Born Guilty

by Peter Sichrovsky

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0465007422
• ISBN13: 9780465007424
• Release Date: March 1988
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 178 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Commentaries on Generational Guilt

To expect a diverse people like the Germans to have a unified response to the dark legacy of National Socialism is to carry a deep naiveté as to the character of the people. Sichrowvsky avoids the pitfalls of sensationalism found in more publicized work focusing exclusively on the children of the Nazi leadership by examining both the children of leading nazis and the children of people who were simply "following orders." Though I would like to think that the majority of such children (and grandchildren) in the Federal Republic are like Anna, the decent woman feeling distance from the man who's denials represented the lies of her childhood, I fear that is not the case. The strength of denial and ignorance, of anger and disenfranchisement that leads to dangerous right wing activity are more prevalent in the story of Stefanie that directly follows Anna's. Perhaps it is far past time that Western democracies face the danger we ourselves have created in the concerted effort to destroy the Junker class as well as the growing Neofascist trends in modern Germany.The English translation of this book originally published in German is very good, and unlike many books does not suffer from the terrible awkwardness, which often happens in German to English translation.

Highly recommended.

I am very glad to have read this book. The "children" interviewed here tell their own stories in their own way. They appear as individuals to me, not spawn of a nazi machine. Most are horrified when they learn of what their parents had done, especially since the information had been hidden from them by their parents (who continue to lie to them). Therefore it is unthinkable to me that these children would be like their parents. The common thread appears to be how does a person relate to one's parents after finding out the truth.