GRGR Re: German sadism

[Doug Millison]

Good point, Derek, it does pay to be careful with the terms we use. But, I
wonder if the German leadership could have sustained enough interest in
their genocide project, at every level of society necessary to implement
it, without appealing to sexuality and channeling it somehow into
extermination of the Other -- if so, use of the term "sadism" might be
appropriate. Psychologists and other specialists have studied this subject
extensively, I believe. I expect that Holocaust literature offers examples,
outside of Pynchon's text, of specific individuals and circumstances where
sadism is the appropriate term, too, although I can't point to specific
examples -- the sadistic concentration guard is a common enough trope. In
GR Pynchon clearly puts sadism in a specifically Nazi context.

In discussion of the current exhibit of lynching photos I've heard  mention
of an element of excitement, interpreted as sexual, that seems to be
present in the crowds at such events, as reflected in the faces of
participants in the photos:

Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America [Flash]
http://www.journale.com/withoutsanctuary/
Journal E
http://www.journale.com/
Lynching in America - NPR's _Morning Edition_ [RealPlayer]
http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/me/20000404.me.16.rmm

For over 25 years, collector James Allen accumulated a disturbing but
important visual legacy of racial violence in America: photos and
postcards taken and sold as souvenirs at lynchings across the
country. These photos were recently published in a book accompanied
by a number of essays and then placed on display at the New York
Historical Society. At the Journal E Website, users can view the
photos as a Flash movie with commentary by Allen or individually in a
gallery that will eventually include over 100 images (it has 81 at
time of writing). These are offered with a caption and a link to
(sometimes quite a bit) more information. Journal E plans to continue
developing the site so that it may be used as an educational tool. In
addition, more information on Allen's photo collection and the
exhibit is offered in a recent report from National Public Radio's
_Morning Edition_. Please note that images at the site are, as to be
expected, graphic and discretion is advised when viewing the site
with very young users. The majority of users, however, are strongly
urged to visit this site, perhaps the most powerful and moving online
exhibition I have ever seen.

d  o  u  g    m  i  l  l  i  s  o  n  <http://www.online-journalist.com>