Aryan Children I was very upset to read your Special Report on the Nazi “master race” experiment (“Hitler’s Children,” March 20). Although this nonsensical episode of racism took place more than 50 years ago, we have learned nothing from it. The ideology of the “purity” of race and its derivatives like ethnic cleansing are still alive in so-called civilized Western countries. We need to make schoolchildren aware of this atrocity of a murderous dream of pure race that turned into nightmares for mankind. Veronique Coco Montreuil, France
A very disturbing article, not so much because Himmler and Co. were mad–that’s hardly news–but because present-day civilized governments follow the Bible in punishing children for the sins of their fathers. If the shame of the parents falls on the children, how are we better than the Nazis? Rene Gardea Prague, Czech Republic
Your chilling report on the Nazis’ endeavors to propagate a master race through eugenics programs gives food for thought. What happened to those who, through no fault of their own, first became products of Hitler’s mad ideas and later became victims of reverse discrimination in otherwise tolerant societies like Norway is tragic. One can’t begin to fathom what might have occurred if Hitler had been able to exploit the results of genetic engineering to serve his barbaric purposes. We can only hope and pray that the fruits of modern scientific research never end up in the hands of the wrong people. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany
The Norwegian women who willingly had relations with Nazi soldiers may not have been “mental defectives” in the medical sense, but they certainly were moral defectives and traitors to their country. And since Germany has made no provision for inheritance by Lebensborn children, it is unfortunate that Helga Kahrau did not insist that her father make provision for her while he was alive. Ronald G. Borden Oakland, California
No doubt, some Norwegian women’s apparently willing participation in the German master-race experiment was shameful. But the postwar conduct of the people of Norway toward these “fallen women” and their German-fathered offspring was even more disgusting and detestable. The beating, ridicule and harassment of these women and their children, with many being unjustly labeled retarded or insane and sent to mental hospitals, was inhuman. It’s as though, instead of losing the war, the Nazis passed on their cruel behavior to the Norwegians. Kenneth L. Zimmerman Huntington Beach, California
As the forgotten personification of Nazism’s perverse dreams of racial “purity,” the Lebensborn are caught in a grotesque fun house where reflections of murder, hatred, hope, confusion and abandonment all lie thinly below the surface of their past. Among these sinister reflections, they still have to find the one mirror that truly represents their origin. I can’t imagine the problems caused by this childhood predicament. Their road to closure is one that is just as tragic as any other coming from World War II. Matthew Randazzo Metairie, Louisiana
Joshua Hammer provides a horrifyingly stunning insight into Nazi attempts at the perpetuation of a “pure Aryan master race” in a fascinating and informative article. However, I strongly contest Hammer’s implication that the fathering of German children on Norwegian women was the result of consensual sex. Considering the widespread use of force and intimidation by Hitler’s men, I find it hard to believe that “many Norwegian women were eager to oblige them.” The sheer number and age of the women in question (“14,000 women and girls”) points to the fact that not all acts may have been purely consensual. The stories of these poor women and their children detail the suffering they experienced in their postwar Nazi association. In honor of their suffering and that of women who continue to experience wartime sexual atrocities, let us show respect and support in portraying the truth of what happened. Jennifer Duda St. Paul, Minnesota
There is a disquieting familiarity to your description of the Nazi ideology “that no Germanic baby should go unborn,” and the outlawing of all abortions and the execution of doctors who performed the procedures for those seeking them. While not official policy, isn’t this what is, in fact, happening in the United States, as the more activist elements of the alliance of the religious right and the Republican Party pursue their inappropriately named “pro-life” jihad? Don Bay Froson, Sweden
Joshua Hammer’s article immediately invites a comparison to the children on the other side of the fence. The lives of many youngsters sired by Nazi thugs may have been tragic, but they did stay alive. There are many World War II photos picturing small Jewish children being led to the gas chambers to die. Often they were accompanied by a grandmother when their own mother was deemed strong enough to work in the camps. What about the Jewish children who did live? They were the kids whose parents managed to send them off to England and safety. There they were without home, family, country, money or education. They were at an age when even a cub in the wild still has its mother to protect and provide. They went to work in wartime factories or scrubbed floors and took care of other children as “mother’s little helpers.” Believe me, I know. I was one of them. Frances Nunnally Richmond, Virginia
A Black and White Crisis Zimbabwe certainly has potential (“The Seeds of a Crisis,” WORLD AFFAIRS, March 20): tobacco, minerals, agriculture and tourism. With honest, sensible and qualified management, it would all be booming for the benefit of everyone. But as your very realistic appraisal indicates, it is a country of incompetent management, tired ideas and depleted resources. Brian Coulman Harare, Zimbabwe
Your article describes Zimbabwe’s difficult economic situation and drained financial resources. But one of the main problems is not mentioned: the country is burdened by the military involvement in Congo in support of Laurent Kabila. For this, Zimbabwe is paying a very high price that should not be overlooked. Gerhard Dilschneider Wuppertal, Germany
