Language Does Not Lie

The Language and culture of the Third Empire (LTI) poisons culture and restricts Jewish and non-Nazi culture. Restrictions multiply in Dresden and Germany, before and during the War, rationalizing hatred and murder in the name of 'people and earth,' 'blood and soil.' Jewish people are legislated into a separate race and conceptually excluded from 'the people' and humanity. Mass demonstrations are set up and show a leader with 'self-synchronized' and obedient mass followers. Klemperer can only record this new language; his job, his typewriter, and his book project on literature are taken away, among many other antisemitic prohibitions. Only his 'mixed marriage' prevents him from being murdered. People cannot live normally in abnormal times. Even Jewish names are changed and yellow stars are mandated in order to segregate the population. Germany evades, fights a lightning war, and ultimately is defeated, as we know. But there are ongoing and enduring attacks on Jewish people, whose deportation and murder is disguised and distorted by this poisonous language. Euphemisms abound while children are taught hateful ideas. Even the family cat is prohibited and must be destroyed. Time stands still for a while in Dresden, until the 'crisis' (defeat) of Nazi power sweeps through. But the destruction is catastrophic, mass murder miscast as 'liquidation," reducing people to corpses and objects. Surviving to chronicle the Shoah, Klemperer is a hero who resisted with words and recovered the truth from cultural language poisoning.