"I Sleep in Hitler's Room" tells the scary, and hilariously funny, story of an American Jewish journalist and theater director in today's Germany.
I Sleep in Hitler's Room - An American Jew Visits Germany
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About the Author
Tuvia Tenenbom is a journalist, author, dramatist and the founder of The Jewish Theater of New York. Tuvia studied for his Doctorate in English Literature at St. John's University, earned his MFA in Playwriting at CUNY-Brooklyn, BS in Mathematics and Computer Science at Touro, and finished his Rabbinical Studies in Jerusalem. He also studied Christianity and Islam in Israel and NY, as well as Journalism, Acting, Theater and Finance (at NYU). "I Sleep in Hitler's Room" won great admiration from critics in the USA and abroad. WABC called it "A stunner!" and National Review termed it "A tremendous book," and was also endorsed by Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of Simon Wiesenthal Center. Tuvia was named "Founder of a new form of Jewish theater" by the French Le Monde, "Founder of The Theater of Catastrophe" by the German Die Zeit, "The New Jew" by the Israeli Maariv, "Free artist who fights for truth & tolerance" by the Belgian Le Vif L'Express and "One of the most iconoclastic and innovative of contemporary dramatists" by the Italian Corriere Della Sera. Critic D.J.R. Bruckner. reviewing for The New York Times, described Tuvia's theatrical work "irresistibly fascinating," and Alisa Solomon, writing for the Village Voice, called it "theater of integrity, inquiry and chutzpah." As a journalist, Tuvia writes essays and op-ed articles for various publications. His articles and essays have been published in newspapers including Die Zeit of Germany, Corriere della Sera of Italy, and Yedioth Ahronoth of Israel as well as on various internet sites.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A hilarious and shocking romp around Germany - make your own judgement about its message!
11 Dec 2012
Format:Paperback
I've read some strange books in my time, but this one certainly pushes the boundaries. At first glance it seems to be a typical travel book in Brysonesque style. But with its title, I Sleep in Hitler's Room - An American Jew Visits Germany, you know from the start that this is going to be not your usual travelogue.
I first encountered it from an article in the English edition of German weekly magazine Der Spiegel, and being a bit of a Germano-phile (I love travelling in the Germany), I thought I would see what it was like.
Tuvia Tenenbom is the son of Holocaust Survivors and also Founding Artistic Director of the Jewish Theater of New York. He was invited to write this book by the publishing company of Rowohlt Verlag, one of the biggest publishing companies in Germany. The company's representative asked him if he I would like to come to Germany, !travel around the country a few months, and write a book about my experiences". By the time Tenenbom had submitted the draft of his book he found himself in serious dispute with the company who evidently did not feel that they have got what they bargained for.
This scurrilous, partisan, rude, hilarious, even wicked book ended up being red-penned to the degree that Tenenbom felt that he could no longer be associated with it and the publishers refused to publish it without the amendments. Tenenbom eventually published the book himself in the USA and finally this year, a German version was published but with quite a number of deletions of passages which may have fallen foul of German law. In the English version reviewed here, you get the complete text, a book which I found to be one of the funniest and also the most shocking things I have read this year.
Tenenbom delights in provocation. He delights in getting himself into situations which will draw out the worst in those he meets. He seems to be on a quest to show Germans in the worst light possible. For example, he never admits to being Jewish, but goes innocently into an extremist bar in Hamburg called Club 88 (the 88 standing for HH, or Heil Hitler) and in conversation with the owner Franks tells him that he is a computer analyst from the United States and that both my parents are German. Needless to say within a short time he is listening to an outpouring of vile and illegal statements about Jews and the Holocaust including the historic accusation that Jews "used to sacrifice their own kids to their God"
Tenenbom is not only intent on finding anti-Semitism among the German right but has a field day finding it among the left also. He visits a left wing demonstration and finds that the main purpose is to protest about Israeli actions against the Palestine. As he travels around Germany he finds that the political consensus is to blame Israel for the problems of the Palestinians and he enjoys confronting Germans with some simple facts about Israel and Palestine to test out the depth of their knowledge.
I found this to be a rather one-sided book but anyone who challenges a political consensus is bound to seem like that. I am glad that I read it and it provided me with several days of amusement, but I can't say that its changed my mind about Germany and the Germans or made me think that the whole nation is anti-Semitic in the way Tenenbom suggests. Tenenbom could have gone to any European country and find the same sort of people saying the same sort of thing. It might even be worse in America which is not exactly known for its liberal attitudes. A great read however which would get four of my five stars, the fifth one being withheld only because I found the book to be a little untidy and in need of an editor at times.
