Hitler, Nazis And World War II: How Germany Deals With Its Dark Past | Meet the Germans

[@dweuromaxx]

What do you think about how Germany deals with its past? Let us know in the comments!

[@edjohnson1788]

Mit der Geschichte hat Deutschland ganz gut getan!

[@edjohnson1788]

Sie sprechen ausgezeichnete Deutsch, Rachel!

[@RachelStewart04]

@@edjohnson1788 Danke :D

[@dieubermenschisthier]

They still have a long way to go. Look at how they segment Kinder mit Behinderung into different schools... I live here, I know. It's awful....not in every case... But inclusion still has a long way to go.

[@tomendruweit9386]

@@dieubermenschisthier well i visited a school where they did not do that and it was horrible, the teachers cant deal with them they cant get the care they need and they stop "Normal" kids from learning, mentally handycaped people get thier own school cause its the better solution for everyone

[@dionisiuskusuma1462]

How Germany deals with its dark past... Japan: Wait, you guys talk about it?

[@fatmanwalking8610]

Japan, Russia, France, China, UK, Turkey, USA, Spain, Belgium*

[@thelastprussian6491]

@@fatmanwalking8610 China have a dark now

[@CopenhaguenLink]

@@fatmanwalking8610 In fact the spanish inquisition and the atrocities in America are really exagerated

[@yogadgsix]

All powerful countries did dark past

[@someone1787]

You just forget brazil... Killed 90% of paraguayan people during war

[@rupertvega-rice4724]

As a German living in the UK, I keep getting endless rib thumping eye winking jokes: 'don't talk about the war'. The expectation is that you're supposed to be a bit annoyed. You've got to pretend it's funny after you've heard it 123 times to avoid the stereotype of not having a sense of humour. The thing is, other than the repetitiveness it's not actually annoying, it is a responsibility by association. If you want to truly annoy a German, you criticise German bread.

[@RachelStewart04]

And on that note, we have an episode on German bread coming up very soon ;)

[@appleslover]

It's a well known fact that German bread is awful. 😂😂😁

[@dweuromaxx]

@Rick K🤨 kzbin.info/www/bejne/eWHdpXeAnbFqbbs 😉

[@vmoss4467]

@@RachelStewart04 You can talk about why we all miss the bread sooooo much!

[@SivSeran]

@Rick K How can you annoy a dutchie? Serious question. Though I´ll probably never be able to annoy a dutchie, bc you are amazing people. sorry^^ Greets from your annoying neighbours :-)

[@lordseelenfresserdemonking1168]

The Russians seem pretty chill about their dark past

[@TSEEMOD_618]

Well having an autocrat in power don't help them...but some people do acknowledge it

[@TSEEMOD_618]

@Barney The Dictator yeah but at what price? You almost had no real liberties. My girlfriend is from Russia and told me that her parents always got a ton of limitations despite having those advantages. Not to mention the fact that changing a job or choosing a career path wasn't properly a "Free choice". E.G. if you were born in a mining area, you had 0 chances to succeed to relocate

[@TSEEMOD_618]

@Barney The Dictator yes, for few years of her life. And yes I do criticize (and majority of Russians do the same today - been to Russia and not just the big cities, 8 times) such system. The 80% you mention are people anyway in the range of 60 years old of age Min, as even the 50 were the 20 years old when USSR collapsed.

[@TSEEMOD_618]

@Barney The Dictator and lastly: you could have a career if you succeeded in your field, but in the end the competition was huge and not that different from a capitalist stand POV. Just decide by the state and not with that much of meritocracy (like in Capitalism, essentially) Welcome anyway mate :)

[@moriart13]

@Barney The Dictator Who are you shitting? USSR had huge gdp made of Military and heavy industry avg engineer got 150roubles a year while LAda cost was 9000, and cost of levis 501 was 300, while cost of 1 kg of salami was 10. USSR's life standard was beyond shit

[@bwwestman]

I'm American and I was at a bar in Moscow in 2018 with a Russian guy and a German guy. We were talking together, enjoying our drinks and laughing. The German guy suddenly said, "You know, it's funny... not long ago, our ancestors were trying to kill each other. " We all thought deeply about it and commented that we are glad to be here and how far we have come.

[@_b_x_b_1063]

In our area, the main attractions are the train museum and firing pits in the surrounding villages. They were laying tiles near the monument and I dug out someone's knee (knee bone). There was no time to bury it and I threw it into the bushes.

[@UhmActually1]

Down in Ohio swag like Ohio

[@jadapinkett1656]

Sounds like a joke.

[@Yarpen.Zigrin]

And it was fun actually - said the Russian, I will figure something out.

[@semperf1gaming617]

God my Ancestors gave so much for the fatherland and ppl still think they're the bad guys but actually they were only serving their country. I have the same uniform and rifle (Kar98) that my great great great grandfather used and it has the marks of how many Americans/Russian life's he ended with it. That's a piece of history. Yeah it's sad what he was doing but he was 17 when he first joined, but if only I could find his the relative of the one American soldier he spared. That he wrote about in his little book. American name was pvt. John C. Burnmen I think that's how u spell his guys last name.

[@appleslover]

It's amazing to see how Germany, even after losing two world wars and getting divided, still manages to be the biggest economy in Europe and the 4th biggest in the world Also as I have noticed the German public is among the most educated and self aware globally

[@omidaafif4150]

if you can't invade some country with war, invade them with their economy

[@TheRaeffel]

Please notice the fact that (Western-)Germany got tremendous financial support from the US after the war. And many companies still had assets gained from forced labor done at Nazi times.

[@graymalkin7645]

@@TheRaeffel True, had the "Marshall Plan" not come to pass, Germany would still be in unsurmountable debt. Uncle Sam wanted a strong and economically flourishing Germany as a reliable ally in central Europe. That's why we originally came to be economically successful here. Today, many people forget that our wealth also has its history and feel threatened by foreigners or refugees and that they could take away from "all the things we achieved". It's sad and arrogant and not very reflective.

[@tomendruweit9386]

@@graymalkin7645 there where a lot of funds put into western egrmany but the things where acived by germans (at least untill the Gastarbeiter came) from that point onwards it was still acived by germans cause tehy quickly became germans themselfs, and i for my part like a good Döner

[@dnocturn84]

@@TheRaeffel But there weren't really any good alternatives to that. They either had a choice to let all of Germany fall under the influence of the Soviet Union or to keep West Germany in the influence zone of the western powers, changing the country to become a reliable partner in the future. The first option would have further threatened the rest of west Europe and it was decided to not let that happen and to install the Iron Curtain in the middle of Germany instead. And how bad unfair peace treaties can turn out to be in the future, was already on display after the failed Threaty of Versailles. People should also keep in mind, that Germany was pretty much the major doomed area on the direct border between super powers challenging each other during the Cold War for almost 50 years after WWII. If this situation would have changed into a hot war - and there were plenty of chances for this to happen - all of Germany would have turned out to be a nuclear wasteland. The defeated Germans turned out to be a very comfortable safety zone for the western powers and it's army as necessary cannon fodder during the first days and weeks in that horrible szenario. I'm pretty sure the Marshall Plan was a good deal for all western nations after all.

[@leavemealone6261]

The young guy said it best: we’re not to blame, but we have a responsibility. And that won’t ever go away.

[@brown22sugar25]

@Hannes Naumann responsibility means preventing it from happening again. Guilt is being blamed for what already happened

[@fredo69ification]

@@brown22sugar25 It takes two to fight

[@tyronevaldez-kruger5313]

@@fredo69ification Then let's compare fight records: Germany🥊 generally acknowledged the dark past, stays aware of it and banned antagonistic perceived symbols vs USA🥊 Sill embraces confederate flags and statues of slave owners, if you kneel during the anthem to protest peacefully against police brutality about 50% literally behaves as if the world was going down. I think a on history well educated society wouldn't react this way. From my slightly biased referee corner here in Germany: Winner by KO 1st round Germany

[@fredo69ification]

@@tyronevaldez-kruger5313 There is no such thing as systematic oppression in the USA, coming from an immigrant of color and English as a second language in the USA. The people now have no responsibility for what happened in the past whether you like it or not.

[@tyronevaldez-kruger5313]

@@fredo69ification "There's no such thing as systematic opression...coming from an immigrant of colour and having English as a second language in the USA" Not even systimatic oppression by law inforcement? Well that's your subjective pov... Kanye said slavery was a choice with a MAGA hat covering his genius scull. Freedom of Speech, I get it! It's not that important wether I like it or not, anyone is free to take responsibility or to lean back and let the ignorants lead us . I'm an African who's certainly more privileged than most blacks I have met who really feel the struggle in their day to day life. Do you really believe that all blacks in America are equally privileged? No difference between Kanye vs black guy in the hood? That's nonsense coz there's more or less disproportion in all races.

[@acmiguens]

I think more countries should talk about their dark times instead of glossing over or ignoring them.

[@jiro7990]

cough Japan Cough

[@mrkrassikowski7901]

True

[@ThePixel1983]

*looking sideways at US natives and slaves*

[@BlueHans]

cough USA cough

[@derunfassbarebielecki]

@@ThePixel1983 or the countless interventions creating military dictatorships out of young democracies in south america. Or the united fruit company (now chuiquitta) basically enslaving many south americans, these south american countries are still called banana republics.

[@TheBob3759]

My ancestors, the Italians, never discussed their past the way that the Germans have. It was never debated or studied the way it is in Germany. I give the German people full credit for taking responsibility, as far as making sure it does not happen again. They have allowed themselves to show pride only recently.

[@ballfred2302]

Germany forced to apologize.

[@TheBob3759]

@@ballfred2302 According to the video, their examination of the past began 14 years after the war ended. How is that forced?.

[@strife2746]

Take responsibility how? Allowing a million gold diggers into the country in 2015? Watch how their women get molested in the thousands? Trucks of peace driving through a crowd of people at a Christmas market? That's their way of taking responsibility?

[@nimmha6708]

@@strife2746 Are you seriously blaming germans for HELPING Syrian people that needed help? "women get molested in the thousands" ... Keep reading the US papers. It's laughable at best. Germany doesn't have a problem with muslims or refugees, like the west media is trying to push the narrative.

[@nimmha6708]

@@strife2746 "a million gold diggers" foh So you want to let them die at the borders? That's exactly NOT taking responsibility.

[@dapperfield595]

Germany: We admit our dark past and we will pay reparations Italy: wdym we and the allies won the war Japan: What war?

[@nicolasn.7202]

@Royal Satan Wow. Are you British?

[@johnd-8898]

In Italy we considerate that we lost the war to be honest...

[@gerzonorantes2351]

Turkey: what Armenian genocide?

[@rayze2394]

What reparations??? Poland is still waiting

[@nigstar1239]

@@rayze2394 germany paid a lot of reparations to Poland

[@justanothermichigander4683]

Germany: is open and discusses its dark past Japan, Italy, Turkey and Russia: *I’m gonna pretend that I didn’t see that*

[@samuel.k9527]

*USA, UK....

[@GenocideWesterners]

@@zimtschnecke9284 But no one teaches that national hero churchill held pretty much the same views as hitler. Hitler considered the slavic people as "subhuman' while churchill considered indians and Africans as "subhuman". Historians have proven it beyond doubt that churchill was a complete racist.

[@samuel.k9527]

@@zimtschnecke9284 ok cool. Why is ur name german? Haha

[@Ironbanner12]

BRITAIN???

[@ilkYorumPerisi]

Turkey???

