should he be proud of his heritage?

Question

well I have a friend whose Grandad is a Nazi officer he was a good family guy and all but is loyal to Hitler, he fought the red army near the end of WW2 so as his Grandma says they still have his formal uniform and everything(and the swastika is not illegal here in the US, sad) and based on what his father and his uncle has said he is a good father not even once did they hear him raise his voice to them, he died in the late 1970s. But then he is a NAZI people, he hates the whole world, that friend of mine always says that he is never ashamed of who he is, coz he didnt ask for this, nevertheless should he be proud of his Nazi heritage??? What do you think??? I am now a bit scared coz I am 1/4 Filipino, do they hate us too???

its funny too coz his Grandpa's soldiers claim that when they were under his command they are so terrified that they say that this man could make Mussolini piss his pants

Answer 1

We need never feel proud or ashamed of our heritage. It simply is. The things we should feel proud or ashamed of are the things that we personally chose.

Answer 2

My best friend in high school was German. Her family had a picture of her grandfather on their piano. He was proudly displayed wearing his S.S. uniform. I know exactly what you are saying.

My opinion; however, is this... now that I am older. Many, many Germans were Nazi's in WWII. Many of them had no choice. It was there country. It wasn't a democratic society. Perhaps he didn't even agree with the Nazi ideal... he had no choice but to shut his mouth and go along... the alternative was a camp alongside the Jews... gays... the infirm... Perhaps her grandad was an avid nazi. Many people believed in Hitler. He was a great speaker and he motivated a country that had been in very bad shape for years. He told his people what they wanted to hear. Many people believed in him and didn't really know the horror of what he stood for until after the war.

I guess what I am saying is that real life isn't like the movies. People are not painted in black and white regardless of their uniform. It is so much more complicated than that. He might have been a good man to his family. They have every right to love him. There love does not mean - in any way - that they necessarily live by the same ideals of the Nazi Party.

There is nothing wrong in your sharing your concerns with them. Tell them that it has made you think about things. Ask them their thoughts. Give them an opportunity. Your concerns might, while being rational, have no real basis. I hope sincerely that they don't.

Good luck. Good friends are hard to find so I hope that this person proves to be one.

Answer 3

Nazis did not hate the world - do not confuse the actions of Hitler and his cronies with the ordinary man.

You have to remember that Germany was in a desperate economic state after the First World War and many Germans saw Hitler as the answer to their problems.

Your friend's grandfather sounds like he was a loyal, principled man, and a kind-hearted family man. There is no reason at all that your friend should not be proud of his grandfather (nothing you've said here makes it sound like he's proud he was a Nazi, rather he is porud of the man himself) whatever his background was - don't forget that true love is unconditional.

You have nothing to be scared of whatsoever, your friend is merely proud of his roots and quite rightly so.

PS. I dont think it's sad that the swastika is not banned in the US, what is sad is the connotations it still holds. The swastika is an ancient religious symbol and it should be allowed to be used - but not for inflammatory purposes such as neo-Nazi rallies.

Answer 4

It'll all pass and in a hundred years Hitler's tactics will be taught to all students studying strategy and warfare. And historians will laugh about how the swastika became illegal in several countries. It's just to soon to view Nazi's as soldiers instead of hatemongers.

Exact same thing happened during The Hundred Year war, eventually France quit hating Britain and vise verse, but it wasn't right away.

Answer 5

Dear Dark,
Nazis were bad that's a fact. But the people who were in power at the time, whipped those poor people into a hate frenzy and made them think that it was a good thing for their country. yes it is an ignorant attitude, but some people are easily lead. I think alot of good people got caught up in the dream of rebuilding their country into a major world power, and lost sight of the human side to it. I don't know that I would be so much proud of him, but would try to understand how it all happened so it never happens again. But than it is happening all over the world now. Not on such a scale, but it is happening. You have nothing to scared of. I think the whole thing was horriable, and my mind just could't fathom the mind set.

Answer 6

To each his own. I, myself, have Nazi heritage and I am not proud of it. I am proud of my GERMAN heritage but not of my german ancestors that were nazis. However, I understand that your friend does not feel ashamed because it is not something he chose. Just because a member of his family has some wrong beliefs doesn't mean he does. You can't choose your family. Not being ashamed is not the same as being proud. I think your friend is nout proud ofr his grandfather's nazi ideals but doesn't have shame to admit he is his grandfather because he has always been good to him.

p.s.- nazis definitely have a problem with filipinos, they are not of pure aryan blood, they're foreigners. However, it seems like your friend is not of the same beliefs as his grandfather so you should have no problem. You should never be afraid to be who you are.

Answer 7

What the Nazis did, was a long time ago. Your friend doesn't hate you, he is being defensive of his heritage. Unless he becomes a Neo-Nazi, you should get along well.

Answer 8

you can be proud of a person, while not beign proud of what he did, or what he belonged to.

Basically, this man apparently appeared to have a good ability to keep private and 'work' separate.
Be proud of the family man.