Kurt Waldheim – Left: As a Nazi lieutenant in Podgorica, occupied Kingdom of Yugoslavia, May 1943; Right: As Secretary-General of the United Nations, Vienna, 1972. [798×569]
I know that literally millions of Nazis went completely unpunished and were allowed to prosper greatly under the US Marshall Plan, but at first glance this seems beyond absurd? What’s the story here?
frederick_s_fischer
In my estimation he was a talented but flawed man. Drafted into the Wehrmacht, he was utilized in the Balkans because of his diplomatic and linguistic skills. Because of his leadership abilities, he climbed the ranks. He likely knew, at some level, of the atrocities his army was committing – and he certainly did nothing to stop them.
After the war, he again rose through the ranks in his political career and when confronted with his wartime activities, he tried to hide the truth.
These pictures are interesting in that they show the stark duality of war and peace.
Porodicnostablo
Photographer:
a) unknown; b) Gustav Schikola.
Date:
a) 22 May 1943; b) 1972.
Location: a) Podgorica, Yugoslavia; b) Vienna, Austria.
File source:
a) Roland Kaltenegger, “Totenkopf & Edelweiß” (p. 165);
b) Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, FO600076/11.
Arranged by Ivan Ž.
31engine
Not all Germans were Nazis
As an example the leadership of the US has varied wildly and committed war crimes and atrocities. Should every soldier and officer with that stain?
Remember war is the real atrocity
borg2
He’s wearing an army uniform, not an SS uniform. There’s a big difference.
mapbc
You can’t deny your past.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t become a better person.
I hate the modern habit of digging through people’s social media posts from years ago to shame and disparage them.
Most of us hope and try to do better each day. And some people achieve that. It sucks that others try to use the past to tear down the present and future.
/rant
xieleph
A lot of NSDAP members continued their careers in the Parties of the FRoG and the GDR.
Ironically the popular right-wing Party of today is the only one in parliament that never actually contained Nazis, because it’s too young.
Sr_DingDong
Was he a *Nazi* or a member of the German Military?
ballstein
Are we the baddies?
imisswholefriedclams
Oh c’mon, Kurt was just following orders, even at the UN….
Juan-Dollar
“Nazi lieutenant” what the fuck.
Its like you call all muslims, islamists.
He wasn’t a bad guy probably. Didn’t do anything else than what most people would do in same situation.
freshbox
Later even elected President of Austria. His past was a huge issue in the election.
VHSRoot
There was an old joke about Waldheimer’s Disease: Your memory fails in remembering you were a Nazi.
proton-man
“Everyzing ist going according to ze plan. Soon, VE VILL rule ze Earth!”
someonecool43
This is the reason why Germany should’ve been destroyed post WW2
Ignacio_F
In general we tend to only rescue the memory of the victims in history, of course nothing bad with that but these photos proof that we should also rescue the memory of the victimizers: To keep track of their influence in the society during and after the crimes were done.
In these thread there’s a lot of people justifying his membership in the NSDAP without actually trying to find out what the heck he did. Personally I don’t know what he has done BUT being a Wehrmacht officer with a NSDAP membership participating in Yugoslavia at the time? Oh boy, I wouldn’t label him as an innocent immediately but I’d still like to check his history between those two moments.
hungergamesofthronez
Anyone else think the lieutenant looks like Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List?
Klytus5
I know that literally millions of Nazis went completely unpunished and were allowed to prosper greatly under the US Marshall Plan, but at first glance this seems beyond absurd? What’s the story here?
frederick_s_fischer
In my estimation he was a talented but flawed man. Drafted into the Wehrmacht, he was utilized in the Balkans because of his diplomatic and linguistic skills. Because of his leadership abilities, he climbed the ranks. He likely knew, at some level, of the atrocities his army was committing – and he certainly did nothing to stop them.
After the war, he again rose through the ranks in his political career and when confronted with his wartime activities, he tried to hide the truth.
These pictures are interesting in that they show the stark duality of war and peace.
Porodicnostablo
Photographer:
a) unknown; b) Gustav Schikola.
Date:
a) 22 May 1943; b) 1972.
Location: a) Podgorica, Yugoslavia; b) Vienna, Austria.
File source:
a) Roland Kaltenegger, “Totenkopf & Edelweiß” (p. 165);
b) Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, FO600076/11.
Arranged by Ivan Ž.
31engine
Not all Germans were Nazis
As an example the leadership of the US has varied wildly and committed war crimes and atrocities. Should every soldier and officer with that stain?
Remember war is the real atrocity
borg2
He’s wearing an army uniform, not an SS uniform. There’s a big difference.
mapbc
You can’t deny your past.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t become a better person.
I hate the modern habit of digging through people’s social media posts from years ago to shame and disparage them.
Most of us hope and try to do better each day. And some people achieve that. It sucks that others try to use the past to tear down the present and future.
/rant
xieleph
A lot of NSDAP members continued their careers in the Parties of the FRoG and the GDR.
Ironically the popular right-wing Party of today is the only one in parliament that never actually contained Nazis, because it’s too young.
Sr_DingDong
Was he a *Nazi* or a member of the German Military?
ballstein
Are we the baddies?
imisswholefriedclams
Oh c’mon, Kurt was just following orders, even at the UN….
Juan-Dollar
“Nazi lieutenant” what the fuck.
Its like you call all muslims, islamists.
exlipsiae
Good Evening [Mr Waldheim](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66qe76gkCxo)
LordBinks
He wasn’t a bad guy probably. Didn’t do anything else than what most people would do in same situation.
freshbox
Later even elected President of Austria. His past was a huge issue in the election.
VHSRoot
There was an old joke about Waldheimer’s Disease: Your memory fails in remembering you were a Nazi.
proton-man
“Everyzing ist going according to ze plan. Soon, VE VILL rule ze Earth!”
someonecool43
This is the reason why Germany should’ve been destroyed post WW2
Ignacio_F
In general we tend to only rescue the memory of the victims in history, of course nothing bad with that but these photos proof that we should also rescue the memory of the victimizers: To keep track of their influence in the society during and after the crimes were done.
In these thread there’s a lot of people justifying his membership in the NSDAP without actually trying to find out what the heck he did. Personally I don’t know what he has done BUT being a Wehrmacht officer with a NSDAP membership participating in Yugoslavia at the time? Oh boy, I wouldn’t label him as an innocent immediately but I’d still like to check his history between those two moments.
hungergamesofthronez
Anyone else think the lieutenant looks like Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List?