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:Thanks. I think that perhaps that's a lot of the problem here. We all know that this subject is personally close to you, and its inherent injustice doesn't always allow you to look at the longer-term picture. Those of us not personally affected are more likely to be objective. You are right in that the Volga-Germans are modern -- but my impression from everything you've written is that most of the Heimatvertriebene were people settled in areas other than Russia -- specifically in parts of the Baltic and/or present day Poland that have been in dispute between "Polish" and "German" governments over several centuries. Moreover, you've always made it sound like something that happened after WWII and directly linked to Communist takeover -- so the emigration (or exile) of ethnic Germans from Russia in the 1860s doesn't seem connected. It's only recently that you've mentioned Pan-Slavism as a driving force. :<As for the rest, I only offered the challenge in response to your final question -- of course I don't believe that! As a historian, though, I do believe that we have an obligation to point out even the things that don't fit in with our theories. Even if the reaction was totally unjust and qualifies as an atrocity, it makes sense to mention German governmental colonization and also the fact that (perhaps -- I don't KNOW this, but think it likely from what I do know of the end of WWII) some of the Heimatvertriebene situation occorred and was possibly even tolerated by the winners of the war as a gut reaction to the Holocaust. It doesn't make it right, but we have seen all too many cases where innocent people are punished for sometimes centuries of their governments actions. To understand why things happen, we have to present all the facts.</i> JHK |
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