the old nazi

[Stephen Rieck <stephen.rieck1@sympatico.ca>]

Robert Kunath and everyone:
Many things were well finished in 1945. What the Nazi's did to the
Jewish people during WW2 was reprehensible and disgusting.
Some of my relatives in Germany during the war, found themselves in a
crazy, out of control political situation that seemed to threaten their
security. They were mostly working-class people trying to make a living,
raise a family, and somehow deal with humanity's latest apparently
successful aspiration to civilisation. It is generally regarded (and has
been by governments since the end of WW2) that, as victims, the people
of Germany were not responsible for the horrors of their leaders. Those
relations of mine are now respected and enjoy extensive world-wide
rights and freedoms. Why should they be held to their behaviour decades
ago, for all of their life?
Why should Herbert von Karajan's reputation be constantly sullied by the
political passions of his youth? Did he personally, maliciously harm
people? Was he a convicted war criminal? Whatever the "purity" of his
passions, is it so despicable that he would channel them into making
great music greatly for so many decades after the war, giving the world
a gift that many will cherish for generations?
Glenn Gould wouldn't give a rat's ass about von Karajan's affiliations
during the war. He was always so extraordinarily generous to those he
admired and respected, as is obviously the case here. So, let's get back
to Gould now that I'm satisfied that von Karajan's reputation has been
considered as carefully as the great eccentric's. Thanks to everybody
for considering my point of view.
....by the way, if I were a card-carrying passionate member of a
political party here in Canada, what difference would it make on your
impressions of me to know exactly which party it is? - and would you
think that, because it is Canadian, that it would be benign?
Stephen Rieck, professional visigoth.