Maze in Jewish Museum, Berlin The door slams and suddenly the world becomes a dark maze of inescapable tunnels. My sense of direction is gone. Everywhere I turn I feel lost and scared. I am surrounded by fifty-foot dark, intimidating pillars that block all the light. I feel emotionally drained. I wonder whether the doors at the end of the dark paths are crematoriums (where many lives were lost in the holocaust). As I wander through the Jewish Museum, I wonder how the Germans face the horror of their past as they go about their lives. As I explore Berlin, I am in shock that the Germans can mark their landmarks of such a cruel history. I am amazed at how far Germany has come in confronting its past.
From the Nazi memorabilia to Concentration camps, Germany has chosen to be open to the fact that they used their power throughout the twentieth century to harm and control others. They are not secretive about their past, but are accepting responsibility and confronting it. If Germany did not have museums and historical places to commemorate World War II, they would never begin the healing process and communicate to the world that they are not hiding from their acts. It is going to take many centuries for people in the Western hemisphere to think about Germany without being reminded of their role in deaths of six million Jews and many others.
Throughout history, every country in the Western hemisphere has had failures. By recognizing and openly embracing the faults in their history, Germany has set a good example for countries around the world on how to confront their past.
From the Nazi memorabilia to Concentration camps, Germany has chosen to be open to the fact that they used their power throughout the twentieth century to harm and control others. They are not secretive about their past, but are accepting responsibility and confronting it. If Germany did not have museums and historical places to commemorate World War II, they would never begin the healing process and communicate to the world that they are not hiding from their acts. It is going to take many centuries for people in the Western hemisphere to think about Germany without being reminded of their role in deaths of six million Jews and many others.
Throughout history, every country in the Western hemisphere has had failures. By recognizing and openly embracing the faults in their history, Germany has set a good example for countries around the world on how to confront their past.
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