Der Spiegel: Obama’s speech tainted by Nazi History? [Updated]
By SusanUnPC on July 20, 2008 at 2:30 PM in Barack Obama, Foreign Policy, German politics, Germany
You’re all familiar with the uproar in Germany over Obama’s original plan to speak in front of the Brandenburg Gate. In her fine essay, “The Adulation of a Leader: a Cautionary Tale,” Medusa noted that Obama was attempting “an ancestral hat trick,” evoking both Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy’s speeches at the site.
Well, Mr. Obama has been pushed down the road by German leadership to the Siegessäule monument, which Der Spiegel notes may be “contaminated by its Nazi past.”
In his Washington Post column, “The Audacity of Vanity,” Charles Krauthammer made the essential point about the “audacity” of Obama presuming he could speak at the Brandenburg Gate:
What Obama does not seem to understand is that the Brandenburg Gate is something you earn. President Ronald Reagan earned the right to speak there because his relentless pressure had brought the Soviet empire to its knees and he was demanding its final “tear down this wall” liquidation. When President John F. Kennedy visited the Brandenburg Gate on the day of his “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech, he was representing a country that was prepared to go to the brink of nuclear war to defend West Berlin.
Who is Obama representing? And what exactly has he done in his lifetime to merit appropriating the Brandenburg Gate as a campaign prop? What was his role in the fight against communism, the liberation of Eastern Europe, the creation of what George Bush the elder — who presided over the fall of the Berlin Wall but modestly declined to go there for a victory lap — called “a Europe whole and free”?
Here’s more on what Der Spiegel is reporting about the new site:
Der Spiegel wonders: “Is Obama Speech Site Contaminated by Nazi Past?”
The German magazine writes:
The column originally stood in front of the Reichstag, Germany’s parliament building, but was moved by Adolf Hitler to its current location in 1939 to make way for his planned transformation of Berlin into the Nazi capital “Germania.”
“The Siegessäule in Berlin was moved to where it is now by Adolf Hitler. He saw it as a symbol of German superiority and of the victorious wars against Denmark, Austria and France,” the deputy leader of the Free Democrats, Rainer Brüderle, told Bild am Sonntag. He raised the question as to “whether Barack Obama was advised correctly in his choice of the Siegessäule as the site to hold a speech on his vision for a more cooperative world.”
Andreas Schockenhoff of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats said, “the Siegessäule in Berlin is dedicated to a victory over neighbors who are today our European friends and allies. It is a problematic symbol.”
Mr. Obama is all too familiar with “problematic symbols”:
That grandiose symbol was “here today, gone tomorrow” after it became the subject of jokes throughout the media and on the Internet. So too is the Brandenburg Gate.
But now Mr. Obama has a new symbol to worry about: The Siegessäule column was seen by Adolph Hitler as a symbol of German superiority, and the move to its current location was part of Hitler’s scheme for the “transformation of Berlin into the Nazi capital ‘Germania’.”
Once again, the mantra — Location, location, location! — proves true.
UPDATE: Perhaps this new image will take Obama’s followers off the inconvenient truth:
Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Obama?”
Jayyyyyyyyyysussssssssssss.
aint it grand?? The Uhhbamapalooza tour keeps giving..
PRIDE GOETH BEFORE THE FALL
his arrogance will be his undoing!!
HILLARY IS POTUS!
oops, there’s his pissy face again. Love it, his swanning around like the queen of the fairies and people laughing at him behund his back.
I miss hearing that expression “swanning around.” It’s straight out of Flannery O’Connor.
OMG Creepy Undertones? Creepy? There has to be a better word for it than creepy. Sinister!
Beginning of Obama’s speech is leaked per Newsveek:
Don’t forget POland.
Alsace, Lorraine and the Sudetenland!
I read another article in the German “der Spiegel” last night. It titled:
The Siegessäule (the column of victory) - of all places!
Obama seems to underestimate the Nazi symbolism of the Siegessäule. Critics say that for Hitler the Siegessäule was symbol for German Superiority and his war victories. They question whether this symbolism shows good judgement to stage a speech about international cooperation there.
Other sources in the article mention that this place plays absolutly no role politically, because it’s shape of a phallus makes it a favored place for throwing partys of the homosexual community.