I first encountered it from an article in the English edition of German weekly magazine Der Spiegel, and being a bit of a Germano-phile (I love travelling in the Germany), I thought I would see what it was like.
Tuvia Tenenbom is the son of Holocaust Survivors and also Founding Artistic Director of the Jewish Theater of New York. He was invited to write this book by the publishing company of Rowohlt Verlag, one of the biggest publishing companies in Germany. The company's representative asked him if he I would like to come to Germany, !travel around the country a few months, and write a book about my experiences". By the time Tenenbom had submitted the draft of his book he found himself in serious dispute with the company who evidently did not feel that they have got what they bargained for.
This scurrilous, partisan, rude, hilarious, even wicked book ended up being red-penned to the degree that Tenenbom felt that he could no longer be associated with it and the publishers refused to publish it without the amendments. Tenenbom eventually published the book himself in the USA and finally this year, a German version was published but with quite a number of deletions of passages which may have fallen foul of German law. In the English version reviewed here, you get the complete text, a book which I found to be one of the funniest and also the most shocking things I have read this year.
Tenenbom delights in provocation. He delights in getting himself into situations which will draw out the worst in those he meets. He seems to be on a quest to show Germans in the worst light possible. For example, he never admits to being Jewish, but goes innocently into an extremist bar in Hamburg called Club 88 (the 88 standing for HH, or Heil Hitler) and in conversation with the owner Franks tells him that he is a computer analyst from the United States and that both my parents are German. Needless to say within a short time he is listening to an outpouring of vile and illegal statements about Jews and the Holocaust including the historic accusation that Jews "used to sacrifice their own kids to their God"
Tenenbom is not only intent on finding anti-Semitism among the German right but has a field day finding it among the left also. He visits a left wing demonstration and finds that the main purpose is to protest about Israeli actions against the Palestine. As he travels around Germany he finds that the political consensus is to blame Israel for the problems of the Palestinians and he enjoys confronting Germans with some simple facts about Israel and Palestine to test out the depth of their knowledge.
I found this to be a rather one-sided book but anyone who challenges a political consensus is bound to seem like that. I am glad that I read it and it provided me with several days of amusement, but I can't say that its changed my mind about Germany and the Germans or made me think that the whole nation is anti-Semitic in the way Tenenbom suggests. Tenenbom could have gone to any European country and find the same sort of people saying the same sort of thing. It might even be worse in America which is not exactly known for its liberal attitudes. A great read however which would get four of my five stars, the fifth one being withheld only because I found the book to be a little untidy and in need of an editor at times.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This could be a good book, it could be a funny book, unfortunately it's almost both but actually achieves neither.
The idea is brilliant, an American Jew travels around Germany to find out what the modern German thinks about Jews. Unfortunately Mr Tenenbom doesn't deliver. He seems determined to show that he is clever and must have spent hours working out his spontaneous put-downs but it just doesn't work. Three hundred-odd pages of "I am intelligent and witty and Europeans are old-fashioned and bigots" wears thin after a while. He ain't no Bill Bryson, that's for sure! I don't feel that he listens to the people he meets nor does he try to understand them. He just looks for a way to be sarcastic or condescending in print.
Obviously an American Jew going to Germany in search of anti-semites is going to have an agenda. I was hoping that he would be open-minded and try to find out why there was so much anti-semitism or whether he is confusing anti-semitism with anti-Americanism. His agenda however, seems to be promoting Israel (even though he denies being pro-Israel) and demonizing all non-Jews as radicals. He does experience the Germans and turns over a lot of stones to find, surprise surprise, nasty things crawling underneath.
It's not well written and is sometimes quite poor. Not as revealing or amusing as Simon Winder's Germania, nor "A year in the Scheisse" by Roger Boyes. A prime example being that when everyone he meets is against a particularly nasty (and illegal) action by the Israeli Navy at the time... For him it's pure anti-semitism and a sign that the Germans are all unthinking Jew-haters. It doesn't enter his head that maybe it has nothing to do with the Jewish religion and everything to do with the Israeli politicians. Just occasionally I have the opinion he should listen to others and consider his own bigotry. It reminds me of the disjointed soldier in a parade thinking "Wow! I'm the only one who's marching in step here!".
