<p>There is a lot of Dutch in there as well though, this makes the "based on different cultures" more plausible than the "it's Nazi Germany".</p>

<p>Edward (or Ed), Roy and Alphonse are typical dutch names.</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Riza is equivalent to Lisa, a Dutch name</p></li>
<li><p>Breda is a Dutch city</p></li>
<li><p>Maes is the medieval Dutch spelling of "Maas" a dutch river witch was a common name at the time.</p></li>
<li><p>Winry is equivalent to Wendy, a Dutch name</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Van Hohenheim is a mix of Dutch and German. 'Van' means 'of' or 'of the' (depending on the context) with 'von' being its German counterpart, and Hohenheim translates to high-house.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-09T02:41:15.503Z
The usual explanation I've heard is that Riza is based off of a Hungarian name (that's a dimunitive of Theresa), and that Van Hohenheim is based off of some mediaeval alchemist. For what it counts, Arakawa stated somewhere that for minor characters, she used a dictionary of European names, but this indeed points more to "based on different European cultures" than "Nazi Germany".
Maroon
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-05T16:03:49.103Z
"Von Hohenheim" (correct spelling) is actually the name of a real-life 15th/16th century Swiss alchemist, Paracelsus, aka Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim.
Allison C
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-09T00:08:58.787Z
2014-10-09T02:43:14.910Z
2014-10-09T02:43:14.910Z
floris
<p>The governmental organization, architecture, and names suggest the setting is German-esque. Likewise, the culture, architecture, minarets and desert suggest that the Ishvalans are an Arab-esque influence. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-29T12:53:39.480Z
Can you elaborate on why you think that they are similar?
nhahtdh
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-28T23:47:43.483Z
2015-04-28T23:47:43.483Z
Seph
<p>Yes, it is Germany, "fuhrer" is German... Look at the military trench coats, building styles, names and even loosely geographical location. Look up Hitler's religious view and his theory of the "perfect human". </p>

<p>Xing is China and not Japan... Almost everything Japanese comes from China (even sushi). References here are that the emperor of Xing is looking for an elixir for immortality, so did the real emperor of China, and China also believed in alchemy (Yin Yang, Taoism, etc.). The emperor of China ingested mercury (for those interested in world history) and died.</p>

<p>Ishval are the Arabs. Alchemy was part of Islam too... People in the desert... And there were wars between Europe and the Arab world.</p>

<p>There are many other references.... Notice that many stories are based on real life historical events, places and religion. Nothing is truly original, although very entertaining nonetheless.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-22T06:50:43.997Z
"Ishbal are the Arabs" - this isn't necessarily true. If I remember correctly, Arakawa interviewed war veterans and former yakuza, and also was inspired by the treatment of the Ainu and burakumin. If anything, it seems more reasonable to associate Ishbal with victims of Japanese imperialism, and there doesn't seem to be any specific "real world" counterpart to Ishbal.
Maroon
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-22T06:52:58.520Z
As for the names - if anything they seem to be random European names (e.g. Arakawa talked somewhere about using a dictionary of European names for minor characters) or English ones (e.g. giving characters surnames linked to military aircraft). While the Germany association seems reasonable for the 2003 anime, it seems you're not talking about that (given the inclusion of Xing).
Maroon
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-22T15:49:34.597Z
You are just listing references without explaining much or nothing at all. The first sentence almost reads like usage of gratuitous German is proof for something. Why couldn't it be based on fascist Italy if one replaces "Fuehrer" with "Duce"? "Almost everything Japanese comes from China" could be better phrased without a passive-aggressive ring and disdain. Also using ellipsis is a bad habit, may lead to misinterpretations of your answer and can often be replaced with more appropriate punctuation.
LiveWireBT
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-22T16:43:01.840Z
The full info could be found through wikipedia or by going to school, it is impossible to post history long stories in a single post, i state keywords and im off like fairydust. Like i mentioned, those who are interested in history, they have enough information to look it up fully. If fuhrer would have been replaced by duce, it would have been a different story, but it isnt, fuhrer is from the german language. Id want to give you credit for trying but there are almost no similarities to Italy...(ellipsis) at all.
the historical one
CC BY-SA 4.0
2014-07-22T05:40:18.110Z
2020-03-05T14:01:29.890Z
2020-03-05T14:01:29.890Z
the historical one
<p>The ishvalans are gypsies.. Obviously.. If FMA is connected to nazi Germany and you knew anything about the extermination of people in nazi germany. It was estimated that 750,000-1,000,000 Romanis(gypsies) were killed during the war. At the start of nazi Germany they were stripped of citizenship and slaughtered.. I mean hell.. They even look like gypsies.. Also if we recall, Ed and Alphonse ran into a few at the little carnival.. Dunno where the hell that guy got the Arab idea from.. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-11T21:44:30.010Z
*"Also if we recall, Ed and Alphonse ran into a few at the little carnival"* that is in the Movie *Conqueror of Shamballa* which that scene is set in our world before the rise of Nazi Germany (as indicated later in how Hitler was arrested during the march). also it should be noted that the movie is not canon since it extends the original 2003 series which deviates from the canon
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-11T07:56:15.613Z
2014-11-11T07:56:15.613Z
SteezMe
<p>The <a href="http://fma.wikia.com/wiki/Fullmetal_Alchemist_%28franchise%29#Production" rel="noreferrer">FMA Wiki</a> states that:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>When creating the fictional world of Fullmetal Alchemist, Arakawa was inspired after reading about Europe during the Industrial Revolution period; she was amazed by how different the people from different countries were, in terms of their culture, architecture and clothes. She was especially interested in England during this period and "added to it her own original flavor to turn it into a fantasy world".  </p>
</blockquote>

