We've been intrigued by the notion that the Holocaust links the Jewish and German people in a weird way. Both suffer from its legacy.
The Germans will never live Hitler down. or all time he's the most famous German. Not Beethoven, not Einstein, not Bismarck, hence the Simpsons gag, 'The capital of North Dakota, named after this famous German ruler...'
In the English speaking world everyone our age had grandpas who fought in 'the war'. Personally, one grandfather fought in France, another was to go ashore with the first wave in Japan. Uncle Joe Henry Thomasson fought with Merrill's Marauders. It is a source of great family pride.
Of course the same is true for Germans our age-minus the pride part. We wonder how many German children in the 70's and 80's were cautioned to not ask Opa too many questions about his service in der ost.
Not long ago a Chinese neighbor who will not buy Japanese cars asked us how we as Jews deal with Germany. Heh, own two Japanese cars but wont buy German cars, we'll never travel to Germany and when we noticed that the German Epcot Center pavilion was sandwiched between the French and Polish pavilions we joked that the rest of Epcot should be in flames.
For the record, we acknowledge the modern German's humanity completely and without hesitation. In so far as we have the capacity to absolve some 18 year old German kid of his guilt, consider it absolved. He. Didn't. Do it.
Below, a German woman at Auschwitz tries to make amends:
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