racist newspaper-article in Munich “AZ”: Obama’s “negroid features” and outrageous race theories
“In the long run, people with dark skin tones have little chances of survival under Northern conditions. Also, their birth rates drop. The reason for this lies in the weather’s impact on their bones. Says Professor Schiefenhövel: “Their bones quickly become soft and warped. The womens’ pelvises become distorted which eventually renders child-birth impossible for them.”
“Barack Obama’s victory means that for the first time a Coloured has been elected into the highest office of the US. His frizzy black hair, negroid lips and dark complexion stem from his parentage…”
This is just some of the racist content of a newspaper article that has recently been published in the german newspaper “AZ” (Abendzeitung, Munich) and on AZ’s online presence. The article was motivated by Barck Obama’s election and stayed online despite numerous protests during the commemoration day of the Pogromnacht on November 9 and 10. Scroll down for full translation of the article.
The fact that it appeared in a not specifically right-wing but mainstream newspaper, shows very clearly the lack of awareness in German media.
The response to negative reactions from readers throughout Germany was an e-mail from the author in which he regrets that his article evoked such negative reactions – a reaction far from an apology. The executive board, publisher and editor in chief haven’t found any reaction necessary so far.
Please help Germany’s mediashpere comprehend that the use of racist language and content -even if seemingly ridiculous at first- is harmful and watched with concern from people all over the world.
You could do so for example by writing an e-Mail to the AZ’s editor-in-chief with cc to us for documentation of your reactions. Or cover the issue in your blog and forward it to counter-racist-organisations.
Mail contact to the newspaper:
chefredaktion@abendzeitung.de
full article translation:
Publication: Abendzeitung
Author: Michael Heinrich (Editor at Abendzeitung)
Publishing Date: November 5th, 2008
Circulation print version: 148,000 sold copies, 290,000 readers
Circulation online version: not known
Circulation areas: mainly Munich and Nuremberg
The Mystery of Skin Colour
In the past, all people were black. The fact that at one point they turned white, red or yellow, is due to the duration of sunshine
Barack Obama’s victory means that for the first time a Coloured has been elected into the highest office of the US. His frizzy black hair, negroid lips and dark complexion stem from his parentage: his father is a black African from Kenya, his mother is white. A good occasion to pose the question: Why is it, actually, that people have such diverse skin complexions?
In the past we were all black. The undisputed scholarly opinion is that humans originated in Eastern Africa – and this region had massive sun exposures already millions of years ago. “In that region those humans had better chances of survival whose strong pigmentation protected them from harmful ultraviolet rays”, Wulf Schiefenhövel told Abendzeitung. Schiefenhövel is a Munich based Professor of Anthropology. During the course of thousands of years skins turned ever darker until they were black. Until today, the populations of some parts of Africa and also Melanesia are nearly inky.
In the long run, people with dark skin tones have little chances of survival under Northern conditions. Also, their birth rates drop. The reason for this lies in the weather’s impact on their bones. Says Professor Schiefenhövel: “Their bones quickly become soft and warped. The womens’ pelvises become distorted which eventually renders child-birth impossible for them.”
All other skin complexions are hybrid forms of black and white. Schiefenhövel explains: “People always call the Chinese yellow, and the Native Americans Redskins. Obviously, that is wrong.” Both these groups have simply developed skin complexions that had the “right” mixing ratio for their respective habitats. I.e., their skins would sufficiently protect them from the ultraviolet rays while at the same time absorbing just the right amount of sunlight.
By the way, the skin shade only plays a minor role in the definition of human “races” or “populations”. Decisive factors are, amongst others, the shape of the head and the body height.
Links:
– our coverage of the article in german (with more contact information): Here and Here
I hope Germany soon elects its first prime minister of Turkish origin. That will be progress.
letter to the AZ that has been sent to us (name withheld here, but displayed in the original letter):
To whom it may concern:
Good day…I recently received an copy of your publication in which there was an article entitled “Mystery of Skin Colour.” As a Black woman, a human being and a global citizen I am really surprised by your lack of tact when speaking of the subject of “race” & or skin colour, given your multiracial society within Germany. I mean granted your country is still a majority of “whites”, however I can only assume since minorities make a small percentage in your nation, that is how your publication views them-as small and insignificant! Why else would you all feel so comfortable in reporting such blatantly racist and vile comments? Really? I can only assume that the indoctrination of the Third Reich is still alive and well, and that your publication exemplifies that wholeheartedly.
