Guest Germanboy Posted October 29, 2000 Share Posted October 29, 2000 I know I should not, but everybody is doing it these days. Yesterday night Josef Felder died in Munich. He was 100 years old and the last surviving member of the Reichstag who voted against the Ermächtigungsgesetz, the law that allowed Hitler to get rid of democracy in Germany. He and his fellow Social Democrat parliamentarians, who were the only ones to vote against the law, (most if not all the Communist members were already in prison at this time) were put under extreme pressure on the day of the vote and were afraid of their lives if they voted against the proposal becoming law. They did it nevertheless and many of them paid with years in exile, prison or death. Felder himself was incarcerated in Dachau. To me this men was the personification of what was good about Germany then and now and an inspiration showing that you could stand up against dictatorship, and that there are things worth fighting for. Sorry for wasting your time, but I felt this had to be said. ------------------ Andreas <a href="http://www.geocities.com/greg_mudry/sturm.html">Der Kessel</a > Home of „Die Sturmgruppe“; Scenario Design Group for Combat Mission. [This message has been edited by Germanboy (edited 10-29-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Olesen Posted October 29, 2000 Share Posted October 29, 2000 This was not a waste of my time. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoop Posted October 29, 2000 Share Posted October 29, 2000 thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chupacabra Posted October 29, 2000 Share Posted October 29, 2000 Wow, I'm amazed he lived as long as he did. I always reckoned that he'd died in Dachau. Thanks for the information, I certainly don't think it's a waste of time. ------------------ Soy super bien, soy super super bien, soy bien bien super bien bien bien super super. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuka Posted October 29, 2000 Share Posted October 29, 2000 I don't have a problem with honouring someone who stood up for what they believed in at a time when so many were caving in to the pressure being exerted by the extreme right wing . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawyer Posted October 30, 2000 Share Posted October 30, 2000 Obviously a man of great moral conviction and heroic strength. Thanks for sharing this bit of information. Each bit helps me to better understand that incredible era of history. Jake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffsmith Posted October 30, 2000 Share Posted October 30, 2000 A Wasted Post would have been if you had not told us about his death Now we all can mourn Josef Felder's passing and honor him by our remembrance Thank You for also having the courage of your convictions and telling us of his life and noting his death Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gen. Sosaboski Posted October 30, 2000 Share Posted October 30, 2000 Glad you brought it to my attention Germanboy. Rest in peace, Josef. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Peace Posted October 30, 2000 Share Posted October 30, 2000 A very educational post. I learn a lot from this group. Warren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howitzer Posted October 30, 2000 Share Posted October 30, 2000 G-Boy, Thanks for the post. Informative and meaningful. Regards, Steve C. aka Howitzer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hakko Ichiu Posted October 30, 2000 Share Posted October 30, 2000 He has gone to a better place. May he be rewarded in full measure according to his deeds. ------------------ Ethan ----------- "We forbid any course that says we restrict free speech." -- Dr. Kathleen Dixon, Director of Women's Studies, Bowling Green State University Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splinty Posted October 30, 2000 Share Posted October 30, 2000 Thanks for the enlightenment,I didn't know anyone in the Reichstag who dared stand up to the Nazis had even survived that period.Felder must have been a very brave man,my hat's off to him and all the others who stood with him. ------------------ Nicht Schiessen!! [This message has been edited by Splinty (edited 10-30-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted October 30, 2000 Share Posted October 30, 2000 This is a subject I know nothing about but I am glad you educated me. It is too bad that there were not more like him, so much missery could have been avoided. Points out the importance of people being true to their convictions and participating in the democratic process. May god bless his soul. ------------------ Blessed be the Lord my strength who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boogie Posted October 30, 2000 Share Posted October 30, 2000 Thanks for the information, Germanboy. 100 years... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geier Posted October 30, 2000 Share Posted October 30, 2000 Thank you Andreas. You are a better journalist than the people who write the papers here. A hero just died. Think about that and remember to tell your children about him. Johan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Hofbauer Posted October 30, 2000 Share Posted October 30, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>I didn't know anyone in the Reichstag who dared stand up to the Nazis had even survived that period.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> he surely would have died in the camp if it hadn't been for a famous sports guy who personally requested him to work as his secretary which got him out of the camp. Sort of a Schindler deal. Felder had turned age 100 just two or so months ago, there was quite some news coverage on that birthday. A very honorable and integer person indeed, he certainly has my highest respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmac@work Posted October 31, 2000 Share Posted October 31, 2000 My hat is off to Mr. Felder, rest well brave soul. Thanks for sharing this Andreas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Offwhite Posted October 31, 2000 Share Posted October 31, 2000 This is fascinating - the man lived through both world wars, the Cold War, reunification, and another decade for good measure. What an incredible breadth of experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr Oberst Posted October 31, 2000 Share Posted October 31, 2000 Andreas, that was anything but a waste of a post. This post says alot, and speaks well not only of Herr Felder, but of yourself as well. At the risk of sounding condescending, "Well done." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Madmatt Posted November 1, 2000 Share Posted November 1, 2000 I learned something reading this post, so it was certainly not wasted. I have often wondered if there were people like this man during Hitlers rise to power. I will need to try and find more on this man. Madmatt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hiram Sedai Posted November 1, 2000 Share Posted November 1, 2000 I also learned something after reading this post. I've gone through my life thinking that Hitler came to power pretty much unopposed. Now I know better. Thank you, Andreas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PershingII Posted November 1, 2000 Share Posted November 1, 2000 Thank Germanboy, Today i had read in the newspaper the dead of this honest and his courage for say NO in the parlament 1933. sorry for my bad Eng. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chupacabra Posted November 1, 2000 Share Posted November 1, 2000 One of the (sadly) underreported areas of German history is the resistance to Nazism both before and after 1933. Hitler's first move once in power was to put his political enemies into concentration camps, including many SPD and KPD party members and organizers who had resisted Nazism, often with force. Hitler survived several assassination attempts throughout the Nazi period, the most famous being the Generals' plot. There were several protests, demonstrations, and literature campaigns during the war, the majority of which were put down brutally by the Nazis. If anyone's interested in reading more about the resistance to Nazism before and during 1933, I'd recommend a book called The Nazi Seizure of Power: The Experience of a Single German Town, 1922-1945 by William Sheridan Allen. You'd probably have to order it through Amazon, but it's an excellent book, and reads well. I can't remember the titles of any books that I'd recommend on resistance in the post-1933 period, but if I think of any I'll post them. ------------------ Soy super bien, soy super super bien, soy bien bien super bien bien bien super super. [This message has been edited by Chupacabra (edited 11-01-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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