[@xkathygee]

Everyone: Don't talk about the war. Germans: Don't joke about the war.

[@Keyt..]

Actually, many Germans make jokes about Hitler and the Nazis

[@Helena-me6mp]

@@Keyt.. Thats like the greatest part of dark jokes XD

[@moritzrothacher2669]

An American, an Englishman and a German standing at the port. The American says "our submarines can stay under water for one week". The Englishman starts laughing and says "our submarines can stay under water for a whole month!" Then a submarine shows up at the port. A man is getting out and asks "Hitler? Is the war already over?" So yes we do jokes about war...

[@fridolin1561]

@@moritzrothacher2669 versteh ich nicht🤔

[@letsgo7913]

@@fridolin1561 wie kannst du den net verstehen 🤣

[@CondemnedInformer]

It's amazing seeing Germany vs Japan and how they 'deal' with the past.

[@lcdream4213]

aka they do nothing about it, same with russia

[@thunderbolt1964]

Or turkey

[@emmajanewatts4388]

What would you like them to do?

[@CondemnedInformer]

@@emmajanewatts4388 They can start by teaching it in schools, they don't have to focus on it but don't hide anything. Not for propaganda, not for moral. Just tell the truth. It's not the fault of kids, but if history isn't taught, then it can be repeated. Germany can do a little to far, but they admit it and their people know about it, they don't feign ignorance or spin it, the can responsibility. Not a easy thing to do, but it's a start.

[@emmajanewatts4388]

@@CondemnedInformer Interesting thoughts

[@sonnyk88]

I am from Argentina. 12 years ago, I had a german exchange brother, a student from an exchange program. One day one we were at school and one guy asked him: - What would you do if I called you a nazi? Would you be upset? -said the guy as a joke- To which he replied... - No, I wouldn't be upset because you don't truly know what that actually means. If you did, you would never call someone that way. Geez! That guy was baffled, he was speechless. I was baffled as well. Never in my life did I see someone being called an ignorant fool in such a polite way.

[@paulchenpanther5]

You've been to Goethe School in Rosario?

[@georgemitchel23]

My god... I'm speechless too

[@continualvariability3345]

Nice one

[@ireallycant4416]

Oh yikes he got folded like a paper

[@thesupervisorGG]

I actually got goosebumps right now.

[@satoshinakamoto3342]

German Kid: Mom, who were Nazis? Mom to dad: I thought you gave him "the talk"

[@capt-rex2894]

lol

[@blyatinator1014]

Lol

[@ludger9878]

cringe

[@azurliar6220]

Wow that was mean

[@agente7202]

Kid:Can you tell me who is Hitler sir? Historian:Uhh now kid i want you to know something...he is bad guy...you don't want to be like him right? Kid:I don't wanna be a bad guy Historian:Good, now study kid cause if you fail at art school you will ended up like Hitler

[@comradealexev9597]

I'm Russian but I feel bad for people who keep saying Germans are Nazi's, I know they may be cost a war but I have big respect to Germans

[@pqrs_987]

i went to college in Russia... i was quite surpised to find out how much German influence was there; and the biggest surprise was when i discovered recently that картофель is actually a german word...

[@levvy3006]

@@pqrs_987 Anyone brave or stupid enough to invade our country gains respect. French and Germans have respect of Russian people.

[@VotanLoad]

Are you falling into a myth of good Germany which only had some bad episodes in their history? The nazism was a new way to move forward the old nationalistic dream of the world dominance. Now they do it through EU.

[@drulu0498]

@@VotanLoad Hmmm I don‘t think so.

[@BayAreaPolice]

Me to I respect the Germany

[@mrijk1946]

He who forgets his past is doomed to repeat his history. He who has the past, has the future.

[@dagmarvandoren9364]

Is. And please. NEVER FORGET. NEVER FORGIVE.....that really brings peace. And cover your own wrong doings....that ought to make you feel really good.....alles liebe

[@bbrrmm3]

It is the same thing that the Spanish did in Latin America, they murdered and blew up 50 million indigenous people and now we all carry the blood of murderers and rapists.

[@shaynewheeler9249]

WW2 vet

[@killer19183]

Japan be like "so the americans just started bombing us, idk why"

[@mr.ignorant3585]

Actually some of the Japanese apologised and some don't, I really focused on the the ones that apologised because at least they admit it.

[@ryxarkhalyx]

unit 731 romusha invasion thats u dont know why

[@zombies4evadude24]

@@mr.ignorant3585 an official apology or payment has to be made by the Japanese government towards the unethically harmed people during the war. That is the only way I will consider justice served.

[@mr.ignorant3585]

@@zombies4evadude24 I see

[@suryasishtalukdar210]

@@zombies4evadude24 as if someone cares what u think ,USA should pay reperations to Japan for destroying two cities and killing millions of innocent people

[@bayard0157]

Those dark times should be a lesson for everyone not just the Germans.

[@peezyorpj]

@Israel Huh? 😂

[@pepe3897]

@Israel Lmfaoa

[@mori6780]

@bayard01 I really recommend you the movie "Schindlers List". Its about a German factory manager who rescued thousand jewish men women and childrens from the holocaust.

[@williamcasa6406]

Yeah sureee @bayard01, go ahead and shrug off approximately the 15,003,000 to 31,595,000 people who were killed in the war and by the industrial genocide complex that Germany created; in order, to make this some some kind shared history lesson for all the countries involved. Good job buddy, some countries (i.e. German, Russia, Japan) hold more responsibility for their crimes against humanity and deserve to bear the guilt more than the Allied powers .

[@seelenwinter6662]

my wife is from peru... what did the spanish and portugese there...? what did england in australia, india, america...? what did the frensh, netherlands, belgian in africa, asia or south america and and and... not one bigger country in europe can throw the first stone...

[@genericguy_]

Meanwhile Britain: What dark past?

[@icekoldcilla8470]

The UK is the biggest mischief maker on the face of this planet, right behind their daddy america. I hope for the fall of these wicked countries and what they have done for centuries

[@zombies4evadude24]

@@icekoldcilla8470 America is Britain’s son. If England didn’t exist, the U.S. wouldn’t exist cause there’d be no colonies.

[@johannsebastianbach9003]

@@zombies4evadude24 ayyy so Son saved daddy from Uncle Germany's Underwater toys

[@latusalihyasalim4872]

Yeah the country with 13 colony doesn't know what dark past means.

[@wijcik]

@@johannsebastianbach9003 The conflict was more complicated than that. Russia's involvement in WWII split the German forces onto two fronts and aided in a large way to defeat the Nazi regime.

[@mayd427]

I went to Germany in 2016 and visited the Memorial to the Murdered Jews in Berlin and I was very impressed by how Germany embraces its dark past. I have never seen a memorial that is more personal than the one in Berlin. I felt that this is some form of humility, and I've admired the Germans for it. I've loved Germany since then.

[@alwaysbanned4812]

You should read the American cross report on number that died. Or the newspaper in 1933 totaling the amount of jews in all of Europe alive at the time. Which you know, was way less than was ever “killed”. Logical

[@freedomcounty6736]

DONT BE A JAWL WHACK DO BINGIE BOI DO!!!! JAWL HURR? DONT BE A LIBERAL DEMOCRAT JAWL HURR??? JEW OK, LIBERAL DEMOCRAT... NOT OK JAWL HURR??? AS LONG AS YOUR A CONSERVATIVE IT DONT MATTER WHAT RACE JAWL ARE!!! JAWL HURR??? HERE AT SWEETWATER FLORIDA CONSERVATIVE COMMUNITY CENTER!!! WHO GOWAN>>

[@htosz1305]

Not just holocaust and Germans should know： In Russia you could steal , rape and murder without any punishment , because of the Führerbefehl . He told us , that most soldiers wouldn't have done it normally , but they almost did never anything against these crimes , and sometimes they helped or even joined , because of peer pressure . Some commanders forbade their soldiers to rape and kill civilians , but the only thing they could do was to put these soldiers into other units The Full stoey is here： According to user @Heinisauerkraut said: My Grandpa was a military pastor with a rank of a major in the German Wehrmacht . Then | was a young boy ( about 1980 , I was 10 ) he took me and my older brother hiking , because he mapped wild graves of unknown soldiers who were fallen in the last days of the war , mostly from strafing fighter planes . He organized that they were put in proper graves in local graveyards and was later honored for this work . There he told us many stories about the war , especially in the east . Until almost the end of the war he had no own front line experience , but many soldiers came to him to confess their own experience to get some relive from the horrible things they saw or did . It took some years to really understand the things he told us . He told us , that the main difference between the campaign in France was , that you were at risk to get court martialled and shot if you stole only a chicken . In Russia you could steal , rape and murder without any punishment , because of the Führerbefehl . He told us , that most soldiers wouldn't have done it normally , but they almost did never anything against these crimes , and sometimes they helped or even joined , because of peer pressure . Some commanders forbade their soldiers to rape and kill civilians , but the only thing they could do was to put these soldiers into other units . And even the commanders who acted against rapes and murders , allowed or even encouraged to confiscate any food from the civilian population , so that they were condemned to starve to death . The result was almost the same in the end . He told us , which is now in accordance to my own experience , that were are only a few people are really evil , but on the other side there are also only a few people morally good . Most people are opportunists , and they act according to the circumstances , and if the circumstances allowing to do otherwise socially unacceptable acts , they will do it , if they get an advantage from that . So my Grandpa really know about the crimes on the eastern front , and because of that he tried not to get in soviet captivity . 1945 he was on leave at home south of Frankfurt , then he decided to dessert and hide in the woods . A thing he only told his children and later his grandchildren , and did not even write in his own memoirs . That is telling something about the German mindset , even long after the war . It was counted as more shameful to desert your unit , than to obey orders from a criminal regime . The military police told my grandmother , that if he returns he wont be shot , and in the end the pressure on was to high , and he surrendered two weeks before the Americans occupied his viage . He was court martialled ,degraded to the lowest rank and put into a penal battalion . His unit stand against the " Russians " in the area around Berlin . The Russians used loud speakers to demand the surrender , and after that someone in the unit shot the commanding officer , and the whole unit surrendered without a fight . My Grandpa was at this time quite sick from his time in the woods , and then they were inspected by a soviet female doctor , she asked him if he has children . He answered correctly that he has 8 children and showed photos of them . After that he got his release papers , and was allowed to go home . So in a lucky twist of fate , he survived his short time as soviet POW . If he were captured as military pastor in a rank of major , his fate would have been for sure much darker . I am very thankful for that experience with my grandfather . But even for me , it took some time , to remember the stories of my grandpa , then in the late 80's the discussion about the crimes of the Wehrmacht came up . This was the first time realized the full weight of the information in my head . Maybe it was so convenient to blame the SS and other nazi party organisations for all the bad things happened in the war

[@cyberfox981]

@@htosz1305 Thanks for sharing your story with us. It's always interesting to hear story from another side and hope this thing will never happen again.

[@E60666]

embrace is not a good thing lol

[@GibsonVienna]

Rachel: Let't talk about WW II and Germany. Austria: Guten Tag

[@kaispantsincallmebaby965]

*Grüß Gott ;)

[@kaispantsincallmebaby965]

@Dheeman Rajkhowa why Switzerland? They were neutral and never a part of the third Reich.

[@sarcasticlady000]

Griaß eich! (also a gretting) :) Yes Hitler was born in Austria and most of us don't like that fact, but it is true. But he became a german citizen in 1932 (before the WWII started) and yes we were involved in the WWII in a bad way. And it was Austria who started the first WW, because someone killed Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand (heir to the thron). We know all about it and we are not afraid to talk about it. The Austrian Monarchy wasn't always a good thing.

