I have seen two very coherent and reasonable articles about Marc Garlasco, the military analyst for Human Rights Watch, who is on leave from that organization due to his obsessive collecting of Nazi memorabilia.
The first is a three part posting by an “Advisory Committee member with HRW for some 17 years,” Helena Cobban. She was bothered enough by Garlasco’s activities to write about it and defend her feelings against some rather insistent detractors. (Picture of book, The Flak Badges of the Luftwaffe and Heer by Garlasco)
Here is part of her third posting:
“ I do not claim to know what Garlasco's attitude is toward the Nazi-era military memorabilia that he so obsessively collects. He clearly seems to have a collector's zeal, or obsession, and to spend a lot of time pursuing this hobby. 7,734 posts on Wehrmacht Awards since March 2004, and compiling a 450-page guide to one small sub-branch of Nazi-era badges are not the signs of a casual collector. The comment shown above, made on Wehrmacht Awards in 2005, indicates some open-ness, at the very least, to the idea that one could entertain and express fondness for specifically SS memorabilia.
Also, using 'Flak88' seems like a signal of possible pro-Hitler proclivities to others in that part of the collecting world, who would be quite aware that '88' is their insiders' code for Heil Hitler.”
Here are her three statements.
Marc Garlasco's little "hobby"
Garlasco, part 2
Garlasco, part 3
NGO Monitor also has a complete article with many links. (I should state at this point that Helena Cobban and the editors of NGO Monitor are far apart on their views about Middle East issues, while fairly much in agreement on Garlasco’s hobby.) But in reading this as well as the above postings the reader can understand why I will continue to view Garlasco’s collecting as obsessive and focused on ‘Nazi’ memorabilia.
Here is part of that article:
"According to HRW’s response, “Garlasco’s own family’s experience on both sides of the Second World War has led him to collect military items related to both sides . . .” While Garlasco’s interest may have been a result of his family history, his hobby borders on the obsessive and is one-sided. He has posted thousands of comments on Nazi memorabilia sites including German combatawards (981 posts) and Wehrmacht-awards (7735 posts). In one post, he notes that he takes his collection of medals (many of which are swastika-adorned) out on a yearly basis to admire and photograph. He has even gone so far as to say he would “kill” to obtain a piece. HRW claims Garlasco also collects US Airforce memorabilia. Research conducted by NGO Monitor could not find any evidence that Garlasco’s interest in US military memorabilia approaches the level to which he is devoted to Nazi paraphernalia.”
You can read the article here: Expert or Ideologues?: HRW’s Defense of Marc Garlasco’s Nazi Fetish
The first is a three part posting by an “Advisory Committee member with HRW for some 17 years,” Helena Cobban. She was bothered enough by Garlasco’s activities to write about it and defend her feelings against some rather insistent detractors. (Picture of book, The Flak Badges of the Luftwaffe and Heer by Garlasco)
Here is part of her third posting:
“ I do not claim to know what Garlasco's attitude is toward the Nazi-era military memorabilia that he so obsessively collects. He clearly seems to have a collector's zeal, or obsession, and to spend a lot of time pursuing this hobby. 7,734 posts on Wehrmacht Awards since March 2004, and compiling a 450-page guide to one small sub-branch of Nazi-era badges are not the signs of a casual collector. The comment shown above, made on Wehrmacht Awards in 2005, indicates some open-ness, at the very least, to the idea that one could entertain and express fondness for specifically SS memorabilia.
Also, using 'Flak88' seems like a signal of possible pro-Hitler proclivities to others in that part of the collecting world, who would be quite aware that '88' is their insiders' code for Heil Hitler.”
Here are her three statements.
Marc Garlasco's little "hobby"
Garlasco, part 2
Garlasco, part 3
NGO Monitor also has a complete article with many links. (I should state at this point that Helena Cobban and the editors of NGO Monitor are far apart on their views about Middle East issues, while fairly much in agreement on Garlasco’s hobby.) But in reading this as well as the above postings the reader can understand why I will continue to view Garlasco’s collecting as obsessive and focused on ‘Nazi’ memorabilia.
Here is part of that article:
"According to HRW’s response, “Garlasco’s own family’s experience on both sides of the Second World War has led him to collect military items related to both sides . . .” While Garlasco’s interest may have been a result of his family history, his hobby borders on the obsessive and is one-sided. He has posted thousands of comments on Nazi memorabilia sites including German combatawards (981 posts) and Wehrmacht-awards (7735 posts). In one post, he notes that he takes his collection of medals (many of which are swastika-adorned) out on a yearly basis to admire and photograph. He has even gone so far as to say he would “kill” to obtain a piece. HRW claims Garlasco also collects US Airforce memorabilia. Research conducted by NGO Monitor could not find any evidence that Garlasco’s interest in US military memorabilia approaches the level to which he is devoted to Nazi paraphernalia.”
You can read the article here: Expert or Ideologues?: HRW’s Defense of Marc Garlasco’s Nazi Fetish
17 comments:
Viola,
I haven't read the entire article, but claiming that the online name of Flak88 is a neo-Nazi salute to Hitler, kinda ignores the fact that the German WWII Flak guns were indeed 88 mm guns.
