Anne Frank's Diary vandalised in Tokyo libraries

[ABCer]

Too many names here to mention. Hope you will sort it out. Not from Russia and without love...

Only a fool will get frustrated by number of fools here on TV.

Forgiveness is on. But God save us from forgetfulness.

Japanese as a country have been walking this road for a very long time. Despite many of them being different.

When talking about antisemitism do not mention French, Germans, Russians, Poles, Ukrainians, Spaniards - it hurts.

Vandalized book or pages torn out of it are worthless. But the motive, the idea and the courage behind the act are priceless! x 250!

Do not single out any Nation. Germans had a 'thing' for Jews, Japanese for Chinese and Koreans, and what about Thais?...

I hope nobody here on TV is personally responsible. It is funny to see the reaction to the issues being so deeply personal

[Steely Dan]

I don't see this unfortunate incident reflecting badly on the Japanese people, indeed the bar for antisemitic behavior is set higher in civilized nations. In some Countries you would never find Anne Frank's diary published but where Mein Kamf is a best seller.

[7by7]

Whilst Mein Kampf is widely available in many countries,, in Europe, the Americas and elsewhere, not sure if it could be classed as a best seller anywhere.

Edit; it appears it's the top seller on Amazon and iTunes charts in Canada and U.S. (source).

Interestingly, from the Central Council of Jews in Germany

The Secretary General of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Stephan J. Kramer, has given his support to a proposal to publish a scholarly edition of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf. In an interview with 3Sat’s TV programme Kulturzeit he said: “Although some people oppose the proposal justifying their reservations with respect and responsibility towards the survivors, I think that it makes sense and is important to publish an edition of Hitler’s Mein Kampf with a scientific commentary.” The rights to the book, which are presently held by the Bavarian Finance Ministry, are due to expire on 31 December 2015, 70 years after Hitler’s death. In Kramer’s view, “a historically critical edition needs to be prepared today to prevent neo-Nazis profiting from the situation.”

It would be interesting to see a comparison of worldwide sales of the two books; if any one can find one.

Edited February 22, 2014 by 7by7

[geriatrickid]

,,,,,Let's stay on the topic of the destruction of books and things a little more closely associated with those events.

(posts and replies deleted)

I wish we wouldn't. The burning of books because motivated solely by hate and ignorance is contrary to civilization and the advancement of humanity.

It ranges from gut wrenching sadness when Europeans in the medieval ages burnt books containing great works of art, to the downright idiotic and laughable when some North American communities burnt novelty books about Elvis and the Beatles to tragic when the Khmer Rouge burnt down whole libraries during their genocide. On the other hand, we have many people in around the world who dedicate their lives to preserving books and knowledge for the benefit of humankind. For every sad story we read of, there are many others where people have put their lives at risk to save the books.

ed. Not about staying on topic, but the topic itself. I wish we didn't have to revisit this issue as it is a sad statement on the ignorance of humans.

Edited February 22, 2014 by geriatrickid

[WitawatWatawit]

Not sure if I'm reading this right, but the incident appears to have the stamp of just a lone nutter. It's very weird - similar kinds of books in so many libraries. It seems to me not to be any kind of organised right-wing statement. So many libraries involved over what would probably be quite some time - so if a political statement was being made, then the person/people involved are very patient and methodical, and that's generally not the mark of right-wing fanatics. More like someone with a fixation. Possibly anti-Semitic, possibly an obsessive/compulsive with anti-iconic delusions. Anyway, anyone who has been to the Anne Frank Museum and house in Amsterdam could not help but be disturbed by this.

[sdanielmcev]

Of course, since no one has been caught or identified,.....let's blame the Nazis!!! For my money these holocaust worshippers are as bad as the deniers.

Cries of anti-semitism!!! Semites are an ethnic group, not any religion. Until I see or hear any evidence, just vandalism.

[BookMan]

Not sure if I'm reading this right, but the incident appears to have the stamp of just a lone nutter. It's very weird - similar kinds of books in so many libraries. It seems to me not to be any kind of organised right-wing statement. So many libraries involved over what would probably be quite some time - so if a political statement was being made, then the person/people involved are very patient and methodical, and that's generally not the mark of right-wing fanatics. More like someone with a fixation. Possibly anti-Semitic, possibly an obsessive/compulsive with anti-iconic delusions. Anyway, anyone who has been to the Anne Frank Museum and house in Amsterdam could not help but be disturbed by this.

