The Complexity of German Lives During World War II: An Inside Perspective

Have you ever known someone who was a Nazi in Germany during World War II? If so, what kind of person were they?

When I was studying German at Sydney University in the late 1960s and early 1970s, one of our tutors was Kurt Brunhoff. During the war, he had been a member of the German diplomatic service and participated in the German occupation of Hungary as press attaché, where he was involved in anti-Jewish propaganda. After the war, he rejoined the West German foreign service and held positions as a consul in Vancouver and Sydney. Kurt remained in Sydney until his retirement in 1965, where he took up a position as a tutor at Sydney University, where I first encountered him.

At the time I knew him, Kurt Brunhoff was an attractive and imposing man in his late 60s and early 70s, very tall with a handsome friendly face and bright blue eyes. He was extremely popular with the students, particularly the female students, many of whom were Jewish. Surprisingly, Kurt's wartime activities were unknown to us. They only became public knowledge after his death in 1986.

My family often went on vacation to Germany when I was young. Being a Belgian and a curious amateur historian, I talked a lot with German people who had lived during the war. The moment they recognized my genuine interest, they talked freely about their Nazi past without any inhibitions.

Three Categories of Nazi Supporters

Generally speaking, people fell into three categories:

Believers in the Nazi political agenda: These were the people who most often joined the party. They truly believed Britain and France wanted to keep them down (which was true to some extent), they believed communism to be a real threat to European society (open for debate), and they believed in an international Jewish conspiracy (now easily debunked). Opportunists: This group supported certain aspects of the Nazi political programs but not all of them. They joined the party for better career options, not driven by ideological beliefs, but by an opportunist mindset. Hitler supporters: Some did not support the Nazis as a political party but Hitler as an individual. They rarely were party members but were fanatical supporters of Hitler as Führer because he got things done quickly and efficiently.

The Reality of Regular Germans

On the whole, the bulk of these people were rather common: bakers, butchers, lawyers, waitresses, etc. Some still held the belief that the Jews were out to get them, but for the majority, the racial policies were seen as a necessary evil. While the majority did not actively support the extremist views, they did not much bother to oppose them either.

While the stereotypical fanatical Nazi certainly existed, most people were by no means extremists. They were primarily interested in the immediate improvements the Nazis brought to their daily lives and did not much care about the rest of what was going on.

The majority of people did realize some really nasty things were going on but preferred to ignore it. They knew damned well that Jews and other minorities were being deported, but the details were unknown, and most people tried their best not to find out. This reticence can be explained by the harsh realities of life during the war. Food, clothing, and shelter were more pressing concerns.

The Authenticity of German Accounts

The honesty of a lot of Germans was surprising to me. Most never denied they knew crimes were being committed but simply said that during the war they had bigger problems such as finding food, clothing, shelter, etc.

As an amateur historian and student of German history, I was fascinated by the complexity of these people's lives. While some were active supporters or ideologues, many were simply caught between a rock and a hard place, forced to make difficult decisions under extreme circumstances. My encounter with Kurt Brunhoff, a man who once worked in the Nazi regime and later became a respected tutor, provided a stark contrast that underscored the multifaceted nature of the German experience during World War II.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the history of Nazi Germany is not just a tale of fanatics and ideology. It is a story of complexity, where individuals had to navigate an environment fraught with danger and uncertainty. The experiences of Kurt Brunhoff and countless others highlight the humanity and the moral ambiguities present during one of the darkest periods in history.