Just a Thought....

Something has been bothering me for a while and I want some other members constructive opinions on this.

Recently, I was watching one of the many Nazi documentaries on the History Channel...I think the Rise/Fall of the Third Reich series...and found myself seriously questioning.

I am of German descent, my great-grandparents came from Germany in the late 20's-early 30's, my others in the late 1800's. I also have a fascination with history, especially with pre-and WWII era Germany and would love to get into collecting items from that time out of cultural and historical significance.

The problem with this is that because of this fascination, I am most likely going to be tagged as a white supremacist or Neo-Nazi/Aryan Brotherhood type.

I will say that I have read Mein Kampf and did extensive study on the SS and everything Nazi Germany you can shake a stick at. I even inherited a book from a late uncle about the Nazi magazine Signal. But yet, I do not agree with the horrible atrocities committed by them during the war. I'm only doing it to explore my background more, which brings me to my question to anyone in my situation, or even Germans themselves:

Do you feel that Adolf Hitler and the Nazis affected how non-Germans see Germany and her people and culture?

How I see it is that most people stereotype Germans as either beer-swilling, lederhosen-wearing, yodeling mountain people or cold, unfeeling, brutal Nazi automatons bent on racial purity. They don't take in effect some of the contributions we gave to the world, such as Albert Einstein, the printing press (Johannes Guttenberg, not Steve), and advance rocket/weapons propulsion (Werner von Braun), to name a few.

This is just one of many bothersome thoughts I've been having, and I'm seeing if other people feel the same.

Originally posted by TheToastmanCometh

I am of German descent, my great-grandparents came from Germany in the late 20's-early 30's, my others in the late 1800's. I also have a fascination with history, especially with pre-and WWII era Germany and would love to get into collecting items from that time out of cultural and historical significance.

I would say go for it.

Not all collectors are Nazis, and history can be fascinating when you have objects from that time too.

How I see it is that most people stereotype Germans as either beer-swilling, lederhosen-wearing, yodeling mountain people or cold, unfeeling, brutal Nazi automatons bent on racial purity.

Yes that can be the stereotype, but most with any brains between their ears don't go by stereotypes.

I went to Germany with the British forces at the age of 18, your description above is pretty much what i expected as thats all i heard from people around me. I ended up having the best time, in the best place, with some of the nicest people you could wish to meet.

CX.

reply to post by CX


That's what I'm trying to get at...we're a pretty chill people, but I feel that the Nazis ruined it for us in a way. Like...there was this SS dagger at a local pawn shop for $88 (not sure if it was authentic or a replica, but still pretty neat) and the guy behind the counter was just watching me like a hawk, like he suspected me of being some Skinhead bitch or something.

Also on a related note, I'm part of the Hindu religion, so of course I use swastikas as the holy symbols...like during Diwali I made a large one out of candles to bring good luck on the holiday and people threatened to call the cops because it looked like I was doing some Nazi ritual of sorts.

I think these days Germany is just though of as a typical European country, AKA, beer guzzlers like the rest aha.

I also hold the Germans in great admiration for changing the face of the Earth like they did.

I DO NOT CONDONE THE CRIMES COMMITTED.

I do however hold much reverence in the fact that THEY appreciated human history, mysticism, technology, geology, evolution and ALL things magic and wonderful.

Could you imagine if the whole human race shared such goals? We'd be what, 100? 200 years ahead of our time right now?

Why does the rest of the world not posses the same determination to ADVANCE in the same manner they did?

Maybe Hitler was right, maybe there made of better steel than the rest of us? I dunno.

I best stop now aha, ATS has a policy on Hitler that I should adhere to

I find it interesting they bar Hitler admirers, but haven't offered the same service to those who support Bush or the Harrimens, or the Zionists... They exceed Hitler in criminal conviction and mass murder, after all, they coerced Hitler into cleansing Europe of the Jews anyway, in order to make way for Israel...

Well, maybe in another hundred years time, we'll be able to openly discuss these things....?

Originally posted by TheToastmanCometh
Something has been bothering me for a while and I want some other members constructive opinions on this.

Recently, I was watching one of the many Nazi documentaries on the History Channel...I think the Rise/Fall of the Third Reich series...and found myself seriously questioning.

I am of German descent, my great-grandparents came from Germany in the late 20's-early 30's, my others in the late 1800's. I also have a fascination with history, especially with pre-and WWII era Germany and would love to get into collecting items from that time out of cultural and historical significance.

