[_cenw]

We're finally getting an answer to "how could such a thing happen". The answer is pretty simple: We think of history distinctly different than current events, ourselves as more enlightened and of our peers as more capable of calling it. And besides, it'd be really inconvenient if we actually had fascism, so why not ignore it until it's on the news or something.

[Anthony-G]

In the 1930s, Germans (and their European neighbours) considered themselves to be more enlightened and culturally sophisticated – despite the political instability and economic turmoil that plagued the Weimar republic (war reparation debt, hyper-inflation, Great Depression).

[atoav]

There are contemporary people who said the country in most danger of falling for communism is Germany, while Russia was seen to be in danger of turning fascist.

History has this weird thing of becoming invisible to many of the actors within it. I guess it takes a certain kind of mind (or is it just education?) to be the lobster that noticing the water becoming warmer. Without any frame of reference it could be train moving, or the landscape — those with some degree of historic education have some absolute frame of reference at least.