Nazism: Still evil or morally ambiguous?
Posted on 17/10/2011 by Igor
I was reading an interesting article in The Times written by Sir Ian Kershaw, the country's leading historian on the Third Reich, who had written about how the German people are further ahead of other nations in confronting the darker aspects of their past. Speaking at the Cheltenham Literature festival, Sir Kershaw noted that the present generation of German youth are looking at Nazism and the country under Nazi rule far more critically. They are slowly eroding the long held belief in Germany that the German people were as much victims of the Nazi's as anyone else, and beginning to accept that their grandparents are far more culpable than they'd like to admit. Sir Kershaw's comments raise some interesting questions.
If the German people can come to terms with their Nazi past, does this mean it is becoming more socially acceptable to speak of the better aspects of Nazism? I am not a member of the far right. I absolutely believe that what the Nazi's did was wrong and should never be repeated. But to believe that everything and anything even remotely involving Nazism is "evil" is narrow minded at best, and downright dangerous at worst. If we look at this objectively, we can see that if the Nazi high rankers had been harnessed to any other cause, they would be celebrated to this day. Take Hitler for example, even those harbouring the most ardent hatred for the man have to admit that he was a brilliant public speaker. Joseph Goebbel's was a propaganda genius, the likes of which would reduce Tony Blair to tears of admiration if he had been born in our time. Even looking at the Nuremberg rally, if we ignore the content and purpose of the rally, and simply look at the event itself, one cannot help but feel a touch of admiration at the spectacle. There quite simply is no denying that most of the high ranking Nazi's were brilliant at what they did, but to say so now is to be seen as in favour of Nazism and all the negative aspects of the political leaning. Is this because WW2 and the horrors carried out by the Nazi's are still too raw in the collective psyche?
The Roman's butchered their way to an Empire, routinely indulged in murder, blackmail and betrayal. Any student of history can inform you of the fear and uncertainty which gripped the Empire under the reign of the mad Emperor Nero. Yet the Roman Empire was over one thousand years ago and obviously no one living now remembers it. Thus to most people there is only praise for the Roman's; how they civilised the barbarians, created roads and towns out in the wilderness, and let's not forget the architectural and engineering marvel that is the Colosseum. How much time must pass before we can look at morally ambiguous events objectively? When exactly does something make the transition from a recent memory, to history? Is it when all those involved have died? Will our ancestors look at events like 9/11 and the Iraq war, and be able to see both sides of the events?
It is much easier to look at something when you weren't involved or even alive at the time and remain objective. I cannot help but wonder how much pain and suffering in the world is caused because we cannot look at things happening in our lifetime objectively. Someone recently said to me 'People are capable of doing some of the worst things imaginable if they genuinely believe it's for the best". I'm sure David Cameron and Barack Obama believe bombing Afghanistan into little specks of dust is for the best, but what future atrocities is that setting the foundation for?
It is human nature that our emotions will often cloud our thinking on current matters. It is extremely hard to see the other person's point of view, especially when they have directly or indirectly caused you pain. Of course the greater the pain inflicted, the harder it is to remain objective. But I must wonder how much better would the world be if our National leaders were able to put aside their emotions, and think objectively?
25 comments
Posted by Adam Riddick | Permalink
Posted by Igor | Permalink
Well it would be impossible, and very wrong to completly detach emotions. One of the primary excuses given by Nazi soldiers etc for their actions in the holocaust was “i was just following orders”. If we complelty remove emotional attachment then it becomes harder to discenr what is wrong.
It needs to be taken in moderation, emotions shouldnt be complelty removed from the equation imo, just they shouldn’t be allowed to drive a decision based solely on emotions. Emotion can be a good thing such as righteous anger, the problem lies in when emotions are allowed to compeltly override rational thought.
i hate the fact that plopee say it was soo long ago! ignoramuses, IT was WITHIN one lifetime. and that black burden WILL and should be forever in the german plopee
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Well said, in every aspect. Maybe it is too soon to talk objectively about the Nazi’s and what they did wrong, but as a person who thinks objectively I can’t help but to that.
It doesn’t take a genius to realise if humans could detach emotions our advances would be immeasurably further than they are today, but unfortunately we are tied down by emotions, perhaps it just needs someone bold enough to step forward and say no, the Nazi’s weren’t completely wrong. They started a prosperity which still stands today in the German economy, and many people will never admit this, but their are many, many things we can take from them.