Again, another source cited in the article mentions that the Siegessäule stands much more for fun than megalomania.
So much for judgment, folks.
Dear God, somebody pull that guy back here with a hook.
If you’re talking about Obullshit, then “no, no , no” don’t pull him back with anything. For Pete’s sake seal the borders!! Keep him out!!!!
Beware the night of broken glass.
I am concerned in that Sen Obama (and his handlers) does not understand the historical significance of some of his actions- unless-of course- he does and wishes to inject some revisionism to our history knowledge base.
Sen Obama’s media machine appears to understand the significance of subliminal messaging very well so this makes me wonder- what on earth was he originally intending to accomplish with his planned (but now thwarted) Brandenburg Gate PERFORMANCE?
That’s easy. “I am JFK” was his subliminal goal. Far as I can see the only resemblence he bears to JFK is JFK was left handed too.
You see, he is surrounded with people who didn’t live any of the history they are trying to mimic. Instead they accidentally mock. That’s their downfall.
Trust me, none of these children know anything about Nazi history beyond a page in their 9th grade history book, which they grudgingly read for homework. That’s why they are getting into trouble. He surrounded himself with HUNDREDs of Foreign Policy advisors before leaving town. The problem is, none of them are historians. They need to ship this guy back home ASAP.
Wouldn’t it be better if they kept him????
We don’t want him back!
If Europe loves him so much maybe they can elect him into power over there!
Can we stop him at the border. I hear there is something funny about his passport.
With people like ayers in education, the nazis will end up being sweet guys who love their mothers and kittens.
Good point Athy. Does he know? Or worst, is he a puppet for someone or something else?
Does Rose Kennedy own a black dress?
They really don’t understand it. I think you’re right. Subtlety escapes them. His handlers don’t seem to be able to think more than a day ahead.
so ,now it is time to understand what Obamas Mentor Wright ment in His speaches(Sermons) as Trinity Church and else …
Now I can see, tha Obama is the same Obama 20 years ego, and He is promoting His Trinity Church movement with no stoping. Go back to Wright speaches , and who this man reminds YOU, just look,listen and compare???
Obama said, that He is done with His Trinity Church, untill GE is over??? So, after GE, He will start His movement in full speed, M.Wright as His spokesman!!!!!!!
why not?? frankly his 75K stadium is too “Hilter-esque” to me,
germans tend to be wary of anyone with a cult like following.. like Hilter..
Today, one of my friend who voted for the fraud in the primaries, decided she can no longer support him, its too cult-like. She may either sit it out or vote mccain. This is a HUGE deal for her, and in my opinion, if she is turned off by the O-cult, hmm..wonder how many others are frankly sick of it!
and for the person who said charles K would be critizing Hillary, yes of course, this is a free country, as far as I know, but Hillary woulnd;t throwing temper tantrums and act like some petulant child like the arrogant moron!
cripes almighty, Hillary probably would have laughed at that cover of New Yorker if it was her and Bill after all the ugly, nasty, vulgar things said about her from Obama cultists-please. Obama’s a wuss.
He’s VERY thin skinned. You don’t enter the big time if you can’t take it. He whines and gets all freaked out, practically implodes every time somebody criticizes him. he’s a child with a glass jaw. I am sure the Republicans know this and will use it accordingly at the right time.
I like Karl Roves interview with GQ. His take on Obama was indicative of how they’ll go after him this fall. That he is arrogant and sensitive to criticism is no big secret in the capitol.
Have you gotten to know Hillary or Barack to any degree?
Yes, I have.
What have been your dealings with them?
Well, you know, I used to have her office at the White House. And I got to know [Obama] because we have a mutual friend, Ken Mehlman, who was his law-school classmate at Harvard. And so as a result, whenever in the last three years he’s been around at the White House, I’ve gotten to see him, and we sort of would hang around and chitchat about things. I’m actually in his book. He wrote that “people like Newt Gingrich, Tom Delay, Ralph Reed, and Karl Rove say we are a Christian nation.” And I did not say that. I confronted him about it. At the White House.
And what did he say?
