My mom and aunts claim they're German all the way back, so why are they so dark?

Question

My mom's grandparents on both sides were German immigrants, and her parents (my maternal grandparents) look very white and NOTHING like my mom. However, my mom looks like her sisters and my grandparents witnessed my mom being born so she and her sisters are still clearly from my grandparents. But my mom looks pretty dark, I mean her coloring and facial features look Middle Eastern, Italian, or Latina/Native American, and her sisters sort of look mulatto or at least part black. To be honest I've never seen any Caucasian women that looked like them. But it's not like any of them could be part Native American since their family's from Germany. Tell me, how can German women look so dark, especially coming out of parents that look so white and nothing like them?

Answer 1

I certainly have no idea; I was stationed in Germany for 3 years and went all over the place...I loved it there...but never saw a dark German.
Some of my ancestors settled in Germantown, PA; others at Germanna, VA. Of course, my ancestors also came from, seemingly, all over the globe. I would suggest having a DNA test done, such as from www.familytreedna.com.
I have what they used to call a "dark complexion", darker than my parents or any of my siblings...who knows?
There are considerably dark Caucasians...Egyptians, Indians (from India, that is), Arabs, Turks...
Check it out to be certain.

Answer 2

There are dark haried and dark eyed Germans just like there are dark haried and dark eyed Irish and often times they tan.

Now, it is possible all your family's ancestor did come from Germany but that does not mean back in the Old Country everyone was 100% pure. That doesn't means there weren' t marriage some time back with someone from the Iberian peninsula.

I think it is funny when I hear someone say, "I am pure blooded __________ (whatever)." It sounds like they are talking about their pedigree horse or dog.

Also, people have recessive genes. It is quite possible that both of your maternal grandparents carried genes of a darker pigmentation. In a case like that it is not unusual for a person to be darker than both parents.

I remember reading an article once by Walter Cronkite. HIs family was German. He had an aunt who was startled to find they had an Italian in the family tree.

We are all mutts. No nationality is pure.

If you ever want to trace your family tree, there are a lot of people on this board that can give you some great advice. Just ask.

Answer 3

Part of your problem lies in the stereotype that traditionally Germans are blond, blue-eyed, and Aryan. Indeed, most Germans have historically not recognized others as Germans unless they were of pure--dare I say it--Aryan descent even if they had lived in Germany for centuries.

In the meanwhile, during the 19th century, Germany did have several colonies in Africa, and Germans and some of the original inhabitants of the German colonies moved back and forth between the two. Roma, or gypsies, also were a part of the German landscape. After World War I, when French troops moved in to the Rhineland, some of the French troops were African, and some of these soldiers took German wives.

After Adolf Hitler's rise to power, in addition to eliminating lots of Germans of Jewish descent, Hitler also found a "final solution" for many Afro-Germans and gypsies. Of course, since World War II, many African-Americans have been stationed in Germany where they have also married German women.

Americans are use to the idea that nationality is not tied to ethnicity. However, Europeans are increasingly starting to recognize that this is the case in their countries as well. What's more, this has been true for centuries.

Answer 4

I have come across this question myself. My dad is 100% German......very brown German, and my mom was 100% Irish......very white irish. I came out brown. Since I always figured I'd have the white genes, how can my Dad be brown and get dark easily..............same with me. So I began going online to figure out what kind of German we are or what is in our bloodline. Have you heard of the Afro-Germans? Or the Hottentot Germans? What about the Bohemian German. There are some possiblilities as to why we are dark Germans. I am so glad I am not the only one that is puzzled at this, and that there is someone else who wonders the same thing I do.

Answer 5

Your problem is that you know nothing about Germans, Italians and caucasians.
Indians and northern Africans are caucasian too.
I'm Italian with very light skin, as well as millions of Italians. Your idea of us is twisted and nonsense.

Answer 6

Possibly Jewish?

depending when they came to America, being Jewish might have been a bad thing.

There are dark people everywhere. Hitler for example, short, dark hair, olive skin. didn't fit his own 'master race' did he.

Europe has been a very mixed country for a long time. Remember the Romans conquered most of it if not ALL.

Hope this helps.

Answer 7

I know several Germans who are quite dark skinned. The blond hair blue eyes were Hilters choice

Answer 8

Go to your search engine and plug in "The Genograph Project" and you will find out with a swab of your cheek exactly your geneology. Really cool stuff. I am sure you will surprize your parent too.

Answer 9

There's lots of dark Germans, but what does it matter? Even if they are all hiding some deep family secret, let them, if it means that much to them.

Answer 10

I am sure it's a mix, not pure German. They don't tell you the entire truth. That is my understanding.