It Was The Nazis
Posted by Deutlich on July 23rd, 2008 | Filed under: UncategorizedI get in trouble for my mouth more often than not.
I just don’t bite my tongue well and I don’t really bother with a “filter.”
In the seventh grade, I was sitting in social studies when Mr. Schuch was giving a history lesson on World War II. In his ignorance, he continuously stated that the Germans did this, the Germans did that and so on and so forth.
I could feel my temper rising as he spoke.
Before I could even think twice about it, I interjected with, “it wasn’t the Germans, it was the Nazis!”
He didn’t quite enjoy that. To be frank, his face turned three shades of red and he damn near blew a gasket.
Either way, I was right and he was wrong.
There are a lot of terrible things that came from Hitler’s reign. I feel a special twinge of guilt every time I think about it. It’s a mixture of guilt and shame, quite frankly.
Yet, had I been alive? I would’ve been shipped off too, considering I am not white.
I said that to a Jewish co-worker of mine since she was bad-mouthing current Germany because of the Nazi era and it pissed me off to no end.
The shock in her face at my quip gave me a sense of pleasure I probably shouldn’t have felt. I mean, hello! Who was she talking to? A black chick.
Either way, it just sucks that to so many Americans, Germany is automatically associated to the Nazi party.
If you weren’t aware, it’s completely illegal to affiliate oneself with that party in Germany and it has been for decades.
While the KKK can still march through the streets of the USA with their hate-speech, it is far from legal to do such a thing in the streets of Germany.
From paying war repercussions (even today) to outlawing the bigotry, Germany has done so very much to get away from the Nazi stigma that I proudly let people know my roots.
I just hope that more people realize that the Nazi regime did a damn fine job of scaring the ever loving shit out its citizens to keep them “in line.” The death camps and horrific genocide didn’t occur until later in Hitler’s power-hungry-scheme. If you went against his party, you were shot, jailed or shipped off.
It was an era of scare-tactics and it worked.
I’ve heard people argue that the German citizens could have done more to stop him. To a point, I do agree. But on the other hand, the country went through a horrible depression in which people could barely feed their families. When a country – any country – is dealing with something like this, and someone comes along with answers and starts to build up the economy, it’s easy to see how Hitler was able to get any power at all. And of course, this all happened before he went totally off the deep end.
Couple that with his pension to kill off his competition and scare tactics towards his own people… and voila.
I know, it’s not really as simple as that. But in a nutshell, that’s what happened. While pointing fingers is something we naturally do as humans, it doesn’t always work.
Remember, at the beginning America didn’t want to have anything to do with it. By the time Hitler was doing the most atrocious of acts while in power, he’d done a damn good job of scaring everyone around him into submission.
It’s an ugly speck in Germany’s history, much like America’s hundreds of years of slavery.
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:54 am
“While the KKK can still march through the streets of the USA with their hate-speech”
“It’s an ugly speck in Germany’s history, much like America’s hundreds of years of slavery.”
Nuff said… Amen!
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I think one of the many things I love about you is that whenever I come over here, I never know what to expect. You’re sassy, you speak your mind, and you’re smart as hell. Thanks for being you.
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:05 pm
You were completely right in correcting your teacher AND the coworker. Some people are ignorant to the facts and prefer to regurgitate what they hear, instead of formulating their own opinions.
It’s really sad that we still judge other nationalities based on the errors of the past without bothering to double check the facts.
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:06 pm
German history is often very misrepresented. As is Russian history and lots of other country’s histories. If people bother to look at it properly they gain more understanding and if they approach it with an open mind they may notice that, as you say, German does not equal Nazi!
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:08 pm
As a Jewish person descended from Holocaust survivors, I can totally confirm that most Jews have a blanket aversion to anything German, except when presented to them on an individual basis. My parents would have never bought me a German car (they didn’t buy me ANY car, but hypothetically) and wouldn’t be happy if I brought home a German boyfriend. Yet they (or other Jews) feel no real negativity when meeting a German person in really any normal situation. It’s sad that people can’t really separate Germans from Nazis, and having gone to a super religious Jewish school it’s something I’m still trying to deal with.
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:21 pm
You’re not white?????
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Americans love stereotyping like Germans love the Hoff.
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:42 pm
THANK YOU.
I hate when people do that, and I’m Jewish! That’s like I have one friend who is very political, but she blames everything going on with Palestine on “the Jews”. Im like, Hello, I didnt bomb them! It’s one small sect of radical Jewish people, not the entire freakin religion!!
