Gunter Grass What Must Be Said.

[Magda Hassan]

The Guardian Is Misleading With Its Translation of Grass

MoA provided a translation of Günter Grass' poem "What has to be said". The original poem was published in German by Süddeutsche Zeitung.Part of Grass' poetry expression is through the use of line breaks and punctuation. I believe it is important to replicate them in a translation even when it may make the text at first a more awkward reading.The Guardian has now provided a translation that not only does not stick to the punctuation, verse setting and even tenses of the original but severely distorts the central point of the poem in the fifth stanza.Here the fifth stanza in the Guardian translation:

But now that my own country,
brought in time after time
for questioning about its own crimes,
profound and beyond compare,
is said to be the departure point,
(on what is merely business,
though easily declared an act of reparation)
for yet another submarine equipped
to transport nuclear warheads
to Israel, where not a single atom bomb
has yet been proved to exist, with fear alone
the only evidence, I'll say what must be said.

Whereto are the nuclear warheads transported in the Guardian's version of the poem? Where, in the Guardian's translation, has "no single atom bomb yet been proven to exists"?From reading the Guardian's translation a reader would for both questions give "Israel" as the answer. But that is totally wrong.The same sequence from my translation:

...
another submarine to Israel
shall be delivered, whose specialty
consists of, steering all-annihilating warheads
whereto, the existence
of a single bomb is unproven,
but as a fear shall be conclusiveness,
...

The German version:

...
ein weiteres U-Boot nach Israel
geliefert werden soll, dessen Spezialität
darin besteht, allesvernichtende Sprengköpfe
dorthin lenken zu können, wo die Existenz
einer einzigen Atombombe unbewiesen ist,
doch als Befürchtung von Beweiskraft sein will,
...

In my surely correct translation the submarine goes to Israel while the warheads go whereto (dorthin) "the existence of of even one bomb is unproven" which clearly implies not Israel but Iran.I do not know if the Guardian's translation is intentional misleading. Their translatorBreon Mitchel, who also translated Grass' Tin Drum, seems not to be a native German speaker and maybe just didn't get it.Whatever the reason for that misleading translation is, it is embarrassing for Mitchel and the Guardian to provide such a lousy one.

Original German peom here:

Günter Grass warnt in der "Süddeutschen Zeitung" vor einem Krieg gegen Iran. In seinem Gedicht mit dem Titel "Was gesagt werden muss" fordert der Literaturnobelpreisträger deshalb, Israel dürfe keine deutschen U-Boote mehr bekommen.
Warum schweige ich, verschweige zu lange,
was offensichtlich ist und in Planspielen
geübt wurde, an deren Ende als Überlebende
wir allenfalls Fußnoten sind.Es ist das behauptete Recht auf den Erstschlag,
der das von einem Maulhelden unterjochte
und zum organisierten Jubel gelenkte
iranische Volk auslöschen könnte,
weil in dessen Machtbereich der Bau
einer Atombombe vermutet wird.
Doch warum untersage ich mir,
jenes andere Land beim Namen zu nennen,
in dem seit Jahren - wenn auch geheimgehalten -
ein wachsend nukleares Potential verfügbar
aber außer Kontrolle, weil keiner Prüfung
zugänglich ist?
Das allgemeine Verschweigen dieses Tatbestandes,
dem sich mein Schweigen untergeordnet hat,
empfinde ich als belastende Lüge
und Zwang, der Strafe in Aussicht stellt,
sobald er mißachtet wird;
das Verdikt "Antisemitismus" ist geläufig.
Jetzt aber, weil aus meinem Land,
das von ureigenen Verbrechen,
die ohne Vergleich sind,
Mal um Mal eingeholt und zur Rede gestellt wird,
wiederum und rein geschäftsmäßig, wenn auch
mit flinker Lippe als Wiedergutmachung deklariert,
ein weiteres U-Boot nach Israel
geliefert werden soll, dessen Spezialität
darin besteht, allesvernichtende Sprengköpfe
dorthin lenken zu können, wo die Existenz
einer einzigen Atombombe unbewiesen ist,
doch als Befürchtung von Beweiskraft sein will,
sage ich, was gesagt werden muß.Warum aber schwieg ich bislang?
Weil ich meinte, meine Herkunft,
die von nie zu tilgendem Makel behaftet ist,
verbiete, diese Tatsache als ausgesprochene Wahrheit
dem Land Israel, dem ich verbunden bin
und bleiben will, zuzumuten.Warum sage ich jetzt erst,
gealtert und mit letzter Tinte:
Die Atommacht Israel gefährdet
den ohnehin brüchigen Weltfrieden?
Weil gesagt werden muß,
was schon morgen zu spät sein könnte;
auch weil wir - als Deutsche belastet genug -
Zulieferer eines Verbrechens werden könnten,
das voraussehbar ist, weshalb unsere Mitschuld
durch keine der üblichen Ausreden
zu tilgen wäre.Und zugegeben: ich schweige nicht mehr,
weil ich der Heuchelei des Westens
überdrüssig bin; zudem ist zu hoffen,
es mögen sich viele vom Schweigen befreien,
den Verursacher der erkennbaren Gefahr
zum Verzicht auf Gewalt auffordern und
gleichfalls darauf bestehen,
daß eine unbehinderte und permanente Kontrolle
des israelischen atomaren Potentials
und der iranischen Atomanlagen
durch eine internationale Instanz
von den Regierungen beider Länder zugelassen wird.Nur so ist allen, den Israelis und Palästinensern,
mehr noch, allen Menschen, die in dieser
vom Wahn okkupierten Region
dicht bei dicht verfeindet leben
und letztlich auch uns zu helfenhttp://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/gedich...-1.1325809

