Name me one country that spends more effort than Germany on critically reviewing its history. Austria doesn’t count since it’s basically the same in that context.
I won’t get into an Israel discussion now, not enough time. I’ll just say both sides are doing horrible things (I’m not defending Israel but I’m absolutely not supporting the Hamas either - the IDF declared their goal as wiping out the Hamas while the Hamas declared their goal as wiping out all Jews on earth - do you see why Germany has a hard time not condemning that? By no longer supporting Israel they’d basically be saying “sure, go ahead, wipe out the Jews”).
About the Wehrmacht: There were enough people who didn’t want to fight but knew they’d be shot if they refused. Who tried to stay ethical, to avoid civilians etc. There also were enough people who were so radicalised that they really thought killing civilians in foreign countries was fine. Usually massacres were done by the SS though, and even there you could be forcefully drafted near the end of the war (I think 1944?). And yet many people joined voluntarily because they somehow believed it was the right thing to do.
Now of course when you go to Germany many people’s grandfather or grandgrandfather will have fought in the second world war. The ones who knew or at least assume that theirs was in the group I mentioned first (forcefully drafted, choosing between fighting and dying) are vocal about it when this matter is being discussed, while the ones who knew or assume that theirs was in the latter group obviously aren’t as vocal about it. That’s how the clean Wehrmacht myth appeared, but of course all schools in Germany make sure to tell everyone that it absolutely wasn’t clean, so apart from some far far right groups you won’t meet anyone who says that the Wehrmacht did nothing wrong (but you will find people who - rightfully - say that not everyone in it was a war criminal and Nazi).
I’m not saying I agree with Germany’s reasoning, just wanted to explain it.
https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas-Charta
Paraphrasing: All Muslims and Arabs are called for the liberation of Palestine and the support of Hamas in the fight against the “Zionist Invasion”. A traditional Hadith is being referred to that calls for killing all Jews.
It’s not a “could be shot” it’s a “will be shot” at the front or “will be put in a KZ” when being against the regime at home. Only very few people dared to unite in underground organisations to do something against the regime, without success. That’s how fascism works: Rule through fear.
Fleeing needs money and a friendly country (for example people, especially Jews, who fled to Switzerland were sent right back, typically directly to a KZ or to the front).
Hurting yourself has a high probability of getting you killed 1. because you aren’t worth much anymore to the fascist regime and 2. to prevent others from doing the same.
Defecting when the own side is winning is suicide (after losing the battle with the other site your previous allies won’t be happy to see you). Defecting when the own side is losing has a high chance of getting you killed by the other side for revenge.
Yes, the people who did it all voluntarily are fascists.
If someone was brought to Vietnam against his own will and only is fighting there to survive himself I really wouldn’t call him a criminal. More like a victim of the system, but there’s not much else he could do in that situation. And by that logic every soldier in every war unless they’re defending their own country is a criminal, including the Allies when they invaded Germany at the end of WW2 which obviously isn’t the case.