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.
It is almost impossible to know how Germans remember when they remember. The contrition is a form of self-adulation and that means that when they return to the street they often, just try again.
Dear Ethel, this is so very kind. It is such an incredible encouragement. I am writing a piece about the Bibas and I am hoping to put it out tomorrow. I am writing at about 1 piece a week with a bit of a backlog.
The construction of the mechanism of self-surveillance and reporting is so sinister that one can only conclude that the problem that it is mean to solve is itself the solution to the problem of how to justify and build a mechanism of surveillance, intimidation and repression.
It is very much like a reflex and you see it everywhere when you live in Germany. Germans like to watch over each other and police each other with a zeal that is almost impossible to believe when you are told about it.
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.
It is almost impossible to know how Germans remember when they remember. The contrition is a form of self-adulation and that means that when they return to the street they often, just try again.
I seem to recall that denouncing your neighbours was heavily encouraged in 1930s Germany.
I’m very sad and choked reading this article. I feel sorry for the humanity.
Hi Martin Gak, I miss your articles When are you going to write again?
Dear Ethel, this is so very kind. It is such an incredible encouragement. I am writing a piece about the Bibas and I am hoping to put it out tomorrow. I am writing at about 1 piece a week with a bit of a backlog.
Dear Martin, many thanks. I’m looking forward for reading your article tomorrow.
Your friend, Ethel.
Nazis
The Stasi lives.
it never died.
There are many things that governments cannot solve or fix, instead, such things have to be fixed within community engagement and relations
The construction of the mechanism of self-surveillance and reporting is so sinister that one can only conclude that the problem that it is mean to solve is itself the solution to the problem of how to justify and build a mechanism of surveillance, intimidation and repression.
Can you say STASI? How about GESTAPO?
It is very much like a reflex and you see it everywhere when you live in Germany. Germans like to watch over each other and police each other with a zeal that is almost impossible to believe when you are told about it.