A VOICE FROM NAZI GERMANY

[Guest guest]

VOICE FROM NAZI GERMANY

A Survivor shows parallels between Naziism and trends in the U.S.

 

 

 

 

 

Now, we have a powerful statement from another survivor of the Nazi

system who shows the continuing parallels that have developed after 9-

11, particularly the introduction of so-called homeland security and

the glorification of war. The following testimony appeared as a

letter to the editor at

http://www.truthout.org dated January 9, 2004.

 

 

 

The Bush Hitler Thing

 

 

Dear Sir,

My family was one of Hitler's victims. We lost a lot under the

Nazi occupation, including an uncle who died in the camps and a

cousin killed by a booby trap. I was terrified when my father went

ballistic after finding my brother and me playing with a hand

grenade. (I was only 12 at the time, and my brother insisted the

grenade was safe.) I remember the rubble and the hardships

of `austerity' - and the bomb craters from Allied bombs. As late as

the 1980s, I had to take detours while bombs were being removed -

they litter the countryside, buried under parking lots, buildings,

and in the canals and rivers to this day. Believe me, I learned a lot

about Hitler while I was growing up, both in Europe and here in the

US - both my parents were in the war and talked about it constantly,

unlike most American families. I spent my earliest years with the

second-hand fear that trickled down from their PTSD - undiagnosed and

untreated in those days.

 

I'm no expert on WWII - but I learned a lot about what happened in

Germany - and Europe - back in those days. I always wondered how the

wonderful German people - so honest, decent, hard-working, friendly,

and generous - could ever allow such a thing to happen. (There were

camps near my family's home - they still talk about them only in

hushed conspiratorial whispers.) I asked a lot of questions - we were

only a few kilometers from the German border - and no one ever denied

me. My relatives had obviously spent a lot of time thinking about the

war - they still haven't forgotten - I don't think anyone can forget

such a horrible nightmare. Among the questions I asked:

 

Why didn't you do anything about the people in the camps?

Everyone was terrified. People " disappeared " into those camps.

Sometimes the Nazis came and lined everyone up, walking behind them -

even school children - with a cocked pistol. You never knew when they

would just shoot someone in the back of the head. Everyone was

terrified. Everyone was disarmed - guns were registered, so all the

Nazis had to do was go from house to house and demand the guns.

 

Didn't you see what was happening?

We saw. There was nothing we could do. Our military had no

modern weapons. The Nazis had technology and resources - they just

invaded and took over - we were overwhelmed by their air power. They

had spies everywhere - people spying on each other, just to have

an `ace in the hole' in case they were accused - and anyone who had a

grudge against you could accuse you of something - just an accusation

meant you'd disappear. Nobody dared ask where you had gone - anyone

who returned was considered suspicious - what had they said, and who

did they implicate? It was a climate of fear - there's nothing anyone

can do when the government uses fear and imprisonment to intimidate

people. The government was above the law - even in Germany, it

became " every man for himself. " Advancement was possible by

exposing " traitors " - anyone who questioned the government. It didn't

matter if the people you accused were guilty or not - just the

accusation was enough.

 

Did anyone know what was going on?

We all knew. We imagined the worst because the Nazis

made `examples' of a few people in every town and village. Public

torture and execution. The most unspeakable atrocities were committed

in full view of everyone. If this is what happened in public, can you

imagine what might be going on in the camps? Nobody wanted to know.

 

Why didn't the German people stop the Nazis?

Life was better, at first, under the Nazis. The war machine

invigorated the economy - men had jobs again, and enough money to

take care of their family. New building projects were everywhere. The

shops were full again - and people could afford good food, culture,

and luxuries. Women could stay home in comfort. Crime was reduced.

Health care improved. It was a rosy scenario - Hitler brought order

and prosperity. His policies won widespread approval because life was

better for most Germans, after the misery of reparations and

inflation. The people liked the idea of removing the worst elements

of society - the gypsies, the homosexuals, the petty criminals - it

was easy to elicit support for prosecuting the corrupt, " evil " people

poisoning society. Every family was proud of their hometown heroes -

the sharply-dressed soldiers they contributed to his program - they

were, after all, defending the Fatherland. Continuing a proud

tradition that had been defeated and shamed after WWI, the soldiers

gave the feeling of power and success to the proud families that

showered them with praise and support. Their early victories were

reason to celebrate - in spite of the fact that they faced poorly

armed inferior forces - further proof that what they were doing was

right, and the best thing for the country. The news was full of

stories about their bravery and accomplishments against a vile enemy.

