I know German Americans get discriminated against. Or Germans themselves. I actually had an Aupair from Germany and she told me that one time, in the US she was introduced to a Jewish woman and her son. When the woman found out my aupair was German, she was blatently rude to her. And it hurt my Aupairs feelings it really did.
Perhaps you can say it like this -- "There are rude people and polite people, people who hold onto resentment and cherish victimization, and those who see each person, as MLK said, as a child of God."
We had a German au pair (whom we rescued from some slave-driver types) who was delightful and had a wonderful experience here.
YOU grew up with an German Aupair? WELLL...that explains ALOT!!!