Probably yet another silly question from a dimwit like me, but what's the difference between a GSD and Alsation - if any?

None. Because of the world wars and anti-German sentiment, the GSD was known as the Alsatian (from Alsace?).

nothing,they are one and the same breed.
I was once told or read(I cant remember which) that they changed to alsations at the time of the war
due to the word German,I dont know if there is any truth in it,im sure someone will tell you more.

They were in the country from just after WWI when Anti German feelings led to Dachshunds being killed in the street They were first called Alsatian(Wolfdog)which caused them to be feared so the Wolfdog was dropped, the Alsatian was used because an Army officer who was also a KC member had seen one in Alsace Lorraine in the service of the German Army

The first dogs were poor specimens sadly as they were rescued from the streets & taken prisoner from the German forces from these poor dogs the English breed standard was adopted & in the 40's & 50's & 60'sthe clause re temperament included" noted suspicion of strangers" nowhere else in the world had or has this wording It was to make the very poor temperament of certain show lines acceptable(& it is still seen in some kennels who still breed to the now defunct breed standard & whose OWNERS insist that their dogs are NOT GSDs but Alsatians)

When the KC reviewed a lot of the breed standard to bring it in line with the breed standard of the GSDs mother country & the FCI the "NSOS"was removed.

Several attempts were made to correct the name to GSD which failed due the influence of certain"Alsatianists"(their word not mine)However Raymond Oppenheimer put the motion forward at the KC AGM to change the name to GSD(Alsatian) & the correction(only partly as GSDs were never a breed seen/used in Alsace Lorraine for anything other than imported forces dogs)was made

Unfortunately the public on a whole perceive the GSD to be a Long Coated version of an Alsatian(tell me about that as I work in GSD Rescue & the number of people who want an Alsatian not the Long Coat GSD or vica versa is huge)

that's funny because in Canada (when I didn't show and only had lay knowledge of most breeds) we thought the GSD was the short haired version and the Alsation the long coated :-D  Just goes to show how confusing it can all get.

Wendy