There's much to admire about Germany's determination to deal with its past. But the consensus on this is more brittle and less broad than outsiders believe.
According to a new study, 60% (!) of Germans believe that "the crimes of the German past should finally be left alone."
According to a new study, 60% (!) of Germans believe that "the crimes of the German past should finally be left alone."
This should give some pause to those who hold up Germany as an obvious example for other countries, including the United States, to follow.
As a German Jew, I am grateful for elite consensus around the Holocaust. But the consensus simply does not extend beyond the elite.
As a German Jew, I am grateful for elite consensus around the Holocaust. But the consensus simply does not extend beyond the elite.
(To be precise: The consensus that the Holocaust was bad does extend to the vast majority of Germans. But the belief that the ongoing practice of engaging with Germany's dark past, and using that in part as a new kind of founding myth for German national identity, does not.)
Final note:
As some have pointed out, the English translation of this question could be better.
But the original is widely understood, and unambiguously refers to the idea of not talking about the topic anymore - "drawing a finish line under the crimes of Germany's past."
As some have pointed out, the English translation of this question could be better.
But the original is widely understood, and unambiguously refers to the idea of not talking about the topic anymore - "drawing a finish line under the crimes of Germany's past."
Source: dieandereteilung.de
