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how do the German people of today think about the World Wars/Nazis?

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I went to Berlin a few weeks ago and we had a guided tour around the city with a British guide who had lived in the city for a few years whilst studying for his PhD, and he said some interesting things about how he thinks the country has been a lot better at coming to terms with its not-so-flattering history (especially compared to countries like the UK, which have also been involved in their fair share of horrific events), accepting it and moving on whilst still remembering it respectfully - there are memorials and museums (the place where Hitler killed himself is now next to an apartment complex and car park), it's not something that's glorified OR swept under the carpet, it's right in the middle. This dignified way of remembering an awful yet important blot on their history means that the population there now don't feel defined by it at all. Although he told us there are still Neo-Nazis around, like previous posters said, the treatment of them is very severe. From my impression of the city as an outsider, you can definitely tell it's a forward-looking country, more than anywhere else I've ever been.

Reply 21

CJKay

Dunno. I call my German mates Nazis sometimes, but then again they often join the Skype call with "Hitler Hitler Hitler" so I imagine quite similarly to us.

Reply 22

Sir Fox

Original post by TitanicTeutonicPhil

That's simply incorrect. There are other parties that these people vote for.

It's very much correct. A large number of people voting for the NPD are not hardcore neo-nazis.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=X7Ff9wcb8SkC&pg=PA98&lpg=PA98&dq=%22neo-nazis+in+Germany%22+number&source=bl&ots=nRSpj02l6H&sig=MUj07xi3s0P4UpvwClnqr3chfmI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fskYVMqSBpa58gWWzYKoBQ&ved=0CE4Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=%22neo-nazis%20in%20Germany%22%20number&f=false

40,000 (surely more these days) IS a significant number.

That's 1995, at the height of dissatisfaction with German reunification and poverty in the East. Find a relevant contemporary source or don't make such claims. Even 40,000 is still only 0.05% of the population. That's not only negligible, but probably even far less than in other countries.

Reply 23

P357

Original post by CJKay

Dunno. I call my German mates Nazis sometimes, but then again they often join the Skype call with "Hitler Hitler Hitler" so I imagine quite similarly to us.

Did that to a German guy once. Never spoke to me again after.
Sheesh.Can you say sensitive?

Reply 24

GenialGermanGent

Original post by Sir Fox

It's very much correct. A large number of people voting for the NPD are not hardcore neo-nazis.

That's mostly wrong, but not the point. OP asked about people consider Germany's actions during WW2 justifiable and who support Hitler's ideology. Virtually all NPD voters do that.

Original post by Sir Fox

That's 1995, at the height of dissatisfaction with German reunification and poverty in the East. Find a relevant contemporary source or don't make such claims.

Yeah, because someone who supports Hitler's ideology will just change her/his mind because the reunification is a bit further in the past or finally found a job. We're not talking casual racism here.

Original post by Sir Fox

Even 40,000 is still only 0.05% of the population. That's not only negligible,..

That's not negligible, that's huge. 400-500 might be negligible. If you have dozens/hundreds of neo-nazis in every major city that does make a major difference to the lives of minorities. Tell the families of the NSU victims that the number of neo-nazis is negligible...

Original post by Sir Fox

...but probably even far less than in other countries.

Again, irrelevant. OP asked about Germany. You really have issue focusing on the point, don't you?

Reply 25

Rakas21

I get the impression from the media at least that Germany feels a collective guilt for what they did and as a result have shyed away from playing a prominent role in global politics. In the last decade or so though they've participated in Afghanistan and have been handed power over the Euro-zone in addition to playing a larger role on the UNSC (P5+1) so i do think they are casting off those shackles which given their attitudes (generally in agreement somewhat with the UK) are a good thing.

Reply 26

ZionistCrimez

How do British people feel about your ancestors putting South African Boers into concentration camps that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths? How do British people feel about the famines that took place under British rule like Bengal famine of 1943? How do British people feel about their part in the Dresden bombing that murdered around 250 thousand German civilians? German people are saints compared to us. Gandhi was good friends with Hitler, why not when Indian's suffered under British rule?

Reply 27

Sir Fox

Original post by ZionistCrimez

How do British people feel about their part in the Dresden bombing that murdered around 250 thousand German civilians?

25,000, mate. One 0 too many.

Gandhi was good friends with Hitler, why not when Indian's suffered under British rule?

Except he wasn't.

Reply 28

Snagprophet

My dad went to Germany with a brass band (not part of the band, but they had spare seats) and part of the tour went to Vineyards and one guy apologised for the war, which I find really sad because they've been made to feel guilt their whole lives when it's a fantastic country.

While it was occupied for 60 years, that was more about West Germany being a frontier of the cold war.

Original post by armistiz

But then considering the UK hooked the Chinese on coke and shipped the most Africans as slaves, I don't think we have much right to look down our nose at the Germans for their "evil" in WWII.