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A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someone

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 5:17 pm
by WatchYourStep
The other day I was watching an episode of The Simpsons and it was the flashback one about Marge going to college and her professor planting in her the idea that history is written by the winners. This got me thinking about the race I belong to, and the battles we've "won" to get to where we are, especially the battles of dubious morality. When reading the history of my nation, how can I be sure I am reading the unbiased truth?

I have a German cousin who showed me around when I visited him one summer, and when we were at a German history museum, he remarked that German people have taken full responsibility for what transpired during that turbulent moment in time. However, due to the sensitive nature of the subject, I didn't probe his comment any further. Well, far from a dinner table, I thought that an internet forum like this, filled with intelligent people and removed from the scourge of awkward silences, could provide me the answer. With this context in mind, I ask the following:
  • What are German children taught about Hitler in school?
I'm just curious, that's all. And I'd like to think that the people on here are mature enough to give me a simple/frank answer to this question. If such is not the case, let me know.

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 6:13 pm
by symmetricalsounds
WatchYourStep wrote: This got me thinking about the race I belong to, and the battles we've "won" to get to where we are, especially the battles of dubious morality. When reading the history of my nation, how can I be sure I am reading the unbiased truth?
i can't answer the hitler question but as for this part of what you said it's really interesting if you watch robert newman's history of oil and how he talks about the 1st world war.


Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 6:18 pm
by capo ultra
WatchYourStep wrote:I thought that an internet forum like this, filled with intelligent people
how wrong you are

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 6:33 pm
by ashley
Hitler was An Hero.

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 6:40 pm
by Badman Juice
they don't particularly cover it as far as I know although maybe in the later school years I'm not sure. there are other parts of German history that are more interesting.

the only reason it's over-taught in British schools is to perpetuate the idea that we're a great nation.

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 6:45 pm
by shambandito
WatchYourStep wrote:
  • What are German children taught about Hitler in school?
they discuss hitler and the 3rd reich loads in schools here, analysing absolutely everything. You basically have "the 3rd reich" as a main topic every year once your 14-15 They're really determined to make everyone understand the magnitude of those events. Imo even more than in uk/us etc. (which obviously makes sense)

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 7:08 pm
by WatchYourStep
symmetricalsounds wrote:
WatchYourStep wrote: This got me thinking about the race I belong to, and the battles we've "won" to get to where we are, especially the battles of dubious morality. When reading the history of my nation, how can I be sure I am reading the unbiased truth?
i can't answer the hitler question but as for this part of what you said it's really interesting if you watch robert newman's history of oil and how he talks about the 1st world war.

Thanks for this, I really enjoyed watching.
shambandito wrote:
WatchYourStep wrote:
  • What are German children taught about Hitler in school?
they discuss hitler and the 3rd reich loads in schools here, analysing absolutely everything. You basically have "the 3rd reich" as a main topic every year once your 14-15 They're really determined to make everyone understand the magnitude of those events. Imo even more than in uk/us etc. (which obviously makes sense)
Thanks for your reply. I wish I could take some courses on it there, to see.

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 7:28 pm
by Phigure
I was born in Austria, never went to school there though, as I moved to the US when I was 5. So I can't really comment on what is taught over here personally, but my parents tell me that at least while they were in school, it did come up but teachers tried to move through it as quickly as possible. Obviously there was some discomfort and embarrassment.

When I talk to my grandparents though, who were all alive during the time, and one of whom even served in the military, it really makes it obvious that "history is written by the victors". My grandpa who was in the military has droned on for hours about all the atrocities committed by Allied forces, in particular the Russians and the Americans. He was a POW for quite a while and was sent to different camps controlled by a variety of "enemy" forces. I don't really have time to go into all the shit that happened right now, but I'll write some up later on.

I'll just end (for now) by saying that the idea that the "axis" soldiers were all evil murderers and that the Allied forces were crusaders for all that is good is pretty off of what really happened...

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 8:03 pm
by HRKRT
whos seen that film about the teacher trying to teach the kids about it

its called the wave or something

and they end up forming a kind of gang



(i only vaguely remember this, was off the box)

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 8:59 pm
by Badman Juice
swear austria was run by ex sizan for most of the second half of the twentieth century

why the fuck is the word naz.i reversed? some stupid shit.

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 11:39 pm
by oli90
HRKRT wrote:whos seen that film about the teacher trying to teach the kids about it

its called the wave or something

and they end up forming a kind of gang



(i only vaguely remember this, was off the box)
I've seen that. All the kids say they would have never have got caught up in Hitlers propaganda. So he turns the class into a strict gang, uniforms, marching etc. They all get caught up in it, start bullying others into joining. One guy takes it too far and kills another student for being a traitor.

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 11:59 pm
by the acid never lies
HRKRT wrote:whos seen that film about the teacher trying to teach the kids about it

its called the wave or something

and they end up forming a kind of gang



(i only vaguely remember this, was off the box)
Yeah that was a good film - it's based on truth by the way, that was a real case where a maverick teacher tries an 'alternative' way of educating high-schoolers about fascism, and ends up being the perfect case study for what makes fascistic ideas and behaviours appealing to people.

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 12:00 am
by the acid never lies
oli90 wrote:
HRKRT wrote:whos seen that film about the teacher trying to teach the kids about it

its called the wave or something

and they end up forming a kind of gang



(i only vaguely remember this, was off the box)
I've seen that. All the kids say they would have never have got caught up in Hitlers propaganda. So he turns the class into a strict gang, uniforms, marching etc. They all get caught up in it, start bullying others into joining. One guy takes it too far and kills another student for being a traitor.
Yeah that's it! Need to find it again...

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 3:16 pm
by apmje
the acid never lies wrote:
oli90 wrote:
HRKRT wrote:whos seen that film about the teacher trying to teach the kids about it

its called the wave or something

and they end up forming a kind of gang



(i only vaguely remember this, was off the box)
I've seen that. All the kids say they would have never have got caught up in Hitlers propaganda. So he turns the class into a strict gang, uniforms, marching etc. They all get caught up in it, start bullying others into joining. One guy takes it too far and kills another student for being a traitor.
Yeah that's it! Need to find it again...
This sounds interesting...

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 4:22 pm
by AxeD
HRKRT wrote:whos seen that film about the teacher trying to teach the kids about it

its called the wave or something

and they end up forming a kind of gang



(i only vaguely remember this, was off the box)
Good film, I like the original over the remake.

@op They learn the same facts we all do, although they get way more info/stories on the subject.

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 4:30 pm
by larspro
AxeD wrote:
HRKRT wrote:whos seen that film about the teacher trying to teach the kids about it

its called the wave or something

and they end up forming a kind of gang



(i only vaguely remember this, was off the box)
Good film, I like the original over the remake.

@op They learn the same facts we all do, although they get way more info/stories on the subject.
whats the film called?

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 4:35 pm
by Badman Juice
The Third Wave

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 4:41 pm
by AxeD
Badman Juice wrote:The Third Wave
The one I've seen is called The Wave. It's 50 minutes and the full version is on videogoogle.

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 4:45 pm
by Badman Juice
I haven't seen the film I just used google, turns out the Third Wave was the actual experiment the film's based on.

Re: A very sincere, but *very* sensitive question for someon

Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 5:30 pm
by Sirius
interesting subject.... I'm guna go sideways kinda.

In my country we learnt fuck all about our history when I was at school,
espesh when it came to the colonisation & attempted slaughter of my people.

Times have changed & the history is being taught in a more concise fashion nowadays....

Question is... what were yall in the UK (& other places) taught about what happened in
New Zealand?? Did yall ever study Maori people or anything like that?

!!chea