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I was born in Germany. I was born on a Canadian military base, but it was still in Germany. As a result, a lot of my friends used to joke and call me the Nazi, just because of where I was born. I took great offense to that. Yes, the Nazis originated in Germany, but that doesn’t make all Germans Nazi, or even Germany-born Canadian citizens, especially not those born four decades after that war ended. It’s a stigma that I fear will plague Germany for many more decades to come.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:02 pm
FYI, I just wrote a post about this one (you’re thought-provoking, hooray!). Also, I saw that you responded to my comment but I’m at work and thus can only preview my gmail, not actually read it. BLAH.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:02 pm
seriously, you are awesome.
i hate it when people generalize so much, like comparing a group of people from a religion and assuming everyone is the same. time to get a clue people.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:06 pm
I’m polish. We got the short end of both of those sticks as well. (nazis and KKK) Although, I don’t much care, because you know, I’m 32 and I was born in the USA. I really dont get why some people still act like those things had any direct affect on them.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:11 pm
the last line says it all!
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:13 pm
In my history class one semester we watched a Hitler campaign video from waaaay early in his career (? is that the right term?). Hitler was like a celebrity, someone to solve all the country’s problems. The country loved him, until he turned psycho. But I’m sure that’s why he was able to have so much power. The citizens thought that they’d be much better off with this wonder worker doing everything to help them. It was a powerful video, to see how easily people can be duped into believing that all their prayers can be answered by a single person.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:34 pm
I’m glad you corrected him.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:48 pm
good for you- standing up for what you believe in and what is right. i’m sorry he was teaching this to young minds in America! you go girl! great post!!
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:50 pm
fuck the filter.
you speak your mind so well and honestly. it’s rare. and much appreciated.
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I absolutely agree with your post. It’s so frustrating when people stereotype others based on nationality. (yes, Americans are bad at this, but it really seems to be an unfortunate trait of most humans, for example Chinese towards Japanese, Indians towards Pakistanis, French towards Americans, Western countries towards Middle Eastern countries…I could go on) Nothing irritates me more then when I hear people saying that all Muslims or Saudi’s are all evil terrorists. Which they’re not. Obviously.
I never associate Germans with Nazi’s. I know there is a stark difference. You are correct in saying that that era was a scar on Germany’s history much like America bears the scars of slavery and the mass genocide of Native Americans; and I really hope that people don’t look at me, a white American, and associate me with that part of our history.
Congrats to you for correcting both your teacher and your co-worker and for always speaking your mind!
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:16 pm
You are totally right! So many people still refer to all Germans as Nazis.
I also have to empathize with your mouth getting you into trouble. More often than not, I don’t even realize what I have said until I have said. Furthermore, I didn’t intend what I said to be interpreted the way that it was. And that just sucks. Working on that.
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Gut gemacht!
I have struggled with the same frustrations, mostly as someone who studied German language and history and lived in Germany for a spell, but also before any of this when it just seemed impossible that an entire country could be evil.
I did my senior thesis on Die weisse Rose and my main motivation was because I felt it was so wrong that people could generalize so. It also frustrates me when people do this with people of middle-eastern descent or any ethnic or national group. My senior thesis was actually really well received and I had a lot of people ask to read it (which is not normal, I don’t think). It makes me feel better when some people wish to actively dispel stereotypes or educate themselves on the truth.
I am glad you stand up to people who defame part of your heritage and insult millions of innocent people with their ignorance.
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:30 pm
yes, you were totally right. Choice of words can make a huge difference.
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Bravo for this post. Especially your last sentence. I get so sick of people throwing around other countries’ history without taking a good hard look at the history of the US (and present with the current immigration discussion).
And HA! on correcting your teacher.
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:48 pm
For the record I don’t associate Germany or Germans to mean Nazi!
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:56 pm
You are absolutely right- thank you for writing this, and for correcting the idiots that needed it.
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Very well said.
July 23rd, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Plus, without Germany we would have never had Nena and her 99 Luft Balloons.
You gotta see the big picture, people.
July 23rd, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Germany has built countless memorials to anyone and everyone that suffered at the hands of the Nazis. They just built one to the homosexuals that were killed. I imagine that had to be difficult since not many people were “out” back then. They should be commended for admitting that they have this mark on their history and are trying to correct it.
July 23rd, 2008 at 6:01 pm
I know what you’re saying. I get stereotyped all the time as a good looking, well off guy that doesn’t have any problems.
while that’s true, I dont tell them that.
July 23rd, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Kinda like how nowadays people like to lump all Muslims and Arabs with terrorists.
July 23rd, 2008 at 7:11 pm
I totally don’t think of Nazism when I think of Germany. I only think beer.
July 23rd, 2008 at 7:22 pm
My grandparents are German and fled right after WWI. Sometimes I feel guilt because my family is German and did fight in the war. I don’t know what part of the war they participated in and know some of them I know ran away to Austria. My uncle who was born during the war and my mother shortly after were raised to be American with no ties to their German heritage. It’s unfortunate there is such an ugly stain on the history of this country, but is it any worse than the stain on American history? It may have been more recent, but we can only learn from the mistakes.
