What do Germans wear?

Originally Posted by Holdfast

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This is what I love about Britain. Probably the only country in the world where the Nazis were just "a bit unnecessary". Kind of like a slight inconvenience; a minor wrinkle in the grand scheme of things that's now been put right...

Is that really the way the British look at it? Because if so, that view doesn't seem to mitigate anti-German sentiment among today's English in any way... I was in London again a few weeks ago and couldn't help but notice that out of all major WWII allies, England seems to be the country where people most hang on to the idea "Germany=the old enemy".

It's subtle - not that giving "I'm from Germany" for an answer kills the conversation entirely, but it causes an ever-so-slight, awkward pause. Weirdly enough, especially among young people but maybe that's just my impression because when I go there I meet young people primarily.

Not trying to pick a fight. I'm an admirer of England in many aspects.

Originally Posted by gnatty8

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OK, I know it was a joke, but this was in really poor taste.

agreed

Originally Posted by Percy Trimmer

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I think those Nazi pictures were a bit unnecessary (as indeed the Nazis themselves were). Germany has moved on.

I knew when I saw the title of the thread, someone would post some Nazi picture.
Just like when someone sings the praise of Vienna and Austrians, someone will point out their most famous son. Yup, you guess it, Adolf Hitler.

Originally Posted by gnatty8

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OK, I know it was a joke, but this was in really poor taste.

Do you think the colours are that awful?

Originally Posted by Jan_

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Many students buy at H&M (lower middle class). Better go for Peek & Cloppenburg (middle class). If your social circle is more upscale, then go for stuff from Soer (upper middle class, rich peasants).

Can I add Eckerle to your recommendations for the middle-class.

Originally Posted by Jan_

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For the remaining fields you can dress like a homeless (and that way preparing for your future).

Originally Posted by Jan_

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Plus avoid areas with high Muslim population if you look like an American, German, Jew, or gay.

Oh come on. I don't think this warning is justified. High Muslim population in Germany generally means high Turkish population. I wouldn't say that going to such areas is dangerous in general.

Originally Posted by il_colonnello

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Is that really the way the British look at it? Because if so, that view doesn't seem to mitigate anti-German sentiment among today's English in any way... I was in London again a few weeks ago and couldn't help but notice that out of all major WWII allies, England seems to be the country where people most hang on to the idea "Germany=the old enemy". It's subtle - not that giving "I'm from Germany" kills the conversation entirely, but it causes an ever-so-slight, awkward pause. Weirdly enough, especially among young people but maybe that's just my impression because when I go there I meet young people primarily. Not trying to pick a fight. I'm an admirer of England in many aspects.
I think there is awkwardness on both sides, neither wanting to mention the war in each others company. A lot of this 'sensitivity' in Britain is a product of our odious press. Interestingly, here in England they showed a recently made film made about the Red Baron over Christmas, which I enjoyed, even though there was considerable artistic licence partaken of. The film was a German production and garnered some critical reviews in Germany. Here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red...ilm%29#Reviews

Originally Posted by Jan_

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Many German students like to protest and be unhappy. Avoid them. The less formal the discipline, the more do they hate the US (and Israel) and you can only live with them when you generally apologize for whatever the US do--even Obama fell into disgrace once they realized that he doesn't do European politics.
Plus avoid areas with high Muslim population if you look like an American, German, Jew, or gay.




wtf

Originally Posted by George

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I think there is awkwardness on both sides, neither wanting to mention the war in each others company. A lot of this 'sensitivity' in Britain is a product of our odious press.

Interestingly, here in England they showed a recently made film made about the Red Baron over Christmas, which I enjoyed, even though there was considerable artistic licence partaken of.

The film was a German production and garnered some critical reviews in Germany.

Here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red...ilm%29#Reviews

I hadn't heard of the film. I looked quickly at the German-language Wiki page too, it sure got a hell of a lot of flak in the German press.

Interestingly, the Wiki page contains a link to an interview in which the actor who portrayed Richthofen says that preparing for the role he read mostly British books on Richthofen, and that they seemed to be *less* critical of the man than Germany's own books about him...

Originally Posted by il_colonnello

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High Muslim population in Germany generally means high Turkish population. I wouldn't say that going to such areas is dangerous in general.

But to tell the dangerous places and situations from the harmless ones I'd have to differentiate more. So one could take that as a rule of thumb. I know I'm a bit too alarming, but better safe than sorry in this case.

Originally Posted by --Jonas--

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wtf
well he's pretty much pointing out the point of view of 90% of the students, who study something that has nothing to do with economy. Also here is a big islamophobic trend, which lead to a big integration debate. Also would say what he says about style is really true. If you just want to fit in wear H&M ****. But seriously: Don't give a **** and wear what you like. If you're not wearing worn out H&M in a University envoirment. If you go for a preppy style, there are some people who also who for it but they are not everybodys favorite^^

Originally Posted by il_colonnello

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I was in London again a few weeks ago and couldn't help but notice that out of all major WWII allies, England seems to be the country where people most hang on to the idea "Germany=the old enemy".
I'll have you know that I finally gave in and bought a Mercedes. It was a more difficult decision than I expected. I still feel like a ... traitor. But it goes so well with my blond hair and blue eyes. Besides, I do have ancestry in the German parts of Switzerland.

Originally Posted by crazyquik

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I'm Jewish. I lost family in the Holocaust. I LOL'd when I saw this.

Originally Posted by il_colonnello

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England seems to be the country where people most hang on to the idea "Germany=the old enemy"...

Oh, don't worry about that, the French are much more hated.

Seriously, none of it is a serious personal hatred, just something that gets stoked up around major sporting events, european treaty negotiations, and other similar international competitions. Sure, it sometimes spills over into being a bit more vitriolic. The underlying issue is that the British psyche loves to consider itself superior to the Continent (this slight condescension is the flipside of that famous understatement), and knows that at one point fairly recently it effectively controlled a very large part of the world's economy and dislikes the pangs of regret it feels when it's made obvious it doesn't do so any more. So it remembers past victories fondly, though knows it's not the done thing to talk about it too loudly these days.

But it's not personal, and shouldn't be taken that way. It's just that it takes time to adjust to that sort of change.

The SS division "Das Reich" is once again prepared to bring terror over Europe:

Originally Posted by Holdfast

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Oh, don't worry about that, the French are much more hated.

After all, without the Germans, who would make all the cars for the British to drive? In terms of those whom the British hate, I always thought the spectrum went: Italians < Russians < Irish < Germans < French < Arabs < Roma < Americans < Indians and Pakistanis