And now for something completely different. It seems that Nobel laureate, Günter Grass, Germany's greatest living writer, had been lying about his past. It seems that when he was 17, he was in the Waffen SS.
Now the great advocate of facing unpalatable truths has lived up to his own standards, but a little late. The revelation came in an interview with Germany's respected conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), and while it is certain to boost interest in his forthcoming autobiography it has done immeasurable harm to the writer's squeaky-clean reputation.
...Grass's insistent, repetitive message to his fellow citizens was that they should never, ever forget. It seems that only now has he himself chosen to remember.
I'm not really sure what to think about this information. I suppose being in the SS when you were 17 is forgivable, particularly when the Nazis were drafting everyone; however, the fact that he's hidden it for so long really gives me a bad taste in my mouth.
4 comments:
Yes, we'll see what he actually writes in his autobiography. While Grass has always acknowledged that he served in the armed forces, the author never revealed that he VOLUNTEERED to join in the SS. Still, I find it admirable that he's spent his entire life in order to spread the persistent message that we should never forget.
On that note regarding the historicity of war crimes, Koizumi will visit the Yakusini War Shrine sometime this week, perhaps the last major act in his political career as Prime Minister of Japan. China, South Korea, North Korea, Phillipines, and Vietnam are expressing moral outrage.
The big difference between Japan and Germany, we must never forget, is that Germany has always apologized -to this day- on her own two feet. Japan has only apologized when *forced* to apologize. Big difference. Hence, in the Far East, Japan's atrocious behavior is nearly impossible to forgive.
Now that these discussions of moral-historical responsibilities are especially in the air, I feel that the Grass-question is more forgivable in comparison to Japan's gross historical denial. Germany should feel proud that they have such a concerned moral citizen; Japan does have anything close to a moral counterpart.
Instead, Japan has a prime minister, and a likely upcoming one (Abe), who are using such visits as perhaps a means to militarize Japan once again. The unsettling "realpolitik" situation in the Far East is made dangerous due to loss of Japan's lack of historical accountability. If Japan had such towering moral-cultural figures as Grass, the situation, I feel, would be a lot different today (Instead, Japan has Mishima).
Yes, we'll see what he actually writes in his autobiography. While Grass has always acknowledged that he served in the armed forces, the author never revealed that he VOLUNTEERED to join in the SS. Still, I find it admirable that he's spent his entire life in order to spread the persistent message that we should never forget.
On that note regarding the historicity of war crimes, Koizumi will visit the Yakusini War Shrine sometime this week, perhaps the last major act in his political career as Prime Minister of Japan. China, South Korea, North Korea, Phillipines, and Vietnam are expressing moral outrage.
The big difference between Japan and Germany, we must never forget, is that Germany has always apologized -to this day- on her own two feet. Japan has only apologized when *forced* to apologize. Big difference. Hence, in the Far East, Japan's atrocious behavior is nearly impossible to forgive.
Now that these discussions of moral-historical responsibilities are especially in the air, I feel that the Grass-question is more forgivable in comparison to Japan's gross historical denial. Germany should feel proud that they have such a concerned moral citizen; Japan does not have anything close to a moral counterpart.
Instead, Japan has a prime minister, and a likely upcoming one (Abe), who are using such visits as perhaps a means to militarize Japan once again. The unsettling "realpolitik" situation in the Far East is made dangerous due to loss of Japan's lack of historical accountability. If Japan had such towering moral-cultural figures as Grass, the situation, I feel, would be a lot different today (Instead, Japan has Mishima).
-KM
This is probably making an excuse for him.
Many claimed that National Socialist rhetoric, sounded like authentic socialist rhetoric.
I'm excusing him for what? What is the "this" you are referring to? I am further not sure what point you are trying to make about rhetoric styles. Perhaps I did not pick on the "pitch", but I cannot find one here.
-KM-
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