After Hitler's Rise, Germany Plans Memorials, Including One for Gays  | News | Advocate.com

Advocate.com health Channel
||  News  ||
 
January 30, 2008
After Hitler's Rise, Germany Plans Memorials, Including One for Gays

The 75th anniversary of Adolf Hitler's elevation to German chancellor on Wednesday is one the country would prefer to forget, but the ignominious event that ultimately led to the deaths of millions remains part of the nation's weighted history.

Hitler's accession to the post gave the Nazi party its ''in'' to eventually consolidate absolute control over the country in the months soon after, setting it on the path to World War II and the Holocaust.

The Holocaust remains ''for us Germans an indelible part of our history,'' Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Sunday, as the country marked the 63rd year since the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp in annual Holocaust remembrance ceremonies.

''The memory of the genocide committed by the Germans serves to keep us alert and fight anti-Semitism and racial hatred around the world,'' he said.

Few public events are planned to mark Wednesday's anniversary, although many schools received letters from state governments asking them to hold special sessions in class.

German students spend at least half a school year learning about Hitler's rise to power and the Third Reich, part of a concerted effort on the part of modern Germany to prevent history from repeating itself.

''It is a very important day in German history, but of course it's not as easily remembered as, for example, Kristallnacht on November 9, because nobody was hurt on January 30,'' said Frank Rudolph, 44, a history teacher at a Berlin high school.

The rise of Hitler, and the Nazis, is viewed with a national shame and horror, but its reasons for happening were complex, said Hans Ottomeyer, director of Berlin's German Historical Museum.

Ottomeyer cited World War I, the rampant inflation in the postwar years, the world economic collapse of 1929, and the country's massive unemployment as factors that led people to vote for extremist parties.

''The general fear of social and economic decline was stirred from both the left and the right,'' he said. ''They all tried to consolidate their positions with violence, and that opened the flank to this seizure of power.''

About a month after being appointed chancellor, Hitler used the torching of the Reichstag parliament building -- blamed on a Dutch communist Marinus van der Lubbe -- to strengthen his grip on power, suspending civil liberties and cracking down on opposition parties.

Van der Lubbe, a bricklayer, was convicted of arson and high treason in December 1933 and executed on January 10, 1934.

In a move earlier this month -- evidence that Germany's rehabilitation is still going on 75 years later -- German prosecutors formally overturned van der Lubbe's conviction.

Prosecutors said his death sentence resulted from measures introduced under the Nazis ''that were created to implement the National Socialist regime and enabled breaches of basic conceptions of justice.''

At the same time, other prosecutors are still trying to track down Nazis believed to be hiding out in other corners of the world and bring them to justice.

A spokesman of the federal ministry of justice confirmed Tuesday the existence of an informal request for extradition regarding war criminal Aribert Heim, believed to be in Brazil. A court in the southwestern city of Baden-Baden has had a case open on Heim for several decades.

In accepting responsibility for the Nazi Holocaust, in which 6 million people, the majority of whom were Jews, were killed, Germany has established scores of memorials and museums across the country.

Two new memorials are planned for the capital near the Reichstag building: one commemorating Roma and Sinti, or Gypsy, victims of the Nazis and another remembering homosexual victims.

The Reichstag building -- which again became the seat of the lower house of parliament after reunification -- already hosts a memorial to political victims of the Nazis. The much bigger Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe -- 2,711 concrete slabs in undulating rows that opened in 2005 -- sits nearby on the other side of the landmark Brandenburg Gate.

''The important thing is to never forget, to never erase the memory of the Holocaust -- not to punish future generations of Germans, but to serve as a warning to us all,'' said Rabbi Burt Schuman, an American who leads Poland's Reform Jewish community. ''I can't think of a society that Hitler would have hated more than the Germany of Angela Merkel or most of her predecessors.'' (AP)

© 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

Be the first to comment on this story.

Back to top

Submit a comment for this story:

*Type your comment here (Required, 1000 characters max.):

*Name (Required): 

*Hometown (Required): 

*E-mail address: (Required, but will not be displayed)

Is this comment for publication? 
Yes   No

Daytime phone number: (Required for print publication only and will not be displayed)

Please enter the words you see in the box, in order and separated by a space. Doing so helps prevent automated programs from abusing this service.

