Night and Fog

I would first like to talk about the first scene, it is so unreal.  The scene focuses in on a meadow and you think it is a beautiful meadow with crows and such, as the narrator says it is, but as the camera pulls back to a wider shot- you can see the bars and electric fences that surround the meadow.  At that point you realize that something so pretty can be turned into something terrible.  As this is happening the narrator is explaining that in a normal town, at own that has meadows, and fairs and normal life flouting about- can also have a concentration camp, how sad!  The town now has nothing..  No concentration camp, no normal life, no town anymore.  It is so crazy to see the process of building these camps.  The scene in which it shows the process of building the camps like it is just another building.  There is a picture of a man smiling as he is holding blueprints and walking along the nice meadow that will be turned into a horrible place.  It is just really unbelievable that people were able to do this with no care in the world.  

Weber

"The honor of the civil servant is vested in his ability to execute conscientiously the order of the superior authorities, exactly as if the order agreed with his own conviction. This holds even if the order appears wrong to him and if, despite the civil servant’s remonstrances, the authority insists on the order. Without this moral discipline and self-denial, in the highest sense, the whole apparatus would fall to pieces. The honor of the political leader, of the leading statesman, however, lies precisely in an exclusive personal responsibility for what he does, a responsibility he cannot and must not reject or transfer. It is in the nature of officials of high moral standing to be poor politicians, and above all, in the political sense of the word, to be irresponsible politicians" (p. 95).

Explanation:

There are divisions in politics everywhere, and Weber points out the obvious divisions.  Not only are there divisions but the levels they work at are prominent too; the way that they carry out their duties is very different.  The civil servant thrives to do what is right, maybe not in his eyes but in the eye of his employer, or the person above him; therefore they act with "honor" and willingness to carry out their tasks.  The civil servant has to please the person above him, while the political leader serves to carry out and please himself,  He makes it a "personal responsibility" as Weber mentions.  The point he makes is that those in higher power, are not the ones who truly "honor" anything but what they want.  They are poor politicians.  Those below have the true meaning at heart and tend to be more hands on, and more loyal to his duties overall being a better. 

Why I chose it...

I chose this passage because it's so true still to this day.  Weber said this so long ago and it still holds true to politics here in this world, day and age.  It scarily true and if people were able to see that maybe more would change.

Weimar Constitution Book given after graduation  

Weimar Constitution 

The first article I would like to focus on is Article 48.  It is one that I found interesting because of the manner in which it was used once by Hitler to impose his power.  

Article 48:

“If a state (8) does not fulfil the obligations laid upon it by the Reich constitution or the Reich laws, the Reich President may use armed force to cause it to oblige.
In case public safety is seriously threatened or disturbed, the Reich President may take the measures necessary to reestablish law and order, if necessary using armed force. In the pursuit of this aim he may suspend the civil rights described in articles 114, 115, 117, 118, 123, 124 and 154, partially or entirely.
The Reich President has to inform Reichstag immediately about all measures undertaken which are based on paragraphs 1 and 2 of this article. The measures have to be suspended immediately if Reichstag demands so.
If danger is imminent, the state government may, for their specific territory, implement steps as described in paragraph 2. These steps have to be suspended if so demanded by the Reich President or the Reichstag. Further details are provided by Reich law.”

Explanation: 

The article gives the president the right to take action if needed, which could definitely be a good thing, and was intended to be.  But soon after Hitler became President after Hiddenburg’s death he used the power given to control and bring about his reich and Nazism.  This article is not specified in many areas, like what is specifically considered and area in which the president can make these decisions and also what is appropriate force.  

One of the areas of the Weimar Constitution which I found interesting was the Fourth Chapter, Education.  One of the reasons i chose a passage from this section is because one, I am furthering my studies in education so it interests me; also because the US constitution does not guarantee the right of education under the constitution, so it is interesting to read one in another country that does.  

Article 148:

“All schools have to work towards ethical education, patriotic spirit, personal and occupational fitness in the spirit of German nationality and international understanding. In the instruction at public schools it has to be taken into consideration not to hurt the feelings of dissenters. Civics and teaching by doing are school subjects. Every pupil, upon graduation, will be given a copy of the constitution. Secondary education, including Volkshochschulen (general education schools open to everyone) have to be promoted by Reich, states, and communities.”

Explanation 

Its interesting to see the states regulations for schooling in Germany.  The first sentence is mandated to implement German nationalism in all schools, making sure children have a true understanding of the country they live in.  The fact that every student is given a copy of the constitution, also further expresses the sense of nationalism they want the children to gain.  It’s very interesting to see the constitution being incorporated so much, like obtaining a copy of it after graduating.  Another line that stand out is the consideration not to hurt the feelings of dissenters.  Shows a soft spot in Germany, one that I did not know was there due to Nazism.