5. Not feeling guilty, which does not help anyone, but something much harder: keeping in mind, continuosly, what humanity is capable of and working to prevent the worst. A job for everybody, not just Germans.
This. We are responsible to make sure this never happens again. To achieve this, we have to continuously remind ourselves what led to the Nazi regime and the Holocaust in the first place. And how large portions of the population, who knew or suspected enough, just didn't really care.
Sehr schöner Beitrag Nick. Du bist ein super Kerl. Schön das du viele gute Ansichten über Deutschland hast, obwohl Deutschland an manchen Stellen schon an sich arbeiten muss. Du bist der perfekte menschliche Botschafter, um die amerikanische und deutsche Kultur zu verbinden. Klasse Mensch, bodenständig und einfach ein netter Kerl. Bleib wie du bist. Deutschland hat mit dir eine Bereicherung 😊
An "manchen". xD AHahaha. Das Volk der DInosaurier. Die ganze Welt lacht über euch, und nirgends geht es in allen Belangen so bergab wie in diesem faschistischen Irrenhaus.
I was raised by a born and raised German mother...she was never late, always planned, was very organized, was thrifty, and was extremely neat and tidy.
I am a german and have visited many flats. There are minimum as many dirty filthy people as there are tidy. These clichees about nations are annoying me.
Das ist typisch deutsch, nimmt aber ab. Wer nicht so ist, muss sich aber verstecken. Es gibt eine Million Frauen, die ALLES schaffen - arbeiten gehen, blitzsauberes Haus, tolle Köchin und Bäckerin, tolke Kindergeburtstage, an alle immer rechtzeitig denken und einfach immer ganz perfekt organisiert sein, immer, immer, immer.... Ich übe noch😅.
@@HA-gu1qk fair enough and I was only talking about my mother. But visiting Germany the trains were on time, there wasn't hardly any trash on the streets. I have a feeling German definition of you you say "dirty filthy people" is different than what a dirty- filthy American is. LOL
@@doncasto8520 hahah maybe.. but the trains are horrible since the privatisation 30 years ago. Imagine a travel of 7 hours with 4 changes (10-20 min each) and 50% or so of the trians come late. There is a saying, "The grass is always greener on the other side".. Yeah but in general i prefer europe to US, more social welfare, more safe, free university. Come join us if you like it here ;) (UK getting worse, I recommend other countries like Austria, Germany Switzerland, Spain)
@@HA-gu1qk In those days a mother was just a "housewife" and normally did not have a job (exept teachers / nurses). So they had enough time and were proud of having their livingplaces neat and tidy. This has changed almost dramatically when it became normal and ist now common for females to have a job. There is no more time left to live up to the standard of their ancestors.
I dated a German gal for 1,5 years. This is all very accurate - I do think these traits are common amongst all Germans, regardless of region. In my experience with her and her family, I found these characteristics to be the most important: 1) Value her time management and be punctual. 2) Little room for changes or spontaneity - we generally always stick to the plan. 3) Relationship building takes time. Cracking the outer shell isn't easy, but when you do, you have a friend for life (unless you give them a reason not to, of course). 4) Communication is direct. Expect to be told how it is, all the time. This can be hard, especially for Americans. I am Eastern European by birth, but I was raised in America. I was able to easily adapt to these traits, especially in regards to communication. I know that might not be so easy for others who are more passive in communication.
Being 5 minutes early means that you can chat with the others that have come 5 minutes early, and then you can start with whatever you came to do in time.
Thank you for you kind words, especially regarding #5. It gets harder every year with more and more contemporary witnesses dying and right-wing ideology spreading more and more all over Europe. I neither feel guilty nor proud about being a German (because I haven't done anything to be born here obviously), but rather obliged to do everything I can to let our dark history not repeat itself.
I think the biggest lesson from our dark ages is to keep in mind that humans must never be sacrificed for some "greater good" The trap Germany found itself stuck in before WW2 was that there was a Communist revolution brewing on one side, and a national-socialist takeover on the other. Individual liberty had long left the debate since, leaving only awful options.
Oh you also had one of the "left wing"(too keep that thinking within one dimension) dictatorships. The biggest problem is not some wing, but the fact that you are obidient, stupid, uneducated and you love order more then freedom. This is why you will repeat history on and on.
"never again" I am feeling more & more worried about Germany. It's vital, that each of us stands up against the stupid AfD hysteria. How? 1) vote 2) get others to vote any of the main parties c) debunk disinformation wherever you see it. RUclips is full of Russian trolls, trying to pit us against each other. DON'T LET THEM
Respect, nice video, Nick. About Germans and the dark past: I am going to be 68. My siblings are 9, 7 and 12 years older. Nothing at school about 1933- 1945 and the Holocaust for the three elder ones, German history ended with Bismarck or maximal Weimar. Completely different for me, we was taught by young teachers in a modern way what happened. Parents didn' talk about, my parents the exception, discussions at home were normal, and 7 or eight years old I asked what Auschwitz means. They explained. I think, the end 60ies and the 70ies were time when is was getting mandatory in all schools to teach how humans are misleaded and easily to catch for bad purposes.
I always remember being approached on this subject back in ’89 when starting my first job in Germany, one of the group I was with asked how did I feel about the Germans due to the last war?" My answer: "which war yours or mine". As a Brit, how many wars are we talking about? My father fought the Afghans on the North West Frontier back in 1937, with family members in nearly every war since then.
How ever. It worked! And we're proud to be you neighbourg. It took time here, too. My parents (born 1918 and 1927) hated the Nazies in their hearts, but they KNEW it wasn't the same Germany, we were looking at. Their hate could easily have been passed on, but somehow we manage to keep Nazi-Germany, East and West Germany as 3 separate nations, that wasn't responsible for each other's actions. As for our own history: I got siblings from 1949-1956. Their history lessons had no end to the Danes' glories, heroes, bravery during WWII. They were left with a picute of 90% of the Danes having "fought" against the Nazi'es. Fact is, the resistance was SILENT, so where do they all got it from, they started wondering... Born 1964 I can say it changed in the 1970'es. Then we were taught a more nuanced' picture of what was actually going on. Also the focus of history teaching shifted from the war room to the living room, so to speak... Peace and love from Denmark 🥰
In my opinion, you missed a huge one: Courtesy. In public, in America people are very loud. In Germany, everyone minds their own business (other than staring maybe). Whenever I go back home (America) I realize how loud, obnoxious, and kinda judgmental Americans are. And it's not like you can't make conversation with strangers in Germany, it's just generally people mind their business. I don't even know how to explain this lol. Just basically, Germans are more respectful.
Let's be careful with the generalizations/stereotypes- this is a big one that people like to regurgitate on social media. There are disrespectful people everywhere!! I've lived in Germany for 10 years and have found plenty of disrespectful people - just as did when living in the US.
@@newasblue1981 I mean yeah i've met like 2 very disrespectful people in Germany so far, but thats compared to a much higher ratio in America. Again, just my opinion; you're right, it's wrong to generalize and stereotype, however, I just find living here less stressful, and more peaceful.
@@Daniel-bl2qf I never understood the staring 👀in European Countries even if you aren’t saying a word, it’s kinda gives you the woolies! You don’t do that in the USA!!!
@@joekhatib3798 Just change your perspective. Ask yourself, why can't Americans look each other into the eyes without getting aggressive or feeling attacked. Another generalization, sure, but that's what is behind the difference. It's what leads to people shooting neighbors over children being loud, because aggression has become their only way of "solving" problems. "Don't look them in the eyes!" That's what they tell you when you are to visit Gorillas in the wild. I think, as human beings, we should be further than that, shouldn't we?
Sadly even the least educated Americans believe to be superior to any other nationality - it's that idea of *Exceptionalism* implanted (if not 'brainwashed') into children's minds early on. The exception are educated Americans who have traveled the world and have seen the reality of life in other countries and realized that their media & politicians lied about what goes on beyond US borders ....
@@fschiller4189 Haha maybe I'd feel more at home if I visited Germany again now. Does that happen often? When I used to commute by train some years ago here in SA there'd be random 40-minute delays about every other week. The weather didn't seem to play a role (we don't have much train-stopping weather here anyway, unlike Germany).
#1 having a high standard of excellence #2 being on time #3 planning and preparing for things #4 work life balance #5 handling their dark past beautifully made, a delight to watch, thank you!!
Haha, I could never... I am German and live in Mexico, it's mind blowing to me how things work over here.. I keep saying that the devil invented the word "mañana" just to annoy me... 😂 In the end this whole "traveling the world and living abroad thing" turned me into a patriot. But since I feel much safer over here and really love the weather... I found my peace- far away from civilization 😎
@@chomp5558 its not the right wingers or conspiracy ppl who made germany one of the top weapon exporter in the world, not the right wingers making the german army fighting in wars the past years... right wingers grow cause modern politics only creating more problems and dont deliver solutions. (not saying that the right wing would solve anything)
Wow. Respect. The last four minutes of this were unexpectedly moving. I moved to Berlin from the U.S. over seven years ago (although I myself am Chilean) and can agree with all you said. But the way you closed the video and your comments really touched something deep within. I was not expecting that. Keep up the excellent work.
About the latter point, I actually have to say that the US has a two-sided bad way of handling slavery... On one hand it is not properly and honestly taught in many (mostly Republican parts) of the USA and on the other hand, so many people feel like that they (or I have often enough heard, "my people") "suffered", because their great-grandfather or other ancestor was a slave. What lies in the past, is in the past. You did not do it and it has not been done to you. What is important is that people acknowledge it was bad, how it got to this point, and how to avoid this happening in the future.
