Learning from the Germans

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In the wake of white nationalist attacks, the reparations debate, and the controversy surrounding Confederate monuments, Susan Neiman's work offers a crucial perspective on how nations confront their historical wrongs. As a white woman from the civil rights-era South and a Jewish resident of Berlin, Neiman draws from her unique background to blend philosophical insights, personal narratives, and interviews with Americans and Germans facing their national histories. She engages with notable figures such as Jan Philipp Reemtsma, creator of the pivotal Crimes of the Wehrmacht exhibit, and Friedrich Schorlemmer, an East German dissident, highlighting Germany's arduous journey to atone for the Holocaust. In the U.S., she speaks with civil rights icon James Meredith about his fight for equality and Bryan Stevenson about his lynching memorial, alongside lesser-known activists, showcasing contemporary efforts to address America’s violent past. Through her clear and compelling prose, Neiman invites reflection on the complex nature of evil, urging us to recognize and prevent its manifestations in the future.