In the decades following the world wars, British-German relations have often been framed through the prism of conflict, but a recent historical analysis highlights a more complex and nuanced relationship spanning several centuries. Historian Jan Rüger’s work traces the evolution of ties between the two nations from the early 18th century, challenging narratives that depict the conflict between Britain and Germany as inevitable.
The historical relationship began with the accession of Georg Ludwig von Braunschweig-Lüneburg, elector of Hanover, to the British throne as George I in 1714. His selection was primarily due to his Protestant faith rather than his German heritage, and at the time, being German did not carry the negative connotations it would later acquire in British discourse. For much of the 18th and 19th centuries, Britain and German-speaking states, particularly Prussia, maintained an “unusually close but ambiguous” alliance, united in part by opposition to French ambitions on the continent. This period saw extensive cultural and economic exchanges, including German influence on London’s merchant banking and the staging of classical composers such as Handel, Mozart, Mendelssohn, and Wagner in Britain.
However, these interactions were not without darker aspects. British support for early eugenicist theories contributed to ideas that later underpinned Nazi ideology. Notably, Houston Stewart Chamberlain, an English aristocrat, authored an influential anti-Semitic work that provided ideological fodder for German racial supremacist thought. Such developments complicated the cultural ties between the nations.
The unification of Germany in 1871 marked a turning point, fracturing the perceived shared strategic interests. Germany’s challenge to British naval dominance and its desire for greater influence on the European continent provoked apprehension in Britain. Kaiser Wilhelm II’s ambitions alarmed British policymakers and contributed to a growing rivalry, despite some calls within Britain for imperial isolationism. These tensions, combined with various political and economic factors, eventually culminated in the outbreak of the First World War.
The subsequent conflict and the rise of Nazi Germany further intensified hostilities, casting a long shadow over bilateral perceptions. Against this backdrop, attitudes in Britain during the late 20th century often reflected lingering distrust. In the 1990s, hostile sentiments towards Germany—sometimes described as “ritualized ‘Kraut-bashing’”—remained widespread in parts of the British political and media establishments. For example, a plan by then Prime Minister John Major to invite the German Bundeswehr to World War II commemorations was abandoned amid public controversy. Earlier, Margaret Thatcher had opposed German reunification, fearing the potential influence of a united Germany.
Nevertheless, not all British figures held these views. Christopher Mallaby, British ambassador in Bonn during reunification, argued that peaceful German unification represented a “peaceful victory for the west” and heralded an end to the Cold War. Over time, public attitudes began to shift. By the turn of the millennium, record numbers of Germans were settling in Britain, and following Brexit, many Britons sought German citizenship. The 2018 centenary of the 1918 armistice saw German military officials participating in commemorations with relatively little media attention.
Rüger’s analysis challenges the idea that conflict between Britain and Germany was predetermined by structural international dynamics, such as the rise and fall of powers. Instead, he emphasizes the complexity of historical events shaped by human decisions, miscalculations, and ideologies, including the profound impact of the Nazi regime’s atrocities. His work underscores that the shared history between the two nations encompasses more than wartime enmity, embracing cultural affinities and longstanding political interactions. This broader perspective offers a more balanced understanding of British-German relations beyond entrenched clichés.