[World Cup] The world's view of Germany - has it changed?

[Jürgen Hubert]

So now that the World Cup is over, I was wondering if the event has changed the world-wide perception of Germany in any way. What are your thoughts on this?

Oh, and I'd also like to see any online articles and blog entries written during and after the World Cup that don't focus on the games and the teams, but the host nation, and how the reporters experienced and perceived it. Can you give me any links?

 

[Morrus]

It hasn't changed my view at all. Not sure why it would!

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

It hasn't changed my view at all. Not sure why it would!

Well, there always was this reputation of Germans as dour people who don't know how to party...

 

[Morrus]

Well, there always was this reputation of Germans as dour people who don't know how to party...

Unfortunately, I didn't pay much attention to any news segments about Germans partying! Sorry!

I did watch a lot of the games, of course. And all the England games. Most of the English media seemed to be concentrating on the English WAGs. Not my sort of thing!

 

[Perun]

Just the other day, a local radio-station discussed how great the Germans were to not (overly) raise prices of food and lodging. I haven't really paid attention to the whole discussion, so this might not be the case for large cities, but I remember the host saying that a lot of Croats found quality lodging in smaller towns and villages. Some even had signs in Croatian. It made many people pleasantly surprised.

This is kind of surprising for us, because here, in tourist paradise that is Croatia, some of the "good hosts" would bleed your wallet dry if they thought they could get away with it.

 

[fuindordm]

I remember hearing that the German bartenders were astonished at the drinking capacity of the English, and were running out of stock much more often than they expected!

Ben

 

[Klaus]

All local news here in Brazil showcased the hospitality of the German people, and how the Cup (and specially, the National Team) evoked back a sense of pride in their unified nation that was a bit subdued since the end of WWII. They mentioned how people were no longer afraid of displaying the German flag and singing the anthem in a show of unity. It seems the Cup erased the last remainders of the Wall scars.

Of course, all based on Brazilian reporters working in Germany. I'm just relaying what I've read.

 

[Teflon Billy]

Well, there always was this reputation of Germans as dour people who don't know how to party...

Then my opinion hasn;t changed (I lived there for a bit, in Hamburg, and was a supporter of FC St. Pauli).

Germans can party

 

[johnsemlak]

I would imagine most people who watched the WC concentrated on the matches.

Here's some links you requested:

WashingtonPost WC blog entries:

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/worldcup/2006/06/german_hospitality.html

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/worldcup/the_scene_in_germany/

WP article
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/03/AR2006070300974.html

 

[Fell Poopsmith]

Since WWI, Germany has transformed itself into one of the most socially progressive, socially diverse, and environmentally conscious countries in the world. The caliber of the germans I meet never fails to impress.

But what do I know, I'm just a poopsmith.