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No, no, no! That's a common misperception. It's a tribal name that a bunch of racists co-opted and distorted! The name of the country, Iran, is a variant of the word "Aryan". The early Indo-European people who created a civilization in the Central Asian desert called themselves "Aryans", historical fact. (Some of them migrated south, and populated the territory of present-day Iran.) It's time to reclaim this ethnonym and de-stigmatize it. It's almost impossible to discuss certain aspects of Indo-European and Central Asian archaeology and genetic research without using this term, so the hysteria surrounding it needs to go. The time is long overdue. A bunch of war criminals and deranged racists don't deserve to retain so much power over the term and hold it hostage.
That may very well be so but that's not the people that are referred to when people use the word "aryan". The post I responded to was one where the word "aryan" was used to refer to blond, blue-eyed northern Europeans like it's a race. It's not. "Aryan", as we commonly know it, does not exist. People don't refer to Iranians when they speak of Aryans.
That may very well be so but that's not the people that are referred to when people use the word "aryan". The post I responded to was one where the word "aryan" was used to refer to blond, blue-eyed northern Europeans like it's a race. It's not. "Aryan", as we commonly know it, does not exist. People don't refer to Iranians when they speak of Aryans.
A lot depends on context. Aryans tended to be blonde or red-haired. That would make the Irish Aryans, too ("Eire" is a variant of "Aryan"). I don't see anything wrong with saying blond Germanic types (including Swedes and Danes, and blond French) are of the Aryan type. There was a post pointing out that Hitler and some of his leadership were clearly not of that type, which is ironically true. I think the term has its place in a discussion like this. But if you're referring to pigeon-holing Germans, or blond Germans as THE representatives of that type, or referring to it as a "race", I can how that may bring up old baggage and be inaccurate.
Reminder: the OP is Asian. He was wondering how to distinguish Germans from other Europeans. Maybe those of us of German descent don't care, but someone from another part of the world might be curious as to how to differentiate the different nationalities within Europe. When I go to Asia, I notice the tremendous variety of different types. At home, I can easily distinguish Japanese/Koreans from Tibetans and Chinese. I sometimes play guessing games as to what country a European I come across during my day is from, trying to read facial characteristics. This is part of appreciating human diversity, I think the OP raises a fair question.
sheena12 asks: "But why does anyone need to distinguish Germans from any other people? Why does anyone care?"
Perhaps it is pride - you're the first in your family to search and find your families roots. Maybe it is curiosity?*You want to know who in modern day Germany most resembles your grandparents. Perhaps you want the connection -- you want to find a living link between North America and your
living cousins in Europe.
That wasn't what was asked. I would be interested in meeting any cousins I may have in Germany, and I am interested in genealogy. But trying to distinguish the features of Germans as opposed to other Europeans does not sound like genealogy.
Also the term "aryan" race when used in regard to Germans has been roundly discredited as hogwash. Racist pseudo science.
That wasn't what was asked. I would be interested in meeting any cousins I may have in Germany, and I am interested in genealogy. But trying to distinguish the features of Germans as opposed to other Europeans does not sound like genealogy.
Also the term "aryan" race when used in regard to Germans has been roundly discredited as hogwash. Racist pseudo science.
Imagine if someone started a thread asking how to distinguish Koreans from other Asians. It wouldn't last 2 seconds.
[quote=Faberge;24379168]I am German-American. Traced my German ancestry to the 16th century. No known mixes to that point. Not surprising because my grandparents and parents drummed into my head to only marry a German, which I did.
I have very dark hair, very light skin and blue eyes. Both parents have dark hair, fair skin and blue eyes. Grandfather had blonde hair, fair skin, blue eyes. Paternal Grandmother dark hair, fair skin, blue eyes. Maternal Grandmother, brown hair, fair skin, blue eyes. Maternal Grandfather very dark hair, fair skin, blue eyes.
Germans do have distinctive facial features. A good example is Queen Elizabeth II. Yes, she is of German ancestry, which is very interesting. Look at some of her younger pictures, as well.
Germans have larger noses, full jaws, broad shoulders....
So as to answer the question, anybody vaguely European/Eurasian can be a German, from Goebbels or Himmler to Peter Lorre or Hitler.
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What a bunch of crock!!! When your distant family left, Germany did not exist!!
Modern day Germany is Europe's crossroad. Every invading army during the last 4.000 to 5.000 years have left their imprint, so you can find from typical Alpine (most of the country) to Slavics, descendants of Huns, descendants of Romans, Balts, Danes and the trail left by massive rapes performed by armies (Napoleon, Lansknets, Tercios, Russians).
All the Nazi stuff is poppycock since most of Germany is not "ethnically Germanic". Historical Germanics left Germania and Ukraine 1500 years ago and they are now part of France, England, Italy, Iberia and North Africa. They were the barbarians that invaded the Western Roman Empire.
The vacant land, Germania, was occupied by Slavs, Huns, and people that did not belong to the large moving tribes that crossed the Rhine. The "Nazi" types were a scant minority from the German regions in contact with Danes. The so-called Prussians were Slavs-Baltics and most of the Nazi leadership did not even look European except Goering and Heydrich (a Jew).
So, just to answer the question of the OP, anybody with a vague European/Eurasian look can be a German, from Goering to Himmler to Brandauer (a Hun), any Slavic, Alpine, Mediterranean, Eurasian.
Last edited by Cocoricoco; 05-24-2012 at 10:55 AM..
It is stereotyping and it's not genealogy. I agree about the Korean thread. Would not last.
It's conjecture, speculation and personal experience.
The boarders of continental Europe changed so frequently through out the ages, and invasions were so common, that we are all probably more ethnicities than those we know.
Again, when looking for distant cousins, in Germany, I would not wander the streets of a German city in search of folks who look like me or my family!
Most of the people that left for America were not Germans, since Germany did not exist. Not likely to find direct ancestors, since most of those group were expelled and annihilated in Europe (Religious wars, etc). That's why they fled.
If some question was posed how to distinguish a from b would be deleted by a mod as racist.
Those talking about Germans forgot they like to start wars too, how's that for stereotyping?
Not sure what you're saying. Maybe if I was German I'd be smart enough to understand.
If you want to talk about starting wars or empire building, you need go no further than Great Britain - among the most warmongering and greedy nations the world has known. Btw I am of about 90% British ancestry so it's okay if I say that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sheena12
It is stereotyping and it's not genealogy. I agree about the Korean thread. Would not last.
It's conjecture, speculation and personal experience.
The boarders of continental Europe changed so frequently through out the ages, and invasions were so common, that we are all probably more ethnicities than those we know.
Again, when looking for distant cousins, in Germany, I would not wander the streets of a German city in search of folks who look like me or my family!
I'm not german nor do i have blond hair and/or blues eyes etc. nor do i even understand it however i really enjoy listening to the german language when spoken whether it's in pure german spoken amongst it's citizens or i a broken accent when they are speaking english here at one of our military bases as that language rocks
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Not sure what you're saying. Maybe if I was German I'd be smart enough to understand. 
