What do German's think of American's who CLAIM to be German?

Thank you for watching me, a humble American, react to What do German's think of American's who CLAIM to be German?

Thanks for subscribing for more German reactions every weekday!

Join as a member to get the ridiculous emojis and badge!

Got a video request? You can fill out this form!

Got a fun local news story? Submit it here!

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS

[headhunter]

Calling it the "mother"land is the first sign they're clearly not a German

[klarasee]

I don‘t mind when people from the US say they have German roots, German ancestors or something. Why would I? That’s nice!
But when they literally claim to be Germans… no. Just no.
Just because your great grandmother sometimes made a German apple cake, you are not German. At all.
Best thing was this girl on the internet who said her family was German, so they treasured the "German tradition“ of hanging a pickle into the Christmas tree. How to say you are an American without saying you are an American…

[K__a__M__I]

The thing is, they're celebrating some weird, twisted Disney version of "German-nes". Most German immigrants came from Swabia and Northern Germany...but their american decendants run around in bavarian Tracht and celebrate Oktoberfest. Their ancestors would be puzzled to horrified to learn their great-great-grand-kids are celebrating the wedding of the Bavarian monarch.

[Dr_Klops]

I'm a sailor!
So you work on a ship?
Well not me, but my great grandfather did!

[millipedepaws]

Being german means so much more than just heritage. In the last 200 years german culture changed so much. We lived through two repressive dictatorships, we had 2 wars that changed the german culture and mentality for ever. A culture forms around shared experiences and the way it is handled. People that grow up in germany will learn this way of thinking. Someone whos parents immigrated to germany and was raised here is definitly more german that someone whos family left 200 years ago. Being german means that you contribute to society in germany in some form. You can pay taxes, you can work no profit, you can join a Club...the defining element of being german is participation in the way we live and sharing our burdens by contributing the way you are able to. If you live somewhere else and have no connection exept your genes, you only have german heritage, but you are not german.

[benxiro]

sometimes i think that Ryan should try having a german sidekick who is able to give him more context about the things he is talking about.

[MrHerrS]

"... they are pure blood" ..."they are better"
That's exactly what he, who shalled not be named, said ...

[ytlftuu]

The disgusted look of Angela Merkel when D. Trump claimed german heritage was so funny.

[JamesTKirk-gshf]

It wouldn't bother me if it just was "I'm german" But the "pure blood" thing instantly brings my mind to WW2 and the holocaust...

[nellitheretrogamer]

This was probably my biggest cultural shock the first time I visited the U.S. I found that Americans NEVER say that they are American, they always say that they are Italian or Irish or whatever, which really means that that's where their came from. I was totally confused about it at first, like, what, are you also just visiting? I thought that you live here. From my point of view, if you were born and raised in America, then you are American. Who the f cares where your ancestors came from? I'm Finnish and like one of the commenters there, I barely know where my grandparents came from. What does it matter?

[grimmbartrides]

It's kinda cute when Americans say things like that. But to me, if someone says something like "I'm German", "I'm Norwegian", "I'm Turkish" or whatever, then at the very least I expect them to speak the language. For me that's the sine qua non for identifying with any nationality or heritage. That's really all I can say about it.
Of course anyone gets to identify as whatever they want, but if you proudly tell me you're "German" and then it turns out the only German words you know are Oktoberfest and Lederhosen, then pardon me but I'm not taking you seriously.

[LudwigRohf]

I met a guy in the US who said "I'm German". So I asked: "Do you speak German? Do you have any connection to German culture?" He answered: "My blood is German, and I know some German: Doitschländ Doitschländ uber alles!"
I told him better not to speak German in public, if he ever visits.

[melina]

The claiming to be German thing to me - as a German - just sounds pretty weird. I guess it’s common knowledge that in Germany national pride is seen in a mostly bad way because of our history. So yeah, we Germans consider ourself German, but its seen pretty weird to be proud of it. And claiming to be German even though like ‚you don‘t have to be‘ to me seems like being REALLY proud of that. Which then immediately shows that you can‘t actually be German😂

[thomasbuchler]

7:15 would be kind of funny to find a Neanderthal in Africa, while the "Neandertal" (the region) is in Germany ;)

[Verwaygen]

My dad has American citizenship but moved to Germany when he was seven ad I wouldn't even really call him American, let alone myself. Sure, for bureaucratic purposes he is American, but culturally he is German and so am I. Like he doesn't even speak English anymore, (despite his father being American and not speaking any German) and I only started learning English at the age of 15. Also, both of us feel that there is a very real difference between toast and bread, which I think is the most universally applicable test of whether you're German or not. (Side note: If you know the difference but get angry at being called German, then you're Austrian). But culture isn't genetic, it's learned. So why would someone without an understanding of German culture or German citizenship be German? I'm not offended by someone in the US is saying that they are, but it does strike me as odd. The irony is, that as far as the people who told me this in person are concerned, I think they're telling me things like that to kinda say "hey look we have something in common we can bond over", except that normally my reaction to meeting a German abroad would be "Oh God, another one, I was trying to get away from you people. Do we have to be everywhere?!". And in these instances it goes even further bc it kinda highlights how culturally different we are. I mean if a German is telling me they're a "proud German" my first thought is "they're a N*zi". I don't think that about Americans, but again, rather than making us bond it just highlights differences between Americans and "actual" Germans.

[me]

I have family in America and once when I visited a friend of them (~mid 30s) said to me at a party that see was German to. I started to speak German and than she got angry with me for embarrassing her LOL 😂

[paulbeneder]

A few words about nationality and beeing proud:

„The cheapest form of pride, however, is national pride. Because in this he betrays the lack of individual qualities of which he could be proud, otherwise he would not take advantage of what he shares with so many millions. Rather, those who have significant personal merits will see most clearly the flaws of their own nation as they are constantly before their eyes. But every wretched idiot who has nothing in the world to be proud of takes the last resort of being proud of the nation he happens to belong to. He recovers from this and is now gratefully ready to defend tooth and nail all the mistakes and follies that are peculiar to her.“

Arthur Schopenhauer, German philosopher, author and university professor (1788-1860)

[Rakso]

I have a favourite restaurant. They sell Indian Food. They have the best Naan. The family owning it is of Indian descend. They speak perfect German, have a German passport, and most important: they pay their taxes. Those people are German. Don't claim to be German if you're not even paying taxes. Being German is costly. And, like any nationality, it's more than just some genes.

[stuborn-complaining-german]

The Neandertal example was very good, since the Neandertal is actually in Germany near Düsseldorf...😅.
--> a Neandertaler would indeed be a German...

[jarls]

Yea - been to the US many times. Never met an American tho! When they pick up on my Norwegian accent they immediately proclaim that they are; Swedish, Germany, Dutch, Irish, etc. 😄

It is a bit annoying. First of all - nobody seem to have ever set foot in the country they claim they are from. Second - they do not seem to realize that everybody - including us Europeans - "come from somewhere".