  

If you would like to submit a comment for posting, please fill out the form above. 

All comments submitted via this form are subject to posting or publication. (To send a private letter to an Advocate editor or writer, please use the e-mail button at the top of the page, or use snail mail.) If you would like your comment considered for publication in The Advocate magazine, please include your full name, your city of residence, and a phone number where you can be reached during business hours so that we can confirm your identity. Your e-mail address and telephone number are strictly confidential and will not be shared or used for any purpose other than to contact you about your comment.

Comments that do not concern specific articles in The Advocate or on Advocate.com will not be posted or published. See the Contact page for sending comments for reasons other than responding to Advocate editorial and news stories.

Please note that comments sent by fax or snail mail are unlikely to be posted, although they will be considered for publication along with all letters received via e-mail or via this Web page. Comments that chiefly concern Advocate.com content will be considered for posting only on the Web site. The Advocate reserves the right to edit submitted comments for grammar, spelling, obscenities, or libel; we will, however, do our best to preserve the original comment's style and intent. Comments considered for publication in The Advocate magazine may also be edited for length.

More Exclusives
  • U.S. Politics From a Distance
    As America continues to rejoice in election of Barack Obama -- while gay Californians lament the passing of Prop. 8 -- overseas, political activists look on from a distance. Zachery Scott has watched the drama following Election Day unfold as he serves in the Peace Corps in Mozambique.
  • Shoshana Bean Is Lookin' for a Superhero
    Not many girls can wow a Broadway crowd in shows like Wicked and Hairspray, then turn around and bring the audience to its feet at the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards. But Shoshana Bean goes far beyond what most people might expect, as evidenced by her soulful debut album, Superhero.
  • 30 Years Later, We Can Still Learn from Milk
    COMMENTARY: Thirty years after the death of Harvey Milk, Americans can still learn from his inspiring and profound work as an activist, politician and friend. With the story of his life opening in theatres this week, Lane Hudson takes a look back at how Milk's legacy lives on -- and what we can to do pay tribute to the legend.
  • Urban Cowboy
    How does a brand that is over a century old make itself cool again? With a little help from the gays. Levi Strauss & Co. sponsored the world premiere of Milk at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco in October, and The Advocate sat down with the out president of the denim company, Robert Hanson, that afternoon to find out what Levi's and Harvey Milk have in common.
  • L.A. Gay Center Responds to Prop. 8 Criticism
    In the December 16 edition of The Advocate, writer Ben Ehrenreich analyzed the differing opinions of why Prop. 8 passed at the polls in his article, "Anatomy of a Failed Campaign." Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center chief public affairs officer Jim Key responds to the criticisms raised by that article.
  • Billy Baldwin Pleads for Return of Dirty Sexy Money
    Actor William Baldwin is half of one of TV’s most groundbreaking couples -- his Dirty Sexy Money character is in love with a transsexual, played by Candis Cayne -- but it’s one plot that may not get to play itself out, as the show is in danger of cancellation. Baldwin sat down with Advocate.com to talk about rumors that ABC is "de-gaying" its lineup, what the future holds for Money, and whether network heads ever interfered with his controversial story line.
  • The Kid Stays in the Picture
    Lana Turner's lesbian daughter, Cheryl Crane, has penned her second memoir about her late, great movie star mother -- Lana: The Memories, the Myths, the Movies. Crane sits down with The Advocate to relive that fateful night she killed her mother's mobster lover, share some untold stories, and give us a sneak peek at the new photographs of their life together.
  • The Soul of Seal
    Armed with a new album of soul classics and his trademark blunt outlook on the state of the world, Seal sat down with Advocate.com to discuss the rumors that he and wife Heidi Klum would have left the country had John McCain been elected, the gay rights movement, and what makes Seal's sound so damn sexy.
  • Finding the Silver Lining in Defeat
    Three weeks ago, like many LGBT Americans, I woke up with, to say the least, mixed feelings. The euphoria of Barack Obama’s election and the expansion of the pro-LGBT majority in Congress was tempered by sadness and anger at our devastating losses in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, and, of course, California. The silver lining of these defeats has been a renewed focus nationwide on the issue of marriage equality.
