As a non-German, I can say that I believe that German people got shafted in 20th century by joint effort of J.P Morgan goons (Hitler) and Warbug goons (Soviets). A perfect crime, great European people and greatest European culture destroyed, perhaps for good.
The horror inflicted by the Nazis and their allies (I had family members murdered) makes it difficult to speak of what befell German people.
I find it horrible that 60% of Germans (those who did not support Hitler) suffered the most in firebombing and hunger, while Nazi ideologues in academia, Nazi financiers and Nazis themselves escaped punishment.
In the book Oddessa file Forsyth unearthed that German Department of Justice processed only 13 cases of lower-rank Nazis only prior to 1963.
For example, the commandant of Nazi concentration camp Sajmiste was apprehended in 1960 in Munich and released in 1961, while his deputy was not even apprehended.
I say that Nazis were protected by the United States and no clandestine network was needed. The most dirtiest ones were left to Vatican to spirit out of Europe. Oddesa was only cheap explanation. Bertelsmann, Krupp et al. that is real odessa.
The fact that leisure retreat of Nazi officials (Pullach) was chosen as a seat of BND is the most telling on the symbolic level. The same as purveyor of Nazi propaganda for Wehrmacht (Berttelsmann) being allowed to build media empire.
The world is not black and white, rather it is all shades of gray. However, I believe that my sketch is fairly accurate.
What do you say? You may contact me offline if you prefer.
You are right and wrong. As you say the world is not black and white. The know-how of the nazis was far to precious that the US or whoever could afford to send them all to the gallows. The best example is Wernher von Braun, a SS-Obersturmbannfuehrer who made jews put together his V2(A4)-missles in the KZ Nordhausen. His extraordinary knowlege was priceless and we all know that the US would not have reached the moon in 1969 without him. It was the same thing with the Organisation Gehlen (the forerunner of the West German intelligence service BND), that consisted mainly of old members or the notorious SD (Sicherheitsdienst Reichsführer-SS), the secret service of Himmler. They were the professionals that America needed in the beginning of the cold War to clear up Russia from inside.
This was a intelligent policy of the US although we can dispute its morality. We see very well what is happing if the elites of a country are ignored in contemporary Iraq. The US could have been advised better if they would have taken over the existing structures of the Saddam Iraqi army i.e.. I am sure the situation would be stable if they could provide security in exchange of a safe existance with future prospects. Although America officially crushed the nazi system in Germany it always walked on quite pragmatic path if it comes to old nazis. The thing is that we all had a benefit from that. No matter if we like it or not.
Nevertheless not all nazis were bright geniuses like Wernher von Braun or flying aces like Rudel. Most of them were average, boring and ordinary people. Many of them were real criminals, since it takes more than just a handful to organize the murder of 6 million Jews and 6 million Poles. Functionaries of death. Judges, SS-men, party-members etc. etc- etc. Outside of Germany there was no sympathy left for them. They indeed needed a network to secure their own existance. And this network was reality. Since West Germany took over the complete nazi apparatus of justice no one ever was really punished for crimes in the 3rd Reich. All lawsuits ended in a big implosion. To give you a typical example: The widow of the notorious Volksgerichtshof-judge Freisler (he sentenced the Hitler-bomb-planters around Stauffenberg and the "weisse Rose" to death) i.e. got a big pension (Freisler died in a US-bombing in early 45) and recieved a yearly increase (because Freisler normally would have been promoted if he would not have died that early...). The law with the yearly increase was changed in the year after she died.
They all helped together and I am sure that there was a well organized network. I do not know if its name was really ODESSA, but it existed. The "Rattenlinie" (rat line) of the Vatican was only small a part of it. Those old "comrades" had most of former west Germany under their control. No matter if we talk about politics or economy.
BTW - just take a look to the "other" side if you are interested in the story of postwar west Germany. If you read the curriculum vitae of some victims of the leftist RAF you will find out that many of them were involved into the nazi regime. I.e. Hans Martin Schleyer was turning jewish industry into aryan possession during the war. If he would not be celebrated officially as a hero nowadays you could say that he was a real swine and deserved his sad death. (stone cold sarcasm since that was not politically correct)
;)