Dear People of the World (formerly Dear Americans)

Recently controversial Manga (Comic) book was published in Japan. The comic was digest version of what is written on original thick book, "Mein Kampf (My Struggle)."

Left one is comic and right one is Japanese complete translated version.

As you know it was written by Adolf Hitler, dictator of Nazi-Germany, the book described his biography from when he was childhood until imprisonment after Munich rebel in 1923. It contains so much of Anti-semitism.

The pictures of the book reminds me of CBS Minis-Series "Hitler, The Rise of Evil." Surely the book and the drama should somewhat overlap because both are at least partially based on the same book.

In Germany publication of the book is banned. Actually the book wasn't very popular one at the time it was published.

This comic version is one of the series of classic literature including "Crime and Punishment," and "Faust."

I am recently very interested in Hitler and Nazi-Germany. How he got on the top and why such atrocities happened.

Recently Japan experienced similar phenomenon, an Air Force Chief was fired because of his provocative essay released in public which contradicts Japan's position of war responsibility and justified what Japan did to neighboring nations such as occupation and colonization.

His statement to the government's treatment was really similar "Strangely I was fired because I've made good statements for the nation."

After he left defense ministry, he became an icon among right-wing people. He published several books and made speeches all over the nation. I am sure he will run candidancy for next coming election. Strangely I, not so conservative person have been very much attracted to him since his public appearance. I bought one of his books. I went to his speeches and shook hands with him. Please read this if you want to know more about my passion for him. That is why I am feared. He has charisma and intelligence to lead people.

So that is why I am studying things about Hitler and Nazi-Germany.

I am now writing a novel which the story takes place in 1930's Germany on this blog. The theme of the novel is Nazism versus liberalism such as Bauhaus art. Please read "Bauhausler" if you are intereted.

I went to the theatre in Shibuya to see the film.

I really enjoyed it. German films are enjoyable if you know history of Germany such as Nazis, Berlin Wall, and 1968 anti-imperialist movement.

So far, what I have seen are as for Nazis "Sophie Scholl," "Der Untertgang" and as for Berlin Wall, "Lives of others," and "Good-bye, Lenin."

This time I watched post-war radical movement that took place in 1968, Germany. Youngsters became so radical because they believe they could wipe out imperialism and change the world better. One female liberal journalist with two daughters joined the movement.

But the consequence was disastrous. They became terrorists, bombers and hi-jackers, later ended up with commiting suicide in prison cells.

Japan had the same movement in the same era. The consequence were very similar. These days youngsters are not interested in such radical way of movement.

Germany and Japan went through the same path since 1930's in that sense. The country was dominated by militants in pre-war era. After the war, youngsters provoked radical social movement.

Recently my interest to foreign things was shifted from the U.S. to Germany. 

I went to Berlin last year. I was really impressed. I get acquainted with German people in business. I am studying German now.

Germany has a lot of things we, Japanese can learn from. One of notable things is how they dealt with war review and compensation.

Other things are local sports club, farms, and ecology policy. Germany is leading producer of solar PV in the world.

Germany succeeded reduction of CO2 emission as it scheduled following Kyoto Protocol while other nations failed.

I want to know more about this country.  

Deutcheland uber alles in der Welt!

See this videoclip! He is Japan's new hero. Sorry, only Japanese version.

His speech in Hiroshima. Scenes of anti-nuke group activities, and Uigurs who protest nuclear tests done by China (time code: 3:42) in the city come first.

And the people who protest and support his speech (time code: 6:34) and then scenes in the convention hall which his speech took place.

He was Japan's Airforce chief but was dismissed because of his provocative essay he released in public.

I've already introduced him in other article on this blog. Please read this.

He is passionately patriot. But his statements were too provocative.

But he and I have things in common. Both of us want to get rid of U.S. military bases from Japan to protect our sovereignty and tradition.

He even claims Japan should arm with nuclear weapons.

I've met him twice and shook hand with him. I could take a picture of him. The below is what I took at Kudankaikan hall in Tokyo, where his speech was held.

He was very polite and gentle. His speech was filled with passion.

Second time was the meeting for journalists. He has made a similar speech. I was given a opportunity to ask a question. I denounced his statement about denial of Nanking Massacre because I've met some survivors of the atrocities. But I said to him, I am for Article 9 amendment so that Japan can possess legitimate military but it was illegal to cause civilian casualties even at the time Nanking Massacre occurred. Why not we swear not to repeat the same mistake like Germany did?

His response was kind of surprise. "I've met a military official in China. They spoke so ill of what our military had done over there. I wanted to tell him, why not they spoke the same things about Britain? We are better than what Britons did. The Convention treaty was signed between the two countries. It was done. Why can't we forget about it?"

He seemed to admit the fact that the atrocity occurred. He was kind of honest and clever, I think. He just try to use this history issue to change his country's military policy. Interesting guy!