Now to quote the great Schiefenhövel, who is still referring to people of African descent as “coloured” or “Negroid” is absolutely preposterous. It is the 21st century, and this is how Europeans, sorry Germans view, Black people. Wow! Here are some quotes made that I take issue with:
“In the long run, people with dark skin tones have little chances of
survival under Northern conditions. Also, their birth rates drop. The reason
for this lies in the weather’s impact on their bones. Says Professor
Schiefenhövel: “Their bones quickly become soft and warped. The womens’
pelvises become distorted which eventually render s child-birth impossible
for them.”
So if we are to take Dr. Schiefenhövel as fact, how does one explain my existence, my parents and grandparents, the existence of Michelle Obama, her daughters or the countless African Americans who have survived in northern conditions of North America for the last 400 years? What does all this actually mean??? I have read this passage over and over again, looking for its significance, and I am at a loss. If the purpose of this article is to dispel notions of race or racial difference, where is the evidence of that???
There are also two other comments which I find problematic #1: “In the past we were all black”; and #2: “By the way, the skin shade only plays a minor role in the definition of human “races” or “populations”. Decisive factors are, amongst others, the shape of the head and the body height.”
In the past we were all black, huh??? Is this sentence attempting to pay homage to our common ancestors of East Africa? The term black is the issue, for its a term of modernity, and holds no merit in describing peoples of antiquity. I would like to point out that people are MELANINATED…not black…or inked skin…or whatever derogatory term that was used to describe dark skinned people. Everyone is MELANINATED, its just that many more people on this earth happen to have more MELANIN, than Europeans. Then to the issues of “races”, bsp;what races? There is one race the human race. Yes there are ethnicities and varying phenotypes, but to speak of human beings separated by races because of body height and head shape, sounds like something out of the late 19th century and early 20th century? On some EUGENICS shit…Really!
Finally what really speaks volumes and illuminates your stances (both the publications’ and the author’s) as racist and white supremacist, is that you did not even own your deeds. You all have not even apologized or found the errors in your words. I am not looking for an apology. Do what you please…But do not insult other people by appearing to be OBLIVIOUS to your message and its negative effects on the progression of Germany, Europe, and the entire world in general. Come out and say who you are! Be accountable
With that…many blessing to you and yours
M
letter to the AZ that has been sent to us (name withheld here, but displayed in the original letter):
Dear Editors of “AZ” (Abendzeitung, Munich) newspaper:
I am a Professor in the Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of
California at Berkeley. The language used in your newspaper to talk about
Black people is absolutely unacceptable.
(…)
It took a lot of struggle, the death of millions of people and lots of
efforts to eradicate the racist Nazi regime from power in Germany to have
once again the reproduction of the same racist discourses in your
newspaper pages 63 years later. It also took a lot of efforts, lives and
struggles to eradicate colonial racist regimes organized by Western powers
in the Third World. The racism you express in your newspaper pages comes
directly from the colonial racism, reproduced by Nazism, that is still
predominant among many people in contemporary Western societies. This is
harmful to the people who are the victims of racism today. Your newspaper
has the responsibility towards the public to transmit information not only
in non-sexist ways but also in non-racist ways too. To do less than that,
is to be complicit with racism and crimes against humanity. I hope you
take seriously this critique and change your language before it is too
late…
sincerely yours,
Professor
Dept. of Ethnic Studies
University of California at Berkeley
letter to the AZ that has been sent to us (name withheld here, but displayed in the original letter):
Dear Mr. Heinrich,
I”ve read the above named article, both in German and translation, and am absolutely shocked that this piece passed muster for publication in your newspaper.
Discussion of how races developed, why we have different features, and so on is fine, but the ridiculous attempt at context, namely the election of Barack Obama as president of the United States, is bizarre, to say the least. To so poorly research the subject as to contact one professor of anthropology whose statements are outrageous (“In the long run, people with dark skin tones have little chances of survival under Northern conditions. Also, their birth rates drop. The reason for this lies in the weather”s impact on their bones, says Professor Schiefenhövel: “Their bones quickly become soft and warped. The women”s pelvises become distorted which eventually renders child-birth impossible for them.””), and print those statements with no research or reference as to what (inane) study might have suggested such an interpretation is horribly, offensively irresponsible.
I will be moving to Berlin next year and so keep up by reading Stern, the Seuddeutsche Zeitung, and the Berliner Zeitung. I am pleased to say that I have never encountered anything less than good, basic reporting in these publications. What I”ve read today in the Abendzeitung is disappointing in the extreme. I hope that you will make a statement apologizing for the poor reporting and for, by publishing this piece as written, giving unfounded and ultimately racist views your blessing.
Sincerely,
A
Brooklyn, New York
more comments and letters to the editor in German here:
http://blog.derbraunemob.info/2008/11/12/rassistischer-obama-artikel-reaktion-des-az-autors-und-antworten-aus-dem-volk/