I've been living in Germany now for over 30 years and as an American, I completely agree with all of your points. Especially the last one. Being a Native American Indian I have always felt this is one aspect always made it difficult to live in the States.
turkish guy born in germany here and this video made me proud to be part of this country. i hate patriotism but i love people and the positive side of cultures :)
#3 Plan and prepare: well, yes, there are advantages to this approach. But too disadvantages as risk-averseness and waiting/thinking too long and then missing opportunities and going overboard with details. Working with US-Americans I learned to take a more pragmatic approach: analyze the situation, be honest, work out a plan containing the overall direction and next 3 steps, and then just go for it. German can freeze due to their fear of having missed any aspect.
Germans are often said to not socialise. Actually the reason for being not exactly on time, but some 5-10 minutes early is, to have this time for socialising! If you are late, most of the time, then you definitively get the impression, Germans would not socialise. Punctuality, actually being early, ist about socialising.
As a German I like the video and feel honored by your descriptions. Thank you so much. About Guilt: I was born 14 years after the end of World War II. When I was 10 years old, my parents and I went on holiday to Spain for the first time. I played with two girls on the beach. I didn't understand their language, just as they didn't understand me, but we had a lot of fun. (Children can communicate with each other in other ways.) After a while they took my hand and brought me to their tent. We girls giggled, their parents smiled and looked very friendly. So I greeted them in a friendly way and said "Guten Tag" to them and everything changed immediately. The parents shouted at me very aggressively, called me "Boche" (a single word I understood), pushed me out of the tent and spat on me. The girls looked scared, I was confused, didn't know what happened, what a mistake I made. So I ran back to my parents. They explained to me (because of the word Boche) that they were probably French and hated me because I was German. The war and the atrocities would never be forgotten. The war was always a topic in my family. My parents were children in those dark times, my grandfather emigrated to the USA as a Jew and never came back to Germany. My other grandparents supported the communists at the time and had to fear the Nazis themselves. They taught me to respect everyone, no matter where they come from or what they look like. Of course, the French couldn't know all this. I was German, that alone was enough to make me hate. I could understand that. I was ashamed of everything the Germans had done and felt guilty for a long time. From the age of 10 I knew I would have a responsibility for the rest of my life. I also knew it wasn't my fault, but I still felt it. Many years later, when I told my own children about the responsibilities we are all born with, the guilt eased somewhat. We must ensure that history never repeats itself. That's why I'm watching the developments in Germany with great concern, because the forces that deny and say that it wasn't so bad are unfortunately getting stronger. So I think it's very important to remember and teach it in school.
That you still excuse the behaviour of that French people because of your shock about the 2nd WW atrocities says a lot about the unhealthy shaming Germans impose on themselves. As a young person, I think it is good that political forces try to push back on that. And no, this does not mean to deny anything, just to ease on the demonization and guilt of a whole nation. Grüße from Österreich!
@@lepsychiatre8455I don't know what Germans did to the French family, what terrible expieriences they had to go through, but even as a child I knew how difficult it is to forgive. From today's perspective I consider it extremely alarming to insult and spit on a 10-year-old child almost 25 years after the end of the war. That was truly like a demonization. I agree with you that the political constaints of shame and guilt should no longer apply to young Germans. But in the meantime, many voices have become louder and louder that want to keep quiet about the history and I think that's wrong. Just talking about it and remembering it will help prevent something like this from happening again.
@@TLang-yz3pm This I fully agree to! And I am hopefull that someday we will find a fully serious and healthy approach to this dreadful era and also learn not to reduce German history onto this. This includes a more balanced image of our grandparents generation - Yes, many were war criminals, this is rightly so highlighted. But millions of Germans, civilians as well as POWs, were also victims of war crimes and allied revenge. There is a silence and a taboo over this in public debate, and I think that needs to be changed.
Google: Boche. / (bɒʃ) / nounderogatory, slang (esp in World Wars I and II) a German, esp a German soldier. the Boche (usually functioning as plural) Germans collectively, esp German soldiers regarded as the enemy. Maybe it is a consolation for you that the 2 girls' were equally as schocked about their parents' behavior as you were. I am sure they were very sad about how their parents behaved. Remember, 24 years after 1945, the war wasn't forgotten, especially by countries that were victimized and occupied by Germany. If I understood you right, your parents did not speak with the French parents, had your parents been able to tell them their story, I think there is a possibility that they might have reacted differently. However, for that to happen, one has to be open minded and put themself in the other's shoes or situation....... I am happy that your parents and grandparents talked about the WW2 situation at all. Many just hushed it up. Always remember, you did nothing wrong at the time, and you have absolutely nothing, especially as a ten year old back then, to feel guilty about. All the best.
Full respect and reagards for the danish people, how they undermined during WWII deportion of jews. And Denmark never took revenge for 18th of April 1864. Denmark is an appreciated and highly valued neighbor .Med venlig hilsen from Germany !
Unfortunately, its not "only" slavery in the US, but also the treatment of Native Americans, which still goes on to this day. Australia also does a pretty bad job at acknowledging the past concerning natives.
I think that the Africains who took over a Million White Europeans into Slavery from Europe at the same time as Africains were being enslaved .(500k africains were taken to the USA.) It's ALL EVIL. Slave coming from the European word, Slavs of Eastern Europe
We in the US are very adept at targeting and “blaming” different minorities over the years. At one time it was the Irish, then Asians, then Latinos, and so on. Not unlike how Europeans (anti-semitism wasn’t just a German problem) and most effectively, hitler, blamed the Jews for society’s shortcomings and thus set the stage for the Holocaust.
@@bpj1805 To listen to the extremists in the GOP, it’s the “woke” crowd that is to blame. Funny how a term that always meant being attune to social justice now has been perverted to mean anything under the sun that disagrees with right-wing dogma.
German (by descent) living in South Africa. I just CANNOT do things on time. I think it's the soil, not the blood, that causes the relationship with time.
Awesome video, thank you! My husband and I have been living in Germany now for two years. At first a lot of these characteristics you are pointing out got on our nerves, but with time we too have also really grown to admire and respect these people. Another trait I respect is how responsible folks are here. There are a lot of freedoms here -- more than we have in North America -- and it works because Germans generally respect the rules that are in place. I read some of the news back at home where more and more rules and restrictions are being put in place and I just shake my head.
Thank you for that positive summary. It does feel good hearing about them from an outside perspective of someone who took the brave step into our society. 😊 That's probably what Germans crave the most: the acceptance that we had lost during those terrible 12 years; that we learned from our past; that we have tried to take steps forward and away from that past, without denying the existence of that past. Our attempts at improvement and amelioration of the sins of the past. That all this hasn't been for nothing. What we fear the most of sliding into something similar, subconsciously, unbeknownst and unwanted. That we failed at the mission of never again, never forget. For we know, without a doubt, Germany won't receive a third chance should we fail again.
@@HA-gu1qkhelping the Ukrainian people to fight against one of the modern Hitler-imitators. That’s a good thing. Germany shall never again start a war, and this one was sure as hell not started by Germany.
@@nikoz.861 so why are we interfering in a civil war based conflict which started 2014?? There were thousands Ukrainians killed but nobody was f--ing interested about that here. But now everybody is of course shouting around, like this invasion was something completely unexpected. "Ohh russia the old enemy attacked, we need to protect the poor (western) ucrainians, freedom, freedom..". Just pure hypocrisy, many germans are just very happy to go against Russia, because in many families the old hate for the lost world war still remains. You just need to read all the nationalist comments at msn news. Yesterday i read about some ucrainian success and the comments were all like "give it to the russki". The nazi and cold war mindset is still VERY present. You can try to ignore that, nikoz, but it is there.
#2 German punctuality: keep in mind that there's a saying "das akademische Viertelstündchen", meaning that in the academid world it is ok to normal, to be 15 minutes late. Well it means, for more loose appointments, non-business, casual, just take it easy, don't go overboard with punctuality and stress others.
I’m half German (father’s side) so I can relate to the first 4 points. I also agree about #5. American’s must not have learned from past mistakes as we keep repeating them!
You need to acknowledge something as a mistake in first place. I'm not sure what you are referring to. As long as you are on the good side, it's OK to repeat yourself.
regarding to punctuality, there is a reason why the saying exists:" 5 Minuten vor der Zeit, ist des deutschen Pünktlichkeit." (5 minutes before time is the punctuality of a german.)
Interesting video! Thanks for all the effort you put in this. Especially i liked how you discussed the #5 about how Germans deal with their past. I for myself have the strong believe, that there's no real 'national identity' in Germany anymore, since due to everything of what happend before1945. It simply has been erased by history. Thus whenever a german politician talks about such a thing as 'german identity', i ask myself, "what's he talking about Bro!", because the federal states, & the people living in them, especially in terms of mentality / attitude differs from one another in so many things & there simply is no mutual uniting entity anymore, such as like Americans or French people or other countries have and so on. And this isn't even sad, since on an abstract level - i know this sounds lurid - countries & nations are to some extend constructed anyway. But to give some more insight about how i feel in regards our history - to be honest our history doesn't bother me, it is how it is, and at the same time it's not that I don't care either, it's just that i no more have any emotional connection to this subject. Sure, Germany has a lot of holocaust &war memorials spread all over the country, and of course it's an important part of our culture & education in context of history, but the form in which the public commemoration takes place (in television, official ceremonials), is highly ritualized and to some sort of frozen. You see, living in Germany means that you learn about the cruel part of our history already at a young age. I myself was introduced to this subject already with the beginning of middle school, at the age of 11, of course, apart from what was already told in my family by that time. However this meant, that with every year you treated this topic again and again, but with more detail. And of course hearing this at a young age makes you first of all feel deeply ashamed, guilty & sad, but when you're growing older, you get to the point, where you have a more mature approach, when dealing with it. Eventually you come to a point, where you've had so much of it until you suddendly loose your interest. And this is not because it's not relevant anymore, but because you're being stuffed with it and also, especially when you're young & graduadet from high-school (Abi), all you want is to explore the world, learn about other cultures and not hear about such a subject on and on - you would get rememberd by public television & ceremonials anyway. Overall, i do think that most Germans go through these phases. I for myself can say, that "yes" history is important, but for me in my personal life, it doesn't have any real impact.
