Thread by @AndrewPRLevi

A brief history of the last 70 years of 🇩🇪 - 🇬🇧 relations. Short 🧵/1.

Many Germans, including much of the diplomatic establishment, felt like this about 🇬🇧. Often despite considerable provocation, especially in the English tabloids. /2.

Some, usually only in private, but then quite vehemently, had a different perspective on 🇬🇧.

But still, with 🇺🇸 in charge, even those 🇩🇪 sceptics felt able to work extremely closely with 🇬🇧. /3.

The 🇩🇪 enthusiasts for all things 🇬🇧 probably needed to drink a calming cup of Fortnum & Mason Darjeeling from their Union Jack mugs.

The less trusting contingent perhaps needed to lighten up a bit.

A realistic 🇩🇪 perspective on 🇬🇧 was always closer to 👇 /4.

And that’s the way it often worked out in practice. Which was great. Or, more accurately: fine.

What we’ve been seeing, with increasing intensity over the last 18 months &, even more worryingly, since autumn 2020, is 👇.

By no means only from 🇩🇪, of course. /5.

What’s happening now - let’s date it from @DavidGHFrost in @Telegraph on 7 March, questioning friendly 🇪🇺-🇬🇧relations (on which @GermanAmbUK commented) & now vaccines - is an implosion of 🇩🇪 trust in the basic credibility of 🇬🇧. Resulting in a feeling of👇/6.

None of this is at all funny. /7.

Other than 🇺🇸, 🇩🇪’s been 🇬🇧’s closest ally for 70 years.

A little understood point in 🇬🇧.

The mutual advantage, through various ups & downs, has been huge.

Both sides now urgently need to reassess what this flag stands for. And join hands again.

Before it’s too late. /8. End