Germans Embrace National History

Embarrassed by its central role in two world wars, Germany hasn’t placed much emphasis on learning its own history in recent decades. Many German historians believe this educational void has precipitated an identity crisis among many Germans, especially the young. Too many Germans, they believe, simply don’t know “who they are.”

This is why a new exhibition in Berlin is considered important. Opening on June 2, the first national historical exhibition since World War ii “aims to plug gaping holes in the nation’s memory of its 2,000-year past with a treasure trove of relics that include Hitler’s globe and Napoleon’s hat” (Spiegel Online, May 26). The organizers of the exhibition hope it will stir the German people to once again tap into their historical roots and restore their national identity.

According to Hans Ottomeyer, director of the German Historical Museum in Berlin, the exhibition will help Germans answer the question, “Who are we?” He says the exhibition will provide the German people with a “visual memory” that will help restore the country’s lost sense of national identity. The history of the 12 years of the Third Reich (1933-1945) make up the largest single part of the exhibition.

One of the highlights of the show is the 5’7” globe that stood in Hitler’s office during World War ii and symbolized his plans for global domination. Hitler’s charred desk, dragged from the burning rubble of Nazi headquarters more than 60 years ago, will also be on show, as well as numerous other Nazi artifacts. Despite the controversy surrounding its opening, the exhibition is expected to be a success among the German people. As the Spiegel Online article noted, “In the last few years, German interest in World War ii and its aftermath has been growing.”

Given the evils perpetrated the last time German nationalism waxed strong, it is naive to ignore the serious implications of this trend in Germany today.