciate you're unselfishness.

I probably caught them from a welsh girl.

I do really like the welsh, a good laugh.

 

[Kurt.]

I probably caught them from a welsh girl.
.

I wouldn't question that to be honest ha ha

 

[Degs62]

Mate, I've read @fatshark 's comment a few times and I'm still struggling to see what his problem is with the German attire, it's close to what I've worn to work today.

roflmao