Echoes of Trauma and Shame in German Families: The Post-World War II Generations

How is it possible for people who were born in a time of relative peace and prosperity to suddenly discover war as a determining influence on their lives?For decades to speak openly of German suffering during World War II—to claim victimhood in a country that had victimized millions—was unthinkable. But in the past few years, growing numbers of Germans in their 40s and 50s calling themselves Kriegsenkel, or Grandchildren of the War, have begun to explore the fundamental impact of the war on...