Germans Readers Weigh in on Hurricane Katrina

Der Spiegel ^ | September 12, 2005

[NCjim]

The humanitarian disaster which has followed in the wake of Katrina has shocked the world almost more than the hurricane itself. Here is a selection of the letters to the editor addressed to Der Spiegel that we've translated into English.

American society needs to ask itself why a natural catastrophe led to the breakdown of all civil order in a relatively short amount of time, and allowed a city to drown in chaos and anarchy. Asia, on the other hand, showed none of this aggression and brutality after the tsunami, but was marked, on the contrary, by a massive sense of cooperation.

Kay-Uwe Goldbach, Germany

+++

It's the Big Easy's own fault that so many of its citizens are trying to stay behind with their homes. They're not really so pitiable. Most of them decided quite consciously to stay. There were enough cars, even if New Orleans has fewer than other cities. And if hotels weren't affordable, there must have been plenty of relatives and friends. Why did the people ignore the public warnings? "The Big Easy" also likes to take it easy, since the government will provide. This care-for-me mentality has been fatal.

Alan Benson, Germany

+++

A salutary effect of the destruction by this and perhaps other hurricanes might be that the priggish voodoo-magician of the American Way of Life named Bush -- and his short-haul Creationists -- suffer a decisive setback. For this adminstration wants to distract American people (and in the end all of us) from the most urgent problems. This is because they want to use their money for something else: to build an enormous halo for themselves.

Christoph Müller-Luckwald, Germany

+++

The lessons of the hurricane disaster have an important message for us in Germany in the days running up to the September 18 elections: We need to pay close attention to each candidate's ideas for reforming our social- and health-care systems. As a result of Katrina the United States has finally lost its status as a role model.

Günther Rohm, Germany

+++

Thanks to its relaxed atmosphere, New Orleans had no time to plan ahead. People have never learned to help themselves, so now others have to help -- and right away. Somehow it makes me think of the fable of the ant and the cricket.

Johannes Taphorn, Germany

+++

The catastrophe in New Orleans may have something to do with America's unusually religious nature. "God bless America" -- a phrase used even by the President -- expresses an unshakable faith in God which makes human striving beside the point. The indifference to those unfortunates who couldn't save themselves under their own power might be explained by the maxim, "God helps those who help themselves." New Orleans presents an image of the United States, on the whole, that is unworthy of a cultivated nation.

Helmut Woitas, Germany

+++

Bush is able to flesh out plans to destroy life in the minutest detail. But he is incapable of quickly and efficiently providing his own people with what is most necessary to stay alive. Maybe this is because military action has a greater effect on patriotism, pathos and above all profit, than does provision for the poorer members of our society. Environmental protection is also a way of protecting the homeland.

F.L. Winkelhoch, Germany

+++

You write that the catastrophe has nothing to do with global warming. This statement is untenable from scientific point of view and politically speaking is fatal. Experts still have no way of answering the question of whether there is a connection between global warming and the frequency and strength of hurricanes. But there are certainly arguments which support the theory that a warmer planet will experience more natural disasters. And politically your argument is fatal because it allows people to believe that they should not feel threatened by the changing global climate.

Dr. Axel Schmitz, Germany

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The German media claims that only the wealthy were able to leave the city. This is true, but only because of the failure of New Orleans's liberal black government. Why, for example, weren't all the school buses and trains used to evacuate the people? Now, in an attempt to distract attention from its own incompetence, the local government is trying to blame the federal administration.

Claus Franzkowiak, USA

+++

What emergency aid have heads of international companies, the global organizations and the major share-holders given to the victims of the hurricane catastrophe? After all it is their decisions on investment, production, climate protection and location which affect the fate of ordinary people.

Dr. Erich Schäfer, Austria

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Is it cynical to draw the conclusion that just a fraction of the thousands of billions of dollars used for weapons and war would have been enough to prevent the disaster? Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama are hardly on the same level as Florida.

Franz Tobiasch, Germany

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We need to give up this city. Since it can only exist with the help of giant pumps and massive waste of energy, it has no future.

Veit Hennemann, Germany

[Kimmers]

Need we remind Europe that nearly 15,000 peope died in France because it was too darn hot? http://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/2003-09-25-france-heat_x.htm where was the outcry then?.......

