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I had a really hard time convincing people in the US that we did not know anything."

No one had a clue then about the concentration camps.

The German population was quite aware about concentration camps. Some of them were placed in close distance to major German cities (e.g. Dachau concentration camp, less than 10 miles northwest of Munich). Many of them were operated within Germany. Major German media reported about them (e.g. Die Deutsche Wochenschau), the Nazis even produced propaganda documentaries like "Theresienstadt. Ein Dokumentarfilm aus dem jüdischen Siedlungsgebiet" ("Terezin: A Documentary Film from the Jewish Settlement Area").

Extermination camps or death camps (e.g. Treblinka, Bełżec, Sobibór and Kulmhof) on the other hand were operated in occupied Poland, often in more remote areas.

Nevertheless, there is very little doubt that the majority of Germans was very aware that jews, gays, socialists, communists and other "unwanted elements" were disappearing at a rapid rate and never seen again. During the last years of the the war, rumors about the death camps are well documented in the secret police's documents.

Many Germans were aware or at least could guess what was going on. It was dangerous to discuss it and the vast majority didn't want to know.

During the first 20 years after the war, Western Germany was rearmed and integrated into the western treaty against the Soviet Union. German pre-war elites and specialists on all levels were reintegrated in order to speed up the rebuilding of the country. During this time, there was an informal overall consensus not to push questions about the past too hard. Nazis "washed" their biographies and most of them became part of the new nation (Even Eichmann was shielded by the postwar German government and the CIA, the most prominent high ranking official responsible for Eichmanns operation even became the most important policy adviser for Adenauer). People loved to claim that they "didn't know a thing", denying any individual legal and/or moral responsibility.

Starting in the 1960, Germany initiated a very thorough process of historical analysis of crimes committed during the 3rd Reich. During this time there were several very prominent public trials against former SS guards. This led to massive public and political discussions followed by countless scientific research projects. The public discussion in Germany crimes and atrocities has never stopped since and every single German is raised through an educational system that is discussing these facts over and over again. During my own time in school we discussed WWII and the Nazi regime every single year from 7th to 13th grade. TV, radio and newspaper seem to love the topic, all different kind of aspects are covered quite regular.

There is hardly any other nation on this planet that has put nearly as much energy and effort into researching and publicly discussing it's own past.

Funny thing is, Germans that emigrated during the late 1940s or during the 1950s never experienced this level of public discussion. Their last few years in post war Germany were most likely coined by an overall consensus to cover up as much as possible. In this they are very unlike the absolute majority of Germans living today.

(Edit: Zhe spelling ;-) )

(Edit: Zhank you kind fellow redditor for zhe precious gold ;-) )

were viewed as honorary Germans

As far as I know more as honorary Aryans.

I'm not implying that she is lying.

I'm stating that there is a clear historic consensus about the fact that concentration camps never were a secret and the rumors about "death camps somewhere in the East" are clearly documented.

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me.

Martin Niemöller

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