What needs to be read

Günter Grass has unleashed a royal shitstorm*. The Nobel Prize-winning poet published a poem harshly criticizing Israel – as well as the German government’s military support. Now, the idea of a left-wing academic writing a poem critical of Israel would hardly be newsworthy in most parts of the world.

But this is Germany. The poem (a translation of which is at the end of this post) brought on an unholy wave of outrage in both Israel and Germany – with allegations of anti-Semitism and ‘Nazi language’. Grass is now persona non grata in Israel.

Alas, little of the coverage has made direct reference to the poem itself. The conflict in the Middle East is not within the scope of this blog (thankfully), so I don’t want to get dragged into the rights or wrongs of the conflict(s). I do, however, think it’s important that people read the poem and make their own mind up.

* I try to avoid profanity in this blog, but as shitstorm is Germany's 'Anglicism of the year', I feel justified in its use.

What needs to be said (English translation)
By Günter Grass

Why have I stayed silent, silent too long,
about something so clear, something played out
in war games and – at its conclusion – we, as survivors,
are footnotes at best. 

It is the right to strike first,
asserted against those driven to organised exaltation
and subjugated by a braggart,
a strike that could wipe out the Iranian people,
because within the land controlled by this regime,
the preparation of an atomic bomb is supposed. 

But why do I refuse
to refer to this other country by name,
one which has long built – while secretly –
a growing nuclear potential,
but without scrutiny, as no inspection
was possible. 

The universal silence surrounding this situation,
which had kept me silent,
I feel is a burdensome lie,
a lie forced upon us, and as soon as it is defied
the penalty reveals itself;
the verdict is “Anti-Semitism”. 

But now, because my country,
a country responsible for crimes
without comparison,
crimes mentioned time and time again – and confronted,
would deliver another submarine to Israel
in a business-like manner,
albeit declared as reparation in some nimble language,
a submarine that is capable of directing all-powerful weapons,
to where the existence of a single atom bomb is unproven,
and as fear becomes evidence,
I’ll say what needs to be said. 

But why did I stay silent until now?
Because I thought that my background,
tarnished by a mark that can never be removed,
forbade this to be spoken out to and accepted by the country of Israel,
a country that I am obliged to – and I wish to remain so. 

But why do I only speak now,
aged and with my last ink:
An Israel with nuclear weapons threatens
this brittle world peace?
Because it needs to be said,
and tomorrow could be too late;
and because we – as Germans encumbered enough –
could become accomplices to a crime,
a crime that is foreseeable, and our complicity
would not be erased
with the usual excuses. 

And granted: I am silent no more,
Because I’m tired of the hypocrisy
of the West; and one could hope,
that this will free many from silence,
and demand those responsible for this danger
step back from violence
and also insist
that unrestricted and permanent inspections
of the Israeli atomic potential
and the Iranian nuclear plants
through an international body
is approved by the governments of both countries. 

This is the only way to help the Israelis and Palestinians,
to help all people in this region
consumed by madness, living side by side with their enemies,
and ultimately, to help ourselves.