This book promises so much but disappoints on many levels.
Needless to say, in Tuvia Tenenbom's eyes this review is probably just another example of anti-semitism and nothing to do with a badly written book.
The idea is brilliant, an American Jew travels around Germany to find out what the modern German thinks about Jews. Unfortunately Mr Tenenbom doesn't deliver. He seems determined to show that he is clever and must have spent hours working out his spontaneous put-downs but it just doesn't work. Three hundred-odd pages of "I am intelligent and witty and Europeans are old-fashioned and bigots" wears thin after a while. He ain't no Bill Bryson, that's for sure! I don't feel that he listens to the people he meets nor does he try to understand them. He just looks for a way to be sarcastic or condescending in print.
Obviously an American Jew going to Germany in search of anti-semites is going to have an agenda. I was hoping that he would be open-minded and try to find out why there was so much anti-semitism or whether he is confusing anti-semitism with anti-Americanism. His agenda however, seems to be promoting Israel (even though he denies being pro-Israel) and demonizing all non-Jews as radicals. He does experience the Germans and turns over a lot of stones to find, surprise surprise, nasty things crawling underneath.
It's not well written and is sometimes quite poor. Not as revealing or amusing as Simon Winder's Germania, nor "A year in the Scheisse" by Roger Boyes. A prime example being that when everyone he meets is against a particularly nasty (and illegal) action by the Israeli Navy at the time... For him it's pure anti-semitism and a sign that the Germans are all unthinking Jew-haters. It doesn't enter his head that maybe it has nothing to do with the Jewish religion and everything to do with the Israeli politicians. Just occasionally I have the opinion he should listen to others and consider his own bigotry. It reminds me of the disjointed soldier in a parade thinking "Wow! I'm the only one who's marching in step here!".
This book promises so much but disappoints on many levels.
Needless to say, in Tuvia Tenenbom's eyes this review is probably just another example of anti-semitism and nothing to do with a badly written book.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3.9 out of 5 stars
28 reviews
54 of 67 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
I am sad
4 Dec 2012
By Fabian Feger
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Hello!
First of all, please forgive me: My english is for sure not the best, as I am not a native english-speaker. I am from germany.
There is one thing you need to know: I am 38 years old. The storys of war - I only know them from my teachers, my grandpa (who is dead now), the books, and the cinema. "Schindler's list": a masterpiece. When I was a teen, I saw it with my class in cinema. And I had tears in my eyes. I wished them from my eyes, so that the other boys could't see them. Well, I am sure that one or another boy also shared one.
When first I heard of this book, I was really curious about it.
Now, I am really disappointed. And it makes me sad - when reading all these comments here - that there are people who really think that the typical german is antisemitic. The author has spoken with a few people, and he makes conclusions which seem to me very, very strange.
In reality, most people in germany really do not care if you are a jew or not. It simply does not interest them. In germany, you normally will never be asked if you are a jew. It does not matter. It matters, what kind of person you are, and your religion or your ethnic background is of no importance. I will not say that this is generally so. There are still people who share prejeduces. But they are everywhere. In every land. In germany, in the USA, as well as in Israel. Tenenbom also seems to be full of prejeduces. And it seems to me that he made his travel only for one purpuse: to confirm them.
It is true: Most germans do not agree with the politic of Israel. Does that make them antisemitic? I think: no. Because it's a political criticism, not one borne out of prejeduce against a religious or ethnic background.
When Bush started a war against Irak, most germans were shocked. Does that mean that we germans do not like the USA? No, most of us love it. We love your culture, we love Hollywood - and are glad that you like our beer and our cars :-)
We also criticise the Hamas for its terror, please keep that in mind. The well educated german knows for sure that the middle east conflict is very complicated. Therefore, it makes us angry that whenever we dare to criticise the politics of Isreal we are called "antisemitic".
It is the easy way to go around with critic: Just say your opponent (in a debate) is antisemitic. No arguments, no debate, just an affront.
The author of this book is a good writer. The book is often ironic, it is sometimes very funny to read. But it's main subtext is wrong: That the typical german is kind of antisemitic.
If you share the prejeduce of Tenenbom, than this the right book for you.