Thanks to him, I rethink about what patriotism is and what our tradition is. I became patriot and traditional.

Recently I started to wear Japanese traditional clothes including swim suit of the below. The suit became unpopular since the U.S. occupied Japan because Americans thought such Japanese tradition was barbaric. Now I am trying to recover this tradition. I am proud of wearing it and showing myself in it in public. This suit makes any man sexy and real Japanese traditional man, so called Nihon Danji. It is not only used for swimming but participating in festivals. The below is how I wear it, please enjoy watching.

A woman named Hester lived in a small Puritan Village in 17th century had been accused of adultfully. She had to wear scarlet letter "A" all the time because of the sin she committed. She and her daughter, Pearl were always harrassed by the villagers.

Local villagers and its headman wanted to know who was the father of Pearl. At last the villagers found who he was and got shocked.

It seemed that the film revealed the true nature of America. The origin of America was Puritans. Puritans were exiles from England.

They lived under the faith of God because of fear they experienced in England. They created a very closed society with very strict rules. As a result they became hypocrits.

In last scene of the film, Hester and Pearl ran away from the land of hypocrisy, not freedom.

That represents feeling I have right now. I am losing interest in America and growing contempt for it.

American is not a dream country to me any more since 911, war in Iraq, deployment of USS George Washington in Yokosuka, and financial crisis.  

Good-bye, America! A country of Hypocrisy!

Now I wonder where I am heading. The film gave me a hint.

The film was produced by Germans. It was all German version although the story took place in America.

It is just like holocaust films in English version made by Hollywood.

I am now studying German and getting more interested in Germany than ever.

I went to the exhibition of Bauhaus art in Utsunomiya Museum of Art in Utsunomiya city, 1 and half hour train ride from Tokyo.

That was very amazing exhibition. I've learned so much about Bauhaus stuff buying books on Bauhaus history, arts, and architecture.

Bauhaus was established in 1919 in Weimar, Germany and was later relocated to Dessau and finally relocated in Berlin.

But in 1933, after Nazis took over authorities of the government, Bauhaus ended just as Weimar Republic did.

It was a symbol of modernism. The cocept was unification of art and technology. Respecting functionalism but being artistic.

There exhibited famous pipe and leather chair called "Wassily chair," which was designed to sit on comfortably. Desks, beds, lamps and other interior.

Beautiful drawings, which should have been very innovative in those days.

The reason why I am so interested in it is I am writing a short novel using history of this art school.

The title is "Bauhausler." A Japanese woman who came to Berlin to study modern art at Bauhaus school experienced turmoil between this innovative art and growing Nazism.  

I went to see Tom Cruise's movie "Valkyrie." The film of actual event which took place in Germany during World War II.

German military officer, Colonel Stauffenberg tried to assassin German dictator, Adolf Hitler to remove Nazi Party from power and bring peace in Europe. The consequence was he failed and was executed.

I've seen German film of the story before. Then I went to Berlin and saw the memorial of his execution.

A new novel after 4 American Hostages in Baghdad

A story of Japanese woman who experienced Bauhaus art and love romance in Berlin, early 1930's when Nazis came to power.

Summer 2009, Auschwitz Museum in Oswiecim, Poland

"Ladies and Gentleman. Thank you for gathering today. We are here to honor the biggest contributor to this museum in our history. Late Madam Masako Chikano."

 A man spoke in Polish and English in front of tens of people, mostly journalists gathered in the conference room. The speaker is the head of the museum. Auschwitz-Birkenau, The World Heritage, death camp built by Nazi-Germany.

Late Madam Masako Chikano was called "Hotel Queen" in Japan.  She died of natural causes last year. She was 98 years old when she died. She established one of Japan's most biggest hotel chain, Chikano Hotels. The chain ranges from high-class to cheap business purpose only style. But all the hotels she owned had one thing in common, every room, lobby, and some of the corridors placed interesting pipe chairs, usually called Wassily Chair. It is one of most symbolic Bauhaus furniture.

Some of the hotel buildings were designed in the way of Bauhaus concept. Modern, functional, minimumal ways.

It was one of the mysteries of the hotel queen, why she liked Bauhaus style. She was very mysterious woman.

Other mysteries are,

Although she had been known as most energetic business woman in Japan until her retired age 80, she had been single for her life. She dedicated her life to hotel business, but she was actually very beautiful woman that could attract any man. Indeed she was once married when she was 20 to 21. She never got remarried after the divorce of first marriage.   

The will she left said that she wanted to donate all her fortune to the Auschwitz Museum. That may be a biggest mystery of her. What made her want to do such thing?

The speaker held the will in his hand and said,

"To begin with, we have to talk about her connection between this museum and her early life experience. This is the part rarely known about her life. She never wanted to talk about that part in her life. But that was most important part in her life as mentioned in the will. Now let us unveil one of the most important mysteries of this woman."

