Skybird
09-23-08, 06:16 AM
I finished reading this yesterday. If you are able to read German, this is highly recommended.
The book title translates into "Off duty", but schmidt also says: "If it is about principles of politics and morale, or one'S own consciousness, one never is off duty."
Here, a true Elder Statesmen, one of the greatest Western politicians and imo truly the most competent, precise and consistent German politicians and a man of huge personal integrity, gives a review of - in his own words - what "I believe I have learned about politics in my life".
This does not chnage that at his high age of almost 90 years he has more become a philosopher than remained to be a political analyst. Nevertheless, his analysis of the political present, is sharp, brief and precise, and it cuts to the core and important stuff right in just one or two sentences woithout wasting any time. One can only bare one's head at this display of uncompromised astuteness (Scharfsinnigkeit). If we would have just one or two leading politicians of Schmidt'S callibre, capability and Prussian sense of responsibility (although he is Hanseatic :D ) in every country, much troubles and unneeded problems would have been saved from the world, and we all probably wpuld be a bit better of. His criticism, were deserved, is sharp and uncompromised - but try to argue with him! He says what he says, and he simply is right - that's it.
This is not just a biography, and somebody wallowing in personal memories, Schmidt just is not of the kind to display his private life that way. This book is as much about the current situation, the lessons needed to be learned fast, and the future perspectives as it can be.
Of all the books I read by Schmidt, this is one of his most impressive, and thus it is highly recommended. Schmidt's way of political thinking, his sense of responsibility, should be mandatory for everybody seeking public offices.
In the current names in international politics, I do not see somebody of this callibre. We only know that we could desperately need "servicemen" like him.
He still is deeply respected, and very popular even with the young over here. Maybe no other "politician" in germany is as much respected and unassailable a moral authority over here. At his age, we need to take into account that he - in his words - will "change his postal adress forever" any time soon. Who will then shake our nation, make us aware of what really counts in politics, and slap the current political dilletant's fingers? You better spend another couple of years with us, Mr. Schmidt.
http://www.amazon.de/Ausser-Dienst-Bilanz-Helmut-Schmidt/dp/3886808637/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222167633&sr=8-1
The book title translates into "Off duty", but schmidt also says: "If it is about principles of politics and morale, or one'S own consciousness, one never is off duty."
Here, a true Elder Statesmen, one of the greatest Western politicians and imo truly the most competent, precise and consistent German politicians and a man of huge personal integrity, gives a review of - in his own words - what "I believe I have learned about politics in my life".
This does not chnage that at his high age of almost 90 years he has more become a philosopher than remained to be a political analyst. Nevertheless, his analysis of the political present, is sharp, brief and precise, and it cuts to the core and important stuff right in just one or two sentences woithout wasting any time. One can only bare one's head at this display of uncompromised astuteness (Scharfsinnigkeit). If we would have just one or two leading politicians of Schmidt'S callibre, capability and Prussian sense of responsibility (although he is Hanseatic :D ) in every country, much troubles and unneeded problems would have been saved from the world, and we all probably wpuld be a bit better of. His criticism, were deserved, is sharp and uncompromised - but try to argue with him! He says what he says, and he simply is right - that's it.
This is not just a biography, and somebody wallowing in personal memories, Schmidt just is not of the kind to display his private life that way. This book is as much about the current situation, the lessons needed to be learned fast, and the future perspectives as it can be.
Of all the books I read by Schmidt, this is one of his most impressive, and thus it is highly recommended. Schmidt's way of political thinking, his sense of responsibility, should be mandatory for everybody seeking public offices.
In the current names in international politics, I do not see somebody of this callibre. We only know that we could desperately need "servicemen" like him.
He still is deeply respected, and very popular even with the young over here. Maybe no other "politician" in germany is as much respected and unassailable a moral authority over here. At his age, we need to take into account that he - in his words - will "change his postal adress forever" any time soon. Who will then shake our nation, make us aware of what really counts in politics, and slap the current political dilletant's fingers? You better spend another couple of years with us, Mr. Schmidt.
http://www.amazon.de/Ausser-Dienst-Bilanz-Helmut-Schmidt/dp/3886808637/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222167633&sr=8-1