Denazification

Denazification (German: Entnazifizierung) was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary and politics of any remnants of the Nazi regime. It was carried out specifically by removing those involved from positions of influence and by disbanding or rendering impotent the organizations associated with it. In practice, denazification was not limited to Germany and Austria — in every European country with a vigorous Nazi or Fascist party, such as the ones in France, the Netherlands or Norway, effective measures of denazification were carried out. The program of denazification was launched after the end of the Second World War and solidified by the Potsdam Agreement.

Backlash effects

If the ideal of denazification was to restore humanity in countries warped by inhumane policies, Nazi children are still waiting to discover that ideal. In some countries, the winners' denazification program made no distinction between parents and offspring when distributing the guilt. Many Nazi descendants feel even today that they are criminalized if they start speaking about their family's past. There seem to be no signs of a reconciliation on the horizon. Instead of practicing Vergangenheitsbewältigung, or work with a person's traumatic history, recommended by all psychologists, many Nazi descendants repress their feelings and remain mute.

Related Topics:
Nazi children - Vergangenheitsbewältigung

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~