70 years since the suicide of Stefan Zweig


Suicide or self sacrifice

It has the worst of reputations,
considered generally the worst of crimes,
punishable by death or worse,
the absolute and utmost cowardice,
the definite damnation doomed to hell forever,
but it's really not that simple.
It depends on why you do it.
If it's a revenge on those that wronged you,
or if it's a demonstration, which it often is,
it must be viewed correctly in perspective.
Let me take a classical example.
Stefan Zweig in 1942 was something of a humanistic leader,
most translated author in the world,
a representative of culture, pacifism and internationalism,
which gave him a tremendous standing of responsibility,
but as a Jew he had to leave his native Austria
and found himself eventually completely isolated in Brazil,
not able to communicate with German-speaking readers any more.
When he committed suicide with his wife
he made it very clear it was for purely intellectual reasons –
as an intellectual he felt asphyxiated in a world of war and Adolf Hitler
dominated by coarse anti-spiritualism and media propaganda.
Although he denied that he dropped out of any personal frustration,
the fact that he did had a tremendous impact
morally and intellectually for all the world,
and during that year actually the tides turned against Hitler
first by Moscow, then in Africa and Stalingrad.
His action was supreme as demonstration against the oppression
he felt as an intellectual by the vulgar imposition of politics.
Today we see the same phenomenon in Tibet,
some twenty monks have burned themselves to death,
no suicidal bombers, only private self sacrifices
as the greatest demonstration life can manifest
against intolerable cruelty, oppression and the violated rights of freedom,
and its effect must have consequences.





Poetry by Christian Lanciai The PoetBay support member heart!
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Written on 2012-02-23 at 13:50

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ken d williams The PoetBay support member heart!
Jim , suicide , was consider a syn in the west.
Ken ( D Williams )
2012-02-24


ken d williams The PoetBay support member heart!
Jim , yes the two are very different regarding suicide. The Wests Christan doctrine. It was considered a crime , people who saivde a suicide attempt , were sent to prison. This was so up to resent times.
Ken ( D Williams )
2012-02-23


Christian Lanciai The PoetBay support member heart!
Wonderful story, Ken. I didn't know. There was also Jan Palach in Prague 1969... and many others, whom we shall never know.

I have never heard of any shame connected with suicide in the east. On the contrary, the cases I know of were recorded with the utmost respect. On the other hand, suicides are not very common among buddhists and therefore the more resounding and justified when they occur, like the Vietnamese monks burning themselves during the Vietnam war...
2012-02-23



I'm glad you made the connection to the Tibetan monks (and nuns). It is the ultimate statement of protest to one's culture.

I don't know if there is shame associated with suicide in Eastern culture as there is in Western.
2012-02-23


ken d williams The PoetBay support member heart!
This is sad and thought provoking. Reminded me of Victor Jara. Who decided to except dearth. Rather than to live clinging on to the hope of life. Under Panache and the junter in Chile. The manner of his death is one a poet would chose , at least I hope would. He sang his songs , his fellow prisoners joined him . The solders beet him and beet him. He sang on and on , played his guitar through boded teeth, his fellow prisoners to sdang on and on. The soldgers crushde his hands , he struggled to his feet . He sang on and on , how he sang.Conducting his fellow prisoners with his bloody hands . The solders beet Jara till he was dead. His fellow prisoners sang on and on. So Jara lived to his name VICTOR.For in death he were VICTORIOUS .
Ken ( D Williams )
2012-02-23