exclusively ironic; his point has
nothing to do with Jay's. Wolin
is not arguing, for example, that
Nietzsche was indeed "not en–
tirely blameless in the rise of
fascism." Wolin only refers
to
that accusation and its promi–
nence and popularity.
I am saddened by the hostil-
Ludwig Greve
HANNAH ARENDT
317
ity and insulting quality of Jay's
reply. Let me therefore restate
my original intention in reply–
ing
to
his article. I thought that
Jay misread and misunderstood
Arendt. He, in my view, created
a nonfactual person and politi–
cal theory, and linked it to pre–
Fascist and Fascist-like thinking.
The following poem about Hannah Arendt, translated from the
German, might add a personal note to the exchange about her work. It
was sent to us by Mary McCarthy.
Three, four steps she feels her way down, as if
water were there, wherever she comes from-her gaily-colored
dress, American, means nothing, it is her pride which is foreign;
such an air of wildness around her mouth, where
have I seen it? on Greek coins, with their images
blurred here and there where the fingertips of many generations
have imbued the god with a bit of feeling,
taught this youth the meaning of frailty. Her voice,
shot with dark rumbling and laughter, is quite extraordinary;
not a singer, she can extract from thoughts a
resonance as singers do from deep inside their bellies. Smiling
she
greeted me in the crowded cafe-we leaned back as at Passover
