C
copperation
Guest
Non-Nazis in Germany during Hitler's rule felt lonely and isolated too. Perhaps more so than us, they really did have something to feel sorry about. The Nazis were in their obnoxious element, resistors were occupied with their struggle for liberty and Communist agitators would have been busy causing trouble as in any non-Bolshevik territory. Ordinary people had it worse.
A decent individualistic person of average intelligence and initiative had to live a secret life. On the one hand he had to fall into line with official Party thinking; mouthing the slogans, singing the songs, cheering the cheers and jeering the jeers. Secretly he would have had to watch his words and twist the lessons his life experiences to fit those of the Party line. A brave man kept his children out of the Hitler Youth, particularly when it was mandatory. Secret policemen and nosy neighbours were always on hand to accuse and denounce somebody not overly enthusiastic of the new prosperous life in the People's Community. Camps awaited political opponents and dissidents. Think of the negative aspects and consequences of Political Correctness magnified tenfold. Nobody could speak their minds in company without it being a substantial risk.
Things became worse during the war. To not support the system by refusing to join up or do war work met with total ostracision. Questioning the war or Hitler usually meant death as by now the camps never let people out. Suspicions of war crimes had to be kept secret at all costs and the eyes and ears of the State even extended to the front line, and an outward enthusiasm for the war and the Fuhrer had to kept until the bitter end.
The very worst came during the last months. When even old men and children couldn't keep the Allies away, with their parents and siblings hung for protesting, the Nero Order was issued. Nazi diehards competed with Allied bombers to destroy all the necessities of life for the Germans in the spirit that if the war was lost then they may as well all be dead. Imagine fighting for a regime and for a man which by now detested everything about the ordinary people. Ordinary peaceful people who had always had to keep their opinions to themselves, even when the State took away and killed relatives just for protesting, being introvert, being ill or being deformed.
Things were worse in Stalin's Russia where famine, gulag and death were just as likely for even the most ardent Commie.
In the light of that, I doubt many on here can complain of worse.
A decent individualistic person of average intelligence and initiative had to live a secret life. On the one hand he had to fall into line with official Party thinking; mouthing the slogans, singing the songs, cheering the cheers and jeering the jeers. Secretly he would have had to watch his words and twist the lessons his life experiences to fit those of the Party line. A brave man kept his children out of the Hitler Youth, particularly when it was mandatory. Secret policemen and nosy neighbours were always on hand to accuse and denounce somebody not overly enthusiastic of the new prosperous life in the People's Community. Camps awaited political opponents and dissidents. Think of the negative aspects and consequences of Political Correctness magnified tenfold. Nobody could speak their minds in company without it being a substantial risk.
Things became worse during the war. To not support the system by refusing to join up or do war work met with total ostracision. Questioning the war or Hitler usually meant death as by now the camps never let people out. Suspicions of war crimes had to be kept secret at all costs and the eyes and ears of the State even extended to the front line, and an outward enthusiasm for the war and the Fuhrer had to kept until the bitter end.
The very worst came during the last months. When even old men and children couldn't keep the Allies away, with their parents and siblings hung for protesting, the Nero Order was issued. Nazi diehards competed with Allied bombers to destroy all the necessities of life for the Germans in the spirit that if the war was lost then they may as well all be dead. Imagine fighting for a regime and for a man which by now detested everything about the ordinary people. Ordinary peaceful people who had always had to keep their opinions to themselves, even when the State took away and killed relatives just for protesting, being introvert, being ill or being deformed.
Things were worse in Stalin's Russia where famine, gulag and death were just as likely for even the most ardent Commie.
In the light of that, I doubt many on here can complain of worse.
