With Brexit just around the corner, what are the stereotypes which Germans hold most dear about their (for now) fellow EU members? From politeness to an unhealthy obsession with the war, here are 10 of the most common.
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From drinking beer to eating sausage, Germans may have to deal with a lot of stereotypes in the English-speaking world, but what do Germans think about some of their oldest rivals, the Brits?
Here are 10 of the most famous stereotypes which Germans have about Brits:
1. Tea-drinkers
The stereotype about Brits drinking tea is one of the most widespread in Germany. The Haus der Geschichte Museum in Bonn is currently running an exhibition called "Very British" about Germans' stereotypes of the Brits, and advertising the exhibit is a large, unweildly teacup. Some Germans believe that Brits drink up to 10 cups of tea a day, in contrast to Germans' "Kaffee und Kuchen" (coffee and cake) culture.
The world's top tea drinkers are in Germany
While the British and the Turks may be famous tea drinkers, a coastal region in the northwest of Germany, East Frisia, now holds the world record in tea drinking.
While Germany itself ranks as number 84 on the list of tea-drinking countries, with a per capita consumption of 28 liters, the natives of East Frisia drink, on average, more than anyone else in the world, as now confirmed by the Records Institute for Germany. Annual tea consumption there is about 300 liters per capita—a whopping 100 liters more than the average consumption in the UK.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/H. Lossie
East Frisian tea culture
In East Frisia on Germany's North Sea coast, a tea ritual for staving off the rainy cold has developed over the years. A strong black mix consisting mainly of Assam leaves, the tea is brewed in a pot and served in porcelain cups with a piece of white or brown rock sugar (known as Kluntje) in the bottom. Add a spot of cream afterward for a milky effect — though be warned, stirring is not allowed!
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Waffles and tea as a substitute for cake and coffee?
The common Sunday ritual of enjoying a leisurely chat over coffee and cake can also include a pot of hot tea and waffles. With tea the leading drink the world over, it's no wonder coffee isn't on the menu for everyone. In East Frisia, where the tea ritual is strong, it is said to be rude to your host if you walk away after having anything less than three cups.
The Hamburg-based German Tea Association holds an annual Tea Tasters' Panel to assess tea samples for their characteristics and verify the claims on the labels as regards origin and quality. If you're not a part of the panel, you can book your own tea sampling at the Bünting Teemuseum in Leer.
Tea is the most popular drink in the world—even beating coffee. Worldwide consumption is forecast to reach to 297 billion liters by 2021. According to the German Tea Association, Germans prefer black to green at a ratio of nearly 3:4. They're more evenly divided about whether loose or bagged is better, with 60% preferring loose leaves to tea bags.
Image: Colourbox
Cornish cream tea
While British people take their tea and scones very seriously, the notion of putting cream into your black tea turns off many Germans, who prefer their tea black or with a lump of sugar.
Image: Imago/UIG
Peppermint, ginger and other assorted 'teas'
In cafes around the country, menus include fresh ginger and fresh peppermint herbal teas—a hot drink that many have come to love, but which the German Tea Association does not count as tea. For a drink to be considered tea, it needs to contain black or green tea leaves—something these homeopathic cold remedies do not do.
Image: picture-alliance/Arco Images/O. Diez
Herbal teas abound
A cure for what ails you. Whole supermarket aisles are dedicated to a diverse assortment of teas with names that might astound you. While some prefer to refer to the herbal concoctions by the names of their ingredients—a la cinnamon or sage tea—marketing brains have begun labeling tea according to ailments. There's now digestion tea, liver detox tea, post-partum tea and even sleepytime tea.
Image: Colourbox
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2. Crazy politics
Brexit may be the least of it — Germans have a perception of British politicians as eccentrics. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's international renown as a lovable buffoon has slowly altered in recent months as the Brexit date approaches.
Boris Johnson's Brexit antics have been closely followed in GermanyImage: Céline Rübbelke
German political commentators and comedians like Henning Wehn have made their name in the UK for their mockery of the Brexit process and old-fashioned British politics in general.
Germans are famous around the world for their love of sausage and schnitzel. Brits, meanwhile, face a far worse reputation in Germany itself. They are perceived as having awful food, with many dishes being either deep-fried or tasteless. The only upside is the universally popular fish and chips.
Boring food may be an unfortunate stereotype about Britain, but everyone loves fish and chipsImage: Imago
4. Politeness
This stereotype has been put under a great deal of pressure in recent years, but it still pervades: Those Brits are awfully polite chaps. Many Germans believe that Brits say sorry even when they are not to blame, ask "how are you?" an unnecessary amount of times and are generally very well-mannered.
5. 'Don't mention the war'
Over 70 years may have passed since the Second World War, but many Germans do not believe that British national memory is so short. British TV comedies such as "Fawlty Towers," which coined the famous phrase "Don't mention the war," have managed to cement this stereotype. Figures like this have become famous in Germany for their obsession with the war and disdain for the Germans.
John Cleese's 'Fawlty Towers' helped popularize the stereotype of the British fixation on World War IIImage: picture-alliance/Mary Evans Picture Library
Anti-EU rhetoric also referenced Germany and World War II in the run-up to the Brexit vote.
6. Royal family obsession
Having got rid of all their own aristocracy after World War I, many Germans believe that Brits are obsessed with theirs. Although the Queen only performs a ceremonial role in modern Britain, her role in Brexit, including claims that Boris Johnson lied to her, have highlighted longstanding British royal traditions.
The Queen only plays a ceremonial role in British politics, but recent headlines might suggest otherwiseImage: Reuters/T. Akmen
7. Queuing
They don't know if Brits love it or love to hate it, but regardless, Germans believe Brits do spend a lot of time standing in line. The quaint perception of the British "Warteschlange" (line) is well-known in Germany as another example of Brits being polite.
8. Sense of humor
The famous British wit and irony is well-known in Germany, often through TV shows such as "Mr Bean" and "Monty Python". "Dinner for One", a 1960s British comedy skit virtually unknown in the UK, has a cult following in Germany. Shown every year during the festive season, it is the most repeated TV show ever in the world.
'Dinner for One' has developed a cult following in Germany, though it's virtually known in the UKImage: picture-alliance/United Archives/S. Pilz
9. Pop music
The stereotype that all British music is great may be flagging in recent years, but iconic names of the '60s and '70s like The Beatles and The Sex Pistols remain vivid in German national consciousness. British pop music, Germans believe, was once the greatest of all time, even if it is no more.
10. Football hooligans
The football rivalry that some say stems from the World Cup in 1966, where England narrowly beat West Germany in the final, has continued to the modern era, and with it comes a slightly unhappy stereotype. Brits in Germany have a reputation, as in other parts of the world, for "hooliganism" — aggressive and often drunk behavior at football matches. Thankfully, this stereotype is running out of steam.
England and Germany have a football rivalry dating back to the 1966 World Cup finalImage: Imago/Pressefoto Baumann
