Contemporary Germany: Grandchildren of WWII
Children growing up during World War II probably had many questions for their parents after the war: Did you know about what the Germans did to the Jews? Why did they do it? How did the war begin? What was it like to be a soldier in Russia, father? What was it like to be without your husband, mother? However, in most German families, those questions were never asked, and if they were, they were rarely answered. Although some teachers and politicians worked towards "reeducation" and "Wiedergutmachung," most Germans privately shared Chancellor Adenauer's wish to "put the past behind us." But the horrors of the past did not simply evaporate. Instead, it was left to the next generation to ask the tough questions, often because family secrets took a toll on their mental health. In this course, we will address the efforts of these so-called "Kriegsenkel" through the lens of Nora Krug's celebrated graphic novel "Heimat" ("Belonging"), supplemented by newspaper articles and documentaries.