Germany to unseal Nazi archives to researchers

This is a great step forward for the world. Up until last year, Germany was resistent to the pressures by several groups to release the archives of what truly happened during the Nazi era. For history's cause, it is very important to understand the who, what, when, where, why, and how of it all.

It does not mean that this is the Germany of today. Certainly not! Maybe this was their fear? Whatever the case, the 11-nation governing body of the International Tracing Service will formally sign the agreement Wednesday, July 26, 2006. This agreement was reached back April 2006. The archives will remain sealed until all 11 nations have their own state's vote to okay the agreement.

The Holocaust survivors have had access to these archives, while the public has not. This was in order for them to find out what happened to their family, relatives, and things they owned. It was only for the survivors, though, because Germany was trying to protect the right of privacy for her citizens and those affected. This is their claim, and I will not question it. Not now.

What is important is that the world may finally learn what really happened, how it happened, and we should learn-not condemn-from this history. After all, would you like to be held accountable for something that someone you never knew did? No, you would not. Neither should the German people, except those of the Nazi party that are still living.

We must make sure this never happens again, like it is happening today in Darfur, Somalia, Zimbabawe, Iraq, Afghanistan, China, North Korea, Kasmir, Pakistan, etc. The world is asleep while people are being slaughtered by terrorists as though they were chattle. Why?

Maybe, just maybe, we will find some of those answers in these archives. Then, we must pay attention, stand up and scream at the top of our lungs "NO!", and do all that we possibly can to prevent it from happening again.

Source: Germany to sign protocol opening Nazi files to researchers.

Category: Germany and News.