# Are Germans, Swedes, and the Dutch noticeably different from each other looks-wise? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 2, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255 "2004-06-02T14:29:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sevastopol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/21 "2004-06-03T00:53:22Z")
Re: Swedes & other scandanavians; Asiatic features. It’s not the asiatic complexion, but rather, the features that I’ve noticed. Wider & more square faces, less pronounced nose and jaws and occasionally eyes similar to asiatic peoples. Now that I think about it, there’s straighter hair too. ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/22 "2004-06-03T08:24:06Z")
> [@Padmaraga](#): > > I remember reading, long ago in a book which I cannot now name, that the Germanic people are in a subgroup of Europeans called “alpine”, while the Scandinavians (not counting the Lapplander-type) are in a subgroup called “nordic”. The nordic group is supposedly taller than the alpine overall, and the book listed some other differences in appearance which I cannot list. Actually, currently the Dutch are considered to have the largest average height (just above six feet or 184 cm for men, and 5’7" or 171 cm for women). Also, according to most statistics the average height of the Dutch is still increasing, while other “tall” people like the Norwegians and Swedes are not increasing their average height. [Cite.](http://www.rnw.nl/health/html/tall_dutch.html) [Cite.](http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?040405fa_fact) ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/23 "2004-06-03T10:11:53Z")
My hometown in Holland is ten minutes on a bicycle (of course). Every Saturday lots and lots of Germans come to this town to shop. Historically fruit, veg, coffee and cigarettes were cheaper, now I think it is more to do with it being a day out. The point is that in a certain part of town you’ll find more Germans than Dutch and all the shopkeepers will speak German to their customers. However, the local shopkeepers will _without fail_ address me or my family in Dutch. They can tell you’re local. I think it’s more by the dress style, but I’ve never ever known them to get it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/24 "2004-06-03T10:16:56Z")
Ten minutes from Germany that is. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/25 "2004-06-03T12:20:26Z")
> [@sevastopol](#): > > Wider & more square faces, less pronounced nose and jaws and occasionally eyes similar to asiatic peoples. Now that I think about it, there’s straighter hair too. [Yupp](http://www.samiskaveckan.sapmi.net/dr%C3%A4kt%20liten.jpg) [them](http://www.samiskaveckan.sapmi.net/michaelNY.JPG) [Saami](http://www.samiskaveckan.sapmi.net/modeson051_RJ.JPG) [sure](http://www.samiskaveckan.sapmi.net/seminarium020_RJ.JPG) [are](http://www.samiskaveckan.sapmi.net/minimus010_RJ.JPG) [funny](http://www.samiskaveckan.sapmi.net/rokkas011_RJ.JPG) [looking](http://www.samiskaveckan.sapmi.net/rokkas006_RJ.JPG) [people.](http://www.samiskaveckan.sapmi.net/bjornen002_RJ.JPG) Well, their traditional clothes are, but your original statement was: > [@](#): > > Also you often see that inuit/asiatic featuring in Swedes that is common in all of Scandanavia, including the Russian parts. This is clearly wrong. The Saami number maybe 80.000 in all (in Finland, Sweden, Russia and Norway). If anything, their features have been changed through mixing with the ‘Scandinavian’ stock, not the other way around. Your statement that Asian/Inuit features are common here because influence of the Saami is just wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Sevastopol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/26 "2004-06-03T13:19:57Z")
> [@The Gaspode](#): > > Your statement that Asian/Inuit features are common here because influence of the Saami is just wrong. How lucky then that I never made that statement. I haven’t really thought about where those Asian/Inuit features come from. On reflection I imagine the major source would be the Russian peoples. I suppose there could be a Saami influence too. As far as Inuit peoples, they are a presence in Denmark and Iceland, so I imagine they might be in the rest of Scandanvia. From memory, the early inhabitants of Scandanavia were Viking peoples originally from central European Russia. So that may explain it too. ---
