A Second World War veteran has claimed that “the German people don’t like us” and said he experienced their “disdain”.
Richard Forrester, 89, who has been back to Germany twice, said he gets “very angry at times”.
Asked what he gets angry about, he said: “The German people don’t like us you know.
“We’ve been back to Germany and wear our medals and they don’t like it. They don’t like it.”
He was speaking at a photocall on Horse Guards Parade in central London organised by the Royal British Legion to highlight events taking place in the capital next month to commemorate Victory in Europe Day (VE Day).
Mr Forrester, of the 2nd Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps, said the reactions in Germany were of “disdain” and “disapproval”.
When asked why he thinks he got that reaction, the veteran, from London, said: “Because they’re Germans and they don’t react like anybody else.”
He added: “I think what it is, the older generation and the children they’ve spoken to, they remember the destruction of Germany during World War Two and they don’t like the idea to think of the people who’ve done it.”
Asked if he thought they felt shame, he said: “No, they’re not ashamed. They’re annoyed.”
Mr Forrester said he does not want to return to Germany.
The Royal British Legion is calling out to veterans who would like to take part in the national VE Day commemorations in London.
The Legion would like to let veterans know that they and their carers will receive funding to put towards attending the event on the weekend of May 8-10.
Places will be available for a series of commemorative events over the weekend including on VE Day itself, Friday May 8, when a Service of Remembrance will be held at The Cenotaph, with a national two-minute silence at 3pm.
On Sunday, there will a Service of Thanksgiving at 11am at Westminster Abbey attended by the Queen, followed by a parade from the Abbey to Horse Guards Parade and into St James’s Park, where the Legion will host a lunch reception for the veterans.