Things could have been much worse. This much can be said with a clear conscience, 76 years after the end of the war and almost 31 years after reunification. But there's little reason for complacency. Because Germany in 2021 is a land of opportunism. Some examples:
Dealing with Nazi history
Despite "denazification," many prominent positions in the administration, judiciary, and businesses in the Federal Republic were filled with Nazi perpetrators. Anyone who believes that, after the 1968 protests and the significantly more comprehensive reappraisal that followed, everything has been laid bare in 2021 will be disabused of this notion by one of the country's wealthiest families and virtually all media outlets.
The foundation of the Nazi entrepreneur Herbert Quandt, named after his third wife Johanna Quandt, still awards a journalism prize worth €50.000 “in memory of the personality and life’s work of the entrepreneur”, who personally planned a concentration camp subcamp and under whose "personnel responsibility" hundreds of forced laborers died an agonizing death. The award winners include journalists from almost all major media outlets. The "BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt" also continues to adorn itself with the dubious name.
Herbert Quandt secured BMW's independence in 1959, laying the foundation for the automotive group's successful development. In recognition of his entrepreneurial achievements, BMW AG established the BMW Herbert Quandt Foundation in 1970.
BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt
Although there are no longer any places named after Hitler in Germany, this does not apply to profiteers and accomplices like Herbert Quandt, after whom streets in several cities and even a primary school are still named.
Billions instead of human rights
The fact that it becomes highly problematic for the present when the view of the past is clouded with a little money is also shown by the current German policy towards China. It has long been established beyond doubt that thousands of state crimes are committed every day in the camps of the People's Republic up to organ harvesting be committed.
But nothing should dampen the sales of the (auto) industry. Alongside Hitler's founding of Volkswagen and Daimler, the Nazi profiteers and BMW owner Quandt are also earning money again in the current generation. a large part of their dividends in a country full of concentration camps. With the kind support of the German government.
Failure of politics and media
This bigotry is particularly serious in light of the values on display: gender until the doctor arrives, while the most serious Human rights violations against Uyghur women and Armenian women remain without consequences.
Investigative research on China and other important topics are rather rare in Germany. Many editorial offices prefer attitude ratings to operated elsewhere, active research. There are pages and pages about linguistic inclusion chatted while entire wars are overlooked in reporting. The fact that most journalists also resort to Denglisch and compulsively say "home office" instead of "workroom"—nothing to worry about!
Public broadcasting in particular seems to want to abolish itself prematurely due to irrelevance of its content: Notre-Dame in flames? Much more would have to happen to interrupt the program. Instead of corruption, war, and genocide, there would be football, crime drama, and folk music. Exceptions prove the rule.
Poorly ventilated schools
In the wake of the Corona pandemic, Germans have at least learned one thing about their schools: the windows often cannot be opened even in 2021. This is almost symbolic of the lack of oxygen in the educational system: Woe to the teacher who dares to to talk to his students about a genocide or encourage them to question authority.
It goes without saying that such a narrow-minded system neither produces enlightened citizens nor conveys entrepreneurial spirit. It is therefore not surprising that the most common career choices of young Germans “Police officer” and “public service” Even in journalism, a collective faith in the state can be found in dealings with regulatory authorities and public prosecutors – the Wirecard case is a prime example.
The solution is salmon pink
The answer to some of the problems here can be found in the Anglo-Saxon world: US President Biden is giving Germany the urgently needed coaching in dealing with China or TurkeyAnd it's also worth taking a look at London. Check out the Financial Times website:
www.ft.com/why-Germany-is-a-failed-state
The error message that appears contains far more subtle wisdom than the remaining business journalism in this country.
Did you like this article? Become a member!