Auszug aus: IWK, Heft 4/1999, S. 519 - 529 (ohne Anmerkungen)

Many Friedrich Eberts

Critical Thoughts on an Evaluation of an Exhibition

By Dieter K. Buse

In the December 1998 issue of "Internationale Wissenschaftliche Korrespondenz" (IWK), Johannes Klotz offered critical notations about the Friedrich Ebert exhibition entitled "From Labour Leader to Reich President". Klotz claimed that the exhibition was being used to legitimize the Social Democratic Party's (SPD's) version of Ebert and its own history, namely that both were presented as primarily democratic and parliamentary. For example, he observed that mass, spontaneous actions were condemned as suspect in order to counter critical historical writings accusing the Social Democrats of having "betrayed" the German working class. [...]

In the following I will review Klotz' account to make comments and corrections. I will refer to some writings that point to information and ideas which challenge both Klotz and the exhibition. Though he raised important issues, I want to point to some historical views Klotz did not consider. Last I want to return to the issue of history as presented to the public and as legitimization. As an aside: I can fully agree with Klotz about the illiberality of some historians whose views receive a wide hearing, yet complain about attacks on their stance. His concept of plurality of views is to be commended, but does he practice the tolerance he requests? From abroad, one can suggest that many German historians would be more credible if they did not operate so much in wolf packs. In that regard, I can agree with Klotz about a collection of authors (he pointed specifically to Helga Grebing) who seem to have changed a critical assessment of Ebert into a positive evaluation - almost in the way a mathematician changes signs on formulas to achieve an opposite result -, without much reconsideration of old evidence or addition of new documentation.  [...]