When extremists use democratic means toward advancing their illiberal ends, democracy is at a severe disadvantage, making us all less safe and less free. How can we save democracy?
Thank you thank you thank you from your Jew-ish fan in Munich who lives down the street from the site of the "Burgerbräu" beer hall where Hitler had his beginnings and the heroic Georg Elser built a bomb in Hitler´s lectern which - much like the assassination attempt on Mr. Trump - failed when Hitler (due to bad weather) left a bit earlier from the scene before the bomb could go off. Georg Elser would have saved millions of lives, literally. There is a memorial plaque where the lectern was as a reminder of Elser´s heroic deed (he was murdered in KZ Dachau just before the end of the war). I walk by it every day.I´m proud to be a teacher at one of the few Jewish elementary schools in Germany. We are under heavy police protection. I´m well aware of the precious treasure, the children who have been in my classes the past 10 years. I see it as a great privilege. Although the Jewish atmosphere is very different from that of my growing up years in Los Angeles, I´m so grateful that I have this position and once again am surrounded by Jewish colleagues and friends. Not typical in Germany! The head of the community, Dr. Charlotte Knobloch, turned 93 last year. She is still more than going strong. She´s my inspiration (I´m 76 years young).Last year I began a presentation for 4th and 5th graders that I began in my own school with great success 5 years ago and am now presenting in public schools. My contribution toanti-antisemitism, where children learn about life in a little German city (I lived there myself years ago and was instrumental in the restoration of the little baroque synagogue from 1601), about how families there celebrated the holidays and how this fully flourishing Jewish community in the 20´s and 30´s suddenly experienced the growing cancer of Hitler-ism. The children respond very positively to the presentation which centers around a little porcellan mouse who tells the story. This little mouse really exists, I inherited it from a survivor whose mother had given it to her as a reminder of home as she left to safety with the Kindertransport.She never saw her family again. The mouse carries a very important story. One little 5th grader told me how much he was impressed by the story. I asked him his name: "Mohammed" he answered. This is my most important work.Yes, Elon is supporting the AfD, which has its roots in east Germany where the people never went through "De-Nazifizierung," re-education, as the people in west Germany have gone through and continue to. Will this be enough? I just don´t know. At the beginning of covid I noticed that Q-anon was already involved in propaganda here. Whether (still) being a relatively reality-based society can withstand the threat of this neo-nazi party we shall see in the February elections. Thank you for your work, Rabbi Joshua, I am happy every time I see your messages in my e-mails, I learn a lot. Blessings to you and your family. Kim
Kim - Thanks so much for sharing this story and for your kind comments. I never considered the impact of the East German voters on this. Please stay in touch and best of luck!
Thank you thank you thank you from your Jew-ish fan in Munich who lives down the street from the site of the "Burgerbräu" beer hall where Hitler had his beginnings and the heroic Georg Elser built a bomb in Hitler´s lectern which - much like the assassination attempt on Mr. Trump - failed when Hitler (due to bad weather) left a bit earlier from the scene before the bomb could go off. Georg Elser would have saved millions of lives, literally. There is a memorial plaque where the lectern was as a reminder of Elser´s heroic deed (he was murdered in KZ Dachau just before the end of the war). I walk by it every day.I´m proud to be a teacher at one of the few Jewish elementary schools in Germany. We are under heavy police protection. I´m well aware of the precious treasure, the children who have been in my classes the past 10 years. I see it as a great privilege. Although the Jewish atmosphere is very different from that of my growing up years in Los Angeles, I´m so grateful that I have this position and once again am surrounded by Jewish colleagues and friends. Not typical in Germany! The head of the community, Dr. Charlotte Knobloch, turned 93 last year. She is still more than going strong. She´s my inspiration (I´m 76 years young).Last year I began a presentation for 4th and 5th graders that I began in my own school with great success 5 years ago and am now presenting in public schools. My contribution toanti-antisemitism, where children learn about life in a little German city (I lived there myself years ago and was instrumental in the restoration of the little baroque synagogue from 1601), about how families there celebrated the holidays and how this fully flourishing Jewish community in the 20´s and 30´s suddenly experienced the growing cancer of Hitler-ism. The children respond very positively to the presentation which centers around a little porcellan mouse who tells the story. This little mouse really exists, I inherited it from a survivor whose mother had given it to her as a reminder of home as she left to safety with the Kindertransport.She never saw her family again. The mouse carries a very important story. One little 5th grader told me how much he was impressed by the story. I asked him his name: "Mohammed" he answered. This is my most important work.Yes, Elon is supporting the AfD, which has its roots in east Germany where the people never went through "De-Nazifizierung," re-education, as the people in west Germany have gone through and continue to. Will this be enough? I just don´t know. At the beginning of covid I noticed that Q-anon was already involved in propaganda here. Whether (still) being a relatively reality-based society can withstand the threat of this neo-nazi party we shall see in the February elections. Thank you for your work, Rabbi Joshua, I am happy every time I see your messages in my e-mails, I learn a lot. Blessings to you and your family. Kim
Kim - Thanks so much for sharing this story and for your kind comments. I never considered the impact of the East German voters on this. Please stay in touch and best of luck!
Hopeful and encouraging. Thank you for your research.
I’ll go forward joyfully.