[@Mis7erSeven]

@@kaispantsincallmebaby965 I was always very sceptical about this greeting phrase. I mean, "Grüß Gott" literally means "Greet God". And when in your life you have the chance to do that? Exactly, when you die and go to heaven. So, if you think about it "Grüß Gott" means "I hope you die". That is why I sometimes feel a bit unwelcome in Austria :P

[@wololo696969]

@@Mis7erSeven Inaccurate. "Grüß Gott" is short for "[Es] Grüße Sie Gott", which would rather translate to "blessings to you". They wish for you to be greeted by god, which means blessed, or received, by god. You're trying way too hard to find evidence for evil in the German ways ;) Grüß Dich.

[@vvv___vv___vvv]

I'm from Germany and I have to say, that the reporter speaks German far better then some of us do.

[@engineergaming8695]

i'm learning german as an american, and i'm impressed aswell

[@LS9646]

Ey digga wat meinst de denn damit? Geht disch garnet an wie die hippen Idioten schnacken! (I absolutely hate it when (young) people talk in a stupid way (Most often with artificial turkish accent) and the worst part of it is that they do it on purpose to be "cool". )

[@LH0603]

@@LS9646 bin selbst zwar noch jung, kann dieses künstliche türkisch-deutsch oder "cooles" Gerede garnicht ausstehen. Dialekt ist ok, jedoch lieber normales Hochdeutscg

[@LS9646]

@@LH0603 Dito. Ich kann einfach nicht verstehen warum das einige so cool finden.

[@LH0603]

@@LS9646 ich auch nicht. Es klingt einfach....ungebildet. also halt wenn man hier aufgewachsen ist. Wenn man die sprache erst lernt ist da ja noch oj

[@carlsowell8099]

I was stationed in Bindlach, Germany in the late'70 s. I kinda felt sorry for the older people. Whether or not some of the people I met were involved in some of the atrocities , they were having to deal with the past. Being a soldier myself , I know what it's like to have to follow orders. Some of the people took pleasure in hurting others. I really believe that there were decent German soldiers. And I do believe there were evil Germans. People can't group all as evil. It's something that the German people have to pray about. There are a few that still believe in the Aryan beliefs , but there's more that weren't responsible for the past. Don't forget the history. Germany has so much more history than just 1914-1945.

[@zer0fuel]

no it doesn't, 1914-1945 is all that german history is, no one cares about what they were known for before 1914

[@Grafganja420]

My cities History(Siegen-Siegerland) IS almost consistent traceable Back to 1205 :) soo yeah we should watchat another Timeline of Germany for once :)

[@zainkhalid3670]

The Mongolians seem pretty chill about their dark past Edit :- Look so many people are pissed at the fact that Mongolian dark past is history now. Yeah it is! But unfortunately Germans are going to be held responsible for ww2 forever. Isn't their dark past history too?

[@rocketjupiter4579]

Too be fair, even though Mongolians killed alot, Genghis Khan killed for a good reason, but he still killed, just goes to show if you want peace, you have to pay it with blood

[@zainkhalid3670]

@@rocketjupiter4579 Yeah Sacked whole cities for good reason?

[@zainkhalid3670]

And This kzbin.info/www/bejne/moLaZapvjMyLmbM

[@rocketjupiter4579]

@@zainkhalid3670 i said he killed for a good reason, I never said he sacked cities, where does it say he sacked cities

[@zainkhalid3670]

@@rocketjupiter4579 Besides Outstanding Battle tactics, The Mongols biggest weapon was Terror. The gave every city in their path an Ultimatum. Either surrender or suffer absolute distrustions. Initially almost all cities resisted, And Mongols fulfilled their promise of absolute destruction. Later when cities started surrendering then Mongols made sure that those cities were not harmed. I've read extensively about the Mongol sacking of Baghdad. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destruction_under_the_Mongol_Empire www.realclearhistory.com/articles/2018/02/15/10_major_cities_sacked_by_the_mongols_267.html www.historytoday.com/archive/baghdad-sacked-mongols

[@arminblock8934]

As a German student I can tell that you talk about WW2 in 3 too 4 subject in school every year

[@dadikkedude]

Same in the Netherlands WWII everywhere. Like all of us where victims, having our own SS brigade defending the border against the allies. And than one obscure lesson: 'yeah and we did some colonizing too, and fought a little war after the second world war to get our colony in Indonesia back.' But we'll just call those police actions and not speak on it further.

[@julianwaugh968]

Grusse mein freund . It is good that you learn world history, the German, it is rare that a war has produced positive results. It is not your fault that maybe your grandfather was a Nazi. It is good to analyze the terror of the Nazi's to know that this action is verbotten! Machts gut! Junger,stiete Stolz das Sie sind ein mench

[@lightup6751]

@@julianwaugh968 the thing is there was a significant difference between wehrmacht soldiers and nazis back then

[@pympym7890]

@@lightup6751 but regular soldiers and pilots also killed numerous people. How did they feel about that and their responsibility ? That's an important question

[@pympym7890]

Did you ask your grand parents about their level of implication and about their acts during that period ? What did they answer to you ? Thanks.

[@kpompom1411]

I'm German(15 years old) and I can say that we learn about our past in school and also that we were the bad ones but saying that my generation are Nazis is mean because our generation has nothing to do with the past and it hurts to hear it . Other countries also have a bad past but Germans still get confronted with it . I know we should never forget what happened but trying to "hurt" us is mean .

[@omarsanchez9709]

Im sorry that people try and hurt, but its from a direct consequence of the evil actions that your predecessors took. Imagine for a moment what you would be doing now had your predecessors been successful. You may not have known what a jew is. You would not have known/learned about Stephen hawkings-he would have been considered a useless eater & killed. You would have been taught that only arians/whites are the only race that should exist. Dont get me wrong, lots of other countries, my own included (USA) have made horrible, sickening things, but it was only in your country that an entire group of nations from around the world joined in an alliance for the sole purpose of defeating one country, yours, and its axis allies. All because of the very real possibility that it was succeeding in its agenda of dominating the world with very evil ideals. An entire nation dominated by hate and anger towards entire groups of people. About 75 million, dead. All this less than 100 years ago. You are not to blame, you are not to be put to shame, or hurt. But it is a weight that you and your fellow peers have to bear because of evil choices your generation before you made. Its a lesson to all. In USA now we are putting a similar weight of blame to anyone who is white because of the evilness that all their ancestors caused to so many blacks & other groups of people and that to this day they still cause. We here have this scar and like you I have to bear its weight because i was born here & the world has a certain connotation about my countries history. But there is hope! Make good choices, be a good human being. Help those who need it and stand up against all evil things men want to bring to ensure it never happens again. These scars will someday die off so that you future children's children wont have to feel the way you have.

[@Helena-me6mp]

Exactly the same here, im 15 too, and there are so many cliches about Germany and Nazis

[@SH-vz8ef]

@@omarsanchez9709 Are you ashamed of the atrocities committed by your ancestors and people of your race?

[@jujijiju6929]

Whataboutism.. killing six million is in not even in the same league as the bad things most other countries have done. I see all that school education hasn't really changed you people much..

[@Helena-me6mp]

@@jujijiju6929 and you didnt even get education, because enslaving millions is better?? And 100 Years later in your point of view we are the same who killed 6 million people?

[@isaywhateveriwantandyougot7421]

Being open and confrontational to your past mistakes is what makes you a better person, the same way this made Germany such a wonderful country.

[@phoenixolivier4504]

beautiful comment

[@Jenny-gk6jq]

Nah, not true. Look at Britain 🤣. No one talks about how Britain colonised the world yet they still seem fine

[@isaywhateveriwantandyougot7421]

@@Jenny-gk6jq Trust me, dude. Britain right now is anything but fine.

[@Jenny-gk6jq]

@@isaywhateveriwantandyougot7421 why tho? I mean it's definitely doing wayyy better than some European countries. Is the economy there not doing great?

[@isaywhateveriwantandyougot7421]

@@Jenny-gk6jq Its economy has already gotten out of shape by its departure from the EU, but it's now also suffering from the consequences of its anti-migration efforts. Thousands of people have been removed and sent to foreign nations, which has drastically slowed down the work force.

[@romulusthemainecoon3047]

"Ihr seid nicht verantwortlich für das, was geschah. Aber dass es nicht wieder geschieht, dafür schon." - Max Mannheimer

[@lloydparker472]

Say what?

[@romulusthemainecoon3047]

@@lloydparker472 It's a famous quote from a Holocaust survivor: "You are not responsible for what happened. But you are responsible for making sure it never happens again."

[@lloydparker472]

Who me!? Shhhh mann... Thats alot of pressure.. why's it gotta be me I can't keep track of everybody

[@lloydparker472]

Hey Romulus I'm gonna change my cat's name to Remus now.

[@bjrn966]

Dieser Satz kann so gefährlich sein... viele Missverstehen diesen nämlich, sie glauben das so eine Gefahr nur noch von rechts aus gehen kann und legen ihren ganzen Fokus darauf während die andere Seite erstarkt und wirken kann wie sie will, die bösen sind ja auf der rechten Seite.

[@alexs7189]

I am Italian, and I have a lot of respect for the German people, and how they treated their dark past, of which we are also parts, as we were allies of the Germans during the Second World War, I think it makes no sense that young people Germans are blamed for what their grandparents or great-grandparents did. I think what is important for the Germans, is to remember and commemorate, to make sure that it never happens again, I think there is nothing wrong with saying that you are proud to be German or that you want to wave the German flag, nor the Russians, neither the Israelis nor the Jews hate the German people, they are one of the few peoples in the world who have come to terms with their dark past, and one thing you should be proud of. P.S. and since you should have understood that stereotypes and prejudices are wrong, please, stop considering all Italians as criminals and as mafia, you see that it is not beautiful, and it is not right.

[@alexs7189]

@@PerfectStuff Thank you very much, many Germans come to visit Italy, and even famous German poets like Goethe praised Italy's beauty qualities when they came to visit.

[@EdwardCohen190]

@Alex S True. 😊 Actually I love Italy so much and it’s people. I admire the brilliant craftsmanship of Italian products be it fashion, art or cooking. In our home we mostly cook the Italian food. ✨😊✨🌸✨💖✨🍫✨☀️✨

[@alexs7189]

@@PerfectStuff Hello, in my city being millenary, there are many artifacts from the past, both of Roman civilization, and even of the previous ones. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Palermo

[@alexs7189]

@@EdwardCohen190 Hi, I'm very happy with that :) Grüße aus Italien.

[@EdwardCohen190]

@Alex S 😊🌸 Herzlich Grüsse. And Chef Gennaro Contaldo is the best Italian Chef in the world. ✨💖✨😊✨👑✨🍫✨

[@alberteinsteinthejew]

"Don't mention the war to Germans", proceeds to ask every Germans about the war 1:51

[@Miguel-th3wx]

When does she say Don't mention the war to Germans"?

[@kinglilandy9552]

Lol

[@Your_moms_today]

@@Miguel-th3wx 0:07-0:20

[@Miguel-th3wx]

@@Your_moms_today Yeah from a British Comedy series

[@hEiDi-ju7ru]

Well to late I'm kiwi German and I Just watched the video

[@jfciha]

As an American, I think we could learn from the Germans on how they deal with their history to better grapple with ours with slavery & the Civil War, and to do so in a healthy manner.

