Concevning lIe FuIIic Use oJ Hislov

AulIov|s) Jvgen HaIevnas and Jeven Leanan

Bevieved vovI|s)
Souvce Nev Oevnan Cvilique, No. 44, SpeciaI Issue on lIe HisloviIevslveil |Spving - Sunnev,
1988), pp. 40-50
FuIIisIed I New German Critique
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Concevning
lIe FuIIic Use
oJ Hislov
I Jiuvgen HaIevnas
WIoevev Ias vead Evnsl NoIle's IeveI-Ieaded conlviIulion in lIe Iasl
issue oJ Bie
Zeil
and Ias nol Ieen
JoIIoving
lIe enolionaI discussion in
lIe
FvanIJuvlev AIIgeneine Zeilung
nusl Iave lIe
inpvession
lIal lIe av-
gunenl
ve ave invoIved in is aIoul IislovicaI delaiIs. In
Jacl,
il is con-
cevned vilI a
poIilicaI
convevsion oJ lIe vevisionisn vIicI Ias
enevged
in nodevn
IisloviogvapI
and vIicI Ias Ieen
inpalienlI
denanded
I poIilicians
oJ lIe Wende
govevnnenl |lIe
KoII
govevn-
nenl vIicI in 1983
pvesenled
ilseIJ as lIe
govevnnenl
oJ
cIange/
vevevsaI
-
lvans.).
Il is Jov lIis veason lIal Hans Monnsen sIiJls
lIe
conlvovevs
inlo lIe conlexl oJ a
veaIignnenl
oJ
Iislovico-poIilicaI
lIinIing.
WilI
Iis
essa
in lIe
SeplenIev/OcloIev
issue oJ
MevIuv,
Monnsen Ias
suppIied
lIe nosl
lIovougI
and nosl suIslanliaI con-
lviIulion lo lIe
dispule
lo dale. In lIe cenlev oJ Iis deIiIevalions
slands lIe
queslion
In vIicI
va
is lIe Nazi
peviod
lo Ie
pvocessed
in
puIIic
consciousness? TIe
incveasing
dislance in
line,
Ie
assevls,
naIes a Iislovicizalion
necessav
-
one
va
ov anolIev.
Toda,
lIe
gvandcIiIdven
oJ lIose vIo veve loo
oung
lo assune
lIe Iuvden oJ
pevsonaI guiIl
al lIe end oJ lIe Second WovId Wav ave
gvoving up.
TIis, Iovevev,
does nol anounl lo a dislanced Jovn oJ ve-
nenIeving.
TIe Jocus oJ nodevn
Iislov
venains Jixed
upon
lIe
pevi-
od Jvon 1933 lo 1945. Il venains
JivnI
vilIin lIe Iovizon oJ ouv ovn
IiJe
Iislovies,
enlvined vilI sensiIiIilies and veaclions
vIicI,
adnilledI,
*
TIis avlicIe appeaved in Bie
Zeil,
7 NovenIev 1986. Il Ias Ieen
vepuIIisIed
in
Jiivgen
HaIevnas,
Eine
Avl
ScIadensaIvicIIung |FvanIJuvl
an Main
SuIvIanp, 1987)
and
appeavs
Ieve vilI
pevnission
oJ lIe aulIov.
40
Jiivgen
HaIevnas
41
ave
spvead
ovev a Ivoad
speclvun accovding
lo
genevalion
and
poIili-
caI
alliludes,
Iul vIicI aII Iave lIe sane
poinl
oJ
depavluve
lIe in-
ages
oJ lIal
unIoading vanp
al AuscIvilz. Il Ias
onI
Ieen in lIe
1980s lIal a videv
puIIic
Ias Iecone conscious oJ lIis lvaunalic ve-
JusaI oJ an elIicaI
inpevJeclion,
vIicI Ias Ieen Ivanded inlo ouv na-
lionaI
Iislov,
lo
disappeav
on lIe 50lI
annivevsav
oJ lIe Nazi sei-
zuve oJ
povev
on
Januav
30lI, 1933,
on lIe 40lI annivevsavies oJ lIe
JaiIed
coup
d'elal oJ
JuI
20lI, 1944,
and lIe
capiluIalion
oJ
Ma
8lI,
1945. And
el loda
Iavvievs ave
IveaIing
dovn vIicI unliI
eslevda
Iad slood Jasl.
TIe
Menov oJ
lIe Viclins and lIe
CuIpvils
In lIe Iasl Jev
eavs,
a
slead
slvean oJ nenoivs Ias
appeaved,
vvil-
len
I
lIose vIo Jov decades Iad Ieen unaIIe lo
speaI
aIoul lIe
lIings lIe
Iad suJJeved CovneIia
Edvavdson,
lIe
daugIlev
oJ lIe
Langgissevs,
ov Lisa FillIo cone lo
nind. LiIevise,
lIvougI
lIe scenes
in vIicI CIaude Lanznann
veIenlIessI
Ioosens lIe
longues
oJ lIe vic-
lins oJ AuscIvilz and
MaidaneI,
ve Iave Ieen aIIe lo sIave lIe aI-
nosl
pIsicaI pvocess
oJ lIe vovI oJ
venenIeving.
In lIe case oJ lIe
IavIev,
lIe Iovvov vIicI Iad Iecone
vigid
and nule is
expvessed
in
vovds Jov lIe Jivsl line - and one is nol suve vIelIev one is sliII
sup-
posed
lo IeIieve in lIe
IiIevaling povev
oJ vovds. Fvon lIe olIev side
as
veII,
vovds Iave Ieen
pouving
oul once
again
Jvon noulIs lIal
Iad
Iong
Ieen
Iepl
sIul,
vovds vIicI Jov
good
veason Iad nol Ieen
used since
1945,
nol al Ieasl in
puIIic.
