Nearly half of German young people have a positive or very positive view of Britain, with the English language, the Monarchy and the modern, multicultural nature of British society all being especially popular. 81% remember at least one British celebrity, with Robbie Williams, the late Princess of Wales and the Queen being most well-known.

Only 11% of Germans have a negative or very negative view of Britain, with political issues being cited as the main reasons for the dislike, particularly the strong British relationship with the USA,
a perceived British antipathy to the European Union and issues surrounding the Iraq war being quoted most often. Interestingly, more German youth dislike Germany (17%) than dislike Britain.

37% of British youth are positive or very positive about Germany, with German beer, schools and sports coming just ahead of an admiration for the perceived strength of the German economy and the quality of German cars.

Of the 17% of British youth with a negative or very negative opinion of Germans, a persisting memory of German militarism, perceived right-wing extremism and a lack of German manners or humour are all strong factors. A lack of German trendiness was felt in the UK, with 64% of British respondents unable to name a single German celebrity, although Claudia Schiffer was known to a minority.

Britain features more strongly on the German radar than vice-versa, with more than half of German young people having visited the UK. Only a third of young Britons have been to Germany. 98% of young Germans have some knowledge of English, with 25% being fluent English-speakers. Less than a quarter of their British counterparts claim to have any knowledge of German.

Kathryn Board Director of the British Council in Germany said:
"With the European Union soon to expand to as many as 27 countries, the opinions of the next generation of Europeans in two of the most important member states are of great significance. The mixed messages we are receiving show that the cultural relations work of the British Council and the Goethe Institute is needed now more than ever".

Ulrich Sacker, Director of the Goethe-Instituts London said:
"The survey shows more than half the young people in Britain are not properly informed about modern Germany and base their perceptions on the constant diet of war films and programmes about the Holocaust on television. It is a historical view and there is a lack of information and ignorance about contemporary Germany. By contrast, Germans like modern British culture."

The survey has been launched at a press conference on 3rd July 2003 at the Goethe Institute in London by Dr Ulrich Sacker and Kathryn Board.


Key findings / detailed results

• Young Britons' perceptions about Germany (PP, 780 Kb)
• Young Germans' perceptions of the UK (PP, 625 Kb)
  
  
• Young Britons' perceptions about Germany (PDF, 1,4 Mb)
• Young Germans' perceptions of the UK (PDF, 1,5 Mb)

Further information in the UK
Guy Roberts / Harry Cummins
Press Officers
British Council, 10 Spring Gardens, London SW1A 2BN
tel +44 (0)20 7389 4872 or 020 7389 4268
e-mail guy.roberts@britishcouncil.org / harry.cummins@britishcouncil.org

Further information in Germany
Detlef Thelen
Communications Manager
British Council, Alexanderplatz 1, 10178 Berlin, Germany
tel +49 (0)30 31 10 99 64
e-mail detlef.thelen@britishcouncil.de

		Goethe-Institut Deutschland: "Gemischte Gefühle" - Deutsch-britische Umfrage 2003
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