Go to Auslander's World
- Add a comment
- Go to WWII and the elderly Germans
Interesting commentary!
posted by
Soul_Builder101
on February 15, 2008 at 11:38 AM
| link to this | reply
Thank you for your comments. You are all three probably right.
And I might try to speak more to elderly, see what they have to tell me about the war, what's their side of the story. But there will always be, for me, a difference between forgiveness and forgetting. Least we forget. Thanks.
posted by
auslander
on February 15, 2008 at 7:14 AM
| link to this | reply
Auslander
Sam makes some good points! Besides,
most historians agree that, while many Germans supported Hitler before the war, the numbers engaged in atrocities in the camps and abroad (where 6 million Jews and millions of others were killed) was actually fairly small, mostly by SS units. (Not the Waffen SS, which were elite fighting units). Once the war was on, after the euphoria of the initial successes, most people just tried to survive, as they did everywhere else. In Europe, only the Soviet Union lost more soldiers, about 11 million, and civilians than Germany. Germany lost about 5.5 million soldiers, compared to about 45,000 Canadians, and about 420,000 Americans (a number that includes the war in the Pacific). The point of all this? The chances of running into a former concentration camp guard on the bus or on the train are fairly remote...
posted by
Nautikos
on February 15, 2008 at 6:22 AM
| link to this | reply
I think it is most difficult to understand war crimes. I think about the woman you describe and realize she was about the age my children are now; young, impressionable, frightened on many levels and trying to survive a war. She survived for a reason, if only to teach us humility. For me, the best way to end prejudice is to forget all we have known and realize that we are all one with the Lord. I think you may be missing out on some great stories by thinking that every German is somehow responsible for the atrocities of a misguided dictator. The best way to end this particular prejudice is to engage the elderly when possible, you may find they are not different as preconceived notions can lead one to think. I hope you will converse with an elderly German and find their story and hopefully share it with us. Your comment at my blog leads me to believe that this is a good first move for you. I wish you well as you wrestle with this trying situation. sam
posted by
sam444
on February 15, 2008 at 4:45 AM
| link to this | reply
Live Now!!!
Don't get stuck on the Germans and the Jews. Look at the Americans and the Afghans and Iraqis and etc!!! they are murdering daily!!!
posted by
AardigeAfrikaner
on February 15, 2008 at 3:29 AM
| link to this | reply