TIe coIIeclive
nenov
on lIe
side oJ lIe
cuIpvils unJIincIingI pvoduces
diJJevenl
pIenonena
lIan
on lIe side oJ lIe viclins. SauI
FviedIIndev
Ias descviIed
Iov,
in ve-
cenl
eavs,
a
dicIolon
Ias
opened up
Ielveen lIe desive on lIe
pavl
oJ lIe Oevnans lo novnaIize lIe
pasl
and lIe
incveasingI
inlensive
pveoccupalion
vilI lIe HoIocausl on lIe
pavl
oJ lIe
Jevs.
As Jav as ve
ave
concevned,
a
gIance
al lIe Wesl Oevnan
pvess
Jvon vecenl veeIs
can
onI
conJivn lIis
diagnosis.
In lIe FvanIJuvl lviaI
againsl
lvo doclovs
acliveI
invoIved in lIe
AIlion Onadenlod
|lIe
Nazi eulIanasia
canpaign againsl nenlaII
and
pIsicaII Iandicapped peopIe
-
lvans.),
lIe deJense
Iavev jusliJied
Iis cIain oJ
pvejudice againsl
a
O6llingen pscIialvisl
vilI lIe
avgu-
nenl lIal lIe
expevl
Iad a
JevisI gvandJalIev
and vas
possiII
eno-
lionaII
Iiased. In lIe sane veeI in lIe
Bundeslag,
AIJved
Bveggev
ex-
pvessed
siniIav vovvies
42 FuIIic Use
oJ Hislov
We ave concevned aIoul lIe IacI oJ
Iislov
and lIe IacI oJ consid-
evalion lovavds ouv ovn nalion. WilIoul an
eIenenlav palviol-
isn,
vIicI is
quile
naluvaI lo olIev
peopIe,
ouv
peopIe
loo viII nol
Ie aIIe lo suvvive. WIoevev nisuses lIe so-caIIed
ovevconing
oJ
lIe
pasl |VevgangenIeilsIevdIligung)
- vIicI vas
cevlainI
nec-
essav
- in ovdev lo naIe ouv
peopIe incapaIIe
oJ a
Juluve,
nusl
neel vilI ouv
opposilion.
TIe
Iavev
inlvoduces a vacisl
avgunenl
inlo a cvininaI
lviaI:
lIe
cIaivnan oJ lIe
pavIianenlav pavl |oJ
lIe CIvislian Benocvals -
lvans.)
denands lIe cvude veIalivizalion oJ lIe encunIeved Nazi
pasl.
Is lIe coincidence oJ IolI ullevances neve cIance? Ov is an inleIIeclu-
aI cIinale inlo vIicI
lIe quile sinpI
Jil
gvaduaII Ieconing
nove
videspvead
in ouv
BepuIIic?
TIen lIeve is lIe
speclacuIav
denand
I
lIe veII-Inovn avl
palvon
lo
slop appIing censovsIip
lo lIe avl oJ
lIe Nazi
peviod.
And lIe FedevaI CIanceIIov vilI Iis sensilive
appve-
cialion oJ
Iislov
dvavs
pavaIIeIs
Ielveen OovIacIev and OoeIIeIs.
In
lIe scenavio oJ
BilIuvg,
lIvee nolives Iad
aIvead
cone inlo
pIa
lIe auva oJ lIe
niIilav cenelev
vas
supposed
lo avaIen nalionaI
senli-
nenl and
lIeveI
IislovicaI
consciousness:
lIe
juxlaposilion
oJ lIe
nass-gvave
nounds in lIe concenlvalion
canp
and lIe
SS-gvaves
in lIe
nenoviaI
cenelev, Bevgen-BeIsen
in lIe
novning
and
BilIuvg
in lIe
aJlevnoon,
inpIicilI
denied lIe
singuIavil
oJ Nazi
cvines:
and lIe
IandsIaIe oJ lIe velevan
genevaIs
in lIe
pvesence
oJ lIe Anevican
pvesi-
denl vas
JinaII
a conJivnalion oJ lIe Jacl lIal ve Iad
aIvas
Ieen on lIe
vigIl
side in lIe
slvuggIe againsl
BoIsIevisn. In lIe
neanline,
ve Iave
expevienced
lovluvous
discussions,
vIicI Iave Iad a
Jesleving
valIev
lIan
enIigIlening
eJJecl,
in veIalion lo lIe
pIanned
IislovicaI
nuseuns,
lIe
slaging
oJ lIe FassIindev
pIa |cvilicized
Jov ils
appavenlI
anli-Senil-
ic Jealuves
-
lvans.)
ov
concevning
a nalionaI nenoviaI vIicI ve need
as nucI as a IoIe in lIe Iead.
Bespile
lIis,
Evnsl NoIle
conpIains
lIal
BilIuvg
Ias nol
el opened up
lIe JIood
gales
vide
enougI
and Ias nol
suJJicienlI
de-inIiIiled lIe
dnanic pvocess
oJ
squaving
accounls
TIe Jeav oJ
Ieing
accused oJ a sellIenenl oJ accounls and lIe
Jeav oJ
an conpavisons
did nol aIIov lIe
sinpIe queslion
oJ vIal
il vouId Iave neanl
iJ,
in
1953,
lIe lIen FedevaI CIanceIIov Iad
veJused lo visil lIe
AvIinglon niIilav cenelev
and Iad
jusliJied
lIis decision vilI lIe
avgunenl
lIal nen veve aIso Iuvied lIeve
vIo Iad laIen
pavl
in lIe levvov
IonIing
vaids
againsl
lIe Oev-
nan
popuIalion. |FvanIJuvlev AIIgeneine Zeilung,
6
June 1986).
