As we, men and women sworn to Asatru, celebrate the final day of the epic Battle of Teutoburg Forest, I stand in awe of the courage of the Germanic peoples of central Europe. From Hermann's day down to our own, Germany (the country, but more importantly, the people themselves) has endured.
But what of the future? Read these excerpts from the recent Der Spiegel article on the Hermann anniversary. (The link has, unfortunately, expired.)
"The country is marking the 2,000th anniversary with restraint because the myth of Hermann remains tainted by the militant nationalism that would later be associated with Hitler."
"Chancellor Angela Merkel visited the battlefield in a forest near the village of Kalkriese in May to open an exhibition on Germanic tribes there, and some 400 actors dressed as Romans or Germanic tribesmen gently re-enacted scenes from the battle there in June, with rubber-tipped spears. Most actors wanted to be Romans, and there was such a shortage of Germanic warriors that some hirsute hobby Vikings had to be recruited to make up the numbers."
"This anniversary year has gone very well because it has been free of nationalist emotion...It has been dealt with far more soberly than one might have expected."
"I personally think this Hermann myth will pale. And I hope people in the future will take a closer look at history, question what they have learned and review the sources...We want to contribute to a spirit of taking a more sober, distanced look at history here."
If this is the mettle of the Germans in the Twenty-First century, they will not be long among us. If this nonsense reflects the temper of the times, Germans will all be brown and will be named Mohammed in another century. However, I suspect these quotes are the message the media wants us to get, and not the words in the hearts of ordinary Germans.
This whole issue is larger than the place on the map marked "Germany." It is ultimately about the descendants of various tribes, wherever they live in the world today. Hermann belongs to them as much as he does to people living in Berlin and Hamburg. He belongs not only to Germany, but to Germania - and that is in the heart of each of us who bear that noble heritage.
What will YOU do to carry this heritage into the future?
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
5 comments:
" ..... If this is the mettle of the Germans in the Twenty-First century, they will not be long among us. If this nonsense reflects the temper of the times, Germans will all be brown and will be named Mohammed in another century. However, I suspect these quotes are the message the media wants us to get, and not the words in the hearts of ordinary Germans....."
Steve, I'm going to come out and call the quote above what it is, racist fear-mongering. I'm really just too angry to comment any further or more politely.
You see Steve, our SURVIVAL as a distinct folk is "hate" and "racism" according to some. This is why we are in the situation we are in today. As for Merkel.
Angela Merkel gave for free several nuclear attack submarines to Israel. These subs are able to fire nuclear missiles.
This is what the Occupation Government of Germany does.
There is a reason I worry about this:
“What would serve the Jew-hating world better as repayment for thousands of years of massacres but a nuclear winter? Or invite all those tut-tutting European statesmen and peace activists to join us in the ovens? For the first time in history a people facing extermination while the world either cackles or looks away have the power to destroy the world. The ultimate justice?”
–Professor David Perlmutter, writing in the Los Angeles Times, April 7, 2002
“We possess several hundred atomic warheads and rockets and can launch them at targets in all directions, perhaps even at Rome. Most European capitals are targets for our air force…We have the capability to take the world down with us, and I can assure you that that will happen before Israel goes under.”
–Martin Van Creveld, Israeli Historian
Great Steve. People who call our love hate - do so only because they hate us and wish our extinction.
BTW - there is a movie coming out called "Arminius - The Liberator." I only hope they do us honor.
@ Freya and Puckpan,
If you cannot see that using the words "Germans will all be brown and be named Mohammed" as racist fear-mongering I'm not sure you'll be able to understand where I'm coming from.
I do agree that EVERY country in Europe is unique and should be proud of and fight to maintain their heritage. I do not see where that has anything to do with being dark skinned and named Mohammed. It's the sensationalization and disregard for OTHER cultures I find offensive. Besides I'm not German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish etc. I'm American. Part of being American is an acceptance and love of the MANY diverse cultures that make us who we are. I do not feel I have the luxury of picking and choosing which ancestors I should honor. They ALL had a hand in making me who I am and while some of them spoke Gaelic, German, and Russian some of them also spoke Arabic, Hebrew, and Hindi.
@Ravencast: I understand and I agree with everything that you have said. Pride in one's family background is one thing, but when expression of that pride involves disrespect and denigration of others' race/creed/etc. , something isn't right. As an American of Irish/Norse/Scots/Dutch Jewish/German/Native American ancestry, I also find the notion of being more proud of one of those lines than the others strange and see no honor in using paranoia to gain support for one's position.
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