Why do Englishmen hate Germans so much?

[rothaer]

What were the circumstances? Maybe she thought you were annoying and as is often the case people focus on the differences when making an insult.

You are right.

But the circumstances were not like that, in contrast we got along well and agreed on all we spoke of. I congratulated to the Brexit (which she had favoured) and said that that also would help us (Germans) to get rid of the EU burocracy one day. We then spoke of this and that and she then told that something like a great-uncle (not sure exactly, but something like that) had been killed by the Germans in WWI and that his child had to grow up half orphan and he suffered from that. I then asked if that father had been killed in combat as a soldier like most that died in the WWI. She then said yes and I can never forgive "the Germans" that they "murdered" my great-uncle! She was furious and full of hatred and I was speachless. I tried to figure out if there was any special background of that death, but it was just like millions of soldiers on all sides that had died im WWI. She made clear that I was part of "the Germans" that "murdered" her great-uncle and that I in this property was part of these who are not forgiven.

But again, I view this particular experience as anecdotal and it's not the sole reason for my OP.

[Colonel Frank Grimes]

You are right.

But the circumstances were not like that, in contrast we got along well and agreed on all we spoke of. I congratulated to the Brexit (which she had favoured) and said that that also would help us (Germans) to get rid of the EU burocracy one day. We then spoke of this and that and she then told that something like a great-uncle (not sure exactly, but something like that) had been killed by the Germans in WWI and that his child had to grow up half orphan and he suffered from that. I then asked if that father had been killed in combat as a soldier like most that died in the WWI. She then said yes and I can never forgive "the Germans" that they "murdered" my great-uncle! She was furious and full of hatred and I was speachless. I tried to figure out if there was any special background of that death, but it was just like millions of soldiers on all sides that had died im WWI. She made clear that I was part of "the Germans" that "murdered" her great-uncle and that I in this property was part of these who are not forgiven this "murder".

But again, I see this particular experience as anecdotal and it's not the sole reason for my OP.

Ah, I see. She's an irrational stupid person. First of all, it's not murder to kill in combat. Both sides are trying to kill each other to reach an objective. Her great-uncle may have even killed Germans before he was killed. Those men have families as well.

I would have explained the above to her and if she kept being stupid - which is most likely - I would have just told her to fuck off because it's a waste of time being friendly with someone who is unfortunately stupid.

[Creoda]

They don't. My WW2 veteran grandfather wasn't anti-German, and even admired them. I would characterise the English historical attitudes towards Germans as admiration with distrust, part of a general mild antipathy towards continental Europeans. But I've encountered more hostility towards English by many continental groups than vice versa, so to label the English as hateful is a gross mischaracterisation.

[Creoda]

In a recent yougov poll from 2020, +15% of British would be willing to help Germans in a major crisis, while -13% of Germans would be willing to help British in a major crisis.
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/yougov-sur...120914688.html

So your assertion is wrong. As are many of the falsehoods spread about English hating Eastern Europeans (while loving non-whites), in the same poll British gave one of the highest scores to Poles, no pun intended.

[Mortimer]

Why do Englishmen hate Germans so much, while Germans are more or less fine with Englishmen?

Elaborate.

The hatred was already in WWI. I understand that the Englishmen always were politically against the strongest one on the continent. But why that hatred? I once experienced an English young woman that was so full of deep rooted hatred that I was completely astounded. (This one is just anecdotal, of course, but I've got that reported independently from many sides.)

I dont think they hate germans, maybe a few of them hate germans, but you can find people who hate this or that nation for any reason everywhere. I dont think they hate germans, i never saw that or heard that before. You think they hate germans, maybe, but that is not true.

[rothaer]

In a recent yougov poll from 2020, +15% of British would be willing to help Germans in a major crisis, while -13% of Germans would be willing to help British in a major crisis.
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/yougov-sur...120914688.html

So your assertion is wrong. As are many of the falsehoods spread about English hating Eastern Europeans (while loving non-whites), in the same poll British gave one of the highest scores to Poles, no pun intended.

What you display is a different question. You would score very low in that poll if you are indifferent, non-caring. (Germany may be that btw. and also the EU-loving part of Germans did feel insulted by the Brexit, lol) But my question was about hatred or at least, say, deep routed being "anti".

Also, this question does not contain a blaming. It's about such things like Thatcher (as well as Mitterand btw., but unlike the USA and the Sovjet Union f. i.) tried to prevent the German re-unification. This is a deep ill-wanting.

[rothaer]

(...)Both sides are trying to kill each other to reach an objective. Her great-uncle may have even killed Germans before he was killed. Those men have families as well.

I would have explained the above to her and if she kept being stupid - which is most likely - I would have just told her to (...).

I actually brought that aspect and it was like you correctly assessed as "most likely". It seemed meaningless to say anything more against it and I let the conversation fade out. I considered it more valuable to get to know poeple's opinions - also in the future - than to tell to fuck off. My internal take was more like: "Wow, totally crazy and poisoned! Good to know!".

[rothaer]

They don't. My WW2 veteran grandfather wasn't anti-German, and even admired them. (...)

My impression is not as for ethnic English per se, but restricted to English in England. As for ethnic English in the USA, Canada and Australia I never heard for it. Was your grandfather in England at that time?

[Creoda]

My impression is not as for ethnic English per se, but restricted to English in England. As for ethnic English in the USA, Canada and Australia I never heard for it. Was your grandfather in England at that time?

I'm speaking about English in England. He was English in the British Army in North Africa and Italy. Of course the fighting in that theatre was renowned for being less nasty, more sporting, with an admiration for the Germans as worthy foes with the likes of Rommel, so maybe that was an influence.

[Blondie]

I hope they like ostrogoths like me.