antiGerman

Anti-German, or anti-Germanism, refers to hostility, prejudice, or discrimination directed at German people, the German language, or German culture on the basis of national origin or ethnicity. It can manifest as stereotypes, hate speech, social exclusion, vandalism, hate crimes, or policy measures that target people because they are German or are perceived to be German. It is distinct from criticism of government policy, although political rhetoric can conflate the two.

Historically, anti-German sentiment has appeared in many periods. In the 19th and early 20th centuries nationalist movements sometimes framed Germans as a threat to cultural or political order. During World War I, anti-German attitudes were widespread in Allied countries and among German-speaking communities abroad; governments and media promoted such views, and civilians faced discrimination, censorship of the German language in schools, and social pressure. In the United States, German-language instruction declined and German-named foods were renamed (the term liberty cabbage appeared in popular usage). In World War II, Allied propaganda reinforced hostile views of the German state and people; postwar reconciliation and memory work gradually reduced public hostility, though some stigma persisted.

In contemporary usage, anti-German sentiment can arise in discussions of immigration, economic policy, or nationalism, but modern democracies generally distinguish between criticizing a government's actions and attacking people on the basis of ethnicity. Academic discussion treats anti-Germanism as part of broader studies of xenophobia, nationalism, and minority rights.