Jiivgen
HaIevnas
43
WIoevev lIinIs
lIvougI
lIe
pvesupposilions
oJ lIis
cuviousI
con-
slvued
exanpIe
viII navveI al lIe
ingenuousness
vilI vIicI an inlev-
nalionaII
accIained Oevnan Iislovian sels oJJ AuscIvilz
againsl
Bvesden.
TIis
nixing
oJ lIe sliII nenlionaIIe vilI lIe
unspeaIaIIe
veJIecls a
cIeav veaclion lo a need vIicI
gvovs slvongev
vilI lIe
gvoving
inlevvaI
oJ line. TIe aulIovs oJ lIe sevies on TIe Oevnans in lIe Second WovId
Wav,
pvoduced I
Bavavian
TeIevision,
delecled a need in lIeiv oIdev
vievevs vIicI is
cevlainI
unnislaIaIIe lIe desive lo veIease lIe suI-
jeclive expevience
oJ vavline Jvon lIal Jvane oJ veJevence vIicI in
velvospecl
Iad lo
pvovide evevlIing
vilI anolIev
neaning.
TIis de-
sive Jvon lIe velevans'
poinl
oJ viev Jov unJvaned nenovies can nov
Ie salisJied
I veading
Andveas
HiIIgvuIev's
accounl oJ evenls al lIe
Easlevn Jvonl in 1944/45. TIe aulIov is conJvonled vilI lIe
pvoIIen
oJ
idenliJicalion,
vIicI is unusuaI Jov an
Iislovian,
onI
Iecause Ie
visIes lo incIude lIe
pevspeclive
oJ lIe
expevience
oJ lIe
JigIling
lvoops
and lIe civiIian
popuIalion
aJJecled. Il
na
Ie lIal
HiIIgvuIev's
ovevaII vovI Ieaves a diJJevenl
inpvession.
Bul lIe IillIe IooI
puI-
IisIed
I
SiedIev
|ZveievIei Unlevgang [Tvo
Kinds
oJ CoIIapse])
is nol neanl
Jov veadevs vIo Iave
speciaIisl InovIedge
oJ lIe
suIjecl,
vIicI
nigIl
enaIIe lIen lo sIiJl a
conlvasling
considevalion oJ lIe
snasIing
oJ
lIe Oevnan BeicI and lIe end oJ
Euvopean Jevv
inlo lIe
vigIl
conlexl.
TIese
exanpIes
sIov
lIal,
despile evevlIing, Iislov
does nol
sland sliII. TIe naluvaI ovdev oJ
ding
naIes no
exceplions,
even oJ
danaged
Iives. Ouv silualion Ias
cIanged JundanenlaII conpaved
lo
Jovl eavs ago,
vIen KavI
Jaspevs
vvole Iis Janous lvacl on TIe OuiIl
Queslion.
TIen il vas a
queslion
oJ
diJJevenlialing
Ielveen lIe
pevsonaI
guiIl
oJ lIe
pevpelvalovs
and lIe coIIeclive
IiaIiIil
oJ lIose
vIo,
Jov
vIalevev undevslandaIIe
veasons,
Iad JaiIed lo do
anlIing.
TIis dis-
linclion no
Iongev appIies
lo lIe
pvoIIen
oJ lIose Iovn Ialev vIo can-
nol Ie
cIavged
vilI lIeiv
pavenls'
and
gvandpavenls'
JaiIuve lo acl.
Boes lIis
genevalion
indeed Iave a
pvoIIen
oJ sIaved
IiaIiIil
in
an
va?
Jaspevs's Queslions
Toda
Nov as
IeJove,
lIe
sinpIe
Jacl venains lIal even lIose Iovn Ialev
Iave
gvovn up
in a Jovn oJ exislence in vIicI lIose
lIings
veve
possi-
IIe. Ouv ovn IiJe is IinIed
invavdI,
and nol
jusl I
accidenlaI civcun-
slances,
vilI lIal conlexl oJ IiJe in vIicI AuscIvilz vas
possiIIe.
Ouv
44 FuIIic Use
oJ Hislov
Jovn oJ exislence is connecled vilI lIe Jovn oJ exislence oJ ouv
pav-
enls and
gvandpavenls I
a nesI oJ
JaniI,
IocaI,
poIilicaI
and inleIIec-
luaI lvadilions vIicI is diJJicuIl lo
unlangIe
-
I
an IislovicaI
niIieu,
lIeveJove,
vIicI in lIe Jivsl inslance Ias nade us vIal ve ave and vIo
ve ave
loda.
