Is Germany safe for Americans right now?

This is discussed on Cameron Hewitt's blog https://blog.ricksteves.com/cameron/2025/03/americans-welcome-europe-2025/

Of course it is safe for Americans

but my family says it’s not safe for Americans in Germany right now due to the politics.

Did they give concrete examples or say what exactly they mean by this?

Germany is safer for everyone than the USA.

I got some push back on my blog comment in an email. So, two possible answers.

1. Yes it's safe.

2. If someone wanted to bloviate on the subject, rather than a gross over generalization, they would explain that the countries of Europe are more varied in their political views than the US states are. Within the countries the views are at least as varied as they are within most US states. Depending on where you are in Europe if someone did bring up the subject, and in my experience living in Europe that is highly unlikely, but if they did, your response runs equal odds of "that a boy" as it does a frown. No matter what your response was.

Would you not have heard, seen, or read about it already if an American had been assaulted or killed in Germany over politics? This kind of thing is commonly reported these days. And there are so many reporters out there who would give up their first child just to have their name on a report that connects today's politics with deadly outcomes.

Two years ago, it was in the news that an American woman was killed at Neuschwanstein. The offender was an American male who attempted some some sort of sexual assault.

I remember reading also that a German citizen who was taking a walk on a dedicated walking path was killed recently when a US soldier lost control of his military vehicle, left the roadway, and ended up running her over.

So maybe it's a teeny bit dangerous there, like everywhere else, but probably not because of GERMAN animosity toward Americans or their politics.

I do not see any news or police report numbers that "Americans" - I guess you mean US Americans - were attacked in Germany.

The mood: this week results of a survey conducted in Germany and the USA were published (client was German left-liberal think tank Progressives Zentrum). Some numbers:

• Only 11% of Germans still see the United States as an ally with the same values at the beginning of 2025. In the previous year, this figure was still 20%.
• In the USA, on the other hand, the proportion of those who see Germany as an ally has even risen slightly to 36% following Donald Trump's election victory.
• But that does not mean that people are in favor of the two nations being against each other. 11% of Germans and just 6% of Americans see each other as rivals or even opponents, as the new US president apparently does.

A friend of mine does an online radio show from Berlin every other week. It's a combination of punk rock music and commentary on current events. I listened to part of the show this week and had the impression that Germans are more perplexed (and disappointed) about what is going on in the US than angry about it. I'm looking forward to seeing him in August so that we can talk more about it.

I am heading there in a little less than two weeks, I have no concerns at all.

Since I am fond of a beer hall or two, and willing to share a table, I expect some questions, but honestly, I am as baffled as they are. Topics at a common table will veer to politics, but really, for most interactions, people will be polite and respectful.

I do suggest leaving your red hat at home. /s

Paul, you know where i live. I'm retired so I am out every day. I have a good social network here. It's a liberal city by current European standards and I have yet to get one question other than a few from those asking about the welfare of my friends in Ukraine. It is exactly what I would expect in Texas if things were reversed.

MarkK, "same" is an absolute, then if as you say it was combined with ally; sure, the numbers will be low. You might get the same numbers in the most liberal corner of Berlin that you would get in the most conservative corner of Eastern Germany, but for totally different reasons. A survey with very little context.

Suffice to say, American tourists are appreciated today no differently than 2 years ago.

Mr É, just your opinion. I recommend not to underestimate in what points very different opinion heads of a country can have one closed opinion, also across state and country borders. And we have currently a lot of hard and detailed numbers on this. We know on every major public topic which age group, which gender, which political party follower and which working class is thinking what or agreeing / disagreeing to certain statements. On some issues we have panels showing the dynamics over time.

Back to topic:

it’s not safe

I was asking what it means for OP for a good reason because safety feeling is emotion. A lot of safety guarantees were posted here without understanding what OP's understanding of safety is. Not critically asked about current situations? Not addressed about felt offenses of officials? 99.x% sure, nobody will search tourists to attack them physically.

And without opening politics here (community guidelines) I want to mention that are intercultural issues which do not relate to any actual administration on both sides. There are commonalities and also some fundamental differences.

I agree to your suffice but like to widen it to all tourists.

Yes, OP, what do you mean by "safe"? I have to wonder what your family is basing that on. There always seems to be something going on in the world that pisses people off.

Physical violence? Probably less than on the streets of most US cities and certain parts of rural America. Verbal confrontation? Most people everywhere are indifferent to your presence. Someone wants a discussion - I'm all for it. A confrontation - no reason to participate. Same as here: avoid the wrong situations - violent demonstrations, places where people are drunk, or have an obvious chip on their shoulders. Use your normal judgement.

Any current situation can't predict the future. Plans will always be overtaken by events. And report back if you go.

I live here. There is no reason to be anxious or worried. Just because a good portion of the Germans do not like certain politicians or businessmen in the US, does not mean they flip out on visiting Americans.
What your family told you is BS. What are they basing this on?

I do not think it is even close to an issue, but things change. As always don't be the loud American across the room. Steer clear of protests.

Just today another round of possible US forces out of Germany and questions of NATO support. There was also mention of reciprocal tariffs beginning 2 April in the 4 March address. 800 million towards infrastructure and defense in Germany. Poland announces military training plan for all men. Read the room.

I am heading to Germany in September and October for Oktoberfest and lots of other events, museums, etc. I have absolutely no concern about my safety or of those traveling with me. If anything, I'm more concerned about someone attacking a German crowd I am standing in than I am about someone targeting me as an American.

Would love to hear what specifically your family is concerned about regarding American tourists visiting Germany or anywhere else in Europe.

