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I read a good book called "What we Knew", and I would recommend it to any history buff that has an interest in the WW2 era.



In a nutshell the book consists of two parts: Interviews with people that lived in Germany during this time (divided into Jews that left, Jews that stayed, Germans, and a few others I think), and an review/explanation of the authors findings. As far as oral histories go this one is powerful and heartbraking at the same time. It took me a while to finish the book as I would have to just walk away from it sometimes. But I am glad that I read it, and not just because I am German.

Lynata wrote:I think a lot of people misinterpret the meaning of this action - it has nothing to do with individuals "self-flagellating" but is entirely about communities, organizations and/or nations taking responsibility.

Again, to the extent that this is an admission that the animus of Nazism, scientific materialism, is alive and well in their institution today and that they plan to deal with it, the apology is meaningful -- it is indeed urgent. To the extent that the current membership is pointing a finger at the past membership, well, you're right that it's not about "self-flagellating" but instead about making the past into the present's whipping boy. This is the attitutude I see scientists taking: "sorry about the past, they were not as good as us." Looking ahead from that position, I can see more concentration camps (although less obvious ones) in our future.

There was a program on the BBC about the upcoming Euro 2012 and the disgusting racism in Poland and the Ukraine. Nazi salutes and foul racism far worse than anything seen in British football when it was most rampant. The most maddening thing is that these countries suffered under the Nazi's, yet the youth of today (most of the people committing these acts are under a certain age) don't seem to realise this.

It's dangerous to not teach these things in school, everybody should be warned about the slippery slope of nationalism and bigotry.

NSFW. This Program was shown at 8.30pm but does contain scenes of violence.

Manchu wrote:Germans apologizing condescendingly for things done by other, mostly dead Germans, huh? I guess we can finally move on now.

Would much rather have a country that apologizes often for it's great genocide, rather than say, the USA which still thinks it was in the right almost entirely wiping out an entire ethnicity.