No one
anong
us can
escape
unnoliced Jvon lIis
niIieu,
Iecause ouv
idenlil
IolI as individuaIs and as Oevnans is
inexlvicaII
inlevvoven vilI il. TIis exlends Jvon
ninicv
and
pIsicaI gesluves
lIvougI Ianguage vigIl up
lo lIe suIlIe
capiIIav
vaniJicalions oJ ouv
inleIIecluaI IaIilus. As iJ I
couId,
Jov
exanpIe,
vIen
leacIing
al Jov-
eign
univevsilies evev
den
lIe
nenlaIil
in vIicI lIe lvaces oJ lIe
vev
Oevnan lvadilion oJ
lIougIl
Jvon Kanl lo Mavx and Max WeIev ave
deepI
enIedded. We lIus Iave lo sland
I
ouv lvadilions iJ ve do nol
vanl lo disavov ouvseIves. I even
agvee
vilI Hevv
Bveggev
lIal lIeve is
no veason Jov sucI evasive naneuvevs. WIal
JoIIovs, Iovevev,
Jvon
lIis exislenliaI IinI vilI lvadilions and Jovns oJ exislence vIicI Iave
Ieen
poisoned I inexpvessiIIe
cvines? Al one
line,
il vas
possiIIe
lo
IoId a vIoIe civiIized
peopIe, pvoud
oJ ils conslilulionaI slale and
Iunanislic
cuIluve,
vesponsiIIe
Jov lIese cvines
- in
Jaspevs'
sense oJ
coIIeclive
co-vesponsiIiIil.
Is
sonelIing
oJ lIis
co-vesponsiIiIil
even
nov lvansJevved lo lIe nexl and lIe nexl-Iul-one
genevalion?
TIeve
ave lvo veasons
vI
I lIinI ve sIouId ansvev lIis
queslion aJJivnaliveI.
FivslI,
lIeve is lIe
oIIigalion
ve in
Oevnan
Iave
-
even iJ no one
eIse is
pvepaved
lo laIe il
upon
lIenseIves
an Iongev
-
lo
Ieep
aIive
lIe
nenov
oJ lIe
suJJeving
oJ lIose nuvdeved al lIe Iands oJ Oev-
nans,
and ve nusl
Ieep
lIis
nenov
aIive
quile openI
and nol
jusl
in ouv ovn ninds. TIese dead Iave aIove aII a cIain lo lIe veaI
ananneslic
povev
oJ a
soIidavil
vIicI lIose Iovn Ialev can nov
onI
pvaclice lIvougI
lIe nediun oJ lIe
nenov
vIicI is
aIvas Ieing
ve-
neved,
vIicI
na
oJlen Ie
despevale,
Iul vIicI is al
an
vale aclive
and
civcuIaling.
IJ ve
disvegavd
lIis
Benjaninian Iegac, JevisI
JeIIov
cilizens and
cevlainI
lIe
sons,
lIe
daugIlevs
and lIe
gvandcIiIdven
oJ
lIe nuvdeved viclins vouId no
Iongev
Ie aIIe lo IvealIe in ouv coun-
lv.
TIis aIso Ias
poIilicaI inpIicalions.
Al
an
vale,
I do nol see Iov
lIe veIalions Ielveen lIe FedevaI
BepuIIic
and
IsvaeI,
Jov
exanpIe,
couId Ie novnaIized in lIe JoveseeaIIe Juluve.
AdnilledI,
sone
nov
onI
use lIe indeIled
nenov
in lIeiv
lilIes,
vIiIe lIe lexl de-
nounces lIe
puIIic
naniJeslalions oJ a
covvesponding JeeIing
as viluaIs
oJ JaIse suInission and as
gesluves
oJ
Jeigned IuniIil.
I an anazed
lIal lIese
genlIenen
-
iJ ve Iave lo laII in CIvislian levns - cannol
even
dislinguisI
Ielveen
IuniIil
and
vepenlance.
Jiivgen
HaIevnas
45
Hovevev,
lIe cuvvenl
dispule
is nol concevned vilI lIe indeIled
nenov,
Iul vilI lIe nove navcissislic
queslion
oJ Iov ve ave lo ve-
Iale lo ouv ovn lvadilions Jov ouv ovn saIe. IJ lIal does nol succeed
vilIoul vecouvse lo
iIIusions,
lIen lIe nenoviaI lo lIe viclins aIso Ie-
cones a Javce.
In
lIe
oJJiciaII pvesenled seIJ-inage
oJ lIe FedevaI Be-
puIIic,
lIeve vas IilIevlo a cIeav and
sinpIe
ansvev. Il is lIe sane Jov
|lIe pvesenl
FedevaI
pvesidenl) WeizsaicIev
as il vas Jov Heinenann
and Heuss aJlev
AuscIvilz,
ve can
onI
cveale nalionaI seIJ-conscious-
ness Jvon lIe Iellev lvadilions oJ ouv
Iislov,
lvadilions vIicI ve nusl
appvopviale cvilicaII
and nol
IIindI.
We can
onI
conlinue lo
sIape
a
nalionaI conlexl oJ
exislence,
vIicI once aIIoved a
unique injuv
lo
lIe suIslance oJ Iunan
connonaIil,
in lIe
IigIl
oJ sucI lvadilions
vIicI sland
up
lo lIe
suspicious gaze
nade vise
I
lIe novaI calas-
lvopIe.
OlIevvise ve viII nol Ie aIIe lo
vespecl
ouvseIves ov
expecl
ve-
specl
Jvon olIevs.
TIese
pvenises
Iave Ieen lIe Iasis
up
lo nov oJ lIe
oJJiciaI
seIJ-inage
oJ lIe FedevaI
BepuIIic.
