Spent some time working in and driving about Germany in my late teens....in a two tone Toyota Tercel estate (remember those?!)...with the white steel rims too :ROFL:

I left sunny NI with a GB sticker on the boot lid and headed off to Germany. Within 2 days of arrival I was pulled over by the friendly Polizei. On discovering I had a Northern Irish driving licence it was suggested that I remove said 'offensive' sticker from my car.

Turned out I was working in a part of western Germany flattened by the RAF during WWII and anti-GB feeling was still running high in the early 90's.

Switched my 'profile' to Irish/Northern Irish....which included an 'IRL' sticker sent over in the post from back home......applied to car and never had another moment of trouble for 3 months.

Strange.
I have driven consistantly in Germany since 1958 and with a GB sticker permanently attached

No problem until the IRA situation when we had to stop using British Registrations and start using German ones.

On a similar (but anti-German...) vein, I remember my French teacher telling us that the boys sometimes had to remove their blazers on school trips to France, Belgium and Holland in the '50s and even into the '60s, as it reminded the locals of the Nazi eagle* from WW2.

Memories die hard sometimes.

(*revived by Trump recently....:mad:)

Some people never let go of the bad ones.

I agree. Being based over there and travelling throughout West Germany in the 80's - with a GB sticker, never had an issue with any locals.

Unfortunately you can find bigots in all places if you look hard enough. Anyway I enjoy the stickers on the rear of my cars, especially the BMW one as I can get through town quicker! https://youtu.be/XKH5Gd92k74