(no subject)
Hello again from Austria! I have been very involved lately in my schoolwork, but my goal is to update frequently, and I will attempt to stand by that. My classes are, so far, rather interesting, in particular my Anthropology class. I have never before taken Anthropology, and it seems as if it is one of the more debated areas of study that exist. There exists great controversy over the nature of evolution and the origins of humanity, it seems. Many think that we came out of Africa and evolved slowly, over time acquiring beneficial characteristics and later maintaining them, much in the classic model. However, some people (such as the late Stephen Jay Gould) believed that our evolution is due to the pressures exerted on humanity by sudden and drastic changes in the environment around us. I personally have no idea AT ALL. Interesting, though.
So. The other day I went to Berchesgaden, a small town in southeast Bavaria, and the site of Hitler's summer cottage and headquarters (The Eagle's Nest,) which unfortunately was closed for renovations at the time we were there. I will be sure to return to this location at a future time to check it out. What we did get to see, however, was the most detailied Hitler museum in Germany, which detailed the rise and fall of Hitler as well as the Holocaust. What is interesting is that the building is built right on top of an authentic WW2 bunker, which we also had access to. Amazingly, some of these bunkers were hundreds of miles long and stretched in between various strategic points in Germany, and one can see the motorcycle tracks still from these travels. I simply cannot imagine riding a motorcycle underground for hours and hours. It sounds horrible. But I guess war Is horrible, right?
Now then. Speaking of war, I left this museum very depressed, but not because of the horrors I saw within, which I have long seen before. No the horrifying thing was the large number of rather frightening similarities between pre-WW2 Germany and modern America. Hitler was elected freely because he was able to manipulate the emotions and sense of morality of the German people. Germany was in the worst shape economically that it had ever been in, and by far the wealithiest people in Germany were the Catholic and Jewish communities. It is impossible to deny that the Jews and Catholics engaged in extremely shady business dealings which led, in no small part to this economic disaster. However, their dealings were certainly not the ONLY reason, of which Hitler was able to convince the German people. The real telling fact is that only about twenty people (excluding camp personnel) in Germany knew about the Holocaust. In fact, many of Hitler's top generals even had no idea such a thing was occurring, and killed themselves from guilt, even after being absolved in the Nuremberg trials. The thing that reminds me of America is the way Hitler spoke to the people of Germany, and the hoghly moralistic route he took to gain their support. When Germany initiated WW2, Hitler often spoke of the "liberation" of the invaded countries, much in the way that Bush speaks of "liberating" Iraq. The people of Germany, or at least a slight majority (for that is all it was--a very slight majority,) believed very strongly in this sense of righteousness that their war possessed. They honestly believed that Hitler was an enlightened leader, and that the leaders of countries such as Poland, the Netherlands, Russia and Belgium were tyrants. The really scary thing is that many of these leaders WERE tyrants, many times worse than Saddam Hussein, absolute monsters of men with little regard for anything outside their own luxurious lifestyles and the continuance of their own rule. Of course the moral-minded people of Germany NEEDED the evil men removed, just like Saddam.
The propaganda used by Hitler was a very shallow (and yet like "Mein Kampf," very compelling to the simple-minded,) mix of half-truths, outright lies that nobody would ever bother to check, emotional appeals, and appeals to morality. The people believed that the war was an attempt to rescue these countries from their own immorality (which was rampant!) and that Hitler was a moral man and should therefore be the Fuehrer. That was enough of a reason for these people, much like it was enough for many people last November. The similarities are eerie, I must say. Germany used a front of being "European Police" in order to fulfill its own needs for natural resources and desire for conquest. The scariest thing of all, besides maybe the fact that Hitler was freely elected and yet loathed by just under half the German population as a psychopath, is that this half of the country tended to be the more intellectual half: doctors, lawyers, college professors, many of whom were ALSO rounded up for the Shoah. Now then, I am not saying that I expect Bush to throw people in concentration camps. But. Bush used the same mix of bullshit and morality appeals to get himself re-elected when it looked like he may have been in danger of losing. In America, it is an even smaller portion of the population that sees Bush for the psychopath he really is, and if it wasn't enough in Germany, which, remember, was one of the early examples of Democracy, pre-Hitler, then I could hardly expect it to be enough here. It was only a matter of time in Germany before things got out of control, and all it took was Hitler manipulating the government in ways that granted him near-absolute power, without actually altering the system, much in the way that the Democrats now have little or no influence in the Senate and House. By the time anyone realized what was going on with Hitler, it was early 1945 and far too late. By then the war was practically lost and 8 million Jews (about 11 million people total, including 2 million catholics) were dead, including many intellectuals who simply had the gall to point out the illogic and idiocy of Hitler and the average German.
If we are smart, Germany will serve as a reminder of what our country could become if we don't watch it. Fascism is a kind of bad word, but all it means is a democratic form of government in which a freely elected leader is given absolute power for the duration of his term. In this way, there have been many successful Fascist governments throughout history, including the Franklin Rooselevelt administration, the one isolated example in American history. It was later, becuase of Hitler, that Fascism took on its other, innaccurate meaning of intolerance and racism.
All I'm saying is: Germany started WW2. Who but America has the power or deisre to start WW3? Or have we planted the seeds already through our abusive treatment of other countries which may be a bit more dangerous that we believed?
Just some stuff to think about. God, 1930's Germany is about as interesting as it gets from a political and historical perspective.