And il is lIis consensus lIal lIe
vigIl
venounces
loda. TIe
ave aJvaid oJ one
consequence
A cvilicaI
appvopvialion
oJ
lvadilion does nol in Jacl
encouvage
lIe naive JailI in lIe
novaIil
oJ
veIalionsIips
lo vIicI one Ias
neveI
Iecone
accusloned:
il does nol
IeIp
lovavds idenliJicalion vilI nodeIs vIicI Iave nol Ieen
suIjecl
lo
pviov
exaninalion. Il is Ieve lIal Mavlin
Bvoszal,
quile covveclI,
sees lIe
poinl
vIeve ninds nusl diJJev. TIe Nazi
peviod
viII Ie nucI
Iess oJ an oIslacIe lo
us,
lIe nove
caInI
ve ave aIIe lo considev il as
lIe JiIlev
lIvougI
vIicI lIe suIslance oJ ouv cuIluve nusl Ie
passed,
insoJav as lIis suIslance is
adopled voIunlaviI
and
consciousI.
Bveggev
and Iis
ideoIogicaI
aIIies vesisl lIis
conlinuil
in lIe seIJ-in-
age
oJ lIe FedevaI
BepuIIic.
As Jav as I can
see,
lIeiv uneasiness devives
Jvon lIvee souvces.
TIvee Souvces
oJ
Unease
FivslI,
neo-consevvalive
inlevpvelalions
oJ lIe
pvesenl
silualion
pIa
an
inpovlanl
voIe. In lIis
veading,
lIe
novaIizing
vesislance lo ouv
nosl vecenl
pve-Iislov
oIslvucls lIe Jvee viev oJ
Oevnan's
lIousand
eav Iislov
IeJove
1933.
AccovdingI,
vilIoul a
nenov
oJ nalionaI
Iislov,
vIicI Ias Ieen
suIjecled
lo a
lIougIl
Ian,
ve cannol cveale
a
posilive inage
oJ ouvseIves. WilIoul a coIIeclive
idenlil,
lIe
avgu-
nenl
conlinues,
lIe Jovces oJ sociaI
inlegvalion
vouId
disappeav.
TIe
Ienoaned Ioss oJ
Iislov
is IeId accounlaIIe Jov lIe
poIilicaI sslen's
pvoIIens
oJ
seIJ-Iegilinalion
and
puvpovledI endangevs
IolI doneslic
46 FuIIic Use
oJ Hislov
peace
and lIe
counlv's veIiaIiIil
in
Joveign
veIalions. TIis
avgunenl
lIen
suppIies
lIe veasons Jov lIe
conpensalov pvovision
oJ
neaning
|SinnsliJlung)
vilI vIicI
IisloviogvapI
is
supposed
lo sevve lIose
vIo Iave Ieen
upvooled I
lIe
pvocess
oJ nodevnizalion.
Hovevev,
lIe
idenliJicalov gvaI
al nalionaI
Iislov vequives
a veIalivizalion oJ
lIe
inpovlance
oJ lIe Nazi
peviod,
JiIIed as il is vilI
negalive
associa-
lions. Fov lIis
puvpose,
il is no
Iongev
suJJicienl lo
pIace
lIis
peviod
in
pavenlIeses.
Ils
signiJicance
Ias lo Ie IeveIIed oul.
SecondI,
lIeve is a nove
pvoJound
nolive Jov a vevisionisn vIicI
vendevs lIe
peviod
IavnIess,
a nolive vIicI is
quile independenl
oJ
JunclionaIisl considevalions
Al
Ia Sliivnev. Because I an nol a sociaI
pscIoIogisl,
I can
onI
naIe lenlalive oIsevvalions aIoul lIis nolive.
EdilI
JacoIson
once
deveIoped,
in a
vev penelvaling va,
lIe
pscIo-
anaIlic insigIl
lIal lIe
deveIoping
cIiId Ias lo Ieavn
gvaduaII
lo con-
necl ils
expeviences
oJ lIe
Ioving
and
giving
nolIev vilI olIev
expevi-
ences
deviving
Jvon lIe
veIalionsIip
vilI lIe nolIev vIo denies Iev-
seIJ
lo,
and vilIdvavs
Jvon,
lIe cIiId.
OIviousI
il is a
Iong
and
pain-
JuI
pvocess duving
vIicI ve Ieavn lo conIine lIe al Jivsl
conpeling
inages
oJ lIe
good
and lIe Iad
pavenl
lo naIe
conpIex inages
oJ lIe
sane
pevson.
TIe veaI
ego gains slvenglI onI
Jvon ils non-seIeclive as-
socialion vilI an anIivaIenl envivonnenl.
Anong
aduIls as
veII,
lIe
need lo deJuse
appvopviale cognilive
dissonances is sliII
slvong.
Il is aII
lIe nove
undevslandaIIe,
lIe JuvlIev
apavl
lIe lvo exlvenes Iecone
Jov
exanpIe,
on lIe one
Iand,
lIe
posilive inpvessions
oJ one's ovn
JalIev ov
IvolIev,
vIicI ave saluvaled vilI
expevience,
and on lIe olI-
ev,
lIe
disquieling
inJovnalion vIicI is
pvovided I
aIslvacl
vepovls
aIoul lIe conlexls oJ lIese
pevsons'
aclions and lIeiv
enlangIenenls,
pevsons
so
inlinaleI
connecled vilI oneseIJ. TIus il is in no
va
lIose vIo ave
novaII
insensilive vIo JeeI Jovced lo IiIevale lIal coI-
Ieclive
Jale,
in vIicI cIose veIalions veve
invoIved,
Jvon lIe IIenisI oJ
exlvaovdinav
novaI
Iegacies.