[@CierraJohnson-bh4mc]

Americans are too cowardly and egocentric to do that.

[@user-or7ji5hv8y]

I wish more nations like Germany acknowledged their past and not only when they were victims but when they were perpetrator as well.

[@JoshTheFrosch07]

LMAO I live in Germany and if you talk about it in public too much you can get fined

[@mara31995]

This is actually not true for me and I am a german too

[@NDNstrength]

Yes, we could learn a lot from our failings just like an individual can

[@peteswafflemeyer5620]

@@JoshTheFrosch07 Was faselst du bitte für einen Schwachsinn, das ist ja zum fremdschämen.

[@frxnsirq482]

@@JoshTheFrosch07 not true

[@JackShoreMusic]

I am a Jew from Israel and I whent alone to Germany at the age of 18 and it was one of the most eye opening experiences I've ever done. Meeting so many great people and such a Beautiful well put together country. Being able to see individual Germans and see past all the fu*nk stereotypes. I respect Germany and German people. 💜

[@44lucas]

When you actually go mingle with the ordinary people you might be pleasantly surprised. That is true. But it takes even more effort to see what is not so good about your own people. No, I am not talking about Jews actually, but about my very own countryfolk. I do realize that we have numerous shortcomings but once this is evident, you start to notice that the really vile and deplorable are a margin on the fringe of minority. It is the cynical demagogues bending popular perception to their ends who associate the entire nation with, say, antisemitism. Since you discovered that the Germans are not as bad as they are believed to be, you might question popular perception present in Israel about other nations too. Oh, did I fail to mention what my country is? It is Poland.

[@OskarVanBruce]

I hope that you actually go back to your country and fight for the recognition of the palestinian people and the palestinian state as much as how much you respect the germans becaus Israel is on the same path nazi germany was on when it came to the jews.

[@-carlos-danger1891]

Can you broker something with BLM?

[@antispiritanimal3467]

@@OskarVanBruce Oh it must be great being an European (Dutch supposedly) and harrasing people with Nazi-comparisons whenever they see the name of the country Israel. I do think Palestine needs to be discussed, but at another place, not under this video. It is toxic not to let people from Israel talk, and he didn't even mention his own opinion about Palestine, how can you accuse him then? Please look for a more appropriate platform to dicuss palestine and question your own prejudices, when you hit any Jew with the term Nazi.

[@ChironTheWounded]

Shame you didn't stay there.

[@sgtmonkeypirate]

Germany doesn’t ignore its past, unlike the British.

[@abandonedfragmentofhope5415]

And other European countries ignore their past too along with the British.

[@orcho141]

As a brit I completely agree with you. It's every country's responsibility to teach its dark past so we can always learn from them, don't just teach the good bits.

[@vixen878]

@@72mossy just remember not to blame all brits. blame british monarchy and rule

[@Michael-mh2tw]

Which one killed 6 million jews and 5 million dissidents?

[@abandonedfragmentofhope5415]

@The Valkist Yes and that's disappointing. Swedes should learn about the Swedish colonial empire.

[@a.garcia3605]

I respect the German people. They lost two wars and were still able to pick themselves up a rebuild Germany into a stable economy in the world stage.

[@annas4843]

They rebuilt Germany by having stripped off their wealth all the countries they tortured. If you want to see how Greece’s loans started you need to go back to Nazi occupation when they emptied Greek vaults, indebted a country to finance their war and left a country in ruins and extreme poverty. Oh and ofc never paid anything back cause Europeans cared more for Central European countries, not Balkans.

[@hoangminh2540]

LOL you think its their money?

[@BasementEngineer]

@@hoangminh2540 It was certainly their industriousness and inventiveness.

[@mistahcow]

@@hoangminh2540 its economy was kicked off by the allies but they were able to transform it into one of the world leading ones

[@kibicut5649]

Zniszczyli innym gospodarkę a na wojnie się wzbogacili.

[@lugga9113]

Me: mentions that I'm german in an online game My teammates: MENTION THE WAR

[@josephrichter2104]

Auch wenn man ein sogenannter Deutschamerikaner ist, wird man so beleidigt, vor allem, wenn er Deutsch spricht, Deutschland liebt usw. Es gab eigentlich kurz vor dem Ersten Weltkrieg mehr tägliche Zeitungen in New York als in Berlin. Aber dann kam die antideutsche Hetze und die antideutschen Gesetze überall. Die deutsche Sprache wurde überall verboten und wir Deutsche wurden als rote Teufel angesehen, die sogar Babys ermordeten. Und die antideutsche Propaganda geht weiter, jedes Jahr gibt es mehrere Filme, Videospiele, viele Bücher usw. über die 'bösen Deutschen'. Und heute sprechen fast keine der 40 Millionen 'Deutschamerikaner' die Sprache ihrer Vorfahren.

[@lugga9113]

@@josephrichter2104 kek

[@Snithers]

Teammates: "Where are you from?" Me: "Germany" Teammates: "Hitler Kaputt"

[@sulil1938]

LOL

[@toast2610]

@Al Smith That's funny I get the same response when I bring up sir Jimmy Savile to Brits, or Epstein to Americans.

[@JustMe-cs9ku]

Ok let’s be honest here what big shot country hasn’t committed genocide at this point?

[@rey4874]

Antarctica Edit : this is a joke ik it's not a country

[@inary682]

We should start a country in antartica, there's still a huge chunk of antartica not claimed by country's

[@dinostorm360]

Sweden hasn't neither has vietnam or mexico or uruguay or colombia if I'm not mistaken

[@rey4874]

@@inary682 true. There's potential for settlement but the lack of resources are a huge off-putting factor

[@inary682]

@@rey4874 oil, coal and minerals are no problem Food and cloth are no problem too

[@TucsonDude]

"The victors always rewrite history" - Winston Churchill

[@KBPv]

Ah, you know Winston Churchill only won cuz of Poland 303 Division. For idiot's who don't understand this, Division 303 defendet London from Luftwaffe attack's, thanks to them.

[@flores4074]

It's hard to rewrite this history

[@verpix4956]

Not like britain massacred over 45mil+ Africans and Indians which was over 5x the Holocaust. No country is clean of crimes. Sorry for my bad English, I am from Korea

[@KBPv]

@@verpix4956 i agree

[@vindiesel9356]

Hello

[@pigoff123]

My mom grew up in Esslingen. She used to tell us stories. She remembers when she was 4 years old playing in the attic. She started yelling down the stairs that there was fireworks in Stuttgart. Her mom and Aunt started screaming that Stuttgart was getting bombed. They all ran to a safe spot in the building until it was over.

[@trollus_croatus]

How many crimes did the British Empire commit worldwide, yet noone is judging them or making them feel ashamed...

[@oolsurfer3271]

Going to school in Germany, we had to read "Die Welle" by Morton Rhue. It's about a teacher who asks his students the exact question you asked. "Do you think something like this could happen again ?". The students are agree that it could not. The teacher then tries to make them aware that it actually can and starts an experiment that goes catastrophically wrong (but proves his point). The book was also adapted in a movie. I really hope students still have to read that, it is important.

[@theresaa.7704]

And the consequence which is taught is, that we should always pay attention on the extreme opinions in our society. Something like in 1933 shouldn't happen again. We know where it leads.

[@sfrandoom8694]

Mussten wir, alles gut ;)

[@teodor181]

Thank god the rest of central Europe doesn't have to read that. Greetings from the south east.

[@FAL87]

@@teodor181 its a good book ;)

[@teodor181]

@@FAL87 too bad that there are no books about what the Soviets did to Poland,Finland,Romania and Germany...if such a book was to be written about ww2 alone it'd be over a thousand pages long,starting with the criminal Molotov Ribbentrop pact and then continuing with the annexation of Karelia,Bessarabia,Bukovina,the Russians literally moving Poland to the west...and don't even get me started on what the reds did to the poor women and children in here...sadly nobody cares about the Germans from Breslau,Konigsberg,Stettin etc. Or about the Romanians from Bessarabia...or about the poles from lviv and Galicia..or about the Finns.

[@omerkaya545]

"we cannot be proud of our history" The Germans have a staggering amount of history to be proud of. Its just that 10 years that ruin everybodies Patriotismus. I feel like germany should find its roots and be proud of its history (before hitler) again

[@BenjoKazooie64]

Imperial Germany contained about 90% of the same ideas and ideology that the Nazis did, so not them either.

[@einfachJordan]

To be fair it is not just the Naziperiod that was bad in German history. Under Wilhelm II Germany became an imperialist nation with all the bad sides. Commiting even the first genocide in the 20 century in Namibia which killed nearly half of the population of the Herero and Nama tribes.

[@zara2442]

What does patriotism bring us? I mean we also stick together without him. Patriotism turns too quickly into nationalism and we definitely don't want that again.

[@omerkaya545]

@@zara2442 you dont stick togheter without it. Patriotism is identity and Germany has a identity crisis

[@Filthy_Freeaboo]

*12 Years

[@franzenvanherk1132]

Being a historian from the neighboring Netherlands I cannot say anything less than that the Germans know, understand and teach their history in a very responsible way. They shine lights on every aspect and are not afraid to in include the complexity of themes like the racial theories nor are they afraid of the painfull images. But maybe the younger Germans can become a bit more friendly to themselves. They are not to blame and should not suffer the past.

[@kilsestoffel3690]

Thank you from Germany. But there are still some topics to talk about. The history of colonisation is still not wellknown (e.g. the genocide of the Hereros and Namas).

[@emiliajojo5703]

Also thank you for your kind words

[@emiliajojo5703]

@@kilsestoffel3690 this is in fact still a Stiefkind in memory, very sad. But there are also very good documentations if people want to watch them

[@stricknitt0184]

As a German historian I would disagree in one aspect, we still don't talk about ALL topics. While we talk about what we did to the Russians, we don't talk about what the Russians did to us (not even the professionals often). And we also don't realy talk about the trauma, the people of all ages got. This Trauma is still here and many familie pass it down from generation to generation not even knowing that it is there.

[@emiliajojo5703]

@@stricknitt0184 natürlich haben sie recht, ich habe ihn heute eine Analyse gelesen , welche Nationen pro Kopf am meisten vergewaltigt haben, schon interessant natürlich nicht sehr überraschend die Wehrmacht dann aber die Amerikaner vor allem auch französische Frauen, eigentlich Verbündete erst an dritter Stelle die Russen, verbürge mich nicht dafür, habe es nur gelesen

[@christophermaclean8555]

Germany has done an exemplary job in taking responsibility for its past. So much so that it is too much at times. It was in a war and committed crimes. The likes of which was industrial but the nature of which has been committed by civilisations and tribes all around the world since the dawn of human history. If every society looked deep into its past and presented it the same way Germany does, we'd have a proud and healing world.

[@Pokerface-tr1ds]

I was born in Romania and after my parents got divorced back in 1987, mother came to Germany to start a new life. 3 years later in 1990 she brought me here, in order to offer me a new start. I was 12 at the time and unfortunately I was forced to feel what Neo Nazis could do to one. I had my share of problems with these idiots, until I reached the age of 18 and decided to change locations and search for new people to spend my time with. Since I am a guitarrist with love for Rock'n'Roll, I finally found the people I needed to be with in order to escape the racist violence. Today, at age 42 I am a german citizen and this is my oppinion of this country I love: Germany is one of the best countries one can live in, DESPITE the past and yes, each and every country has its very own share of overpatriotic zealots, but these people too will have to face the consequences of their actions. My bullies from the time I was an adolescent turned to crime and went to Jail. The last one I heard from, was the fact that he was imprisoned for first degree murder. Violence does not solve a problem and we would live in a way more beautiful world if the people start talking to each other more..

