internal process leads to real changes in the external world. Metaphysical misconduct,
in his opinion, allows you to change the consciousness of the people, to see those
dangerous features of the nation that are hidden in its traditions.
K. Jaspers develops the view expressed in the "Spiritual situations of time",
linking the causes of the disaster that exploded with the spiritual "crisis of mankind",
"the loss and transformation of all kinds of faith". Turning to Germany, K. Jaspers
raises the question of the Germans' blame and seeks to subdue the fate of his people
"historically, and, consequently, to ethical self-examination". This process must take
place, first of all, because of the fact that the entire German nation was on the verge
(Grenzsituation). In millions of Germans, this situation was the death of loved ones,
the suffering of the people. Due to the border situation, it became possible to realize
the fragility and transience of its existence, to raise the question of the meaning of life.
It is important that the tragedy of the Second World War opened up the possibility for
the Germans to look at their own lives not from the point of view of the greatness of
the nation, racial superiority, class enmity or political convictions - it enabled everyone
to treat themselves as human beings. "The war has become the borderline situation in
which all the final - illusions, passions, military battles turned into a corpse, and the
German people were alone in the face of infinity. In these difficult circumstances, the
key was recognition and awareness of one's own fault". The philosopher convinced
that the question of guilt is a vital issue for the German soul. The fact that the winners
condemned us is a political fact that has significant consequences for our lives, but this
does not help us in a decisive issue, in our inner spiritual rebirth". From this position
follows the understanding of the objections of K. Jaspers to the thesis of "collective
misconduct" of the German people and the recognition of "collective responsibility",
rather political responsibility for the crimes committed [5].
The merit of the thinker lies not only in the fact that he was able to put people in
front of his own conscience, but also that in many respects, thanks to his ideas, the
basis of the consciousness of the German people was the sense of responsibility and
awareness of the crimes of Nazism, since Germany still develops in line with this
paradigm of thinking. The sense of responsibility for his past for K. Jaspers is
inextricably linked with the assertion of a Christian outlook that does not imply the
senselessness of events that have taken place and occur. Ideas of the thinker were
imbued with a deep Christian feeling, which together with him shared (and developed)
many representatives of the public and the political establishment of Germany. The
result of their efforts was the increase in the socio-political weight of the post-war
parties, the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union, which still
play a key role in formation German politics.
By analyzing the social climate in post-war Germany, Jaspers’ contemporary,
world-renowned German psychiatrist, Carl Gustav Jung emphasized the importance of
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