It's something that's brought out again and again. In the past I had tended to agree with this comparison in spirit. However, my study abroad experience has changed that drastically.
For those of you not aware, since March I've been living in Berlin and attending the Berlin School of Economics (Fachhochschule für Wirtschaft-Berlin) and living in the Schöneberg district. Coincidentally enough, I'm on the edge of the Bavarian Quarter, which was formerly one of the central Jewish quarters and the home to Einstein.
That little bit of background is important because of a specific memorial located in this part of Berlin. It's not a statue or a monument. In fact, if you're not looking for them you'd probably never notice they existed.
The memorial I speak of is called the Places of Remembrance and consists of inconspicuous signs on street lights in this quarter of Schöneberg. On one side is an image of something from everyday life. On the other is the text of a law passed by the Nazis that directly restricts the rights of Jews.
I should note, my translated examples come from this website as well as this one, and may not be entirely accurate. My German isn't good enough to do them myself, nor do I have images for all 80 signs.
I didn't take this particular picture, but it's the only one that's not mine. Here you can see the placement of the sign on the street light, the image this time happening to be a loaf of bread.
I am unable to find the text that accompanies this sign, but it presumably forbids Jews from purchasing bread.
There is a similar law forbidding Jews and Poles from purchasing cakes that was passed in 1942.
The depth and detail of the Nazi's persecution of Jews, Poles, and other unwanted groups really makes the Bush Administration appear benign by comparison.
Some other examples of laws passed at this time are:
To avoid giving foreign visitors a negative impression, signs with strong language will be removed. Signs such as "Jews are not wanted here" will suffice.
~January 29, 1937
Jewish are and antique dealers are not allowed to practice their profession. Their businesses must be closed within four weeks.
~1935
"We had a budgerigar (small bird in the family of cocks). When we were told that Jews were no longer allowed to keep pets, my husband felt he could not part with his bird. (...) Maybe somebody denounced him, because one day he was summoned to the Gestapo. After living in fear for several weeks, I received a card from the police. I had to pick up my husband's ashes for a 3 RM fee."
~A Testimony from the Year 1943.
The Bush Administration might be evil in a lot of ways but, as I said before, they pale in comparison to the Nazis. Their illegal warrentless wiretapping is more in line with the Stasi. The secret prisons around the world could also be compared to the Stasi, with touches of the gulags thrown in.
The torture comes closer to the evils of the Nazis, but not on a large enough scale, nor even cruel enough to justify the comparison.
The one exception I'd be willing to make is the comparison of the invasion of Iraq with Hitler's invasion of Poland. Both were instigated simply to satisfy the blood lust of their nation's leader and the rationale presented to their respective citizens through concentrated propaganda.
This diary is not trying to excuse the actions of this administration. I'd be overjoyed if they were impeached tomorrow, or tried for their actions after they leave office. However, I will not make exaggerated claims of their actions.
Oh, and I mentioned Einstein above. You'd think there might be something to commemorate that he lived in Berlin for 15 years. There is.
It reads:
Here lived
in a formerly existing house from 1918 to 1933
Albert Einstein
Physicist and Nobel Prize winner born 1879 died 1955