German Memory Formations Post World War II Analytical Essay

German Memory Formations Post World War II
Looks at three sources that try to interpret the historical role of WWII Nazism in this postwar era.
# 147491 | 1,185 words | 3 sources | MLA | 2011 | US
Published on Apr 26, 2011 in Political Science (Non-U.S.) , History (European - World Wars) , Sociology (General) , Holocaust Studies (General)


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Description:

This paper underscores the difficult task of understanding the German memory formations post WWII because they deviated from German historical, political and cultural traditions. Next, the author analyzes three sources, which reveal that the denial and lack of recognition surrounding the anti-Semitic foundations of Nazi ideology have yet to be resolved into the various memories and interpretations of participating nations in World War II. The paper concludes that these sources indicate that the absence of German responsibility, blame and guilt in these memories formed after World War II suggests the immediate need for social cohesion and political legitimization.

From the Paper:

"The universal declaration of Nazi responsibility of the Second World War as well as the conclusion of denazification formed the official version of history, according to Tony Judt in "The Past is Another Country: Myth and Memory in Post-War Europe". The division of Germany resulted in the reconstruction of the West and a communist unification in the East. The desire for nations to form a cohesive nation and legitimate governmental authority facilitated distorted and nationalist memories to perpetuate and antisemitism remained a low priority."

Sample of Sources Used:

  • Herf, Jeffrey . "Multiple Restorations: German Political Traditions and the Interpretation of Nazism, 1945-1946." European History 26.1 (1993): 21-55. Print.
  • Herf, Jeffrey . "East German Communists and the Jewish Question: The Case of Paul Merker." Journal of Contemporary History 29.4 (1994): 627-661. Print.
  • MuAaller, Jan, and Tony Judt. "The past is another country: myth and memory in post-war Europe." Memory and power in post-war Europe studies in the presence of the past. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2002. 157-183. Print.

Cite this Analytical Essay:

APA Format

German Memory Formations Post World War II (2011, April 26) Retrieved June 07, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/analytical-essay/german-memory-formations-post-world-war-ii-147491/

MLA Format

"German Memory Formations Post World War II" 26 April 2011. Web. 07 June. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/analytical-essay/german-memory-formations-post-world-war-ii-147491/>

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