To be conflicted about Remembrance Services?

[PaddlingSwan]

I have friends and family on both sides.

‘Both sides’?

What do you mean, both sides?

I think your post I missing at least one entire paragraph

On both sides of family in the military?
More detail please.

What sides

Waiting for an explanation

?

Don't join if you aren't happy to. Not a big deal.

I have dual nationality. My great-uncle was shot for being part of the plot to kill Hitler in 1944. There was a film made about it starring Kenneth Branagh.

It’s simply a case of paying respects and remembering the sacrifices made by our forefathers.

It's really not that deep and anyone who attempts to turn it into a divisive issue needs to have a word with themselves, in my opinion.

What like… England and Germany?

It's all gone very 80s, hasn't it?

It seemed as if it all changed in 1995, when we marked 50 years since the end of the war. The emphasis shifted from lions led by DONKEYS to LIONS led by donkeys

Now that practically all the veterans (and indeed their younger cousins) have gone, the tide is turning again.

for me, it’s remembering anyone killed in any war. Whatever side.

Both sides, like the allies and the Nazis? Personally, I'd choose the "not Nazi" side.

There’s a total fascination/obsession with war memorial services in the UK in my opinion. I often wondered is it similar in other countries?

i have dual nationality, British and German. I have no issue with either honouring their war dead, why should i??
(FYI: you do know that most Germans were happy to see the back of Hitler and his brownshirts?)

It’s remembering those who served in the wars and thinking of the sacrifices and losses of those times.
Why are you conflicted? Can you not think of all of your relatives no matter what their background?

You’re not being very clear, OP. Do you mean that the German attitude to remembrance is so different to the British one that it makes you uneasy? You thing ceremonies like what’s on the BBC now looks too like glorifying war?

@BuffaloCauliflower Yes.
I feel the UK makes too much of the whole thing.
No issue with remebering or respecting the people who served in the forces, one of my nephews is in the Royal Navy, but can we just not play on WW2? Most people have no understanding of the causes.

Ignore it then. FYI Volkstrauertag is next Sunday (16th) you can beat yourself up about it all then, if you like.

There are no 'sides' in Remembrance services.
Pacifists will attend commemoration events because, despite despising war(who doesn't?), the day is to remember all victims of war.

But even if you were descended from an actual Nazi I don’t see why remembrance would be an issue?

I think I know what you mean. On the one hand you want to remember the poor lads who died but on the other you don’t want to join in the glorification of war in the form of “dulce et decorum es”.

Britain loves to remember the wars where they were on the right side of history whilst at the same time sweeping under the carpet the ones where they were belligerent colonisers.

Yes they have a fair few in France too 😂

remembrance ceremonies are a big part of “never forget” which is more important now than ever surely?

we are starting to forget specifically because the people who lived through it are dying out

Lest we forget
and yet we’ve forgotten or don’t seem to care

Yep unfortunately.