Berlin, Germany, October, 1932

Masako Chikano arrived in Berlin. She came to capital of Germany, Deutcheland all the way from Yokohama, Japan. First by ship, almost 1 month travel to Marseille, France via Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and then  from Marseille to Berlin by train for a few days.

She was heart broken after the divorce. Because of the divorce just a year after marriage, she was treated as embarrasment of her family, Baron Chikano. Noble which succeeded highest rank of samurai. Her father, Baron Kozo Chikano was a member of House of Lords and ran business of finance and military equipments. Her family belonged to elite class in Japan.

The reason that she got divorce was she had an affair with her husband, Yoshio's best friend Takeshi. Actually Yoshio regarded him as his sworn brother. Both of them belong to Japanese Imperial Navy. Her affair with Takeshi made him angry and kick her out. After she came back to her home, her family had to kick her out because of biggest blunder in the family's history. She dishonored her family's name. They had to hide her until the bad reputation would fade away. Her father ordered her to leave Japan for several years. She had to stay in foreign country where no one knew her.

She had good command of English and Germany since she learned those languages from childhood as part of upper class education. She chose to go to Berlin, Germany. She did not have specific reason to choose it. She just prefers learning modern art. She heard good reputation of German born modern art, Bauhaus.

Here she was in Berlin. She opened a door to her new life. She believed she could forget about all the mess.

Continued to Chapter 1.

This novel is copywrighted by this blog's manager, Masagata.

In Berlin film festival, a very controversial film would be shown.

The title is "John Rabe." The story of German business man who saved tens of thousands of Chinese in Nanking when the city was invaded by Japanese imperial army. He and other westerners set up International Safety zone in the center of the city. He became the leader of the committee that managed the zone. He is like Oskar Schindler in China.

 The movie is scheduled to be released in April in Germany and China. Release in Japan seemed not be determined.

I think it should be shown in Japan, too at least in mini-theatres or civil conventions like No More Nanjing people did last December.

Please see the article for that event.

In September 2004, I actually visited the house Rabe lived.

It may be very hard for Japanese to see the bad past.

Many right wingers denied the existence of the massacre. They say Rabe was liar.

John Rabe was kind of complicated figure of the history. He was loyal to Nazism. He used Nazi flag to avoid bombing from Japanese army. He reported Nazi officials the atrocities in Nanking. But he was detained and interrogated by that act because Germany at that time was allied with Japan. Actually Nazis has done more of Nanking things so called "Holocaust" afterwards.

The film would be very interesting in the sense a good man loyal to the evil organization has done good thing. The below is trailer of the film.

According to Germany's prominent magazine, Spiegel, there has been a controversy over Roman Catholic Pope Benedict, who is German recovered ties with English bishop, Richard Williamson who is holocaust denier. Mr. Willamson claims there was no gas chambers, and the number of holocaust victims is 300,000 far lower than 6 million, which most historians suggest.

Pope Benedict seems to like stirring relations with other religions, a few years ago, he made some statement that insults Islamic prophet, Muhanmad. Does he represent German's still Nazi ideology?

Interestingly enough, such historical argument has been going on in Japan in regard to relationship with its neighbor, China.

China claimed that Japanese imperial army mass-murdered 300,000 innocent people in Nanking, 1937.

But Japanese right-wingers claim it was only 40,000 or less. Some extremists claims no such mass-murder occurred.

Recently Air Force chief in Japan was dismissed by the government over his publicly released essay which claimed Japan's invasion of China was legal. But he's been well-received by the public since then.

Germany and Japan were the losers of the Second World War. It is natural that such pheomenons occur.

People in both countries feel they have been forced to have negative point of views on their histories by victors of the war.

The title of the novel would be "Bauhausler". Hope you enjoy it. I am reading Ian Kershaw's book on Nazism for the research.

I think history should be viewed objectively. That's the very way of learning history.

Soon, I will start a novel which a story takes place in 1930's Germany. Japanese woman who travelled to Berlin to study Bauhaus art met a Jewish teacher and a Nazi-officer and then she got involved with the both men.  

400 people were killed in Gaza in Palestine by the air raid from Israel.

Aren't they the people who experienced genocide like that? Why are they making this place like Ghetto or Auschwitz?

Very few Jews in Israel overlap their anscestry experience with Palestineans. That is why Iranian president ran denial campaign of holocaust because he thought those who experience such genocide would not have done similar things.

Well, holocaust and airstrikes on Gaza may be two different things.

The below films includes holocaust memorial museum in Berlin. The thumnail picture is photos of Jews exhibited in the museum. (Japanese version only). First scene is holocaust memorial monuments, stone wave, and memorial for gays, and inside museum under the stone wave.

Those scenes were followed by famous gate, parliament building, Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin Wall, Krakow scenes, hotel room in Krakow, and schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna.

The bottom one is scenes from Auschwitz. Both of them were filmed in last summer, July 2008. So sad!