<p><a href="http://fma.wikia.com/wiki/Fullmetal_Alchemist_the_Movie:_Conqueror_of_Shamballa" rel="noreferrer">"Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa"</a> — the movie that follows the first anime series — is set in 1923 Germany, and depicts the beginning of the Nazi Party within German politics, being only an extremist group at that point. </p>

<p>Other than that, I know of no such inspirations. But it may well be that Arakawa has said something more concrete about that.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-15T18:25:06.120Z
2016-07-01T11:25:44.017Z
2016-07-01T11:25:44.017Z
JNat
<p>It may be because I'm Jewish (yes, Madara is Jewish), but I couldn't help but noticing the similarities between Fullmetal Alchemist to the German Nazi regime.</p>

<ul>
<li>German names (Edward, Alphonse, Olivier, Bradley)</li>
<li>A Fuhrer</li>
<li>"Dogs of the Army"</li>
<li>Very militarized</li>
<li>Blond hair and blue eyes</li>
<li>Extermination (Ishvals)</li>
<li>War on multiple fronts</li>
<li>Human experimentation</li>
<li>An obsession with the occult among high ranking officials</li>
</ul>

<p>Is it just me? Or is there a connection? Is there some written reference to that? Has the mangaka said anything about it?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-22T15:28:43.100Z
You forgot human experimentation and an obsession with the occult amoung high ranking officials.
kaine
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-22T15:29:32.000Z
@kaine Feel free to edit that in! You'll get a couple points from getting an approved edit too ;)
Madara's Ghost
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-15T18:18:55.517Z
Have you watched the movie _[Conqueror of Shamballa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fullmetal_Alchemist_the_Movie:_Conqueror_of_Shamballa)_? In that movie there are very direct associations with Nazis, in particular with the [Thule-Gesellschaft](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thule_Society).
chirale
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-15T18:20:38.647Z
@chirale In the movie I think there are actually Nazis, since Edward gets to... well I don't want to say it here, it's a spoiler. :P
Alenanno
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-15T18:29:49.600Z
Since you've watched it, is your question more about the State Alchemist organization? If it's the case, maybe the title should be ask for similarities between State Alchemists and one specific Nazis military branches (Wehrmacht, SA or SS), or between settings to avoid misunderstanding. Just a suggestion, I'm just trying to guess what you're asking precisely.
chirale
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-15T18:32:35.007Z
@chirale: I'm asking about the show as a whole. Does the show contain or is based of Nazi themes, and if so, are there references for it
Madara's Ghost
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-12-15T18:35:24.793Z
Perfect, it's more clear now.
chirale
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-08T15:15:38.247Z
@Stagnetti: What are they then? They sound 20 century's German to me. Also, This is really a comment, not an answer. With a bit more rep, [you will be able to post comments](http://anime.stackexchange.com/privileges/comment).
Madara's Ghost
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-05-21T06:14:26.480Z
@MadaraUchiha The names are English. They have a German variant (Eduard, Alfons, Oliver (There's nothing for Bradley)), but except Alphonse, they are derived from other languages (Edward is English, Oliver is French).
looper
<fullmetal-alchemist-series>
Is Fullmetal Alchemist based on Nazi Germany?
# Is Fullmetal Alchemist based on Nazi Germany?
Posted by: username_0 on 2012-12-15
It may be because I'm Jewish (yes, Madara is Jewish), but I couldn't help but noticing the similarities between Fullmetal Alchemist to the German Nazi regime.