Well, first he denied that I was in the book! And then he denied that it said that I said that it was a Christian nation. And then when I pulled out the thing [he had a copy of the offensive page with him] and showed it to him, he sort of blah-blah-blah-blah-blah- blah-blah. And I thought, That’s who he is. I mean, look, he may claim that he’s for a different kind of politics, but that was a cheap shot. And I’m not certain if any of the four said it either. But it was like, you know, Let’s just strap it in there and see if it goes someplace. Another example: Him saying, “We honor John McCain for his fifty years of service” was a cheap shot. He was going out of his way to say John McCain’s old.
Is John McCain too old?
No.
I have often wondered how much he’ll cry when he has to give his concession speech or if he’ll just refuse to give one!
It seems I remember John Kerry sending out
Edwards to thank the supporters the night Kerry went down in flames. (Kerry always seems to have been a class act). Obama will send out Michelle to spit on the crowd. He will then call the UN hotline and complain that he was robbed of his kingdom because Amerika is bad and can they please come and seize the country and appoint him because he really is supposed to be the world leader and this is seriously messing with his cool.
Either that or he will knot his little fists and go out there (with almost half the grit that Shirley Temple at age 5 possessed) and
keep his little bottom lip from quivering too much and he will Try so hard not to cry. And
Chris Matthews will try so hard not to cry.
And we will all try so hard to quit laughing our asses off (after an hour or so).
Oh he’ll refuse. He never stands up to anything. He’s a very tall crybaby.
He kept the New Yorker guy off the Grand Tour. He’s so petty.
Did you see her laugh at herself on SNL??? OMG! I love her. She had no problem making fun of herself.
McCain was awesome, too, on SNL. Making fun of being old! If you get a chance check you tube. I think the clips are on there!
ssmith — actually Krauthammer said some really nice things about Hillary while these primaries were going on as did many of the other Republican columnists and pundits. Washington knows what Obama is — this is why he got the DNC to move to Chicago. He felt he would have more control there.
I listened to this other Reverend who is not supporting Obama say that Jesse Jackson’s whispers were for the thousands of Civil Rights preachers around the country who fear Obama will destroy the Civil Rights movement to promote Black Liberation instead.
As far as your friend is concerned–I believe a lot of nice people came out to support Obama because he presented a positive view of this nation and sounded very inclusive. No more — the vision Obama has for America is dark and bleak. Therefore, he will begin to lose the youth and will only be left with cultists.
If there is a torchlight parade, I will explode.
Obviously, O’blah blah thinks he has already been voted “American Idiot” from all the fans texting votes on their cell phones, and now he’s doing his “World Tour!” Christ on a cracker can’t someone send this putz back to Chicago with all the other crooks, er I mean his friends, where he belongs? He is a total embarrassment to the USA when the rest of the world sees him! And we thought the wanking chimp was embarrassing! Geeze Get that TFLP off his imaginary “MEMEME” tour already!
Perhaps the logical explanation for Obama’s massive troll followers is they are the reincarnation of Hitler followers, no? I see some glaring obvious signs there…uh, uh, uh….
Obama doesn’t care about history. He makes history fit into his narrative for his purpose, not the other way around.
Obama doesn’t want to learn history. He wants to be history (as long as he doesn’t have to earn it).
Sounds like “wanna be a war president” GWB’s ambition.
Oh, he’ll be history all right. Right after the election.
imustprotest — Obama is trying this ploy 20 years too soon. We boomers are alive and well and we are not going to be fooled by Obama’s cockamamey history for dummies. We know the truth and we VOTE. He should have waited another 25 years until most of us boomers were pushing up daisies but that would have made him 73 and no spring chicken himself. If the I Love Obama cult was so huge then why are the 3 media stooges trying so hard to give Obama Foreign Policy gravatis and why is the Democratic Party trying to force us PUMA’s to vote for him? Democracy is alive and well and Obama ain’t young, cute or smart. Obama’s turn on seems to be world domination. Well sir if you can’t get it up without this fantasy try a Viagra instead.
How funny> I said the same thing in my posts. I’ve been telling people this for a long time and the only ones who seem to get it are the over 50s.
And his handlers aren’t exactly young either, not even late summer chickens.
That would be funny. Then all the young punks of that time will say “he’s old. toooo oldddd.
Obama is but a long line of narcissistic creeps who try to rule the world.