TIe lIivd nolive
opevales
on a diJJevenl IeveI
-
lIe
slvuggIe
lo ve-
cIain encunIeved lvadilions. As
Iong
as lIe
appvopvialing ee
oJ lIe
Iale-Iovn oIsevvev is divecled lovavds lIe anIivaIences vIicI veveaI
lIenseIves lo Iin
lIvougI
lIe couvse oJ a
Iislov
vilIoul
pevsonaI
nevil,
il viII Ie
inpossiIIe
lo naIe even
oulslanding Jiguves
innune
lo lIe velvoaclive
povev
oJ
covvupled
IislovicaI
veceplion.
AJlev
1945,
ve vead CavI ScInill, Heideggev,
Hans
Fveev
and even Evnsl
Jiingev
in a diJJevenl
va
lIan IeJove 1933. TIis is sonelines diJJicuIl lo loIev-
ale, especiaII
Jov
n genevalion,
vIicI - aJlev lIe
vav,
in lIe
Iong
Jiivgen
HaIevnas
47
peviod
oJ Ialenl
deveIopnenl up
lo lIe end oJ lIe 1950s
-
vas undev
lIe inleIIecluaI inJIuence oJ
loveving Jiguves
oJ lIis Iind. TIis
na,
in-
cidenlaII, expIain
lIose
pevsislenl
and avdenl
allenpls
lo veIaIiIilale
lIe neo-consevvalive
Ievilage
-
and nol
jusl
in lIe
FvanIJuvlev AIIgeneine
Zeilung.
Fovl eavs
on, lIeveJove,
lIe
dispule
vIicI
Jaspevs
Jov Iis
pavl
vas
aIIe lo
sellIe,
aIIeil
IaIoviousI,
Ias IvoIen oul
again
in anolIev Jovn.
Can one assune lIe
IegaI
succession oJ lIe Oevnan
BeicI,
can one
conlinue lIe lvadilions oJ Oevnan cuIluve vilIoul aIso
assuning
Iis-
lovicaI
IiaIiIil
Jov lIe Jovn oJ exislence in vIicI AuscIvilz vas
possi-
IIe? Is il
possiIIe
lo venain IiaIIe Jov lIe conlexl in vIicI sucI cvines
Iad lIeiv
ovigins
and vilI vIicI one's ovn exislence is
inlevvoven,
in
an va
olIev lIan
lIvougI
lIe
soIidavil
oJ lIe
nenov
oJ lIal vIicI
cannol Ie nade
good,
in
an va
olIev lIan
lIvougI
a veJIeclive and
IeenI scvulinizing
allilude lovavds one's ovn
idenlil-cvealing
lvadi-
lions? Is il nol
possiIIe
lo
sa
in
genevaI
levns lIe Iess
connunaIil
sucI a coIIeclive IiJe-conlexl aIIoved
inlevnaII
and lIe nove il nain-
lained ilseIJ
I usuvping
and
deslvoing
lIe Iives oJ
olIevs,
lIe
gvealev
lIen is lIe Iuvden oJ
veconciIialion,
lasI oJ
nouvning,
and lIe seIJ-cvili-
caI
scvulin
oJ
suIsequenl genevalions.
Moveovev,
doesn'l lIis
vev
sen-
lence JovIid us lo use
IeveIIing conpavisons
lo nininize lIe non-
lvansJevaIiIil
oJ lIe sIaved
vesponsiIiIil inposed
on us? TIis is lIe
queslion concevning
lIe
singuIavil
oJ Nazi cvines. WIal can Ie
going
on in lIe nind oJ an Iislovian vIo cIains lIal I Iad soneIov in-
venled lIis
queslion?
We ave
conducling
lIe
dispule
aIoul lIe
vigIl
ansvev Jvon lIe
pev-
speclive
oJ lIe Jivsl
pevson.
One sIouId nol conJuse lIis
avena,
in
vIicI il is nol
possiIIe
lo Ie a disinlevesled
pavl,
vilI discussions Ie-
lveen scienlisls
vIo,
in lIe couvse oJ lIeiv
vovI,
nusl
adopl
lIe
pev-
speclive
oJ lIe lIivd
pevson.
TIe
poIilicaI
cuIluve oJ lIe FedevaI Be-
puIIic
is vilIoul douIl aJJecled
I
lIe
conpavalive
vovI oJ Iislovians
and olIev acadenics vilIin lIe
Iunanilies:
Iul il vas
onI lIvougI
lIe sIuice
gales
oJ
puIIisIevs
and lIe nass nedia lIal lIe vesuIls oJ aca-
denic
vovI,
vilI ils veluvn lo lIe
pevspeclive
oJ lIe
pavlicipanls,
veacIed lIe
puIIic
cIanneIs Jov lIe
appvopvialion
oJ lvadilions.
OnI
in lIis conlexl can accounls Ie
squaved I using conpavisons.
TIe
ponpous oulvage
ovev an
aIIeged nixing
oJ
poIilics
and science sIunls
lIe issue onlo a
conpIeleI vvong
lvacI.
Nippevde
and HiIdeIvand
eilIev
gel
lIe
vvong nessage
Jvon lIe
vvong pigeon-IoIe
ov
lIe gel
lIe addvess
vvong. TIe oIviousI
Iive in an
ideoIogicaII
seIJ-conlained
48 FuIIic Use
oJ Hislov
niIieu lIal is no
Iongev
accessiIIe Jvon lIe veaI vovId. Il is nol an issue
oJ
Foppev
vevsus
Adovno,
il is nol a
queslion
oJ
dispules
aIoul scienliJ-
ic
lIeov,
il is nol aIoul
queslions
oJ vaIue-Jvee
anaIsis
-
il is aIoul
lIe
puIIic
use oJ
Iislov.
