I grew up in Germany during the time mentioned in last week’s “Musings,” post-war, walking through rubble, seeing bunkers and craters in the woods, where bombs hit and missed their target, the steel factory.

I also thought that the war would shape the culture, and in Germany it did, for a long time. My generation felt international, not national. We were never again to let another war happen, and we didn’t.

But time goes by and people don’t seem to learn from history. I am always so surprised when the young or old start following political leaders who are saying and doing the same...