Don't mention the war

Today is Friday the 10^th of May 2012 and as I post this blog I have the pleasure of having two German friends visiting, and staying at my home. They are a lovely retired couple we first met in Cuba while on holiday.

Cuba is such an unspoilt country because of the American embargos against it. I don’t know much about politics other than the modern bunch of politicians we have set before us seem to be a bunch of cowards who won’t or can’t tell the truth, and who hide behind a false vale of political correctness so they can make their way up that greasy pole to power.

One person’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter; one man’s piece of rubbish is another man’s bargain; one person’s view on art is another person’s view as junk. All I know about Cubans are that Americans are losing out on the chance to meet some of the friendliest people in one of the safest and historical countries in the Caribbean.

Anyway back to the present. When our friends first visited there were two stereo types about the Germans which were blown out of the water. The first is that German people have no humour. This is so untrue. We never laughed as much as we did when in their company. The second is, do not mention the Second World War, just like Basil Faulty in the classic comedy of Faulty Towers in the episode when he has German guests staying. He hurts his head and goes around telling everyone not to mention the war.

When our friends first visited we followed this belief, then one afternoon after a long day site seeing they wanted to relax in front of the television. I turned it on and walked out to make everyone a cup a tea.

When I returned I was horrified for I had forgot the last channel I had been watching was the History one and there on the screen was a programme about the Second World War. I went for the remote control to turn over to another programme, but my guests insisted they were happy to watch it. At that point in the programme was someone who been in the resistance against the Nazis.

Although they were only children during this period they still feel a collective guilt by what was done by their forefathers in their name, but we forget that hundreds of thousands of non-Jewish Germans were murdered for their resistance to the Nazis. Democrats, socialists, communists, trade unionists, journalists, and churchman plus many other people who resisted in their own little way. Hundreds of thousands more fled to carry on the resistance outside their home country.

We should never forget what horror fascism is. But at the end of the day I would rather be friends with people be them Cuban, German or any other person of a different race, colour or creed than live in the past, and be an enemy of them.