[@aimanmarzuqi4804]

You're an inspiration friend.

[@averagewehraboo1509]

I personally hope, that the fascism and Nazi Idiotism never comes back

[@stefanbehleit8976]

@@averagewehraboo1509 This is what social media can be good for. Thank you for sharing.

[@kadogo7712]

Nazism is worse than cancer.

[@andrzejdabrowski1178]

Im glad for u! Congrats from Russia! I hope, one day Russia will become such a good country as Germany nowadays

[@gunnersubbu]

Meanwhile the British are proud of their Empire, and think of themselves as the good guys. What a strange world.

[@seanjones2524]

Not me, mate, but don't let that stop your generalising opinions.

[@box-ul5lb]

But then again the empire brought more good than bad to the world.

[@box-ul5lb]

@Blaster Master wasn't that during a war?A war to decide the fate of humanity. Oh and I'm pretty sure Churchill wasn't the only reason for that.

[@box-ul5lb]

@Blaster Master He only wanted war with the Germans because he knew what was coming.

[@box-ul5lb]

@Blaster Master and no one cares whether he was Jewish or not. A man's heritage doesn't decide a man's future.

[@CanadaKeith]

I admire Germans for how they are dealing with their past. it takes a great strength to acknowledge what happened, to accept it and move on to build the country. Well done.

[@intermilan9731]

Hurr durr multCULTi uber alles!

[@polishrepublic5055]

They never Deal Past with Poland. They killed to much Polish citzens as Jews in holocaust but they only look at Jews

[@chaelisa2763]

Unlike brits, they’re so proud of their empire 😑 They don't even know their past!

[@intermilan9731]

@@polishrepublic5055 Because the polish are white.

[@maike0597]

@@polishrepublic5055 we do talk about that a lot too. We talk about the whole second world war about 3 times in school and it gets more intense with more detail every time

[@PatrickBijvoet]

Hi Rachel, I am a teacher in The Netherlands and was on an exchangeprogram last spring. I was amazed how the Germans where aware of their own past and where willing to talk about it. Even more then nowadays in The Netherlands. Thank you for this program.

[@tiktak9827]

They are aware, but when it comes to war reparations, for example for Poland, they are not so aware. Poland received no compensation. My mother told me that even in the 1960s people collected funds and collected bricks for the reconstruction of Warsaw. And this whole European Union in which we are, the Germans did not do it for peace, but for cheap labor. That's my opinion.

[@PatrickBijvoet]

@@tiktak9827 You are talking about policymakers, I however am not. But I understand what you say.

[@narutoushiha441]

​@@tiktak9827I am sorry but I dont think you are well informed about how often Germany asked Poland if they accept money after the war but they refused so why do you guys still talk about that like, the topic ist over

[@tiktak9827]

@@narutoushiha441 After the war, we were not a free country, but we could say that we were part of the USSR.

[@narutoushiha441]

@@tiktak9827 Apperantly Poland has been asked after the USSR fell too but the government didnt.want it then neither

[@chickensandwich7726]

“It’s hard or even impossible to compare the Holocaust to any other event” Mao Zedong: am I a joke to you?

[@chickensandwich7726]

@Registeel on KZbin yep those too. Also Pol Pot in Cambodia

[@sturmpantsu5468]

Josef Stalin has joined the chat

[@NoviTall]

did somebody say Belgian Congo

[@UchihaFabio]

Xi Jinping has entered the chat

[@chickensandwich7726]

GENGHIS KHAN has joined the chat

[@taurus2016]

"Die Welt wird nicht bedroht von den Menschen, die böse sind, sondern von denen, die das Böse zulassen." ("The world is not threatened by people who are evil, but by those who allow evil.") Albert Einstein

[@drzeworyj]

@jinn جن ekhm, Albert Einstein * was * German? I think you might have overdosed on quantum theory today.

[@zyanego3170]

@jinn جن sigh another conspiracy theorist

[@drzeworyj]

that's about the best comment here. the banality of evil. single pathological humans manipulating the masses by knowing their cravings, acting thanks to passivity and shocked stupor, pushing the boundaries further and further. Trump, Putin, Bolsonaro, Orban, Kaczynski... all of them so obviously emotionally distorted!

[@rudigerendlos6413]

@jinn جن The genocide of until 14 million germans after the "Liberation" is fact.

[@rudigerendlos6413]

@jinn جن Yes that's true.

[@krisfrederick5001]

"Downfall" is one of the best war movies of all time. Very few have dared to portray Hitler in film, beyond the portrait on a desk or wall. Having been done by the Germans themselves, it lends a quality of authenticity that's difficult to describe. As if they're looking themselves in the mirror...and owning it.

[@raptordoniv6779]

That actor played Hitler better than Hitler

[@Maria-cl6mn]

Absolutely recommend this movie, it really shows best in any movie about ww2 and all how it really was, and Bruno Ganz (the actor of Hitler) did a fantastic job in portraying him

[@VX_VectorPrimus]

@@jackstarr4726 How is it over the top? It just shows desperation, and finally accepting they had lost the war.

[@TheDragonballboy]

I agree. The fact even the actors resemble the people they play says something about how accurate they wanted it to be

[@deletevil]

I gotta watch the Downfall then. But what about "Der Untergnang"? I watched it, how accurate was it?

[@alessandran06]

We can’t blame anyone for the past, the only thing we can do is NOT to repeat the past and that my friend should be simple (key word simple 😉) hard to do for some. The past is good to study and know how far we all have come, but destroying the past will not give our children no history about our own country. This was a good clip to show, can’t wait for more from you.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

Aye. Learning from the past so that something like it never happens again. But also looking forward is important.

[@elgringo7088]

Germany: *admits what happened* Italy: we switched teams do we count? Japan: huh war crimes? What’s that? We just make funne cartoon Edit: Everybody is pissed for some reason so here UK: Hamburg? Dresden? Huh? US: haha city burn down Russia: *angry drunks intensify*

[@harrydehnhardt5092]

@Alex Reinheart Don't forget the bombing of Dresden at a time the war was more or less already won by the allied forces.

[@ImpactSpace]

@@harrydehnhardt5092 That was a disgraceful act indeed. I mean, seriously? February 1945? As much as I like our British friends (leaving Brexit aside), their mass bombing was a bad, really bad thing. The Blitz was a joke compared to that.

[@sbevexlr848]

@Alex Reinheart Azerbaijan and kakzakhstan aren't part of the middle east

[@hitsugayatoshiro9517]

Western colonialism

[@sbevexlr848]

@Alex Reinheart wait really? How?

[@Fred5612]

“When you meet a German the first thing you’ll think about is the war”. No? I’ve met tons of Germans and that was never my first thought lol.

[@benjaminpadilla1464]

Honestly, the first thing I think about is their culture and their recent cold war history, the Nazis don't come into my head because I know all Germans alive now had nothing to do with it.

[@thomaslombard8058]

The same. The thought has never once occurred to me with all the Germans I've met in my life. We usually end up talking about beer or mountaineering

[@Northstander]

Exactly the same...the first subject is usually football, most Germans who are old enough to remember still aren't over losing 4-2 to England in the 66 World Cup Final!

[@jakebeaker4243]

@@Northstander thanks to the russian linesman who allowed that stupid goal lmao

[@Sieuxerr1621]

first thought? On my part, My first thought always goes to how my belgian beers were better than german ones. (Don't be mad German, I still love your autos. ❤)

[@omerjameel3524]

Germans unlike British and Americans don't show their past in a closet

[@kaavi1391]

And japanese

[@crazyprophet3276]

Oh boy those nations have one shady past

[@mirzahamzabaig5667]

*British Raj flashbacks*

[@ryhanzfx1641]

Well Anglos tend to shove it rather in a some form of debate group, Anglos misdemeanour are well known and doccumented but people tend to have opinions and its rather drowned in those topics

[@guerrilla5002]

Id be happy to read all the atrocities that the british empire has commited if people want to list them here, but I'm going to say Britain did not invent empire nor did it invent slavery and I feel zero shame as a Briton living in the modern day.

[@davec6016]

15 years ago when I worked as a service tech in Germany one of my young German colleagues after learning of an upcoming job in France boldly made the comment, 'ich fahre nach Paris nur auf Ketten'. which translates to ' i go to Paris only on treads ' with the implication being the treads of a military tank to which the few other Germans in the room slightly snickered. I can proudly say it was one of the few times in my life when I had a snappy comeback ( and in a 2nd language to me no less ! ) and replied. ' Ja aber 4 Jahre spaeter, gehst du zurueck zu Fuss '. which slightly sloppily translates to, ' Yes, but 4 years later, you walk back'. I am pretty sure they all understood, but nobody laughed.

[@crabtrap]

Craigslist ad: WW2 French Battle Rifle for sale. Dropped once but never fired!

[@MarkAnderson-ng8vc]

Probably because his joke was funny and yours wasn't.

[@crabtrap]

@@MarkAnderson-ng8vc ??

[@twocents-Thomas-Zadro]

Although being late to the party: As an Austrian living in Germany, I can assure you: Your response was spot on and funny.

[@davec6016]

@@MarkAnderson-ng8vc well if you defend facism, i guess you're right. I believe democracy is by far the better choice so i thought it was hilarious and was damn proud to push back on his insensitive joke. Couldn't care less if they didn't appreciate it.

[@ianport2185]

Seems to me Germany is dealing rather better with a dark past, than say us in the UK. The UK has an imperial and slavery past that wasn't suddenly 'revealed' or, in a way, 'defeated'. Like many 'British things', it evolved into something different, not in anyway unremarked, but without a seismic change. The trappings remain - the Queen's father quietly signed away the Raj with a stroke of a pen then went grouse shooting. Again, the Brexit thing is similar - we were never keen on big new ideas, so we left, just like we left one quarter of the world because of gradual change and pragmatism. As for Germany - it's good to mention the war, just like Germans are welcome to mention slavery, Amritsar, Partition and the rest of our questionable actions and barbaric acts.

[@ghostofwolverine6065]

Amritsar you know bout it ??

[@renshiwu305]

Britain ended slavery. Other than Christianity and the ideals of the American revolution (which was itself an extension of the English Glorious Revolution), nothing did more to end slavery in the world than Britain. Where the other two movements provided the philosophical basis for the opposition to slavery, the British government defeated slavery as a practical matter. Moreover, if British control of India was such a bad thing, why did so many Indians (historical India, including Pakistan and Bangladesh) move to Britain? Many, many Indians speak English and that country received great benefit from British rule. Britain knocked the Mughals into a cocked hat, for one thing, and they also turned all the maharajahs and princes into mere figureheads. India got railroads, hospitals, and schools from the British. Most significantly, Britain imparted its system of law to the Indians.

[@asiersanz8941]

Hi! I disagree with you. As a basque citizen I've watched plenty of films, programs and documentaries, read lots of books created by britons critizising the atrocities of the british empire all over the world. It may not be enough but look at Spain or France, two states that have tried to wipe their minorities out, that have commited some of the biggest atrocities ever made and never showing any feeling of guilt for it. I may not be right but it is the way I see. Have a nice day

[@kibicz]

UK has -through colonialism - stopped slavery pretty much all over the world. Withought UK, there would be slavery in Asia, Africa, south America..as it has always been there (and with the end of colonialism, slavery spreading back to those regions as they slip to darkness).

