Racism Against Germans

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I blame Napoleon, he started it, and Germans suffered under French occupation.

How come Napoleon is some sort of military hero for his blitzkrieg all across Europe to Russia, why isn't he and the French demonised like the Germans?

I am an American of entirely European and mostly German descent. I am certainly heavily built like a stereotypical German. I guess the biggest racial stereotype about Germans is that they themselves are racist. I often find myself unable to stop thinking about race. It's all I ever seem to hear about on the news. There are people all around me, and people have races, so I really can't avoid it. In fact, it's probably the only realistic thing I ever think about.

I think they aren't demonized because many consider them inept after WW2.

Racism (or dislike of people of certain nationalities) is stupid.

For some reason, though, almost 100 percent of the people I've met of a certain nationality have been not nice. But I still think of the next one of them that I meet sometime in the future as a different individual. He/She could be a nice person.

As for Germans, I have a lot of respect for them (I'm not German by the way) for having done/doing many things very well (such as making good cars etc). I suspect Germans being competent and successful might be another reason for some others to hold grudge against Germans.

Its the FRENCH who are supposed to be rude, and arrogant,- atleast to Anglo Saxon tourists.

Not the Germans!

She should get her stereotypes right!

But seriously-if she is indeed serious- I guess it IS racism.

I guess if you HAVE to hate some group- I guess the Germans are a safe group to hate.
They are a subset of the White race, and have an infamous recent past that involved racism itsself.

But it would be nice if she didnt have a need to hate.

But Im an American of more than half German ancestry, and Im not the slightest bit offended by it. To me its just kinda laughable.

Most people only care for or care more for those of their own nationality/color/culture. That's a universal thing. Some people here in the west are quick to lash out at other westerners for caring more about people from the western culture, while they completely forget that it's exactly the same for all other groups as well. I think it's natural that you care more about that which you identify most with.


OP, I'm not sure if it can be called racism. I'd call it prejudice, or stereotyping.
I can definitely understand your mother, though. If all your experiences or most of your experiences with a group (ANY group) of people are negative, then of course you're gonna stereotype and think that all or most of them are like that. People stereotype all the time. Autistic people are [insert stereotype], NTs are [insert stereotype], girls are [insert stereotype], musicians are [insert stereotype], Americans are [insert stereotype], old people are [insert stereotype] etc etc etc....
No one should be treated as a living stereotype but we all are, all the time. And we're all guilty of doing it in some way or other.
As others pointed out already, no one represents their entire nation. But people will stereotype and the fewer of any group they know, the stronger and more likely the stereotypes of the groups become.

I also have to say OP, that as long as your mother isn't actively trying to make people's life miserable based on their being German, I don’t see the harm. I get that it becomes annoying and repetitive (other people's pet peeves always are) but it sounds to me like she needs to let off some steam based on poor experiences and need a safe place to react.

I’m not German, I’m 100% Norwegian. But if I encountered someone who had known very few Norwegians and every single one of those had treated her badly, it wouldn’t be fair to assume me to be the same way, but I would certainly understand her scepticism towards me. I would also expect the person to remain civil, though. I’d be out of patience and understanding in no time if she made accusations or nasty remarks.

my father fought in the 2nd world war (he was 55 when i was born(i was adopted)) and he recounted a few comparisons between the japanese and the germans. i do not have any personal opinion and maybe i am ill advised to relate what he said. i will try to be brief.

my father never liked japanese people but he did not mind german people (only from his personal experience)

he said that the german soldiers were generally ethical but the japanese soldiers were like undiscriminating insects. he said that the german foot soldiers (common conscripted civilians) tried to avoid killing people because they had a conscience about doing it, but the japanese common conscripted soldiers were like heartless machines who did not flinch while taking any opportunity to kill.

he said the japanese did not recognize red cross tents, and they bombed them without remorse (even though soldiers from both sides (including wounded japanese soldiers)) were being treated therein. he said that the japanese people placed no value in life and they were like mindless ants who would sacrifice their wounded for "the war effort". they lived and died only for their country like machines he said.

once he related a story to me about when his unit encountered a german unit (foot soldiers both) in a field (i do not know where), everyone froze. both units commanding officers were not very high ranking, and the commander of his unit held his rifle out to his side, and the german commanding officer did the same. they then placed their rifles on the ground and approached each other, and each agreed that they had never seen each other, and so both units went on their way without the thought of a shot being fired.

he said that if it had been "the japs" (as he referred to them), then there would have been carnage until very few people remained. i am only relating what my father said, and i am not trying to demonize the japanese, but i am trying to humanize the germans.

here is a documentary that depicts a very surprising turn of events during WW1 where a spontaneous and unauthorized situation occured which entailed benevolence between 2 two sides (german and british) who emerged from their trenches and celebrated christmas day together until the high officers back in their safe offices got wind of it.

it is a long documentary, and i know it will not be viewed by many as it would eat up their forum posting time, but maybe bookmark it and watch it when you are not currently posting on WP. it is well worth watching but i understand that people are busy posting their own thoughts in various threads and will not have time or inclination to watch. for those who do watch it, it may educate you as to how we are all the same deep down. i am not sure that it is relevant to this thread, but i think it is.



[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHrNi_0IB3c[/youtube]

People who don't like Germans: the German speaking community in Switzerland. Seriously.

That was an interesting post B9
.
I have read many books about the atrocities the Russians committed on the East Prussians during their march to Berlin.

Though all Russians where encouraged to exact revenge on Germans, even if they happened to be 8 year old girls, the books report that by far the worst excesses were carried out by the Mongolian Russians, rather than the Western Russians who would have had more reason to seek revenge, as it was Western Russia the Nazis had invaded, but it seems the European Russians had a greater degree of humanity than those of the Mongal race who also seem to lack in compassion towards the treatment of animals.

^^^ Yep. Plenty of other bizarre examples of people hating the wrong people or for all the wrong reasons (or no reason at all!) Justifying atrocities for the smallest of provocations...

*sigh*

Humans.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8stkqssLYc[/youtube]
(There's a 1955 remake with more modern weapons and all sides nuke each other to oblivion... it's just not as dramatic - certainly not like watching the last man on earth sink bleeding into the mud.)

Last edited by BlueMax on 06 Feb 2013, 9:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I think my dad might have inherited some anti-German sentiment, but he's self-aware enough to turn it into a joke.

This one time, we were tramping on a well-known track and there were German tourists everywhere (Germans love the outdoors, apparently). He told me "Remember, if you're ever in an argument with a German, you can instantly win it by reminding them that we won the war."

I've never tried it, but maybe it will come in handy someday.

The Germans had just butchered millions of civilians in eastern Europe. Mongolia was flooded with Chinese refugees fleeing the Japanese who butchered millions. WW2 was a war of genocide, what mercy do you expect people to show enemies who want to wipe out their race? I don't hold anyone responsible for the insanity of past generations but I'm not naive to atrocities that will take people many generations to forget. It's mind boggling that out of all the s**t that happened in ww2 you would focus on the 'inhumanity' of Mongolian people compared to Germans and Russians. You are so biased I don't know whether to laugh at you or puke.

My post was in response to b9s post above giving other accounts that would seem to verify the experience his Father had, maybe you dint read it, no need to puke.

Your post stands pretty well on it's own don't drag b9 into it.

Personally I never had even negative experience with a German. All people I met from many different parts of Germany are very friendly and kind . I don't really think there is a bad nation just bad people ... It's always in the individual . I never experienced racism or any negative behavior towards me in general ... I have been in many countries and of caurse they may be some rude people here and there but they are not so many ... Its just minority . The majority of people are fine .