Ringo
Gold Member
"Your Job In Germany" is an educational short film that was shown to american soldiers in 1945 before they were sent to serve in occupied Germany.
This film is an amazing monument of the era and proof of how any public stereotypes about a particular nation are
a) social constructs;
b) because of this, they are incredibly malleable and changeable.
"Your work in Germany" gives the viewer a standard view of Germany from the side of the average american (and more broadly, a westerner) in 1945.
The germans are a nation of genetic slaves and aggressors.
The whole of german history is the incessant attacks and conquests of neighbors.
In the last 80 years alone, Germany has been ruled by as many as three "Fuhrers" who, in fact, are indistinguishable from each other: Bismarck, Wilhelm II and Hitler. The german people, down to the last watchmaker and postman, bear collective responsibility for the nazi dictatorship.
No "great" german culture is able to wash away the shame of german crimes.
The american soldier must remember that he is in an enemy country and the german people are the enemy people. You can't talk to germans, you can't communicate, you can't fraternize. Every german is a potential nazi.
All these widespread ideas were blown away by the wind in a couple of years.
The Cold War has begun, and yesterday's enemy nation, the nazi, has re-entered the "Western family of nations".
As an existential Other, the german was replaced by a russian.
Until quite recently, russian for the average american was that guy, "your friend" from the famous poster, who "fights for freedom."
But with the beginning of the Cold War, he turned into a God-defying communist and a threat to traditional american values.
This film is an amazing monument of the era and proof of how any public stereotypes about a particular nation are
a) social constructs;
b) because of this, they are incredibly malleable and changeable.
"Your work in Germany" gives the viewer a standard view of Germany from the side of the average american (and more broadly, a westerner) in 1945.
The germans are a nation of genetic slaves and aggressors.
The whole of german history is the incessant attacks and conquests of neighbors.
In the last 80 years alone, Germany has been ruled by as many as three "Fuhrers" who, in fact, are indistinguishable from each other: Bismarck, Wilhelm II and Hitler. The german people, down to the last watchmaker and postman, bear collective responsibility for the nazi dictatorship.
No "great" german culture is able to wash away the shame of german crimes.
The american soldier must remember that he is in an enemy country and the german people are the enemy people. You can't talk to germans, you can't communicate, you can't fraternize. Every german is a potential nazi.
All these widespread ideas were blown away by the wind in a couple of years.
The Cold War has begun, and yesterday's enemy nation, the nazi, has re-entered the "Western family of nations".
As an existential Other, the german was replaced by a russian.
Until quite recently, russian for the average american was that guy, "your friend" from the famous poster, who "fights for freedom."
But with the beginning of the Cold War, he turned into a God-defying communist and a threat to traditional american values.
