Fugazi wrote: If the Germans of 1939 as a whole were that very different from regular-issue humans, then why? Was someone putting something in their water?.
That is a very good question Fugazi, and AFAIK some hundreds of philosofers, sociologists, psychologists, historians and so on tried to answer it.
Though in my opinion the answer is very simple. Because they belived this lunatic Hitler they are Ubermench, a choosen nation, and could do anythign in the name of that. Starting from invating neighbouring countries violatng any treaties you can imagine, finishing with REGULAR genocide.
Do you know that whole stock of 'Mein campf' (firtst published in 1924, 9 years before taking power in Germany and 15 years before the outbreak of war) edition was higher than the one of Bibile in Germany?. Some millions, all of them had this book, or at least acces to it. Which in fact made Hitler very rich man.
I've read this book myself, it was published in Poland in 1991 or 1992 (with lots of controvercies btw.). Very hard to come through regarding the language, path of thought and argumentation. But what struck me is, that Hitler declared the Holocaust (though the name was of later date) very openly there. Moreover, the slavic nations were to be turned into regular slaves under strict limitation and control of population. All of this sick & crap ideology was expounded there openly.
So please, just stop joking vith this 'accidental' German attitude towards Jews and Poles. not to mention other nations like Russians.
btw. I want to make it clear: I mean Germans of nazi Germany, I do not transpond this opinion on present German nation.
Fugazi wrote:As regards the quote from Bor, personally I have very strong doubts that he intended or was understood to have been recommending exemplary punishment only for those Germans guilty of crimes. But, as I've no evidence to support that gut feeling, I'd best shut up.
Yea, better do that, as Bor-Komorowski was a chief comander of the Home Army, he NEVER gave any order on repraisals on civilian Germans. He was an officer of pre-war Polish Army, very honourable one, which in fact was admited even by Germans themselves. (to be more precise - von dem Bach) The other question is that there were not so many of civilian Germans in GG at the time. I dont count Volksdeutch roof snipers (Poles used to call them
golebiarze) though, using ecrazite ammo and shoting to Polish civilians, includign children. Of cource, during the Warsaw Uprising, but this is another story.
Anyway, I want to write a small story here. I've heard it from my uncle's friend, who was at some 20s during the war. He lived in Warsaw. He told me that in the beggining of 1944 Germans were conducting sort of catch-ups at the streets of the city more often than previously. one of the looked like that: once, he was travelling by a tram. Suddenly it was stopped at the crossroads of Marszalkowska and Krolewska streets (or so, I don't remember exactly; however it was the very middle of the city). Germans rushed all of the passengers and ordered them to stand in line against the wall. Then the Germans officer started to count them. When he reached 100, he ordered the rest of the people to stand back. Then Germans brought a track along, lifted the back gate of it and opened MG fire from there, killing all those ONE HUNDRED people right at the place they stood. Then they just got to that car and left, leaving behing the bodies of the people. Uncle's friend said he was close enough to that hunderd to be just paralised by fear. And the scenes he described when the Germans left (like two grils trying to wake up their murdered father) made him hard to refrain from crying.
Horrid, really horrid things.
You can believe it or not, but this is exactly what this man told me.
And he also told me it was one of the most favourite way Germans did such things at the time. Mass execution on a catch-ups.
cheers,
b.