Grauniad translation here:

Günter Grass: 'What Must Be Said'

Poem published in the Süddeutsche Zeitung, has created a heated debate in both Germany and Israel

What must be said
Why have I kept silent, held back so long,
on something openly practiced in
war games, at the end of which those of us
who survive will at best be footnotes?
It's the alleged right to a first strike
that could destroy an Iranian people
subjugated by a loudmouth
and gathered in organized rallies,
because an atom bomb may be being
developed within his arc of power.
Yet why do I hesitate to name
that other land in which
for years although kept secret
a growing nuclear power has existed
beyond supervision or verification,
subject to no inspection of any kind?
This general silence on the facts,
before which my own silence has bowed,
seems to me a troubling lie, and compels
me toward a likely punishment
the moment it's flouted:
the verdict "Anti-semitism" falls easily.
But now that my own country,
brought in time after time
for questioning about its own crimes,
profound and beyond compare,
has delivered yet another submarine to Israel,
(in what is purely a business transaction,
though glibly declared an act of reparation)
whose speciality consists in its ability
to direct nuclear warheads toward
an area in which not a single atom bomb
has yet been proved to exist, its feared
existence proof enough, I'll say what must be said.
But why have I kept silent till now?
Because I thought my own origins,
Tarnished by a stain that can never be removed,
meant I could not expect Israel, a land
to which I am, and always will be, attached,
to accept this open declaration of the truth.
Why only now, grown old,
and with what ink remains, do I say:
Israel's atomic power endangers
an already fragile world peace?
Because what must be said
may be too late tomorrow;
and becauseburdend enough as Germans
we may be providing material for a crime
that is foreseeable, so that our complicity
wil not be expunged by any
of the usual excuses.
And granted: I've broken my silence
because I'm sick of the West's hypocrisy;
and I hope too that many may be freed
from their silence, may demand
that those responsible for the open danger
we face renounce the use of force,
may insist that the governments of
both Iran and Israel allow an international authority
free and open inspection of
the nuclear potential and capability of both.
No other course offers help
to Israelis and Palestinians alike,
to all those living side by side in emnity
in this region occupied by illusions,
and ultimately, to all of us.
--Günter Grass
Translated by Breon Mitchell
This poem was amended on 10 April 2012 after it was revised by the translator.

Moon of Alabama's translation:

Günter Grass - What Has To Be Said

Today the German Süddeutsche Zeitung published a poem by Günter Grass about the conflict between Israel and Iran. The usual subjects immediatelycondemned the writer.The following is my unauthorized (amateur) translation of the complete poem into English. I tried to stay as near as possible to the, sometimes seemingly awkward but certainly intended, original line breaks and punctuation.What has to be saidWhy am I silent, conceal too long,
what is obvious and in war games
has been trained, at whose end we as survivors
will at the most be footnotes.It is the alleged right of first strike,
with which the Iranian people,
subjugated by a loudmouth
and steered towards organized elation,
could be snuffed out with,
because the building of a nuclear bomb
within its fiefdom is assumed.But why do I prohibit myself,
to name that other country,
in which for years - though kept secret -
a growing capability exists
though out of control as
not open for audit?The general concealment of this fact,
to which my silence subjugated,
feels for me like a burdoning lie
and a coercion, which promises punishment;
the verdict "antisemitism" is commonly used.But now, because from my country,
which for its very own crimes,
which are incomparable,
is called up again and again and taken to task,
repeatedly and businesslike, though
by slippy lips declared as reparation,
another submarine to Israel
shall be delivered, whose specialty
consists of, steering all-annihilating warheads
whereto, the existence
of a single bomb is unproven,
but as a fear shall be conclusiveness,
I say, what has to be said.But why my silence so far?
Because I though, my origin,
which has a not redeemable taint,
prohibited me, to strain,
with this fact as spoken truth,
the country Israel, to which I am
and want to stay beholden.Why do I speak only now,
aged and with my last ink:
The nuclear power Israel endangers
an already fragile world peace?
Because it has to be said,
what already tomorrow could be too late;
also because we - as Germans burdened enough -
could become supplier for a crime,
which is foreseeable, which is why our complicity
could not be redeemed
with the usual subterfuges.And admittedly: I no longer remain silent,
because I am disgusted with
the hypocrisy of the west; additionally there is hope
that many may liberate themselves from their silence,
to request the originator of the discernible danger
to abstain from force
and also insist,
that unhindered and permanent control
of the Israeli capability
and the Iranian nuclear installations
through an international authority
shall be allowed by both countries governments.Only this way can all, the Israelis and the Palestinians,
even more, all people who live in the delusion occupied region
near by near as enemies and in the end even us,
be helped.

