Friday, April 11, 2008

Bundeswher to create a new medal?

According to the Financial Times, Germany's Bundeswehr might create a decoration for bravery. This medal would be comparable to the Victoria Cross or the Medal of Honor. Of course, Germany once had a very famous decoration for bravery: the Iron Cross. After WWII, though, this medal was abandoned as part of the general turn towards pacifism in Germany.

One would think that, as an admirer of the German military culture, I would be pleased. Unfortunately, I am outraged. Not only will the new decoration not be the Iron Cross, it will not be the iron cross because that medal is "tainted" by the National Socialists.

This is a typical reaction from today's Germans. If it's associated with the Nazi's it is abhorred and/or ignored. This is part of a general pattern of forgetfulness and shame. There are no war memorials for the brave German dead. There is no honor for the sacrifices made by millions. There is no pride in the outstanding accomplishments of the German Armed forces.

We all know why: the Nazi's were evil, Hitler was evil, and the Soldaten were evil and even foolish. The old pride in the Fatherland was responsible for all this, and so everything connected with that pride should be rejected.

I admit that I share this disgust with the Nazi's and Hitler. Especially Hitler: he was a foolish and eccentric man, completely unconcerned with the murder of millions and the destruction of Europe. What I don't share is this assinine opinion that Nazism has tainted everything associated with it. Take the Wehrmacht for example. The German armed forces were indeed commanded by the Nazi's and many soldiers committed atrocities. My disgust with this is tempered by the fact that all army's commit atrocities (and they committed an especially large number in WWII), and all (or most) armies take orders from the legitimate government of their nation. I just can't hold those brave and professional soldiers accountable for the buffonary of some uneducated politicians.

The German soldiers fought exceptionally well during the war. Not only was the kill ratio something like 10 to 1 on the eastern front, and not much lower in the west, but acts of courage in defense of the fatherland were alsmot commonplace. Many of these brave men despised the Nazi's and would have gladly seen them ousted. These people deserve to be honored, not forgotten and insulted.

I see the situation with the Iron Cross in similar way. It has a long and glorious history. It representes all that is great and admirable about the German Armed forces. Who cares if Hitler earned it twice? Instead of taking that as a reason to despise the Iron Cross, I am inclined to see it as a reason to despise Hitler just a bit less (let me emphasize a very little bit less). For all his faults and immorality, at least he was brave.

If only the Germans would stop behaving like such fools about their past! They should be ambarrassed when this is appropriate, but they should be proud where pride is appropriate. The Iron Cross stands for everything that they should be proud about. Bring back the Iron Cross! Rehabilitate the Wehrmacht!

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