EUROPEAN ANTI-AMERICANISM
31S
The slogan is simple, reality is complicated. Such identifications save a
lot of trouble.
If,
for example, one calls the policies of Pius XII Chris–
tian,
the New Deal capitalistic, and Stalinism communistic, one acquires
excellent pretexts for evaluations-but nothing more.
Yet even where anti-Americanism is genuine indignation, based on
knowledge (for example in the case of the opportunity lost, in the very
heart of Europe, to strengthen German idealism in its will to practical
realization), it represents only a little island of consecration in a dark,
unholy, world-wide propaganda factory. Among the factory's products
are: the American scapegoat; self-justification at America's expense; de–
feat of America-through megalomania.
The Ideal Scapegoat
The handbook of the German
Bundestag
contains the
cur–
ricula vitae
of its
420
members.
If
you compare the editions of
1949
and
1952
and note what the members wrote about themselves four
years ago and what they added or deleted last year, you have the
intellectual climate of present-day Germany.
The deletions of
1952
include "adherent of the democratic party,"
"adherent of an anti-Hitler group"; the addenda,
«Landrat."
In
1952,
a metalworker cut from his past: "arrested in May,
1933;
Dachau con–
centration camp." An innkeeper blotted from his biography: "after
VII-20-44
under temporary arrest." A housewife deleted: "after
1933
persecuted for political reasons." An executive officer of the Social
Democratic Party changed the
1949
version, "relieved from teaching
position for political reasons," to "gave up teaching in
1933."
And a
representative of the Free German Party (FDP) clarified his
1949
note,
"took part in World War II," by stating in the
1952
edition:
"1936
to
1949
soldier (commander of a regiment)." This change of climate
is
well known. Whose fault is it? America's! The answer is given all
over Europe-without doubt, as without proof.
The ideal scapegoat is the weakest or the strongest: one who can–
not defend himself, or one against whom one cannot defend oneself.
The former can be burdened with everything: the latter provokes
everybody. America is the ideal scapegoat.
If
for no other reason, be–
cause it is everywhere. You can overlook Luxemburg, Switzerland,
France; you cannot overlook America. There are many who have noth–
ing to do with Holland, Italy, Greece; everyone has to do with America.
America is everybody's powerful and all too noticeable neighbor. Hence
people know more about America than about the rest of the world (not
