The unprecedented crimes of the Nazi era have left Germany with a profound legacy of guilt and responsibility. Since World War II, Vergangenheitsbewältigung, the culture of confronting the past, has shaped Germany’s identity through remembrance, restitution, education about the Holocaust, and steadfast political support for Israel. Yet, 80 years after Hitler’s death, questions arise: Is it time to move beyond this guilt? This lecture surveys Germany’s history from the fall of the Nazi regime to today, examining how the Holocaust’s shadow has influenced domestic and foreign policy. With the alarming rise of new antisemitism in Germany and Europe, we ask whether Germany can ever be considered a normal nation or if its past will forever loom too large to overcome. Join us for this timely and thought-provoking discussion.

The unprecedented crimes of the Nazi era have left Germany with a profound legacy of guilt and responsibility. Since World War II, Vergangenheitsbewältigung, the culture of confronting the past, has shaped Germany’s identity through remembrance, restitution, education about the Holocaust, and steadfast political support for Israel. Yet, 80 years after Hitler’s death, questions arise: Is it time to move beyond this guilt? This lecture surveys Germany’s history from the fall of the Nazi regime to today, examining how the Holocaust’s shadow has influenced domestic and foreign policy. With the alarming rise of new antisemitism in Germany and Europe, we ask whether Germany can ever be considered a normal nation or if its past will forever loom too large to overcome. Join us for this timely and thought-provoking discussion.