[Magda Hassan]

By Gilad Atzmon

http://www.deliberation.info/Outrage in Germany, Nobel Laureate Günter Grass has, once again told the truth about Israel being the greatest threat to world peace.Günter Grass, Germany's most famous living author and the 1999 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature, sparked outrage in Germany on Wednesday with the publication of a poem, "What must be said," in which he sharply criticizes Israel's offensive approach towards Iran.Once again, it is the artist rather than the politician, who tells the truth as it is. Once again it is the Artist rather than the academic who speaks out.

"Why did I wait until now at this advanced age and with the last bit of ink to say: The nuclear power Israel is endangering a world peace that is already fragile?" Wrote Grass.

In the poem, published by Germany's Süddeutsche Zeitungnewspaper and other European dailies on Wednesday, Grass also calls for an

"unhindered and permanent monitoring of Israel's nuclear potential and Iran's nuclear facility through an international entity that the government of both countries would approve."

Israel and some German Jewish prominent voices were quick to react. The Israeli Embassy in Berlin issued a statement offering its own version of What must be said.'

"What must be said is that it is a European tradition to accuse the Jews before the Passover festival of ritual murder," the statements reads.

Pretty outrageous, don't you think? In the open Israel together with its supportive Jewish lobbies (AIPAC, AJC) are pushing for a new global conflict. Yet, shamelessly the embassy defies criticism tossing in the air the old blood libel. The appropriate timely question here is why Israel and AIPAC are pushing for a world war and a potential nuclear conflict just before Passover? Can they just wait for another Yom Kippur (atonement day)?The Israeli Embassy continues,

"in the past, it was Christian children whose blood the Jews allegedly used to make their unleavened bread, but today it is the Iranian people that the Jewish state allegedly wants to annihilate."

Isn't it really the case? Every military expert suggests that Israeli pre-emptive attack on Iran could escalate into a nuclear conflict. If anything Grass tries like others, including your truly, to prevent Israel from celebrating its lethal symptoms once again.The Israeli embassy noticed though that

"Israel is the only state in the world whose right to exist is openly doubted."

Correct, and so it should be. Israel is a racist, expansionist state, it doesn't have room amongst nations.The Central Council of Jews in Germany also called the poem an "aggressive pamphlet of agitation.". I wonder, is it really aggressive to try and restrain an aggressor?The German newspaper Die Welt, which apparently obtained an advance copy of Grass' poem, published a response by rabid Zionist Henryk Broder, the country's most prominent Jewish writer. "Grass always had a problem with Jews, but it has never articulated it as clearly as he has in this poem." Broder said "Grass has always had a tendency toward megalomania, but this time he is completely nuts." I would expect Germany's leading Jewish writer to come with something slightly more astute.Border however may be correct when he notes that Grass is

"haunted by guilt and shame and also driven by the desire to settle history, he is now attempting to disarm the 'cause of the recognizable threat.'"

Wednesday's poem is not the first time Grass has come out with critical views of Israel. In a 2001 interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE, he offered his own solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"Israel doesn't just need to clear out of the occupied areas," he said at the time. "The appropriation of Palestinian territory and its Israeli settlements are also a criminal activity. That not only needs to be stopped it also needs to be reversed. Otherwise there will be no peace."

Broder contends that such a statement is "no less than a demand for Israel to not just cede Nablus and Hebron, but also Tel Aviv and Haifa. " he continues, "Grass does not differentiated between the occupied areas' of 1948 and 1967." Needless to say that from an ethical perspective Grass is correct-there is no difference between 1948 and 1967. The Jewish State located itself on historic Palestine on the expense of the Palestinian people. I guess that Grass understood already in 2001 that the Jews only State must be transformed into a State of its Citizens'. Israel should embrace the true notion of peace, universalism and inclusiveness. But I guess that we shouldn't hold our breath for it is not going to happen soon.
http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/art-of-r...grass.html

[Magda Hassan]