Anyone who “thinks” they can rule everyone has got to be bat shit crazy.
Obama’s speeches are ALWAYS tainted — none are original — they are patched together by a TEAM of speech writers.
Obama’s particular arrogance is in a class by itself. One of his partners in crime happens to be in jail.
Northwest Rain — so many have tried this before him and they don’t succeed. Obama should read his history.
I can’t for the life of me see what this guy has to be conceited about. He’s not attractive, not smart, not a good speaker, smells bad. So, what does he see in the mirror?
And, his wife’s a Communist gargoyle who thinks she’s Jackie O.
The adults in the universe are able to tell that there’s no musical instrument in his hands, just an enormous ego in his big eared head.
What an honor to be invited to a stadium to hear Der Fuher with 70K Obots. I bet he puts on a great light show too.
I hope that it storms, so that it’s really muggy inside for those caucus creeps.
I do hope it’s covered by all the press so that anybody over 50 will remember 1972’s sycophants.
THe elderly who remember WWII will be all voting by absentee to make sure they don’t die before they vote against him.
The baby boomers will remember back to that time that made them say years later, “WHat the HELL was I thinking?”
And everybody in between those two voting blocks will remember BOTH.
Three HUGE voting blocks. This convention speech is a MUST SEE!
>>> The baby boomers will remember back to that time that made them say years later, “WHat the HELL was I thinking?”
You got THAT right!
MEchelle actually Obama is horning in on another rock concert so the audience will already be ther.
Another glom on to a concert like he did at the prior 70K crowd scene in the Northeast where he thought a Great Lake was, but wasn’t?!
What a POS! Hitler could draw his own crowd to hear him speak (using his own words).
There were only 45,000at that gig and most were there to see the Decembrists. That was the concert where the obama people put the portable toilets on the police memorial to fallen officers. It was in Portland, OR.I have posted this before and will again because it shows the lack of respect to anyone. All of us.
Oh my, I thought a really rude thing when you said musical instrument.
I hear the surviving Beatles will reunite to open.
I’m wondering if he’s gonna fill the place up.
meaning the German venue
He will make sure he does.
I wonder who the headliner band is? Hell, he’ll need a great warm-up band too.
Uncle Adolf’s OOmpah Band.
“Howard Dean and the Rusty Trombones!”
“Dirty Sanchez and the Cleveland Steamers.”
annie - who is going to make sure that the people who turn up to see Obama are not crazies? There are 2 highways which seem to be only yards away from the monument. This is nuts.
Obama is no Hitler.
Hitler was crazy, but at least has convictions - albeit bad ones.
Obama is just an opportunistic coward, who believes in nothing but his own vanity and ambition.
I’ve thought that Obama was a little like Huey Long, except Huey Long actually got some stuff done.
todd nash — I think Obama has convictions — 20 years with the hate/reverend, 18 years with Ayers, 17 years as a pal of Farrahkan. OBAMA HAS AN AGENDA.
Clearly.
As much as anything, Obama is probably using his tour and all the accompanying fanfare just to get attention focused on him worldwide as a US presidential candidate. The more attention he gets, the more difficult it will be to challenge him at the Democratic convention.
The same goes for his plans for an acceptance speech at Invesco Field in Denver. In that case, he will probably have a large number of rabid followers in town ready to riot if the rug is pulled out from under him.
Comparisons between his political tactics and those of Hitler, I think, are perfectly legitimate. I am not sure anybody really knows (some people may think they know) what Obama’s ultimate goals are (other than some type of self-adulation), so I am not comparing the goals at this point because I don’t know what Obama’s true goals are.
But I would call his tactics sewer rat. They stink; they’re rotten; they’re disgusting…and they belie his rhetoric to say the least.
First lesson in basic ethics…the end does not justify the means.
That’s a great point.
Yes Obama, the Uber Liberal/Progressive Democrat, praises Ronald Reagan and demonizes Bill Clinton.
Now there’s a real liberal/progressive for you.
Obama supporters demonize Bill and Hillary, using the same talking points the Republican Right Wing used, but we’re the closet Republicans.
Okie dokie.
Barack Obama(?-Ill)
Well he did say Reagan had the right vision for America. Bill Clinton? Not so much.
