Is Northern Germany originally dutch or german?

[Chichic]

Northern Germans are genetically more similar to the Dutch and Scandinavians than they are to other Germans. The language of Northern Germany was Low German, while the rest of Germany spoke High German. And North German life centered around fishing and sailing, as opposed to the more farm-based life of other German groups.

But now that all of Germany speaks Standard German, and lives with modern German culture, the difference is less noticeable. It's become more of just a regional identity thing. You have North Germans, Rhinelanders, Bavarians, Swabians, but they're all Germans in the same boat.
The industrialization during the Prussian period actually made Southern Germany the somewhat stand-alone region, since it stayed more rural. Then it became East Germany, for obvious reasons.

Please show us a proof that North Germans are genetically closer to the Dutch and Scandinavians than to all other Germans, because I think North Germans are so much different than them. I am from North Central Germany myself, and I can only laugh about your theses.

[Visitor_22]

Please show us a proof that North Germans are genetically closer to the Dutch and Scandinavians than to all other Germans, because I think North Germans are so much different than them. I am from North Central Germany myself, and I can only laugh about your theses.

Well. Actually in old times Northern Germans spoke totally different languages. Then their languages became more and more hochdeutch type in 1800's.

Modern day northern germans are 90% hochdeutch and only 10% platduutch. Even frisians are very (high) germanised.

That's sad, cause original low german languages are more beautiful comparing to hochdeutch.

[Wolf_Blood]

This is a map of Europe today, so the distinction between North Germans and the rest of Germany isn't as clear cut as it was in the 1800's. But you can see that, even today, people in the top of Germany are very much the same as people in Denmark and the top of the Netherlands.

Well. Actually in old times Northern Germans spoke totally different languages. Then their languages became more and more hochdeutch type in 1800's.

Which is one of the reasons that Northern German cultural life was drastically different than in other parts of Germany. Back then, and to a degree today as well, language determined cultural borders.
But another reason for the regionalism was that Northern Germany is right next to the North and Baltic seas. North German life, much like Dutch and Scandinavian life, was based around the ocean.

That's sad, cause original low german languages are more beautiful comparing to hochdeutch.

I'm glad the German dialects are dying out. Sprachen, die ich nicht verstehen kann, sind nicht gut.
Although, it appears we're stuck with Bavarian and Swabian.

[Longbowman]

Sprachen, die ich nicht verstehen kann, sind nicht gut.

I agree. All this emphasis on regionalisms. We need more emphasis on what unites us.

Naturally English dialects aren't nearly so distinct as German ones but for a giggle why not check out Scots Wikipedia, 15,000 articles written entirely in Scots?

https://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

[Chichic]

This graphic is absolutely unscientific. What about all the North Germans from the former East German territories who predominantly went to West Germany during and after WW2? And why the sudden interruption on the German-Polish border? Nonsense!

[Visitor_22]

This graphic is absolutely unscientific. What about all the North Germans from the former East German territories who predominantly went to West Germany during and after WW2? And why the sudden interruption on the German-Polish border? Nonsense!

Well... That's explain everything, why low german dialects are dying and people in the North are not truly belong there... like you for example (probably Caucasian dude).

[FeederOfRavens]

The true Dutch are not Low German(which is a North sea Germanic language) but are Frankish speaking part of the Weser-Rhine Germanic languages. In North and East Netherlands they are Frisians and Low Germans respectively.

[sioned]

It is only the East Frisians who share some similarities with the Dutch. All other North Germans differ significantly from them.

wrong!! The county of Bentheim, Kleve, West-Münsterland, Lingen, are tradionally strong connected with the Netherlands, not only on matters of similarities of dialect, but also on traditions, folklore, mindset, etc.