Have the Germans apologised for the Holocaust?

Answer 1

Yes. Germany's response to its war crimes has been largely lauded by the former Allies. The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany until 1990) offered official apologies for Germany's role in the Holocaust. Additionally, German leaders have continuously expressed repentance, most notably when former Chancellor Willy Brandt fell on his knees in front of a Holocaust memorial in the Warsaw Ghetto, also known as the Warschauer Kniefall in 1970. Germany has also paid extensive reparations, including nearly $70 billion to the state of Israel. It has given $15 billion to Holocaust survivors and will continue to compensate them until 2015. Additionally, the government of Germany coordinated an effort to reach a settlement with German companies that had used slave labor during the war; the companies will pay $1.7 billion to victims. Germany also established a National Holocaust Memorial Museum in Berlin for looted property.

Answer 2

Many Germans are very angry and ashamed for the part of their history that resulted in the Nazi atrocities.

Much more than in other countries with similar crimes.

Much more than US citizens own up to the racism and bad treatment of Natives (Indians) and coloured people in the US throughout the last centuries and decades.

However, some few Germans sympathise with neo-nazism, although it is forbidden by law.

Also many blame the rise of nazism on the peace treaty of Versailles, which was done with very little sober judgement, and the harsh conditions were already then criticised for arming a bomb of discontent in Germany, which was very easy to exploit for the nationalists. Actually racism and nationalism were strong forces in many European countries from the 19th century, with many racist political parties. Also USA had such a development with some 4 million members in the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s.

Many Germans tried to protest against the treatment of Jews already during the Holocaust, for justice, humanitarian and religious reasons- some warned about the consequences, 25% of church leaders formed Die Bekennende Kirche in opposition, and some expressed appalment by the development of that high culture towards injustice. "The land of poets and thinkers becoming barbaric". But those daring to act against the Nazi policies generally faced the same fate as the Jews.

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It is half of Germany thinks that holocaust was a pretty good thing and don't feel ashamed, carry on with there lives and think it was what you were supposed to do to prisoners during war time, and the other half thinks it was a horrible thing (never should of been done to a human being), feel veryashamed, try to give back to those people and think it was the wrong way to treat a prisoner during war time.

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Eh? 'It is half of Germany thinks that holocaust was a pretty good thing'. I wonder whether the person who wrote the above speaks German and has ever been to Germany. In my experierence, with about fifty visits to Germany behind me and able to pass as a native speaker in Germany, I have met nobodywho expressed approval of the Holocaust. I have, however, met a small number of Germans who resent having to bear the 'shame' brought on Germany by an earlier generation.

- Incidentally, with regard to '25% of church leaders formed Die Bekennende Kirche in opposition', they were prostesting against a range of things, mainly government interference in church affairs. This opposition was hard to sustain, and by the time the Holocaust started, the Bekennende Kirche had largely ceased to exist.

Answer 3

No and they shouldn't because they had nothing to do with it.

Answer 4

Depends on the German.