From what I’ve seen of Obama, and his campaign, his supporters spent more time trashing the Clintons than Reagan, Bush Senior, or GWB.
When Joe Lieberman trashed the Clintons it was a bad thing.
When Obama does it it’s okay.
BTW, traveling to Germany and making a speech doesn’t make him a foreign policy expert.
Of course he could have held hearings of his committee, had testimony, and actually learned about the state of affairs of Europe and NATO. But he couldn’t bothered with that.
That would involve work and people may have asked for results.
Obama’s above all of that.
Cuz, we’d all be tuning into C-Span. We’re not entitled to hear him speak as he thinks. We are only entitled to hear what comes off the top of his contrived, forked tongue and subsequent refinements.
I love the video that captures him speaking –eh eheheh, y’all, y’all ya sall must not have been listening…prancing all about
My favorite one of all times is:
uh, uuhmmem, let me try that again. ereer uhm okay give me a sec- ahahahaI’m getting there folks, now hold on. now hooold on - and after all of THAT, he couldn’t get it together. Much like Humpty Dumpty’s horses and men. Wonder Why.
On the side, the ass probably never even heard of HD as he was to busy listening to Frank thee POET while gazing into a nearby puddle.
>>> BTW, traveling to Germany and making a speech doesn’t make him a foreign policy expert.
I once traveled to Paris, and, while there I broke wind in Notre Dame.
Hardly makes me an expert on Theology…
The ILL part is a certainty for me.
h-e-l-l-o is anyone out there?
just checking to see if i’m all alone
This guy is scary,
I heard the Sunday talk shows saying that this trip will give him foreign policy credentials.
Has the MSM lost their minds!! How does going over seas and making a few speeches give you anything?
Don’t forget he played some hoops!
Crazy mad hops
Like in Hitler’s NAZI Germany the media is controlled and used for propaganda purposes.
Not after he dumped the New Yorker. He’s going to regret it. Even as we speek, the press club is horrified.
Could be window dressing horror. See it it has any legs.
nobigotry — Unlike Nazi Germany the American people have have 200 years of Democracy - and we like it just fine.
Hell I’ve traveled more than he has–and stayed longer too. I must have credentials.
You have credentials in driving trolls apeshit.
uppity — I would be happy to put this country’s fate in your capable hands.
For one thing, a speech gave him the credentials to run for President. woo hoo!
Always beware of the latest hustler who give that One Fateful Speech at the Democratic convention.
Google DARIO HERRERA. Big Speech at Convention. Wow! Dario, Lead Us Out of Sin!
Dario was going to be a, “Real comer.”
Dario now in Federal Confinement for, generally, being a crooked-assed County Commissioner in Las Vegas.
We aren’t as big as Chicago, or as old, but we KNOW how to run a Crooked Government in this town/county/state!
changebot — and if Obama went to Disneyland would that give him cartoon credentials? Is amazing what crap they try to sell us. I know the 3 stooges are accompanying him to Europe to give him Foreign Policy gravitas. One trip does not an expert make and what happens if Bush attacks Iran before the election? The man is clueless. The campaign said that Maliki was supporting Obama’s withdrawl plan for Iraq. Maliki came out today and said — he was not supporting Obama or his plan.
Yes, I Saw “Full Metal Jacket” so I guess I am Vet
I get it now..
I think I’ll go, too. Then I’ll have creds, too. That way about a week before the election, I can announce my candidacy as None of the Above. I think so many people would be happy for any third choice I just might pull off a win without having to cheat!
I know a very bright young lady who is visiting Europe this summer before she attends an Ivy Leagure school in the Fall. Perhaps I should tell her to make a few speeches while she is there, and then she would have her diplomacy crednetials in order for a run for President. She does have one handicap, however. Unlike Obama, she doesn’t play hoops for photo ops.
I’ve been to Mexico many times. I think I now can solve all their problems. After all, I’ve been to Ensenada a bunch of times.
Heh, in the Obamanation world he’s already the president, and traveling the world..isn’t that what lame ducks do…
Nobama!
Wasn’t this trip supposed to be his “talking with the Generals on the ground” to get up to speed on Iraq and Afghanistan?
Too busy, Sweetie!
Do they shoot hoops?
He’ll be getting into lulling classical music in a minute.