Article
Challenging German Stereotypes in the Classroom
ID # 3763
While hosting a German exchange student during my junior year in high school, I realized just how prevalent German stereotypes really are. Although Germany is part of the western world, many Americans are presented with a very limited story of German history and culture. Germans (in America) are often welcomed with a barrage of jokes centered on Nazis and Jews, inquiries about German cars and the Autobahn, and sarcasm about the German traditions and cuisine. Contrary to popular belief Germany is not all that different from the United States.
Avoid over-emphasizing the history of Nazi Germany.
Within the school setting, Germany is usually presented to students within the context of World War II and through memoirs such as Night by Elie Wiesel and The Diary of Anne Frank. As a result, children learn about Adolf Hitler, the Nazi regime, and concentration camps but are given very little exposure to other aspects of Germanys history, culture, and placement within todays global society.
When discussing modern Germany, do not present German car culture as the exotic.
Due to commercials flaunting German engineering and the superiority of such automotive brands as BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and Porsche, Americans are flooded with the idea that all Germans drive high-performance, luxury cars. This is further amplified by the myth that There are no speed limits in Germany!
First of all, assuming that all Germans drive the above automotive brands would be just like assuming that all Americans drive Fords and Chevrolets. Secondly, many roads in Germany do have a strictly enforced speed limit. Overall, their car culture is not so different from ours.
Include information and examples from different regions of Germany.
After World War II, the American occupation zone consisted of Bavaria, Hesse, and portions of Baden-Württemberg. As a result, many stereotypes held by Americans about Germany stem from those regions, which are often associated with specific speech patterns, cuisine, and traditions. There is nothing wrong with teaching students about cuckoo clocks, Bavarian cream, and Lederhosen/Dirndl, but remember to include information and examples from outside of southern Germany as well!
Recommended Resources:
German Missions in The United States: Resources for Teachers
This website provides several great ideas for integrating fun lessons about Germany into your classroom.
http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/09__Language__Study__Exchange/01/03/__Resources__for__teachers.html
German History in Documents and Images
This website provides a collection of primary source documents and images relating to Germanys political, social, and cultural history from 1500 to the present.
http://germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org/
Created By
Stephanie Mathis
Hello everyone! My name is Stevie Mathis and I am a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I was born and raised in the small town of Marion, which is located in Western North Carolina. At an early age, I developed a passion for traveling and learning about other cultures. I’m currently following that passion by majoring in Global Studies (with a focus on nation-state politics and Western Europe) and minoring in History.
