The Germans' reflection on World War II was not as logical as we thought. Nor is the German nation a naturally rational nation. In a country once traumatized by war and collapsed, whether social reconciliation needs to be exhausted before evil deeds can be pursued, or whether the entire nation can be reconciled politically and emotionally through a kind of unconscious forgiveness, this question is for everyone. Too hard for Germans. Because until now we have not been able to draw the line between soldiers performing their duties during war and committing crimes. People can easily say "Please raise the gun an inch", but it cannot help the client find the boundaries of "loyalty".
Every Nazi-era German seems to be burdened with the original sin of the Nazis, at least a moral burden, because "no snowflake under an avalanche is innocent". Even the generation born after the 1930s, widely regarded as the unburdened generation, also faces the history of their fathers. John in the movie thinks he understands the true meaning of justice, so he touches this political, historical, moral and emotional minefield of German society with passion and impulse, but he can't let go of his father's history as a Nazi party member. Forgive the history of friends who were once the guards of Auschwitz, unable to face the reality that the former high-ranking Nazi officials are still at large, and even more dazed by the ignorance and numbness of the entire society to the Nazi tyranny that ended not long ago.
The film is not only John's personal history of psychological development and growth, but also a critique of the historically numb group and the moral cleanliness group in German society. These two extreme groups tear society apart and undermine social reconciliation.
The conclusion of the film is that there is no right or wrong in history, and the purpose of justice is not to punish, but to let everyone know what happened. Cracks can't be fully repaired, but they're better than being thrown into a pile of history. We cannot expect every criminal to reflect and repent of their sins, which should be the work of God. All people can do is stick to their original aspirations and do what they think is right.
The truth is not shameful, nor does it tear apart a society. Lies and silences are more terrifying than the Hitler and Stalin models themselves, because they do not require praise, liberation, or even executioners. In lies and silence mode, all are accomplices and executioners, all are enslaved. That's the shame, the shame of being a human being.
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