In Germany, the burden of the past lies heavy - Haaretz

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Thu., September 20, 2007 ,

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Last update - 21:56 04/09/2007

In Germany, the burden of the past lies heavy

By Anshel Pfeffer

BERLIN - Three chance remarks in an off-the-record briefing with a senior German civil servant have provided a surprising glimpse into the mentality in official circles in Berlin.

1. Germans feel more comfortable discussing the implications of the combat deployment in northern Afghanistan - the largest move of its kind by the German army since the World War Two - with Israelis than with their American allies.

Apparently, Americans can't seem to understand why the issue of German soldiers actually fighting a war is so sensitive whereas Israelis can, due to the "shared trauma" of the two nations.

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While most Jews may have difficulty viewing the Holocaust as an experience shared with the descendants of its perpetrators, today's Germans feel this actually brings us closer, and helps us understand one another.

2. The recent discussions on pensions for Holocaust survivors are being conducted with the understanding that since the survivors are aging, this is an issue with a limited timeframe, although the German government is anticipating having to contend with the problems of the second generation. Berlin seems to be aware that it will have to assume some kind of responsibility for the children of Holocaust survivors for decades to come.

3. Even after the last survivor is gone, the Germans will still have another reparations issue to deal with. The victims of more than 40 years of Communist dictatorship in the former East Germany are now beginning to queue up to demand compensation for years of Stasi jails and persecution.

While most Jewish readers are probably unlikely to feel sorry for the Germans, nevertheless, one of the first impressions of Berlin is the sense that the country is shouldering a burden of history.

Previous entries:
September 1, 2007: Show me the money! Even on Shabbat
August 29, 2007: Not all survivors are angels
August 23, 2007: Would Anne Frank even have wanted German money?
August 21, 2007: The truth about the Satmar 'victory'
August 17, 2007: A few observations on the richest Jew on the planet
August 12, 2007: Fuchs isn't the only 'bastard'
August 10, 2007: Too tired to blog, but...
August 8, 2007: 'You bet I'm going on this march'
August 7, 2007: Training for the war that won't be
August 6, 2007: 'The real change is that we're training at all'
August 5, 2007: Olmert's own heritage is no excuse

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1.	What an utter nonsense!	12:21	\|	Jonathan S	04/09/07

2.	No 1 - misinformed	13:27	\|	Mahona	04/09/07

3.	No 2 misinformed	14:20	\|	Ehud	04/09/07

4.	An addendum for Ehud	14:53	\|	Jonathan S	04/09/07

5.	Misinformation or disinformation? #2	15:08	\|	Jonathan S	04/09/07

6.	Germans and Jews	15:15	\|	Stein	04/09/07

7.	#1	15:19	\|	SP	04/09/07

8.	Germans and Jews (part II)	15:22	\|	Stein	04/09/07

9.	Good wishes from Pretzien	15:38	\|	Jonathan S	04/09/07

10.	but everything else you agree with?	15:59	\|	Mahona	04/09/07

11.	Pretzien	16:10	\|	Mahona	04/09/07

12.	Thanks SP	16:11	\|	Mahona	04/09/07

13.	No5	16:25	\|	Mahona	04/09/07

14.	As usual by way of deception #7	16:43	\|	Jonathan S	04/09/07

15.	Arab Victims	17:16	\|	Haifawi	04/09/07

16.	Pretzien	17:18	\|	Leser	04/09/07

17.	#14	18:02	\|	SP	04/09/07

18.	# 14 Jonathan S	18:05	\|	Axel	04/09/07

19.	#14 again - deception	18:10	\|	SP	04/09/07

20.	Condemning is quite useless #16	18:27	\|	Jonathan S	04/09/07

21.	There is no burden of history	18:28	\|	Jonathan S	04/09/07

22.	Poisonous gas and the burden of history	19:37	\|	Jonathan S	04/09/07

23.	Anna Rosmus and the burden of history	20:12	\|	Jonathan S	04/09/07

24.	And one thing I would like to know	21:00	\|	Axel	04/09/07

25.	Jonathan S, Anna Rosmus, and facts.	23:09	\|	Axel	04/09/07

26.	Jonathan S, how come	23:50	\|	Axel	04/09/07

27.	the enemy of my former enemy is my enemy?	01:12	\|	yahn goodey	05/09/07

28.	Axel	03:11	\|	sweis Melbourne	05/09/07

29.	Germany paid restitution of close to 200 billion $ to Israel.	04:31	\|	Franz Klammer	05/09/07

30.	historical burden	10:29	\|	SP	05/09/07

31.	Bitburg and the burden of history	12:06	\|	Jonathan S	05/09/07

32.	Entebbe and the burden of history	12:25	\|	Jonathan S	05/09/07

33.	# 27 sweis	12:49	\|	Axel	05/09/07

34.	Germans have reason to be proud for their atonement	14:38	\|	Li Song	05/09/07

35.	to sweis	12:07	\|	Harry	06/09/07

36.	to Axel	12:14	\|	Harry	06/09/07

37.	# 36 harry	18:30	\|	Axel	06/09/07

38.	to Axel	23:11	\|	Bernd	06/09/07

39.	Ignatz Bubis defamed again #38	00:33	\|	Jonathan S	07/09/07

40.	Harry	04:53	\|	sweis Melbourne	07/09/07

41.	Bernd	04:58	\|	sweis Melbourne	07/09/07

42.	# 39 jonathan	10:56	\|	Axel	07/09/07

43.	#21now jews are resorting to conspiracy theories	16:15	\|	Felix	08/09/07

44.	#27 now jews are resorting to conspiracy theories	16:19	\|	Felix	08/09/07

45.	memorials for war criminials	16:31	\|	Felix	08/09/07

46.	The bought republic and the burden of history	18:41	\|	Jonathan S	08/09/07

47.	Felix how happy you must be!	18:42	\|	Jonathan S	08/09/07

48.	at jonathan S	22:22	\|	Felix	08/09/07

49.	To Jonathan S.	00:16	\|	sweis Melbourne	09/09/07

50.	For SWEIS in Melbourne	00:55	\|	Jonathan S	09/09/07

51.	Germans and Jews	01:40	\|	Jeff	20/09/07

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