* German names (Edward, Alphonse, Olivier, Bradley)
* A Fuhrer
* "Dogs of the Army"
* Very militarized
* Blond hair and blue eyes
* Extermination (Ishvals)
* War on multiple fronts
* Human experimentation
* An obsession with the occult among high ranking officials

Is it just me? Or is there a connection? Is there some written reference to that? Has the mangaka said anything about it?
**Tags:** fullmetal-alchemist-series
> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Have you watched the movie _[Conqueror of Shamballa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fullmetal_Alchemist_the_Movie:_Conqueror_of_Shamballa)_? In that movie there are very direct associations with Nazis, in particular with the [Thule-Gesellschaft](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thule_Society).  
> **username_3**: @chirale In the movie I think there are actually Nazis, since Edward gets to... well I don't want to say it here, it's a spoiler. :P  
> **username_2**: Since you've watched it, is your question more about the State Alchemist organization? If it's the case, maybe the title should be ask for similarities between State Alchemists and one specific Nazis military branches (Wehrmacht, SA or SS), or between settings to avoid misunderstanding. Just a suggestion, I'm just trying to guess what you're asking precisely.  
> **username_0**: @chirale: I'm asking about the show as a whole. Does the show contain or is based of Nazi themes, and if so, are there references for it  
> **username_2**: Perfect, it's more clear now.  
> **username_0**: @Stagnetti: What are they then? They sound 20 century's German to me. Also, This is really a comment, not an answer. With a bit more rep, [you will be able to post comments](http://anime.stackexchange.com/privileges/comment).  
> **username_4**: @MadaraUchiha The names are English. They have a German variant (Eduard, Alfons, Oliver (There's nothing for Bradley)), but except Alphonse, they are derived from other languages (Edward is English, Oliver is French).  
> **username_1**: You forgot human experimentation and an obsession with the occult amoung high ranking officials.  
> **username_0**: @kaine Feel free to edit that in! You'll get a couple points from getting an approved edit too ;)  
---
## 5 answers
### Answer by username_14 on 2012-12-15. Score: 48 | Accepted answer
The [FMA Wiki](http://fma.wikia.com/wiki/Fullmetal_Alchemist_%28franchise%29#Production) states that:

> When creating the fictional world of Fullmetal Alchemist, Arakawa was inspired after reading about Europe during the Industrial Revolution period; she was amazed by how different the people from different countries were, in terms of their culture, architecture and clothes. She was especially interested in England during this period and "added to it her own original flavor to turn it into a fantasy world".

["Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa"](http://fma.wikia.com/wiki/Fullmetal_Alchemist_the_Movie:_Conqueror_of_Shamballa) — the movie that follows the first anime series — is set in 1923 Germany, and depicts the beginning of the Nazi Party within German politics, being only an extremist group at that point.

Other than that, I know of no such inspirations. But it may well be that Arakawa has said something more concrete about that.
---
### Answer by username_5 on 2014-10-09. Score: 5
There is a lot of Dutch in there as well though, this makes the "based on different cultures" more plausible than the "it's Nazi Germany".

Edward (or Ed), Roy and Alphonse are typical dutch names.

