Divided Memory: The Nazi Past in the Two Germanys

A previous view has mischaracterized this work as one that deals with attitudes toward Israel. The primary purpose of this book is the role of the Holocaust in memory among the respective West and East German elites following World War II. It is not a broader work on social history, which one could argue needs to be done, but criticizing someone for the book he didn't write is misplaced. Herff's arguments center around the coming to grips with the Holocaust in politics in the two German states. He asserts, correctly, that East German leaders chose to adopt the Marxist line that WWII was a fascist war, and the Holocaust a product of fascism rather than racism. The leaders did so in order to portray the installed Stalinist state as the legitimate government in eastern Germany and being utterly disconnected from the Nazis. The result was a whitewashing of historical memory, portraying Jews and other minorities as virtual martyrs of the East German state. Herff further argues, and places blame, on West German leaders for failing to engage the Holocaust. However, he points out that Karl Adenauers efforts to engage conservatives on this issue was a forward-thinking move, and ultimately salvaged West Germany on this issue. Ultimately, the issue of the two Germanys and Israel has to do with the evolution of historical memory rather than philo-semitism or philo-nazism. This book will be useful for those seeking to understand the role of memory in WWII and the Cold War.