Ms Jo, the OP's family probably read some click bait poll. The sad thing is that when something important does get printed we are all so burned out by the hype that we ignore it. This is a tourist site and not one first hand account any place in Europe or even a link to an occurance; of any form of lack of any safety or even a rude question due to politics. But we have surveys! LOL. Nonsense.

And if you gave me 10 instances against the two million or so US tourists in Europe so far this year, it would be statistically meaningless.

my family says it’s not safe for Americans in Germany right now due to the politics

US politics or German politics?

No first hand experience/info, but your question, as posed, does have more than one interpretation.

This is discussed on Cameron Hewitt's blog https://blog.ricksteves.com/cameron/2025/03/americans-welcome-europe-2025/

Quoting from that blog:

When I asked each of our guests whether Americans would still be welcome in their country, they all said the same thing: Yes, of course! Why on earth wouldn’t Americans be welcome here?

There's really nothing more to say about the question.

Germany safe for Americans: any particular region? Politics or not, I'll be back there at the latest definitely by the second week in June, including eastern Germany.

I see the safety factor pertaining to politics in my travelling in Germany as irrelevant.

"...it’s not safe for Americans in Germany right now due to the politics."

What does "safe" mean here? Most of us have been downplaying the American's risk of physical assault, and rightly so.

We have not considered the risks of running our mouths like some of us might do at home. I bet most of us don't know that "free speech" is defined differently in Germany and that there can be legal consequences for stuff you say and write. Don't assume you are safe from the German system of justice.

• For years, Holocaust denial has been a criminal act.

• Due to recent changes in the law, "The approval, denial, and "gross trivialization" of war crimes and instances of genocide now falls under the criminal offense of 'incitement of the people' " - and this applies to events outside Germany too.

https://www.dw.com/en/germany-criminalizes-denying-war-crimes-genocide/a-63834791

• And don't assume your free-speech rights in Germany include flinging around the word "Nazi" (a MUCH- used/overused word here in the public sphere here the USA, as we are all aware.)

https://www.dw.com/en/is-it-illegal-to-call-someone-a-nazi/a-42313527

So I guess it's entirely possible that mkearns60's relatives might have been saying this: Americans are not safe from prosecution if they express themselves in Germany as freely as they might do in the USA, where such speech is tolerated and even encouraged by certain political movements.

Russ, thank you for such an excellent reply, I did not know those laws but I am very glad to learn of them.

Many of you on this forum have seen, written in wrought iron:

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it"

As for me, of course I feel safe in Germany.

wrong question, correct question "Is America safe for Germans right now?"

"Two German tourists detained at Otay Mesa Detention Center for weeks"
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/german-tourists-detained-otay-mesa-detention-center/3770608/

& an update: https://www.10news.com/news/team-10/it-is-like-jail-german-man-visiting-american-fiance-detained-by-ice-for-over-2-weeks

Brits too: https://bsky.app/profile/brokenfrontier.bsky.social/post/3ljxsnaqfe22k

I find it hard to believe that Americans are more likely to get killed or assaulted (just for being from the United States according to coincidence or fate or genetic accident) than tourists from any other country. In August 2024, I arrived in Munich and left from Frankfurt. I had taught myself some German phrases; I kept my mouth shut the vast majority of the time, I did not get assaulted or robbed. The employee in the visitor/immigration / passport stamping line at the airport asked for my return ticket. I was able to display it on a tablet computer after minimal tense effort to get wifi and e-mail to work. I will make sure I have a printed copy from now on. In London, England, in 2016, I took too long to make my evidence of a return ticket display and I had left my printed copy at home and they made me wait in the airport jail for almost 4 hours until the British officials finally interviewed me, searched my travel bags, and processed me in.

I didn't wear anything with American flags or political slogans; I dressed in hiking shoes, dark socks, long hiking pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and sun hat (not a baseball cap, shorts, white athletic shoes and socks, blue jeans, if any of that matters. It shouldn't matter but it does matter). I don't dress like a lot of American tourists. I was carrying a backpack and non-wheeled duffle bag which I guess makes me look like a low-budget "young person backpacker" instead of a successful American.

Americans are not safe from prosecution if they express themselves in Germany as freely as they might do in the USA, where such speech is tolerated and even encouraged by certain political movements.

In return, Americans can safely walk across someone else's property in Germany without fear of being legally shot. It is still not allowed to violate another one's property but with smoother legal consequences.

Gun control is also a pro in safety: in Germany we have appr. so many people killed by firearms per year as USA have per day (status 2022). OK, 4x the people in USA but still safer here.

Law understanding is one of the fundamental differences I wrote about. The German constitution bases on human rights incl. free speech (article 5 GG) and puts these into the first 20 articles of Grundgesetz (German constitution). The American constitution (link) does not even contain the word "human". Not saying good or bad, just surprised me and was a cultural learning. The question which constitutional rights and human rights has a non-American human being (e. g. a German tourist) on US ground was coming to my mind. But would lead off-topic here.

In return, Americans can safely walk across someone else's property in
Germany without fear of being legally shot.

So it's not really so different in Germany.

True, it's a crime to trespass in most of the USA. But it's NOT legal here to shoot trespassers unless they are also threatening to kill or maim you. A conviction of trespassing alone might result in a fine. Shooting trespassers will generally land you in the pen for a very long time.

And the exception is the difference what I meant.

Nobody can show the difference on the subject of 'free speech' better than this video. You just have to understand that the definition of free speech is different in Germany and the USA. There is no right or wrong... there is only an understanding of the rules and an acceptance that it works differently in every country.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzORB1cW25U