If you really wish to know how we germans think, please let me tell you this: "The" german does not exist. There are funny people among us as well as boring ones. There are stupid people among us as well as really clever ones. There are some full of prejeduces against jew among us, as well as there are a lot of us, who will treat a jew the same way as every other human being: with respect.
You wish to know more? Come, make your own travel to germany. Build your own opinion.
Best wishes
First of all, please forgive me: My english is for sure not the best, as I am not a native english-speaker. I am from germany.
There is one thing you need to know: I am 38 years old. The storys of war - I only know them from my teachers, my grandpa (who is dead now), the books, and the cinema. "Schindler's list": a masterpiece. When I was a teen, I saw it with my class in cinema. And I had tears in my eyes. I wished them from my eyes, so that the other boys could't see them. Well, I am sure that one or another boy also shared one.
When first I heard of this book, I was really curious about it.
Now, I am really disappointed. And it makes me sad - when reading all these comments here - that there are people who really think that the typical german is antisemitic. The author has spoken with a few people, and he makes conclusions which seem to me very, very strange.
In reality, most people in germany really do not care if you are a jew or not. It simply does not interest them. In germany, you normally will never be asked if you are a jew. It does not matter. It matters, what kind of person you are, and your religion or your ethnic background is of no importance. I will not say that this is generally so. There are still people who share prejeduces. But they are everywhere. In every land. In germany, in the USA, as well as in Israel. Tenenbom also seems to be full of prejeduces. And it seems to me that he made his travel only for one purpuse: to confirm them.
It is true: Most germans do not agree with the politic of Israel. Does that make them antisemitic? I think: no. Because it's a political criticism, not one borne out of prejeduce against a religious or ethnic background.
When Bush started a war against Irak, most germans were shocked. Does that mean that we germans do not like the USA? No, most of us love it. We love your culture, we love Hollywood - and are glad that you like our beer and our cars :-)
We also criticise the Hamas for its terror, please keep that in mind. The well educated german knows for sure that the middle east conflict is very complicated. Therefore, it makes us angry that whenever we dare to criticise the politics of Isreal we are called "antisemitic".
It is the easy way to go around with critic: Just say your opponent (in a debate) is antisemitic. No arguments, no debate, just an affront.
The author of this book is a good writer. The book is often ironic, it is sometimes very funny to read. But it's main subtext is wrong: That the typical german is kind of antisemitic.
If you share the prejeduce of Tenenbom, than this the right book for you.
If you really wish to know how we germans think, please let me tell you this: "The" german does not exist. There are funny people among us as well as boring ones. There are stupid people among us as well as really clever ones. There are some full of prejeduces against jew among us, as well as there are a lot of us, who will treat a jew the same way as every other human being: with respect.
You wish to know more? Come, make your own travel to germany. Build your own opinion.
Best wishes
13 of 17 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book for Germans or people who really know Germany
27 Dec 2012
By Eike Manfred Belgardt
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
At first I have to say that I had to read this book in its English version. As you may know, and Mr. Tenenbom will tell you in the foreword, the German version has been "censored" by German authority. Okay, at least the German publisher unfortunately refused to print it (I don't know their reasons, but I don't share their opinions on Mr. Tenenbom and his book), but it sounds better this way and fulfills the expectations of most foreign readers. And so everyone is invited to call these people "Nazis". It makes things so easy this way: As a German reader I had to read the English version, because my government/authority/people won't allow me to find out the truth about myself.
I have to admit that I have thought for a long time about this book and how to deal with it. I was educated in German schools (yes, you're now welcome to think about "Napola" or whatever you like, as you are so well-informed about Germany), so we read books written by Brecht, Dürrenmatt, Max Frisch and other (also non-German-writing) authors. After reading a book, we had to interpret these books by ourselves, to think about what could have been the author's intention. That's the stupid way childish Germans (as Mr. Tenenbom calls us in his own "satiric way") do it, and so I got used to it. A real hard effort for our small and evil brains.
So I asked myself after reading this book: What does Mr. Tenenbom want to tell me? Especially as a German, who is absolutely aware of the fact that my people, my ancestors, have killed (or at least are responsible to have killed) more than six million people (no, I fear of having to disappoint you: I'm not glad or proud of these evil and unparalleled deeds), most of them of Jewish religion? I think that there's really a message for German readers: Stop being so focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Try to understand both positions, stop favoring the Palestinian point of view, because your press tends to report more about the situation of Palestinians. Think by yourselves. And get rid of the fools that still keep up their - maybe subtile - prejudices about Jewish people. Yes Mr. Tenenbom, got it, I have to agree with you. Your book was shocking, sometimes entertaining and worth reading. Your message itself was clear. I hope that as being only a German I'm not too stupid and childish and eventually interpreted in a wrong way. Well, actually I have to live with this handicap. But after all it's only told in a satiric way, so I don't have to take the way it's been told seriously, but rather with humour. I tried it.
