tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24597325.post1976416238303709270..comments2024-03-29T02:19:32.860+00:00Comments on Holocaust Controversies: Denial of the Herero Genocide (Part 2)Nicholas Terryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14852758011968360596noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24597325.post-85334401519546197802009-12-10T01:36:31.869+00:002009-12-10T01:36:31.869+00:00Irving, thanks you for your reply. I certainly did...Irving, thanks you for your reply. I certainly did not mean to imply that Karla shares Nordbruch's political platform or bogus approach to evidence, so I have amended the article to clarify that point.<br /><br />It is deeply unfortunate that Nordbruch cites Karla, because he is clearly appropriating her name for his own dubious ends, but he has nonetheless quoted her accurately regarding her interpretation of vernichten.<br /><br />I'm sure there are usages of vernichten in 1904 that comply with Karla's definition, but she is clearly mistaken in her view that it could not have meant physical extermination when used by von Trotha. There are too many contemporary reports (cited above) that show vernichten and vernichtung being used in the sense of an attempt to physical wipe out the Herero:<br /><br />'the nation perishes'<br /><br />'nothing living to be spared'<br /><br />I believe Karla may have fallen into a hermeneutic trap of assuming that a textual interpretation that is true in one case will refute a different textual meaning in another case.<br /><br />It seems perfectly plausible to me that, as the German army's practices became more extreme, so did the meanings of words that accompanied those practices, in those specific milieux.<br /><br />Deepest respect,<br /><br />Dr Jonathan HarrisonJonathan Harrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07929794273877529591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24597325.post-22854509013077287752009-12-09T15:37:00.151+00:002009-12-09T15:37:00.151+00:00The association of the work of my wife, anthropolo...The association of the work of my wife, anthropologist Karla Poewe, with that of Klaus Nordbruch, the IHR, and Holocaust Revisionism is mischievous to say the least. Poewe was writing as an anthropologist long before Nordbruch picked up her work. He concern was with the fate of the Herero with whom she had lived and supported politically during her time in Namibia. Throughout her work in Africa Poewe strongly identified herself with Blacks and the struggle against racism.<br /><br />Her conclusions about von Trotha’s “extermination order” were based on both anthropological and historical research. Using archival evidence and a linguistic analysis of how the word “vernichten” was used in German at the time of von Trotta she reached the conclusion that he intended to break the power of the Herero, but not “exterminate” them. She also produced evidence that he ordered his men take care of those who surrendered.<br /><br />Brigitta Lau, who was the chief archivist of Namibia, supported Poewe’s position on the basis of archival documents she studied. Here it is important to point out that Lau was on the far left of the political spectrum, strongly opposed to all forms or racism, and someone who worked for the independence of Namibia. Before, she was able to publish the documents that she claimed supported her case she was killed a car accident. Immediately afterwards Lau’s staff were fired and the archives closed for six months while they were “re-organized.” The documents she spoke about were never published.<br /><br />Confusing serious historical debates about the Herero War with Holocaust Revisionism is not helpful.Irving Hexhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14509802226859996345noreply@blogger.com