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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThis is getting so bad
I'm actually worried about me having an obvious German surname. I have only rarely experienced prejudice and stereotyping because of it, but I can see it getting worse. I hope I'm wrong.
The irony is my dad climbed into a bomber 50 times to defeat those assholes.
gopiscrap
(23,761 posts)is having rocks thrown at me and calling me a Nazi, even though my family suffered for refusing to fight for Hitler
Mr.Bill
(24,303 posts)and my grandfather told me stories about taking the radio antenna off the roof of his house so he wouldn't be suspected of being a spy by his neighbors. Sounds silly now, but he was serious about it.
gopiscrap
(23,761 posts)Mr.Bill
(24,303 posts)all through the war he worked for the Glen Martin Company, a major defense contractor.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,733 posts)The Germans are now more anti-Nazi than anybody. The anti-German sentiments arising from WWII are almost certainly gone now.
Mr.Bill
(24,303 posts)came to the US in 1852. But there are still some people that have an unspoken reaction when they learn my last name. It's not that big of a deal, but I'm worried it's going to get worse.
ATL Ebony
(1,097 posts)After the Charlottesville fiasco, a drunk American was punched by a German because he stood on a street giving the Nazi salute and was yelled at to stop, the American responded but refused to stop so the German man just walked over and punched him in the face.
Blecht
(3,803 posts)The Germans don't allow Nazis anymore -- It's against the law there to use the Hakenkreuz or any other Nazi symbol.
Warpy
(111,274 posts)although they can claim eastern France these days. One great grandfather painted out his mailbox in WWI, informally changing his name to something he though sounded Swedish because he was tired of replacing vandalized mailboxes.
I get the trepidation. However, look at a lot of the names in neo Nazi land: WASP, Polish, Dutch, Russian, etc. I honestly don't think you've got much to worry about unless you get a fashie and start wearing khaki pants and white polo shirts.
I volunteer at the local hospital and the uniform includes a white polo shirt. You can bet I won't be wearing my khaki dockers with it any time soon.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,733 posts)very much any more, especially since Germany has completely repudiated Naziism and has made it and its symbols illegal (and Angela Merkel is now arguably "the leader of the free world" ). Very few of the known alt-righties and their ilk seem to have German surnames (but, coincidentally, Bob Mueller does).
Spider Jerusalem
(21,786 posts)cynatnite
(31,011 posts)My father came here as a child after the war and couldn't speak a word of English.
Nowadays, there's no way in hell I will ever bring that heritage up to anyone. It used to not bother me.
Mr.Bill
(24,303 posts)and come here, too? I'm glad your dad made it here.
cynatnite
(31,011 posts)My father barely remembers him.
Thanks!