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Thread:Germany and its citizens had to come to terms with the horrors committed in their name, in order to become the regional power they are today. No, not every German shot Jews, but every German had to be aware that it was done in the name of their superiority and victimhood.
The propaganda kept Germans blinded during the war, but they nonetheless had the duty to become aware of the horrors once they were committed. They had to open their eyes. Come to terms with what happened. Why it happened. And then how not to repeat it.
The perpetrators had to be held accountable, with no sense of victimization. Only because draconian measures were imposed after WWI or b/c of the crimes of the Red Army after WWII, no Nazi became less of a Nazi. The crimes of the others didn't justify the crimes of their own.
Germany had to admit to its role in history, in all its darkness, in order for the continent to start rebuilding and prospering. Today and every future generation will learn of that Germany which did those unspeakable crimes. And Germans will keep on hearing about it.
Fully aware of the men that were lost in the war, of the women that were raped in the push by the Red Army, of the suffering of East Germans, of the division of Berlin, Nazis are no less guilty of WWII crimes. And most of them were Germans. And it was done in the name of Germans.
So, on this day, I ask: When will #Serbia take its rightful place in history and the present?
There is no denying the horrors that took place in the 90s. And yet, many Serbs still deny them. There is no denying that Serbia is the largest and economically most potent country in the region. And yet, we are all uneasy with Serbia's aspirations.
The rise of a regional power, when done with respect and awareness for the mistakes of the past, benefits us all. It strengthens the region, enriches it, with all sides benefiting. But it can't happen for as long as we all wonder what is the real motive of Serbia?
Is Serbia playing by the rules, or are we just going to see another expression of Serbian supremacy, where Macedonians are Southern Serbs, Croats are Catholic Serbs, Bosniaks are Muslim Serbs and Albanians don't belong here? It's getting old, to be honest.
I wish that one day, all the Balkan states work as a region in promoting our interests globally. And we can't do that without Serbia. But also, we can't do that with a Serbia that is acting like an arrogant bully.
Until then, we must continue speaking the unpleasant truths. Like the ones of the #SiegeofSarajevo. This happened, and it was done in the name of all Serbs. May we always remember, and may it never be repeated. Which is easier tweeted than done.
Finally... I know it's not all Serbs. And it wasn't all Germans. But that is beyond the point. We need to understand this once and for all.