  • Separation of Sundance and State
    In 2009, Sundance will celebrate 25 years of bringing together international cinema and a variety of cultures in Park City, Utah. But with California's gay community reeling from the passage of Prop. 8, activists and filmmakers are suggesting a boycott of the festival and theater chain Cinemark, whose CEO donated a substantial sum to the marriage ban's campaign. But just how realistic is a boycott of an entire state?
  • Democratic Supermajority No Guarantee for Gay Progress
    The 2008 election may already be one for the record books, but triumphant Democrats are still vying for an elusive political prize -- the 60-seat supermajority required to overcome Republican filibuster attempts and advance their legislative agenda swiftly beginning in January. But what are the odds of actually getting 60 seats -- and will it really push gay rights to the front of the line?
  • From the Great White Way to the White House
    While there won’t be a woman in the White House anytime in the near future, 24 took the reins and elected to cast two-time Tony Award winner Cherry Jones as its first female president, Allison Taylor, who is likely to have everything including terrorists, WMDs, and the kitchen sink thrown at her. Jones sat down with The Advocateto talk marriage, the White House, and her "fluid" relationship with partner Sarah Paulson.
  • Handicapping the LGBT Priorities of President-elect Obama
    As the Obama-Biden transition ensues, insights are surfacing into the new administration's agenda for gay Americans. While many of the policy pronouncements read like a list of old favorites, some lesser-known initiatives will likely gain momentum early on.
  • A Fortune 500 Take on Prop. 8
    The old saying goes that every cloud has a silver lining. And on November 5, the day after California voters stripped same-sex couples of the right to marry, so many around the country were searching for one. Although thousands of individuals, organizations, and businesses donated to the Yes on 8 campaign, not one Fortune 500 company is among those names. But on the opposite side, the side of fairness and basic rights, you’ll find some of the nation’s most successful and powerful corporate players.
  • Chevy Volt: The Jolt GM Needs?
    Launching a new vehicle while the American auto industry is asking Congress for a $25 billion bailout might seem like illogical timing, but for General Motors and the people behind Chevy Volt, it’s essential. With their backs against the wall, GM is rolling out their much-anticipated first plug-in electric vehicle -- and focusing their marketing efforts on the gay community.
  • Dr. Phil Weighs in on Prop. 8
    Advocate.com gets an early peek at a very heated episode of Dr. Phil. Gavin Newsom, HRC's Joe Solmonese, and L.A. attorney Gloria Allred face off against Prop. 8 supporters to talk same-sex marriage. In what may well be a first, Dr. Phil told the audience he would be keeping his opinions to himself.
  • An Unpopular Opinion: Blacks, Gays, and Prop. 8
    The injection of race into the analysis of Proposition 8's passage is extremely disappointing. A battle for equal rights has now turned into an issue of whites versus blacks. But while some black gays think marriage shouldn't be a priority and that outreach to African-Americans should have been stronger, journalist Clay Cane says he has a vested interest in inequalities related to both race and sexual orientation ... and he doesn't need someone to hold his hand to believe that marriage equality is important.
  • Politics and Progress With Patti LaBelle
    The last time girl-group Labelle dropped an album, the thought of a black president or same-sex marriage seemed as “far-out” as the band’s disco-spacewoman suits and fusion of disco, rock, and soul. But the button-pushing, soul-singing trio has reunited, and on the heels of Prop. 8 passing and Barack Obama being elected president, Patti LaBelle talks to The Advocate about the mix of emotions she's dealt with over the past few weeks.
  • Seth Meyers's Big Gay Saturday Night
    SNL funnyman Seth Meyers talks to Advocate.com about last week's episode of Saturday Night Live -- the gayest episode in the history of the show, by some accounts. With touches including Justin Timberlake as Beyoncé's backup dancer and Snagglepuss crashing Weekend Update, it caused some bloggers to take offense ... but Meyers says it's just the sort of stuff that stemmed from many discussions about Prop. 8.
  • All Hands, Black and White, On Deck
    The high number of African-Americans who voted to pass Proposition 8 may have surprised some people, but not the folks at the National Black Justice Coalition, a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering black LGBT Americans. NBJC's CEO offers some insights about the black-white divide and how to mend it going forward.