[@Itisjustasaganow]

Mongols, Arabs,African kingdoms who sold their brother slaves to Britain, Spain,etc are laughing at us because they have no shame on their atrocities

[@JacF6734]

Turkey: "You guys admit to causing genocide?"

[@foty8679]

Japan: "No"

[@Bernie8330]

@@foty8679 Britian also no. USA also no. Australia very reluctantly, but getting better. There are others.

[@sylvesterpatrick3403]

You mean the Armenian Genocide of 1918 committed by Turkey ?

[@Bernie8330]

@@sylvesterpatrick3403 That would be the one ...

[@SantiagoGeffen]

@@Bernie8330 Argentina also no. The federal govt of Argentina still doesn't talk too much about the Conquista del Desierto and some other campaigns in which most of the indigenous peoples of the country were exterminated.

[@ivanrenic4243]

"Germany can't be proud of it's history." *sigh* Mozart, Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach, Immanuel Kant, Hermann the first German, Prussia, Bismarck, The German Empire, Holy Roman Empire of German Origin, and so on and so on. Thousands of years of glourious history.

[@motogpf1fan939]

Mozart was not a german

[@ivanrenic4243]

@@motogpf1fan939 Austrians were Germans. Like a person from Bayern is a German and a Bayer, isn't exclusive to each other.

[@motogpf1fan939]

@@ivanrenic4243 no thats not true

[@ivanrenic4243]

@@motogpf1fan939 but it is. Don't know how much you learned about Bismarck, but the only reason Austria is not part of Germany today is that he didn't want it to be. There was the Großdeutsche Lösung and it meant a united Germany with Austria and there was the Kleindeutsche Lösung only with Prussia. Austrians were considered German back then, just like a Russian would be considered a Slav.

[@motogpf1fan939]

@@ivanrenic4243 i am a German. Hitler added Austria to Germany. But before that Austria was a independent Country. And Mozart was not a german, he was from vienna. The Austrian and Hungarian kingdom

[@empice2k]

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” - President Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States

[@kurtkessler3872]

Having traveled often In Germany and met many, I deeply admire their shared dedication to remembering their painful past as a form of protection to keep it from ever happening again.

[@WilhelmImperatorRex]

@So Who's the Dummy Now? The bad thing is, you really belive what you say. And that's why the US will fall. I wish you another 4 years of Trump. After that, maybe even you will be able to see that you are wrong.

[@WilhelmImperatorRex]

@So Who's the Dummy Now? Oh boy, the "signs" are there for ages. Just the other way round. Disavowing that you just admit your another white surpremacist. Happily your kind is on the dying branch. Donald Trump and his fellows are the last jack up of an already dead society. Sadly it will cost a lot of lives to get rid of you once and for all. But in the end. You will vanish!

[@KingCreeper-1026]

@So Who's the Dummy Now? Please tell me where BLM advocates for state ownership of the means of production and distribution.

[@KingCreeper-1026]

@So Who's the Dummy Now? Because somehow, protesting for the right not to be murdered by police for your skin colour means you advocate for racial supremacy.

[@abandonedfragmentofhope5415]

Why doesn't Germany address issues relating to German colonization like the Namibian genocide?

[@Rajat000111]

It's good that the Germans have the courage to face their dark past; the British can't do that.

[@OdPlomp89]

Get rekt

[@homosapien.a6364]

And FRANCE 😂

[@itzpro5951]

Or Japanese which is a more comparable case since they were allies with Germany.

[@itzpro5951]

And from the protesting 3 months ago in Britain, a lot of them held signs saying "UK is not innocent" and saying Churchill was a racist" are you sure about the Brits?

[@lxi9648]

Oof Germany just hates herself

[@Leeaaa]

I went to American two years ago as a German. I was shocked when I realized that Americans and especially schools glorified their dark past like nothing happened or something good happened even if was terrible. Germany has never done that. I always, even as a child, knew what my country has done and how cruel it was. So instead of joking about German Nazi past, a lot of countries should start to confront their own dark past and not glorify it.

[@abysswatchers3501]

yes true. i mean people became crazy and it is hard to understand how they act and think.. god bless u and ur family ich bin kein Deutsch und ich lebe in Deutschland seit einer Weile. also ich glaube rassismus gibt es nicht in Deutschland oder anders gesagt ich habe nichts von rassismus erlebt seitdem ich in deutschland lebe. ich habe nur schwerigkeiten, ein Job zu finden. ich weiß es nicht, ob das was mit rassismus zu tun hat. vielleicht wollen die Arbeitsgeber nur Deutsche einstellen bzw. aufnehmen?? ich habe gar keine ahnung aber i am tired

[@Leeaaa]

@@abysswatchers3501 Thank you very much. Oh, I understand. Trust me it’s not only hard for you even Germans have a hard time finding a job because of COVID and a lot of other reasons. I don’t think it’s because you’re not german it’s probably because you don’t speak or maybe not that good. But don’t give up I’m sure u gonna find something soon! 👍 Liebe Grüße ❤️

[@emmettlester739]

Exactly, as a Native American, I had so many Americans try to justify my people's genocide and also justify the African slave trade. The glorification of it is deeply engrained in American culture that if you question this issue, you're the problem and the enemy of the American ways. Revisionist history here is also a huge issue. Many subjects are heavily redacted and censored, some teachers have been fired for even attempting to teach this dark past. Even today many parents protest against schools teaching kids about Americas past in any way, shape or form. It's all wrong and seeing Germany take many steps to confront the past, instead of hide from it, is a practice we need to desperately duplicate here.

[@BasementEngineer]

You were taught the politically correct narrative. Argue against it and you are imprisoned.

[@sabersin5368-c2c]

Americans are tired of being told to be ashamed of their country’s past. We don’t care about our countries dark past, what happened happened, nothing is gonna change the past.

[@wombatwilly1002]

Kudos to Germany for facing it head on in schools.The Allies need to teach more ww2 history in their schools IMO.

[@TheBikeOnTheMoon]

I doubt they would ever talk about the dark side of their troops during ww at school. Those who don't learn the past will deem to repeat it.

[@Rdeschain19]

your education is in part your responsibility

[@businessboss4838]

I'd like to point out that Stolpersteine certainly aren't disrespectful. The artist intention was that when you read the names on the "stones" you bend over to the victims and commemorate them. Also, one effect of them being made of brass is that the more people walk over them the shinier and more glorious they become

[@jerusalemdentist]

Friends from Australia went to Germany to the ceremony of laying a stoplerstein outside the former home of their grandparents, and the present house occupants wouldnt even open the frontdoor for them.

[@carinaa.6394]

@@jerusalemdentist That's sad. One of my friends' girlfriend is Jewish. They went to Germany to look at her great-grandparents' former house. The current owners opened the door for them and let them walk through the house but, apparently, they were also scared that she might lay claim to the house and take it from them. Maybe that's what happened there.

[@Lu-qh8dp]

We need to remember the pain, because it keeps the hunger for peace alive.

[@deeznuts8624]

Unless you do not understand pain , you can not understand true peace . ~ Pain(Naruto)

[@bobdob6612]

Also keeps those reparation payments coming from a destroyed ethnostate in Europe to prop up a new ethnostate in the Middle east.

[@netherlands7534]

Germany is a lovely country and doesn't deserve to get Hated in 21 century. They are europian brothers and sisters who helped and saved alot of people last years. they arent nazi's at all stop saying that

[@brozjoszip6401]

I completely agree.

[@lemonade_011]

I’m A Geordie (Brit) my dream is to move to there or France so much for Germans

[@miguelvina7188]

@@1935rmb not rlly, his party manipulated the voting system

[@wolfgangritter9277]

@@1935rmb Ahem, nope. The NSDAP had continuisly rising votes, but he never won the majority vote. He came to power due to coalitions with conservatives that were stupid enough to think they could control him. Also you might want to elaborate on how Germany is "running away from its history and cultural past". Obviously you didn't watch the video at all?

[@luigipiuattivo3316]

@@1935rmb "Wer hat uns verraten? Sozialdemokraten!" but seriously: thank you @netherlands. we ARE all brothers and sisters. so it's wrong to think such WILL happen again, because we will prevent it. We appreciate our (more and more) united Europe.

[@maxwellmueller9384]

Never forget that history is written by the victors.

[@ProNice]

I feel incredibly privileged that my country is acting on its responsibility to remind us all of what atrocities humans are capable of. If we don't acknowledge our darkest failures, we will eventually be damned to repeat them.

[@wangwang1488]

I saved your comment quote. I respect the Germans for admitting their past.

[@ops3892]

"Here in Europe we've learned enough from the two world wars" thats what they said about the first one. . . .

[@fettegurke2447]

Ww1 and 2 are not comparable the second one was one were (from today's point of view) you could easy draw a line between the good side and the bad. But in the first every country just fought each other because interests and alliances.

[@sportyguyusa]

The Second World War was the true ending of the First one. There won’t be another (not in Europe).

[@abandonedfragmentofhope5415]

But not about educating the European public on real and true history of colonization.

[@sebastianwalser1886]

actually, that's not at all what "they" said after the first one...

[@omarbradley6807]

Today if germany want to did the same, who they did it, France UK and Russia would nuke them

[@uo6703]

I love Germany and Germans and how they’ve come to terms with their dark past. Every bad thing can be transmuted to good. Would definitely visit some day

[@DemoniteBL]

@samstoos Dumm

[@vymancross3551]

Americans, British, japanese and Turkish can't accept theirs, which makes them very worse.

[@Antimanele104]

@@vymancross3551 To be the devil's advocate: Britain and USA actually aknowledged they did f*ck up in the past. The problem is they haven't apologized. Japan and Turkey on the other hand...

[@vymancross3551]

@@Antimanele104 Americans have accepted their past but majority British still don't know about the crimes their empire has done on it's colonies while you're right that japanese and turks will never accept their faults no matter what, they'll give you a 1000 excuses to fulfill their own mind with lies.

[@ssobergruppenfuhrerpeanut3674]

@@vymancross3551 because they dont wanna be considered “weak” like germanz

[@merebhayl5826]

*Sad* to hear they are don't like waving their flag much. I can't imagine living without HUGE love for my country and flag. Though I am Ethiopian, whenever I hear the world German, and see its flag, the crazy Industrial capacity, the present-day defining inventions during the war era, the strength, briliance and power is all that flood my mind. I really really love that. And of course feel really bad remembering what it was used for by the politicians of the time and crazy philosophy. And when it comes to the holocaust, it does hit hard since Ethiopia and jews have long intertwined relation in history including in demography. But apart from that, I feel Germans have a great material to be proud of and to love the flag and nation from my view as an outsider.

[@firstcedric8129]

it goes deeper for germans, as we are proud of ot being proud for our country. patriotism is still heavily stigmatised with nationalism, and nationalism is a big nono in germany. and what can you love about a country? that things other do? the things you do? patriotism is a kind of proudness when you nothing for yourself to be proud

[@firstcedric8129]

@@nodruj8681 im a gay male, i support cimate protests and i like meat, that is my identity i guess.

[@LoneWolf-bk7zx]

Every Country has dark pasts . But holding the past over one particular country is just Sad ☹️

[@bayou7126]

People just pick the WW2 card if the have no arguements or want germany to do something like: greece asking for Money germany doesnt want to give it: do you remember what happend ww2?