The problem with this is that because of this fascination, I am most likely going to be tagged as a white supremacist or Neo-Nazi/Aryan Brotherhood type.

I will say that I have read Mein Kampf and did extensive study on the SS and everything Nazi Germany you can shake a stick at. I even inherited a book from a late uncle about the Nazi magazine Signal. But yet, I do not agree with the horrible atrocities committed by them during the war. I'm only doing it to explore my background more, which brings me to my question to anyone in my situation, or even Germans themselves:

Do you feel that Adolf Hitler and the Nazis affected how non-Germans see Germany and her people and culture?

How I see it is that most people stereotype Germans as either beer-swilling, lederhosen-wearing, yodeling mountain people or cold, unfeeling, brutal Nazi automatons bent on racial purity. They don't take in effect some of the contributions we gave to the world, such as Albert Einstein, the printing press (Johannes Guttenberg, not Steve), and advance rocket/weapons propulsion (Werner von Braun), to name a few.

This is just one of many bothersome thoughts I've been having, and I'm seeing if other people feel the same.

I'm sure that they ignore the positives because they feel as if they acknowledged them and gave them any credit they would somehow...agree with Nazism and all the things attributed to that...and they are so afraid as being misinterpreted as a Nazi for crediting Germany with anything positive...they just don't go there...

I am Irish/German by ancestry and I always felt somewhat ashamed to be German...mostly because I was led to believe I should be...

When you go over WWII in school Germany is essentially the antichrist by description...there isn't a lot of emphasis on the SS/Hitler and the back story before Germany was essentially hijacked other than how incredibly horrible they were and how many people they killed...its the main focus and to some people its all that matters...

but as I'm sure everyone knows...there are two sides to every story...there is always more to the story than you hear...and history belongs to the victor...

reply to post by TheToastmanCometh


Not German roots myself but i have married a man who has German relatives, so i can only tell what i have experienced and noticed when chatting with them. Still decade ago talking about WWII and Nazis were very sore point to them, it was an issue they didn´t really wanted to talk about. Most of the "Reich" songs like " Die Fahne hoch" are banned and illegal in germany and only allowed on eduacational purposes.

Nazis caused a long time trauma and low esteem for German people and it has taken a long way to heal. When we think about what was going on back then and how it was even possible its above our comprehension. But we have to admit Hitler was clever person ( if i remember his IQ was 141 ) and exceptional speaker. We see such a talented speakers even today but we are more wiser ( i atleast hope so ) and we have easier access to information today than ppl had back then.

Having lived in Germany I can say Germans are "beer-swilling, lederhosen-wearing, yodeling mountain people".

Seriously though, There is no more drinking going on than the Irish, French, Americans, etc. There's always an excuse to drink and if not, then one will be created for you. As for the Kniebund Lederhosen, this is mostly done on the weekends during the Volksmarsches, on Holidays, and in the Gasthauses as uniforms. Its just part of the culture. Yodeling? nope that's the Swiss and Bavarians and usually only done for the common non European tourist.

Germany has a great history and wonderful traditions that have bled out into the world, some have been accepted as is and some have been twisted and altered. I would say much of modern technology and scientific advancements can be attributed to Germany and its peoples, thats just how they roll. lol

As for the unfortunate period and actions of the "Peoples Government" (loosely used), I think that it is simply a case of recent history and still in the worlds mind not only due to the atrocities but also the held fast attitude of "My poor race". As seen by the continuing remembrance of "Slavery" in the United States. It appears that some cultures like the African descent(used only as an example and not universal thought) have not let go of the past and moved on yet other cultures who were just as much sold into slavery if not more as in the Irish(again only an example) have let it go and it is all but forgotten.

The atrocities that occurred due to the Nazi party and its enforcers were just that and can not be denied but it is a case of not accepting that it happened and letting it go on an emotional level. The Catholic Church is no longer held accountable for the 27 million people who were put to death during the inquisition nor are so many other cultures still held accountable for the atrocities they perpetrated throughout history.

Yes it has tainted peoples uneducated ideas of Germany and it is a shame but again I think it is a case of not letting it go, as it can not be changed, and realizing that this was the work of a specific group of peoples from Germany and not Germany itself, nor is it Germany today.

Wow, I am really impressed by some of the replies I got, and am glad that I don't feel so burdened by what people believe of my culture.

I like to thank all who've posted replies and feel free to comment on the topic.