Poland: Erika Steinbach in SS- Uniform...

ObjSRgtLw

ObjSRgtLw

Active member
Erika Steinbach, a member of the ruling party CDU (coalition with SPD), spokesperson for human rights and humantarian help was shown in SS and Whermacht Uniform by Polish media. The Polish forgein Minister also said that Steinbach came and left with Hitler.
Reason for the late campaign against the German Politician was the planning of a monument for banished people from former east- Prussia. Although Steinbach did resign, Polish conservatives said that this wouldn't suffice.

Personal opnioin: I'm really really pi**** about this one! Worst thing is that Germany didn't stand up towards Poland. Whatever one might say about Steinbach, she IS a member of a democratic (ruling) party in Germany. If one would say something like the Polish media is presenting at the moment in Germany one would be convicted- and for good reasons. Germany is of all the countries the one who has cleaned its closet and made the best effort to deal with the past- and that is how one is repaid? So many countries have dead bodies in their backyards- refusing to deal with them. Germany is one of the greatest powers now in Europe and Poland should consider its position here. Worst thing is that no German Politician tried to really defend Steinbach- whatever the quarrels there- this campaign against Steinbach is an open and totally impious attack on a German Politician and that- in our world now- mustn't be allowed. I'm very upset by this, all in all it was a German matter- and the Monument was meant to be a symbol for closure, unity AND conciliation. I'm very very disappointed in the Polish media/ politic and people. Excus my english- this Topic is just so burning in my head right now...
 
Don't sweat the small stuff ObjSRtLw.

Some people must live in the past because they have no future, I'm sure many Poles are not happy about it either.
 
British SS Legion

As a matter of interest, there was a British SS Legion recruited from POW camps originally intended to fight against Russia. The name Britische Freikorps or British Free Corps appeared in official RSHA documentation for the first time in November 1943.

http://www.feldgrau.com/gb.html
 
Didn't the Poles make more remarks referring to word war II. Wasn't one of the first things they did after joining the EU, asking for more power in the European Parliament? And they claimed that if the Germans hadn't invaded them in '39, they would have had more inhabitants.... And more inhabitants would give them more seats in the EP. So, logically, they should have more influence now anyway. Yep, they sure made a good first impression.
 
I found a (to my mind) good reader's comment in a newspaper (Junge Freiheit/ Young Freedom), i'll try to translate it:
A special piquancy
I did bet with a friend that the CDU [Christian democratic Party] would back down in the case of Erika Steinbach- and I won! That Poland follows his special interests is, of course, legitimate- after all it wouldn't be convenient for the Poles that because of the Centre possibly some historical- and lifelies, for example the confusion of cause and effect of banishment, comes into the light. But that German 'do-gooders'- up to the ranks of the head of the CDU- make themselves adjuvant as usefull idiots of Polish nationalists- that's a very special piquancy. One could be ashamed of such politicians. Here they fight a grim phantom- fight "against right"- and at the same time they role out the red carpet for polish Ultra- nationalists.
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By Dr. Michael Müller, Dortmund.
 
I've encountered that while browsing web and your forum, and as it was de facto left without an answer, I will give one.

Steinbach was shown dressed in the SS uniform ages ago. That is, 5 years ago or more. You can mind it, but complaining about it is as dumb, as our twins complaining about them being compared to potatoes and hinted as having incestous relationship with their mother in a German paper.

As I've mentioned, the affaire of Steinbach has appeared a long time ago and polish disaproval of her participation in the project of museum of Expelees was widely known. The flight and expulsion of Germans is a touchy matter, and I think Poles often act clumsy in this matter, because one can't deny the true suffering of people who lost their homeland. Yet, the problem is that the idea of remembering the expelees came out of BdV, organisation of the expelees. Natural, isn't it. It is, but BdV is an organisation with history of revisionism, revanchism etc. I am not angry at them - after all, they did lose their fatherland - but that doesn't mean Poland should like it and that they are not dangerous. Many of its leaders since ww2 were ex-nazi officials, and even nowdays, for example, it was discovered neo-nazi and ultra-right leaflets are freely colportated during BdV meetings, and vice-leader of the organisation is leader of a fundation aiming at demanding the pre-war german property back from post-war owners, which, obviously, causes much anger.

Therefore, Poland wanted to have at least partial influence on the project.
Poland was against the museum itself - but Germany didn't listen. Poland and some german politicians wanted it to be located in Wroclaw - Germany didn't listen. Poland wanted to make it a joint project - Germany didn't listen. Poland wanted at least to have Steinbach out of the project, and in this case, it was promised that it shall be the case. And after a long time it suddenly occurs that Steinbach is going to be part of this project after all. Poland is outraged, and right-wing German parties pretend not to know what the fuss is about.

Why Steinbach is not liked here? She agitated and voted in parliament against recognising polish-german border, against polish membership in EU and NATO etc. On the wave of the popularity among right-wingers gained by these politics, she entered BdV and soon became its leader. And not she wants to become part of a project that is officially supposed to be a step towards german-polish reconciliation.

Now is Steinbach an expelee? Her father came from western Germany, and during the war he was on duty in occupied Poland, living in an appartement belonging to a polish family. I've heard two stories of this apartement: Germans say they were renting it, while in Poland it is said the family, like milions of Poles during ww2, were expulsed from their home, in this case to make toom for Erika's daddy. Now Erika was born in occupied Poland,
and her family fled before Red Army with baby-Erika. This qualifies Erika as an expelee.

In fact, Steinbach's presence as a leader is an idiotic choice by BdV if their goal was to get something from Poland, because it allows Poles to see the Germans who fled, were expelled or emmigrated later (all are labelled as "expelled" in german law) as occasional nazi soldiers and their families, which is indeed not the case.
That's why polish minister said she came with Hitler and went away with him. He was fully right in her case. perhaps it makes you angry, because you apply these words to all expelees, which, again, would not be true, but it's not Poland's fault BdV has chosen such a controversial leader.
 
Reply to the post on Steinbach

ObjSRgtLw said:
- whatever the quarrels there- this campaign against Steinbach is an open and totally impious attack on a German Politician and that- in our world now- mustn't be allowed.
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:drink:

Why cannot a German politician be criticized and attacked in the foreign media (not physically of course)? Don't tell me that in Germany they do not attack Polish politicians. They poked fun at Kaczynskis brothers and almost nobody as much as cared, except the the two involved, to raise the issue of fairness. Free speech allows criticism in public and in the case of Erika her sensitivities must be dulled so much by some unexplained event that she keeps putting her foot in her mouth with new insensitive remarks and boorish statements that stoke the fires... And of course she is the most surprised and perplexed about the reaction.
As to coming to Poland with Hitler - she was born in the German occupied Polish territory. When the occupation forces left, she left with them. There is not too much stretch therefore to say that she came and left with Adolph Hitler.
 
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