The Eternal Nazi: Watching Roman Polanski's The Pianist in Germany

Right Wing News ^ | Unk | William Grim

[MuttTheHoople]

There's an old joke that says inside every German there's a Nazi yearning to get out. While a gross overstatement, there is, I'm unhappy to report, more than a little truth to that old chestnut.

[MuttTheHoople]

I don't totally agree that the German soul is always gravitated towards the negative. I believe the U.S. beat Germany in both world Wars before the turn of the 20th Century, mainly because we had the best Germans. We got the Germans who the hardest working, most efficient, and willing to take risks. If you look at a roster of U.S. troops in both World Wars, many have German ancestry.

Combine that with the natural optimism that comes from being American, the Krauts didn't stand a chance, and we'd kick their butts again. Of course, it wouldn't be as hard this time. The type-A Germans who didn't emigrate to America were slaughtered in WW's I and II. The ones left are the descendants of cowards, cripples, and draft-dodgers. Most have a French accent, for crying out loud. Then again, we won't have to fight these Beta-boys, Islam will take care of them.

[Shryke]

I believe the U.S. beat Germany in both world Wars before the turn of the 20th Century, mainly because we had the best Germans.

What?

[MuttTheHoople]

Look at who commanded our military in WW II: Eisenhower, Nimitz, Spaatz, all German names. If you look at WW II stories of Americans, they're all littered with German names and many of our soldiers had Germanic features, so Germanic that they scared many of the natives when we first came through before they realized that American troops weren't cruelly brutal to innocent civilians.

Even some of the non-Germanic names were originally German, but Anglicized either by 19th Century families wanting to become Americans (like my GGS Grandfather) or during WW I when there was strong anti-Germanic feelings.

[rlmorel]

Not that I am sticking up for any Nazis, but this is flawed, to put it mildly...

[laotzu]

You hear a lot about how Germans are so ashamed today of the behavior of their countrymen during the Nazi period and about how much they've done to atone for their past sins. Don't buy that bill of goods. If the audience of the screening I attended is any indication of German attitudes in general, it doesn't augur well for the future...While a group of Jews is waiting to cross to the other side of the street, several Nazi thugs force some elderly Jews to dance at an increasingly faster tempo. Weakened by malnutrition, hobbling on crutches, riddled with heart and lung infirmities, many of the Jews fall to the ground in sheer agony. It's a sickening scene...But there they were, today's educated, freedom-loving, let's-all-hold-hands-and-love-one-another Germans, laughing at torture.

Sad.

[Unassuaged]

Brings to mind a quote from ‘The Right Stuff’, on why the US will beat Russia in the space program—
“Vecause our Germans are better zan zeir Germans”

[Shryke]

Not that I am sticking up for any Nazis, but this is flawed, to put it mildly...

Agreed. We didn't beat Hitler because we had better Germans (....). We beat Hitler because he betrayed his Russian allies. And he was insane. Try to imagine Hitler not attacking Russia, thereby buying the time he needed to successfully build an atomic weapon.

[dashing doofus]

This German immigrant is enormously grateful to be an American. ICH BIN NICHT EIN BERLINER!

[Frank_Discussion]

Sad? Perhaps. Disturbing? Oh yeah. *shudder*

[cubreporter]

My mother was German and one of the nicest, kindest, most loving people you could know. She loved our flag and raised us kids to respect the law, love our flag too and to keep our faith strong. She made sure all four of us had what we needed for school and made sure we were there every day and that we did our homework and had respect for the teachers and the other families. She worked for every penney she had as did my dad. I don’t like that comment!

[wideminded]

I posted a link to this same article about a year ago. I received a number of comments from people who seemed to be familiar with modern Germany and who strongly questioned whether Grim had presented the facts accurately or whether this would be a typical scene in Germany. I have no way of knowing that. But one of the posters took Grim to task for his understanding of the German philosopher Adorno. After reading up up on Adorno, I tended to agree that Grim had made some errors in his description of him.

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

But there they were, today's educated, freedom-loving, let's-all-hold-hands-and-love-one-another Germans, laughing at torture.

Not many Christians in that crowd I suspect.

[Michael.SF.]

I believe the U.S. beat Germany in both world Wars

Do a little research on how many Germans died fighting the Russians in WWII, then you might want to modify the above statement.

[holden]

I need only dredge up my father's verbal icons to hear mentally that where he would've swapped 'th' for 'z', juncture-initial 'b's were never a problem. Now, the z sound at the end of "because" certainly gets turned into an un-american-like 's'!

I was pleased that he was never in the navy, as many times as he would say to Americans, "I sank you."

HF

P.S. as the writer said, "more than a little truth..." I think noble-minded Germans were attracted to America, where criminal types had a well-greased system over there that they had little confidence would easily be recreated in the US, unless perhaps they chose Chicago!

[Rummenigge]

Your answer made my day.

Thank you, Sir.

[Brad from Tennessee]

[. . .inside every German there’s a Nazi yearning to get out.]

Inside every fugitive, pint-sized film director there’s a pedophile yearning to stalk schoolyards.

[Unassuaged]

Thanks for your reply - from an Americian of german heritage, from chicagoland!

[dfwgator]

The War is over and life has returned to Warsaw. Wladyslaw Szpilman is performing a concerto accompanied by a full orchestra. No words are spoken, and the scene continues as the credits are rolling. But the message is clear. It is the raised middle finger, proudly held aloft, and it points towards Germany, the remnants of the Nazi Party and Theodor W. Adorno.

Of course by then, Poland had merely traded one set of chains for the other.

[BeAllYouCanBe]

Look at who commanded our military in WW II: Eisenhower, Nimitz, Spaatz, all German names.

No mystery here 2 out of 3 are Texans.

[BeAllYouCanBe]

“This German immigrant is enormously grateful”

One of my bets is that most Americans don’t really understand post WW II German culture - not that I’m an expert - but many Americans think it is a place of “charm”.

Having dealt with some high school age Germans as exchange students I realized there is an immense difference on the education process. In Germany you take a test in 5th grade and that “slots” you into a social structure “ranking”. The highest scoring kids about 20% go to a high level school called the Gymnasium.

At the Gymnasium the kids are systematically taught to act, think and be highly superior than the other 80%. So what I’m saying that there is a structure in Germany that enforces a class superiority starting about 11-12 years old.

Am I right here Dashing?