Against the Liberal Instrumentalization of Auschwitz
Franz Schandl | 06.04.2006 22:13 | Anti-militarism | World
Auschwitz becomes the pretext for diverse atrocities, the incentive for preventing what is worse.. Auschwitz has become an export-hit. What an achievement! Language, community, truth and logic are threatened when offense becomes defense and ends justify means.
AGAINST THE LIBERAL INSTRUMENTALIZATION OF AUSCHWITZ
By Franz Schandl
[This essay published in: Junge Welt, 2/3/2005 is translated from the German on the World Wide Web,
http://www.balzix.de/f-schandl_Immer%20wieder%20Auschwitz_feb-2005.html.]
We live in times of a double trivialization. One is well known; the other will be discussed here. That Auschwitz is relativized in other atrocities is annoying. That Auschwitz relativizes everything else is also unbearable. No conflict will be seen any more as a particular atrocity (in which its special characteristics are analyzed) but will be projected somehow on the Shoah and thus made small. Auschwitz itself is no longer explained from the historical development. Conversely, every current event is immediately connected with Auschwitz.
Before purely hallucinated fascists, one no longer sees the real fascists. Before purely phantasizd anti-Semites, one cannot recognize the real any more. Auschwitz must be prevented in any case, wherever, whenever and however if no other argument occurs. Reference to the Nazis is made almost everywhere and becomes a popular all-purpose weapon that can be inserted and applied at any time. Yesterday’s atrocity serves as justification for today’s atrocity, not as a warning. Auschwitz becomes an alibi.
In this fascinating logic, the holocaust functions as an excuse for diverse crimes, bombardments, invasions, raids and torture. After 1945, exhausting the extravagant Nazi comparisons (supported by the insane totalitarianism theory) was the method of the ideologues of the Cold War. Today these ideologues seem to prevail worldwide. In Auschwitz, the most excellent reason is found for waging wars sought by the centers of power. “Resist the beginnings” becomes a liberal farce. The tragic historical irony is that the mad consequence of middle class rule appears as a justification of the same. This view of things amounts to the sheer affirmation of American foreign policy – whatever its goal.
Thus the great crime against humanity takes the rap and allows or even demands other crimes against humanity. Auschwitz becomes the pretext for diverse atrocities and the incentive for preventing what is worse. Fighting Auschwitz prophylactically is even argued – today in Iraq, tomorrow in Iran and the day after tomorrow in Russia, China or Venezuela. There are enough shooting candidates. Official Germany demonstrated how this functions in Yugoslavia. By means of a new analogy, ruthlessly enforcing its own interests becomes possible. What an achievement! Auschwitz has become an export-hit over which the West in general and Germany in particular can rejoice.
Everything thrives by accusing others of being Nazis. People even casually reflect on whom nuclear bombs cannot be dropped. The all-pervasive propaganda of the culture industry is part of this free enterprise mission for freedom and democracy. The ideological cluster bombs of western values have an effect. In the name of the Enlightenment, they fortify a pro-imperialist consensus that reaches into the left. The civilization mystery play completely darkens the course of the real free enterprise democratic barbarization.
By Franz Schandl
[This essay published in: Junge Welt, 2/3/2005 is translated from the German on the World Wide Web,
http://www.balzix.de/f-schandl_Immer%20wieder%20Auschwitz_feb-2005.html.] We live in times of a double trivialization. One is well known; the other will be discussed here. That Auschwitz is relativized in other atrocities is annoying. That Auschwitz relativizes everything else is also unbearable. No conflict will be seen any more as a particular atrocity (in which its special characteristics are analyzed) but will be projected somehow on the Shoah and thus made small. Auschwitz itself is no longer explained from the historical development. Conversely, every current event is immediately connected with Auschwitz.