I love the way you are analyzing me and my country. Your opinions are so empathic and intelligent. It makes me feel good if you can explore this opinions, even in our modern so fast changing society. I can agree with your theses almost a 100%. Great work, love it. And by the way the filming of Schwäbisch Hall couldn't be more beatyfull.
Regarding the "nuanced middle". The Nazi party ruled Germany for just over a Decade. The successor governments were overwhelmingly made up of people who opposed Nazism. From the first moment White people landed in the Americas, they slaughtered Native Americans; they enslaved Native Americans; they stole Native American land; they discriminated against Native American's: and the Discrimination is still happening today. From as early as 1619, Black Americans were Slaves. The horrors African Americans suffered during that quarter of a Millennium are beyond the stuff of nightmares. This went on for over 250 years (not a Decade). Immediately after the eventual Abolition of Slavery the Same States that tried to force Slavery on the rest of the United States, imposed Legalized Discrimination against African Americans and over a period of a couple of decades, this Legal Segregation in the "South" became de facto Segregation in the Whole Country. It included Legalized Murder (called lynching). This went on for a Century - One Hundred Years, not the twelve that the Nazis ruled Germany. And the vast majority of the White Population collaborated and cooperated with this Discrimination. And Racism is STILL (over 160 years after the Emancipation proclamation) rife in Every facet of American life. So, tell me again why White Americans shouldn't feel "Guilt" or "Shame"....
Because it judges White people by a higher standard than anyone else. You don't shame Algerians for the Arab slave trade, or the Chinese for their Oirat genocide, or a Nigerian for the Bantu expansion of 2000 BC, in fact you probably haven't even heard of those atrocities. The motivation behind White Guilt is not a sincere desire for historical justice, but instead a targeted act of cultural destruction and humiliation.
In my opinion the USA got a lot of this dark history. From the genocide at the very beginning, to the slavery to a lot of wars in modern days. And as german who had to deal a lot with our dark past in school its hard to believe how unaware USA ppl are about there history.
Brit in Germany loving your videos. America’s dark history? Yes, slavery was bad. But what happened to the native American‘s was just as bad, if not worse (they were slaughtered, not enslaved). Sorry to moan - keep up the good work!
The US has more recent events in it's dark past... concentration camps for Japanese Americans during WWII. And then there is our growing amnesia about what we did to Vietnam during that war.
#2 is spot on! I hate being late to places and I hate waiting. My wife does not share my sense of timeliness so when we go out I always tell her the wrong time we need to leave by so we end up on time. I do believe she has caught on to my plan......
I do think there can be a dark side to being super efficient and always seemingly perfect when it comes to human relations. Being on time is respectful, but not forgiving for being a few minutes late seems to take efficiency too far. When l was younger l would see a car commercial about "the art of German engineering," l would think yeah, but so was the Holocaust engineered well. So, yes, l desire and admire great products like cars and homes that last. But l hope we humans know that being flexible with humans is not always a bad thing. I am American born, both parents born in Europe, and personally, l am almost always on time. I appreciate other's thoughts!
Hello Nalf, yes, punctuality is very important in Germany. Because if we have an appointment with someone, takes or he must also take time for me. And then it would be disrespectful if we then appear e.g. half an hour or even later. Something can always happen, but then I still have the opportunity to contact the person. Because I should be clear that I have kept this person from something important or taken away.
My generation couldn't just call the other person if we were running late, because we didn't have mobile phones. So we learned to plan ahead in a way to make sure we're not late. Also changing plans last minute wasn't possible. So for me the way it's now feels like Verabredungen are far less verbindlich today than they were 20 years ago.
Thank you for your appreciating #1 to #4 -- and I would like to emphasize that I 100% agree with your assessment as to #5, both for Germany and the US. I would assume that other countries might do themselves a great favor if they also followed this "balanced approach", but that's of course up to themselves. Briefly on the subject of "pride and Germans": I personally am really proud of the way my country is dealing with this relatively short and yet so drastic period of its dark past. I believe that this shows strength. However, what other chance did this country have after the greatest crime of the 20th century was finally put to an end...? Best from Germany
Thank you Nick for your videos! I'm German and my wife's a jewish woman from Puerto Rico. It's good to listen to your differentiated sght of my country! Very good.❤❤❤😂
You can add the Vietnam War to the U.S. ‘National Dark Past List’. U.S. casualties: approximately 59,000 -mostly uniformed military personnel. Vietnamese casualties: approximately 3.2-million -majority civilians. CIA official estimate, you can easily look it up. Absolute sheer brutality. No disrespect to the U.S. soldiers who suffered and or died there. More of a reflection upon the government and larger society which would sanction such a brutal, disrespectful and unjustifiable war filled with such an incredible amount of reckless, indiscriminate and very often deliberate firing and bombardment upon non-combatant civilians. It’s a shame we have never really admitted nor atoned for. Dark, ugly, evil….
America's issue with race relations didn't end with the abolition of slavery. It continued on with Jim Crow laws, lynchings, oppression, etc. with effects that are still felt today.
I agree. And it is because systemic racism is baked into many of our institutions and systems that treating slavery in the US like naziism in Germany is not possible. We STILL have a problem with how we treat minorities in the US. And yes, I understand that there are periodic rumblings of right-wing extremism in Germany, but unlike here in the US, the German authorities are generally quick to move in and suppress the extremism.
Americans also look a very snowflaky to me: "No, you can't teach children about racism in US history, they might feel bad." In Germany it is more "Your grandparents probably were involved in murdering millions of people"
This nuanced approach you mentioned can be extended further into politics and work life where compromise (politics) or finding the best approach to a problem (work) is the norm.
Dear Nick, thank you for this interesting view about positive German traits. Regarding topic #5, I‘d like to respond with a famous quote from the American writer Robert Heinlein „A generation which ignores history has no past - and no future“. If there’s one trait I‘m proud of as a German it is this one. My generation will keep this history alive.
You learned ZERO from history. ZERO. Covid made that clear. A lot Germans were OK with people who didnt took the jab getting imprisoned. Germans like to tell you all day what to do and what not, are narrow minded and pretty intolerant overall, when it comes to behaviours that are not the norm. Hitler is a meme, just like the nazis, and Germans today have ZERO clue why dictatorships like that could take place that easily. OH, not to forget that other big dictatorship that no on talks about, not to forget the "soft" dictating of today. You are so stupid, you dont even understand the principles behind all that, you think the danger is "muhhh right wing". Its about totalitarian systems, which can take all forms, there was not much practical difference between communism and Nazi Germany. Its called beeing able to abstract.
One thing that has really shaped me is something a colleague of my dad always said (well actually his dad, who's not german, but anyways) "Show me your friends and I'll tell you who you are" that has really shaped me. If someone is nice towards me but a dick to others, i don't want their friendship. It's not about if i can enjoy my time with them, it's about what kind of person they are and if that's something i want to be associated with.
Being on time is always very important for us Germans. No matter whether it is private or business. If you cannot keep an appointment, cancel as early as possible or inform your partner that you will be late. Often a traffic jam is the reason. With the current smarphones, it shouldn't be a problem to reach someone in time. If there is a meeting on the schedule in the company, everyone wants to start on time so as not to lose any time. It's rude to stay away without an excuse. Friends: If someone calls you friend, you have a good chance in Germany that the friendship will last a long time. Germans feel very connected to friends. For some, friends are family.
Ok, that video thumbnail is in pretty bad taste imo (probably not intentionally though). Now, the content of the video is great and I appreciate that last point and completely agree with you! But the title "German Character Traits I Really Respect" in combination with a picture from Auschwitz and the Arbeit Macht Frei slogan can be misunderstood VERY easily.
I was at school in the late 80s and early 90s. We were constantly made feel guilty. They kept telling us that our grandfathers were part of this terrible war. And we would have to pay and make up for this for the rest of our lives. Which made me very reluctant to learn about WW2 as a stubborn teenager. Stupid, I know but then I just hated to be made responsible for something I had nothing to do with. But: Our children have received a far more nuanced education on this topic at school. They are very aware without the massive feeling of guilt.
Thank you very much for the discussion of the various points. Like so many other Usonians in the comments, I particularly appreciated #5. I was brought up in the South in the 1950s so we were actually taught that slavery was not that bad. At the same time, my classmates in Napa in 1961-62 knew nothing about separate drinking fountains and restrooms. Australia had a National Sorry Day (year?) for its treatment of the Aboriginal people and Canada is finally coming to grips with its treatment of First Nations. The USA - not yet. I do not pretend to know HOW we should address the many issues we keep hidden but I hope we find a way. BTW, Belgium, from what I have read, is only acknowledging in the past few years the horrors of its reign of terror on the people of the Congo. What the Germans have been doing may be unique.
