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Culture War Roundup for the week of March 23, 2026

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Most of what he's saying sounds pretty copey.

After everything that happened, most of what he says sounds superhumanly calm and level headed, looking to the future instead of past grudges.

Loren Balhorn: When you met people, didn’t you often ask yourself if they had been Nazis?

Theodor Bergmann: I knew that about some people. Professor Röhm, he was the rector for the anniversary in 1968, 150 years of Hohenheim. He said to me: “Mr Bergmann, I was foolish. My wife was smarter. I was foolish, but I’m not a Nazi anymore.” I can understand that: “I learned.”

Loren Balhorn: You can accept that? That was enough for you?

Theodor Bergmann: That was enough for me, yes. I can’t say “you’re guilty forever”. The people didn’t know any better. He’s from a small village, the village was full of Nazis. “But my wife was smarter,” he said. I accept that.

I don’t believe in collective guilt! There were Nazis and there were others. I have nothing to do with the Nazis, but I’m in solidarity with the others. We’re trying to do something better.