were all the people in germany antisemetic?

Question

or just apethetic, and could it happen again? people dont seem to like muslims a whole lot in some places, but we're a more enlightened society right? would you stand up for your fellow man if they came for your neighbour...or just try to protect yourself and your family.

or the other way around obviously, im not down on muslims at all.

Answer 1

Of course not.

Answer 2

Not all, but many were. It's hard to say now how many really hated Jews and how many were just apathetic. After the war most said that they had never hated Jews and had never known anything, but obviously they knew at least about the increasing discriminations against Jews and that the Jews were deported. A few people helped Jews and even risked their own lives for that, but unfortunately they were very few. It seems that the majority of non-Jewish Germans really didn't care about what happened to the Jews.
I'm German and my grandparents lived at that time and so I often asked myself these question what people knew, what they could have done and what I would have done in that situation. The impression I have of my grandparents is that they really didn't care, not even after the war. They just felt that what happened to the Jews did not affect them. This is something I blame them for and that I can't understand. I hope I would have the courage to stand up for my fellow man if I were in such a situation. However what troubles me especially that it was not only their fear and lack of courage that stopped most of non-Jewish Germans then to help their Jewish neighbors but their total indifference or possibly even hatred.

It's right that many people now are prejudiced against Muslims or even hate them, but I don't think that the Muslims are in such a danger how simply because I believe that the democracies are stable and it is near to impossible that something like a Nazi regime could take over America or some European country. Many Germans in the Weimar Republic didn't have much faith in democracy and prefered the strong leader ("Führer") who gave the orders so they only had to follow like sheep. I mean Hitler was popular. Nowadays I can't imagine that Germans, other Europeans or Americans could ever accept to give up their democracies and legal systems and as long as there is democracy and the laws are kept up, the minorities are protected. But if inspite of all I wrote before something like a Nazi regime could come to power somewhere in West I am afraid that many people would look away again.

And more about the question if it could happen again... there are still people who have ambitions to commit genocide and it does happen although on a much smaller scale. It happened in former Yugoslavia, it happened in Rwanda, and elsewhere. I once got to know a Hindu Indian who dreamed about killing all Muslim Indians. And there are people now who'd like to "wipe Israel off the map", I mean the radical Islamists.

Answer 3

All that is needed for evil to flourish in the world for for a good person to stand by and do nothing.

Yes there were people that tried to help the jews in Germany.

If push came to shove, yes i would probably try to save my family first too.

Antisemitism was rife in the whole of Europe at the time, not just Germany.

And yes, we should take a lesson from history so that it doesnt happen again.

Muslims just happen to be the current group under pressure at the moment, no that isnt fair either.

Genocide has happened many times after the second world war too, in Bosnia and Rwanda for example.

Sadly, genocide may happen again - maybe this time the people of the world wont stand by and watch while it is happening.

Answer 4

There were Germans who aided the Jews that were trying to flee the country. Schindler's List showed one such man. And yes, I think it could happen again. I'm sure that apathy did play a big role in it. That is why our freedom of speech in America is so important. We are able to speak up and protest if we see something that we think is wrong. It doesn't mean we will get our way, but we also have the right to bear arms in the 2nd ammendment in case our gvt goes psycho and we need to stop them.

Answer 5

The reason for German anti-semetism stems from the nobility. A very long time ago, as Jews migrated throughout Europe, they were not well received. But, there wasn't a whole lot that was ever done. The nobility disliked them very much. Because of this, they, Jews, were made tax collectors throughout the land. And, who doesn't hate the tax collector? That is also the reasoning behind the thinking that Jews always have money, they won't ever spend it, etc.

This answer could be much longer, and more in-depth, but here is the simple version.

Answer 6

Most people followed out of fear and mob psychology. When the nation's leader is gassing people he doesn't like, you don't exactly say no to him.

I see the progression of hatred toward Muslims as very similar to how it all went down in Germany, which scares me.

I would say no and stand up to systematic hatred.

Answer 7

The several million Jews living in Germany in the 1930s regarded themselves as Germans and they were certainly nor anti-semetic.

Answer 8

Not virulently anti-semitic but prejudice against the Jews was widespread and existed even before the Nazis came to power.

Answer 9

ALL people in germany have nothing in common, except for that they are humans.

I'm afraid when you start a questoin with "were all people in germany..." you've made a mistake.
we are individuals, not every single person in a country will support the same view. its more complex than that, it might be people were scared to express their true view etc.

Answer 10

Most were neither anti semitic nor apathetic. Like most of us they simply went along with the flow.
Many, however, did oppose the Nazis....and were locked up for it (We killed lots of them in prison when we bombed Dresden)

Answer 11

I really recommend the book "they thought they were free," I just recently purchased it for my son to help answer this same question.

http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/511928.html