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Peter Borkowicz's avatar

When I was in Berlin the last time, I had the pleasure to discover a museum dedicated to the German Democratic Republic.I had assumed that it is a record of a past that Germans were NOT proud of and should not be repeated or encouraged. The film “Lives of Others” was a passionate indictment and consequences of the sort described in this piece. I would have imagined that they were indicators of how German society had moved away from this sort of repression. Yes I was imagining and forgetting the complexity of all societies. Then I heard how Yanis Varoufakis, Francesca Albanese and a women caringing a sign against genocide have been treated by Germany, I find it will be hard to convince me that Germany has abandoned the sort of repression that the film and museum seem to abhor.

Yes, these programs must be terminated. I do not know what should be done with all the people that ran them and advocated for them and put them in place. If we fire them, are we not supporting an action that we are protesting against? I do not have a full practical answer as a solution. There must be more engagement and social education with the premise of free speech. Your work is very informative and helps me understand Germany a lot better. Thanks.

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AJ de Oliveira's avatar

I seem to recall that denouncing your neighbours was heavily encouraged in 1930s Germany.

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