There are many factors to this, of course. But one factor to that uniqueness is that Germany, unlike Japan, for instance, is not an island. What I mean with this is that the unavoidable very direct contact with our neighboring countries (9!) that fell victim to the war of aggression and which have the scars to prove it has made denial very hard. Still, it took almost a whole generation until the carpet was finally being lifted under which the crimes had been brushed after the war. This happened only in the mid to end sixties, after very slow beginnings before that. But here is the crux. In regards to its colonial crimes, Germany has not been any better than the other colonial powers. Only in the last few years, the genocide of the Nama and Herero tribes by German military has become more widely discussed. Now, Germany certainly knows how to deal with things like that through its experience with addressing WW2 and the Holocaust and has the institutional and academical means to do so, and also a civil society that is willing to follow through with it. But still, there are also the usual denialists and the people who say that these things don't matter anymore. The truth simply is this, it's an uphill battle, and it's never over.
@@mogon721 Thanks. I had forgotten about Germany's having a colonial past even though it provides much of the intrigue in the movie "The African Queen."
@@mogon721 The self hate of your nation while beeing unable to see the actual elephant in the room, beeing the simple fact that you are obidient and quite totalitarian at times, .. its astonishing.
@@MasterBlaster220 Ignorance is not your friend, my dear genius, but it yells out of every ignorant and uneducated word you have uttered. EVERY index of freedom and democracy, even the one published by the right-wing Cato institute controlled by the corrupt Koch oligarchs, ranks Germany way above America when it comes to civic and civil rights, personal freedom, freedom of press, freedom of opinion, equal justice, and so many more. Germany almost always makes the top five or ten, America barely the top 30. If you had *any* knowledge of the matter, you wouldn't expose yourself to the deserved ridicule and embarrassment you are getting. Germans are way faster to protest against their government and have a much more grown-up protest culture than their American counterparts,. And when it comes to totalitarianism, come on, you must be joking. No western country is more militaristic, more totalitarian, and more brutal than the police state of America, where the next best police officer can shoot you for some irrelevant reason and GETS AWAY WITH IT. Again, Germany is always among the freest countries of the planet, the USA not so much, self delusions aside. The elephant in the room is that your kind has no education and thinks the Hollywood and TV stereotypes you are fed all day had any relevance for today's Germany. Of course, people with low self-esteem like you can't understand the concept of self-reflection and you think criticizing one's own country comes from self-hate. Yeah, sure, whereas flag-waivers who block *any* progress by whitewashing everything because they CAN'T live with the thought they're not the greatest are patriots, right? Haha, so ridiculous and childish...
The spirit of preserving american history had a great man. A man who tried to fight against racism in a clever way by capturing children/youngsters by the mass media he had acess to. Books. Mark Twain. He reached much more people than the Ku Klux Klan and not only in germany. He formed minds all around the world to tolerance of etnicy, religion, colourand culture. Thank you, Mark Twain. And you also ....
I really enjoyed this video and respect your balanced approach to explaining #5. I'm French-Canadian but do have a German great-great-grandfather(maybe 1 more) who emigrated to Quebec from Leipzig in the 1830's...
As a Portuguese working and living in the north of Europe all of that is true and I appreciate the German traits. There is one that gets on my Portuguese nerve though: the little elasticity to cope with unforeseen events in life. Maybe this is a Portuguese trait and it’s not the subject of this video 😂😉
Nuance and America doesn't go together. I agree with you. There should be a way to study and learn about the past without blaming anyone here in the present. But the one thing that isn't on your list but should be is German people are more mature than most countries. They didn't have to but they have learned from their past. That is why they can strike the best balance when learning about their dark past.
#4 Work life balance: there's a saying "Arbeit ist Arbeit und Schnaps ist Schnaps.", translated "Work is work and Schnaps is Schnaps." which really means putting both things apart from each other, separate location, separate time. Downside is that there may be colleagues, you work with for 10 years, and you still have no idea about their private life.
As always, great video. All 5 points are spot on. I am proud that Germany actually does not just forget about WWII, but uses it as a reminder on not to repeat it. That brings me to education, as teaching about the past, present and the future of the WORLD is so important and that is what is missing in America.
Hmmm, well when I used to host parties and Germans knocked on the door 5 minutes early, I made them wait on the porch.. hehehe It's very rude to arrive early. The hosts of the party plan for their guests to arrive on time if a sit-down meal is planned, and even a bit later if it is a cocktail party. You don't want everyone to arrive in one clump.
@Nick: It was and is always a pleasure to find that blue spot near your channel - NEW VIDEO! Really nice! I never before thought about my country like your videos made me to. And from the depth of my heart, I thank you so much for it. Yes, how could I ever get this perspective you have as a person raised in a completely different country with different values like myself? If you allow I may add something to maybe enrich your video about german direct communication: "Wahre Worte sind nicht immer schön. Schöne Worte sind nicht immer wahr." - Laozi "True words aren´t always nice. Nice words aren´t always true." - Laozi Most of your words about my country are true and therefore nice, I think it´s a german sense of awareness to value honesty, even though it may hurt, greater than nice sweet honey around the bush. And again - as you mentioned in this video - nice untrue words are a waste of time, which hurts even more. 🙂 All the best for you and keep going like that, your perception is brilliant!
I had to chuckle with the yt translation Deutsche Bahn / German railway (the state railway company) was translated "doe chiban", which maybe works phonetically 😂. So funny, these subtitles are hilarious!
We Germans are so on time that we even get born on the exact date of our birth, on the second. Once the nurse has got us cleaned, we never get untidy again. "Made in Germany" gets lasered onto our soles. We come with a warranty for perfection, we never fail. Und wir trennen unseren Müll like there is no tomorrow without Germany.
To the last part. I really like a quote by the late Max Mannheimer: "You are not guilty for what happened back then. But you are responsible to never let it happen again." He was an amazing storyteller who went to schools and told students about his story. To your first point. This high standard of excellency is, combined with our stereotypical bluntness, the main reason, why Germans complain so much. We are used to excellent work and if something is subpar, we tell people right away, so it can be fixed. Even if it is trivial.^^
I can give you an annoying example of German perfectionism: The audio volume in this video jumps up and down, so I keep on adjusting on my side. Yep, this means that Germans love to complain about tiny little things :D.
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We still gonna sell subs at a discount to Israel,but syncronical German and Isreal Forces train together;SF,Air and Ground 8.59
@@frederickpallas7130l😅
@NALFVLOGS Tja. Siehe in Ostdeutschland, wo es die AFD geschafft hat einen Landrat und einen Bürgermeister zu besetzen. Armes Deutschland!
German homes are not meant to last a lifetime, but rather many lifetimes.
yes of course - isn't that normal????
@@bavariancarenthusiast2722 no it's not. for example, in the US, single houses are often built with thin wood planks and cardboard.
@@hansschmidt3144 That's why every hurricane is a catastrophe.
@@UlliStein And build on river and coastal flood plains.
@@UlliStein And German homes would be just fine in Category 3-5 hurricane? Excuse my laughter.
5. Not feeling guilty, which does not help anyone, but something much harder: keeping in mind, continuosly, what humanity is capable of and working to prevent the worst. A job for everybody, not just Germans.
This. We are responsible to make sure this never happens again. To achieve this, we have to continuously remind ourselves what led to the Nazi regime and the Holocaust in the first place. And how large portions of the population, who knew or suspected enough, just didn't really care.
A bit like the kukux clan and the majority of people did not really care what happened to the black victims you mean?
I am living in Texas (for several years) and as a German out of country , I enjoy your point of views regarding Germany, very much.😅
As a German, i love this video and i feel honored by your descriptions
Me too!
...the same to me
Sehr schöner Beitrag Nick. Du bist ein super Kerl. Schön das du viele gute Ansichten über Deutschland hast, obwohl Deutschland an manchen Stellen schon an sich arbeiten muss. Du bist der perfekte menschliche Botschafter, um die amerikanische und deutsche Kultur zu verbinden.
Klasse Mensch, bodenständig und einfach ein netter Kerl.
Bleib wie du bist. Deutschland hat mit dir eine Bereicherung 😊
Well expressed, Tom. 🫶
Just thought about him being an ambassador...and then you have already made the point. Great thought, thank you and all the best.
WTF ...
An "manchen". xD AHahaha. Das Volk der DInosaurier. Die ganze Welt lacht über euch, und nirgends geht es in allen Belangen so bergab wie in diesem faschistischen Irrenhaus.
dass*
Wer nicht aus der Geschichte lernt,ist gezwungen, sie zu wiederholen
Nein, er ist nur nicht geschützt davor, dass sie sich eventuell widerholt.
Zum Glück gilt aber Schwarminteliigenz. Ein paar doofe kann man verkraften.
Wir waren auf dem besten Weg zur Wiederholung 😷
Es gibt auch den Spruch: Aus der Geschichte lernt man, dass man daraus nichts lernt, weil sie sich immer wiederholt, wenn man zurückschaut.
@@CavHDeu Wieso "waren"?
@@nikaslife Vielleicht ist es ja genau anders herum. Geschichte wiederholt sich, *weil* wir nicht lernen.
I was raised by a born and raised German mother...she was never late, always planned, was very organized, was thrifty, and was extremely neat and tidy.
I am a german and have visited many flats. There are minimum as many dirty filthy people as there are tidy. These clichees about nations are annoying me.
Das ist typisch deutsch, nimmt aber ab. Wer nicht so ist, muss sich aber verstecken. Es gibt eine Million Frauen, die ALLES schaffen - arbeiten gehen, blitzsauberes Haus, tolle Köchin und Bäckerin, tolke Kindergeburtstage, an alle immer rechtzeitig denken und einfach immer ganz perfekt organisiert sein, immer, immer, immer.... Ich übe noch😅.
@@HA-gu1qk fair enough and I was only talking about my mother. But visiting Germany the trains were on time, there wasn't hardly any trash on the streets. I have a feeling German definition of you you say "dirty filthy people" is different than what a dirty- filthy American is. LOL
@@doncasto8520 hahah maybe.. but the trains are horrible since the privatisation 30 years ago. Imagine a travel of 7 hours with 4 changes (10-20 min each) and 50% or so of the trians come late. There is a saying, "The grass is always greener on the other side"..
