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**Paiblyelaxy** · 11-13-2009, 06:43 AM

Salute,

Yes its sad at times. I remember way back in 84, I had just left the army and went back to school to finish it. We had a history class and the teacher started talking about WW2. My jaw fell to the ground when about 1/3 of the kids (grade 12 canada) didn't even know it had happened. So I got up and left, telling the teacher I would show up for tests.

I now live in Germany and they have no remembrance day. In fact, its the beginning of Carnaval, so they tend to meet in the town square and get blotto till the wee hours of the morning instead. Funny how things are different

That's cause in Germany WWI & II are still a very sensitive issue. We do have remembrance days and ceremonies for the jews that died in the holocaust as part of our huge, neverending national "guild trip", but nothing for the soldiers or regular german civilians that died during allied bombing, for example. Because the way I got taught in school "we deserved it all".

For example showing off the german flag is just not done. I cannot imagine being anywhere in the USA and also in Canada without seeing their respective flags somewhere and being patriotic is a totally normal, if not even mandatory thing. Being proud of being German is a huge issue. You are not expected to show it. As soon as you carry around the german flag (unless at sports events or eurovision of course

) you're regarded as a neo-nazi.

It's weird, and I think it's also partially a reason for east and west not embracing each other. We're afraid of being 1 identity, that we're one big country and proud of it. Germans are weird that way, it's very slowly changing but it will take time.

Now that I live in holland it's a strange feeling that each year they remember the many deaths that "my" ancestors caused. Although many people in my family tree died on the front lines as well, and way too young. Deaths, just as pointless as all the other deaths during any war.

Each year on May 4th they do some minutes of silence over here and lay down flowers and I respect that and join in, cause eventhough I have nothing but German blood in me, I still feel with all the victims of all wars, soldiers or civilians no matter which sides.

11-13-2009, 06:43 AM	#13
Paiblyelaxy Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 417 Senior Member	Salute, Yes its sad at times. I remember way back in 84, I had just left the army and went back to school to finish it. We had a history class and the teacher started talking about WW2. My jaw fell to the ground when about 1/3 of the kids (grade 12 canada) didn't even know it had happened. So I got up and left, telling the teacher I would show up for tests. I now live in Germany and they have no remembrance day. In fact, its the beginning of Carnaval, so they tend to meet in the town square and get blotto till the wee hours of the morning instead. Funny how things are different That's cause in Germany WWI & II are still a very sensitive issue. We do have remembrance days and ceremonies for the jews that died in the holocaust as part of our huge, neverending national "guild trip", but nothing for the soldiers or regular german civilians that died during allied bombing, for example. Because the way I got taught in school "we deserved it all". For example showing off the german flag is just not done. I cannot imagine being anywhere in the USA and also in Canada without seeing their respective flags somewhere and being patriotic is a totally normal, if not even mandatory thing. Being proud of being German is a huge issue. You are not expected to show it. As soon as you carry around the german flag (unless at sports events or eurovision of course ) you're regarded as a neo-nazi. It's weird, and I think it's also partially a reason for east and west not embracing each other. We're afraid of being 1 identity, that we're one big country and proud of it. Germans are weird that way, it's very slowly changing but it will take time. Now that I live in holland it's a strange feeling that each year they remember the many deaths that "my" ancestors caused. Although many people in my family tree died on the front lines as well, and way too young. Deaths, just as pointless as all the other deaths during any war. Each year on May 4th they do some minutes of silence over here and lay down flowers and I respect that and join in, cause eventhough I have nothing but German blood in me, I still feel with all the victims of all wars, soldiers or civilians no matter which sides.
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