Germans call Churchill a war criminal (HOLD MEIN BIER...YET AGAIN)

The Daily Telegraph ^ | November 19, 2002 | Kate Connolly

[metesky]

Ahhh!

Sorry that I misread you. Nothing like starting the new year by making an ass of oneself. (blushing, shuffling feet)

[Michael81Dus]

I don´t know what to say after reading most of your posts.
First, I have to wonder about you.

You speak of "the Germans, Huns, Fritz, Krauts" as if we were ONE MAN (Hitler), as if all the women, elder people, children who died in the cities of Dresden, Hamburg, Bremen, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Köln were guilty of slaughtering jews and deserved the death penalty.

I afraid of your words of "reserving a nuke for Germany" and of your ideas to get rid of the German people. I hear that you think of us as a threat to the civilized world all the time... have you ever been to here??

I don´t know what to answer... except maybe, that it must be acceptable in a society where freedom of speach should be respected, to call Churchill (and "Bomber Harris") a war criminal. THAT DOESN´T MEAN THAT ANYBODY FORGETS THE CRIMES OF AUSCHWITZ OR BUCHENWALD.

Blaming the one sides crimes doesn´t mean to accept the others side.

You wonder why we punish those who say that Auschwitz never happened? The reason is, that we´ll never want to happen it again! That´s why we´ve to prevent any kinds of racist energy.

I considered America as a friend, an ally, a very good partner (let´s forget for a moment the relations with my government). But when I hear you, I get the impression that America has declared war on Germany.
The war is over and we´ve to talk not only about the crimes the Nazis (which is not equal to the German people) and the allied forces committed. Therefore I consider this book as a very good basic for discussions.

I`m disappointed (and I´m sure most of you don´t care about that). I´m sorry to say that most of you haven´t understood anything of the post-war Germany....

Even if you insulted me and my fellow-citizen:

my best wishes for you,

Michael

[arm958]

In the early 1880's, when my paternal grandfather was an infant, his family fled Germany from the Military Buildup and draft -- as early as 1882...

My Great Grandfather was sent over to the U.S. at age 16 to avoid the Franco-Prussian War. His family lived near the French border and spoke French as a second language. They wanted no part in German expansionism.

So is it early 1800's or as early as 1882? It can't be both.

[Michael81Dus]

On the one hand: to flee from German expansionism it must be 1870 (when the German-French war started).

On the other: speaking French as 2nd language was popular in the 18th century and the Franco-Prussian war against Napoleon was in 1806 - so it could be early 19th century.

Finally, if it was your Grand Grandfather, it must have been late 19th century... or you must be VERY old. :-)

[arm958]

On the other: speaking French as 2nd language was popular in the 18th century

In the case of my great grandfather's family, I don't think popularity had anything to do with it. The language of diplomacy and society meant little to them. What mattered was that the French lived in the next valley over, so speaking French was only natural.

[rightofrush]

Here's an unpleasant fact: Stalin and Hitler invaded Poland simultaneously. Britain's treaty with Poland called the defence of Poland if attacked.

Logic should dictate that the UK should have declared war on Stalin as well. BTW, Stalin never gave Poland its half back.

[Menes]

Dear Gentlemen,

from the bottom of my heart I would like to thank you for your nuanced opinions and kind words in the debate on Jörg Friedrich’s controversial book “The blaze” on FR in 2002. This book was too polemical to be a useful piece of history, as I would say, but it really fits with its author.

J. F. is - like most of the accursed generation born between 1940 and 1950 - a terrible historian, a left-winger and a Germanophobe (theoretically the average Englishman ought to like him), but still I seriously considered leaving FR immediately after reading the comments beneath this article.

Luckily the vile creature which penned it (I am not dignifying that lifeform with the appellation of “human being”), Mad Ivan by screenname, has long left the forum (”mad”- how true), but his words and those of his fellow Britons in the debate have reminded me once again why I have avoided the English - and everything associated with them - for as long as I can remember :-)

May God bless you all, and your loved ones, too, especially in these trying times.

Yours faithfully,

Menes