"Just weeks before the publication of his autobiography, German Nobel Laureate Günter Grass admits that, between 1944-45, he was a member of Hitler's Weapons SS. The author says the shame of his youthful naivety has long haunted him and that it will now be his 'Scarlet Letter.'" (story) "That the revelations come on the eve of the publication of the author's new autobiography has only added oil to the flames of the debate [...] Is Grass just cynically fishing for headlines to help sell his book? Many German pundits are incensed about what they see as Grass' bottomless hypocrisy. [...] But others have defended the author, calling the timing a highly person matter." (story)
(updated entry)
