Thursday, October 15, 2009

â??live View / - Axisâ??

Thoughts on an interesting interview / thoughts on an interesting interview

On Monday (12th of Oct.) at 10 a.m., one could listen to an interview with the German journalist Volker Mauersberger on the German radio station SWR1 (South-West Broadcasting 1), who "grew up" as a reporter/journalist with the Social Democratic Party of Germany ( SPD ) in the 1970ies during the legislator's term of Willy Brandt . Brandt's politics (i. e. Ostpolitik, Ostverträge) let him draw near to the SPD. During this interview, Mauersberger reflected on the recent crisis of the SPD (they got their worst election result (~ 23%) since the foundation of the Federal German Republic [FRG]!) and their problem of credibility now they try to position themselves further away left from the political center, although the parliamentary party leader of the SPD, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, happens to be a representative of the very politics they now try to abandon (i. e. Agenda 2010 ).
Later on, Mauersberger went on about Henning Scherf , party member of the SPD and retired mayor of Bremen, about whom he had written a biography 2 years ago. Scherf was described as a very unconventional politician during and after the Bonn era of the FGR. Scherf, for instance, refused his salary as Bremen senator telling the mayor to spend the money on something useful; he let himself locked up with some squatters for a fortnight to understand their needs and was able to change some conditions for them afterwards; he goes to work by bike every day and refuses to accept bodyguards for his own safety; he also rallied against the stationing of Pershing missiles in the FGR in the early 1980ies together with demonstrators, sitting together with them in front of the Bremen Town Hall (he then already was senator of Bremen). Thus, he seems to resemble someone like Hans-Christian Ströbele (who is party member of The Green Party of Germany ). Scherf was one of the first in the SPD, who said that the SPD must process this historical election blow and who seemed to talk about it very openly and truly. Therefore, the SPD is well-advised to think about the things Scherf said about the SPD very carefully. Just looking forward an leaving everything else and old behind cannot be the way!
But back to the interview: Mauersberger was then interviewed about his new book "Hitler in Weimar" , which is - among other things - a biography of his own family during the Nazi period an their ties to the Nazis. One could think that Mauersberger would look for excuses why his family joined the Nazis, but on the contrary he states in this book that his bourgeois family joined the Nazis rather early and rather enthusiastically and his father happened to be one of the builders of the Buchenwald concentration camp and was a member of the camp guards until he managed to enlist with the Wehrmacht . Mauersberger, who was born in 1939, never had a chance to ask his father about the reasons of his joining the Nazis (his father was in French war captivity until the 1950ies and then left his family with unknown destination, dying presumably some years later). It seems rather difficult to write a book (among other things) about troubling the roll of his family during the Nazi regime without trying to clear their names, but it looks as though Mauer has Achieved this goal. Therefore it is recommended to read this book .
I'm afraid that all the links are in German. Please report to me, if you find similar links and articles in English or if left happen to be dead or misleading!

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On Monday, 12 Oct., 10 clock could be heard on the frequency of the radio station SWR1 (Southwest Radio 1) an interview with journalist Volker Mauersberger who as a young journalist in the 1970s during the years of the reign Willy Brandt 's "grew up" with the SPD . Brandt's policy (eg new Ostpolitik, Eastern treaties) brought him close to the SPD. During the interview, Mauersberger reflected on the current crisis of the SPD (they got about 23% its worst election result since the founding of West Germany!), And their credibility problem: You try to further to the left of the political to middle position, although Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the chairman of the SPD in the Bundestag, a representative of precisely the policy of which she is now trying to solve (Eg Agenda 2010).
later went on a Mauersberger Henning Scherf , member of the SPD and the Mayor retired from Bremen, on which he had written 2 years, a biography. Scherf has been described as a very unconventional politician during and after the era of Bonn Germany. Sun Scherf waived for example, on his salary as a Senator bremer and recommended his former boss and mayor, the money for something useful to be used, he settled for 14 days, including with squatters to their needs to understand and was then change in the situation from this perspective, some conditions for the squatters, and every day he has a bike to work and dispensed bodyguards, he also demonstrated along with other protesters on the lawn in front of the Bremen City Hall (as himself there was Senator) against the stationing of Pershing missiles in the early 1980s. Overall, he looks a little like Green member Hans-Christian Ströbele . Scherf was among the first who said that the SPD had to handle this historic election debacle, and he seemed very open and honest to talk about it. The SPD is therefore well advised think very carefully about the things that Scherf said of the SPD.
But back to the interview: Mauersberger was then interviewed about his new book "Hitler in Weimar" , which is including a biography of his own family during the Nazi era and their involvement with the Nazis. One might think that Mauer would look for excuses, that his family followed the Nazis, but - quite the opposite - he says in his book that his bourgeois family early, and very enthusiatic about the Nazis came. Moreover, his father was a founder of the Buchenwald concentration camp and for a time a member of the guards, until he finally managed to have put themselves to Wehrmacht .
Mauer, who was born in 1939, never had the opportunity to his father about his reasons to question (Mauersberger father fell into a French prisoner of war until the 1950s and subsequently separated from his family with destination unknown and probably died a few years later). It seems rather difficult, a book (and others) on the problematic role to write their own family during the Nazi era without their names, can not wash away, but it seems to have succeeded Mauersberger. It is therefore recommended to read the book .
If some links are unusable or lead to the desired page, I shall bring it to please!

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