Fear and responsibility: a look at Braunau and the past

Fear and responsibility: a look at Braunau and the past

Günter Schwaiger, an important director, presented his views on dealing with the National Socialist past in a recent interview. His film is entitled "Who is afraid of Braunau?", What alludes to Adolf Hitler's place of birth. Schwaiger emphasizes that dealing with history in Austria is often shaped by fear, especially when it comes to looking at the role of one's own ancestors in the National Socialist regime.

further explains that there is a deeply rooted fear of asking how many people supported or at least tolerated the atrocities of the Nazi regime in Austria at the time. While Germany was intensively discussing the discussions about the crimes of the Third Reich, this happens only slowly in Austria and often only with delay.

The negative connotation of Braunau

Schwaiger makes it clear that Braunau is negatively occupied in public perception and is often seen as a symbol for evil. This constructed fear on the place is intended to help pass the guilt from your own shoulders and to project onto a geographical point. "The guilt must not fall back on us," he says, asks to seriously face this topic.

The topic of the film and the director's words throw a light on the need to not only address historical responsibility, but also to actively shed light on. Reflection on the past is considered essential to do real processing and deal with your own history.

The discussion about the past is more relevant than ever today. The cinematic examination of the Nazi past is not only conducted in Austria, but is part of a broader debate about culture of remembrance and history in Central Europe. Schwaiger's approach is an important challenge to deal with uncomfortable truths.

The documentation of Schwaiger could give essential food for thought and help to reduce grief and incomprehension in society. His film could possibly act as a catalyst to enable a broader discussion about the historical responsibility and the perception of places like Braunau.

More information about the perspective of Günter Schwaiger and his documentation can be found in a detailed article at www.augsburger-allgemeine.de .