Sweden a conformist nation(cont.)-August Landmesser

South Pacific Familyadventure 2008
Claes Brodin
Fri 11 Aug 2017 22:29

Conformism in human societies is of course not only on a national level but seems more or less present among humans throughout our history. By approving whatever "-ism" being the trend for the moment you reduce the risk of being socially isolated and avoid risking your career. In totalitarian states you avoid the risk of being prisoned or even executed.

The man on the picture refusing to salute Hitler represents the few of us with courage to follow his/her own beliefs. Being true to himself he did not approve to the "-ism" of his time. His name was August Landmesser.

As expected he was identified and punished by being sent to a penal military batallion where he was killed in action October 1944. His wife (who was jewish) "disappeared" in a concentrationcamp during the war.

After the war "the man on the picture" was finally identified by one of his two daughters but it was not until the early nighties that German media made an article about him.

Today in debateprograms in Swedish television the audince is being asked "is there anyone here who is not a feminist?" and the audience answers with silence.

Times and consequences differ, but the mechanism is the same........

 

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