Hermann the German

October 10, 2009 5:08 PM

Fans of Tacitus's Germania, meet Hermann.
posted by oldleada (11 comments total)

Here's the statue, btw.
posted by empath at 5:36 PM on October 10, 2009

We've got one in New Ulm too!
posted by nanojath at 5:50 PM on October 10, 2009

Actually, I would think that de-Nazifying Hermann would mean making him appeal to people who aren't fans of Tacitus, considering that Tacitus clearly harbored a very weird hatred toward the Jews:

Things sacred with us, with them have no sanctity, while they allow what with us is forbidden... They slay the ram, seemingly in derision of Hammon, and they sacrifice the ox, because the Egyptians worship it as Apis...

This worship, however introduced, is upheld by its antiquity; all their other customs, which are at once perverse and disgusting, owe their strength to their very badness. The most degraded out of other races, scorning their national beliefs, brought to them their contributions and presents. This augmented the wealth of the Jews, as also did the fact, that among themselves they are inflexibly honest and ever ready to shew compassion, though they regard the rest of mankind with all the hatred of enemies. They sit apart at meals, they sleep apart, and though, as a nation, they are singularly prone to lust, they abstain from intercourse with foreign women; among themselves nothing is unlawful. Circumcision was adopted by them as a mark of difference from other men. Those who come over to their religion adopt the practice, and have this lesson first instilled into them, to despise all gods, to disown their country, and set at nought parents, children, and brethren. Still they provide for the increase of their numbers. It is a crime among them to kill any newly-born infant. They hold that the souls of all who perish in battle or by the hands of the executioner are immortal. Hence a passion for propagating their race and a contempt for death. They are wont to bury rather than to burn their dead, following in this the Egyptian custom; they bestow the same care on the dead, and they hold the same belief about the lower world...

Some have thought that they worshiped father Liber, the conqueror of the East, though their institutions do not by any means harmonize with the theory; for Liber established a festive and cheerful worship, while the Jewish religion is tasteless and mean.

This passage from the Histories has always struck me as somewhat ridiculous. "It is a crime among them to kill any newly-born infant"? What savages! And it should be noted that such rank antisemitism wasn't necessarily a given for Romans of this time period; Marcus Aurelius, who was born around the time Tacitus died, was apparently a close friend of Rabbi Judah, one of the compositors of the Talmud, and is even quoted in the Talmud.

This side of Tacitus is probably one of the things that made his histories, and Hermann in particular, so attractive to the Nazis. Of course, Hermann had nothing to do with Tacitus, so you can't really blame him for being in Tacitus' book.
posted by koeselitz at 6:07 PM on October 10, 2009

Every time I get to that bit about "among themselves nothing is unlawful," I can almost hear the eyes of every Jew I've ever met rolling furiously.
posted by koeselitz at 6:09 PM on October 10, 2009

I'm sorry; I'd meant to say:

This is a very interesting article. Thanks, oldleada.
posted by koeselitz at 6:17 PM on October 10, 2009

There is a fraternal society in Texas, the Sons of Hermann. Not being of German descent, I never knew what it was all about. Like the Elks Lodge isn't run by elk, I figured it was just a name. Nice post.
posted by Xoebe at 6:25 PM on October 10, 2009

The Varusschlacht museum mentioned in the article has a website in English with some more information. I've actually been to the museum, and I don't recall much Hermann kitsch being for sale, though it was a few years ago.
posted by jedicus at 8:44 PM on October 10, 2009

A fascinating read on how the interpretation of a historical event evolved with Germany's history. In an Arab Emirates newspaper of all places.
posted by jouke at 9:20 PM on October 10, 2009

A fascinating read on how the interpretation of a historical event evolved with Germany's history. In an Arab Emirates newspaper of all places.

jouke,

It was only recently launched and it's about 10 times better than any of the other English newspapers published in the Gulf. They imported a lot of journalistic talent from elsewhere. They also do an in-focus section every day. It's Sunday here (first day of the week) so I think today is Iran day. Also good are the digests of what the Arab and Persian newspapers are saying.
posted by atrazine at 12:10 AM on October 11, 2009 [1 favorite]

I'd never have thought. Interesting.
posted by jouke at 5:53 PM on October 12, 2009

"I am Hermann."
"No, I am Hermann!"
posted by ...possums at 11:22 PM on October 12, 2009