[Vision2020] Hitler's Germany

Sun, 15 Jun 2003 11:43:30 EDT

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Dear Tom and Visionaries,
I have what amounts to a second undergraduate major in German history betwee=
n=20
1919 and 1945 and Holocaust studies.=A0 I am certain that your experience wi=
th=20
German nationals was positive and that when/if you discussed that time with=20
them very few would have positive things to say about Hitler or his regime.=
=A0=20
However, to accept their statements that they were forced to follow the dict=
ates=20
of the 3rd Reich is an oversimplification.=A0 Hitler was voted into office b=
y=20
the same people who later disavowed any involvement or willing cooperation w=
ith=20
his hateful government. Hitler's policies, including his anti-Semitism, were=
=20
well known and endorsed by the German populace prior to 1932=A0(and yes, I k=
now=20
the number of popular votes for fascist candidates was declining). =20
Nonetheless, without the tacit, if not enthusiastic support, of the majority=
 of German=20
people it would have been impossible for the horrors of the Holocaust and Wo=
rld=20
War II to have taken place.=A0 That is not to say that decent folks who spok=
e=20
out were not imprisoned or killed -- they were often were.=A0 There is no do=
ubt=20
that fear of retaliation shaped many responses to individual situations.=A0=20=
But,=20
the reality is that the surviving generation of World War II Germans often=20
retell their story in a way that denies their contributions to Hitler's agen=
da.=A0=20
This denial that is self-serving and not supported by factual analysis.
Sorry to sound so strident but the role of German people, and their eager=20
collaborators in Poland, France, the Ukraine, and especially the Croatians,=20
cannot be excused or forgotten.
Rose Huskey

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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><FONT  SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=
=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">Dear Tom and Visionaries,<BR>
I have what amounts to a second undergraduate major in German history betwee=
n 1919 and 1945 and Holocaust studies.=A0 I am certain that your experience=20=
with German nationals was positive and that when/if you discussed that time=20=
with them very few would have positive things to say about Hitler or his reg=
ime.=A0 However, to accept their statements that they were forced to follow=20=
the dictates of the 3rd Reich is an oversimplification.=A0 Hitler was voted=20=
into office by the same people who later disavowed any involvement or willin=
g cooperation with his hateful government. Hitler's policies, including his=20=
anti-Semitism, were well known and endorsed by the German populace prior to=20=
1932=A0(and yes, I know the number of popular votes for fascist candidates w=
as declining).&nbsp; Nonetheless, without the tacit, if not enthusiastic sup=
port, of the majority of German people it would have been impossible for the=
 horrors of the Holocaust and World War II to have taken place.=A0 That is n=
ot to say that decent folks who spoke out were not imprisoned or killed -- t=
hey were often were.=A0 There is no doubt that fear of retaliation shaped ma=
ny responses to individual situations.=A0 But, the reality is that the survi=
ving generation of World War II Germans often retell their story in a way th=
at denies their contributions to Hitler's agenda.=A0 This denial that is sel=
f-serving and not supported by factual analysis.<BR>
Sorry to sound so strident but the role of German people, and their eager co=
llaborators in Poland, France, the Ukraine, and especially the Croatians, ca=
nnot be excused or forgotten.<BR>
Rose Huskey<BR>
</FONT></HTML>
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