From Auschwitz to Gaza

Taro von Nasenburg 

Source: Al Mayadeen English

If one reads the entire translated transcribed text of Himmler's speech carefully or listens to it, the thought might suddenly occur to one that history is repeating itself in today's political arenas. 

On 4th October 1943, Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS, police, and Reich Minister of the Interior, gave a speech to a group of black-clad SS leaders in the Polish city of Poznan. It is a long speech in which Himmler gives free rein to his racist views after delivering a hate-filled tirade against Slavs in general and Russians in particular. Himmler's main focus here is on the Soviet Union and its peoples, and the course of the war on the Eastern Front. He recounts banal, purportedly humorous, racist anecdotes about the inferiority of the Russians and the Asian "sub-humans", and admonishes the audience that "we" should not lose our [German] sense of humour despite the brutal war! At a certain point, he discusses the subject of the Jews and their fate, which lies in his and the SS's hands.

This speech is regarded by historians as a key document, because, in it, Himmler speaks quite openly about the genocide and extermination of the European Jews and praises the SS for their harsh, brutal actions in the occupied territories, portraying the massacre as the "never written and never to be written glorious page of SS and German history". Himmler verbatim:

"I also want to speak to you here, in complete frankness, of a really grave chapter. Amongst ourselves, for once, it shall be said quite openly, but all the same we will never speak about it in public. […] It was a matter of natural tact that is alive in us, thank God, that we never talked about it amongst ourselves, that we never discussed it.

Each of us shuddered and yet each of us knew clearly that the next time he would do it again if it were an order, and if it were necessary. I am referring here to the evacuation of the Jews, the extermination of the Jewish people. This is one of the things that is easily said: 'The Jewish people are going to be exterminated,' that's what every Party member says, 'sure, it's in our program, elimination of the Jews, extermination - it'll be done.' […] Most of you men know what it is like to see 100 corpses side by side, or 500 or 1,000. To have stood fast through this – and except for cases of human weakness - to have stayed decent, that has made us hard. This is an unwritten and never-to-be-written page of glory in our history,…" [bold script mine]

If one reads the entire translated transcribed text of this speech carefully or listens to it (some of it is also available in video or audio form), the thought might suddenly occur to one that history is repeating itself in today's political arenas - because of certain obvious parallels and similarities… as well as a significant detail that shows a difference in their representations.

The postmodern irrationality of fascist thinking back then is unmistakably recognisable in the words and actions of certain Western (especially Israeli, German, and American) politicians and elites today. [Examples are in the Appendix below.]

Yes, the Nazis were afraid to speak openly about their genocide in public, and the population also kept their mouths shut – or at least covered their mouths with their hands. The fear of the Gestapo was too great and the trust in their own rulers and their ideology and politics too deep ("if only the Führer knew"… "the German people are decent folk, they don't do such things"… "it's all Jewish propaganda", etc...). Even when Hitler was present, it was forbidden to mention the extermination of the Jews. The Führer found it distasteful.

After the war, when the Allies confronted the German population with the piles of corpses and the genocide, one could ponder the often adamant claim that "they knew nothing about all that" and possibly accept it - given the technical information resources back then. But, today, this is simply not possible. The ongoing genocide in Palestine and the atrocities committed by the Nazis in Ukraine are taking place live and in full view of the world public... and everyone is talking about it - with the exception, that is, of the Western elites and their media. 

Today, many of the alleged descendants of those persecuted at the time, now in "Israel" - talk openly and unabashedly in public about the expulsion and extermination of the Palestinians, while their Western enablers avoid referring to the genocide in Gaza and the Nazi crimes in Ukraine as such.

Himmler commended the SS commanders for their severity towards the "enemies of the German people" and assured them that "they had remained decent". They had "fulfilled this most difficult task out of love for their people" in order to avert harm from them (from which the recently often stated justification "their right to self-defence" in reference to the Israelis and Ukrainians can be derived) - "without having suffered mental or character damage in the process".

Today the "IDF" is presented and celebrated as "the most moral army in the world" by the Western élites and the Israelis themselves; after every murder and every act of brutality against the Palestinians, the "decency" of the IOF soldiers and "Israel's right to self-defence" is emphasised (Scholz: here). Additionally, the Western media always speaks of "Israel" as the "only democracy" in the region.

The Nazi élites feared that openly publicising the murders would have made the population feel uncomfortable, which might have led to a loss of trust and even to protests and resistance. Given the circumstances at the time, this was not an unfounded fear. There are many court records of charges of "subversion of the war effort" for spreading "untruths". Many had to pay with their heads.

Today it is forbidden by law (exclusively in Germany - for the moment) and considered a criminal offence to delegitimise the state with "fake news". Doubting or even denying the right of the "Israeli state" to exist is deemed an act of "anti-Semitism" and can have serious consequences under criminal law.

It may just be a question of time before the concentration camp and the guillotine might be put back into operation – depending on the escalation of the existential crisis facing the Western elites and their supremacy.

Himmler said back in 1943(!) that "Russia will soon perish from 'the loss of blood' and starvation". And today, almost all leading Western politicians (von der Leyen, Baerbock, Kallas, Tusk, Duda, etc...) are talking about forcing Russia to its knees through sanctions… to defeat, destroy, and ultimately annihilate her by any means possible. Accordingly, Zelensky exclaimed: "Very soon there will be two Victory Days in Ukraine." 

Himmler described the Russians as a "mixed race, racially inferior, uncivilised and not creatively inclined". Was this perhaps the ulterior motive of Ursula von der Leyen when she spoke of the Russians taking the chips from the washing machines imported from the West to use them for other purposes because they are not "creatively inclined" to develop such technologies themselves?