That is also my feeling witawatwatawit

[Scott]

Off-topic posts and replies deleted.

[Jingthing]

Of course, since no one has been caught or identified,.....let's blame the Nazis!!! For my money these holocaust worshippers are as bad as the deniers.

Cries of anti-semitism!!! Semites are an ethnic group, not any religion. Until I see or hear any evidence, just vandalism.

I found this post aggressively provocative, but since it was allowed to stand, I assume I'm allowed to respond.

So to each point:

1. True. No one person or group has been caught.

2. I don't think anyone here has specifically blamed actual Nazis. So your hot accusation that has been done doesn't even appear to be true.

3. What do you mean by holocaust worshipers? Are you referring to the Wiesenthal Center, the state of Israel, Jews in general ... what? Do you equate world REMEMBERING what happened with Holocaust museums, keeping Anne Frank books in libraries, days of remembrance as in Israel with WORSHIP of the holocaust? If so, I can't disagree more with your sentiment equating holocaust deniers with people who wish to REMEMBER the holocaust and hopefully take lessons from it for the future of humanity.

4. Cries of antisemitism? Let's get this thing straight. Defacing Anne Frank books is an antisemitic act be definition. That book is highly symbolic and it is simply not possible it was picked at RANDOM. One book perhaps but this was done in multiple locations to the SAME book. Just as an attack on a Harvey Milk statue would be anti-gay by definition. That's the message the vandal(s) tried to give. It is true we don't know who did it specifically. Of course I agree it is vandalism, but vandalism with an undeniably anti-semitic message.

5. Semites an ethnic group. INDEED. Who said they weren't an ethnic group? The DEFINITION of antisemitism is about hatred of JEWS. Jews by definition are an ETHNO-RELIGIOUS group. In other words Jewish is an ethnicity and ALSO a religion. It is very common to be a JEW (ethnically) but not religious at all. Antisemites hate Jews, period. Religious Jews, Zionist Jews, anti-Zionist Jews, atheist Jews, secular Jews, you name the type of Jew, that's a type they hate, by definition. It's an irrational social disease and sadly it is still with us.

IF on the other hand you were referring to ARABS who are ALSO semites, let's get this clear, antisemitism is not about hatred of ARABS. There are other words for that. If you want to change the definition of a word, perhaps lobby the dictionary writers.

In any case anyone is still confused about the semite thing:

hatred of Jewish people

hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anti-semitism

Edited February 23, 2014 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

There are still LOTS of copies left.

http://www.ushmm.org/research/research-in-collections/search-the-collections/bibliography/anne-frank

Anne’s diary has now been published in more than fifty languages; the total number of copies printed amounts to almost twenty million.

[Jingthing]

It won't be the first or the last time I will have wasted my efforts, but thanks for your concern.

I saw that post as a tricky way to show support for holocaust deniers, and as such, I felt a response was in order.

Edited February 23, 2014 by Jingthing

[Scott]

Posts with comments inside the quote tags have been removed. Please make sure your comment is outside the quoted text box.

[7by7]

Of course, since no one has been caught or identified,.....let's blame the Nazis!!! For my money these holocaust worshippers are as bad as the deniers.

Cries of anti-semitism!!! Semites are an ethnic group, not any religion. Until I see or hear any evidence, just vandalism.

To add to JT's excellent reply to this, I'd like to ask you, and those who have 'liked' your post, one question.

If it was just simple, mindless vandalism; why do you think it was just this particular book chosen at each an every location and no others?

I look forward to reading your reply; but I suspect you don't have an answer!!

Edited February 23, 2014 by 7by7

[jayceenik]

I smell a "False Flag" vandalism.

In other words a stir the pot and get Japan's and indeed the world's attention again on this Anne Frank and on anti-Semitism.

Yes, I'm being cynical

Flames welcome

[Chicog]

IF on the other hand you were referring to ARABS who are ALSO semites, let's get this clear, antisemitism is not about hatred of ARABS. There are other words for that. If you want to change the definition of a word, perhaps lobby the dictionary writers.

