Do Britons have an outdated view of Germany?

It was a joke. Not a very good one, but an old one. I didn't think I had to label it.

http://www.google.de/search?hl=de&q=%22hat...gle-Suche&meta=

I'd say that a show of hands of a WISO studio audience is NOT a reflection of society.

It's a rather middle class show for the fairly well to do shown by a conservative TV station. The self-selecting auidence weren't going to vote to form a soviet and storm the Winter Palace were they?

Funny how a lot of people say "Yes" to worsening social conditions as long as their own aren't affected isn't it?

Longer hours does not necessarily mean more jobs, but deffo greater profits for the bosses.

The question was "Would you be willing to work more hours for the same pay..."
i.e. you personally. There was a similar poll in "Die Welt" last week with similar results, where I am sure they paid more attention to statistical theory. My own company (until 3 weeks ago) were met with a similar appeal: last six months pay were -10%. The management made a direct appeal to stick with the company and ride out the hard times: I was impressed by the response of the natives. In the end I was the only one who left.

There is much bullshit on here accredited to the average Fritz on the street without the slightest hint of evidence: they are lazy, cosseted by the social state, unwilling to change, ugly sheets etc. etc. Just trying to balance it up.

Genau mein Punkt.

The company should spend time trying to make their workflows more streamlined to increase efficiancy.

if they do that, then they need less people to do the same job, then someone has to lose there job, if not you.

It wasn't only the neo-Nazis. I remember walking by a CSU/CDU rally in Marienplatz during the last election. Just before Merkl came on to speak, the speaker whipped the crowd up into chanting "Mehmet raus".

I think it was very bad tactics. Although it pleased their own immigration obsessed rank and file, it probably scared off a lot of more moderate voters. Better would have been to do a Clinton and to focus on "the economy, stupid". There is a lot to focus on in that department, too.

Talking of outdated: Did anybody see that report on the BEEB this week that Gordon Brown is going to "have a word" with our (his) European collegues because the Europeans are shunning buying British?

What a bloody idiot!!! Europeans don't buy British because they get screwed by the banks over exchanging currency - Duh!

Remember when you used to go skiing over the border in Austria, changing money and loosing... and now you don't?

I don't want a fuckin' German woman's head on my coins. Viva the Euro!

Sin is very, very ENGLISH

To all the economy 'experts' up there, heard it today on the radio: business revenues are UP Germany-wide.

Hello,
Just something to keep in mind. a friend of mine, a german, is a phychiatrist here in Munich. Neonazies are alive and well especially in east Germany. She was making a comment about some `ladies`that here mother had over at the house (in their 80´s) who were part of the girls groups who reported on their parents, jews, etc. and then raised children of their own. Yes it is time to allow histro´ry to start to fade. But préjudisms do not die easi´ly, I am from texas and can admit that there is still a lot of prejudice in the good ol USA. But the Germans still have a lot of work to do to open up to outside countries and peoples. By accepting criticisms in the right manner helps people to break down the stereotypes, but it does not occur overnight.

Yes there are still Neonazis in Germany. In the same way there are neonazis in Austria, France, Britain and whereever else you care to mention. Germany is no different to anywhere else in this point. But because of Germany's history, the whole thing gets blown up out of proportion... bug the hell out of me.

Classic Faulty Towers humour (Epispde 12 - Basil the Rat)

The Major is wandering cautiously around the bar, looking for the now departed rat:
Basil: Do you need any help Major?
Major (pointing the shotgun at Basil): Don’t move! Vermin!
Basil: We haven’t got any this week, Major. No Germans staying this week… may I have the gun?
Major: I’m going to shoot him, Fawlty.
Basil: Yes… Major… Not… not legal anymore…murder…
Major: But they’re animals, Fawlty!
Basil: Oh yes, yes… Still, forgive and forget, eh, Major?
Major: Forgive ’em?
Basil: Well, pretend we do.
Major: But they spread disease, Fawlty… he was sitting there on that table, eating the nuts if you please.
Basil (to himself): He’s really gone this time.
Major: About that size. That with the tail (indicating the size of the rat).
The penny drops for Basil:
Basil: Tail… what did you say it was?
Major: Vermin… A dirty rat!

Ah, the siberian hamster!

true enough, unfortunately. But hardly something that is confined to Britain, unfortunately

@ BR
hopefully times may be changing.
our friends and acquaintances who visit us here come to see the mountains and drink the beer, they'll hang out with our German friends and Mr.Moonboot's Germany family...they always go home with a positive impression about Germany and come back! I've a friend studying German right now, she's wanted to come over and live here since she was a little child and came over on a day trip.
perhaps it's also a generation thing...maybe some older peoples' views are somewhat dated.
though I do remember that my elderly divorced German neighbour in England had been sent to Coventry by a few other elderly neighbours in the street. I assumed it was for war-related reasons but I asked one of these old ladies, she said it was cuz she was divorced and living with a bloke she wasn't married to!

having read Helena's viewpoints on several threads I have to say I completely disagree with her sweeping generalisations. fortunately I've mostly had pleasant experiences with Germany & Germans in my 16 years here.

" ... exactly as Rudolf Hess said 60 years ago (report in SZ a few weeks ago) that he first experienced 'Menschlichkiet in a Polish prison'... "

Rudolf Hess never spent a single day in a Polish prison ... as opposed to Rudolf Höß

Faulty Towers! Why, its all Manuel's fault, if you ask me! If I were John Cleese I'd smack him, well...hmm..I'm an American after all... Honestly, Germany is outta step with the rest of the world. Remember Milli Vanilli when they got busted for lip synching? Even the gay assed folk singing phenomenon get away with it here. I've never seen so much lip synching garbage in front of a live audience bullshit in my wildest pervert the sanctuary of music nightmare in my entire life. With that said, yes, this place should start smoking crack before it runs out of an excuse. "Manuel!!!"

Wow, so your friend was 40 in 2004, so by now he should be 43. He was born in 1964, so if his father was really wounded in WWII, then congratulations: his injuries were not so bad as at his progressed age he could still sire a boy!

Good for him, but of course what a pity for the Geman motor industry. Think of the many jobs that were losy just because people like your friend prefer to buy lousy cars instead of better ones...

The subject was "do Britons have an outdated view of Germany?" and I think your friend is completely up to date. Probably he does not watch Fawlty Towers because the Germans in that one episode were played by real German actors and actresses?

Of course we do, I for one admit that I had no idea about Germany before I arrived...one thing I didnt know was how good the food was...that thing that translates as "liver cheese" mmmm
But for example I called my boyfriend today and told him i bought him a present and he was like "ah ha, bet its a sausage" i was like no..."then he was like, beer then..." i was like weirdly no...most Brits think Germany is all about sausages, beer and the world cup...which is quite sad, cos its so much deeper than that