All of my German friends say they spend FOREVER on the Holocaust and could recall walking to museums as field trips as kids.
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Originally posted by MINKI
The text books cover "the basics" but everything during the WWII time period isn't gone over until the semester is close to ending. A lot of the atrocities are left out of lessons and text books and many deny them which is why a lot of youth today don't fully understand the hatred China and S.K have for Japan.
But, they do also contain brief information on why the opposing country at the time felt the way they did or what the original issue was.
Honestly what is covered regarding the war depends on which district or prefecture the school is in. My friend and I attended an international school so we got the full history lessons but our other friends from different schools didn't go over the specifics of WWII.
MINKI, I've always wanted to know how the Rape of Nanking in the Second Sino-Japanese War is taught in school. I know it's still a huge point of contention so that's why I really wonder. Also, do you know anything about Dokdo Island?
I remember learning about the Holocaust in maybe elementary school and kind of hating the german people because of it. I couldn't understand how seemingly a whole country, or a big chunk of it, could have tolerated such evilness. Reading books like Anne Frank and watching movies like The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas really didn't make me a fan of the Germans either. And I wondered if the evilness is passed down every generation. Like seriously, I thought they were the worst people on earth!
But with age, comes maturity and I realize that the new generation is not to blame for the actions of the past. I do wonder about the true feelings of those still alive now.. How they dealt with the guilt, if there was any and stuff like that.
I remember first learning a little about the Holocaust in the 5th grade after my teacher drew a Swastika on the board, and told us about its history and to never draw it. I can remember the entire class being so into the lecture, but still sitting in the classroom a little stunned and silenced by all of the information. We learned about it more in middle school, watching a film on Anne Frank's life, and happening within concentration camps. Admittedly, learning this stuff made me think that the Germans were evil, or simply cowards for allowing it to happen, but then again, I also felt other countries were cowards for allowing it to happen for as long as they did too.
I wish I could slap the **** out of Hitler.
Anyway, what did Japan do to China and South Korea? We never really covered that in my studies...
My English teacher did a lesson on Anne Frank's Diary when the German Exchange was happening () and they cheered when she died, they can't find it that awkward
Thinking about it, when we went to Berlin for a school trip for my History GCSE when we visited a concentration camp just outside Berlin two men walked past and gave Nazi salutes shouting "Heil Hitler". 40 very terrified British teenagers looked on in horror.
It didn't have the same impact, but in Spain Franco's dictatorship is taught to kids on an early age, although full details don't come until you're twelve or close, when they get into the Civil War and the reasons why we spent almost 40 years behind Europe's progress towards civilization after WWII, luckily all the teachers I had were from the left wing, so all details were explained properly, although now with a Conservative party founded by ex Franco collaborators, it gets harder
I saw a video in World History class showing how in Auschwitz or another big camp the captured German soldiers were made to carry the bodies, dig the graves and bury them. The local townsfolk were also watching and a high ranking ally on a podium shouted in German: Is this what you wanted?! Look at what your dear leader did!
He dragged them to the pits!
Buchenwald - The height of Germany with Goethe and Schiller in Weimar and 5 miles outside, Buchenwald the hell.
After the liberation of Buchenwald the whole population of Weimar had to march up the hill to Buchenwald.
The standard work of the concentration camps was written by Eugen Kogon inmate of the camp and issued immediately after the war.
Der SS Staat - in English - The Theory and Practice of Hell, one of the most shocking books ever.
What I find especially hard to understand is - regarding WW2 - how one of the most peace loving nations and one with such cultural tradition as Germany, could have been dragged into the Holocaust. Germany has always been on the forefront of scientific, philosophical and literary progress. After all we are the Nation of Thinkers and Poets and Inventors.
In the from the 16th century to around 1900 Germany was the leading cultural nation in the world in my opinion. We are just about to get some of this back.
Something like a World or European war and the Holocaust will never again happen in Germany or be caused by it. We love freedom and human rights probably even more than Switzerland now.
Because Germany was in a disgusting state post-WWI. When things are bad, the people look to a government who will make changes (as can be seen presently with the rise of the right wing parties across Europe today), and both the Communists and Nazis promised that back in the 1930s. The problem was the way that Hitler was able to take control, eliminate competition and establish a dictatorship. Don't forget also that Hitler was an extremely good orator and therefore many felt that what he was doing was good. They were persuaded through signs of economic progress and copious amounts of propaganda. Those who didn't agree had no means of actively fighting it, they faced death and persecution.
So to properly answer your question, it's nothing about cultural progress really.
Because Germany was in a disgusting state post-WWI. When things are bad, the people look to a government who will make changes (as can be seen presently with the rise of the right wing parties across Europe today), and both the Communists and Nazis promised that back in the 1930s. The problem was the way that Hitler was able to take control, eliminate competition and establish a dictatorship. Don't forget also that Hitler was an extremely good orator and therefore many felt that what he was doing was good. They were persuaded through signs of economic progress and copious amounts of propaganda. Those who didn't agree had no means of actively fighting it, they faced death and persecution.
So to properly answer your question, it's nothing about cultural progress really.
