Grass: Israeli Entry Ban Reminds Me of Stasi [who turned down my job app]
Nobel Prize-winning German author Gunter Grass, embroiled in a war of words with Israel, has likened its decision to prevent him from entering the country to a similar ban once imposed on him by the leader of East Germany’s dreaded Stasi secret police.
In a comment sent by Grass to be published in Thursday’s edition of the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, the author said Israel, former communist East Germany and Myanmar were the only countries to have imposed travel bans on him.
Amazing. And to his Hitler Youth director, job well done.
Let me say the obvious—through explaining his job, the one that garnered him a Nobel Prize.
He is a novelist. Basically, the most important job requirement is the ability to rapidly move from the shoes of one person to the shoes of another. Over the course of a novel, it’s learning every nook and cranny of another universe, the bringing of soul to names. These skills would be his most precious possession. Evidently, the swastikas are more precious, because he has sacrificed his chops. This is like a musician cutting off his or her hands.
Is it possible, Gunter, that you remind us of something? Is this at all possible? And can you imagine what that memory might be?
No idea? Then make sure that the only writing you do from now on is signing your name to a sales receipt.