But after that conclusion, which is okay, well-meant and absolutely right, I had to think about if there's also a message from Mr. Tenenbom to foreign readers. I'm not so sure if Mr. Tenenbom really intended it, but yes: There it is. I think most of you were afraid that they lost their German bogeyman that everybody worldwide loves to hate. Just because it's so easy: Everybody is allowed to blame Germans, call them "Nazis", you will find a reason for it everytime. Because it's so easy. And it must feel so good. A German just does not have any right to argue for himself, he or she won't be allowed to discuss the accusations that a whole people has to bear. And that's the reason why you'll get the feeling to know everything about German culture and the evil way German people think after reading this book. Mr. Tenenbom will tell you by concatenating a series of interviews with many persons (most of them very weird, still wondering where he found them, must be all over this place) who give stupid answers to clever questions (some people give clever answers to stupid questions, but then they are not Germans any longer by Mr. Tenenbom's definition, e.g. former chancellor Helmut Schmidt), call the whole thing a satire novel and then you're done. The final conclusion is drawn by the author. Yes, here you are, you expected it anyway: All Germans are "Nazis". They have ever been, will ever be. No suprise. If someone is proud of the country, then he is a "Nazi". Or stupid. Or both of it. If someone is not proud to be German, then he is a disturbed person, suffering the "German disease" of having an unnormal relationship to the own country. One example: Pupils aren't prepared to defend Germany against France? Oh my god, they must be ill or something, don't fighting the arch-enemy. In my opinion a very stupid question, as most people in Germany love France and admire French culture (so do I). But let Mr. Tenenbom draw all conclusions for foreign readers, it makes things so easy.
At last, I have no right to critize Mr. Tenenbom. He told me that as being a German I'm a stupid and childish racist, a "Nazi", it must have to do something with my genes. So I'm lost. And if it's all only a clever made satire, then I won't be able to understand it anyway, because as a German I have no humour (which has also something to do with genetics). Now I'm totally lost. I ever disliked and damned Nazi-Germany, the "Third Reich" and the evil deeds of my ancestors, but Mr. Tenenbom tells me that I have already became part of it, that I'm a stupid "Nazi". But after all it's only satire, so as a German I'm not able to understand it. Complicated situation. And eventually I'm only a disturbed person. Arguing against Mr. Tenenbom and his book makes myself a ansi-Semite. So there's no way out. Good Germans are expected to like this book, and so to confirm all its theses and statements for non-German readers who ever expected Germans to be evil. It's just a doom loop for me as a German.
But then there's hope eventually, because Mr. Tenenbom also tells me that he loves my country (and the German railway, as much as I do :-) ), he loves the Germans, as much as he hates us for being on earth (some of you might think about the Morgenthau plan: If realized, we won't have to discuss about this book today. Must feel so great being a farmer without any education!). It's so easy to hate us without knowing us, you just have to read this book, because you get the feeling to know us. You'll love it. And hate Germans and Germany. As much as I love my country, my children, my family. Yes, I do. Incredible, all of them are German or Germans! All suffering this genetic defect Mr. Tenenbom told me about. Maybe it's just satire? I don't know it. I'm not able to. Sorry.
I understand that Mr. Tenenbom wrote this book in anger. I understand that he was very confused about what he found in Germany, making his very special experiences with very special individuals here, always rather treated as "a Jew" than as the Mr. Tenenbom he is. But the final conclusion is too hard in my point of view, condemning a whole people to be evil. I'm sorry of having to say that, and I think many Germans will share my point of view: Even if not intended by the author, a lot of German people will feel insulted by this book. Even if there's a true message in it, it's although insulting. Mr. Tenenbom, after I tried to understand and shared your feelings while travelling in Germany (we call it "Fremdschämen" in our dark country), please also try to understand my feelings as a German after reading the book. I do not share the opinions of most of the really weird interview partners, I'm not obsessed by "Jews" or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - even if you try to prove me wrong. And I don't think of me as being anti-Semitic (nor other's do). And I can only hope that I'm not anti-Semitic by your judgement. I'm pretty aware of German history and the German deeds in history, but after all I have a relaxed relationship to my own nation. We might have our faults. But I still love to live here (unbelievable). You want to give us a message, and yes: I think I've got it. But, Mr. Tenenbom, please allow me to feel insulted by your book. Even if it's satire. Just let's agree: You have your personal kind of humour, I've got mine (especially as being German, a the foreign reader might add ... yes, it's so easy for you :-) ). Got the point?
