Posted in Germany forum
I just read a story on Spiegel online which shocked me: According to a new study, more than 14% of German teenagers can be considered as "anti-foreigners", while more than 5% fall into the category of the righ extreme with Nazi-tendencies.
Surprisingly, the bad reputation of foreigners seems to be higher in those regions with little foreigners (so those regions where people don't even know what they talk about!!!).
The original article is here: http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,613844,00.h
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To me - this is just another example of human ignorance, but for a foreigners living in Germany, these numbers are pretty scary!
What are your opinions and personal experiences with the way Germans see foreigners?
Clarifications from Germans
posted by Ron Saxena in Germany forum
When accused of racism / unfriendliness, the Most common explanation, I have encountered is "Americans are also racist". As if only Americans (because its more powerful country , bigger economy) have a right to question Germans. And they are not accountable to rest of the "inferior" World. Present day Germans (and German Govt, by and large) have taken measures, so that US, UK, UN cannot "technically" touch them. To hell with opinion of rest of the World. Hence the overall attempt to curb racism is neither genuine nor heartfelt. And Germany is the most "white normative" country among all the big Western economy.
As far as regular conversation is concerned, IMHO, Germans have very minimal patience and constantly judge others under microscope. One can never know, when an offence will be taken. So, you feel constantly sitting on a volcano. That creates an atmosphere of extreme assertiveness by locals. You as an outsider can never accuse anyone, because "Its Germany. Things are like this". All in all: in every situation, a German is correct and you need to "adapt and adopt". And at the outset, there is a "Take it or leave it" attitude.
And I do not even want to talk about "banal" stuffs like : Poorest delivery in Restaurant, Last service in bakery offering you the worst and smallest piece of bagel, Pushy shop attendants, refusal from landlords etc.
cada cabeza es un mundo
posted by claudio Hernandez in Germany forum
lamentablemente, el racismo existe en todas partes del mundo!En cierto grado es entendible , en mis experiencias , no he sufrido ningun tipo de violencia , discriminasion o exclusion de parte le la sociedad alemana , el golpe me lo he llevado mas bien yo, al ser mi cultura tan diferente a la de los alemanes , esto no quiere decir que no me interese llegar a adaptarme , y conocer mas de esta gran cultura ! lo que he podido notar es que uno mismo se exclulle muchas veces , claro es mas facil dejarle la culpa a los demas y no aceptar que tienes que adaptarte al lugar y ambiente en el que vives lo cual es una ley que se debe cumplir para llegar a vivir de manera en la que se pueda disfrutar y prosperar en la sociedad un ejemplo porque los italianos la mayor parte de veces las ves con otros italianos ? los de piel obscura igual con los de piel obscura ? los indues igual! latinos igual es entendible que algunos alemanes se quieran juntar solo entre ellos !!las diferencias culturales y excluirse uno mismo es el problema en algunos casos!estoy convencido que al poner empeno , interes , y abriendo un poco la mente a cosas nuevas uno va a reducir en gran manera el rechazo hacia uno! siempre exixtira alguien que se te burla , o hace algun tipo de comentario con la intencion de ofender , esto pasa incluso con personas de nuestra propia cultura y muchas veses estando en nuestros propios paises! he vivido en los estados unidos y estoy convencido de que el racismo alla alcansa una magnitud enorme! no podemos generalizar , y meter a todos los alemanes en un saco , solo porque existen personas ignorantes y estupidas que siguen fomentando la violencia! es bueno pues conocer un poco lo que piensan los demas , y pues cada cabeza es un mundo y nadie es moneda de oro ,pera caerle bien a todo el mundo!
Mhhhh
posted by Roberto Pollena in Germany forum
I am Italian, I have lived in Germany for some time. There was this club I used to go to in Berlin. I went there some 15 times, either alone, or with german or with "white" friends. They always let me in. One day I show up with an egyptian friend, they don't let me in. Coincidence?
As an Italian, I've never experienced discrimination, but rather humorous stereotyping (U italians are lazy, u italians cheat, u italians should run your country better) or competitive attitude (our football team is better, our cars are better etc..), but also love declaration (Italy is the best country in the world etc, Why did you move to Germany, Italy is so much better etc..) but I have seen many non-white people, including german nationals, being totally mistreated.
For what I have seen, Italians tend to be a bit more racist than germans. If a german walks into an italian bar, they look at him like some kind of alien. African and Middle-Eastern people are often insulted in Italy.
It is true that I have never visited typical eastern towns. From what I have read, the whole former communist block, from East Germany to Poland, Ukraine and Russia is quite racist.
Re: CITY RESIDENCE
posted by Ron Saxena in Germany forum
If you are Non European, getting refusal from Land lords in Nordend, Sachsenhausen, Westend is very common..
CITY RESIDENCE
posted by NKBRD JDK in Germany forum
Dear Mr. Khan,
thank you for your interest in our offer 24837.
This apartment is not available for you because the landlord only rent it is to germans.
Kind regards
Sandra Thiel
City-Residence GmbH
Hansaallee 260322 Frankfurt
Telefon: +49-(0)69-29905-0
Fax: +49-(0)69-29905-353E-mail:[...]
German are open minded
posted by Em El in Germany forum
I am german and i saw a lot of nazi demonstrations but there were a lot of anti nazi demonstrations. At school there were a lot of black skinned and polish, italian, polish people but the didnt have more or less problems like germans do. But there are some prejudices about polish, turkish e.g. But not each polish tukish male, female but about the (for example) polish at all. But thats not unique for germans. We have a bad maybe the worst history of all but that time is gone. For example americans have the same with mexicans.
So stop calling german nazis or racism. I heard that were getting discriminated in foreign countries. Thats not better. We also could say to french : stop playing online games, youre too bad. But that would just confirm the prejudices. At the end i wanna say that i never discriminated someone because of his /her CoB, I see them as german, as people of 21th century.
Racism in Germany
posted by silvia m in Germany forum
I read most of your posts and that mad me so sad...I hope something will change in some crazy minds that think good about racism . I'm Italian and I spent most of my life in Italy where racism exists but where minority communities are luckly protected by some political parties...But also I know that people with low instruction and most of the aged people don't have respect for minorities... I hate this!! I met 5 years ago in Turin a man on a bus speaking in an offensive way about black people so I started to reply and to offend him too..that was terrible and made me cry not because of him but because of the indifference of people sitting around us, and I felt like living in a stupid society without values and sincere love. I hope that Germany is not so guilty as you speak because it will be my Country for the next years... God bless everybody
Sorry for my broken english...--
posted by Deleted user in Germany forum
Most international companies recognize that there is no reason to invest in Germany anymore. German society is not existing anymore, after having damaged the rules of living together for 20 years.
If you have somekind of education, you can find a good paid job anywhere in world, where there are more friendly people and where is society which works. Result: only stupid people will stay in germany, the brains will leave this unfriendly country and the growing countries will lead in future.
To be friendly and wise is the key of making success. To be unfriendly and racist is a way to damage yourself in long term.
@ingrid Meyer
posted by Nana Nani in Germany forum
So how long had you been living in Germany? If you are a south Africa born German, why are you not living in Germany if south Africa and USA are more racist and if your country is so lovely?
And by the way, if the Germans do not leave Germany, stay in Germany and make more babies, then you don't need those buggers to migrate to your country. And also wake up Germany, something is very wrong with your immigration system!
@Ingrid Meyer
posted by Ron Saxena in Germany forum
South Africa has 20 times HIV than Germany.. How about increasing HIV rate by 5 times.. It will still remain less than South Africa.. Hence, perhaps give u the reason to stay happy, as ur better on comparative scale..