Yeah but in general i prefer europe to US, more social welfare, more safe, free university. Come join us if you like it here ;) (UK getting worse, I recommend other countries like Austria, Germany Switzerland, Spain)
@@HA-gu1qk In those days a mother was just a "housewife" and normally did not have a job (exept teachers / nurses). So they had enough time and were proud of having their livingplaces neat and tidy. This has changed almost dramatically when it became normal and ist now common for females to have a job. There is no more time left to live up to the standard of their ancestors.
I dated a German gal for 1,5 years. This is all very accurate - I do think these traits are common amongst all Germans, regardless of region. In my experience with her and her family, I found these characteristics to be the most important:
1) Value her time management and be punctual.
2) Little room for changes or spontaneity - we generally always stick to the plan.
3) Relationship building takes time. Cracking the outer shell isn't easy, but when you do, you have a friend for life (unless you give them a reason not to, of course).
4) Communication is direct. Expect to be told how it is, all the time. This can be hard, especially for Americans.
I am Eastern European by birth, but I was raised in America. I was able to easily adapt to these traits, especially in regards to communication. I know that might not be so easy for others who are more passive in communication.
Being 5 minutes early means that you can chat with the others that have come 5 minutes early, and then you can start with whatever you came to do in time.
Exactly ^^
And we respect you buddy.
I wouldn't say it's guilt, but an awareness of the responsibility of the past for the future.
10 Minuten vor der Zeit
ist des Soldaten Pünktlichkeit.
Nur der Sanitäter
kommt 10 Minuten später.
Thank you for you kind words, especially regarding #5. It gets harder every year with more and more contemporary witnesses dying and right-wing ideology spreading more and more all over Europe. I neither feel guilty nor proud about being a German (because I haven't done anything to be born here obviously), but rather obliged to do everything I can to let our dark history not repeat itself.
I think the biggest lesson from our dark ages is to keep in mind that humans must never be sacrificed for some "greater good"
The trap Germany found itself stuck in before WW2 was that there was a Communist revolution brewing on one side, and a national-socialist takeover on the other.
Individual liberty had long left the debate since, leaving only awful options.
Oh you also had one of the "left wing"(too keep that thinking within one dimension) dictatorships. The biggest problem is not some wing, but the fact that you are obidient, stupid, uneducated and you love order more then freedom. This is why you will repeat history on and on.
What's wrong with the Right? It is the Left that is ruining cities by allowing homelessness and crime and they are ruining our kids with wokeism.
"never again" I am feeling more & more worried about Germany. It's vital, that each of us stands up against the stupid AfD hysteria. How? 1) vote 2) get others to vote any of the main parties c) debunk disinformation wherever you see it. RUclips is full of Russian trolls, trying to pit us against each other. DON'T LET THEM
Try the dark history of each and every race : the allies made a concerted effort to make Germany a scapegoat
Thank you for the kind words ❤
Made in Sweden is pretty high up there for me. I'm still driving my 30 year old Volvo I bought new.
Respect, nice video, Nick.
About Germans and the dark past:
I am going to be 68. My siblings are 9, 7 and 12 years older. Nothing at school about 1933- 1945 and the Holocaust for the three elder ones, German history ended with Bismarck or maximal Weimar.
Completely different for me, we was taught by young teachers in a modern way what happened.
Parents didn' talk about, my parents the exception, discussions at home were normal, and 7 or eight years old I asked what Auschwitz means. They explained.
I think, the end 60ies and the 70ies were time when is was getting mandatory in all schools to teach how humans are misleaded and easily to catch for bad purposes.
I always remember being approached on this subject back in ’89 when starting my first job in Germany, one of the group I was with asked how did I feel about the Germans due to the last war?" My answer: "which war yours or mine".
As a Brit, how many wars are we talking about? My father fought the Afghans on the North West Frontier back in 1937, with family members in nearly every war since then.
Es wird meistens später unterrichtet. 9 - 10 Klasse.
Now it is more important to learn the right pronoun! 🤮
How ever. It worked! And we're proud to be you neighbourg.
It took time here, too. My parents (born 1918 and 1927) hated the Nazies in their hearts, but they KNEW it wasn't the same Germany, we were looking at.
Their hate could easily have been passed on, but somehow we manage to keep Nazi-Germany, East and West Germany as 3 separate nations, that wasn't responsible for each other's actions.
As for our own history: I got siblings from 1949-1956. Their history lessons had no end to the Danes' glories, heroes, bravery during WWII. They were left with a picute of 90% of the Danes having "fought" against the Nazi'es.
Fact is, the resistance was SILENT, so where do they all got it from, they started wondering...
Born 1964 I can say it changed in the 1970'es. Then we were taught a more nuanced'
picture of what was actually going on. Also the focus of history teaching shifted from the war room to the living room, so to speak...
Peace and love from Denmark 🥰
@@troph. oh, a concern troll.
In my opinion, you missed a huge one: Courtesy. In public, in America people are very loud. In Germany, everyone minds their own business (other than staring maybe). Whenever I go back home (America) I realize how loud, obnoxious, and kinda judgmental Americans are. And it's not like you can't make conversation with strangers in Germany, it's just generally people mind their business. I don't even know how to explain this lol. Just basically, Germans are more respectful.
Let's be careful with the generalizations/stereotypes- this is a big one that people like to regurgitate on social media. There are disrespectful people everywhere!! I've lived in Germany for 10 years and have found plenty of disrespectful people - just as did when living in the US.
@@newasblue1981 I mean yeah i've met like 2 very disrespectful people in Germany so far, but thats compared to a much higher ratio in America. Again, just my opinion; you're right, it's wrong to generalize and stereotype, however, I just find living here less stressful, and more peaceful.
@@Daniel-bl2qf I never understood the staring 👀in European Countries even if you aren’t saying a word, it’s kinda gives you the woolies! You don’t do that in the USA!!!
@@joekhatib3798 Just change your perspective. Ask yourself, why can't Americans look each other into the eyes without getting aggressive or feeling attacked. Another generalization, sure, but that's what is behind the difference. It's what leads to people shooting neighbors over children being loud, because aggression has become their only way of "solving" problems.
"Don't look them in the eyes!" That's what they tell you when you are to visit Gorillas in the wild. I think, as human beings, we should be further than that, shouldn't we?
Sadly even the least educated Americans believe to be superior to any other nationality - it's that idea of *Exceptionalism* implanted (if not 'brainwashed') into children's minds early on. The exception are educated Americans who have traveled the world and have seen the reality of life in other countries and realized that their media & politicians lied about what goes on beyond US borders ....
When the German train system was state-owned you could set your clock by it. Since it has been privatized and all the cost-cutting not so much.
What, are they sometimes 2 minutes late these days?
Curiously yours,
a reader in South Africa.
@@bpj1805 Or an hour or two.
@@fschiller4189 Haha maybe I'd feel more at home if I visited Germany again now. Does that happen often? When I used to commute by train some years ago here in SA there'd be random 40-minute delays about every other week. The weather didn't seem to play a role (we don't have much train-stopping weather here anyway, unlike Germany).
#1 having a high standard of excellence
#2 being on time
#3 planning and preparing for things
#4 work life balance
#5 handling their dark past
beautifully made, a delight to watch, thank you!!
They’ve been absolutely brainwashed by the guilt thing . Such rubbish
You are spot on with this! I am German and my wife is Colombian, imagine the contrast!😂
Haha, I could never... I am German and live in Mexico, it's mind blowing to me how things work over here.. I keep saying that the devil invented the word "mañana" just to annoy me... 😂 In the end this whole "traveling the world and living abroad thing" turned me into a patriot. But since I feel much safer over here and really love the weather... I found my peace- far away from civilization 😎
For #5: we also should be encouraged to not make the same error again. No wars, no racism, no dictator again.
We yet failed to educate properly, as right wingers and conspiracy theorists start to get more
@@chomp5558 its not the right wingers or conspiracy ppl who made germany one of the top weapon exporter in the world, not the right wingers making the german army fighting in wars the past years... right wingers grow cause modern politics only creating more problems and dont deliver solutions. (not saying that the right wing would solve anything)
Wow. Respect. The last four minutes of this were unexpectedly moving. I moved to Berlin from the U.S. over seven years ago (although I myself am Chilean) and can agree with all you said. But the way you closed the video and your comments really touched something deep within. I was not expecting that. Keep up the excellent work.
About the latter point, I actually have to say that the US has a two-sided bad way of handling slavery... On one hand it is not properly and honestly taught in many (mostly Republican parts) of the USA and on the other hand, so many people feel like that they (or I have often enough heard, "my people") "suffered", because their great-grandfather or other ancestor was a slave.
What lies in the past, is in the past. You did not do it and it has not been done to you. What is important is that people acknowledge it was bad, how it got to this point, and how to avoid this happening in the future.
I've been living in Germany now for over 30 years and as an American, I completely agree with all of your points. Especially the last one. Being a Native American Indian I have always felt this is one aspect always made it difficult to live in the States.
turkish guy born in germany here and this video made me proud to be part of this country. i hate patriotism but i love people and the positive side of cultures :)
#3 Plan and prepare: well, yes, there are advantages to this approach. But too disadvantages as risk-averseness and waiting/thinking too long and then missing opportunities and going overboard with details. Working with US-Americans I learned to take a more pragmatic approach: analyze the situation, be honest, work out a plan containing the overall direction and next 3 steps, and then just go for it. German can freeze due to their fear of having missed any aspect.
Germans are often said to not socialise.
