User:Yooden/There is only one Germany
I don't like the phrase 'Nazi Germany' and similar diction, for two reasons:
1. Not all Germans were Nazis. The fact that a large part of the population supported or tolerated an oppressive government should be even more reason to respect those who didn't.
2. The years 1933-45 are an integral part of the German history and the Nazi government was a German phenomenon. Both facts were not groked by everyone in Germany for many years (eg. 'Zero Hour' is a common name for the end of the war; 'de-nazification') and still isn't. To distinguish between 'Germany' and 'Nazi Germany' is just endorsing that view.
Therefore, all references to Germany 1933-45 should be carefully named.
(There is of course a Nazi party and even a Nazi government, since most if not all members of the government were members of the party.)
I just realized that I may be too biased to judge 2. Could some native speakers please elaborate on the finer meaning of 'Nazi Germany'?
What makes the term "Nazi Germany" any different than "Victorian England", "Czarist Russia", and so forth?
- 1, they are more remote; 2, they don't have the negative smack.
This is off the intended topic, but I'm curious what you think: Was there "only one Germany" in the period 1945-90? What about before 1871? Or 1866?
- These states were divided by space. While you could say 'It's 1945, let's forget everything that happened', you couldn't eg. visit West-Berlin an deny that something is divided.
- The collection of states and statelets in 1865 is Germany, but its 'historical connection' with the Kaiserreich is (except for Prussia) not as 'thick' as that between Weimarer Republik and the Nazi's Germany.
- I'm lacking vocabulary right now.
Do you not agree that negative feelings about Nazi Germany are well deserved? Wasn't that period a disaster for Germany as well as the world?
- That's somewhat beside the point, I never argued in that direction. (And never would. What originated from Germany was certainly a disaster of, well, global proportions.)
- The problem is probably entirely a German one, and I really cannot express it better than I already tried, sorry.
- Let's switch to email if you want to continue this.
- See also : Yooden