Why were the German's referred to as "Huns"???

[Miss Neecerie]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huns


The term "Hun" has been also used to describe peoples with no historical connection to what scholars consider to be "Huns".
On July 27, 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion in China, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany gave the order to "make the name 'German' remembered in China for a thousand years, so that no Chinaman will ever again dare to even squint at a German". This speech, wherein Kaiser Wilhelm invoked the memory of the 5th-century Huns, coupled with the Pickelhaube or spiked helmet worn by German forces until 1916, that was reminiscent of ancient Hun (and Hungarian) helmets, gave rise to later English use of the term for the German enemy during World War I. This usage was reinforced by Allied propaganda throughout the war, and many pilots of the RFC referred to their foe as "The Hun". The usage resurfaced during World War II.



so no relation....and for what its worth....Hungarians call themselves Magyar...not Hungarian.

The names "Hun" and "Hungarian" sound alike, but differ in etymology. The name "Hungarian" is derived from a Turkish phrase "onogur" which means "ten tribes", which possibly refers to a tribal covenant between the different Hungarian tribes that moved into the area of today's Hungary at the end of the 9th century.

 

[Lincsong]

Excellent.:eusa_clap I will link this to Mr. Know-it-all so he can learn himself.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Excellent.:eusa_clap I will link this to Mr. Know-it-all so he can learn himself.

glad to have been of help...

I knew that hungarians are Magyar in hungarian...so went from there in looking stuff up as to why.

So even though friend is right that germans should not be called huns......he is wrong about it having much to do with hungarians either....since they -may- or may not have been huns...but etymologicially not related to the word hungarian at all...

 

[vonwotan]

When I lived in Koln, I attended Carneval with friends. The largest parade group and largest group of celebrants during this roving party are the "Huns." During the day, being somewhat smaller than the average hun, I was passed from one set of broad shoulders to the next and paraded around to meet friends, relatives and to attend parties with my host family.

It seems that certain groups of Germans are quite happy to call themselves Huns.

 

[vonwotan]

Here is a photo of a "Hun" during Carneval in Cologne.

 

[KL15]

Did soldiers use the term "Hun" in WWII? I knew they did in WWI. In the stories I hear about WWII I usually hear "kraut" or "gerry." Just curious.

 

[reetpleat]

I imagine there would be some spill over from wwI to wwII in use of the term.

A brief internet search did not reveal a better explanation, but the explanation of the Kaiser's comment seems far fetched. I would think there might be a better explanation. But didn't find one yet.

I did notice that the hunnic empire did stretch as far as Germany.

Also found a site that suggest there might well be a connection between Hungarians and Huns, although not through etymology alone.

Interesting question. I wondered about it years ago, but never followed up.

 

[RetroModelSari]

Honestly I never heard anyone call me a hun yet lol And I never heard any other Germans calling themselves huns either. I´ll ask my boyfriend since he knows more about "war stuff" though.

 

[Smithy]

Did soldiers use the term "Hun" in WWII? I knew they did in WWI. In the stories I hear about WWII I usually hear "kraut" or "gerry." Just curious.

Hun was used a huge amount during WWII by the British and Commonwealth armed forces, especially the air forces. In fact it was probably the most commonly used term for the Germans within the RAF during WWII.

Kraut was mainly used by US forces, and Jerry was originally a British term which was also common within British and Empire armed forces.

 

[Edward]

Oddly enough, in Glasgow nowadays fans of Glasgow Rangers FC (soccer team) are often referred to as "huns" by supporters of rival teams. No idea why, though presumably it has some connection to the wartime usage of the term as a label for "the enemy."

 

[John in Covina]

I always thought it might have a general relation to the idea of the rampaging hordes of Attila the Hun.

 

[Edward]

John, that sounds plausible to me. A lot of terminology that people came to use in the 20th Century wasn't strictly historically accurate, so there isn't necessarily a direct link between Germans (or Rangers fans lol ) and the original "Huns".... much like Goths of today vs Goths in the ancient world, possibly!

The prime example of this is "Philistine" - as any archaeology undergraduate will tell you, the way we use "Philistine" now is a complete misnomer, as the ancient Philistines actually had a very advanced culture, very developed in the arts etc for its time.

 

[Smithy]

Edward and John I believe you are right, it was a reference to "barbarous", threatening hordes from "the east" (from Britain's perspective) which was the view cultivated during the Great War.

 

[dhermann1]

Picky picky

This has been an interesting and worthwhile thread. However there's something that's been driving me crazy every time I click on it. The apostrophe. It should be "The Germans". Sorry, hate to be a pill. Apostrophe for possessive, no apostrophe for plural. Exception: (exceptions are the bane of the English language) "ITS" and "IT'S". ITS is the possessive of it, and IT'S is the contraction of IT IS. Yes IT'S confusing!
Thanks for indulging me, people.

 

[cookie]

Honestly I never heard anyone call me a hun yet lol And I never heard any other Germans calling themselves huns either. I´ll ask my boyfriend since he knows more about "war stuff" though.

We had a German guy in our town who called his restaurant "Sweet Kraut" as opposed to "Sauer Kraut" I supposelol lol

 

[cookie]

Oddly enough, in Glasgow nowadays fans of Glasgow Rangers FC (soccer team) are often referred to as "huns" by supporters of rival teams. No idea why, though presumably it has some connection to the wartime usage of the term as a label for "the enemy."

Probably something to do with their tactics???[huh] [huh]

 

[Jovan]

Hun was used a huge amount during WWII by the British and Commonwealth armed forces, especially the air forces. In fact it was probably the most commonly used term for the Germans within the RAF during WWII.

Kraut was mainly used by US forces, and Jerry was originally a British term which was also common within British and Empire armed forces.

Enemy at the Gates' researchers sure didn't do their research. The Russians in the movie call Germans "Krauts," when in reality they referred to them as Fritz. I think a few of the Americans and Commonwealth referred to them as that as well, so I guess there's no reason the Russians couldn't borrow their term either...

 

[Twitch]

Huns as in Attila the Hun is where the term came from classing the Germans with the barbarians.

Hun was used in WW II. The classic example was describing for pilots to "beware of the Hun in the sun," describing a standard attack position.
Thr Russians called them Frirz and the Brits used Jerry where the Americans used kraut or hun. The Germans callled the Russians Ivans, the Brits Tommys and the Americans Amis.

 

[Smithy]

Hun was used in WW II. The classic example was describing for pilots to "beware of the Hun in the sun," describing a standard attack position.

This saying actually originated during WWI in the RFC, and was oft repeated by flight commanders along with Mannock's famous advice, "Gentlemen, remember, always above, seldom on the same level, never underneath."

As an example of the usage of the term "Hun" in WWII, I have a collection of letters of one of my great uncle's (he was with the NZEF fighting in North Africa and Italy), and throughout his letters home he constantly refers to the Germans as Huns or as "the Hun".

 

[LadyDeWinter]

Honestly I never heard anyone call me a hun yet lol And I never heard any other Germans calling themselves huns either. I´ll ask my boyfriend since he knows more about "war stuff" though.

Neither do I. I haven't ever head the word hun for a German. As John said for me huns were Attilas hords. Really strange.