As a WWII buff, I immediately read it as the latter not the former.
I understand that, but what she and others are saying is that the people that Garlasco mixes with also know 88 to mean heil Hitler. And as someone who writes many articles on Israel he should have been aware of the problems. I think you ought to read the articles.
But I do think it is interesting that many of the people who are concerned about anti-semitism and racism thought of the Nazi connection of 88. And I know nothing about guns but do know quite a bit about racist groups.
Most people's concerns, who do have concerns, are focused on the fact that here is a person obsessed with Nazi memorabilia and he is the one who writes so much for HRW against Israel.
But I agree now that I know most people would think of the German WW11 flak guns.
Viola,
I don't see anything in what you have written, nor do I believe you have anything in your possession that links Helena Cobban with any particular knowledge of what motivation makes Marc Garlasco collect WWII memorabilia. You and Helena, to me, appear to be nothing better than the blind leading the blind. If you want us to believe that Helena is right that Marc is obsessed, then you really should at least try to make some sort of personal connection between these two people that is better than they both worked for different parts of HRW. What does she really know, and how does she know it? What was her motivation to write the article she did?
You do quote Helena Cobban as having written: “I do not claim to know what Garlasco's attitude is toward the Nazi-era military memorabilia that he so obsessively collects." I suspect she knows very little about Marc at all.
As for the NGO monitor; what do they really know about Marc Garlasco? What’s their connection that makes their assessment credible?
Do any of them have any evidence that actually contradicts Marc Garlasco's own words? I certainly don't see any evidence.
As far as you deciding to stick to your guns here, all I have to say is that you are being lead by bigotry, bias, and human depravity, not actual evidence.
I will continue to pray for you.
Kattie,
Hintsville, Al
Kattie I love the new name for your town!
Kattie I do not know any historical people personally so I cannot know what angels or demons of the soul drove their actions. But I can know what their actions were by the use of records, documents, etc.
And I can come to conclusions about them and their actions based on their actions rather than their emotions. And I would be a poor historian if I did not do it that way.
Viola,
As you requested, I read the articles. I am puzzled. I see nothing to substantiate the claim he is obsessed, and no reason to use the N word to describe his hobby, which ties both family history (lots of people are intrigued by family history) and WWII history (lots of people are intrigued by family history).
This really sounds like a case of intentional libel and defamation on the part of someone who has an agenda.
Not something I would want to be a part of, or care to repeat.
Lynda
Then I guess we simply have a disagreement.
Lynda,
this is all of our fault, please leave your full name and city and state.
Viola Larson
sacramento, Ca
Viola
This wasn't in your article and is really tangental. In the NGO article there is this sentence: "The website of his publisher, B&D Publishing LLC, is named ironcross1939, a military badge reinstated by Hitler in 1939 and awarded to such infamous Nazis as Hermann Goring"
First Goring is really spelled Goering a very minor slip. But the historical mistake is that Goering was awarded the iron cross for his service in the German air force in WWI. This doesn't make him a nice guy or any less a Nazi. But when an article makes a historical reference that is inaccurate my first response is "what else is inaccurate?"
Again, it isn't in your post and my response is actually off topic.
"Kattie I do not know any historical people personally so I cannot know what angels or demons of the soul drove their actions. But I can know what their actions were by the use of records, documents, etc."
Viola,
If this is the extent of your defense of your blog article, then I suggest you just give up and repent.
Kattie,
Huntsville, Al
"Wehrmacht Awards".
Was not the Wehrmacht the non-Nazi German military so he collects non-Nazi memoribilia.
Cameron go to this site http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/ and read. I'm thinking that might help.
The problem with your question is that all soldiers fighting in Germany during this time were fighting for a Nazi government so the awards would have those symbols. In fact in several cases Garlasco uses the swastika as his symbol.
That of course doesn't mean all soldiers were Nazis-in fact some members of the armed forces tried to kill Hitler.
Viola Larson
I don't know [or care] anything about this guy and his collecting but I think saying the Wehrmacht were fighting for the Nazi government is like saying troops are fighting for a Republican government rather than for their country. I'm not suggesting there is any equivalancy between our troops and WWII Wehrmacht or my party and the Nazi party or our govenment and the WWII German government.
If the guy is collecting SS stuff then I guess that is something else.
Okay maybe I should have said under a Nazi government at that government’s orders.
Viola,
You've been off base before, but on this one you've left the planet. Absurd, ridiculous, nonsense.
Jodie Gallo
Los Angeles, Ca
Bob,
I just got the information from NGO Monitor. They sent me two links. This one on the Iron Cross Medal http://www.reddickmilitaria.com/german-military-decorations/german-iron-cross
and this on Goering
http://www.trial-ch.org/en/trial-watch/profile/db/facts/hermann_goering_116.html
It seems that Goering was awarded the Iron Cross in WWI, but later he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross Badges by Hitler in World War II.
Viola,
Thanks for this. Tolkien (through his character Gandalf) says it best:
"It is not wise for one to examine too deeply the ways of the Enemy."
This guy is a cook, plain and simple. You should send this on to Jonah Goldberg!
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