Most of the world was already anti-Semitic and hated the Jews, also. The Hep-Hep Riots (it's rumored that "hip-hip, hooray" came from this event) happened well before WWII and showed some of the Western world's hatred for the Semitic people. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hep_hep_riots
A lot of this evolved from the myth that the Jews were an underground organization that ran the banking system (much like where the myth of the "Illuminati" was born in Bavaria in the 1800s).
This generation of Japan did not go to war and know that it was wrong. Why do they need to apologise for something they were not involved in? If they do, it would be meaningless.
Also, nearly every nation has done something 'wrong'. If Japan needs to apologise, what about the Spanish colony who wiped out most of South America's population? Germany who conquered large parts of Africa? The Mongols who killed most of Persia's population? Your logical fallacy is a slippery slope.
There is still denial on the Japanese side, they haven't come close to taking full responsibility of their past like the Germans have...
There are temples for war criminals
Women who were taken from their homes and used as sex slaves (many of whom are still alive today) have asked for a sincere apology + acknowledgment have been brushed off by the Japanese government
Topics like the Nanking Massacre, Unit 731 are glossed over in schools and in textbooks, many people aren't aware of the atrocities committed in their countries past. At least that's what I've heard from some of my Japanese friends...
I don't think this at all. I never equate Poland to Germany. I see them as complete separate countries. I would compare Poland to (some) Slavic countries before Germany.
If any country gets it's wars glossed over, it's England.
Gurl I'm from the UK and I've only ever had 1 lesson on the Wars Of The Roses, nothing on any other British only wars.
I know nothing of the Vikings, Anglo-Saxons and Normans apart from their names
I briefly had a few lessons on the Victorian era but they didn't mention slavery, instead talking about where people went on their days off
I've never learnt about the American Revolution, Americans say it's because we're guilty but we just don't care, we've had way more interesting stuff.
I still haven't had a single lesson on the Holocaust, it's ridiculous I know nothing of Japan in WW2 apart from the fact they occupied Manchuria.
I know nothing of the Slave Trade or Communism or South America or Africa or Australia or the Middle East.
We haven't learnt of Native Americans, Armenian Genocide, Chinese Revolution, Russian Revolution.
Y'all don't know how screwy our History lessons are
omg so many uneducated ppl in this thread... Serbia didn't start WW1, yes Serbian man killed Franc F. but why? Because Germany/Austria was treating serbians like slaves so they started a rebelion... girl read some history books...
omg so many uneducated ppl in this thread... Serbia didn't start WW1, yes Serbian man killed Franc F. but why? Because Germany/Austria was treating serbians like slaves so they started a rebelion... girl read some history books...
Please let Germany out of this, we weren't there to treat your ancestors like slaves. The Franzl belongs to Austria/Hungary k. u. k. alone.
We are actually being hit with the hard facts. I think it's taught quite honest and in my class, it was a very emotional and hard subject, especially since our teacher had first hand experiences.
Excuse me but your prior post aplied to the situation of 1914 and before.
And what you have posted now is basic knowledge to every German.
And when you want to speak about the occupation of the Third Reich to Serbia/Jugoslavija (what wasn't the topic of your link) , then I've to admit that every German who died there by Јосип Броз Тито, a Slowenian, partisan forces, was justfied, why should I think otherwise.
PS
It only irks me that you attachet the post with a gif of Britney, please don't do that again, I don't like that. Apart from that Yours Sincerely
Excuse me but your prior post aplied to the situation of 1914 and before.
And what you have posted now is basic knowledge to every German.
And when you want to speak about the occupation of the Third Reich to Serbia/Jugoslavija (what wasn't the topic of your link) , then I've to admit that every German who died there by Јосип Броз Тито, a Slowenian, partisan forces, was justfied, why should I think otherwise.
PS
It only irks me that you attachet the post with a gif of Britney, please don't do that again, I don't like that. Apart from that Yours Sincerely
you said that your ancestors didn't treat my ancestors like a slaves, so I just gave you a friendly reminder. Yes it's a WW II but ok, you wanna say that Germany had nothing to do woth WW I? Sis heres some more reading material, where it's says that Germany was a main force during WW I http://www.firstworldwar.com/feature...yduringww1.htm
second of all, why are you hating that Britney gif girl?
PS. just for the record I don't hate Germans, I love the country and think that those "few" mistakes in the past doesn't define who that nation is today
As far as I know, after speaking with a woman who moved to my town from Germany, they're taught the facts of the situation and realize that some of what their country did was absolutely horrible. However, they're taught both that they personally should not take blame for the situation (as mostly everyone involved is long dead), but that they should not feel pride for what many Germans did in cases like the Holocaust. That's all according to her, of course. I mean, from the viewpoint of an outsider, it's a valid point that no German born after the fact can be held responsible, and many German citizens back then did not agree with what was happening. It goes without saying that they shouldn't be proud of what happened. I do personally believe her when she said that they learn the facts - just the same as many US kids. However, all history is skewed; everyone has a stance and everyone gives significance to details that benefit their image for educational purposes, unfortunately. I almost feel as though German students might get a more complete picture of the war, in some cases, than those in my own country.