July 23rd, 2008 at 7:53 pm
I would have loved to have seen the look on your teacher’s face. When I hear someone making references like you mentioned, it just reminds me how far we have yet to go sometimes. We are all people and essentially want the same things, why can’t we just be kind to each other?
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:07 pm
It is sad that the country of German and its people get lumped in with such a hate group.
July 23rd, 2008 at 10:05 pm
B you are strong as fuck. you stand up for what you believe in, even from that young of an age – work it lady.
July 23rd, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Or the fact that the Japanese have few hard feelings despite the US dropping two goddamn nuclear bombs on them!!
One of my closest friends is German, and we’ve had some really interesting conversations about how patriotism is so stigmatized in Germany, unlike every other European country.
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:18 pm
Too bad every ignorant American can’t read this post.
One time, we were talking about this era in my high school history class, and I asked how the world population would be affected if all of those people hadn’t have been killed. My teacher WENT OFF on me, like I was saying it was a good thing. I need to learn to keep my mouth shut…
July 24th, 2008 at 1:04 am
Very well said, and I would’ve done the same about defending Germany now. One of my best friends from college was an exchange student from there, and I learned so much about the current culture. Germany is a much, much different place now than it was under the Nazis.
Last year I performed in a play called “Bent,” which was basically about Nazi persecution of homosexuals during the Holocaust. I was cast to play a Nazi, and it was the scariest thing I’ve ever done. My director loved that a gay Jew was playing a Nazi in her show, but my family wasn’t thrilled. For my part, I realized that by taking on that role, I was doing my part to help others remember how bad things were, so that history is not repeated.
And regarding your point about a country struggling to survive, it’s not uncommon. After reading The Kite Runner, I learned that Afghanistan had a similar experience, and as a result the Taliban was welcomed because people thought they would turn things around.
July 24th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Seriously, girl, I love your blog. Because you can post serious, meaningful things that are undeniably touchy subjects but you have a down-to-earth, humorous spin that makes it engaging.
Love.
Hating an entire group of people for something done a long time ago or by a small faction is ridiculous. Generalizing happens WAY too often (hello, muslims), but way to lay the smackdown on ignorance.
(Also! It bugs the HELL out of me when people hate the French. WHY?! Why!? Make your own opinion and/or get over World War Whatever.) Gah. Okay, just had to get that off my chest.
July 24th, 2008 at 11:36 am
This post is so right on. I have learned so much about this since I met Torsten. But even before that, when I was in high school and got a VW, a friend tried to call me out for betraying “my people” (since I’m Jewish). It’s definitely true that in the US we don’t differentiate between “Germans” and “Nazis” when learning about WWII.
July 24th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
awesome post. i take a sort of demented glee in the fact that you get to correct all those jerks while simultaneously coming from another oppressed-group background. sort of makes what you’re saying even more powerful.
July 24th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
You’re right- it’s an ugly speck of German history. Unofrunately, it was a pretty big speck and I think it will take a long time for people to stop stereotyping. Not everyone can think independently nowadays.
July 24th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Mental360 – Yes.
La – Awww, that was sweet. Thank you.
Alice – It really is sad.
LCT – Thank you.
Arielle – Thank you for being so open and honest.
Apollocreed – Of COURSE that’s the one thing you pick to comment on.
Narm – Ahahaha. Yes.
Lacey Bean – You’re welcome. And THANK YOU!
JB – I still get stupid jokes about being a Nazi too. I’m not sure people realize how fucking offensive that shit is. It used to put me in a rage.
Arielle – Your post made me cry… because I’m a sucker like that.
Katelin – Dude, I can’t get down with that either. Bugs the ever lovin’ crap outta me.
Mon – Yeah… ditto.
Chickbug – Agreed
Angela – It’s pretty eerie, you know? Because if people were able to fast forward just 5 years, they would NOT have been even remotely as accepting of him.
Freeandflawed – Thank you. Me too.
Making Lemonade – Thanks!
Almost right word – damn right. fuck the filter.
CC – Thanks, dear.
Lindz – Sometimes, the mouth just has to get us in trouble. It’s all right.
Glittershrapnel – Vielen dank!
Noelle – Agreed.
SA – Precisely, those in glass homes should not throw stones.
Passionista – That’s cuz you’re awesome.
Sandy – Thank you for reading.
Miss Britt – That’s appreciated.
Peter – Nena is STILL rockin, even today.
Mom in Real Life – I <3 you.
RS27 – You crack me the fuck up.
Travis – OMG YES. I hate that shit.
Poodlegoose – See, that? All Germans are totally okay with. Beer = Bliss.
