Well, I’m from Germany. Fortunately, our terrible history is still taught in every school here - in pretty much all its horrible detail.

That’s why it’s important to me to warn US citizens before it’s too late. I’m not so sure I would be courageous enough to stand up against such atrocities if I had to face deportation to an extermination camp, as I would have in Hitler’s time - please don’t do as the Germans did and fight back while you still can.

I mean there’s a world of difference between posting something somewhat critical on social media and actually having to fear consequences for life and limb. This is only for the really brave. I’m not so sure I’d be one of them if it really came down to it.

Don’t let it get that far in the first place!

Yes, there are certainly many who are just inherently evil, but I don’t think that’s the majority. I think most of them are like Eichmann: objectively speaking, of course, they are also evil, but they don’t get satisfaction from their cruelty. They simply don’t question what they’re told because it’s their job - and that’s enough of an excuse for them towards others and also towards themselves. Doesn’t make them any less guilty, though, I would say.

If I were to carry out this order, I would refuse. Who cares whether she’s “legal” or not - deporting a sick child is simply inhumane. Those goddam monsters!

But yes, that’s quite right. The reign of terror in Hitler’s Third Reich was also only possible with those who carried out orders and clung to the idea that they were not responsible. Hannah Arendt described all this very well in “The Banality of Evil”.