[Paradox]

It's the Big Easy's own fault that so many of its citizens are trying to stay behind with their homes. They're not really so pitiable. Most of them decided quite consciously to stay. There were enough cars, even if New Orleans has fewer than other cities. And if hotels weren't affordable, there must have been plenty of relatives and friends. Why did the people ignore the public warnings? "The Big Easy" also likes to take it easy, since the government will provide. This care-for-me mentality has been fatal

At least this guy has brought up a point that many here would tend to agree with. Socialism Kills.

[Jeff Chandler]

Always good to hear the Hun's take on things.

"Hun" is a derogatory, insulting, and innacurate term.

They're called "Krauts".

[Archon of the East]

Are Germans really this pathetic?

[bboop]

No kidding, died in Paris in the heat! These comments are disgusting and so ARROGANT. And so uneducated/ ignorant really. And over what, pray tell? jaeger salami?? dark beer? SO .....

[bboop]

hahah, how a master race would have handled it. Thank you.

[lula]

Unfortunately their media is so damn anti Bush, they don't know any better. It's not just here in Germany, all of Europe. Their being led by the nose, as are many Americans by our own media.

[ClaireSolt]

Oh, they are just intimidated. It might help, if we get our troops out.

[Wiseghy]

Cooperation?

I seem to recall tons of concern about sex worker recruiters hunting for orphans, people fighting over kids, and massive confusion and disorientation that continued for weeks.

The main difference was the onslaught of the '06 elections here, and the quickly arriving political spinmisters in LA behind the scenes turning every little issue into a battle while people died.

[Brett66]

Good grief - and these people are supposed to be our so-called allies? If they had the military might, I think they would start a war with us.

[nitejohnboy]

Now we know why these schnitzels are 2 for 2.

[Archon of the East]

I think that the media is no doubt driven by leftist organizations worldwide and very selectively play out their "truth" which is Anti American. Many Germans still don't like us from WWII though that generation is dying off the new generation's have picked it up by opposing us in new ways. While brilliant in technology and scientific thought their philosophers have really gummed things up so it's no surprise that they have not a clue about what US is all about in principle.

I agree get our troops out of Germany, they are useless there anyway provided we make a few arrangements

[Moorings]

... while France did not want give up its vacation to help those people.

[Smokin' Joe]

Don't tell me:

"Ve haff vays uff schtopping dese hurricanes..."

LOL! They sure have their share of folks who are either ignorant of how our government functions or who are just more barking moonbats...

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

Hey Krauts, it was just about 50 years ago when your last gasp was made. So tell us, how did that wonderful Nazi gig of yours go. Your BS had reduced not only your own country to s shti hole, but destroyed all of Europe and cost tens of millions of lives.

America doesn't need a pathetic pack of murdering Nazi swine offspring such as you to tell us about what is right.

[Peach]

You think this would never happen in Europe? Did you forget the sarcasm tag?

This DID happen in Europe in 2003. And worse. Nearly 15,000 people died in France alone from the heat. 20,000 died in Italy. From the HEAT. Skip the first paragraph, which is a chart and go right to the narrative below?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_heat_wave_of_2003

[NCjim]

Are Germans really this pathetic?

No, but the liberal press is. First, note that only selected articles were translated. So the translated articles support the agenda of Der Spiegel. Their press is no different from ours.

One German I know continually criticizes their press - in her words, "We need to correct the picture of the United States here in Germany because I think we owe the US a lot and are in no position to critize."

But you do not see quotes from people like her in the press because it does not support their agenda.

[Archon of the East]

Yea your right, I sometimes forget there are good people everywhere just as the Leftist revolutionary controlled media is everywhere. The overwhelming onslaught of Anti-American propaganda on occasion makes people forget this.

[Paradox]

No, but the liberal press is. First, note that only selected articles were translated. So the translated articles support the agenda of Der Spiegel. Their press is no different from ours.

This bears repeating, we are too easily influenced by their media, especially when it fits our own views (that Europe sucks, is wimpy, hates us, unappreciative, yadda, yadda...).

[television is just wrong]

they are more so socialistic (communistic) than we are.