ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the complex medical memories and experiences of children in the transition between the war and postwar era that included death, loss, malnourishment, disease, treatment, violence, and neglect and the response by the state to their subsequent, as ‘delinquent’ perceived, behaviour in the postwar era. It shows that the so-called ‘war youth’ immediately became the target of the new socialist state following the war’s conclusion when they were marked out as the first socialist generation and the future of the new socialist society. This state narrative gave way to harsh policies against any deviant behaviour, social or sexual, among the youth. The ‘delinquents’ were sent to medical and social institutions for re-socialisation, without considering that such behaviour might be caused by potentially traumatic war experiences. The conclusion of this chapter questions the rise in popularity of the ‘forgotten war children’ and the broad use of the term ‘trauma’ in Germany today. Without denying the long-term consequences of war experiences for the elderly and their sufferings today, this chapter points towards the pitfall in these discussions: their ‘apolitical’ claim. By using medical studies and terminology, the political agenda of the whole debate is disguised and invisible to its members.