Dolce – I emailed you
Vanessa – Ugh. That face was priceless. Will never forget it
Andrea – Agreed. I wish it had never happened.
Alexa – I friggin’ <3 you for realz.
PP – Yes. Exactly.
Kilax – Ah.. keeping our mouths shut is overrated.
Phil – I can’t even imagine how hard that must’ve been. But good of you to put such a spin on it. Education is key.
Ashley Marie – Awww, thank you! Seriously. I’m touched.
Jess – You’re a rockstar.
Alice – I do too. And thank you.
Matt – Yeah.. what confuses me is how that dominates people’s view of Germany, how we learned from it, and how we’re NOT DOING A DAMN THING in Africa to stop it from continuing at this very moment.
July 24th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Wow. My best friend is German and she has to deal with these exact same problems. Her great grandmother was shot by a Nazi when she refused to salute.
Those were hard times. I just think that people want to believe that they would stand up if something like that happened. People are ignorant. It’s as if by bashing those mistakes made in the past, they are going to make themselves look better.
July 24th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I lived in Germany from 8 to 12 years old, and the Germans I remember were kind, yet assertive, enthusiastic and proud people eager to shed the haunting cloak of Nazism that fell on all of their shoulders after the war.
You wrote a great post here.
July 24th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Hi. New reader. This post – AWESOME. Some people will just continue to look at anything as black and white, good and bad, but forget there’s a lot of gray in between.
P.S. You should see some of the looks and questions I get when people ask me where I’m from and I reply, “Lebanon, the country.”
July 25th, 2008 at 7:18 am
My friend turner is very very very German – speaks fluent German and everything. Has deep roots to that culture. He gets just as riled up as you do!
July 25th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
It’s a red-hot topic, isn’t it? Kinda like the fake Andy Rooney rant… are you sure you didn’t have a hand in this one, LOL!
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/rooney4.asp
July 27th, 2008 at 6:38 am
AMEN amenamenamenamen. thank you for writing this post!! totally right. it is really difficult to be in germany and see that germans today still feel guilt, even though they had nothing to do with it. the only time you see a flag is during soccer games, and coming from america, that is something really moving to see, considering im from texas, where the us, texas and confederate flag are everywhere. you should watch the movie ‘the brigge’ from germany made in the 50s. totally makes you think even more about it.
July 27th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Great post -
the same thing always bothered me… (I’m also german) – so many ignorant people out there!
July 27th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Loved this post. You need no filter
)
I once had a blond-haired, blue-eyed, German-bred boyfriend. He had a blond-haired, blue-eyed brother who married a blond-haired, blue-eyed girl. Said boyfriend told me that his family was perpetuating the Aryan Master Race. Is it just me, or is that not very funny?
July 28th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Congrats to your post! It is great!
By the way, Hitler was Austrian and left Austria (going to Germany) because he did not want to do the mandatory military service in Austria.
I wonder how many people do know that?
Thanks again and lots of greetings from Germany
Anja
July 28th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Well said.
I think one of the things I love so much about Germany and its people is that they aren’t afraid to address their past. They’re willing to acknowledge the period of ugliness that marked their history, and move forward, ensuring that it doesn’t happen again. I wish a lot more countries (such as Austria, Japan, the US, and heck, even Canada, where I am from) would do the same.
July 28th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Well said! There’s so many generalisations made about various nations or religions because of a select few but I never really thought of the German thing. I mean, I know obviously that being German does not make one a Nazi to any extent, but I never realised other people actually DID think so. I don’t know why it surprises me, but it does.
July 29th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
i traveled to europe in may and wasn’t really all that specifically excited about visiting germany. i was just happy to be traveling.
turns out that germany was the most beautiful countryside i saw in all of europe. we had rented a car and just driven around the small towns and through the fields. stayed several nights in cochem.
i thought i would look forward most to france but belgium, the netherlands, and germany ended up being my favorites. it was absolutely beautiful and i loved the mosel valley wine!
July 31st, 2008 at 1:30 am
I sign this – thanks!
Danke
July 31st, 2008 at 6:30 pm
I totally agree with everything you said and also with Rebekah: some things really don’t need to be filtered!
I’ve got one German friend who told me being ashamed of being German was drilled into him in school. In Germany! How awful!!! I just can’t get over it! Children are taught they should be ashamed of themselves…
August 4th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Hi, I’m like way late to the party here, but this is a great post. My German students wanted to be proud of their country and wave flags and cheer during the World and Euro cups, but there’s still a difficulty in being proud to be German–some of the older generation find it scary and bad even to this day. The students, I think, felt a little overwhelmed with this German guilt they were supposed to acquire, but they learned about it over and over and over in school so that it was frustrating and demoralizing for them. And Americans (and others) still call them Nazis when they get drunk in German cities. So it’s hard.