Don't eat it, it's German!

I was born in Denmark and grew up in Denmark.

 

It was only a few years after the German occupation of the country.  In school we were lead to understand that Germany equalled marching, discipline and blind obedience of orders. After the War many people took great care to show that they did not like the Germans. Maybe they had neglected doing it during the war. After all, it could be very dangerous. Some of the dogs were even taught not to eat the lump of sugar at their feet, if told that it was “German”.

England, on the other hand, represented humour, humanity, nobleness, chivalry and in general everything good in this world.

This was the general view which my generation grew up with.

There was one person, however, who never said anything negative about the Germans. It was my father.  He had been in the resistance during the war, fighting the Nazis. He had shown his attitude during the war, and therefore felt no great need after the war to show that he was on the right side.

Fortunately you grow wiser with age. I have had the opportunity to get to know Germany and the Germans better.  I have realised that they are just like the rest of us. Would we have had the bravery to react differently from them under the same circumstances?

Kennedy said he was "ein Berliner". We are all Germans.

 

NB! As for our "free" choice of allegiances in times of war and occupation I can warmly recommend Sofi Oksanen's novel Purge (takes place in Estonia).