We not only stand on the shoulders of giants, but also of genocides, racists and Jew-haters.
The past is hard to escape from.
What was once the norm may now be the opposite of it.
You have to make that clear.
Hopefully no more criminals will be erected a memorial today.
Hate speech should not be reprinted.
The situation is different with stone witnesses to our past.
If you wanted to tear down and erase everything that was built in a spirit contrary to today's values, the world would be different, poorer too.
And above all, such an ideological disposal of supposed ballast is quite cheap.
For if one has not entirely given up hope that we can learn from history, it is much more important to ask ourselves how this could have happened.
Anyone who thinks they are better learns nothing
Therefore, the decision of the Federal Court of Justice on the unspeakable "Wittenberger Sau" at the town church is correct.
The relief as such denigrates the Jews.
However, for decades it has been rededicated as a memorial and provided with explanations.
Even if this is not considered sufficient, there is no right to removal.
There is a right to remedy the infringement, which the Federal Court of Justice clearly named: something like this cannot simply stand still, it must be explained.
The old message no longer applies.
There is also no general right to have our foundations removed.
Because they are often not just black or white, good or bad.
Otherwise, we usually try to take the entire work into account.
A life free of breaks only exists in propaganda.
Our ancestors started under completely different circumstances.
It is a question of honesty and respect, not simply meticulously applying all our standards to their actions.
Anyone who thinks they are better learns nothing.