Quote Originally Posted by Maniac
Is it wrong to be proud?
During the Historikerstreit, the 'Battle of the Historians', in the 1980's, the philosopher Jürgen Habermas gave an answer for me: 'One can be proud of one's history, even if there is a blemish on it'.

Habermas resisted the nationalist version of history as presented by the likes of Ernst Nolte, which sought to trivialise, or even absolve, German responsability. He also resisted a presentation of 1933-1945 as a complete abberation, a kind of alien invasion. Which also trivialises German responsability.
Equally, the thought that German history inevitably led to Auschwitz, or that German history is an accomplice, nothing but a prelude to 1933, was resisted.

This I share. The 18th century enlightened poet Schiller is Germany. the Holocaust is Germany too. But can't one not admire Schiller despite the Holocaust?


As for German identity, that exceeds the limit of a forum post. A quick answer about history getting in the way of a German identity.

I would say, that WWII was two centuries ago. Somewhere shortly before or after Napoleon. I don't care.

For those who insist I have my history timeline wrong:
The (West) German state represents the continuity of Germany. As such, it accepts responsibility. This acceptance of responsibility, Germany's democratic nature, and Germany's efforts to strive towards friendship between peoples are the ways in which Germany has and continues to reclaim its honour.
For personal identity and history: there are adult Germans now who where born after the fall of the Wall. Germans who hold university degrees whose grandparents were born after 1945. The old generation is gone. And sins are not heriditary. There is no personal responsibility, though it graces a German to be knowledgeable about his history, the way it graces a non-German to realise that he who is without sin, casts the first stone.



Other than that, this is the internets so I'm outta here before the revisionists spout their vulgar nonsense again and work on my blood pressure.