MY CONNECTION WITH THE HOLOCAUST

It's a tiny, tiny, tiny connection to be sure, but it's still a connection. I'm just amazed that an Anglo cartoonist living in America in 2013 (me) would have any personal connection at all, no matter how insignificant.

The story starts with a book of a German comic strip I bought at a book fair more than twenty years ago: "Aber Klarchen!" by M. Bertina. Most Americans won't know the name. It's a charming first edition compilation of a German newspaper comic from the 30s and early 40s about a mischievous little girl who's always playing tricks on adults. The drawings remind me of what German, Belgian and Dutch artists were doing in the 20s and 30s and I can even see the influence of one of my favorite 19th Century cartoonists, the gifted Wilhelm Busch.

Anyway, I bought the book for the cartoons, then promptly lost it when I got it home. Now, after rummaging through my garage, I found it again, only this time I paid more attention to the inscriptions inside, and to the old, yellow newspaper clippings (above) wedged between the pages.

According to an old, typewritten card by the book dealer, the book was taken from Heinrich Himmler's personal library. It had been a gift to Himmler's daughter Gudrun from her aunt. Sure enough, the inscriptions (above) bear that out. Gudrun's birth date is available on the net so, doing the math, I discovered that Gudrun received the book in 1941 on her 12th birthday.

According to the net sources Gudrun (above) is still alive, and in her old age is still "pin sharp." Since she was only a cartoon loving kid during the war I figured she probably shared the sorrow and regret of so many Germans from that era, and probably had completely disavowed her genocidal father. I actually thought of contacting her and selling her the book.

Well, that was my initial thought. As I read farther I discovered that, far from having regret, Gudrun is an unrepentant supporter of neonazis, actively raises defence funds for suspected war criminals, and has nothing but admiration for her dad. Yikes!

The affection for her dad isn't totally implausible. On the net I found several pictures of Himmler with his daughter and I have to admit that they're uncommonly moving. There's a gentleness and affection there. How odd that Himmler the loving father could be so merciless to other loving fathers and other daughters. How could the adult Gudrun fail to see the contradiction?

Anyway,  I'll keep the book for the time being while I figure out how to sell it.