German Fräuleins [Young Ladies] and American Soldiers on a Rollercoaster (1945) An American order forbidding fraternization between U.S. soldiers and German civilians was issued in September 1944, right after American troops landed on German soil. The prohibition was motivated by concern for soldiers’ safety and a desire to ostracize Germans and thus teach them a lesson. Additionally, it sought to placate members of the American public, the majority of whom harbored anti-German sentiments and had been outraged by initial reports of fraternization between U.S. soldiers and German civilians. The ban proved impossible to enforce and was rescinded in October 1945. Photo by Hanns Hubmann.