Buried in history

The Germans have a way of acknowledging history that is blunt, honest, and factual. It's noticeable and respectable. They don't tiptoe around topics that are sensitive. They don't craft their words in a way that is condescending or flowery.

Example: the Monument to the Murdered Jews of Europe (the Holocaust memorial). It is a carefully designed full city block in a very desirable section of Berlin. This is high-priced real estate and the city decided that was the appropriate place for a memorial. That's pretty amazing.

It resembles a cemetery on undulating ground. Large, smooth cement blocks arranged in rows. It looks sort of like a cemetery that's floating on gently waving water. It's haunting and beautiful.