As we all know, the Second World War ended for us with much celebration and the homecoming of many of our fighting men. Most soldiers on the side of the Allies were welcomed home as heroes and liberators and men of true courage and honor, who had defended freedom and served out justice to an evil foe. We all know this, we are all familiar with this. But certainly what many people do not know is what it was like to be German soldier returning home after the war. To find his home in ruins, his family missing, displaced, or worse, and to not be met with celebration and dignity, but shame and punishment. A normal German soldier would likely only have to deal with the eternal shame that the world would place upon him, even if he only served out of a sense of duty to his county and the desire to defend the interests of his people. But a member of the Waffen SS for example would be treated much more harshly, as this unit was largely associated with mass murder of civilians and the committing of war crimes on behalf of the Nazi Party.
The military is not as highly regarded in Germany as it is in most places, and words like “duty” and “honor” are forever tainted and rarely used in association with the military. In fact, even today, many Germans look upon their own military and the men who serve in it with some degree of shame and disrespect, seeing it as a place for those who could not find suitable work as a civilian and so must join the military for lack of other options. In short, the German people have long since abandoned the militaristic culture that defined them for countless generations, and look upon those who continue to adhere to it with malcontent and considerable suspicion. At the end of the Second World War, the last major conflict that Germany had and likely ever will participate in wholeheartedly, the most a German veteran could hope for was the understanding that things were simply out of his control, and he was likely not directly responsible for the actions he committed under orders. For him, there would be no celebrations, no cheering masses to greet him as victorious hero, no welcome home for him.
It was interesting to read how German veterans returning home suffered when they arrived. It was interesting that you pointed out that “there would be no celebrations, no cheering masses to greet him as victorious hero” it illustrates that following the war these veterans were facing a new battle. They had to integrate back into society however, it was no longer a society that was accepting of them. It is such a powerful topic because it is usually forgotten that there are veterans returning from both sides and not all of them receive a warm welcome and are often over looked by history. I like that you pointed out that military still has a negative connotation in Germany today. It makes me wonder how they treat veterans returning from war today?
Great post! It is interesting to think about what it would be like to return home to the losing side of the war. On our side, civilians cheered the men who made their involvement in the war effort worth while. American civilians conserved resources and took over jobs they would have previously had no intention of working. When their soldiers came home, they could treat them with banners and parades to not only celebrate the men individually, but to celebrate the fact that everyone had come together and made this achievement possible. The veterans were symbols of a mission complete. In Germany, however, they must have symbolized a failed attempt, or a wrongdoing Germany attempted. Germans who lost their homes or became displaces would have a lot of built up aggression and who better to take it out on then the men who fought in the war that ruined their homes?
I love the picture that you chose! Is it of a German soldier? Who took the picture? I think Robert Dale sums up perfectly how society, especially of the losing side of war, interacts with veterans as an “unwelcome presence in a city struggling to forget” (129). The veteran is a constant reminder to a civilian in total war of everything they had lost to war. You cannot cheer for something that you lost. You can be glad that it is over, but never happy and welcoming to the existence of a perceived personification of war. I am interested in the psychology of a German soldier. I wonder if German soldiers who felt guilty for the war developed depression or anxiety. How were these veterans taken care of after the war?
Wow really interesting perspective. It’s very sad to think abut young men who maybe had no choice and were probably lied to, having to live with the guilt of being a part of such an evil regime. I wasn’t aware of Germany’s current attitude towards war, it’s fascinating how the cultural effects of the war are still felt so strongly in Germany.
It is interesting you bring that up, many Americans don’t see this aspect and now that I think about it, it proves very true. When watching band of brothers there was a scene where a German soldier was looking to get home and the American soldiers stuck him in a random car with random civilians going in the general direction of where he wanted to go, the reaction of the passengers in that said vehicle displayed disgust and resistance to drive the soldier anywhere.
While attached so a signals PYSOP battalion a few yeas ago we trained with a few German soldiers from the Heeresverbindungsstab USA 3, and they told us how there still is a stigma of their history; however they try to see themselves differently. They just recently stopped the conscript of soldiers however have a draft back up plan much like the US. As a result of no longer mandatory service the German military has felt a bit a of downsize since the Cold War as well as grounding of many vehicles due to lack of maintenance and man power. They do have a rapid built up program in the even there is a need for a larger military. In doing so I think they are showing the public that they are not trying to repeat the past and be a military state. With that said they are playing a minor yet active role against ISIS.
I think because of that stigma and losing two world wars and witnessing the brunt of destruction Germany recognizes and acknowledges the past but is trying to move away from the past. The German soldiers we trained with did seem to be proud because they see themselves as a different generation but they still are met with resistance from not just their own people but others. If I had a dollar for every time some soldier asked them about being Nazis I would be pretty rich.
Great post, i had always thought that german soldiers probably faced some persecution when they returned home, but i did not realize the extent that it went to. It was interesting to see how the different parts of the millitary’s treatment varied, especially the SS.
Isn’t it interesting to think about what it must be like for soldiers to return from war and not be valued by their society? It can be argued that soldiers fight in order to protect society, so that it can continue to exist without fear of violence amongst it, which makes it disheartening when that same society rejects the soldiers because of what they have done. As much responsibility as soldiers of a losing side have for the loss in the war, they still sacrificed for the good of society.