[@DaLoganFrost]

Israel wants the world to only talk about Germany.....but look at what Israel does to Muslims people in Palatine today? Very similar to what was done in the 1940's Israel does today to people they don't like. Hypocrites!

[@LoneWolf-bk7zx]

Logan Frost exactly

[@DaLoganFrost]

@Felix Roblek , interesting. I just watched videos of Joerg Haider bc of you. Thank you! Sad, it looks like a great leader ahead of his time was lost. Suspicious of that car accident. Very sad. Thanks again for the information.

[@bah2vi]

My country was ruled by British colonies and Japanese in WW2. It was a terrifying era. My country is Myanmar

[@lukasschrauber]

Great piece. I (German) still remember vivdly that at the end of my student exchange in Sydney, Australia, one of my friends from school came up to me with a sheepish look on his face and confessed to me that he is jewish. He didn't want to tell me before because he was afraid of what I would think about or do to him. It is so important to openly discuss and work through our history and to distance ourselves from the digusting idiologies of our past.

[@silverletter4551]

How would he feel if he was confronted by a Palestinian because of the atrocities committed by the apartheid state of Israel. I mean this guy had no right to treat you like some kind of monster. Would anybody tolerate that against a Turk? A Japanese person? What about a Brit?

[@craiggallup5706]

@@silverletter4551 How stupid. The boy was Australian not Israeli.

[@carinaa.6394]

@@silverletter4551 As Craig Gallup already pointed out, he wasn't Israeli and nowhere did Lukas Schrauba say that the boy treated him "like some kind of monster" as you put it. He just didn't have enough information and was unsure.

[@geko1030]

@@silverletter4551 , what the hell has an Australian Jew to do with Israeli policies? Your mere assotiation is pure antisemitism - and associating Israeli policies towards Palestinensians with the Nazi genocide of Jews is such a disgusting trivialisation of the Holocaust that it makes everybody speechless who has remotely any knowledge about that sinister chapter of history. Whatever view one might have on this complicated conflict - a mere glance at Palestinian demographic growth since 1948 proves that this fould equation is nothing but a disgusting antisemitic smear.

[@arcticarazon6941]

The Germans don’t deny their dark past unlike some countries cough Japan cough cough Turkey cough

[@inzwischen_inaktiv5078]

In Germany it's against the law to deny that the holocaust happened or to romanticise it. You can go to jail for up to five years. I think that's pretty good.

[@chickennugget6654]

@cesar how does the uk deny it? Colonialism and imperialism are taught in the UK curriculum

[@SchmulKrieger]

@@inzwischen_inaktiv5078 that's just stupid in fact.

[@Zappina]

They CANT deny their dark past. Thats the difference. Japan gots off easily because of the two nuclear bombs and the destruction of their entire society. Wha tyou see in Japan now is not japanese society, its an artificial society made by americans to replace the old one.

[@SchmulKrieger]

@@Zappina wrong in every sentence.

[@johndoe-cv8pr]

I feel no guilt, nor should I, many of our reasons were legitimate. I feel only pride in my German people and my German nation. God bless the brave German soldiers who fought and sacrificed for their nation and people during a time of war, the same as any other soldiers from any other nation, on either side of the conflict. They deserve honor and respect for their service and sacrifice to the fatherland. The Germans are a great people with many reasons to be proud and Germany is a great nation to be proud of.🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪

[@ocean7849]

Endlich ein gescheiter Deutscher

[@samuelfernandez634]

@johndoe-cv8pr I'm trying to find unbiased, authentic, translations and history about the reasons and it's insane how hard it is to find. Can you recommend any books or share any info?

[@Vfl666]

Krauts are so dumb just like 1933-45

[@alicemc8774]

For what? You started two world wars and killed millions of Jewish people because you wanted to create a 'pure' race. You have nothing to be proud of.

[@florafauna5883]

And I was wondering 'How Britain Deals with it's Dark Imperial Colonial Past'

[@WilhelmImperatorRex]

What do you mean by "dealing with its imperial past" ? Brithish empire is still great and stronk!

[@thomasb8658]

Hahahahaha good joke

[@florafauna5883]

@@WilhelmImperatorRex Nah..decadence is rife nowadays. A sad spectacle.

[@florafauna5883]

PS. YESTERDAY: Atlantic slave trade.. Colonialism in India, with various massacres, famines and final partition.. Brutal treatment of Aboriginal people in Australia.. Boer Concentration camps in South Africa.. Mau Mau repression in Kenya.. Opium wars against China.. Deportation of Chagossians to give their island to the US for military use.. 800 years of repression and causing a devastating famine in Ireland, with consequent mass emigration..etc etc.. TODAY: London, the money laundering capital of the world. Fact. 8 out of 10 biggest tax havens are British territories. Fact. Arms trade with belligerent despot countries. Fact. etc etc.. Oh, lets not forget the illegal invasion of Iraq with its well known Consequences..and this isn't even half of the list of all the misery and destruction, caused on a global scale, by Britannia over the centuries. Waiting an in depth detailed video about it, dear DW Euromaxx!

[@florafauna5883]

...and don't get me started on the US of A..Britain and America combined caused way more blood and carnage over the centuries..Still waiting for war crimes charges to be brought against them at the international criminal court.

[@joshbentley2307]

Every country has a dark past. Don’t feel guilty, and be proud of what your country is today. 🇬🇧🇩🇪

[@joshbentley2307]

@angjelo angjelo they were also apart of the British empire. And they were privileged in it, and many Canadians fought for the British empire, so then you’ve also got the empires long list of atrocities. 👍🏻

[@justsomeghostwithinterneta7296]

@angjelo angjelo Native Americans?

[@harrydehnhardt5092]

No, "if you ignore your past you're condemned to repeat it." This is a quote from the American philosopher Georgec Santayana

[@burkeeboy6986]

@angjelo angjelo as a Canadian I would have to disagree. Just google indigenous residential schools.

[@alphaomega3151]

pride and stupidity are made of the same cloth

[@Alexa-hh8so]

On the one side u have germany. On the other u have Japan. Edit: what germany is doing is in my eyes the correct way to behave after committing mass genocide. Some ppl in the comments seem to be of a rather different opinion though.

[@funtimefredboi3877]

@Short Stack better than Japan tbh

[@funtimefredboi3877]

@Short Stack no i mean it

[@funtimefredboi3877]

@Short Stack they litterely deny there history its not that im left don't get the Idear but they should have Atleast given an Apology nationaly like they Hade extrem shit going one An officer game that would be reported in the Japanese newspaper was Who could Behead 100 Chinese the Fastest

[@ghostarmy1106]

@Short Stack what allies? Austria(-hunagry) is basically useless and italy Keeps changing teams

[@Cesarc2]

@Short Stack ¡ Alemania despierta ! ( Deutschland Erwache !)

[@aug-pahunters51]

I'm American with a German last name and my Grandfather fought against the Japanese as a Army Air Corp (modern Air Force) Colonel. Our family left Germany in 1890, but he was harassed as a kid, similar to any number of Central Asian people after 9/11. His unit was only African Americans as he was told, "You're a Kraut, you handle the N words." "Island hopping" and had to establish air fields after the USMC would take an island. Mind you, the Japanese would pretend to be defeated then launch night attacks with mortars and suicide vests. I'm so proud of his bravery in the face of hatred that surrounded him. Peace and God bless.

[@lordvader282]

What have the Germans learned? Not to ally themselves with the Italians.

[@TF2Scout..]

Very important thing to learn indeed. You can't team up with pizza man

[@dominicdelgado1654]

@@TF2Scout.. no the more important lesson is dont be in the middle of europe with the italy as your main ally

[@danielg.1698]

And not to invade Russia.

[@luigipiuattivo3316]

@@danielg.1698 Famous Joke: There were only two persons in Europe history, that didn't know thats cold in Russia in winter: Napoleon and Hitler

[@BasementEngineer]

@@danielg.1698 You are WRONG!

[@BryonLetterman]

Every nation has a dark past. It just so happens that Germany's dark past is the most recent

[@tomendruweit9386]

The british empire fell 30-40 years ago, I would call that a dark past

[@kamanashiskar9203]

@@tomendruweit9386 The British Empire officially fell in 1997, though remnants of it are still around. Also, the British Empire did some good in the world too.

[@tomendruweit9386]

@@kamanashiskar9203 the Nazis did too yet we still only talk about the bad things. And rightfully so.

[@gaspardttcourt1937]

Japan and russia are more recent but people dont talk about it

[@kamanashiskar9203]

@Random Dood It depends.

[@kaiholstein8307]

Italy is like the little brother who takes part and as soon as mummy comes home he spills the beans and gets no trouble. And then he says that he did not take part.

[@andremaines]

Italy is the pretty boy who knows he can do whatever he wants because he's built on holy ground and gave birth to the roman empire

[@HafdirTasare]

@@andremaines That is extremly simplified.

[@redbox1976]

That's not it, Italy killed almost no one and was forced by the germans to kill or send someone to auschwtiz. infact, the Soviet Union which killed almost as close as hitler's 66M gets no trouble.

[@HafdirTasare]

@@redbox1976 Just because the iialian Warcrimes are not that well known, does not mean there were none. Sure, No War Crimes at all, nothing happened in Jugoslavia, the allies covered that up good for you.

[@gionncaomhinmorpheagh4791]

@@HafdirTasare There were plenty of Italian war crimes, but it has to be remembered that the Italians even vented against the Great War until it ended. They were only in it because their leaders thought they could grab a chunk of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to go along with Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) and Libya. In WWII, it was that fuckwit Mussolini who wanted to grab all the glory, even though the Italian population had no heart for another war. Even today in Italy (my wife is Italian) no-one talks about the atrocities committed by Italian troops in Yugoslavia, Greece, Ethiopia or Libya. The subject is very much taboo because the Italians were "the good guys" riding along on their Vespas offering a cheery "Ciao" to passers-by. MsG

[@Vidis88]

Yes England realy saved Poland back then, Germany are the only one who fought and almost won against the international banker cartel who we all suffer under.

[@Simon-tc1mc]

I think its super respectable how open Germany is about their past and how much they do to address it. Many other countries have dark pasts but act like they're perfect

[@thunderbird1921]

Sometimes nations make dumb or ridiculous decisions as well. As an American, I find the Spanish-American War rather embarrassing for us, since a lot of it was hysteria from the newspapers that wasn't grounded in reality, the first "fake news" crisis. Combine that with aggressive politicians and it turned into one ugly mess, even though we won.

[@Simon-tc1mc]

@@thunderbird1921 yeah, the US has many bad wars in its past

[@whiterunguard9084]

As an American we really fought the wrong people in that war, we were not the good guys

[@ppp5644]

Even worse. A lot of people still GLORIFY the dark pasts of their countries

[@kjul.]

Much love to Germany from the UK ❤️ Thank you for dealing with your dark past in an appropriate manner - unlike most other countries.

[@etasetamix.]

You mean unlike uk?

[@kjul.]

@@etasetamix. Yes, the UK is guilty of that regarding parts of its history as well.

[@aurobindosarkar2017]

Like your country

[@sagnikmondal3315]

What about the genocides done by UK??

[@kjul.]

Guys please read my second comment in this thread, I've already addressed this even before you accused me of not caring about the atrocities committed by my home country.