Actually the reason for being not exactly on time, but some 5-10 minutes early is, to have this time for socialising! If you are late, most of the time, then you definitively get the impression, Germans would not socialise.
Punctuality, actually being early, ist about socialising.
As a German I like the video and feel honored by your descriptions. Thank you so much.
About Guilt: I was born 14 years after the end of World War II. When I was 10 years old, my parents and I went on holiday to Spain for the first time. I played with two girls on the beach. I didn't understand their language, just as they didn't understand me, but we had a lot of fun. (Children can communicate with each other in other ways.) After a while they took my hand and brought me to their tent. We girls giggled, their parents smiled and looked very friendly. So I greeted them in a friendly way and said "Guten Tag" to them and everything changed immediately. The parents shouted at me very aggressively, called me "Boche" (a single word I understood), pushed me out of the tent and spat on me. The girls looked scared, I was confused, didn't know what happened, what a mistake I made. So I ran back to my parents. They explained to me (because of the word Boche) that they were probably French and hated me because I was German. The war and the atrocities would never be forgotten.
The war was always a topic in my family. My parents were children in those dark times, my grandfather emigrated to the USA as a Jew and never came back to Germany. My other grandparents supported the communists at the time and had to fear the Nazis themselves. They taught me to respect everyone, no matter where they come from or what they look like.
Of course, the French couldn't know all this. I was German, that alone was enough to make me hate. I could understand that. I was ashamed of everything the Germans had done and felt guilty for a long time. From the age of 10 I knew I would have a responsibility for the rest of my life. I also knew it wasn't my fault, but I still felt it.
Many years later, when I told my own children about the responsibilities we are all born with, the guilt eased somewhat. We must ensure that history never repeats itself. That's why I'm watching the developments in Germany with great concern, because the forces that deny and say that it wasn't so bad are unfortunately getting stronger. So I think it's very important to remember and teach it in school.
That you still excuse the behaviour of that French people because of your shock about the 2nd WW atrocities says a lot about the unhealthy shaming Germans impose on themselves.
As a young person, I think it is good that political forces try to push back on that.
And no, this does not mean to deny anything, just to ease on the demonization and guilt of a whole nation.
Grüße from Österreich!
@@lepsychiatre8455I don't know what Germans did to the French family, what terrible expieriences they had to go through, but even as a child I knew how difficult it is to forgive. From today's perspective I consider it extremely alarming to insult and spit on a 10-year-old child almost 25 years after the end of the war. That was truly like a demonization.
I agree with you that the political constaints of shame and guilt should no longer apply to young Germans. But in the meantime, many voices have become louder and louder that want to keep quiet about the history and I think that's wrong. Just talking about it and remembering it will help prevent something like this from happening again.
@@TLang-yz3pm This I fully agree to!
And I am hopefull that someday we will find a fully serious and healthy approach to this dreadful era and also learn not to reduce German history onto this. This includes a more balanced image of our grandparents generation -
Yes, many were war criminals, this is rightly so highlighted. But millions of Germans, civilians as well as POWs, were also victims of war crimes and allied revenge.
There is a silence and a taboo over this in public debate, and I think that needs to be changed.
What those french people did was inappropriate to say the least. Humiliating is probably a better fit. This is inexcusable behaviour.
Google:
Boche. / (bɒʃ) / nounderogatory, slang (esp in World Wars I and II) a German, esp a German soldier. the Boche (usually functioning as plural) Germans collectively, esp German soldiers regarded as the enemy.
Maybe it is a consolation for you that the 2 girls' were equally as schocked about their parents' behavior as you were. I am sure they were very sad about how their parents behaved.
Remember, 24 years after 1945, the war wasn't forgotten, especially by countries that were victimized and occupied by Germany. If I understood you right, your parents did not speak with the French parents, had your parents been able to tell them their story, I think there is a possibility that they might have reacted differently.
However, for that to happen, one has to be open minded and put themself in the other's shoes or situation.......
I am happy that your parents and grandparents talked about the WW2 situation at all. Many just hushed it up.
Always remember, you did nothing wrong at the time, and you have absolutely nothing, especially as a ten year old back then, to feel guilty about.
All the best.
#5 Respect Germany!! You make Europe proud 🥰
Peace and love from Denmark.
Full respect and reagards for the danish people, how they undermined during WWII deportion of jews. And Denmark never took revenge for 18th of April 1864. Denmark is an appreciated and highly valued neighbor .Med venlig hilsen from Germany !
Thank you for this video. Also important for me as a german as a gentle reminder
Unfortunately, its not "only" slavery in the US, but also the treatment of Native Americans, which still goes on to this day. Australia also does a pretty bad job at acknowledging the past concerning natives.
I think that the Africains who took over a Million White Europeans into Slavery from Europe at the same time as Africains were being enslaved .(500k africains were taken to the USA.) It's ALL EVIL. Slave coming from the European word, Slavs of Eastern Europe
We in the US are very adept at targeting and “blaming” different minorities over the years. At one time it was the Irish, then Asians, then Latinos, and so on. Not unlike how Europeans (anti-semitism wasn’t just a German problem) and most effectively, hitler, blamed the Jews for society’s shortcomings and thus set the stage for the Holocaust.
@@texaszag8748 I wonder who's being blamed for all of society's ills today.
@@bpj1805the current Scapegoat of the Month is Trans People, at least in the US.
@@bpj1805 To listen to the extremists in the GOP, it’s the “woke” crowd that is to blame. Funny how a term that always meant being attune to social justice now has been perverted to mean anything under the sun that disagrees with right-wing dogma.
Your analysis are very thought through. I like that. You are not simply talking to get viewers, you are analysing things.
True words if i ever heard them. Never forget your past, but also dont feel guilty yourself, if you did not live at the time
My 'excellent' German car spent more time in the repair workshop than on the road. I bought a Japanese car,which indeed is excellent.
German (by descent) living in South Africa. I just CANNOT do things on time. I think it's the soil, not the blood, that causes the relationship with time.
Maybe ! Never though of it that way
Thank you for seeing our country still positive, even if right now a lot of things are changing, not to the good...
1. 0:40 Wenn, dann richtig
2. 2:12 5 Minuten vor der Zeit ist die Deutsche Pünktlichkeit
3. 4:47 Mann kann nie Wissen
4.?
5?
Awesome video, thank you! My husband and I have been living in Germany now for two years. At first a lot of these characteristics you are pointing out got on our nerves, but with time we too have also really grown to admire and respect these people. Another trait I respect is how responsible folks are here. There are a lot of freedoms here -- more than we have in North America -- and it works because Germans generally respect the rules that are in place. I read some of the news back at home where more and more rules and restrictions are being put in place and I just shake my head.
Thank you for that positive summary.
It does feel good hearing about them from an outside perspective of someone who took the brave step into our society. 😊 That's probably what Germans crave the most: the acceptance that we had lost during those terrible 12 years; that we learned from our past; that we have tried to take steps forward and away from that past, without denying the existence of that past. Our attempts at improvement and amelioration of the sins of the past. That all this hasn't been for nothing.
What we fear the most of sliding into something similar, subconsciously, unbeknownst and unwanted. That we failed at the mission of never again, never forget. For we know, without a doubt, Germany won't receive a third chance should we fail again.
Thanks for this thoughtful post.
And again there are Leopards in Ukraine.
@@HA-gu1qkhelping the Ukrainian people to fight against one of the modern Hitler-imitators. That’s a good thing.
Germany shall never again start a war, and this one was sure as hell not started by Germany.
@@nikoz.861 so why are we interfering in a civil war based conflict which started 2014?? There were thousands Ukrainians killed but nobody was f--ing interested about that here. But now everybody is of course shouting around, like this invasion was something completely unexpected. "Ohh russia the old enemy attacked, we need to protect the poor (western) ucrainians, freedom, freedom..". Just pure hypocrisy, many germans are just very happy to go against Russia, because in many families the old hate for the lost world war still remains. You just need to read all the nationalist comments at msn news. Yesterday i read about some ucrainian success and the comments were all like "give it to the russki". The nazi and cold war mindset is still VERY present. You can try to ignore that, nikoz, but it is there.
That's why it's so important to take a look at other cultures because every culture has something to offer. Salute dude!
@NALF: Thank you for your channel. I love how reflected you are examine the topics. Greats from Tübingen!
That was very kind of you, thanks!
#2 German punctuality: keep in mind that there's a saying "das akademische Viertelstündchen", meaning that in the academid world it is ok to normal, to be 15 minutes late. Well it means, for more loose appointments, non-business, casual, just take it easy, don't go overboard with punctuality and stress others.
I’m half German (father’s side) so I can relate to the first 4 points. I also agree about #5. American’s must not have learned from past mistakes as we keep repeating them!
You need to acknowledge something as a mistake in first place. I'm not sure what you are referring to.
As long as you are on the good side, it's OK to repeat yourself.
@@anjafrohlich1170 if you learn positiv things, like how to make fire. It's ok to repeat it.
Avoiding repeating history, is not always the intention.
regarding to punctuality, there is a reason why the saying exists:" 5 Minuten vor der Zeit, ist des deutschen Pünktlichkeit." (5 minutes before time is the punctuality of a german.)
I totally agree that germany found a good middle ground to educate people about the past
Wow, point 5: THANK YOU. So much truth, thanks again for your very elaborate view and expressing that so punched on point. Hats off!