Kind of what the Jews already did, no?

[Jingthing]

IF on the other hand you were referring to ARABS who are ALSO semites, let's get this clear, antisemitism is not about hatred of ARABS. There are other words for that. If you want to change the definition of a word, perhaps lobby the dictionary writers.

Kind of what the Jews already did, no?

I am not an expert on the etiology of the definition. However, I really don't get this objection. There needs to a word with the meaning of anti-semitism because it describes something very real in both history and right now (hatred of JEWS specifically). If you disapprove of the word because of the logic confusion of Arabs also being semites, just say anti-Jewish or anti-Jew. Though I don't know why you would really want to given the actual meaning of antisemitism is WELL ESTABLISHED to be referring to Jews and not to Arabs. The point anyway ... is COMMUNICATION. Using standard definitions is standard. Can words change? Yes. But right now antisemitism refers to Jews, not Arabs.

Edited February 23, 2014 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

I smell a "False Flag" vandalism.

In other words a stir the pot and get Japan's and indeed the world's attention again on this Anne Frank and on anti-Semitism.

Yes, I'm being cynical

Flames welcome

Until/unless a perp is convicted, we actually don't know who did it. We DO know the message that was being communicated was an anti-semitic message. You are getting more to the motivation behind sending this message. There have been some unfortunate cases of the type of thing you describe (such as a case in the U.S. of a lesbian woman doing a homophobic action secretly to call attention to homophobia on her campus) so I am not going to flame you even though I don't think it is very likely in any specific case. In the unlikely event what you "smell" turns out to be true, I would be on board with totally condemning that type of action as I think any reasonable person would do the same. You know, Jews are people too like all other people, some are heroes and some are villains and most are something in between.

Edited February 23, 2014 by Jingthing

[manarak]

Days gone by now.

Let's move forward.

Your obviously Jewish, me German blood, let's try and forget, it's a sensitive subject.

This idiotic vandalism was likely undertaken by some idiotic jerks with too much spare time.

We are not EVER going to forget, so forget about that.

Not forgetting about the Spanish Inquisition either.

There are still a few holocaust victims alive today and you want us to forget ALREADY?

NEIN.

Fuggedaboutit ...

Though, of course this is not about blaming modern day Germans.

I'm sure it is a real drag being a modern German and STILL having people all over the world associating you with Nazi Germany. No, that isn't fair. But compared to the holocaust, it's a nice slice of apple strudel.

Yes, it should certainly not be forgotten.

On the other hand, too many people live in the past regarding that matter and tend to still bash the Germans as a whole, current and past, about the holocaust without much differentiation.

It's not a drag for modern day Germans, because they know they would not have been nazis...

To come back to the Anne Frank diaries, I'm at the moment really puzzled about the motive.

Antisemitism is obvious, but my instinct tells me it would be rather odd for Japanese right-wingers to go to libraries and quietly rip out pages that doesn't even touch Japanese history or Japanese symbols.

And I can't see a group of nazi expats doing it.

One thing to note is that the diaries are a best-seller in Japan - I would rather look for a reason related to their notoriety in Japan.

Knowing the really weird stuff that the Japanese sometimes enjoy doing, I would not completely rule out a weird motive.

[FiftyTwo]

One thing to note is that the diaries are a best-seller in Japan - I would rather look for a reason related to their notoriety in Japan.

Knowing the really weird stuff that the Japanese sometimes enjoy doing, I would not completely rule out a weird motive.

Surely you aren't suggesting it was a publicity stunt to boost sales of the book?

[7by7]

It's not a drag for modern day Germans, because they know they would not have been nazis...

I wish I could agree; but I have to change that to "they hope they would not have been Nazis."

Given the circumstances that existed in the Weimar Republic in the late 1920's, early 1930's who can put their hand on their heart and honestly say that they would not follow a highly charismatic leader who promised a way out of the mess.

The horrors came later.

[Jingthing]

I honestly think given the history of Japan not have a big problem with antisemitism (almost no Jews) that there perhaps was not a need for much of a reaction to this book defacement. Such incidents are much more troubling (and also much more common) in countries with actually large Jewish populations like France.