* Riza is equivalent to Lisa, a Dutch name
* Breda is a Dutch city
* Maes is the medieval Dutch spelling of "Maas" a dutch river witch was a common name at the time.
* Winry is equivalent to Wendy, a Dutch name

Van Hohenheim is a mix of Dutch and German. 'Van' means 'of' or 'of the' (depending on the context) with 'von' being its German counterpart, and Hohenheim translates to high-house.
> **Comments:**
> **username_6** (2014-10-09): The usual explanation I've heard is that Riza is based off of a Hungarian name (that's a dimunitive of Theresa), and that Van Hohenheim is based off of some mediaeval alchemist. For what it counts, Arakawa stated somewhere that for minor characters, she used a dictionary of European names, but this indeed points more to "based on different European cultures" than "Nazi Germany".  
> **username_7** (2020-03-05): "Von Hohenheim" (correct spelling) is actually the name of a real-life 15th/16th century Swiss alchemist, Paracelsus, aka Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim.  
---
### Answer by username_8 on 2015-04-28. Score: 1
The governmental organization, architecture, and names suggest the setting is German-esque. Likewise, the culture, architecture, minarets and desert suggest that the Ishvalans are an Arab-esque influence.
> **Comments:**
> **username_9** (2015-04-29): Can you elaborate on why you think that they are similar?  
---
### Answer by username_10 on 2014-07-22. Score: 1
Yes, it is Germany, "fuhrer" is German... Look at the military trench coats, building styles, names and even loosely geographical location. Look up Hitler's religious view and his theory of the "perfect human".

Xing is China and not Japan... Almost everything Japanese comes from China (even sushi). References here are that the emperor of Xing is looking for an elixir for immortality, so did the real emperor of China, and China also believed in alchemy (Yin Yang, Taoism, etc.). The emperor of China ingested mercury (for those interested in world history) and died.

Ishval are the Arabs. Alchemy was part of Islam too... People in the desert... And there were wars between Europe and the Arab world.

There are many other references.... Notice that many stories are based on real life historical events, places and religion. Nothing is truly original, although very entertaining nonetheless.
> **Comments:**
> **username_6** (2014-07-22): "Ishbal are the Arabs" - this isn't necessarily true. If I remember correctly, Arakawa interviewed war veterans and former yakuza, and also was inspired by the treatment of the Ainu and burakumin. If anything, it seems more reasonable to associate Ishbal with victims of Japanese imperialism, and there doesn't seem to be any specific "real world" counterpart to Ishbal.  
> **username_6** (2014-07-22): As for the names - if anything they seem to be random European names (e.g. Arakawa talked somewhere about using a dictionary of European names for minor characters) or English ones (e.g. giving characters surnames linked to military aircraft). While the Germany association seems reasonable for the 2003 anime, it seems you're not talking about that (given the inclusion of Xing).  
> **username_11** (2014-07-22): You are just listing references without explaining much or nothing at all. The first sentence almost reads like usage of gratuitous German is proof for something. Why couldn't it be based on fascist Italy if one replaces "Fuehrer" with "Duce"? "Almost everything Japanese comes from China" could be better phrased without a passive-aggressive ring and disdain. Also using ellipsis is a bad habit, may lead to misinterpretations of your answer and can often be replaced with more appropriate punctuation.  
> **username_10** (2014-07-22): The full info could be found through wikipedia or by going to school, it is impossible to post history long stories in a single post, i state keywords and im off like fairydust. Like i mentioned, those who are interested in history, they have enough information to look it up fully. If fuhrer would have been replaced by duce, it would have been a different story, but it isnt, fuhrer is from the german language. Id want to give you credit for trying but there are almost no similarities to Italy...(ellipsis) at all.  
---
### Answer by username_12 on 2014-11-11. Score: 0
The ishvalans are gypsies.. Obviously.. If FMA is connected to nazi Germany and you knew anything about the extermination of people in nazi germany. It was estimated that 750,000-1,000,000 Romanis(gypsies) were killed during the war. At the start of nazi Germany they were stripped of citizenship and slaughtered.. I mean hell.. They even look like gypsies.. Also if we recall, Ed and Alphonse ran into a few at the little carnival.. Dunno where the hell that guy got the Arab idea from..
> **Comments:**
> **username_13** (2014-11-11): *"Also if we recall, Ed and Alphonse ran into a few at the little carnival"* that is in the Movie *Conqueror of Shamballa* which that scene is set in our world before the rise of Nazi Germany (as indicated later in how Hitler was arrested during the march). also it should be noted that the movie is not canon since it extends the original 2003 series which deviates from the canon  
---
