It seems that Germans these days are identifying themselves as victims of the Nazis's now, just like the Austrians did right after the war. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3062053/Now-mention-war-Germans-no-longer-conflict-defeat-instead-think-victims-Nazis.html
During that time period there were certainly some who were against the Nazis, but because of the reign of fear the Nazis had placed upon the people they chose not to publicly show it (and those who did were arrested and sent to the camps). How I see it, they can call themselves victims of the fear that was put on by the Nazis. They certainly can be called victims of that, but so many chose to follow the Nazis whether they opposed it or not. It was their decision to either follow it or oppose it. And that's the kind of thing they fell victim to, was that choice and because they were afraid many chose to follow it. I wouldn't argue over the fact that they were victims of fear put upon by the Nazi regime, but many were not victims of 'physical' persecution such as the kind of persecution of those who were 'deemed unfit.'
I can't really blame the youth of Germany for wanting to turn the page. However, it's an impossibility. Playing the victim card is just an easy cop out. The mass of human life that their ancestors murdered is beyond the scope of rationalization. Swallow what your grandfathers have done, learn from it and make a positive difference. Educate your offspring and eliminate hate.
I don't see how it is possible to lay blame on someone who was not born at the time. Following that line of reasoning, then I should be held responsible for slave-owning tendencies of some of my ancestors. However, while I know I bear no responsibility for my ancestor's actions, I do not see myself as a victim, even when one of my ancestors lost everything they owned due to the war.
I agree. It seems that a lot of these feelings about being victims are coming from the younger generation. We can't really blame them for what their ancestors did.