Japan turning to more right wing nationalist leaders, that's not directly about the books, but that could mean more general trouble.

Edited February 23, 2014 by Jingthing

[7by7]

IF on the other hand you were referring to ARABS who are ALSO semites, let's get this clear, antisemitism is not about hatred of ARABS. There are other words for that. If you want to change the definition of a word, perhaps lobby the dictionary writers.

Kind of what the Jews already did, no?

I am not an expert on the etiology of the definition. However, I really don't get this objection. There needs to a word with the meaning of anti-semitism because it describes something very real in both history and right now (hatred of JEWS specifically). If you disapprove of the word because of the logic confusion of Arabs also being semites, just say anti-Jewish or anti-Jew. Though I don't know why you would really want to given the actual meaning of antisemitism is WELL ESTABLISHED to be referring to Jews and not to Arabs. The point anyway ... is COMMUNICATION. Using standard definitions is standard. Can words change? Yes. But right now antisemitism refers to Jews, not Arabs.

According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica

anti-Semitism, hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious or racial group. The term anti-Semitism was coined in 1879 by the German agitator Wilhelm Marr to designate the anti-Jewish campaigns underway in central Europe at that time. Although this term now has wide currency, it is a misnomer, since it implies a discrimination against all Semites. Arabs and other peoples are also Semites, and yet they are not the targets of anti-Semitism as it is usually understood...........

[Chicog]

IF on the other hand you were referring to ARABS who are ALSO semites, let's get this clear, antisemitism is not about hatred of ARABS. There are other words for that. If you want to change the definition of a word, perhaps lobby the dictionary writers.

Kind of what the Jews already did, no?

I am not an expert on the etiology of the definition. However, I really don't get this objection. There needs to a word with the meaning of anti-semitism because it describes something very real in both history and right now (hatred of JEWS specifically). If you disapprove of the word because of the logic confusion of Arabs also being semites, just say anti-Jewish or anti-Jew. Though I don't know why you would really want to given the actual meaning of antisemitism is WELL ESTABLISHED to be referring to Jews and not to Arabs. The point anyway ... is COMMUNICATION. Using standard definitions is standard. Can words change? Yes. But right now antisemitism refers to Jews, not Arabs.

The manipulation of words into a new meaning is a common form of propaganda.

E.g. "Intelligent Design" = "Religious Mumbo Jumbo".

"anti-semitism" does mean "Anti-judaism" to most people you're right.

But that's because they don't realise that both Jews and Arabs are Semites.

Ironically, it was an "anti-jew" that coined the phrase because it sounded more scientific than "Judenhaas" ("Jew Hater").

Edited February 23, 2014 by Chicog

[Jingthing]

It's just how the word developed in a place with lots of Jews and probably few Arabs. Not malicious.

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[Chicog]

It's just how the word developed in a place with lots of Jews and probably few Arabs. Not malicious.

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No, it was popularised by Wilhelm Marr (see above), a well know Jew Hater (although he apologised for it all at the end).

[Jingthing]

Apologized for what? The word not including Arabs or the Jew hatred?

More to the topic Nazis exterminated Jews. They weren't interested in anti-Arab genocide.

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[7by7]

Marr didn't popularise the term in relation to being anti Jewish; as the Encyclopaedia Britannica article I linked to above says; he coined it.

JT, from the Wikipedia link I included above

Toward the end of his life Marr came to renounce anti-semitism, arguing that social upheaval in Germany had been the result of the Industrial Revolution and conflict between political movements. According to Moshe Zimmermann he "openly requested the Jews' pardon for having erred in isolating the problem".[2] He published in Hamburg a final essay entitled Testament of an Antisemite in which he explained the history of his thinking, asserting that he had originally been a "philo-Semite", having rejected "the miserable Romantic madness of Germanism". He complained that modern anti-Semitism was becoming merged with German mysticism and nationalism. Marr condemned 'the beer drinking leaders, the gay "Heil" shouters of modern anti-Semitism' and crude prejudice against Jewish writers and thinkers

Perhaps I should point out that the word 'gay' in the above is used in it's original meaning of carefree, happy or bright and showy (I suspect it's the latter); nothing to do with homosexuality.