Read this book, form yourself an opinion about it. It's worth the effort. As long as you don't expect to understand German culture by only reading it. Think by yourself. I'm sure Mr. Tenenbom would also want you to do it this way. I share most of his opinions, but not all of his conclusions.
P.S.: No, I did not write this comment in anger. I thought some days about it before I wrote it. But I disliked the fact that some foreign readers got the feeling they understood German culture by reading this book. Just believe me: This is no longer the country it was during 1933 to 1945. Like us or hate us and the individuals living here, but think by yourself. And don't stop thinking! I don't expect you to share my opinion on this book. And, just in case: Although I was born in 1975, just feel free to call me and my relatives, my neighbours, just all Germans "Nazis". Or what you like. Germans got used to it. That does not mean that we like it. Basta.
I have to admit that I have thought for a long time about this book and how to deal with it. I was educated in German schools (yes, you're now welcome to think about "Napola" or whatever you like, as you are so well-informed about Germany), so we read books written by Brecht, Dürrenmatt, Max Frisch and other (also non-German-writing) authors. After reading a book, we had to interpret these books by ourselves, to think about what could have been the author's intention. That's the stupid way childish Germans (as Mr. Tenenbom calls us in his own "satiric way") do it, and so I got used to it. A real hard effort for our small and evil brains.
So I asked myself after reading this book: What does Mr. Tenenbom want to tell me? Especially as a German, who is absolutely aware of the fact that my people, my ancestors, have killed (or at least are responsible to have killed) more than six million people (no, I fear of having to disappoint you: I'm not glad or proud of these evil and unparalleled deeds), most of them of Jewish religion? I think that there's really a message for German readers: Stop being so focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Try to understand both positions, stop favoring the Palestinian point of view, because your press tends to report more about the situation of Palestinians. Think by yourselves. And get rid of the fools that still keep up their - maybe subtile - prejudices about Jewish people. Yes Mr. Tenenbom, got it, I have to agree with you. Your book was shocking, sometimes entertaining and worth reading. Your message itself was clear. I hope that as being only a German I'm not too stupid and childish and eventually interpreted in a wrong way. Well, actually I have to live with this handicap. But after all it's only told in a satiric way, so I don't have to take the way it's been told seriously, but rather with humour. I tried it.
But after that conclusion, which is okay, well-meant and absolutely right, I had to think about if there's also a message from Mr. Tenenbom to foreign readers. I'm not so sure if Mr. Tenenbom really intended it, but yes: There it is. I think most of you were afraid that they lost their German bogeyman that everybody worldwide loves to hate. Just because it's so easy: Everybody is allowed to blame Germans, call them "Nazis", you will find a reason for it everytime. Because it's so easy. And it must feel so good. A German just does not have any right to argue for himself, he or she won't be allowed to discuss the accusations that a whole people has to bear. And that's the reason why you'll get the feeling to know everything about German culture and the evil way German people think after reading this book. Mr. Tenenbom will tell you by concatenating a series of interviews with many persons (most of them very weird, still wondering where he found them, must be all over this place) who give stupid answers to clever questions (some people give clever answers to stupid questions, but then they are not Germans any longer by Mr. Tenenbom's definition, e.g. former chancellor Helmut Schmidt), call the whole thing a satire novel and then you're done. The final conclusion is drawn by the author. Yes, here you are, you expected it anyway: All Germans are "Nazis". They have ever been, will ever be. No suprise. If someone is proud of the country, then he is a "Nazi". Or stupid. Or both of it. If someone is not proud to be German, then he is a disturbed person, suffering the "German disease" of having an unnormal relationship to the own country. One example: Pupils aren't prepared to defend Germany against France? Oh my god, they must be ill or something, don't fighting the arch-enemy. In my opinion a very stupid question, as most people in Germany love France and admire French culture (so do I). But let Mr. Tenenbom draw all conclusions for foreign readers, it makes things so easy.
