173
Three Bad Reasons and Two Good Ones to Fear the Germans
1
terms
4
notes
176
[...] According to him, unification was "a German racket designed to take over the whole of Europe." He warned of the German tendency to be "uppity" and then explained with refreshing but, as it turned out, suicidal precision, that he wasn't really "against giving up sovereignty in principle--but not to this lot. You might as well give it to Adolf Hitler, frankly."
quoting Nicholas Ridley, Margaret Thatcher's Minister of Finance (who was dismissed after these remarks, even though Thatcher herself felt similarly)
the author seems to partly agree with this view, at least the point that the burden of on Germany to quell the very valid fears of their neighbours (and the world)
interestingly enough, it seems that the citizens of other European countries were in usually favour of reunification, even if their leaders weren't
[...] According to him, unification was "a German racket designed to take over the whole of Europe." He warned of the German tendency to be "uppity" and then explained with refreshing but, as it turned out, suicidal precision, that he wasn't really "against giving up sovereignty in principle--but not to this lot. You might as well give it to Adolf Hitler, frankly."
quoting Nicholas Ridley, Margaret Thatcher's Minister of Finance (who was dismissed after these remarks, even though Thatcher herself felt similarly)
the author seems to partly agree with this view, at least the point that the burden of on Germany to quell the very valid fears of their neighbours (and the world)
interestingly enough, it seems that the citizens of other European countries were in usually favour of reunification, even if their leaders weren't
184
With all due respect for our neighbours: What can they possibly expect? After a war which the Germans started and then lost, and which cost fifty million lives, the Germans have learned better than anybody else that war is something to be avoided under any circumstances. The children and the grandchildren of the Nazi generation grew up with this antiwar reflex, and I consider that historical progress. Compared to the bloody fanatics of fifty years ago, the sensitive, tormented German draftee should be a welcome change to the rest of the world.
referring to an military incident in the Persian Gulf, during which German troops had no morale despite great weaponry and technology
With all due respect for our neighbours: What can they possibly expect? After a war which the Germans started and then lost, and which cost fifty million lives, the Germans have learned better than anybody else that war is something to be avoided under any circumstances. The children and the grandchildren of the Nazi generation grew up with this antiwar reflex, and I consider that historical progress. Compared to the bloody fanatics of fifty years ago, the sensitive, tormented German draftee should be a welcome change to the rest of the world.
referring to an military incident in the Persian Gulf, during which German troops had no morale despite great weaponry and technology
perforce
(en)
(adverb) by physical coercion / (adverb) by force of circumstances
184
the nation responsible for the Second World War and the Holocaust must perforce suffer enormous guilt
strange
6 years, 10 months ago
the nation responsible for the Second World War and the Holocaust must perforce suffer enormous guilt
strange
6 years, 10 months ago
189
[...] present-day German anti-Semites have to make do with virtually no Jews. Before they were hunted down and murdered, about 600,000 Jews lived in Germany; now there are between 30,000 and 50,000. [...]
on the fact that anti-Semitic views are often held by people who don't personally know any Jewish people
[...] present-day German anti-Semites have to make do with virtually no Jews. Before they were hunted down and murdered, about 600,000 Jews lived in Germany; now there are between 30,000 and 50,000. [...]
on the fact that anti-Semitic views are often held by people who don't personally know any Jewish people
190
A Jewish rabbi best explained the mainspring of this narcissistic anti-Semitism: the Germans will never forgive us for their having gassed us at Auschwitz.
A Jewish rabbi best explained the mainspring of this narcissistic anti-Semitism: the Germans will never forgive us for their having gassed us at Auschwitz.