Beware mythology
The loss of the Great War, the Great Depression and political catastrophe are often cited as the reasons for the Nazi’s ascension to power in Germany. They were factors but there’s another: Paul von Hindenburg. President Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler chancellor on 30 January 1933. But, as Anna von der Goltz says, he had a […]
Happy birthday
Earnest but ineffective was how my right wing international political professor described the 39th president of the United States. He was replacing his objectivity with his political views. Today, 1 October, is President Carter’s 93rd birthday. By any objective measure, President Carter, in office from 1977 to 1981, was effective. Among other things, he: Made […]
We want peace
German World War I leaders knew the conflict was lost by September 1918. The spring offensive had failed and the entry of the United States on the Allied side made German victory almost impossible. The war had been led and managed by a military-industrial dictatorship called the ‘Third Supreme Council’. It comprised Field Marshall Paul […]
Plebiscite ploy
Malta last week became the latest in an increasingly long list of countries to legalise marriage equality. Catholic conservativism has been upturned. Malta is 91 percent Catholic. And the parliamentary vote was an overwhelming 66 to 1. Spain has a Catholic population of 77 percent and marriage equality. Ireland has a Catholic population of 88 […]
Identity created
Germany is known for many achievements. More recently the country has made international headlines for legalising same-sex marriage. Germany was the birthplace of modern gay identity. As in so many things, Germans were at the forefront of thinking. Robert Beachy tells the story of the history and evolution of gay identity in this book. Gay Berlin: […]
Mission accomplished
Germans got a prelude to the madness in store for them on 29 June 1934. Between 6am and 7am that morning, the Chancellor, Adolf Hitler, weapon drawn, charged up the stairs of the Hanselbauer Hotel in Bad Wiessee. His quarry: the head of the Nazi party’s paramilitary storm troopers, Ernst Röhm and his suspected co-conspirators. […]
Contemptible ministers
An apology is better late than never. But sometimes the damage done wouldn’t have been as great if the apology had been earlier. Three Australian Government ministers apologised yesterday for egregious comments they made on 13 June about judges of the Australian state of Victoria’s highest court. The trio are the Health Minister, Greg Hunt; the […]
Cynical gamble failed
She’s Brenda from Bristol. She became an internet sensation thanks to British Prime Minister Theresa May. “You’re joking, not another one,” she told a BBC TV reporter when asked her reaction on 18 April to the snap election. “There’s too much politics going on at the moment. Why does she need to do it?” […]
New model needed
Investigative journalists are justice crusaders. But they’re in danger of becoming victims of traditional media’s decline. And if it happens, one of democracy’s pillars will be weaker. Sydney Morning Herald journalist Kate McClymont is one of those crusaders. Her work led to the jailing of two former New South Wales Labor government ministers. Ian Macdonald was […]
Game on
New French president Emmanuel Macron has won the election. Let’s hope he wins forthcoming challenges as convincingly. They include: Fighting apathy. Thirty percent of the electorate didn’t vote. It was the lowest turnout in more than 40 years. National Assembly elections next month. Quelling the anger of the far right. Macron’s win is phenomenal. He is […]