Interesting video! Thanks for all the effort you put in this. Especially i liked how you discussed the #5 about how Germans deal with their past. I for myself have the strong believe, that there's no real 'national identity' in Germany anymore, since due to everything of what happend before1945. It simply has been erased by history. Thus whenever a german politician talks about such a thing as 'german identity', i ask myself, "what's he talking about Bro!", because the federal states, & the people living in them, especially in terms of mentality / attitude differs from one another in so many things & there simply is no mutual uniting entity anymore, such as like Americans or French people or other countries have and so on. And this isn't even sad, since on an abstract level - i know this sounds lurid - countries & nations are to some extend constructed anyway. But to give some more insight about how i feel in regards our history - to be honest our history doesn't bother me, it is how it is, and at the same time it's not that I don't care either, it's just that i no more have any emotional connection to this subject. Sure, Germany has a lot of holocaust &war memorials spread all over the country, and of course it's an important part of our culture & education in context of history, but the form in which the public commemoration takes place (in television, official ceremonials), is highly ritualized and to some sort of frozen. You see, living in Germany means that you learn about the cruel part of our history already at a young age. I myself was introduced to this subject already with the beginning of middle school, at the age of 11, of course, apart from what was already told in my family by that time. However this meant, that with every year you treated this topic again and again, but with more detail. And of course hearing this at a young age makes you first of all feel deeply ashamed, guilty & sad, but when you're growing older, you get to the point, where you have a more mature approach, when dealing with it. Eventually you come to a point, where you've had so much of it until you suddendly loose your interest. And this is not because it's not relevant anymore, but because you're being stuffed with it and also, especially when you're young & graduadet from high-school (Abi), all you want is to explore the world, learn about other cultures and not hear about such a subject on and on - you would get rememberd by public television & ceremonials anyway. Overall, i do think that most Germans go through these phases. I for myself can say, that "yes" history is important, but for me in my personal life, it doesn't have any real impact.
I love the way you are analyzing me and my country. Your opinions are so empathic and intelligent. It makes me feel good if you can explore this opinions, even in our modern so fast changing society. I can agree with your theses almost a 100%. Great work, love it. And by the way the filming of Schwäbisch Hall couldn't be more beatyfull.
Regarding the "nuanced middle".
The Nazi party ruled Germany for just over a Decade. The successor governments were overwhelmingly made up of people who opposed Nazism.
From the first moment White people landed in the Americas, they slaughtered Native Americans; they enslaved Native Americans; they stole Native American land; they discriminated against Native American's: and the Discrimination is still happening today.
From as early as 1619, Black Americans were Slaves. The horrors African Americans suffered during that quarter of a Millennium are beyond the stuff of nightmares. This went on for over 250 years (not a Decade). Immediately after the eventual Abolition of Slavery the Same States that tried to force Slavery on the rest of the United States, imposed Legalized Discrimination against African Americans and over a period of a couple of decades, this Legal Segregation in the "South" became de facto Segregation in the Whole Country. It included Legalized Murder (called lynching). This went on for a Century - One Hundred Years, not the twelve that the Nazis ruled Germany. And the vast majority of the White Population collaborated and cooperated with this Discrimination.
And Racism is STILL (over 160 years after the Emancipation proclamation) rife in Every facet of American life.
So, tell me again why White Americans shouldn't feel "Guilt" or "Shame"....
Because it judges White people by a higher standard than anyone else. You don't shame Algerians for the Arab slave trade, or the Chinese for their Oirat genocide, or a Nigerian for the Bantu expansion of 2000 BC, in fact you probably haven't even heard of those atrocities. The motivation behind White Guilt is not a sincere desire for historical justice, but instead a targeted act of cultural destruction and humiliation.
Genau darum ist es ja so wichtig aus seinem eigenen kleinen Denken in andere Länder zu gehen. Sie sind ein super gutes Beispiel. Dazu lernen.👍🍀🥰
J.v.Goethe meinte mal, bei Reisen in andere Länder lernt man etwas über sich selbst !
In my opinion the USA got a lot of this dark history. From the genocide at the very beginning, to the slavery to a lot of wars in modern days. And as german who had to deal a lot with our dark past in school its hard to believe how unaware USA ppl are about there history.
Pippi in den Augen. Sehr schön Nick. Fantastisch mal was positives zu erfahren
Geht mir gerade genauso. Wir sind selbst immer die Besten im Jammern.
Wirklich
@@bavariancarenthusiast2722 Als Perfektionisten, haben wir auch das Jammern perfektioniert und optimiert. 🙂
@@Likr666 ich würde da gerne Wiedersprechen kann es leider nicht 🤐
Übertreib, was für Pippi in den Augen
Ich liebe deine Videos. Du bist ein guter Mensch. Bleib, wie du bist.
Brit in Germany loving your videos. America’s dark history? Yes, slavery was bad. But what happened to the native American‘s was just as bad, if not worse (they were slaughtered, not enslaved). Sorry to moan - keep up the good work!
7% of White americans had black slaves. This is all politicized propaganda BS.
The US has more recent events in it's dark past... concentration camps for Japanese Americans during WWII. And then there is our growing amnesia about what we did to Vietnam during that war.
#2 is spot on! I hate being late to places and I hate waiting. My wife does not share my sense of timeliness so when we go out I always tell her the wrong time we need to leave by so we end up on time. I do believe she has caught on to my plan......
I do think there can be a dark side to being super efficient and always seemingly perfect when it comes to human relations. Being on time is respectful, but not forgiving for being a few minutes late seems to take efficiency too far. When l was younger l would see a car commercial about "the art of German engineering," l would think yeah, but so was the Holocaust engineered well. So, yes, l desire and admire great products like cars and homes that last. But l hope we humans know that being flexible with humans is not always a bad thing. I am American born, both parents born in Europe, and personally, l am almost always on time. I appreciate other's thoughts!
What a great channel! I'm so glad RUclips recommended it to me. Your production is really high quality!
Hello Nalf, yes, punctuality is very important in Germany.
Because if we have an appointment with someone, takes or he must also take time for me. And then it would be disrespectful if we then appear e.g. half an hour or even later. Something can always happen, but then I still have the opportunity to contact the person.
Because I should be clear that I have kept this person from something important or taken away.
My generation couldn't just call the other person if we were running late, because we didn't have mobile phones. So we learned to plan ahead in a way to make sure we're not late. Also changing plans last minute wasn't possible. So for me the way it's now feels like Verabredungen are far less verbindlich today than they were 20 years ago.
Thank you for your appreciating #1 to #4 -- and I would like to emphasize that I 100% agree with your assessment as to #5, both for Germany and the US. I would assume that other countries might do themselves a great favor if they also followed this "balanced approach", but that's of course up to themselves.
Briefly on the subject of "pride and Germans": I personally am really proud of the way my country is dealing with this relatively short and yet so drastic period of its dark past. I believe that this shows strength. However, what other chance did this country have after the greatest crime of the 20th century was finally put to an end...?
Best from Germany
Great video...as always
Thank you Nick for your videos!
I'm German and my wife's a jewish woman from Puerto Rico. It's good to listen to your differentiated sght of my country! Very good.❤❤❤😂
You can add the Vietnam War to the U.S. ‘National Dark Past List’.
U.S. casualties: approximately 59,000 -mostly uniformed military personnel.
Vietnamese casualties: approximately 3.2-million -majority civilians. CIA official estimate, you can easily look it up.
Absolute sheer brutality.
No disrespect to the U.S. soldiers who suffered and or died there. More of a reflection upon the government and larger society which would sanction such a brutal, disrespectful and unjustifiable war filled with such an incredible amount of reckless, indiscriminate and very often deliberate firing and bombardment upon non-combatant civilians.
It’s a shame we have never really admitted nor atoned for. Dark, ugly, evil….
America's issue with race relations didn't end with the abolition of slavery. It continued on with Jim Crow laws, lynchings, oppression, etc. with effects that are still felt today.
Stop falling for fact news...stop spreading lies.
Hell, even slavery itself didn't end with the abolition of slavery ... ruclips.net/video/j4kI2h3iotA/видео.html about Neoslavery by Knowing Better.
I agree. And it is because systemic racism is baked into many of our institutions and systems that treating slavery in the US like naziism in Germany is not possible. We STILL have a problem with how we treat minorities in the US. And yes, I understand that there are periodic rumblings of right-wing extremism in Germany, but unlike here in the US, the German authorities are generally quick to move in and suppress the extremism.
Americans also look a very snowflaky to me: "No, you can't teach children about racism in US history, they might feel bad." In Germany it is more "Your grandparents probably were involved in murdering millions of people"
Also red-lining and not letting black people live in certain areas etc.
I think, some german aspects of WW 2 they didn taughtin school, the position of the church or Dietrich Bonhöfer.
there will be a movie coming out by Angel Studios, about Bonhoeffer`s life... very excited about it
This nuanced approach you mentioned can be extended further into politics and work life where compromise (politics) or finding the best approach to a problem (work) is the norm.
Well done.
Dear Nick, thank you for this interesting view about positive German traits. Regarding topic #5, I‘d like to respond with a famous quote from the American writer Robert Heinlein „A generation which ignores history has no past - and no future“. If there’s one trait I‘m proud of as a German it is this one. My generation will keep this history alive.
You learned ZERO from history. ZERO. Covid made that clear. A lot Germans were OK with people who didnt took the jab getting imprisoned. Germans like to tell you all day what to do and what not, are narrow minded and pretty intolerant overall, when it comes to behaviours that are not the norm.
Hitler is a meme, just like the nazis, and Germans today have ZERO clue why dictatorships like that could take place that easily.
OH, not to forget that other big dictatorship that no on talks about, not to forget the "soft" dictating of today.
You are so stupid, you dont even understand the principles behind all that, you think the danger is "muhhh right wing". Its about totalitarian systems, which can take all forms, there was not much practical difference between communism and Nazi Germany. Its called beeing able to abstract.
