At our September meeting we started by looking at how much smaller Germany is compared to its size before the First World War. Germany is approximately half the size it was in 1913. Germany had large amounts of land removed - some said stolen - by the Treaty of Versailles - and even larger areas of land were removed after World War 2.
So far Germany hasn't complained. They have decided to get on with their lives and try and make up for the misdeeds of the Nazi period.
The Nazi period was dominated by its focus on Anti Semitism. In every year between 1933 to 1945 there were increasingly onerous laws passed aimed at removing Jewish people from German life. One seemingly insane law passed in 1938 made every male add the name Israel to their names and every female add the name Sarah to their names. As if this wasn't enough as the letter J was already stamped on every Passport and Identification Paper.
The Nazi period is still hard to fathom or explain.
Germany however appears to be coming to terms with its past and has erected several structures which make an attempt to accept that great injustices were perpetrated by the German People. Since reunification Germany has been able to take into consideration all its history and is making an effort to at least reconcile with the past.
At our next meeting we will finally get around to studying the German Democratic Republic
The GDR was a Utopian concept. It had high ideals and is well worth studying.
The Wall has now been down for longer than it was up. Berlin is a wonderful vibrant city that is well worth visiting. Most residents under 30 do not know if they now live in either West or East Berlin.
Neville Gibb
So far Germany hasn't complained. They have decided to get on with their lives and try and make up for the misdeeds of the Nazi period.
The Nazi period was dominated by its focus on Anti Semitism. In every year between 1933 to 1945 there were increasingly onerous laws passed aimed at removing Jewish people from German life. One seemingly insane law passed in 1938 made every male add the name Israel to their names and every female add the name Sarah to their names. As if this wasn't enough as the letter J was already stamped on every Passport and Identification Paper.
The Nazi period is still hard to fathom or explain.
Germany however appears to be coming to terms with its past and has erected several structures which make an attempt to accept that great injustices were perpetrated by the German People. Since reunification Germany has been able to take into consideration all its history and is making an effort to at least reconcile with the past.
At our next meeting we will finally get around to studying the German Democratic Republic
The GDR was a Utopian concept. It had high ideals and is well worth studying.
The Wall has now been down for longer than it was up. Berlin is a wonderful vibrant city that is well worth visiting. Most residents under 30 do not know if they now live in either West or East Berlin.
Neville Gibb
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