Hannah Arendt’s interview and the analogies between the Jewish and Hazara experience
On September 16, 1964, the philosopher Hannah Arendt sat for a one-hour-long interview on German TV with the journalist Günther Gaus. The topics addressed by Arendt and Gaus, included personal memories, the Holocaust, philosophy, identity, Jewishness, and the experience of migration.
Even if for historical and cultural reasons it’s hard to compare situations involving different people and countries, it’s undeniable that as communities subjected to displacement and genocide, both Jewish and Hazara people share some important analogies. These analogies are highlighted in this interview, and they can be summarized in few important points:
“If one is attacked as a Jew, one must defend oneself as a Jew. Not as a German or a world citizen. Or as an upholder of human rights.” And again:
“I don’t believe I have ever considered myself a German,” said Hannah Arendt. (21:11) “In the sense of belonging to the people as opposed to being a citizen”.
As Hannah Arendt never considered herself a German, many are the Hazara who reclaim their Hazara identity over the Afghan one. Hannah Arendt was confronted by Jaspers on this idea and in the same way, Hazaras have often been accused to bring disunity in an already disunited country.
Yet it’s not difficult to grasp the weight of this feeling. A feeling that is rooted in a history of discrimination and persecution.
2. The role of intellectuals
“The problem did not lie in what our enemies did. But in what our friends did. Among intellectuals, coordination (with Nazism) was the rule. After that, I did not want to have anything to do with the intellectuals. The worst part is that some of them believed in Hitler. They invented ideas about Hitler. I found that grotesque.”
Many intellectuals did the same with the Taliban, writing reports, articles and giving interviews aimed at providing alternative ideas about the Taliban. As much as many intellectuals “invented ideas about Hitler” many invented ideas about the Taliban, claiming change where there wasn’t any.
The reality was already there but for many, it became clear only when these elements came to power.
3. What remains
“Do you miss the Europe that existed before Hitler? How do you see Europe now? What has been lost forever?” asks Gaus during the interview.
“I don’t long for that. The language. The language is what remains.”
Most of Hazara speak Hazaragi and Farsi, the latter a language that the Taliban would like to erase, after the statues, after the houses, and thousands of lives. Because as Hannah Arendt knew very well, after the language nothing remains.
The full interview is available here:
"Hana Arendt, mwanasayansi wa ki-Yahudi na Mhariri wa Kijerumani, aliandika katika kipindi cha televisheni cha Ujerumani mnamo Septemba 16, 1964: ""Nilikuwa na wasiwasi sana na jinsi nilivyoweza kuwasiliana na mwandishi wa habari Günther Gauss." Mada zilizozungumziwa na Arendt na Gaus, zilitia ndani kumbukumbu za kibinafsi, yale Maangamizi Makubwa, falsafa, utambulisho, Uyahudi, na uzoefu wa uhamiaji. Hata kama kwa sababu za kihistoria na kitamaduni ni vigumu kulinganisha hali zinazohusisha watu na nchi tofauti, ni jambo lisiloweza kukataliwa kwamba kama jamii zilizofanywa uhamisho na mauaji ya kimbari, Wayahudi na watu wa Hazara wanashiriki baadhi ya ulinganifu muhimu. "Mfano huu unaonyeshwa katika mahojiano haya, na unaweza kufupishwa katika mambo machache muhimu: ""Ikiwa mtu anashambuliwa kama Myahudi, lazima ajilinde kama Myahudi.""" Si kama Mjerumani au raia wa ulimwengu. "Na tena: ""Sidhani kama nimewahi kujiona kuwa Mjerumani,"" alisema Hannah Arendt." (21:11) <unk>Katika maana ya kuwa wa watu kinyume na kuwa raia<unk>. Hannah Arendt, ambaye ni Mjerumani, alidai kuwa alikuwa na utambulisho wa Kihazara. Hannah Arendt alishambuliwa na Jaspers juu ya wazo hili na kwa njia hiyo hiyo, Hazaras mara nyingi wameshtakiwa kuleta kutoungana katika nchi tayari kutoungana. Hata hivyo si vigumu kufahamu uzito wa hisia hiyo. Hisia hiyo inatokana na historia ya ubaguzi na mateso. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Jukumu la wasomi <unk> Tatizo halikuwa katika kile maadui wetu walichofanya. Lakini katika kile ambacho marafiki wetu walifanya. Miongoni mwa wasomi, ushirikiano (na Nazi) ulikuwa sheria. Baada ya hapo, sikutaka kuwa na uhusiano wowote na wasomi. Jambo baya zaidi ni kwamba baadhi yao waliamini Hitler. Walibuni mawazo kuhusu Hitler. Niliona hilo kuwa la kushangaza. <unk> Wasomi wengi walifanya vivyo hivyo na Taliban, wakiandika ripoti, makala na kutoa mahojiano yaliyolenga kutoa mawazo mbadala juu ya Taliban. Kama vile wasomi wengi <unk> walivumbua mawazo kuhusu Hitler<unk> wengi walivumbua mawazo kuhusu Taliban, wakidai mabadiliko ambapo hakukuwa na yoyote. Ukweli ulikuwa tayaripo lakini kwa wengi, ulionekana wazi tu wakati mambo haya yalipoingia madarakani. 3. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Ni nini kinachobaki <unk>Je, unakosa Ulaya iliyokuwapo kabla ya Hitler? Unaionaje Ulaya sasa? Ni nini kilichopotea milele? <unk> anauliza Gaus wakati wa mahojiano. Sikutamani kufanya hivyo. Lugha hiyo. Lugha ni kile kinachobaki. <unk> Wengi wa Hazara huzungumza Hazaragi na Farsi, lugha ya mwisho ambayo Taliban wanataka kufuta, baada ya sanamu, baada ya nyumba, na maelfu ya maisha. Kama Hannah Arendt alivyosema, baada ya lugha hakuna kitu kinachobaki. Mahojiano kamili yanapatikana hapa: