Short answer: the evidence is mixed and mostly anecdotal
There is no reliable, verified answer to the question of how Germans as a whole saw Canadian soldiers. Accounts exist, mainly in war diaries, interrogation reports, memoirs and postwar interviews. They are scattered across units, ranks and years, and they do not add up to a single view. Some accounts praise Canadian fighting, and others describe it in neutral or hostile terms.
The claim that Canadians were the “most respected” opponent of the Germans is hard to confirm. Treat it as an opinion, not a finding.
What German sources say
German wartime records were written for military purposes. They describe units, positions, losses and enemy strength, and they comment on the enemy’s methods when those affected the fighting. Postwar memoirs and interviews add personal views, but they were written after the war and often serve to explain or justify decisions. They also reflect memory, which can change over time.
Read any quoted German opinion with care. Check who wrote it, when and for what purpose. Translated extracts can also change the tone of a passage.
Dieppe, 1942
The Dieppe Raid of 19 August 1942 was a costly Allied operation against the French port. Canadian troops formed the great majority of the attacking force, and the raid failed with heavy losses. It shaped Allied planning for later landings.
Some German accounts describe the defenders’ fight at Dieppe, and some describe the attackers. Reading them as a view of Canadians specifically needs care, because the same accounts often describe the British, commando and other units together.
Later campaigns in France and the Low Countries
Canadian divisions fought German units in prolonged battles in Normandy, in the Scheldt area and in the Low Countries. German accounts from these campaigns are more numerous than those from Dieppe, which makes them more useful, but they still need the same care. A line of praise in one memoir does not show a general view among German troops.
Why the “most respected opponent” claim is hard to confirm
Several problems make the claim hard to test:
- Small samples: a few accounts cannot show what thousands of men thought.
- Selection: postwar memoirs are more likely to be published when they are dramatic or flattering.
- Propaganda: German wartime propaganda described enemies in set ways, and it can colour later accounts.
- Memory: accounts written decades later can change or combine events.
Online answers, including forum threads, often repeat the claim without giving a source. Ask for the source before you accept it.
Where to find primary sources
Two archives hold many of the records most relevant to this question:
- The Bundesarchiv, Germany’s federal archive, holds German military records from the Second World War.
- Library and Archives Canada holds Canadian military records, including unit war diaries and related documents.
Reading the records directly is slower than reading a summary, but it is the best way to answer a question like this one.
A note for collectors
German documents, photographs and leaflets from the period sometimes come up for sale, alongside the uniforms and equipment of the units Canadians fought. Their authenticity and provenance matter as much as they do for other items. A document that is offered with a clear origin and a note of where it was found is more useful than one with a dramatic story and no evidence.
Related reading
For the Canadian uniforms of the period, see British and Canadian WWII uniforms. For a general introduction to collecting, start with the British and Commonwealth militaria collecting guide.