On the 64th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp today,
Germany has remembered the victims of National Socialism with a variety of events. But the country's Jewish leaders chose to skip the main government ceremony on Tuesday in protest for what they say is lack of respect.
Full article here.
And here another one on Spiegel online.
As one grand dame of the German Social Democracy who for decades was involved with the Gesellschaft für christlich-jüdische Zusammenarbeit / Society for Christian-Jewish Cooperation once stated: "As long as - even when there is an obvious reason - a German must not call a Jew idiot, and vice versa, as long there do not exist normal relations between Germans and Jews."
Well, and that's why I wouldn't call said ladies and gentlemen what they are.
However, noone - I repeat: noone - and if she or he happened to worship the head of a dead sardine - will ever tell me what I am allowed to express in my or any other language. Not even an idiot.
Perhaps I should not have written 'noone will ever, 'cause one should not underestimate the mighty mightiness of the Central Council of Jews in Germany.
Tiny example:
German Coffee roaster Tchibo and oil company Esso have abandoned a nationwide advertising campaign for coffee following criticism from the Jewish community that it had been using a slogan similar* to a phrase used by the Nazis.
Full article here.
* emphazise mine
Full article here.
And here another one on Spiegel online.
Full article here.
* emphazise mine
Oh dear! After Auschwitz there can't be any language / poetry etc. etc., hm?
Ah, I wonder why none of the absolute altruistic and uncorrupt ladies and gentlemen sewed George Tabori, who postulated "There are taboos that need to be destroyed" and thus in a way was the obstetrician to a serious reflection of the holocaust and other atrocities 'made in Germany', and of whom none of his plays impressed me more than this 'joke' (German: Witz):
"Wie lautet der kürzeste deutsche Witz? - Auschwitz."
"What's the shortest German Witz? - Auschwitz."
"What's the shortest German Witz? - Auschwitz."
As said: Jedem das Seine. To each his own. Or, as Cato the Elder reportedly put it: Suum cuique.
Having written this, I do feel much better now.:)
Thus, with thanks to Bock and Jams, here two postings that moved me deeply:
Auschwitz,
Forgiving Mengele
I often wonder about the effect the holocaust has in Germany today. It can't be healthy for a culture to fear the demons in its past to this degree.
ReplyDeleteThe hand of the dead on the shoulder of the living.
Crushed, I had never heard that saying before.
ReplyDeleteIt is quite an apt proverb for this unfortunate situation.
That's because it's not quite a saying. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's one of my own, though I admit it's not the first time I've used it.
Crushed,
ReplyDeletegood question!
Rather than the hands of the victims, though, (not only the Germans) ought to be very careful about the hands of the living 'demons' and keep their shoulders straight. Otherwise one day they might buckly, and past (becomes present.
Ardent,
it's about that I think 'we' ought not allow anyone (!) to control our language. To each his own!
How many atrocities have been committed in the name of Love (for a God, a country etc.), Freedom, honour etc. etc.?!
What if the children of the victims had demanded to never again speak out the words Love and Freedom?
I think rather than victimising the abused victims (speaking about the words / language here), without forgetting history we'd rather do our best to revive what's its pristine meaning.
Ah, it's a complex matter. Hope it's understandable what I was trying to explain in but a few words.