**Author:** ![swannguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@swannguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swannguy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/27 "2004-06-03T13:26:47Z")
Well I come from Maastricht, which is located what is commonly known as the Euregio…and it might just be me but I can pick out Germans and Swedes, like I can pick out different coloured socks. It’s hard for me explain how but I just can…I see a person and be like “Yup, he’s German”. I have a question also…is it just me or do people from my area (Limburg) have an easier time picking up on languages? It seems to Dutch from ‘above the rivers’ seem to have a harder time learning languages. Having said that - I do feel that the Dutch in general pick up on languages easier than other Europeans…I mean have you ever witnessed a british person learning Spanish? Trust me…you do not want to witness ---
**Author:** ![Sevastopol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/28 "2004-06-03T13:29:33Z")
For the sort of Asiatic/Inuit features I have in mind I’ll borrow **The Gaspode’s** first image. [Features](http://www.samiskaveckan.sapmi.net/dr%C3%A4kt%20liten.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/29 "2004-06-03T14:24:29Z")
> [@swannguy](#): > > I have a question also…is it just me or do people from my area (Limburg) have an easier time picking up on languages? So am I. Limburgers of the world, unite! Although Mestreech people are there own little republic, I think. 🙂 As for your question. I’ve never given it much thought. I think Hollanders maybe have a bit more of an accent. Perhaps it is because the stereotypical Dutchie accents that people imitate or that you see on ads for Dutch beer etc. are always from the middle of the country, so people pick up those accents as Dutch immediately whereas they can’t place us? Hmmm, bit of a crackpot theory. Maybe it’s in our heads, **swannguy**. ---
**Author:** ![august9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7993a0/32.png) [@august9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/august9)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/30 "2004-06-03T14:36:33Z")
> [@sevastopol](#): > > As far as Inuit peoples, they are a presence in Denmark and Iceland, so I imagine they might be in the rest of Scandanvia. They are a presence in Greenland, which is part of the kingdom of Denmark, but very few Greenlandic Inuit people lives in Denmark. Also, between the 13th and the 19th century there wasn’t much real contact between Greenland and Scandinavia. And as far as I know, inuits have never lived on Iceland. The people of Iceland are descended from (mostly) Norwegian vikings. > [@sevastopol](#): > > From memory, the early inhabitants of Scandanavia were Viking peoples originally from central European Russia. So that may explain it too. This isn’t quite true - at least not for Denmark, I don’t know about Sweden and Norway. The oldest known settlement in Denmark that we know of, is from about 9000 b.c. and it’s believed that those people probably came from middle europe. Later on, around 3000 b.c. there might have been immigration of indo-europeans. That’s the closest I can get to “peoples originally from central European Russia”. In general Denmark was inhabitated by people immigrating from the south. Much later on, around 400 a.d., Denmark was (probably and apparantly and as far as we know) invaded by a tribe living in Sweden - called Danes, and they are probably the forefathers of the vikings. The age of the vikings is usually put as the time from about 790 a.d. to 1000 a.d. The people living in Scandinavia earlier than this was not vikings. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/31 "2004-06-03T14:47:34Z")
**Sevastopol** - this is getting stupid. Can’t you read what you yourself wrote: _“Also you often see that inuit/asiatic featuring in Swedes that is common in all of Scandanavia, including the Russian parts.”_. How can you claim not to have said that? The only influence remotely ‘Asian/Inuit’ are the Saami. There is, as I said in my first post, a Slavic influence, and while that possibly, by stretching meanings beyond snapping point, could be construed as being ‘Asian’, I find the connection too far fetched. Now, your statement that there are Inuits in Iceland and Denmark is true, but the numbers are so small it can hardly be considered a great influence. According to the official [statistics bureau](http://www.hagstofa.is/) of Iceland, 50 individuals where born on Greenland. In the whole country. I can’t find statistics breaking it down to ethnic origin, but even with Icelands small population of 290.000, there doesn’t seem to be enough Eskimos (which is a perfectly polite term, BTW) to make an impact. In Denmakr, the figure is 7.000, out of about 5 million ([cite](http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=Denmark)). That a lot of them have succumbed to alcoholism and are begging for money and pestering tourists and the train station in Copenhagen, making them quite