Does language mean that much? (1 Viewer)

[azzie]

Reading through Deutche Welle, I found this, and was a bit shocked...

"Some Israeli politicians are protesting a planned speech in parliament by German President Horst Köhler, arguing that the address, which Köhler will make in German, is an insult to Holocaust survivors.

"As long as there are still Holocaust survivors among us, the German language should not be spoken in parliament," Israel's Minister of Health Dani Naveh told the right-wing Israeli daily newspaper Maariv."

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1461664,00.html

It continues to speak about why German should not be used to address the Israeli parliament.... I understand what an attrocity the holocaust was, I know it touched many people and changed their lives forever... but isnt this a bit extreme? So long after the event, and with Germany evolving and changing the way it has.... should it be such a big deal?
Well, any views?

 

[neo o]

Some friends of mine are Jews and/or of Jewish descent, and have never had a problem with my ethnicity, neither have their parents. I'm going to assume this is just a minority group, but I really can't make an informed comment.

 

[Cape]

Its extreme for sure. But i don't see why he can't speak German there. And considering that they are celebrating diplomatic relations it would be fair to let him speak German. Its not like Germany and Isreal are English speaking countries.

But from the Jewish perception, the Germans will probably never be forgiven for what they did, although, majority of them had no control. But thats another topic.

But Germany has certainly evolved and tried to make up for the wrongs that had occured. Maybe its just an old fashioned Isreali.

 

[soha]

i dont see the big deal

 

[soha]

what about german jews?
my best friend is jewish and shes learning german..and stuff
i dont get it

 

[neo o]

what about german jews?
my best friend is jewish and shes learning german..and stuff
i dont get it

Minority groups.

 

[soha]

okay..well i still think its silly
yeah they suffered etc..but c'mon..its a language
it means nothing more then justa form of communication

 

[blackfriday]

why is it that the jews get so overly tooshy when something that obscurely refers to the holocaust happens. i know that their race was almost wiped out, but i dont see russians chucking a shit when somebody refers to stalin or chinese objecting to the japanese.