An important fact that your article left out is that between government-owned farms and land available on a willing-seller basis, there are approximately 2 million hectares available for resettlement in Zimbabwe. Records show that an overwhelming majority of government-owned farms are leased to absentee tenants with little or no farming experience–many of whom are government employees. The land issue is merely an attempt to gather support from the poor, landless, rural population, the traditional support base for Robert Mugabe’s party. In reality, it highlights his inability to deal with this problem in his 20 years in power. Sean Serle Harare, Zimbabwe
Help From Africa The sad news of “Mozambique’s Tragedy” (WORLD AFFAIRS, March 13) and the aftereffects of the flood have already captured headlines and generated pictures in world publications. The first help came from South Africa, then from European countries and, as usual, from the United States. What some of us are wondering, however, is, what about the rest of Africa? All African countries have standing armies. What do we have armies for if we’re not even in a position to help a neighboring country in need? Are African armies just for independence marches and seizing power from elected governments or for fighting civil wars? If that’s the case, then let’s disband our armies and use their budgets to develop the nations on our continent. B. Kodzo Ofori Solingen, Germany
Congo: Mission Impossible In “Making the Same Mistakes” (WORLD VIEW, March 20), David Rieff argues eloquently that the United Nations should not deploy peacekeeping troops to Congo. He recounts persuasively the failures in Bosnia, in which the U.N. forces were used to contain would-be refugees, and Rwanda, where U.N. forces were withdrawn at the outset of the genocide. But neither precedent should prevent the deployment of peacekeepers if it will help the warring parties achieve a sustainable ceasefire, something that can be difficult to judge from afar. Timidity in such circumstances would be the ultimate discrediting omission. Arthur C. Helton Sr. Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations New York, New York
Thank you, David Rieff, for an excellent article on the war in Congo. In the last decade, the African continent has been torn apart by such wars. The United Nations’ wish for action is therefore very commendable. But once again, it is committing a fatal mistake: it is focusing on the outcome of the conflict without addressing the underlying causes. The driving force behind these wholesale slaughters is the small contingents of wealth and yet more power. Freezing their assets as well as those of their families and close associates would be a far more effective method of coercing them to the negotiating table. One must admire the courage of peacekeepers who are willing to stand in the middle of this bloody conflict, but few have any illusions that peace will be achieved that way. These are times for action, not symbolic gestures; as long as these leaders profit from war, they will support it and yet more people will die. Dimitri Galani via Internet
In Praise of the Human Touch It was wonderful to read about the new Book of Kells, the handwritten Bible being created at St. John’s University by Benedictine monks (“America’s Book of Kells,” SOCIETY & THE ARTS, March 20). There’s a place for computer graphics–they’re perfect, save money, save time and are popular. But it’s the little irregularities and mistakes in the movement of the hand that make “art.” In the early ’80s in Canada, I was a lucky cartographer who could draw, letter and reproduce maps. I now teach English in Paris because it is also hands-on, so to speak, and a creative process. There’s still a public that embraces the human touch; I hope it never goes out of fashion. D. Everett Paris, France
Putin’s Russia: A Review I appreciate your ongoing coverage of the war in Chechnya (“Down But Not Out,” WORLD AFFAIRS, Jan. 24). But there is more to the story: the World Bank disbursed another part of the repayment loans to Russia, no sanctions have been imposed by the EU, the invasion is not being discussed in the U.N. Security Council, the Council of Europe and the OSCE have quietly decided not to expel Russia from their midst and Bill Clinton talks about Russia’s right to defend its territory. The horrifying thing about all this is that we give Russia a blank check for further violence. We also give the world Muslim community clear proof that the West is morally bankrupt and, therefore, that an Islamic jihad is justified. A. G. Slavicek Cheb, Czech Republic
It was interesting to gain some insight into several aspects of Vladimir Putin’s personality through your in-depth report “Russia’s Mystery Man” (EUROPE, Jan. 17). Yet one can’t help noticing that whoever happens to “lead” the Russian Federation in years to come will not be able to do so without the approval of much more powerful men pulling the strings behind the scenes. Disturbingly, though, Putin’s political survival is linked to the speedy and successful conclusion of the war in Chechnya. But victory for the Russian Army will be a long time coming, and the public notes that soldiers will not come back alive. If this leads to an escalation of arms used in the conflict, as Putin has hinted, the world will have a major problem on its hands. Werner Radtke Paderborn, Germany
From your informative reports on Chechnya, it’s possible to understand the terrible situation that the people of Grozny must live in day and night under Russian bombs. It’s not difficult to draw a parallel with the state of Belgrade’s population during the NATO attack. Stefano Braghiroli Modena, Italy
Calling Russia a democracy and praising Boris Yeltsin for it is simply laughable (“The End of an Era” NEWS OF THE WEEK, Jan. 10). The entire country is run like a criminal syndicate; the new president is just a former second-class spy. When the Spanish military tried to take control by violent means 20 years ago, NEWSWEEK called it a coup. Yeltsin does that, and you call him a democrat? Rene Gardea Prague, Czech Republic