Oul
oJ Conpavisons
Cone SellIenenls
oJ
Accounls
IJ I
judge
il
covveclI
as a
non-Iislovian,
lIvee Iasic
IisloviogvapIicaI
posilions
Iave
deveIoped
vilI
vegavd
lo lIe Nazi
peviod
one de-
scviIes lIe
peviod
Jvon lIe
poinl
oJ viev oJ lIe
lIeov
oJ lolaIilavian-
isn:
one Jocuses on lIe
Jiguve
and vovId-viev oJ
HilIev:
and lIe lIivd
concenlvales on lIe slvucluves oJ lIe
povev sslen
and lIe sociaI
ss-
len. To Ie
suve,
eacI
posilion
is nove ov Iess
appvopviale
Jov exlevnaI-
I inspived
inlenlions lo veIalivize and IeveI oul lIe
signiJicance
oJ lIe
peviod.
Bul even lIe viev vIicI concenlvales on lIe
Jiguve
oJ HilIev
and Iis niIilanl vacisn
onI
Iecones eJJeclive - in lIe sense oJ a
lviviaIizing
vevisionisn,
vIicI in
pavlicuIav excuIpales Oevnan's
con-
sevvalive eIiles - iJ il is
pvesenled
Jvon an
appvopvialeI
one-sided
pevspeclive
and vilI a
pavlicuIav
vIelovic. TIe sane
appIies
lo lIe
conpavison
oJ Nazi cvines vilI lIe BoIsIevisl
Iiquidalion canpaigns,
even lo lIe aIslvuse lIesis lIal lIe
OuIag AvcIipeIago
vas nove
ovigi-
naI lIan AuscIvilz. Il is
onI
vIen a
daiI nevspapev puIIisIes
an
avlicIe on lIe
suIjecl
lIal lIe
queslion
oJ lIe
singuIavil
oJ Nazi cvines
assunes lIe
signiJicance
Jov us vIicI naIes il so
expIosive
in lIe
given
conlexl,
Jov us vIo
appvopviale
lvadilions Jvon lIe
pevspeclive
oJ
pav-
licipanls.
In
puIIic,
as an issue oJ
poIilicaI
educalion,
as an issue oJ veI-
evance lo IislovicaI nuseuns ov lo lIe
leacIing
oJ
Iislov,
lIe
ques-
lion oJ lIe
apoIogelic pvoduclion
oJ
inages
oJ
Iislov
is an
unequivo-
caII poIilicaI queslion.
Ave ve lo undevlaIe nacaIve sellIenenls oJ
accounls
I
neans oJ IislovicaI
conpavisons
in ovdev lo
escape
suv-
vepliliousI
Jvon
IiaIiIil,
Jvon lIal Iazavdous
connunil
vIicI lIe
Oevnans
appeav
lo
vepvesenl?
In lIe
FvanIJuvlev AIIgeneine Zeilung
oJ
Augusl
29lI, 1986,
JoacIin
Fesl
conpIains
aIoul lIe
insensilivil
vilI vIicI cevlain incunIenls oJ
pvoJessoviaI
cIaivs
go
aIoul seIecl-
ing
viclins. TIis nosl
appaIIing
senlence Jvon an
appaIIing
avlicIe
can
onI
veIound onlo Fesl
IinseIJ.
WI,
in lIe JuII
puIIic gaze,
con-
Jev an oJJiciaI
gIoss
on lIal Iind oJ
squaving
oJ accounls vIicI
up
lo
nov Iad Ieen excIusive lo vadicaI
vigIl-ving
civcIes?
TIis, Ood
Inovs, Ias
aIsoIuleI nolIing
lo do vilI
JovIidding
cev-
lain queslions
in acadenia. IJ lIe
dispule
-
vIicI Ias nov
gollen
undevva
vilI
viposles
Jvon EIevIavd
JacIeI, Jiuvgen
KocIa
|in
lIe
Jiivgen
HaIevnas 49
FvanIJuvlev
BundscIau oJ
SeplenIev
23,
1986)
and Hans Monnsen
|in
lIe
BIdllevJiiv
deulscIe und inlevnalionaIe FoIiliI oJ OcloIev
1986)
-
Iad
laIen
pIace
in a
pvoJessionaI jouvnaI,
I vouId nol Iave Ieen aIIe lo oI-
jecl
lo
il:
I vouId nevev even Iave Iaid
ees
on il.
AdnilledI,
lIe neve
puIIicalion
oJ lIe NoIle avlicIe
I
lIe
FvanIJuvlev AIIgeneine Zeilung
is no
sin,
as
Nippevde
slales
nocIingI,
Iul il nevevlIeIess navIs a luvn-
ing-poinl
in lIe
poIilicaI
cuIluve and
seIJ-inage
oJ lIe FedevaI
BepuI-
Iic.
AIvoad,
lIe sane avlicIe is aIso
pevceived
as sucI a
signaI.
TIis
luvning poinl
is nol vendeved IavnIess
I
lIe Jacl lIal Fesl
naIes lIe novaI
signiJicance
oJ AuscIvilz
dependenl
Jov us on
pveJev-
ences Jov nove
pessinislic
ov nove
oplinislic inlevpvelalions
oJ Iislo-
v.
