favorite Pynchon invention

[Kai Frederik Lorentzen]

On 30.09.2012 18:14, Don Antenen wrote:

> My dad and I were arguing the other day about which is the best 
> Pynchon 'invention'... the Schwarzkommandos or W.A.S.T.E.? It is 
> tough, but I have to say W.A.S.T.E.
>
> What say you?
>
> all the best,
> Donald

Some things about the Schwarzkommando are not an invention of Pynchon:

http://waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=1109&msg=158908&keywords=butterfly%20of%20prussia



A review*of*  the article --- Molly McCullers: 'We do it so that we will
be men'. Masculinity Politics in Colonial Namibia 1915-1949, in: The
Journal*of*  African History, 52, Volume 1, Cambridge 2011 ---
you'll find an abstract*of*  here, was in Wednesday's FAZ ( Joseph
Croitoru: In Uniform. Hereros für Deutschland. 8/31/11, p. N3):

http://www.limnology-journal.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=8257456&fulltextType=RA&fileId=S0021853711000077


The members*of*  the paramilitary Otruppa wore German uniforms, marched like German troops, sang German
soldier songs and formed their hierarchy along the German example. They also liked to give themselves
German first names; one*of*  their leaders - Fritz Kasutu - even decorated himself with the title
"Schmetterling von Preußen" (*Butterfly*  *of*  *Prussia*). By all this the young Hereros (plus some young
people from the tribes*of*  the Ovambo and Damara) basically tried to compensate the decay*of*  traditional
authority and initiatory rites. The Union*of*  South Africa was always suspicious*of*  the Otruppa and -
this should be*of*  interest to readers*of*  "Gravity's Rainbow" - although lots*of*  its members eventually
fought on side*of*  the Allies, the Union*of*  South Africa feared around 1940 that the Otruppa would,
together with the Nazi supporters among the German settlers, organize a social upheaval.*Of*  course,
the Schwarzkommando from "Gravity's Rainbow" has aspects which do not refer to the historical Hereros
(like the situation*of*  African Americans in the USA), but I remember having read here that Pynchon
exchanged letters about the Hereros with a historian during the 1960s, so perhaps ...

In case anybody is a subscriber*of*  The Journal*of*  African History or has access to it via some library,
it would be great to get more information!
  


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