Should I feel guilty about visiting Germany?
 

This question has been bugging me since I had the opportunity to vist the Bavarian Region in Germany last May. I enjoyed it inmensely, but most of my very dear Jewish friends do not care to hear about it. Furthernore, they tell me they would never go to Germany. My father was part of the post-war liberation forces in Europe and saw a lot of devastation caused by the Nazi army, so that adds to the dilema. My husband has asked me to accompany him in another trip to Germany. I have mixed feelings about it. Does anybody out there want to share their opinion on this topic?

You do not need to feel guilty about visiting Germany. On the one hand, it's been 50 years, and I know plenty of German people who think, "Enough already!" Especially the young people. But on the other hand, while you're visiting Germany... go see Dachau if you're in Bavaria again, or one of the other camps. As I understand it, the most important thing to the Jewish people is that the death camps are never forgotten. I think that when tourists visit these places, they are making sure that doesn't happen.

I agree with Leslie. I believe that everyone has an obligation to visit one of the concentration camps at least once. I also do not believe that visiting Germany is immoral or sinful. I lived in Krakow, Poland for 2 years, and Auschwitz was only 30 miles away form my home. The beautiful building I lived in in the old city was still riddled with bullet marks. Some kind of brutal massacre must have taken place in the very place where I slept given the state of the exterior walls. Auschwitz, on the 4 times that I visited it, was incredibly painful. But that does not diminish the joy of experiencing other cultures. There are many places in the world where horror ruled for a time, including right here in the U.S. But that generally does not stop people from traveling to those spots. Germans today are basically leaders in social tolerance, environmental activism, economic development for the former countries of the Soviet Bloc. You should have no guilt associated with travel there.

I agree with the above post , we should never forget but it's 50 years later and a different world. Go enjoy & learn from your trip and if you want to feel guilty let it be because you're not taking me along . Enjoy !!!!

No.

There is nothing unique about Germany or its people. If we assume/pretend that anti-semitism (or racism, or national chauvinism, or ...) is a German issue, we have, in my opinion, failed to learn the critical lesson posed by history.

Maira, I understand your situation and concern, and I'm note sure anyone can offer advice. It's a very personal decision. (but, we can try). To comment on some replies - this isn't, unfortunately, a different world than it was only 50 years ago. Sadly enough, what happened during WWII (or, better said, at Nazi hands in various parts of Europe), is happening in other parts of the world too - directed at other groups and run by other leaders - but trying to accomplish the same deed. "Never forget" must also mean "never fail to recognize." I think you hit the nail on the head, Jay. Finally, with regard to taking a trip to a place whose history is marred in this way, travelling to an infamous place is not synonymous with condoning its history. You might do well to share the concerns you posted with some of your closer Jewish friends whom you're trying not to offend, and then see how you feel. In addition to being fun, travel can serve to educate, as noted several times above.

I understand your feelings. But would you refuse to visit Atlanta, Georgia because people in the South
at one time owned slaves? If you visit a slaughter
camp like Dachau, be prepared to feel very, very
sick - physically and spiritually. The experience to me was overwhelming -- one I was not emotionally
prepared for. I had to leave shortly into the
visit.

From what I understand, both in classes and while touring Europe, the Nazi party and many of its symbols are now illegal in Germany. Any guilt felt should be on the part of the creators and executors of such a catastrophy, not felt by a visitor so many years later. You condone nothing by taking a trip there, you broaden your mind and scope of understanding. Please, also visit something other than a death camp, Germany is filled with both pre and post WWII beautiful sights.

I will like to thank all of the above (and anyone who might want to contribute to this discussion in the future) for taking the time in sharing their valuable perspective on the posed subject. Not only reading and understanding different takes on this issue broadens the perspective, but it has made me realize that sharing this experience with my Jewish friends can be benefitial to both. Thanks again!!

Thanks, Helena, you expressed it much better than I.

I just want to add 3 quick comments: 1) I'm very pleased to see this discusion, 2) guilt is a cheap substitute for awareness and sensitivity, and 3) my wife and I will be landing in Munich on July 1st to begin a great vacation.

Unfortunately, there is almost no place in the world that has not been guilty of gross human rights violations, including our own beloved United States. So it would be difficult to travel, or even stay home for that matter if you are basing your travel plans on that. I believe it is better to see the world and learn. If more people were better travelled and accepting of other cultures and those with different values and beliefs the world would be a better place.