Fessinislic
inlevpvelalions
oJ
Iislov suggesl
olIev
pvaclicaI
conse-
quences accovding
lo vIelIev lIe conslanls oJ
calaslvopIe
ave as-
cviIed lo lIe eviI in Iunan naluve ov ave undevslood as
Ieing sociaII
delevnined
-
OeIIen
vevsus Adovno. TIe so-caIIed
oplinislic
inlev-
pvelalions
oJ
Iislov
ave aIso
I
no neans
aIvas
Jixed on lIe
inage
oJ
lIe nev Iunan
Ieing:
il is
acInovIedged
lIal Anevican cuIluve
cannol Ie undevslood al aII vilIoul veJevence lo ils neIiovisn. TIeve
ave
uIlinaleI
Iess one-sided inluilions. IJ IislovicaI advances consisl in
aIIevialing, eIininaling
ov
pvevenling
lIe
suJJeving
oJ vuInevaIIe cvea-
luves,
and iJ IislovicaI
expevience
leacIes us lIal Jinile advances ave
onI
JoIIoved
I
nev
calaslvopIes,
lIen il is Jaiv lo
pvesune
lIal lIe
IaIance oJ
loIevaIiIil
is
onI
nainlained iJ ve
lv
ouv ulnosl lo
acIieve
an
advances
possiIIe.
In lIe Jivsl lvo veeIs oJ lIis
dispule, n opponenls
evaded a deIale
aIoul suIslanlive issues vilI lIe
allenpl
lo vendev ne
acadenicaII
unlvuslvovlI.
I don'l need lo veluvn lo lIe incvediIIe accusalions in
lIis
conlexl,
since in lIe neanline lIe discussion Ias luvned lovavds
lIe
Jacls. Hovevev,
in ovdev lo
acquainl
veadevs oJ Bie Zeil vilI a divev-
sionav lecInique
vIicI one
nigIl expecl
Jvon
poIilicians
in cIose
conIal,
valIev lIan Jvon acadenics and sevious
jouvnaIisls,
I viII cile
one
exanpIe. JoacIin
Fesl cIains lIal in lIe cenlvaI issue I
inpule
a
conpIeleI
JaIse
pvoposilion
lo NoIle.
Accovding
lo
Fesl,
NoIle does
nol
den
lIe
singuIavil
oJ NalionaI SociaIisl acls oJ deslvuclion in
an
va
vIalsoevev. NoIle Iad indeed vvillen lIal Nazi nass cvines Iad
Ieen Jav nove ivvalionaI lIan lIeiv Soviel-Bussian nodeIs. AII
lIis,
NoIle
vviles,
sunnavizing
Iis
veasons,
conslilules lIeiv
uniqueness,
onI
lo conlinue Iul lIis does nol aIlev lIe Jacl in
an va
lIal lIe
so-caIIed deslvuclion oJ lIe
Jevs duving
lIe TIivd BeicI vas a veaclion
ov a dislovled
cop,
Iul nol a Jivsl acl ov an
oviginaI.
TIeiv IenevoIenl
50 FuIIic Use
oJ Hislov
coIIeague
KIaus HiIdeIvand aIso
pvaises
lIis
vev
sane
essa
oJ NoIle's
in lIe
HisloviscIe
ZeilscIviJl
as
pioneeving,
Iecause il
allenpls
lo ex-
pIain ava
lIe
seeningI unique
cIavaclev oJ lIe
Iislov
oJ lIe TIivd
BeicI.
M veading
oJ NoIle's
avgunenls,
vIicI veads aII assuvances
lo lIe
conlvav
as neve
escape
cIauses,
Ias Ieen veinJovced aII lIe
nove
I
lIe Jacl lIal in lIe neanline NoIle Iad vvillen lIal
vev
sen-
lence in lIe
FvanIJuvlev AIIgeneine Zeilung
vIicI
gol
lIe
conlvovevs go-
ing
in lIe Jivsl
pIace:
NoIle Iad veduced lIe
uniqueness
oJ Nazi cvines
lo lIe lecInicaI
pvoceduve
oJ
gassing.
Fesl,
in
queslion
Jovn,
does
nol even Iel lIis diJJevence vesl lIeve.
BeJevving expvessI
lo lIe
gas
cIanIevs Ie asIs
Can il
veaII
Ie said lIal lIose nass
Iiquidalions
vilI IuIIels in
lIe IacI oJ lIe
necI,
sucI as veve connon Jov
eavs duving
lIe
Bed
Tevvov,
ave
sonelIing quaIilaliveI
diJJevenl? Is nol lIe con-
pavaIIe
eIenenl,
Jov aII lIe
diJJevences,
in Jacl
slvongev?
I
accepl
lIe connenl lIal deslvuclion valIev lIan
expuIsion
oJ
lIe KuIaIs is lIe
appvopviale descviplion
Jov lIis IavIavic
evenl:
en-
IigIlennenl
is a
vecipvocaI enlevpvise
aJlev aII.
Hovevev,
lIe
IaIancing
oJ
accounls,
IiIe lIal vIicI NoIle and Fesl Iave conducled in JuII
puI-
Iic viev does nol sevve lIe
puvpose
oJ
enIigIlennenl. TIe
loucI
on.
lIe
poIilicaI novaIil
oJ a
connunil
vIicI -
Iaving
Ieen IiIevaled
I
AIIied
lvoops
vilIoul
an
Oevnan assislance - vas eslaIIisIed in
lIe
spivil
oJ lIe Weslevn
undevslanding
oJ
Jveedon,
vesponsiIiIil
and
seIJ-delevninalion.
-
TvansIaled
I Jeven
Leanan