At last, I have no right to critize Mr. Tenenbom. He told me that as being a German I'm a stupid and childish racist, a "Nazi", it must have to do something with my genes. So I'm lost. And if it's all only a clever made satire, then I won't be able to understand it anyway, because as a German I have no humour (which has also something to do with genetics). Now I'm totally lost. I ever disliked and damned Nazi-Germany, the "Third Reich" and the evil deeds of my ancestors, but Mr. Tenenbom tells me that I have already became part of it, that I'm a stupid "Nazi". But after all it's only satire, so as a German I'm not able to understand it. Complicated situation. And eventually I'm only a disturbed person. Arguing against Mr. Tenenbom and his book makes myself a ansi-Semite. So there's no way out. Good Germans are expected to like this book, and so to confirm all its theses and statements for non-German readers who ever expected Germans to be evil. It's just a doom loop for me as a German.
But then there's hope eventually, because Mr. Tenenbom also tells me that he loves my country (and the German railway, as much as I do :-) ), he loves the Germans, as much as he hates us for being on earth (some of you might think about the Morgenthau plan: If realized, we won't have to discuss about this book today. Must feel so great being a farmer without any education!). It's so easy to hate us without knowing us, you just have to read this book, because you get the feeling to know us. You'll love it. And hate Germans and Germany. As much as I love my country, my children, my family. Yes, I do. Incredible, all of them are German or Germans! All suffering this genetic defect Mr. Tenenbom told me about. Maybe it's just satire? I don't know it. I'm not able to. Sorry.
I understand that Mr. Tenenbom wrote this book in anger. I understand that he was very confused about what he found in Germany, making his very special experiences with very special individuals here, always rather treated as "a Jew" than as the Mr. Tenenbom he is. But the final conclusion is too hard in my point of view, condemning a whole people to be evil. I'm sorry of having to say that, and I think many Germans will share my point of view: Even if not intended by the author, a lot of German people will feel insulted by this book. Even if there's a true message in it, it's although insulting. Mr. Tenenbom, after I tried to understand and shared your feelings while travelling in Germany (we call it "Fremdschämen" in our dark country), please also try to understand my feelings as a German after reading the book. I do not share the opinions of most of the really weird interview partners, I'm not obsessed by "Jews" or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - even if you try to prove me wrong. And I don't think of me as being anti-Semitic (nor other's do). And I can only hope that I'm not anti-Semitic by your judgement. I'm pretty aware of German history and the German deeds in history, but after all I have a relaxed relationship to my own nation. We might have our faults. But I still love to live here (unbelievable). You want to give us a message, and yes: I think I've got it. But, Mr. Tenenbom, please allow me to feel insulted by your book. Even if it's satire. Just let's agree: You have your personal kind of humour, I've got mine (especially as being German, a the foreign reader might add ... yes, it's so easy for you :-) ). Got the point?
Read this book, form yourself an opinion about it. It's worth the effort. As long as you don't expect to understand German culture by only reading it. Think by yourself. I'm sure Mr. Tenenbom would also want you to do it this way. I share most of his opinions, but not all of his conclusions.
P.S.: No, I did not write this comment in anger. I thought some days about it before I wrote it. But I disliked the fact that some foreign readers got the feeling they understood German culture by reading this book. Just believe me: This is no longer the country it was during 1933 to 1945. Like us or hate us and the individuals living here, but think by yourself. And don't stop thinking! I don't expect you to share my opinion on this book. And, just in case: Although I was born in 1975, just feel free to call me and my relatives, my neighbours, just all Germans "Nazis". Or what you like. Germans got used to it. That does not mean that we like it. Basta.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must read
2 Jan 2013
By Leslie
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a quirky book with a very unpleasant message, so to say that I love it is not quite to describe my reaction. Tenenbom, simply by traveling through Germany and talking to a lot of people, accidentally uncovers a deeply disturbing level of antisemitism. He concludes that many Germans are happy to love dead Jews but not living ones. By vilifying Israel and comparing it - with no realistic basis whatsoever - to Nazi Germany, they can escape from their guilt and humiliation over what Germans did then to the Jews. It's an ugly picture but I believe it to be accurate. Tenenbom's first German publisher refused to publish the book, but another publishing house has just put it out. Read the English version to judge for yourself about what he says.
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3.9 out of 5 stars
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