Germany's UK ambassador is a girly man

[Comrade]

:baby4:

This sounds so whiney and condescending, it's hard to imagine this is a state official speaking.

I wonder how the Brits can tolarate such nonesense from the Germans.


http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=636555

Britons ignorant about Germany and still see us as Nazis, says ambassador

By Martin Hodgson
08 May 2005

Sixty years after the end of the Second World War in Europe, British people are still obsessed with Nazism, and ignorant about Germany, said the German ambassador to London, Thomas Matussek.

"The British behave as if they had conquered Hitler's hordes single-handedly. And they continue to see us as Nazis, as if they have to refight the battles every evening. They are enchanted by this Nazi dimension," he said yesterday. "It's not anti-German sentiment precisely, but it's because we know too little about each other. Ignorance can breed xenophobia, which can breed hatred. That's what we've learnt in Germany."

Okay, Yoda.

Mr Matussek said that the two countries were "drifting apart" because British children were growing up with "dangerous misunderstandings" about Germany. "We have to make a distinction between clichèd stereotypes that are outright funny - like in Dad's Army or Fawlty Towers - and something that goes a little deeper. The humour stops when I hear that German children are regularly beaten up and abused by British youngsters who don't know what Germany's about."

How about those German kids which are growing up hating America, and call Bush a Nazi? Can you explain how that can go in Germany?

A recent survey showed that when British 10- to 16-year olds were asked what they associated Germany with, 78 per cent said the Second World War, and 50 per cent mentioned Hitler.

Well, it was either that or Wiener-Shnitzel.

Youthful British ignorance of Germany and its past was demonstrated by the photographs published earlier this year, showing Prince Harry at a fancy dress party in Nazi uniform.

At least he wasn't elected, or anything. I mean imagine a country electing a president based on solely his rhetoric against like, America, say. Ring a bell, Germany?

"Like the conquering of the West is part of the American myth, so it is the same with the British and the defeat of Nazism," Mr Matussek told The Observer.

Excuse me, you mean we didn't conquer the West? Or Nazism wasn't defeated by the Allies? Man, what history books do the Germans read these days???

"We Germans confront the guilt and shame of our past daily, and more thoroughly and obsessively than probably any other nation on earth."

Learning from the past, and not dwelling on it, is what makes a country great. When will Germany admit that perhaps it's still not perfect, nor deserve bragging rights over its behavior, especially when it comes to countries who are playing a responsible, leadership role in the world today, like Britain. What gives them the right to lecture us when all they do is run and hide and elude the global responsibilities they are required by natural law to either assume, or let others pull their weight for them. When are THEY going to stop dwelling on their past, and GET OVER IT.

 

[padisha emperor]

"Ignorance can breed xenophobia, which can breed hatred. That's what we've learnt in Germany."



Okay, Yoda.

I'm agree with this sentence.
Ignorance is the main thing leading to racism.

How about those German kids which are growing up hating America, and call Bush a Nazi? Can you explain how that can go in Germany?

Nobody educate children in Germany in a USA's hate atmosphere.
It's not the same thing. This ambassador means that for some Youthes in UK, Germany is showed as the Nazi country.
The youth german generation shouldn't have to pay for the WWII. They will never forget, but WWII is not a reason to hate Germalny, the population, the ideas, the country have changed. The mentality about Germany should have to change too.

At least he wasn't elected, or anything. I mean imagine a country electing a president based on solely his rhetoric against like, America, say. Ring a bell, Germany?

bullshit.

It's not becaue Prince Harry wasn't elected that he has more right to wear a nazi uniform.
First, because it hurts everybody, each man. It is not because I'm not elecetd, myself, that I will wear a SS uniform.

And above all, Harry is member of the english royal family, and would probably be the brother of the King. He HAD TO be smart, to have a correct behavior.

Excuse me, you mean we didn't conquer the West? Or Nazism wasn't defeated by the Allies? Man, what history books do the Germans read these days???

Did he said that ? When he said "part of the American myth", and when he compared it with UK's victory against nazism, he was meaning : it's one of the myths, who founded these countries, these culture.

US west conquest is a US myth, not in the sense "myth : legend, not the truth", but with this sense : myth : famous thing, important time of US history.

It's like for France : Jeanne d'Arc, battle of Valmy, the took of the Bastille, La Marne, Verdun....these are some of the french history myths. Are they fake ? no ! but they are symbols of something.

In USA, the COnquest of the West is a real important thing. How many hundreds of commemoration or parties is there ? a lot, sure.
Same thing for Britain.
So, he never denied the US conquest of the West, you probably misunderstood what he meant.

 

[Comrade]

I'm agree with this sentence.
Ignorance is the main thing leading to racism.

I understand that to the left, 'racism' is a catch all buzzword, but it's not relevent in this context, given only Anglo-Saxons are involved in this tension between UK and Germany.

Nobody educate children in Germany in a USA's hate atmosphere.
It's not the same thing.

So then, the Anti-American sentiment expressed as a majority in France and Germany is just a natural trait then? Well, no, it's really a product of your two country's socialist media and their primary financial backers, the leftist state propaganda machine.

This ambassador means that for some Youthes in UK, Germany is showed as the Nazi country.

Um, no, only that many considered Hitler and WWII as significant aspect of history. Every student of Western history beyond the 3rd grade level knows full well that Germany is no longer a Nazi state. Any High School student who is not in Special Ed. would also know it is in fact a socialist Democracy. I mean, duh!

Methinks the ambassador is carping about made-up nonesense.

