I always think castles. My dad went when I was 9 and he brought me back a bunch of stuff with pictures of castles, I wanna go too.

Don't think much of Germany or Germans but you guys are way, way better than Kiwis ...... they are the most morbid, sullen and suicidal lot I have the misfortune to meet and live with ..... the worst 5 painful years of my life !!! So yeah, Germany still bears the connotation of near perfect engineering and the best manufactured cars in the world !!

Oktoberfest!

I've been to Germany twice and can say that all the people I met there were wonderful and friendly and helpful - and most spoke English, which helped little ignoramus me... but I'm starting German lessons next month. :) If anyone's interested, here are some photos I took when there: http://www.flickr.com/photos/deemikay/sets/72157601442173728/

I'm of Jewish descent, I had relatives who lived in Germany, Poland and Hungary during the '30's and '40's I'll let you guess my answer.

Tall, blue-eyed blond people.

The Holocaust.

I think of a European with a neat language, Germany a awesome place to visit although I think Germans get a better reception here in the U.S., than we do in Germany. I have noticed some bring up the past, those generations responsible have almost all past on in life. To dwell on history and harbour ill will towards those who are or where not involved only insures that history will eventually repeat it self. Remember your history as a lesson, not as a marker for ill will.

Polite, clean, mostly civilized and well-educated. My wife spent some time there as an exchange student in the 1970's, and loved it. One time they were visiting a castle (Neuschwanstein? (spelling???) I know she was there, but I don't know if it was at this time) and someone from her host family said "I bet you don't even know what BMW stands for!". She said "Yes, I do! British Motor Works!" and she said they almost threw her off the castle. . I was going to ask a question on AB, but I didn't think I'd get any answers... maybe you have an opinion. World War 2 was a long time ago, with different people and different times, so I'm not trying to be antagonistic; I'm just interested in history. I've read that after WW2 most Germans blamed Hitler and the Nazis, and maybe the stupid Americans & British for siding with the USSR, for Germany's defeat, instead of accepting blame for the aggression and the holocaust. Did this attitude just gradually shift over the years, or was there some period of a few years where it shifted a lot? Was there some event which really helped shift the attitude, or did it just begin to seem like a new era once Germany really began to be rebuilt? Thanks.

hitler, a odd sounding language, and beer

Beautiful music! Mozart! Beethoven! Bach! Strauss! Brahams! Schumann! (and whoever else I've forgotten)

my father beer wurst ompa pa pa music mercedes-benz hitler

Good times and lost friends.

My family.. Sauerkraut.. Beer.. Oktoberfest.. Cleanliness

i hear that they have good pot and lots of beer. very good parties. and good food. i had an older gentalman from germany and when i went to shovel out his driveway he alway game me some kind of german pie and it was the best.

Das kann ich Deutsch sprechen.

I have relatives in Germany so I think about them.

Relatives :)

Hot blond German guys with cute accents.

BMWs and other great automobiles. Superb workmanship in machine technology and automobiles. My brother-in-law, he's German (his family is from Northern Germany, Bremen), and my nephew and niece who are half German, half Chinese. I love everything about Germany---from delicious bratwurst and sauerkraut to their language and national flag and culture.

1) I have been living in Munich for years, so I have many thoughts and I hear all the times things about Germany. I hear those things for instance in the German news, but I read also sometimes things on the internet. As I am French, I think having a somewhat different perspective as a German or as someone not living there. I find that Germany is a wonderful country, and the Germans are wonderful people. 2) Here are some highlights of Germany, from my point of view: Munich, Berlin & the Wall, Hamburg, Bach, Beethoven, Wagner, Richard Strauss, Kagel, Stockhausen, Kraftwerk, Deuter, Rammstein, Wir sind Helden, Sportfreunde Stiller, Brecht, Heiner Müller, Einstein, Heisenberg, Kant, Hegel, Heidegger, Dürer, Matthias Grünewald, die Brücke, der Blaue Reiter, Beuys, and many more... Unfortunately, Germany's history has also its very dark sides...

Hitler....Definately Hitler

This is what I think about when I think about GERMANY.The POMMIES won the Football World Cup Final in 1966 by beating WEST GERMANY,4-2.The POMS also came 4th in 1990,losing to ITALY 1-2. The GERMAN and WEST GERMAN teams on the other hand have appeared in a large swag of Finals. WEST GERMANY have won the World Cup Final 3 times in 1954,1974 and 1990....and were Runners Up in 1966,1982 and 1986.....WEST GERMANY also came 3rd in 1970 and 4th in 1958. As GERMANY,they were Runners Up in 2002,and also came 3rd in 1934 and 2006. And of course,this magnificent World Cup Finals Record causes much consternation,chagrin and gnashing of teeth by The POMMIES,who proudly invented the game!!!!!!! I also think of the terrific Autobahns,the magnificent forests,Germany as a farout place to hangout as a base to get to all the great neighbouring countries that are only several hours away. I will also remember all the fun loving German travellers I have met in Oz. AND OF COURSE I REMEMBER THE BEEEEEEER....and all the other BEEEEEEEER!!..."Well,some of it"

relatives, beer, blondes, efficiency and effectivenes, bayern munich

I think of the Black Forest, Berlin... I basically think of a foreign New York City :)

Nazis and beer

The great places we've visited there! Dresden, Berlin, and Cologne are my favorite German cities. Munich is great - very different from the others. The scenery is great. Cultural attractions are numerous. We'll go back, of course. One particularly fun visit occurred when my daughter-in-law was stationed at Bitberg AFB. We traveled to see them and then traveled around this extreme western part of Germany (and a bit of Luxembourg and France). If Hitler and the Nazis are honestly the main associations you have with Germany, try to visit Germany. I really think you'll have a great time.

WWI, II and the Holocaust.

I think of my grandparents. They were all originally from Germany. 2 of them were born there, and 2 were 1st generation Americans, whose parents were born there. I would like to see Germany, someday. I hear it's a beautiful country.

When I think of it the name autobahn just comes thru my mind. Different varieties of landscape within a small country. A country with high technical standards. Rolls with row meet on it for breakfast.

wicked amazing cars(VW group,Benz,BMW), amazing audio(AKG,Sennheiser,Harmon group,VOX) hospitality, great beer, and so many other good things :D

I love Germany and the language and i spend a lot of time trying to learn what i can about the country and its people. I am really interested in the place. My sister in law is German but i haven't seen her for years as they live right up in the top end of Australia. Yep - I reckon Germany is cool!

I used to think Holocaust and Nazi. But now I think Tokio Hotel. My favorite band. Becuase of them I think differently about Germany and I'm self-teaching myself the language and really want to go. You might think it's a stupid answer, but at least I don't think about Hitler anymore.

Beer Saurkraut That movie "Run Lola Run" Great language Great cities such as Berlin and Munich Castles Techno music Guys named Dieter Performance cars die Pünktlichkeit! (most importantly)

I often think of the lush forests and old castles and towns. I am part German myself.

bratwurst

Guten Tag Matze, I'm English and I absolutely adore Germany, it's people and it's culture. I've only been once to the Rhineland, but would kill to go again. The one word that sums up my obsession is ADMIRATION. Auf Wiedersehen.

Good beer

autobahn

It reminds me of the history of my blood and all the millenia before.

I am German living in the US and right now I am thinking a lot about Christmas markets and Gluhwein.