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One of the most important developments in the incipient Berlin Republic's memory regime has been the return of the memory of German suffering from the end and aftermath of World War II. Elite discourses about the bombing of German cities, the mass rape of German women by members of the Red Army, and, above all, the expulsion of Germans from then-Eastern Germany and elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe have gained massive visibility in the last decade. Although many voices have lauded these developments as liberating, many others within Germany and especially in Poland—from where the vast majority of Germans were expelled—have reacted with fear. Yet, do these elite voices resonate with mass publics? Have these arguments had demonstrable effects on public opinion? This paper delves into these questions by looking at survey results from both countries. It finds that there has been a disjuncture between the criticisms of elites and average citizens, but that the barrage of elite criticisms leveled at German expellees and their initiatives now may be affecting mass attitudes in all cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the role of mediators in the process of cultural transfer in the American-occupied Germany during the years 1944 to 1947. United States Office of Military Government in Germany's creation of the newspaper `Die Neue Zeitung'; Newspaper's transmission of cultural values to Germany; Staff's understanding of how to present American values to a German audience.

This article examines the complex interplay between the American military governor and German political leaders through an analysis of two crises that occurred over the making of the Basic Law. Why did a trial of strength between General Lucius Clay and the Social Democratic Party leadership in March and April 1949 come about? Understanding Clay's intervention in the politics of constitution-making in occupied Germany requires a more probing investigation than references to the temperament of a “proconsul” or a bias against a left-wing party. The analysis of Clay's intervention in this account shows how the Social Democrats evaded and challenged directives from the occupation authorities, and illuminates the limits of his influence over German framers of the Basic Law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reviews the microfilm collection "Confidential U.S. State Department Central Files." "Germany: Internal Affairs, 1943-1949: Political, Governmental, and National Defense Affairs," Part I; "Germany: Internal Affairs, 1943-1949: Social, Economic, and Industrial Affairs," Part II.

This article presents information on the German education system. It cites some recent references to the strengths of various aspects of the German education system. A number of these systems are to be grafted on to the British system as a result of the Education Reform Act of 1988. Excellence in German education, tends to be characterized by indicators as the reduction of youth unemployment and the stimulus to the economy and understandably warrants consideration in the light of Great Britain's social and economic problems. It is further noted in this article that consideration of the origins of the educational system of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and attempts to conceptualize its evolution lead to examine the post-World War II period of denazification and reconstruction. Similarities to the British tripartite system resulting from the 1944 Education Act will be apparent to any observer of the German federal school system. As education in the FRG is a matter for the individual, it is a mistake to refer to a national curriculum in the German context.

Discusses stereotyping of Germans in occupied Germany by American journalists following the end of World War II. Identification of the so-called Nazi type of German; Description of pre- and post-war reportage on Germans which represents this stereotype; Representations of German youth; Psychological aspects of the German defeat; Notion of the collective guilt of Germans for the atrocities committed by Germany during the war; Attitudes toward antisemitism; Policy implications of recognizing stereotyping trends.