[@filemon9277]

I just remembered the meme where a kid got a book named "Mein Kampf" but he actually wanted Minecraft

[@seanjones2524]

"Papa.. MineCRAFT"

[@cbonesteaksauce3833]

America: How do you Germans deal with your genocidal dark past? Germany: “… idk. How do you?…”

[@alexandervolkov5205]

"Hard or impossible to compare the atrocities of the holocaust with any other event" Uhh anything the Japanese did... *Laughs In Soviet*

[@gamerdrache6076]

Laughts in usa nukes

[@gamerdrache6076]

Laughts in usa nukes

[@lecrunkmen8825]

@@gamerdrache6076 unavoidable bro

[@tehdreamer]

Uneducated statement. Stalin never ordered anything on the scale of the Holocaust.

[@IsomerSoma]

@@tehdreamer 20 Million. Also Mao 60 Million. The genocides of these state socialists is different yet not in the least more reasonable and in case of mao in its scale even greater.

[@AbdiPianoChannel]

I'm a black man who lives in Canada. Cornwall Ontario In 1994 at the age of 24, I met an old man who told me that he was a German soldier back in ww2. Every morning he came to my work place. We became friends. He used to tell me war stories I enjoyed every minute of it. I gave him all the time he needed to tell me his stories. He was extremely friendly and honest old soldier. Every German I ever met was friendly and very open. I believe nazism is now in America where it speaks an American English.

[@thepolishcow9050]

Pimping Llama It’s not, people are stupid.

[@ugay9379]

German so called "racism" of Nazis, was not about supremacy over black people at all but about removing Jews from positions of power because germans thought they were behind the communist revolution after ww1.

[@jaffusmaximus]

@@ugay9379 no

[@ugay9379]

@@jaffusmaximus "no." That's not an argument brainlet, come up with a reason why not. National socialism was simply not about black people because there were no africans in Germany and Germany hadn't had colonies since ww1. If americans who hate black people carry swastika flags that doesn't mean actual historical national socialists wished ill to black people.

[@spooky_lxix9042]

"The very first thing you'll think about will be the WW2" Nah the first thing I think is an artist from Austria that failed art school

[@vineetmishra7354]

Had He passed the entire poltical scenario would be different.

[@NS-li8bu]

You are right, many people do not know that Hittler was not even a German. He was an Austrian opportunist who used the economic disarray of the Germans to establish his satanism

[@Levottomat01]

@@NS-li8bu Satanism?

[@NormallyImKim]

@@Levottomat01 I mean he literally did sacrificed millions of Jews to evil.

[@ismaelnehme379]

1:17 I really dislike this mentality. the 20th century was filled with many genocides just as systematic and brutal. The Cambodian genocide is the best example I can think of, where babies were passed in a line of soldiers who literally smashed their heads on trees. The life expectancy in Cambodia fell to 17 in 1979

[@floriankemmerling2132]

I found it very difficult to say something like: "No it cant happen again. We (Germany/Europe/the world) learned from it." There are many furious signs that something like a 3rd World War could happen again and thinking it cant happen again is very very dangerous..

[@floriankemmerling2132]

@@shimanopetermann9068 if you look further I also said dangerous

[@shimanopetermann9068]

@@floriankemmerling2132 Yeah just noticed it after commenting. And I believe I've read it before commenting - don't know what strange Klugscheißer-Spirit took possession of me 😅 Sorry

[@appleslover]

But surely Germany isn't the starter.. I mean look at china

[@floriankemmerling2132]

@@appleslover yeah but that one man talked about "we" as the world or at least europe but thats just kot the case..

[@JokoCi]

Certainly the statement " humanity has learned from it" is utterly rediculous

[@TopCornerFacts]

I lived with a German from Stuttgart in Rome and met many Germans though erasmus. They were always asked stupid questions including from me about the war but I can say they are now used to it and they handle the questions pretty maturely. Coming from India I never thought that Germans can be good friends with the Russians or the Americans. I realized in Rome that they can be, indeed! Most Germans are well informed about their history and the education that they got has helped them overcome the gravity of ill-feeling that emanated from war. I found Germans of my generation to be bold and friendly. They still carry that in-your-face attitude sometimes ahaha. Ole, Ole, Ole, Super Deutschland, Ole!!

[@RonSimiyu]

I hope you implement what u learned into your relationship with Pakistanis.

[@TopCornerFacts]

@@RonSimiyu We get along quiet fine on people to people level. The politics related to clash of ideologies is a separate topic entirely.

[@Steppy-qx9tq]

It’s good to know that there are those who think we’re decent people.

[@adsfornothing3146]

my aunt is russian(the wife of my german uncle)

[@appleslover]

@@Steppy-qx9tq I think most non western countries have a very good stereotypes of Germany Unlike the west Here in my home country when you want to say that someone is beautiful/handsome you say: he looks like a German And when someone is too elaborate with their words, people say: sounds like German to me. Also when I hear the word German in English not so much of favourable things come to mind( maybe because i used to watch a lot of war documentaries) and also because of the stereotypes in English speaking countries. But when I hear it in my mother language the first thing that comes to mind is beauty, intellectualism and quality

[@Ballinalower]

A British boy born near the start of The War I found myself, age 12 seven years after it ended in a boarding school where all the other boys and the teachers were German or Austrian. Like any British kid I was infatuated with The War and had listened to lots of stories. It's normal to enhance your own victory by praising the ability and courage of your defeated enemy. So I had heard how tough and brave German soldiers were, how Rommel had been a great General, and from a Spitfire pilot schoolteacher that German fighter pilots were skilled and courageous, and from a tank Commander uncle that the German Panzer tank had been the best tank in the War. My roommates and I did talk a bit about the war after lights out. One, his Dad had been a fighter pilot and the other, OMG! His Dad had been a Chief Designer of the Panzer tank! I guess I fueled my friends with enough pride for them to talk to others, and a few days later I was called to the Headmaster's office, sat down and told that war was not glamorous and exciting it was evil and wrong and would I please not talk about it with the other boys. So from then on I didn't. I found myself avoiding the subject even during school holidays back in Britain. Sometimes people tried to say that all Germans were guilty. Then I would get upset and ask how my school friends who had been young children at the time could possibly be to blame.

[@Ballinalower]

I want to add that I experienced very little bullying and it ceased very quickly. I am sure that at the time a German boy in a British boarding school would have found himself in a living hell. 99% of the German kids were very nice to me And at first I spoke very little German. My roommates patiently taught me. They were great teachers though they were only 12 years old. I was near fluent in a month. I did get help from the teachers too, of course.

[@omarbradley6807]

imagine if you had answer, well, not for you, but for me who came from the victors it is! and over Rommel, those people (Germans) know about his opposition to Hitler, or they censored it so much who not even the resistance is mentioned?

[@craiglee373]

The Germans shouldn't care about there past. Countries throughout history have far darker pasts than the Germans. The Arabs, the turks, Mongolians, Americans, Russians, Indians, British, Spanish, Mexicans (aztecs), Romanians, Egyptians, Jews, Chinese.. The list is endless.. Every civilisation has a dark past.

[@dweuromaxx]

@Craig Lee And they all shouldn't care about their past? 🤔

[@KingExituS]

World: Germany's head must hurt from getting all the blame for their dark past. Germany: It does not hurt as much as our shoulders carrying all the EU countries!

[@Michael-mh2tw]

Germany doesn't 'carry' as much as they 'own'.

[@kint87]

actual soldiers ? carrying what ?

[@mistercornflakes761]

Hallo ich bin deutsch 😂😂😂🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪

[@gengis737]

You don't understand Europe, do you ? What money would Germany do in an Europe of closed borders ?

[@seventyfour8256]

@@gengis737 The main economys in the EU are now France and Germanys is second , i believe.. could be reversed tho

[@3strll]

Germany: We admit our dark past China: I don't know what they are talking about??

[@themelon_1785]

I feel like people get too heated on things like the British empire which has been gone for the last 30 so years while the ccp is just in the corner planing for Chinese world domination

[@jjw3046]

Lol I think you mean Japan? Even China admits Mao was a disaster. Tiananmen Square is a different story, but for a communist country they're way ahead of Japan in terms of actually taking that first step.

[@willsofer3679]

@@themelon_1785 British colonialism still continues, though it's less in-your-face than it once was, obviously. Ireland could be reunited, but Britain doesn't want to loose that cash cow. Whitehall tries to prevent Scotland from having a referendum, because they know that if they had one today, they would vote for independence and to stay in the EU. It opposes increased autonomy for Wales, doesn't even table any sort of discussion about the duchy of Cornwall and the Cornish people... And despite their promises and the passing of various resolutions (both domestically and when they were properly part of the E.U.), has barely put any funding into Irish/Gaelic/Welsh/Cornish language schools, or cultural revival. Scots can't even carry the sgian-dubh. And that's just in the British Isles! Ha.

[@yuxiujuan1806]

@@jjw3046 problem: Japan made gay anime and China didn't. Weebs would pick funne cartoons over real life anyday...

[@bindgagger]

@@willsofer3679 Scotland had a referendum a few years ago. It's questionable as to how much Eire would want Northern Ireland given the cost of the NHS.

[@Elderrion]

I'm worried about Germany and their relationship with their past to be honest. There's this underlying expectation that Germany needs to have a collective guilt about their past actions and stain on human history, and while I appreciate and fully support in depth education and nuanced understanding of the subject, I fear the expectation to have the younger generation feel bad about it might have an adverse effect. Those younger than, say 30y/o give or take, have almost two generations between them and those that supported Hitler and the Nazis and yet, like I said, they're still expected to feel bad about it. They hesitate to be proud of Germany for fear of having their patriotism be labelled as nationalism. They hesitate to fully take the reigns as front runners in Europe out of fear of being compared to the Nazi domination of Europe. They hesitate to interfere in foreign politics because any country that doesn't like them will immediately mirror them to the Third Reich. What's worse, some might even be of the opinion that: "if I'm being punished for a crime I didn't commit, might as well follow the profile I'm labelled as." If I can offer my humble opinion; shift the focus of the education from what the Nazis did (though obviously teach that as well) to "how the Nazis came to be". Enlighten them on the modus operandi of right-wing and fascist regimes. Instill in them the value of fact checking and to increase the value of logic over emotion. And Germans, be proud of yourself and of your country. Yes, you made a mistake, but you've spent the past seven decades trying to make amends. You've accepted your dark past and resolved to never have it happen again. No other country is willing to look their criminal background in the face and say "never again" and then do whatever it can to ensure those aren't hollow statements. You had the contempt of nations, now you have the respect of a continent and more. All you have to do is hold your head high, stay on the present course, and fight for what's right because you know more than most what can happen if you don't. You're germans, Ihr schafft dass.

[@luporion2909]

Thanks, thats my opinion too, i can tell you, your observations ae true

[@Kay2kGer]

amen bro. 27year old german here

[@laiyinquan8355]

That was truly inspiring. I have never blamed the Germans of today for the irreversible mistakes made by their predecessors. Hell, I don't even blame those who voted for Hitler into power only to realise sooner or later how depraved he actually was. You can say that I can easily look past this as I'm a Zoomer, but I would never hold contempt for them. Like you said, many nations of the world do have a dark past but hardly or never discuss it as they are hardly centre stage in a world event. Germany, being THE antagonist of WW2, made them the focus of hatred and contempt. They therefore always have to deal with their past from foreigners bringing it up despite the fact they are not in the wrong; it is not like they chose to be German, right? They are brave for withstanding all these jokes and references people constantly tell them.

[@avacyn2000]

The European Union is aids

[@Mr.BrainDead]

Yes, I think so, too Nice German try by the way ^^ The only thing I have to mention is: "ihr schafft dass" :)