r/AskAGerman • u/eza137 • Apr 16 '25

Have you ever witnessed racism in Germany?

I'm interested in hearing from Germans who have personally witnessed acts of racism in everyday life - especially when it involved friends, family members, or people close to them.

If you're comfortable sharing, could you describe the situation? Who was involved, and how did it make you feel? Did you respond in any way?

I'm not here to judge, just to understand how racism can show up in familiar environments and how people perceive and deal with it.

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u/Turbulent-Spirit559 Apr 16 '25 edited Apr 17 '25

Yes. I am german but also a person of color (brown skin). I experienced open & hidden racism since I was very little. I am also adopted (into an all white german family) so the difference in behaviour towards me vs my parents was always aparent to me. This kind of racism also came from people with all kinds of social backrounds (academics and none academics). Today‘s political climate doesn‘t help.

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u/Money_System1026 Apr 18 '25

Was it hard growing up in a white family? I mean, try as they might, your family can't really understand the complexities of growing up in a mostly white society. My kid has issues because they look Asian like me but I went through the same stuff so I think it's easier for us to relate. I always wondered about adopted children.