I was stationed in Germany in 1970-71 during the time we were destroying Viet Nam. My wife and I learned to enjoy the German culture and its people. This is from someone who never knew his Mother's brother because he was killed by the Germans in WWII. Do not hold the war against the German people. I discovered when I received my draft notice in 1969 because of our mistake in Viet Nam that the common man has very little power to respond when his government tells him where to go or who to kill. My wife and I still return to Germany frequently and the people are still very nice. The more different cultures get to know each other, the less chance there is of a WWII repeat. Go, enjoy, be guilt free.

I am a Jewish man who had many relatives who died in WW II at the hands of the Lithuianian Nazi's who ran the camps set up by the German/Austrian Nazi's. I too used to feel I should not visit Germany and did not go there on my first long visit to Europe. Since then I worked at a place where I met many young Germans and they were nice and friendly to me always. They invited me to see them when they went back home. I read more about the war and saw how Hitler was an Austrian as were many of the biggest Nazis. I read abou how many hundreds of thousands if not millions of French, Dutch, Latvians, Lithuianians, Belguims, Norwegians etc volunteered to be in the SS. I found that the guilt for what happen to my people went far beyond just the Germans. Far beyond.
And so 6 years ago I did visit Germany as part of a long trip to Europe. And I enjoyed it. The people were friendly, helpful, curious and thoughtful to me everywhere I went.
Often they asked how I spoke fluent German and when I told them about my parents and relatives they were kind and sympathetic and they REALLY listened. This was an important trip to me that I will never forget. I say "go to Germany and have no guilt about it"

I am Jewish and have been to Germany several times. I too get the remarks that I should not travel there. I also get lots of remarks from people who say I should see the U.S. first before going abroad. I reply that the best way to see your property is from your neighbors house. You gain a different perspective from the same old view you get every day. Going to Germany helped me see the German people from a different perspective, some good some bad, but at least it was my personal perspective. Visiting Dachau changed me permanently and although very unsettling made me feel closer to the people who suffered from this tremendous tragedy. In short, a trip to Germany has many facets, all worthwhile. It would be a shame to miss it.

We should also be aware that the Germans have not hidden their history--Dachau, Sachsenhausen, and others still stand for visitors to see. While in the U.S., we tried to erase our internment of over 100,000 U.S. citizens--who were denied their Constitutional rights and locked up--simply because they were of Japanese descent. At Manzanar, in CA, there is a little sign, nothing more. We have no musuems depicting our genocide of native Americans...I can go on but you get the idea--if you feel guilty about going to Germany, then you may as well relocate from the U.S.

We should also be aware that the Germans have not hidden their history--Dachau, Sachsenhausen, and others still stand for visitors to see. While in the U.S., we tried to erase our internment of over 100,000 U.S. citizens--who were denied their Constitutional rights and locked up--simply because they were of Japanese descent. At Manzanar, in CA,the site of one of the largest relocation camps of Japanese Americans, there is a little sign, nothing more. The place was demolished almost as soon as the war ended. We also have no musuems depicting our genocide of native Americans...I can go on but you get the idea--if you feel guilty about going to Germany, then you may as well relocate from the U.S. And make sure not to visit about half of the other nations of this world, for at one time or another, they committed acts of genocide.

We should also be aware that the Germans have not hidden their history--Dachau, Sachsenhausen, and others still stand for visitors to see. While in the U.S., we tried to erase our internment of over 100,000 U.S. citizens--who were denied their Constitutional rights and locked up--simply because they were of Japanese descent. At Manzanar, in CA,the site of one of the largest relocation camps of Japanese Americans, there is a little sign, nothing more. The place was demolished almost as soon as the war ended. We also have no musuems depicting our genocide of native Americans...I can go on but you get the idea--if you feel guilty about going to Germany, then you may as well relocate from the U.S. And make sure not to visit about half of the other nations of this world, for at one time or another, they committed acts of genocide.

I am a 32 Jewish man who has deep roots in my religion and have been to Germany 5 times. I often get offended by my fellow Jews who say they'll never go to Germany yet drive a BMW and know very little else about Judaism. I do not think you can characterize an entire country. I've met very nice Germans and not so very nice Germans but I don't hold the entire country accountable today for what happened 50 years ago. To reiterate other posters, the key is to never forget and going to places like Dachau, Ann Frank house, the Jewish Getto in Venice and the Holocaust Museum in Washington helps me to understand why it happened and that we're still here while the Nazis are long gone. Ask your friends if they would travel to states where there have been KKK rallies, neo-Nazi training camps, etc. To me, "never forget" is about retaining a Jewish identity, not denying yourself a visit to a different culture.

civil discussion of a touchy issue--worth a second look?

Definitely an interesting read and it does amaze me how thoughtfully people responded--especially compared to the nastiness and namecalling we have now.