You earn my subscription talking about interesting topics both in depth and breadth
One thing that has really shaped me is something a colleague of my dad always said (well actually his dad, who's not german, but anyways) "Show me your friends and I'll tell you who you are" that has really shaped me. If someone is nice towards me but a dick to others, i don't want their friendship. It's not about if i can enjoy my time with them, it's about what kind of person they are and if that's something i want to be associated with.
Being on time is always very important for us Germans. No matter whether it is private or business. If you cannot keep an appointment, cancel as early as possible or inform your partner that you will be late. Often a traffic jam is the reason. With the current smarphones, it shouldn't be a problem to reach someone in time. If there is a meeting on the schedule in the company, everyone wants to start on time so as not to lose any time. It's rude to stay away without an excuse. Friends: If someone calls you friend, you have a good chance in Germany that the friendship will last a long time. Germans feel very connected to friends. For some, friends are family.
Ok, that video thumbnail is in pretty bad taste imo (probably not intentionally though).
Now, the content of the video is great and I appreciate that last point and completely agree with you! But the title "German Character Traits I Really Respect" in combination with a picture from Auschwitz and the Arbeit Macht Frei slogan can be misunderstood VERY easily.
German Houses aren't meant to last a lifetime. They're meant to last for eternity
I was at school in the late 80s and early 90s. We were constantly made feel guilty. They kept telling us that our grandfathers were part of this terrible war. And we would have to pay and make up for this for the rest of our lives. Which made me very reluctant to learn about WW2 as a stubborn teenager. Stupid, I know but then I just hated to be made responsible for something I had nothing to do with.
But: Our children have received a far more nuanced education on this topic at school. They are very aware without the massive feeling of guilt.
NO education at all. Germans no nothing about why they constantly build distatorships.
Thank you very much for the discussion of the various points. Like so many other Usonians in the comments, I particularly appreciated #5. I was brought up in the South in the 1950s so we were actually taught that slavery was not that bad. At the same time, my classmates in Napa in 1961-62 knew nothing about separate drinking fountains and restrooms. Australia had a National Sorry Day (year?) for its treatment of the Aboriginal people and Canada is finally coming to grips with its treatment of First Nations. The USA - not yet. I do not pretend to know HOW we should address the many issues we keep hidden but I hope we find a way. BTW, Belgium, from what I have read, is only acknowledging in the past few years the horrors of its reign of terror on the people of the Congo. What the Germans have been doing may be unique.
I’m a Metis Canadian and believe that First nation ppl should come to terms with how they treat each other more than anything. Truly diabolical.
There are many factors to this, of course. But one factor to that uniqueness is that Germany, unlike Japan, for instance, is not an island. What I mean with this is that the unavoidable very direct contact with our neighboring countries (9!) that fell victim to the war of aggression and which have the scars to prove it has made denial very hard. Still, it took almost a whole generation until the carpet was finally being lifted under which the crimes had been brushed after the war. This happened only in the mid to end sixties, after very slow beginnings before that.
But here is the crux. In regards to its colonial crimes, Germany has not been any better than the other colonial powers. Only in the last few years, the genocide of the Nama and Herero tribes by German military has become more widely discussed. Now, Germany certainly knows how to deal with things like that through its experience with addressing WW2 and the Holocaust and has the institutional and academical means to do so, and also a civil society that is willing to follow through with it. But still, there are also the usual denialists and the people who say that these things don't matter anymore. The truth simply is this, it's an uphill battle, and it's never over.
@@mogon721 Thanks. I had forgotten about Germany's having a colonial past even though it provides much of the intrigue in the movie "The African Queen."
@@mogon721 The self hate of your nation while beeing unable to see the actual elephant in the room, beeing the simple fact that you are obidient and quite totalitarian at times, .. its astonishing.
@@MasterBlaster220 Ignorance is not your friend, my dear genius, but it yells out of every ignorant and uneducated word you have uttered.
EVERY index of freedom and democracy, even the one published by the right-wing Cato institute controlled by the corrupt Koch oligarchs, ranks Germany way above America when it comes to civic and civil rights, personal freedom, freedom of press, freedom of opinion, equal justice, and so many more. Germany almost always makes the top five or ten, America barely the top 30. If you had *any* knowledge of the matter, you wouldn't expose yourself to the deserved ridicule and embarrassment you are getting.
Germans are way faster to protest against their government and have a much more grown-up protest culture than their American counterparts,. And when it comes to totalitarianism, come on, you must be joking. No western country is more militaristic, more totalitarian, and more brutal than the police state of America, where the next best police officer can shoot you for some irrelevant reason and GETS AWAY WITH IT. Again, Germany is always among the freest countries of the planet, the USA not so much, self delusions aside.
The elephant in the room is that your kind has no education and thinks the Hollywood and TV stereotypes you are fed all day had any relevance for today's Germany. Of course, people with low self-esteem like you can't understand the concept of self-reflection and you think criticizing one's own country comes from self-hate. Yeah, sure, whereas flag-waivers who block *any* progress by whitewashing everything because they CAN'T live with the thought they're not the greatest are patriots, right? Haha, so ridiculous and childish...
The spirit of preserving american history had a great man. A man who tried to fight against racism in a clever way by capturing children/youngsters by the mass media he had acess to. Books. Mark Twain. He reached much more people than the Ku Klux Klan and not only in germany. He formed minds all around the world to tolerance of etnicy, religion, colourand culture. Thank you, Mark Twain.
And you also ....
I really enjoyed this video and respect your balanced approach to explaining #5. I'm French-Canadian but do have a German great-great-grandfather(maybe 1 more) who emigrated to Quebec from Leipzig in the 1830's...
As a Portuguese working and living in the north of Europe all of that is true and I appreciate the German traits. There is one that gets on my Portuguese nerve though: the little elasticity to cope with unforeseen events in life. Maybe this is a Portuguese trait and it’s not the subject of this video 😂😉
Danke! Vor allem der letzte Teil. Eine treffende Analyse. / Thank you and special thank for the last part. This Analisys was on point!
Another great video!
Good job, Nick. Proud of you! 👍
Nuance and America doesn't go together. I agree with you. There should be a way to study and learn about the past without blaming anyone here in the present. But the one thing that isn't on your list but should be is German people are more mature than most countries. They didn't have to but they have learned from their past. That is why they can strike the best balance when learning about their dark past.
"Fünf Minuten vor der Zeit ist des Deutschen Pünktlichkeit" - Great Channel, enjoy your videos very much.
Imho one of your best videos.
#4 Work life balance: there's a saying "Arbeit ist Arbeit und Schnaps ist Schnaps.", translated "Work is work and Schnaps is Schnaps." which really means putting both things apart from each other, separate location, separate time. Downside is that there may be colleagues, you work with for 10 years, and you still have no idea about their private life.
Thanks, Nalf ❤
"Fünf Minuten vor der Zeit,
ist die beste Pünktlichkeit."
my father
Die Kombination aus Titel und Thumbnail ist rin bisschen wild.
As always, great video. All 5 points are spot on. I am proud that Germany actually does not just forget about WWII, but uses it as a reminder on not to repeat it. That brings me to education, as teaching about the past, present and the future of the WORLD is so important and that is what is missing in America.
Hmmm, well when I used to host parties and Germans knocked on the door 5 minutes early, I made them wait on the porch.. hehehe It's very rude to arrive early. The hosts of the party plan for their guests to arrive on time if a sit-down meal is planned, and even a bit later if it is a cocktail party. You don't want everyone to arrive in one clump.
"Germans work hard and are productive"
Also Germans: "Dude slow down, we get paid per hour"
Yeah stupid clichees.. I'm not a robot just because I live in Germany
That's also efficiency. Don't put in efford above your paygrade.
@Nick: It was and is always a pleasure to find that blue spot near your channel - NEW VIDEO! Really nice! I never before thought about my country like your videos made me to. And from the depth of my heart, I thank you so much for it. Yes, how could I ever get this perspective you have as a person raised in a completely different country with different values like myself?
If you allow I may add something to maybe enrich your video about german direct communication:
"Wahre Worte sind nicht immer schön. Schöne Worte sind nicht immer wahr." - Laozi
"True words aren´t always nice. Nice words aren´t always true." - Laozi
Most of your words about my country are true and therefore nice, I think it´s a german sense of awareness to value honesty, even though it may hurt, greater than nice sweet honey around the bush. And again - as you mentioned in this video - nice untrue words are a waste of time, which hurts even more. 🙂
All the best for you and keep going like that, your perception is brilliant!
I had to chuckle with the yt translation
Deutsche Bahn / German railway (the state railway company)
was translated "doe chiban", which maybe works phonetically 😂. So funny, these subtitles are hilarious!
We Germans are so on time that we even get born on the exact date of our birth, on the second. Once the nurse has got us cleaned, we never get untidy again. "Made in Germany" gets lasered onto our soles. We come with a warranty for perfection, we never fail. Und wir trennen unseren Müll like there is no tomorrow without Germany.
Thank you! Especially #1 and #5. Thank you so much.
When I have a bad day, I watch one of your videos and happily take the positivity shower :-) Thanks 😀
To the last part. I really like a quote by the late Max Mannheimer: "You are not guilty for what happened back then. But you are responsible to never let it happen again." He was an amazing storyteller who went to schools and told students about his story.
To your first point. This high standard of excellency is, combined with our stereotypical bluntness, the main reason, why Germans complain so much. We are used to excellent work and if something is subpar, we tell people right away, so it can be fixed. Even if it is trivial.^^
deserves more subs !
I can give you an annoying example of German perfectionism: The audio volume in this video jumps up and down, so I keep on adjusting on my side. Yep, this means that Germans love to complain about tiny little things :D.