Before purely hallucinated fascists, one no longer sees the real fascists. Before purely phantasizd anti-Semites, one cannot recognize the real any more. Auschwitz must be prevented in any case, wherever, whenever and however if no other argument occurs. Reference to the Nazis is made almost everywhere and becomes a popular all-purpose weapon that can be inserted and applied at any time. Yesterday’s atrocity serves as justification for today’s atrocity, not as a warning. Auschwitz becomes an alibi.
In this fascinating logic, the holocaust functions as an excuse for diverse crimes, bombardments, invasions, raids and torture. After 1945, exhausting the extravagant Nazi comparisons (supported by the insane totalitarianism theory) was the method of the ideologues of the Cold War. Today these ideologues seem to prevail worldwide. In Auschwitz, the most excellent reason is found for waging wars sought by the centers of power. “Resist the beginnings” becomes a liberal farce. The tragic historical irony is that the mad consequence of middle class rule appears as a justification of the same. This view of things amounts to the sheer affirmation of American foreign policy – whatever its goal.
Thus the great crime against humanity takes the rap and allows or even demands other crimes against humanity. Auschwitz becomes the pretext for diverse atrocities and the incentive for preventing what is worse. Fighting Auschwitz prophylactically is even argued – today in Iraq, tomorrow in Iran and the day after tomorrow in Russia, China or Venezuela. There are enough shooting candidates. Official Germany demonstrated how this functions in Yugoslavia. By means of a new analogy, ruthlessly enforcing its own interests becomes possible. What an achievement! Auschwitz has become an export-hit over which the West in general and Germany in particular can rejoice.
Everything thrives by accusing others of being Nazis. People even casually reflect on whom nuclear bombs cannot be dropped. The all-pervasive propaganda of the culture industry is part of this free enterprise mission for freedom and democracy. The ideological cluster bombs of western values have an effect. In the name of the Enlightenment, they fortify a pro-imperialist consensus that reaches into the left. The civilization mystery play completely darkens the course of the real free enterprise democratic barbarization.
Franz Schandl
e-mail:
mbatko@lycos.com
Homepage:
http://www.mbtranslations.com
Comments
Hide the following 2 comments
True
07.04.2006 02:45
I hope many people wil tahe notice of what you say
*
*
a wider stand
08.04.2006 00:36
I know what you mean but we do have to identify nazis, or else nobody thrives but the nazis.
"In this fascinating logic, the holocaust functions as an excuse for diverse crimes, bombardments, invasions, raids and torture."
It is used as an extremity of argument and for good reason.
I've been in Germany. I've never consciously went to any Nazi death camp, museum or memorial but I've stumbled upon a few remnants of that reich. I never went to the war graves in Amiens or Arrass when I was in France either, I prefered to kill time in cafes. In both cases it felt like I was being touched by history, but in an improper way. I'm assuming you weren't alive in 1933. I know as a German you'll have had the holocaust rammed into you until it came out of your ears, that you never had my choice to opt out. I know every kid must be sick of wondering whether their school-trip will be something fun or another solemn, dull guilt-trip to the Shoah. I know if you ever got a school-trip to the UK you would have been asked patronisingly by everyone about the war, as if each Briton wanted you to know they don't blame you personally. I know you must get sick of being made to feel like you should be apologising for something you didn't do.
Germany failed as a nation in 1933, the Germans failed as a people. You had an unjust, undemocratic, war-mongering, racist genocidal government and your people failed to remove it. Your people paid a stiff price for their lack of successful rebellion, I've seen the damage from Dresden to Munich. I think that is an important lesson you should be teaching us.
My country is in a similar state today, slightly more progressive on the surface, and a lot more scientifically developed - so even more dangerous. And yet around me, few people are motivated to protest ( you lot excepted ).
Most brave people would use force to oppose a foriegn occupying force, eventually. It is rarer in history to find those who oppose their own states occupations and abuses forcefully. I find it odd to admit that I have German heroes from that period, Georg Elser of course but also others that wore the nazi unifrom like Stauffenberg. You could be equally using the holocaust for more forceful opposition to Bush and Blair, and the forces that defined both them and Hitler.
Widerstand