The existing form of fascism in "Israel" and the newly emerging form of fascism in the West are, of course, not the same as the fascism of the past. But that the Zionists and the far-right Greens in Germany have a kindred spirit with German-style fascism (Nazism) is more than obvious. The mental proximity to Nazi ideology can be seen in the Zionists' pathological hatred of Palestinians and the Greens' pathological hatred of Russians and Russia. "Israel's" settler colonialism bears quite a resemblance to the settlement projects and "blood and soil" ideology of the Nazis in Russia and Eastern Europe.

Himmler reassured the SS troops by telling them that they had remained "decent" and had not even lost their sense of humour despite "1000" corpses lying around. Today, in view of the numerous reports and images documenting the atrocities committed by the "most moral army in the world" and the "only democracy in the Middle East" - and not just since 8 October 2024 - no one can say the same about "Israel" - except its incorrigible German friends. Himmler might just rollick in his (unknown) grave with Schadenfreude.

Whatever the outcome of the war in Gaza, one thing is absolutely certain: just like the heroic efforts and defiance of the Leningraders, the struggle of the Palestinians, their sacrifices, their suffering, and their extraordinary resistance, along with those of their allies, will be inscribed in the pages of history in golden letters.

The Israelis and their accomplices will have to bear the eternal stain called "Gaza", just as the Germans and their European accomplices have been bearing the "Auschwitz+" stain since 1945. All attempts by the Germans to transfer their "guilt" to the Palestinians by worshipping "Israel" and condemning the true inhabitants of Palestine have failed - forever.

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A few more exemplary statements from Israeli politicians…

Yoav Gallant, Security Minister - quote: "We are fighting human animals, and we are acting accordingly. We will eliminate everything - they will regret it."

Moshe Feiglin, Likud member, former leader of Zehut - quote: "There is one and only (one) solution, which is to completely destroy Gaza before invading it. I mean destruction like what happened in Dresden and Hiroshima, without nuclear weapons." // "Gaza should be razed and Israel’s rule should be restored to the place. This is our country."

Amit Halevi, Likud member - quote: "There should be two goals for this victory: One, there is no more Muslim land in the land of Israel … After we make it the land of Israel, Gaza should be left as a monument, like Sodom."

Bezalel Smotrich, Minister of Finance - quote: "We are negotiating with the ones that should not have existed for a long time. One with one hand, in God's will, we should deliver the final blow."

Nissim Vaturi, deputy speaker for parliament - quote: "Nakba? Expel them all. If the Egyptians care so much for them - they are welcome to have them wrapped in cellophane tied with a green ribbon."

Ariel Kallner, member of parliament - quote: "Nakba to the enemy now! This day is our Pearl Harbour. We will still learn the lessons. Right now, one goal: Nakba! A Nakba that will overshadow the Nakba of 48. A Nakba in Gaza and a Nakba for anyone who dares to join!"

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Below are just a few exemplary statements from other Western politicians and a dead Russian opposition leader:

Nikki Haley, politician and "diplomat" USA - writes on an Israeli bomb bound for Gaza: "Finish Them!"

Lindsey Graham, Senator S. Carolina USA – quote: "[…] we decided to end the war by bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki with nuclear weapons. That was the right decision. Give Israel the bombs they need to end the war they can’t afford to lose. […] Why is it okay for America to drop two nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end their existential threat war? Why was it okay for us to do that? I thought it was okay. To Israel: do whatever you have to do to survive as a Jewish state! Whatever you have to do!!"

+ quote: "We're not generating enough angry white guys to stay in business for the long term."

+ quote: "Is there a Brutus in Russia? Is there a more successful Colonel Stauffenberg in the Russian military? The only way this ends is for somebody in Russia to take this guy out. You would be doing your country - and the world - a great service. […] Unless you want to live in darkness for the rest of your life, be isolated from the rest of the world in abject poverty, and live in darkness you need to step up to the plate."

Brian Mast, Republican rep Florida USA - quote: "Israel should go in there and kick the shit out of them, just absolutely destroy them, their infrastructure, level anything that they touch. Clear enough?

Tim Walberg, Republican rep Michigan USA - quote, in reference to a temporary port the US plans on building for Gaza: "Why are we spending our money to build a port for them? […] I don’t think we should," […] "We shouldn’t be spending a dime on humanitarian aid. It should be like Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Get it over quick."

The German Green Party's "Manifesto of Principles - quote: "As a party, we are united by the foundation of values in this manifesto of principles, a common fundamental attitude to the world as it is and as it could be. Our vision is to make possible a life in dignity and freedom, today as well as the day after tomorrow, everywhere on this planet we inhabit together. [my emphasis]

Ursula von der Leyen, President EU Commission - quote: "The Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective. We want them to live the European dream with us."

+ quote: "Slava Ukraini."

Annalena Baerbock, Foreign Minister Germany - quote: "No matter what my German voters think. But I want to deliver to the people of Ukraine."

+ quote: "… because we are fighting a war against Russia and not against each other."

Josep Borrell, HR/VP of the European Union - quote: "Europe is a garden... the rest of the world is a jungle. And the jungle could invade the garden…"

Alexei Navalny, dead Russian opposition leader, adored by the West: in a video, standing beside an "illustrative" video screen, referring to Muslims as cockroaches and advocating for their extermination: "Hello! Today we will talk about insect control. None of us are immune from that. A cockroach will crawl into our house. Eww! Or a fly will fly in through the window. We all know that a fly swatter is great for getting rid of flies, and a slipper for cockroaches. [On the screen to the side appear bearded Muslim men with the words "lawless homo sapiens"] Well, what to do if the cockroach turns out to be too big and the fly is overly aggressive? Well, In this case I recommend a pistol."