September 1 1939

In the early morning of September 1 1939, the German army invaded Poland, thus starting the ignonimous slaughter of world war II.

It would be politically correct to write how blessed we are that all that ugliness is beyond us now and what a happy European family we have become.

I can't do that. I still wonder almost daily how the Germans can live with the knowledge of what their parents did to millions upon millions of people worldwide.

Deep down they really must think they are better than others. I think that is written in their genes. They most certainly think that the crimes of their parents are not their crimes. That of course is right, but trying to ignore what happened - as many of them do - is a very dangerous road indeed.

Personally I cannot stand the country nor its people. I have met hundreds upon hundreds of them, and they all remain weird foreigners to me ; the worst ones are those who try very hard to become friends, to show just how sympathetic they can be.

It just doesn't work. But maybe that is my fault, because many a time I have seen that most Germans have no problem with me ; but I have a major problem with them.

I just can't forgive. I can't forget.