Germany (and the German-speaking countries) was leading the world in so many scientific and technical fields in the decades up to the 1930's that I used to joke "if it hadn't been for Hitler we'd all be speaking German now". Can the last politician to go out the revolving door please turn the lights off?
But if Weimar hadn't fallen apart, the Germans might well have bought the entire British Empire - much like China is buying the US now.
Between the wars 'Made in Germany' had some of the same meaning in the UK that 'Made in China' has for the US today. Only with more of an innovative edge.
