The Hindu : German envoy attacks British xenophobia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 10, 2002

International

International

German envoy attacks British xenophobia

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON DEC. 9. Asians and blacks call them racists, the Jews think they are anti-semitic, Americans have complained of widespread anti-Americanism in Britain despite the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair's "special relationship'' with the U.S. President, George W. Bush , and now the Germans are protesting at the way they are perceived here.

The new German Ambassador to Britain, Thomas Matussek, has provoked a row after he attacked British schools and the media accusing them of fuelling xenophobia. He said the German history taught in schools here focussed too much on Germany's Nazi past causing a whole generation of British children to grow up with a negative image of his country.

They were not told enough about modern Germany and were instead fed on the German stereotype, he complained and called for a fresh look at the history curriculum.

``I was very much surprised when I learned that at A-level one of the three most chosen subjects was the Nazis. I think it is very important that people know as much as possible about the Nazi period and the Holocaust. But what is equally important is the history of Germany in the past 45 years and the success story of modern German democracy. This is necessary to convey to young people that the Germans have learned their lesson and that they have changed,'' he told The Guardian in an interview.

Mr. Matussek also criticised the media for perpetuating a clichéd view of Germany and its people. "A lot of what is reported about Germany is not so much based on direct knowledge.

The repetition of clichés and the repetition of stereotypes is sometimes a substitute for reality,'' he said.

His angry remarks, which had an echo of similar criticism of British attitudes in a German magazine, followed an attack on two German teenagers on a holiday trip to Britain.

It is alleged that the boys, who were playing football with their British neighbours, were attacked after someone said they were German. It is also alleged that other German children in the team were called "Nazis''.

Mr. Matussek blamed the attack on xenophobic tabloid headlines. "It ceases to be funny when little kids get beaten up,'' he said and despite the severity of his attack sober Britons agreed.

Recent surveys have shown British school children to be among the most insular "Europeans'' in Europe.

They don't know enough European languages, know even less about European culture, and show little interest in the history of their Continental neighbours .

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