They were " liberating " these countries from their corrupt governments.

 

These are some of the answers I gleaned over the years. As a child, I

was fascinated with the Nazis. I thought the German soldiers were

really something - that's how strong an impression they made, even

after the war. After all, they weren't the ones committing war

crimes - they were the pride of their families and communities. It

was just the SS and Gestapo that were " bad. " Now I know better - but

that pride in the military was a strong factor for many years, only

adding to the mystique of military power - after all, my father had

been a soldier too, but in the American army. It took a while to

figure out the truth.

 

Every time I've gone back to Europe, someone has taken me to

the " gardens of stone " - the Allied cemeteries that dot the

countryside. With great sadness, my relatives would stand in abject

misery, remembering the nightmare, and asking " Why? " Maybe that's why

they wouldn't support the US invasion of Iraq. They knew war. They

knew occupation. And they knew resistance. I saw the building where

British flyers hid on their way back to England - smuggled out by

brave families that risked the lives of everyone to help the Allies.

As a child, I had played in a basement where the cow lived under the

house, as is common there. The same place those flyers hid.

 

So why, now, when I hear GWB's speeches, do I think of Hitler? Why

have I drawn a parallel between the Nazis and the present

administration? Just one small reason - the phrase " Never forget. "

Never let this happen again. It is better to question our government -

because it really can happen here - than to ignore the possibility.

 

So far, I've seen nothing to eliminate the possibility that Bush is

on the same course as Hitler. And I've seen far too many analogies to

dismiss the possibility. The propaganda. The lies. The rhetoric. The

nationalism. The flag waving. The pretext of " preventive war. " The

flaunting of international law and international standards of

justice. The disappearances of " undesirable " aliens. The threats

against protesters. The invasion of a non-threatening sovereign

nation. The occupation of a hostile country. The promises of

prosperity and security. The spying on ordinary citizens. The

incitement to spy on one's neighbors - and report them to the

government. The arrogant triumphant pride in military conquest. The

honoring of soldiers. The tributes to " fallen warriors. " The

diversion of money to the military. The demonization of government

appointed " enemies. " The establishment of " Homeland Security. " The

dehumanization of " foreigners. " The total lack of interest in the

victims of government policy. The incarceration of the poor and

mentally ill. The growing prosperity from military ventures. The

illusion of " goodness " and primacy. The new einsatzgrupen forces.

Assassination teams. Closed extralegal internment camps. The

militarization of domestic police. Media blackout of non-approved

issues. Blacklisting of protesters - including the no-fly lists and

photographing dissenters at rallies.

 

There isn't much doubt in my mind - anyone who compares the history

of Hitler's rise to power and the progression of recent events in the

US cannot avoid the parallels. It's incontrovertible. Is Bush another

Hitler? Maybe not, but with each incriminating event, the parallel

grows - it certainly cannot be dismissed. There's too much evidence

already. Just as Hitler used American tactics to plan and execute his

reign, it looks as if Karl Rove is reading Hitler's playbook to plan

world domination - and that is the stated intent of both. From the

Reichstag fire to the landing at Nuremberg to the motto of " Gott Mit

Uns " [God is with us] to the unprovoked invasion and occupation of

Iraq to the insistence that peace was the ultimate goal, the line is

unbroken and unwavering.

 

I'm afraid now, that what may still come to pass is a reign far more

savage and barbaric than that of the Nazis. Already, appeasement has

been fruitless - it only encourages the brazen to escalate their

arrogance and braggadocio. Americans support Bush - by a generous

majority - and mass media sings his praises while indicting his

detractors - or silencing their opinions completely. The American

people seem to care only about the domestic economic situation - and

even in that, they are in complete denial. They don't want to hear

about Iraq, and Afghanistan is already forgotten. Even the Democratic

opposition supports the occupation of Iraq. Everyone seems to agree

that Saddam Hussein deserves to be executed - with or without a

trial. " Visitors " are fingerprinted. Guilty until proven innocent.

Snipers are on New York City rooftops. When do the Stryker teams

start appearing on American streets? They're perfectly suited

for " Homeland Security " - and they've had a trial run in Iraq. The

Constitution has been suspended - until further notice. Dick Cheney

just mentioned it may be for decades - even a generation, as Rice

asserts as well. Is this the start of the 1000 year reign of this new

collection of thugs? So it would seem. I can only hope that in the

coming year there will be some sign - some hint - that we are not

becoming that which we abhor. The Theory of the Grotesque fares all

too well these days. It may not be Nazi Germany - it might be a lot

worse.

 

SL | Wisconsin