The youth german generation shouldn't have to pay for the WWII. They will never forget, but WWII is not a reason to hate Germalny, the population, the ideas, the country have changed. The mentality about Germany should have to change too.

Again, nobody believes Germany is still a Nazi state. Everybody knows the Germans these days swing more towards Socialism than Fascism.

bullshit.

It's not becaue Prince Harry wasn't elected that he has more right to wear a nazi uniform.

First, because it hurts everybody, each man. It is not because I'm not elecetd, myself, that I will wear a SS uniform.

And above all, Harry is member of the english royal family, and would probably be the brother of the King. He HAD TO be smart, to have a correct behavior.

Understand in America, we don't give a rats ass what the royals of Europe do, and know their acts in no way represent the people which live free among them. Money and Fame do very strange things to people.

You woudn't take the actions of the Kennedy's, or the Jacksons, as representative of the rest of America's population.

Did he said that ? When he said "part of the American myth", and when he compared it with UK's victory against nazism, he was meaning : it's one of the myths, who founded these countries, these culture.

The myth of UK's victory over the Nazi's founded their culture? Again, I wonder what history books you read in your socialist state schools.

US west conquest is a US myth, not in the sense "myth : legend, not the truth", but with this sense : myth : famous thing, important time of US history.

So then by that logic, it was an important time in UK history when they defeated the Nazis. Agreed.

It's like for France : Jeanne d'Arc, battle of Valmy, the took of the Bastille, La Marne, Verdun....these are some of the french history myths. Are they fake ? no ! but they are symbols of something.

Yes, but you miss the whole point of what the German ambassador said. He described the myth of Nazi defeat as something dangerous. Do you despise the idea of celebrating Jeanne d'Arc because it brings violence and xenophobia to French society? I think not.

In USA, the COnquest of the West is a real important thing. How many hundreds of commemoration or parties is there ? a lot, sure.
Same thing for Britain.

Please reread the article. The German Ambassador is condemning the UK commemoration of its victory 'myth'. Please be consistent in your support for his argument.

So, he never denied the US conquest of the West, you probably misunderstood what he meant.

Do YOU understand what he meant about perpetuating the myth? If you think that there's a country-wide epidemic of little German boys being beat up by other Ango-Saxon schoolchildren for being a 'Nazi', please state so. Otherwise why don't you admit that this ambassador is laying it on a little thick then?

 

[Said1]

I can think of several ambassadors who would probably serve their countries much better if they STFU. Using the media to voice personal opinion instead of diplomacy is pathetic, regardless of nationality.

 

[padisha emperor]

The myth of UK's victory over the Nazi's founded their culture? Again, I wonder what history books you read in your socialist state schools.

you didn't understand me.

So then by that logic, it was an important time in UK history when they defeated the Nazis. Agreed.

here you did.

Yes, but you miss the whole point of what the German ambassador said. He described the myth of Nazi defeat as something dangerous. Do you despise the idea of celebrating Jeanne d'Arc because it brings violence and xenophobia to French society? I think not.



Please reread the article. The German Ambassador is condemning the UK commemoration of its victory 'myth'. Please be consistent in your support for his argument.

He does'nt condamn the UK's myth.
he explain this behavior with it : the UK are proud of this victory, that's a normal thing, but some youthes are so educated with this myth that they kick german. It's not a condamnation of the myth, but it's a condamnation of some educations. I didn't take it as a critic about this major UK past event.

And he comapre with the conquest of the West only to show the importance of this victory in the UK History. He took it, he could also have take the vitcory against the English during the American Independance War.



So, when I speak of some french main events, it was only to illustrate the fact that the term "myth" was to name a great historical event. There was nothing else behind it.

Understand in America, we don't give a rats ass what the royals of Europe do, and know their acts in no way represent the people which live free among them. Money and Fame do very strange things to people.

You woudn't take the actions of the Kennedy's, or the Jacksons, as representative of the rest of America's population.

Imagine that the children of your president go to a party weraing a nazi uniform. Such a shame !!!! giant scandal !
Or : same thing, for a judge, an important judge. it would be a shame too.

This kind of famous people have responsabilities, at least moral ones, then they have to be smart in their behavior.
That's what I meant

 

[nosarcasm]

The German ambassador just spoke the truth
What is it to you anyway.

 

[Comrade]

The German ambassador just spoke the truth
What is it to you anyway.

It's whiney drivel to me.

 

[nosarcasm]

the moral conclusion might be lame, its the German PC talk.

But no doubt the Brits are obsessed
with "Nazi" Germany. I blame it on the SUN. Though other countries
get a bad rep too.

The classic soccer championship headline.

All the Spanish did for Europe is bringing over Syphillis. :teeth:

 

[Comrade]

the moral conclusion might be lame, its the German PC talk.

But no doubt the Brits are obsessed
with "Nazi" Germany. I blame it on the SUN. Though other countries
get a bad rep too.

The classic soccer championship headline.

All the Spanish did for Europe is bringing over Syphillis. :teeth:

Yep, they are kind of peculiar bunch with their headlines.

I blame a host of liberal media in the UK, the Guardian being among the worst, for stirring up anti-American sentiment and true hatred or disgust with all American Conservatives. The real question for Europeans is why they can't look to their own stirrings of propaganda against America instead of worrying what everyone else thinks about them.

 

[nosarcasm]

why there is such an anti any war fury in Western Europe beats me.

While most hate Bush they consume everything else from the US.
And I am talking only about Germany now. When I visited in December
on MTV Germany they had the US dating crap with German subtitles.

Both sides ironically think they have the moral high horse. (hope that makes sense)

Because feelings of moral superiority have never done much good for Germany. :teeth: