If you tell Germans that they backed Hitler because they were racists, they will grovel at your feet, apologize for their fathers and try to condone themselves, promising that they will never again “discriminate” anyone. But do not tell them that they tolerated Hitler’s atrocities because they were submissive or they feel offended. I received the following letter from an angry German, reacting to my article in yesterday’s Washington Times (not Post).

Dear Mr Belien, 
I had the honour to read your Washington Post (28 February 2007) op-ed titled “2007 German horror tale” today. The topic covered – whether or not home schooling should be prohibited – is a very controversial one, which I personally am neither qualified nor inclined to judge upon.

I am writing to you solely because of two sentences of yours against which, if these sentences were supposed to be taken seriously (and I understand them this way), I want to express my clear opposition:

(1) “As Hitler knew, Germans tend to obey orders unquestioningly.” (2) “In Germany, schools have become vehicles of indoctrination, where children are brought up to unquestioningly accept the authority of the state in all areas of life.”

These sentences have filled me with puzzlement. Of course I – being German – find them disturbing and rejectable. But then I think to reject them bluntly, without reflection, might be wrong. I therefore try to undergo the process of seeing it from the opposition’s side. If I were to act as an advocate of what you’re saying, what arguments would I try to submit to justify these statements? “Silly”, you might say, “and not worthwhile, you’re a German so you’re obviously biased”. Possible, I would respond, but in my defense, doesn’t being German and having grown up in Germany make you particularly qualified to evaluate the accuracy of statements about Germans (not that that would be a prerequisite).
Biased as I might be, and irrespective of my personal slight, I just want you to know that I find your statements not factually justifiable. (1) Germans – you’re generalising, for no particular reason – do not “tend” to obey orders unquestioningly. At least not the majority of Germans I know. Among them, a number of school dropouts, people who were kicked out of their house by their parents, and people who refused military service. Even some people who left the country for good. As a matter of fact, among my generation anyone who was trying to give “orders” – the term is yours – was not only frowned upon, they were for most part ignored. (2) Personally, I did not perceive the schools I attended (both public schools) “vehicles of indoctrination”, and did not have the impression I was “brought up to unquestioningly accept the authority of the state in all areas of life”. In order not to bore you, let me give you just one example: in a subject called “ethics” (a surrogate for anyone who opted not to attend religious education classes) we had to write essays on where we felt there is discrimination in our country. Possibly – in case you’re right and I, being German, do tend to obey orders unquestioningly – I have not even learned what it means to question any authority, but in school the teachers did not indoctrinate, they invited us to question their authority.

Now that you write schools “have become” these mysterious vehicles of indoctrination, I have two questions: first, when, at what point in recent or not-so-recent history, have they become such vehicles, in other words, when was the changing point, and second, what exactly is it that they indoctrinate?

Whatever it is that makes you think you have the right or the “authority” to make such strong generalisations and condescending remarks about a group of people, I just want you to know that I find them unacceptable, at least in any civilised discussion (which I still believe the Washington Post intends to contribute to). Most probably you are absolutely indifferent to my opinion and to what I find acceptable, and that is understandable. But I hope that you at least take note of this letter, and see to it that whenever in the future you are about to make similar general remarks about one particular group of persons or nationality, you have sufficient evidence that justifies your generalisation.

In this case, I assume you do not. I would welcome your response to prove me wrong.

A reader of the English-language German blog David’s Medienkritik is also angry at me for making my comment on the Germans’ unquestioning obedience to state authority.
 
He writes:

Paul Belien is a psycho who is now spreading this ridiculous homeschool saga – which has until now been relegated to right-wing blogs – to national news. The primary problem with this piece is it is factually incorrect, and misleading. It is full of transparent half-truths (connecting schulpflicht laws to adolf hitler), lack of context (the families are not accurately described, nor was the condition of the main subject in the article), and – quite simply – idiotic and unnecessary slander: “As Hitler knew, Germans tend to obey orders unquestioningly.” Regardless of what you think about the German public, this is an extremely insulting and preposterious statement, as would be any similar statement about Americans.

I posted it as an example of anti-Europe commentary in the U.S. press, which, although it is far less prevalent than anti-US commentary in German/European press, is no less stupid.

Paul Belien has a reputation as an idiot, and for good reason. He was fired from the WSJ years ago after the facts caught up with one of his baseless rants, and how he continues to get published is beyond me, although the WT is a pretty sleazy paper.

Let me say two things:
 
(1) I was never fired from the Wall Street Journal. I was fired from the Belgian newspaper Gazet van Antwerpen for writing an article in the WSJ which the GvA had spiked but later proved to be correct. When I was fired the WSJ wrote an editorial defending me.
 
(2) The fact that there is no public outcry in Germany about Melissa Busekros’ ordeal is an indication that the Germans are a submissive people. It is not a generalization to state that Germans tend to see the state as a benevolent father (and so, sadly, do most Europeans). They did not oppose Hitler because of their submissive nature (rather than because of an inherent racism) and they have not learned the lesson of their past (and neither have the other Europeans).