This morning, I found the following eMail in my inbox:
„First, let me apologize for not being able to write this in German. I hope that you understand English (or can translate it well enough).
My name is David, I live in Chicago and I came across your weblog (we call them ‚blogs‘ in the US, do you?) by serching Google. I am 29 years old and I have a strange question to ask you. I am planning to visit Germany, probably Berlin, for a few days next month and I am worried that the German people may be un-friendly to Americans. Should I expect people to treat me badly while I am there? I have only been to Poland and the Czech Republic before 2001 so I don’t know if European views of Americans has changed a lot since then. I read in the newspaper that 30% of Germans under 30 years old think that the US government may have been behind the September 11 attacks. I also know the views of most of Europe toward the Iraq war was very negative. And I agree a little with them. I am just looking for a nice vacation and I don’t want to be shocked to find that no one will like me in Germany. I know this is a strange question to be asked from a total stranger, but I liked your blog and thought you might be able to give me an honest answer.
Thank you for your time.
Dave“
Although I will reply to him privately, I wanted to share this eMail with you. What would your answer look like?
Just tell him, that many Germans take Bush and his administration for a megalomaniac and imperialistic bunch of wankers. But that’s no reason for him to be afraid of anything during his stay in Germany, unless Dave is a synonym for „George W. Bush“ ;)
I talked about the same thing with a friend from Texas a few weeks ago, because from the German point of view, it also looks like the Americans hate us for our position during the war in Iraq. He told me something like this:
„The whole thing is dramatized by the Press. Most of the Americans take Bush for a complete idiot. They elected him but then realized, that he would better be off. I don’t think that this problem will exist after the next elections.“
Thanks Thorte, there is nothing more to say! ;-)
I think it is a little bit sad that still some people think they need to be afraid of the germans for reasons like that.
On the other hand,.. Whenever a friend of mine went in the US, the first question when he got back was: „And did they call you a Nazi?“
Well, their answer was always „Yes“ and one friend added „they also asked me, if Hitler was still alive, and if we still all wear brown clothes“
Am I supposed to take this seriously? What the fuck went wrong??
Germany, to be exacly BERLIN, (lovely city) is prepared for foreigners, especially americans and ppl. from the UK.
Feel free to visit us and enjoy our country, although the weather isn’t always as good as it should be :)