IN Germany you go to jail for displaying Nazi flags and paraphernalia

[moondust]

19. In practical terms,

I don't know who would have enforced a ban on Confederate stuff after the Civil War due to the geographic size of the Confederacy and the large population. It's probably not realistic to think you could occupy the place indefinitely with garrisons of Union troops to enforce a ban. Could the locals be expected to enforce a ban on the symbols so many of their friends and relatives had embraced, fought and died for? I doubt a ban was even considered by Union generals and politicos. They may have even figured that since the Confederates were defeated they would rehabilitate, forget the symbols and move on.

Germany was occupied by Allied and Soviet troops for more than 40 years after WWII so there were plenty of ban enforcers available if needed. Devastated post-war Germans had no real choice but to come to terms with their wrongs, face down their demons, and do whatever necessary to prevent it from ever happening again.