I really can't follow you there, freddie. Unlike Japan, Germany admitted the war crimes and took responsibility for it.
It's totally wrong that discussing the topic will land you into prison. While it is true, that Nazi symbolism is prohibited in Germany, it's absolutely not the case that Germans try to sweep the era under the carpet or erase it from their minds. The opposite is actually the case. You are bombarded with it. There's no epoch that's tought more excessive in history class than these 12 years. And not just in one year. The topic comes again year after year after year. There's also no week in television where there isn't at least one documentary about anything Nazi/WWII related. And I'm not talking about the documentary channel.
No topic is raised so often in the media. Any topic, not even remotely related to nazi germany, can kick-off the discussion.
So the Israel army massacred palestinians again? Be sure to read one article criticising Israel and 50 articles discussing whether the historic responsibility allows Germans to critcise Israel.
Tobbacco ads banned in all EU countries! All EU countries? No! One tiny germanic country in the heart of europe still allows them and conducts a lawsuit against the EU. Too bad that the nazis thought smoking was bad for the "Volkskörper" (the people's body) and banned tobacco ads. Be sure to see huge cigarette placards all over present day germany.
Sometimes you can only shake your head how some people manage to connect nazism with everything.
You're right when you observe that some people bow in shame when you bring the topic up, but your conclusion is wrong. It's not because people try to cover the era up and prefer that you remain silent about it. It's because the media imposes a collective guiltiness in the minds of all germans. They cringe because they feel guilty and are ashamed.
There's a growing number of people in my generation (even my grandfather was too young to fight in the war) which are fed up with the excessive coverage of the nazi era in the german society (it really is excessive, even compared to the ww2-obsessed uk) and resist the idea that they are held responsible for something that was way before their time. But these people are not the ones to cringe, when the topic comes up. You rather have a vivid discussion with them.
Quote:
|
I understand why they wouldn't want to be reminded of it on every step, since it's not exactly their finest hour, but I still think their attitude when it does come to their attention is inappropriate.
|
No sane german denies the holocaust. It did happen. And it is important to make sure that it's not forgotten so it will never happen again. But for all that, the problem is, people ARE reminded of it on every single step. And this holds the danger, that people turn away from it, because they are annoyed that they're confronted day after day with such a complex and cruel topic. Even though you're convinced the holocaust did happen, you wouldn't hang up posters of piles of burnt bodies in your room, would you? But that's how it often feels in germany.
If you started this thread because of my response in the "football thread": It was just the last word, "classy", that bugged me. It sounded like you could go to no football match in germany without encountering right-wing hooligans chanting "Sieg Heil" with the right arm lifted.