History is repeating itself more or less.
All this make me think about the fate of the foreign legions in the Waffen-SS in those glorious days of WO2. The German arrogance, they were the masters then. By the way, Flemish volunteer SS soldiers were notorious for fighting amongst themselves.

When working at the European commission I remember a high person that came back from his trip to Eastern Europe saying that Madeleine Albright and her delegation were as arrogant as they always were (this was in 1999 I think).

glorious

Talking about the Waffen-SS this small anecdote came back to my mind. It's how soldiers react to stress. It was somewhere in Russia when my father and his comrades where confronted with heavy firing by partisans. Everybody fell on the ground and started shooting back. At a certain moment my father looked around to sea how his mates where doing when he saw someone, let's call him Jan, not with a riffle in his hands but with a crucifix . "Jan, what the hell are you doing?" my father asked him. "Keep shooting" was Jan's answer. "I'll take care of the praying".
They booth survived the war. Jan became something like a bookkeeper. And whenever he came to my restaurant, after all this time still enthusiastic about the Flemish cause -slightly naîve though- with a bookcase in his hands,the sight of him , made me smile.

Jan T

There is quite a difference between the Waffen-SS and the US army.

Arrogant indeed

Being one of those Dutch self-published authors, I firmly believe that a lot of ‘officially’ published Dutch authors have reached a level of arrogance in their own right. Why bother pointing at the US! At the UK!

The silence swirling around my flabbergasting literary masterpiece has been deafening, but I feel immune now:

"Dear Mr Crebolder,

I have asked the following questions in the Dutch House of Representatives, in part based on your messages. I agree that children should be protected against all types of abuse and that the government should not allow any doubts to exist in relation to this subject. The guidelines are not only a guide for judges but are also a signal to the community at large that abuse can be interpreted in a variety of ways. This should never be the case. I wonder what the answer of the Minister will be to the questions.

I would like to thank you for sending me your message.

Kind regards,

Khadija Arib

From: PvdA_Persvoorlichting (Press briefing for the Dutch Labour Party)
Sent: Tuesday 8 January 2008; 9:50
CC: Arib K.
Subject: Questions asked by Arib to the Minister of Justice regarding child pornography

The Hague, 7 January 2008

Questions asked by Arib (PvdA) to the Minister of Justice

regarding child pornography guidelines

1)Are you aware of the letter to the editor regarding “de schoonheid van een meisje”fn (“the charms of a girl”) which is a response to your letter regarding child pornography guidelinesfn?

2)Do you agree with the opinion as expressed in the article that a child should always be protected against child pornography?

3)What is your opinion on the assertion that the child pornography guidelines dated May 2007 allows a judge to punish the production, distribution and possession of child pornographic material lightly or even not to punish this at all? Do you agree that these guidelines allow various interpretations and that the perpetrators can easily get away with it?

4)Could you provide an overview of the sentences pronounced in child pornography cases since the child pornography guidelines have come into force in May 2007?

5)Do you agree that it is unacceptable that perpetrators receive light sentences or are not punished at all for the production, distribution and possession of child pornography material?

6)Do you agree that it is unacceptable that this is possible within our current legal system and that this means that all children in the Netherlands could become the victim of child pornography?

7)How are you going to ensure that perpetrators and repeat offenders involved in child pornography go scot free or receive light sentences? What are you going to do to ensure judges are better trained to assess child pornography cases? Are you willing to implement measures to ensure that judges have more information as to the type of child pornographic material involved in the specific case?

1.NRC 6 January 2008
2.Letter from the Ministry of Justice dated 17 August 2007, reference 5501234/07/AS

@ Jan

"Notorious for fighting amongst themselves." If by this you mean fysical violence, not to my knowledge. However if you mean the mental quarreling, that's something they remained doing for the rest of their lives. My earliest memories is my father discussing with his friends every aspect , every detail of the war and all of that in a very ardent way. But what struck me the most was the internal solidarity amongst them and that for the rest of their lives. Longlasting friendships emerged out of their past. They provided each other with jobs, they even had a kind of social security. That is what war can establish too: lifetime ties. I think that is the same for every army.

Victor

Could you please move to a site that is better equipped to deal with your main interest: child pornography.

@Arnon

I am so sorry, but I do have a zillion interests, so please take my posts for what they are: mere posts on a blog YOU have put open for business!

Lets talk literature, for once: what about that Curzio Malaparte? Something else then embedded journalism : a true genius, this Curzio. What about Oriana Fallaci: has she but one interest with her main subject, her writing about wars...

No bullet dodging journalism here, in comparison with your finger pointing ..

Greetings, Victor

@Arnon

Shame on an author who seems to be preoccupied himself with a lot of downtrodden people himself: not the slightest remark for me being positively named in that Dutch Parliament. All the big man with his big ego can say is: Go away, go away...

Somehow I didn't know writing was all about filling pages?

So, well, the novel I wrote isn't about c-p! it is about all the wrong signs of our times. It is about neglect, values, scuples, respect, yes, it is all about crimes & punishment. ( isn't half of all literature about these matters). All of this nicely linked with half a century modern literature and a few centuries science., wrapped in a nice package , tightly hold together by a stong story-line.

Sheers!

a Victor

Childabuse is avery intrusive act. Your appearance on this blog is mutual intrusive. It makes me wonder. Sometimes the poacher is the woodman in disguise.

@Mieke

Dear Mieke,

Just go and find yourself another damn idiot who is foolish enough to get himself exposed & noticed by MP's, Royalty , Interpol and other "influencial people &/or Organizations"...

It so happens I have choosen one of those subjects which will be painfull to full extend, forever & ever. Readeres who can't cope should go back to the childrens department in bookshops & libraries.

For I can't help it people do write about 3 generations of women, the Second WW and what not: I think these topics are non-descript, therefor not worth writing about. Shelves chockfull of these allready...and what not...

I read your site and I must agree on your saying that child porn isn't your only concern/interest. The other side of the site is filled with moaning about your self-published novel that doesn't lift off.

What I tend to say to artists who deal with such things is the following: Van Gogh didn't sell One picture in his whole life. Now, doesn't that make you happy? Maybe we'll appreciate you when you're gone. (Read that in either way, and no, it's not a threat)

Victor

There are two kinds of authors: Those that refer to their own book with the phrase "my flabbergasting literary masterpiece" and those who don't. I have decided not to read books of authors who do.

Seriously, stop talking about your own book with that terrible kind of back cover language. It is a sign of bad taste.

@Tjitze,
I'd so like to believe that the entire world thinks and acts like you. Unfortunately, I've come to believe that unlike you most people buy the books written by
people who claim their work is a flabbergasting masterpiece. It's how Kluun sold 600,000 copies of his book. If you don't believe you've written a masterpiece, who will?
Perhaps I should wish to be a little more like Victor.