ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Historian Norbert Frei on Nazi Germany's Postwar Transformation

other · 2026-05-28

In an interview with NZZ, German historian Norbert Frei discusses the metamorphosis of Nazi Germany after WWII, 80 years after the war's end in Europe. He examines how the Nazi state was transformed and assesses the risk of a new fascism. Frei notes that many former Nazis changed their names and remarried under new identities, illustrating the broader societal denial of guilt. The article explores the collective amnesia and the mechanisms that allowed former Nazis to reintegrate into society.

Key facts

  • 80 years since WWII ended in Europe
  • Norbert Frei is a German historian
  • Interview published in NZZ
  • Discusses transformation of Nazi state
  • Former Nazis changed names and remarried
  • Collective denial of guilt in postwar Germany
  • Frei assesses risk of new fascism
  • Article title references a Nazi who remarried under a new name

Entities

Institutions

  • NZZ

Locations

  • Europe
  • Germany

Sources