Culture of memory in Germany: a dangerous turning point?
Culture of memory in Germany: a dangerous turning point?
The culture of memory in Germany is currently in the line of fire. A current study by the EVZ foundation project shows how strong the perspective of the population is changing the Nazi past. The associated questions attract wide circles and touch the German identity, rather, they stem on the heart of one of the central themes of the post -war period: coping with the past.
In the past few weeks, numerous discussions have broken about the moral challenges in front of which Germany is facing. [Friday] reports that in Germany one is increasingly of the opinion that a kind of “conclusion” to be able to pull under the Nazi crimes. Around 38.1 percent of the respondents in the Memo study agree to this statement, whereby this tendency can be observed particularly strongly for people in the middle age and voters of the AfD. A disturbing sign that dealing with one's own history is no longer considered necessary.
The role of the Holocaust in German identity
In the discussion about guilt and responsibility, the Holocaust remains a central element of German identity. As [Foundation EVZ] emphasizes, dealing with this dark time is an essential part of state legitimacy and is conveyed in schools and public memorial events. But the discourse on this is increasingly perceived as problematic. There are voices that criticize the German culture of remembrance as a selective and demand a broader perspective that also includes other historical injustices - such as the colonial past of Germany.The fact that the memory of the crimes of the National Socialists is only perceived as stressful by a broad population is also evident in the study. 43.6 percent of those surveyed state that they prefer to devote themselves to current problems than to continue working up the past. This attitude is reflected in the feeling that the Germans are "continued to hold" the crimes on the Jews.
The challenges of the present
A particularly serious tone suggests the assessment of the current political climate: Veronika Hager from the EVZ describes the results of the study as a "cultural tilting point". The risk that National Socialism will be regarded as a merely historical era without reference to the present is a fundamental relevance. Against this background, there is also a noticeable concern that critical voices within the Jewish community, which urge the support of humanitarian aid, lose visibility.
Within this discussion, the question arises: How should Germany deal with its responsibility? While Germany provides weapons to Israel, which are used in the conflict against civilians in Gaza, the expectation of humanitarian aid is hardly brought into harmony with the culture of remembrance. The image of a memory that includes many realities of life remains incomplete.
at a time when the examination of one's own history is perceived as stressful for many, it is important to establish a culture of memory that not only helps process the past, but also promotes a feeling of justice in the present. Such a process requires constant reflection and an open discussion.
In summary, it remains to be said that the German culture of remembrance is in a continuous process of change. It is essential that it not only includes the history of the Holocaust, but also offers space for contradiction and diversity within its own national narrative. This is the only way to form the pride of the late examination of history into a differentiated and acceptable part of German identity.| Details | |
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| Ort | Deutschland |
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