Today is the 8th day of May 2014.
Today, exactly 69 years ago was the day on which the Second World War officially came to an end.
On this day the killing stopped, after about 56,000,000 victims on both sides.
Of this auspicious day there is not a single mention in the Newspapers, nor did I hear anything on this morning's Radio News.
Can you imagine ? The most brutal dictatorship known to modern man came to an end, Concentration Camps in which millions were brutally killed were opened and the pitiful survivors were tended.
Surviving soldiers on both sides slowly started for Home and the reconstruction of a devastated Europe began.
If this is not an important day in the history of Mankind, in particular in the history of Europe and quite specifically in the history of Austria, I don't know which day should be designated as such..
There is, however, not a single mention in today's morning paper. There are of course other Morning Papers and maybe one of them might make a passing mention. I doubt it.
Another interesting study conducted in Austria finds space in
"Die Kleine Zeitung" of the 8th day of May 2014.
"Austrians with a Tendency to Authorities:
The result shows that the desire for a "strong leader" (Quotation signs are mine) has increased.
Of more than 1000 persons questioned,
29% expressed the desire for "a strong leader who does not need to concern himself with Elections or a Parliament."
Over 50% wanted to have an end of the discussions concerning the Holocaust.
Only 50 % of those questioned were of the opinion that National Socialism has brought 'only' or 'mostly' bad things.
36% believe that the Nazis brought good as well as bad things.
I fear.that somehow this survey and the lack of any mention of the end of WWII are sadly indicative of the thinking of by no means all, but a worrysome portion of Austria's population.
When 29%, that's almost a third of all Austrians want to have a return of a dictator, "a strong leader who does not have to worry about Elections or Parliament",
then, I believe, it is high time for all good Austrians to show concern.
Are you not worried ?
Bertstravels is.
3 comments:
Bravo to you Bert for speaking out on a no doubt delicate subject in Austria and Germany. You might be interested to know that there was not a mention of the significance of this date in any of the North American or International media that I could find as well , including the BBC, the CBC , the Globe& Mail, CNN , the New York Times, the Washington Post etc. Amazing eh !
That's because it's not a significant number. With the 70th anniversary comes the acknowledgement. And the 75th, and the 80th and so on. They should have made it an annual recognition thing like the end of WWI. Isn't that was November 11th, and remembrance day is all about?
This Nazi regime was such a horrible dictatorship, excersized over Germany, Austria and the rest of all occupied territories of Europe, that the Allied victory, which brought this horror show to an end, should be celebrated each and every year, with the emphasies on teaching and education.
It can only be suggested by naive,politically uneducated citizens that a "strong leader is needed who need not worry about elections and/or Parliament."
These poor, political Dingledorfs do not even realize that they are speaking of another Adolf Hitler: A strong Leader (Führer) who did not have to concern himself with Elections or Parliament.
As stated above:
8th of May ... Celebrate it each and every year. make it into a National Holiday right accross Europe, or maybe worldwide.
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