What the Günter Grass controversy says about censorship in Europe

Submitted by david on Mon, 04/09/2012 - 18:24
Rupert Murdoch doesn't see how the Palestinians could have any problems with the theft of their homeland.
(World Economic Forum)



The furore over Günter Grass's poem on Israel has got me thinking about how much journalists are subject to censorship in Europe.
In an opinion piece for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Gideon Levy recalls how journalists working for the German media group Axel Springer were for many years required to sign a pledge not to write anything that questioned Israel's "right to exist."
Not only does Axel Springer own some of this continent's largest-circulation newspapers (such as Die Welt and Bild), it has played an important role in talks on strengthening Israel's political and economic ties with the European Union.
In 2007, a "business dialogue" between the EU and Israel was established, providing an annual forum where leading entrepreneurs could brainstorm on removing any obstacles that stood between them and profit maximization. Mathias Döpfner, the chief executive of Axel Springer, was chosen as the European chairman of the forum.

Special responsibility?

Two years later, Döpfner told The Jerusalem Post "it is very important that we never forget about Germany history and what Germany has done, and because of that we have a special responsibility to support Israel and this is something we have to continue from generation to generation to make sure that it will never be forgotten."
Apparently, this special responsibility involves keeping your mouth shut about the crimes committed by your partners in "dialogue" or worse, actively supporting their crimes. Israeli participants in the forum which has the full blessing of the EU's executive arm, the European Commission include Elbit, the weapons manufacturer whose products are regularly used to murder and maim Palestinians. Bank Leumi and the booksellers Steimatsky, both of which have branches or stores in illegal settlements in the West Bank, are also involved, along with the Saban Capital Group.
Haim Saban, who runs the latter firm, is a major shareholder in Bezeq, which provides telecommunications services to the Israeli army. As a media proprietor, Saban was invitedto join the board of the French television channel TF1 in 2003. TF1 was founded by Bouygues, which acquired a 23 percent stake in the energy and transport firm Alstom in 2006. Along with Veolia, Alstom has been developing a tramway reserved almost exclusively for Israeli settlers in East Jerusalem.
Zionists and their sympathizers control vast chunks of the mainstream media in the EU's three largest countries: Germany, France and Britain.

Murdoch doesn't get Palestine

One of the few valuable services that Alastair Campbell, the chief propagandist during Tony Blair's stint as UK prime minister, has performed for mankind was how he explained in accessible terms the blind devotion of Rupert Murdoch to Israel. In his published diaries, Campbell recalls how Murdoch told Blair in 2002 that he could not see why the Palestinians had any grievances. In response, Murdoch's son James pointed out that Palestinians had been "kicked out of their fucking homes and had nowhere to fucking live." (There is scant evidence, it should be emphasized, that James Murdoch has sought to educate the pundits on Fox News or other outlets in his family's empire about Middle Eastern realities).
The problem, in my experience, isn't confined to one of ownership. Journalists working in the mainstream media tend to be biased on the side of the powerful.

The bias of journalists

When I began writing about the Middle East for the newspaper European Voice (part of The Economist group) in 2001, my editor told me that "we mustn't take sides" between Israelis and Palestinians. The same editor was a reservist in the British army, who went on to take part in the occupation of Iraq. In my very first editorial meeting, he made a joke about how as an Irishman I would be familiar with the weapons used by "terrorists." Though he apologized for that quip, it clearly reflected his mindset: Palestinians were "terrorists," in his view (I recall him labelling Yasser Arafat with the "t" word).
As it happened, this editor was actually slightly more open-minded than other British journalists I have encountered. He was, at least, willing to hire and work with reporters from different nationalities and classes. One of his successors as European Voice editor, in contrast, introduced a de facto policy of only recruiting graduates from Cambridge. As these bright young men and women came from a highly privileged background, the idea that journalists had a duty to champion the underprivileged seemed alien to them. Like its sister paper Roll Call in Washington, European Voice is one of the most widely read publications among the Brussels elite.
For too long, most journalists and intellectuals in Europe have accepted that you cannot call out Israel as a racist endeavor. While there are some good people working in the mainstream media, I don't believe it can be changed from within. Fortunately, the internet offers many possibilities to develop alternatives. Seizing the opportunities offered by the internet is vital if justice is ever to be achieved.
http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/davi...hip-europe

[Peter Lemkin]

Pinter's Nobel acceptance speech as with Grass' poem get stuck in the throats of the 'usual suspects' running the big powers and their proxies; as well as their propaganda apparati. In both cases [and I could site many others] it was artists speaking truth to Power, and Power trying to drown out that truth with their usual propaganda outlets and methods. I'll stand with Pinter and Grass on their respective artistic statements about the World situation. Scientists have at times also spoken truth to power...ie. Einstein and Oppenheimer [just two examples] - and been well spied on for it! The rarest of all LIVING species seems to be the politician that speaks truth to Power.