Recently I have been watching a very good documentary series (via Netflix online video streaming, also available on DVD) called “The Nazis: A Warning from History.”
The six-episode series, released in 1997, provides great detail and insight into the rise, height, and fall of the Nazi party in 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s Germany (World War Two). One reason that makes it so interesting (aside from providing so much information and many original video clips) is that it shows interviews people with views from all sides of the spectrum, including former Nazi party members, some of which are still sympathetic to their original cause, while others are understandably more repentant. This point in history was such an integral part of the 20th century and modern history in general, and it is important that we become more familiar with happened or else it may become distorted or even lost from our memories.
The atrocities of Nazi Germany and World War II in general bring to heart the fact that we as humans can be led so easily from the paths of decency and understanding to negligence and bitter hatred. The terrible conditions and economic depression within Germany created by the aftermath of World War I and the Treaty of Versailles was in effect one of the eventual causes of the rise of the Nazi political party within Germany during the time, the same rise of power which gradually eroded the status of the Jews and other peoples within Germany and its influence to be victims of abuse, murder and attempted genocide. It is amazing what the combination of hardship (or success) and the empowering words of a demagogue can do to control the mind and distort all sense of morality and love for one another.
The simple and pure truth of “the golden rule” could do a lot of good in this world if only it was more often followed!
So true! It’s unfortunate that all of the world leaders can’t learn from history. It was a sad, dark time in our world history that we should never forget.
I too just viewed a documentary on Netflix titled “Nietzsche and the Nazis” (2006) where Dr. Stephen Hicks points out that there is still an on going battle between free men and those who would enslave us through perverse philosophies that demand we surrender our liberties to the dictatorship imposed by the socialist state. I would like to invite you to read the review posted on my blog. Mike