General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
Re: Most famous U-boat commander (?)
Posted by:
Webmaster@U-35.com
()
Date: March 03, 2004 01:54PM
<HTML>Hello HWM,
I feel I need to clarify your statements in some way.
German "published" opinions tend to shy away from anything that might be interpreted as praising Nazi militarism; HOWEVER, I have found no significant private support for dismissing the service of the average German Soldat as a "bad Nazi."
On the contrary, my extensive contact with the crew and families of U 35 has revealed a very strong PRIVATE interest in the military careers of family members, with the acknowledgement that it can be considered a tabu subject in public.
I am accordingly trying to create my book - especially the German version - in a manner that is sensitive to both public perception and private interest. Its strictly historical focus will allow the reader to understand the pre-war and early wartime circumstances of U-Boat crewmen, and their subsequent life as POWs. If the reader so chooses, he/she can even feel a little "proud" of the remarkably chivalrous war at sea during the first few months of the war.
There will be no artificial connection to the Holocaust, war crimes, etc. As a result, I expect some radical reviewers to dismiss the book as pro-war, pro-Nazi, etc. But we have such radicals in all societies - radicals that have not comprehended that "he who does not learn history is doomed to repeat it."
Regards,
HUM</HTML>
I feel I need to clarify your statements in some way.
German "published" opinions tend to shy away from anything that might be interpreted as praising Nazi militarism; HOWEVER, I have found no significant private support for dismissing the service of the average German Soldat as a "bad Nazi."
On the contrary, my extensive contact with the crew and families of U 35 has revealed a very strong PRIVATE interest in the military careers of family members, with the acknowledgement that it can be considered a tabu subject in public.
I am accordingly trying to create my book - especially the German version - in a manner that is sensitive to both public perception and private interest. Its strictly historical focus will allow the reader to understand the pre-war and early wartime circumstances of U-Boat crewmen, and their subsequent life as POWs. If the reader so chooses, he/she can even feel a little "proud" of the remarkably chivalrous war at sea during the first few months of the war.
There will be no artificial connection to the Holocaust, war crimes, etc. As a result, I expect some radical reviewers to dismiss the book as pro-war, pro-Nazi, etc. But we have such radicals in all societies - radicals that have not comprehended that "he who does not learn history is doomed to repeat it."
Regards,
HUM</HTML>