visible, doesn’t change the fact that their influence on the Danish genepool is smallish, especially since many Danes view them with racism and contempt. ---
**Author:** ![Sevastopol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/32 "2004-06-03T14:50:26Z")
Thankyou **august9** I believe you are right. Although speaking of Iceland, a famous person with strong Scandanvian/Asiatic features is Bjork. I’m surprised to see such a strong asiatic look actually. The “central European Russians” I was thinking of, were the Vikings. I’m fairly sure that’s where they came from originally. Evidently you’re right though, Scandanavia was inhabited much earlier than I recalled. Anyway my speculation is that the Asiatic look came from the early Vikings. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/33 "2004-06-03T15:17:50Z")
:throws hands in the air: I give up. Reading comprehension is down. Russia is in Scandinavia. Vikings were Asians. This is going to take _a lot_ longer than we thought. ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/34 "2004-06-03T16:36:22Z")
**The Gaspode** Don’t bother with some posters. Maybe they’re glasses-less? 😉 **Swannguy & PookahMacPhellimey** , I guess the Dutch as a whole speak different laguages [of a sort, hehehe] We _have_ to. Practically no-one in the world speaks ours, so we’re taught English, German and French at school. Let’s not get swanky, huh. We have a bad name enough as it is. 😃 **Mycroft Holmes** Thank you for those links. The studies of John Komlos are very interesting and enlightning. It must be our love for milk that makes us so tall. I’m so glad that makes up to our large feet. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/35 "2004-06-03T16:47:50Z")
I’m Swedish, and I say it’s impossible to distinguish Germans from Swedes from Dutch by looks alone. So there. **The Gaspode** , take a deep breath. We all know you’re right. **sevastopol** , you’re wrong. No matter _how_ you spin it, no “Asian” look is common in Scandinavia. The Vikings did _not_ look Asian. Mmm’kay? ---
**Author:** ![MinniePurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@MinniePurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MinniePurl)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/36 "2004-06-03T16:59:22Z")
> [@rocking chair](#): > > there is a certain blue eye colour that i’ve only seen in dutch people, or people with dutch relatives. it is a really clear, beautiful, blue. hard to describe in words, but when i see it, i know it and i haven’t been wrong yet (touch wood). > > there is a certain shade of blond as well that, to me, is very dutch. i’ve only seen it combined with the “dutch” blue eyes. i’ve not seen it in the scan. and german blonds. Is it anything like[this](http://img45.photobucket.com/albums/v139/Shoeburyness/Other/DSCN1739.jpg)? (A picture of my husband, who has Dutch ancestry. ) ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/37 "2004-06-03T23:01:42Z")
it is hard to tell in pictures because there is a… um… boy do i need a really good adj… sparkle-ish quality to the blue. pictures flatten it out. the sparkle seems to be in rays on the blue. handsome fellow you’ve got there! ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/38 "2004-06-03T23:35:02Z")
> [@rocking chair](#): > > it is hard to tell in pictures because there is a… um… boy do i need a really good adj… sparkle-ish quality to the blue. pictures flatten it out. the sparkle seems to be in rays on the blue. > > handsome fellow you’ve got there! I agree, very cute=) So, [ignoring the name of the picture, a friend of mine took the picture and they named the file and i am too lazy to change it] Where is Chris from? [http://www.geocities.com/aruvqann/selbst.jpg](http://www.geocities.com/aruvqann/selbst.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2004, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/39 "2004-06-04T02:34:27Z")
> [@august9](#): > > And as far as I know, inuits have never lived on Iceland. The people of Iceland are descended from (mostly) Norwegian vikings. How do you explain **[Björk](http://unit.bjork.com/specials/pics/misc/exposededit.jpg)**? She looks more Skraeling than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![Sevastopol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2004, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255/40 "2004-06-04T05:34:04Z")
Other Scandanavian faces with some asiatic features: [Mika Hakkinen](http://www.100megsfree4.com/formula1/spain2000.jpg) [The previous young lady](http://www.samiskaveckan.sapmi.net/dr%C3%A4kt%20liten.jpg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-germans-swedes-and-the-dutch-noticeably-different-from-each-other-looks-wise/248255.md?page=3)