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I think that's an unfair characterization. We're talking about a country that requires its schoolchildren to tour the remnants of a genocide committed only 70

by saryant 11y ago

I think that's an unfair characterization. We're talking about a country that requires its schoolchildren to tour the remnants of a genocide committed only 70 years ago. To say that Germany "neglects their atrocities" is, IMO, out of line. http://www.quora.com/What-is-it-like-for-people-growing-up-in-Germany-to-learn-about-the-Holocaust-in-school http://www.quora.com/What-is-it-like-for-people-growing-up-i...

elorant 11y ago
Unfair? It took the Germans 70 years to apologize for the Distomo genocide. Just last year the German president officially visited Distomo to apologize to survivors. And yet, even to this day they refuse to pay the mere 28 million to individuals as war reparations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distomo_massacre https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distomo_massacre
- saryant 11y ago
  Yes, absolutely unfair. To cherry-pick select ignominies from WWII while ignoring the larger efforts in Germany to recognize the horrors committed by the Nazi regime is intellectually dishonest. WWII was a tragedy. You're pissed and your country is going through hell. We get that. But repeatedly bringing this up is going to accomplish precisely nothing. I'm not Greek, I'm not German. My only connection to any of that atrocity is the tales my grandfather told me about his service in the war. But after seven decades you have to forgive and move on. Scratching that wound isn't going to help anyone (just look at the howls across Asia every time the Japanese prime minister visits the Yasukuni shrine).
  - elorant 11y ago
    WWII was a tragedy. You're pissed and your country is going through hell. We get that. But repeatedly bringing this up is going to accomplish precisely nothing. I beg to differ. I think that “repeatedly bringing this up” is going to accomplish something. Because for the last fifty years every time we brought this issue up everyone was telling us it’s not the right time. Well you know what, we’re sick of waiting. At the very least they should pay us the loan Hitler took by force from our central bank. That’s not war reparations, it’s a fucking state loan.
    - sorincos 11y ago
      It would be about time Greece pays back what Alexandre the Great robbed from all his neighbours! We waited long enough, I say.
      - elorant 11y ago
        I find it interest that in the last few days many of the negative comments about Greece come from accounts with very low karma. Are you guys on a crusade of ridicule or something?
        dang 11y ago
        I'm sure most HN users can empathize with how strongly you naturally feel about this, but please follow the site rules. Everyone needs to remain civil when commenting on HN, especially when emotions run high. It's the only way to preserve the community.
        elorant 11y ago
        Fair enough.
- ThrowThrow2 11y ago
  Glad Italy is much better in confessing to colonial and war crimes committed by Italians, like "Of more than 1,200 Italians sought for war crimes in Africa and the Balkans, not one has faced justice." (2001) "When Japanese or Austrians try to gloss over their shame there is an outcry, but the Italians get away with it. [...] Ken Kirby's 1989 BBC Timewatch documentary, Fascist Legacy, detailing Italian crimes in Africa and the Balkans and the allies' involvement in the cover-up, provoked furious complaints from Italy's ambassador in London." "'All efforts on Ethiopia's side to convince Italy to live up to its responsibilities have failed,' lamented the government." http://www.theguardian.com/education/2001/jun/25/artsandhumanities.highereducation http://www.theguardian.com/education/2001/jun/25/artsandhuma... Also good reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_war_crimes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_war_crimes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacification_of_Libya https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacification_of_Libya (Acknowledged by Italy only in 2008)
RyanZAG 11y ago
It's interesting to read that, and then have those same people turn around and say 'well, that is in the past' and downvote the Greek guy above. It's easy to sit and cry about the terrible things that happened. It's much harder to actually do something about them - such as protesting the Nazis back then, or helping Greece now. EDIT: He has even been flagged. Depressing.
- saryant 11y ago
  I downvoted and flagged his comment not just for the sentiment but for the tone and disrespectful language. I realize that poster is pissed off and that's understandable given what his country is going through but I felt that specific post was inappropriate.

by saryant 11y ago

elorant 11y ago

Unfair? It took the Germans 70 years to apologize for the Distomo genocide. Just last year the German president officially visited Distomo to apologize to survivors. And yet, even to this day they refuse to pay the mere 28 million to individuals as war reparations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distomo_massacre https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distomo_massacre

saryant 11y ago
Yes, absolutely unfair. To cherry-pick select ignominies from WWII while ignoring the larger efforts in Germany to recognize the horrors committed by the Nazi regime is intellectually dishonest. WWII was a tragedy. You're pissed and your country is going through hell. We get that. But repeatedly bringing this up is going to accomplish precisely nothing. I'm not Greek, I'm not German. My only connection to any of that atrocity is the tales my grandfather told me about his service in the war. But after seven decades you have to forgive and move on. Scratching that wound isn't going to help anyone (just look at the howls across Asia every time the Japanese prime minister visits the Yasukuni shrine).
- elorant 11y ago
  WWII was a tragedy. You're pissed and your country is going through hell. We get that. But repeatedly bringing this up is going to accomplish precisely nothing. I beg to differ. I think that “repeatedly bringing this up” is going to accomplish something. Because for the last fifty years every time we brought this issue up everyone was telling us it’s not the right time. Well you know what, we’re sick of waiting. At the very least they should pay us the loan Hitler took by force from our central bank. That’s not war reparations, it’s a fucking state loan.
  - sorincos 11y ago
    It would be about time Greece pays back what Alexandre the Great robbed from all his neighbours! We waited long enough, I say.
    - elorant 11y ago
      I find it interest that in the last few days many of the negative comments about Greece come from accounts with very low karma. Are you guys on a crusade of ridicule or something?
      - dang 11y ago
        I'm sure most HN users can empathize with how strongly you naturally feel about this, but please follow the site rules. Everyone needs to remain civil when commenting on HN, especially when emotions run high. It's the only way to preserve the community.
        elorant 11y ago
        Fair enough.
ThrowThrow2 11y ago
Glad Italy is much better in confessing to colonial and war crimes committed by Italians, like "Of more than 1,200 Italians sought for war crimes in Africa and the Balkans, not one has faced justice." (2001) "When Japanese or Austrians try to gloss over their shame there is an outcry, but the Italians get away with it. [...] Ken Kirby's 1989 BBC Timewatch documentary, Fascist Legacy, detailing Italian crimes in Africa and the Balkans and the allies' involvement in the cover-up, provoked furious complaints from Italy's ambassador in London." "'All efforts on Ethiopia's side to convince Italy to live up to its responsibilities have failed,' lamented the government." http://www.theguardian.com/education/2001/jun/25/artsandhumanities.highereducation http://www.theguardian.com/education/2001/jun/25/artsandhuma... Also good reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_war_crimes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_war_crimes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacification_of_Libya https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacification_of_Libya (Acknowledged by Italy only in 2008)

RyanZAG 11y ago

It's interesting to read that, and then have those same people turn around and say 'well, that is in the past' and downvote the Greek guy above. It's easy to sit and cry about the terrible things that happened. It's much harder to actually do something about them - such as protesting the Nazis back then, or helping Greece now. EDIT: He has even been flagged. Depressing.

saryant 11y ago
I downvoted and flagged his comment not just for the sentiment but for the tone and disrespectful language. I realize that poster is pissed off and that's understandable given what his country is going through but I felt that specific post was inappropriate.