Also, the Nazis wanted to exterminate all those they considered sub human; this included not only Jews but Slavs, Romanies and others their perverted science put into that category. Had there been an Arab population in Germany and the occupied territories at the time I am sure that they would have suffered too.

Edited February 23, 2014 by 7by7

[Ulysses G.]

But that's because they don't realise that both Jews and Arabs are Semites.

Some folks don't realize that it does not mean that they are the same race either. It refers to the fact that they both speak semitic languages.

Edited February 23, 2014 by Ulysses G.

[Jingthing]

...

Also, the Nazis wanted to exterminate all those they considered sub human; this included not only Jews but Slavs, Romanies and others their perverted science put into that category. Had there been an Arab population in Germany and the occupied territories at the time I am sure that they would have suffered too.

I am not so sure about that and you can't be either. I can't be denied that the Nazi race agenda was primarily obsessed with exterminating the JEWS. They did attack other groups of course and the Roma were also a genocide target, but the primary focus of their hate propaganda was clearly directed at JEWS. Also keep in mind the very powerful Arabic Grand Mufti of Jerusalem at that time lived in Berlin during the war, actively participating in promoting genocide of European Jews, helping recruit Muslim Nazi fighters in Europe, and had sought promises from Hitler to exterminate all the Jews in Palestine when it could be done, but before it could be done the Nazis lost the war.

As noted above, Jews and Arabs are both semites but they are NOT of the same ethnic group. Also of course there exist multiple ethnic group among Jews (and among Arabs of course as well), the biggest groups being Ashkenazic (somewhat of an ironic name) and Sephardim. If you really think the word antisemite is such a horrible injustice to Arabs, just say anti-Jew. It means the same thing. However I think any noise about antisemitism being about Arabs too, which of course it is not, is just much ado about almost nothing, and basically a diversion.

In my view, the Lebanese complaints that the Israelis "stole" hummus is a much more significant gripe.

As far as genetic connections, yes, there are some genetic connections between ethnic Palestinian Arab people and ethnic Jews but there are also genetic connections between ethnic Jews and Italians ... and all of the ONE human race started in AFRICA anyway!

Edited February 23, 2014 by Jingthing

[7by7]

I(t) can't be denied that the Nazi race agenda was primarily obsessed with exterminating the JEWS. They did attack other groups of course and the Roma were also a genocide target, but the primary focus of their hate propaganda was clearly directed at JEWS. Also keep in mind the very powerful Arabic Grand Mufti of Jerusalem at that time lived in Berlin during the war, actively participating in promoting genocide of European Jews, helping recruit Muslim Nazi fighters in Europe, and had sought promises from Hitler to exterminate all the Jews in Palestine when it could be done, but before it could be done the Nazis lost the war.

I don't want to get into a pointless argument with you over this, but whilst Jews were the largest single group of victims, many others were victims as well. Indeed, in total more Gentiles were murdered by the Nazis than Jews.

Holocaust victims

While the term Holocaust victims generally refers to Jews, the Nazis also persecuted and killed millions of members of other groups they considered inferior (Untermenschen), undesirable or dangerous.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) states: “The Holocaust was the murder of six million Jews and millions of others by the Nazis and their collaborators during World War II."

In addition to Jews, the targeted groups included Poles (of whom 2.5 million gentile Poles were killed) and some other Slavic peoples; Soviets (particularly prisoners of war); Romanies (also known as Gypsies) and others who did not belong to the Aryan Herrenvolk "Aryan master race"; the mentally ill, the deaf, the physically disabled and mentally retarded; homosexual and transsexual people; political opponents such as communists, social democrats and socialists; and religious dissidents, i.e. members of Jehovah's Witnesses. Taking into account all of the victims of Nazi persecution, they systematically killed an estimated six million Jews and mass murdered an additional eleven million people during the war. Donald Niewyk suggests that the broadest definition, including Soviet civilian deaths would produce a death toll of 17 million.

Whilst Hitler may have come to an accommodation with the grand Mufti; bear in mind he was someone who would make alliances which were convenient at the time only to turn against those areements later to suit his plans; the Molotov - Ribbentrop Pact being a prime example.

Had the Nazis been victorious in Europe, I have no doubt that those Arabs who supported them would have lived to regret it; but not lived for long!