So Wednesday I will take another field trip. to the summer mansion of Emporer Franz Josef of the Hapsburg Empire. Should be cool, and I'll be sure to tell all about it. Until then, really think about the many undeniable similarities that exist between these two places, and also about the many misconceptions people have about Germany. Germans were not evil people, in the same way that Americans are not. They were simply ignorant, just like Americans, and were therefore fooled, just like Americans.
Bis Donnerstag.
Kevin
So. The other day I went to Berchesgaden, a small town in southeast Bavaria, and the site of Hitler's summer cottage and headquarters (The Eagle's Nest,) which unfortunately was closed for renovations at the time we were there. I will be sure to return to this location at a future time to check it out. What we did get to see, however, was the most detailied Hitler museum in Germany, which detailed the rise and fall of Hitler as well as the Holocaust. What is interesting is that the building is built right on top of an authentic WW2 bunker, which we also had access to. Amazingly, some of these bunkers were hundreds of miles long and stretched in between various strategic points in Germany, and one can see the motorcycle tracks still from these travels. I simply cannot imagine riding a motorcycle underground for hours and hours. It sounds horrible. But I guess war Is horrible, right?
Now then. Speaking of war, I left this museum very depressed, but not because of the horrors I saw within, which I have long seen before. No the horrifying thing was the large number of rather frightening similarities between pre-WW2 Germany and modern America. Hitler was elected freely because he was able to manipulate the emotions and sense of morality of the German people. Germany was in the worst shape economically that it had ever been in, and by far the wealithiest people in Germany were the Catholic and Jewish communities. It is impossible to deny that the Jews and Catholics engaged in extremely shady business dealings which led, in no small part to this economic disaster. However, their dealings were certainly not the ONLY reason, of which Hitler was able to convince the German people. The real telling fact is that only about twenty people (excluding camp personnel) in Germany knew about the Holocaust. In fact, many of Hitler's top generals even had no idea such a thing was occurring, and killed themselves from guilt, even after being absolved in the Nuremberg trials. The thing that reminds me of America is the way Hitler spoke to the people of Germany, and the hoghly moralistic route he took to gain their support. When Germany initiated WW2, Hitler often spoke of the "liberation" of the invaded countries, much in the way that Bush speaks of "liberating" Iraq. The people of Germany, or at least a slight majority (for that is all it was--a very slight majority,) believed very strongly in this sense of righteousness that their war possessed. They honestly believed that Hitler was an enlightened leader, and that the leaders of countries such as Poland, the Netherlands, Russia and Belgium were tyrants. The really scary thing is that many of these leaders WERE tyrants, many times worse than Saddam Hussein, absolute monsters of men with little regard for anything outside their own luxurious lifestyles and the continuance of their own rule. Of course the moral-minded people of Germany NEEDED the evil men removed, just like Saddam.
The propaganda used by Hitler was a very shallow (and yet like "Mein Kampf," very compelling to the simple-minded,) mix of half-truths, outright lies that nobody would ever bother to check, emotional appeals, and appeals to morality. The people believed that the war was an attempt to rescue these countries from their own immorality (which was rampant!) and that Hitler was a moral man and should therefore be the Fuehrer. That was enough of a reason for these people, much like it was enough for many people last November. The similarities are eerie, I must say. Germany used a front of being "European Police" in order to fulfill its own needs for natural resources and desire for conquest. The scariest thing of all, besides maybe the fact that Hitler was freely elected and yet loathed by just under half the German population as a psychopath, is that this half of the country tended to be the more intellectual half: doctors, lawyers, college professors, many of whom were ALSO rounded up for the Shoah. Now then, I am not saying that I expect Bush to throw people in concentration camps. But. Bush used the same mix of bullshit and morality appeals to get himself re-elected when it looked like he may have been in danger of losing. In America, it is an even smaller portion of the population that sees Bush for the psychopath he really is, and if it wasn't enough in Germany, which, remember, was one of the early examples of Democracy, pre-Hitler, then I could hardly expect it to be enough here. It was only a matter of time in Germany before things got out of control, and all it took was Hitler manipulating the government in ways that granted him near-absolute power, without actually altering the system, much in the way that the Democrats now have little or no influence in the Senate and House. By the time anyone realized what was going on with Hitler, it was early 1945 and far too late. By then the war was practically lost and 8 million Jews (about 11 million people total, including 2 million catholics) were dead, including many intellectuals who simply had the gall to point out the illogic and idiocy of Hitler and the average German.
If we are smart, Germany will serve as a reminder of what our country could become if we don't watch it. Fascism is a kind of bad word, but all it means is a democratic form of government in which a freely elected leader is given absolute power for the duration of his term. In this way, there have been many successful Fascist governments throughout history, including the Franklin Rooselevelt administration, the one isolated example in American history. It was later, becuase of Hitler, that Fascism took on its other, innaccurate meaning of intolerance and racism.
All I'm saying is: Germany started WW2. Who but America has the power or deisre to start WW3? Or have we planted the seeds already through our abusive treatment of other countries which may be a bit more dangerous that we believed?
Just some stuff to think about. God, 1930's Germany is about as interesting as it gets from a political and historical perspective.
So Wednesday I will take another field trip. to the summer mansion of Emporer Franz Josef of the Hapsburg Empire. Should be cool, and I'll be sure to tell all about it. Until then, really think about the many undeniable similarities that exist between these two places, and also about the many misconceptions people have about Germany. Germans were not evil people, in the same way that Americans are not. They were simply ignorant, just like Americans, and were therefore fooled, just like Americans.
Bis Donnerstag.
Kevin