The division of Germany after World War II led to different approaches to dealing with their Nazi pasts. The denazification process varied from thorough in the American zone to less systematic in the French zone. The Soviet zone implemented denazification swiftly.
Internment camps were used, with poor conditions in the Soviet zone. Differences between zones arose during the re-employment process in the late 1940s. Many historians criticized West Germany’s denazification as ineffective.
The GDR distanced itself from its Nazi past, portraying itself as anti-fascist, while also distancing from West Germany. The GDR employed show trials and propaganda to highlight West Germany’s perceived Nazi connections.
In both parts of Germany, denazification faced challenges, and interest waned over time, leaving many guilty individuals unpunished or punished excessively.
Sources:
• Braunbuch DDR – Nazis in der DDR – Olaf Kappelt
• Instrumentalisierter Antifaschismus in der DDR – Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Sachsen-Anhalt -
• Mythos Antifaschismus – Die DDR und ihr “verordnetes” Erbe – Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung –
• Wer NAZI war, das bestimmen wir – Sächsische Landeszentrale für politische Bildung -
• Sowjetische Speziallager -
• Praktizierter Antifaschismus - ücher/praktizierter-antifaschismus
•
• Die Nachkriegszeit in Deutschland 1945-1949 – Peter Adamski, p. 57 &
• Die DDR – Geschichte und Strukturen – Klaus Schroeder
• Zu den Internierungs- und Speziallagern der Alliierten der Anti-Hitler-Koalition in Deutschland – Deutscher Bundestag, 2019.
Pictures:
• Hans Globke - By Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-F015051-0008 / Patzek, Renate / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de,
• Theodor Oberländer - By Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-23645-0002 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de,
• Persilschein - By Stadt Burgkunstadt - Stadt Burgkunstadt, CC BY-SA 3.0 de,
• Section of Prisoner of War camp located in Rheinberg, Germany. In this camp, there are 89,000 men.“ Photographer: Corporal LA Frano
• Waldheim Trials - Verhandlung gegen Ernst Heinicker (21. Juni 1950). - Von Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-S98268 / Rudolph / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de,
• Waldheim Trials – Audience - Par Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-S98084 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de,
• Globke in Bratislava Slovakia 1941 - Von Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-77013-0002 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de,
• Draft Globke Document 1937 - Von NS-Administration - Neues Deutschland (DDR-Zeitung) vom , Gemeinfrei,
• KGB document about Oberländer’s activities in Ukraine - Von Soviet KGB - Gemeinfrei,
• Konrad Adenauer - Von Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-F078072-0004 / Katherine Young / CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, CC BY-SA 3.0 de,
• Judgment of Globke – Von Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-B0708-0014-017 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de,
• Judgment of Oberländer - Von Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-72704-0001 / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de,
• Entnazifizierung – FDP Poster – FDP-Wahlplakat zur Bundestagswahl 1949 mit der Forderung nach Beendigung der Entnazifizierung - Von Graphischer Großbetrieb Georg Stritt & Co - Haus der Geschichte, Bonn; , Gemeinfrei,
• Erste Kundgebung des Antifaschistischen Blocks, August 1945; von: Abraham Pisarek; Quelle: Deutsche Fotothek; Lizenz: CC BY-SA 3.0 DE.
• Persil - Von Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-09625-0002 / Funck, Heinz / CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de,
And video footage from the National Archives.
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