You Know Who Else Planted Commemorative Oaks? HITLER.

[Fish and Chips]

Don't celebrate Arbor Day this year you guys.

Adolf Hitler marked his birthday 67 years ago by planting an oak seedling in the Nazi-occupied city of Jaslo in Poland. Almost seven decades later, the tree is the subject of heated debate as the city mayor, previously unaware of its history, calls for it to be felled.

Getting permission to chop down a tree for the building of an intersection is not unusual. What is slightly rarer is the discovery that that tree was bequeathed to the city by the most famous dictator of the last century. An oak tree that had been growing in the Polish city of Jaslo for almost 70 years now faces the chop as its links with Hitler are revealed.

The controversial oak tree that is dividing opinion in the Polish city of Jaslo.
Jaslo's mayor, Maria Kurovska, has reacted to the discovery with vehement demands that the tree be cut down and burnt publicly. She told SPIEGEL ONLINE, "If I have the choice between improving the traffic situation in our town and hosting a memorial to a mass murderer, then I choose the former."

Ironically though, just as much as the tree represents Nazism, so too does it symbolize Polish resistance. When Hitler ordered the destruction of Jaslo in 1944, the towering oak tree was one of the few things to survive the devastation.

Speaking to Polish newspaper Nowiny24, city councillor Krzysztof Czelusnik defended the tree, saying, "Hitler was the guilty one, why should the oak suffer for that?" And he is not alone in his opposition to Kurovska's plans.

The campaign to save the oak is led by 80-year-old Kazimierz Polak, who witnessed it being planted firsthand. He is organising a petition to challenge plans to fell the tree, which he watched being brought into the city in a box wrapped in the swastika flag in 1942. The oak, originally from Hitler's birthplace of Braunau am Inn in Austria, was given to the city on the occasion of the Führer's birthday and was part of attempts to 'Germanize' the town.

Above and beyond its historical significance, Polak argues that the tree should be allowed to stand as an example of natural beauty in the city. Appealing to local authorities he said, "It is growing healthy and tall. Let it grow."

Kurovska remains unconvinced and is concerned that Jaslo could gain publicity for the wrong reasons, arguing: "If we keep it, we will walk in the city center remembering this is Hitler's tree." She also claims to have received e-mails from local residents who are both for and against the tree's survival.

The town will decide the fate of Jaslo's oak over the coming weeks. One thing is for certain though: the tree that survived World War II will not go down without a fight.

Source.

[shooraijin]

I think historical relevance trumps all, however. Expunging anything in existence just because a Nazi was responsible for planting or building it seems a rather scorched earth policy, and leaving some relics reminds us exactly how horrible it was/might have been.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

'Nother funny story. Trees were a common theme for Hitler's birthdays. One year another tiny town planted some in a grove in the pattern of the swastika. It was only noticed years later when satelite imaging became available. The trees were removed almost immediately as I hear it. I'm told that as a culture they're very quick to stamp out that particular aspect of their history. Given everything that happened, I'm not exactly sure I blame them.

[Dante]

You. You stole the words right out of my mouth. If you didn't post that phrase in the title... I WAS. LOL

[Nate]

You know who would have supported publicly burning things?

HITLER.

[Debitt]

You know who would have supported publicly burning things?

HITLER.

Well whaddya know

Shooby stole what I wanted to post originally. /shakes fist

[shooraijin]

Blame Hitler. It's his fault.

[EricTheFred]

Y'know, I think this is the first time I ever saw a thread Godwin itself in its own subject line....

[goldenspines]

Blame Hitler. It's his fault.

I agree, leave the poor defenseless tree out of it. D:

In all seriousness, unless the tree is blocking construction of something that will improve the city, they could just leave it there for it's historical significance. I mean, like Shooby said, it could serve as a reminder of Hitler's "reign" and how terrible he was. But the tree could also symbolize growth in the country after the fall of his dictatorship. Or something? I'm just rambling now. XD


Also, Hitler painted, but that didn't stop many artists.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

The germans are... well, Contrite seems a weak word. There is a massive sense of social shame over the events of WW2 and how they played out in both the self indulgence of the age and the downfall of their culture. There is a lot to be said about the blindess of their nationalism.

This sense of shame has lead to an attitude that they must show the world they will not return to this by trying to wipe every sign of the age from their country. It IS a scorched earth policy. It comes out of the feeling that it is the way to retain acceptance from the world.

[Fish and Chips]

Y'know, I think this is the first time I ever saw a thread Godwin itself in its own subject line....

We like to start things off on the right foot here on CAA.

Regardless, this is probably the most harmless example of Reductio ad Hitlerum I've ever seen, so I found it actually kind of hilarious, albeit disheartening.

[uc pseudonym]

You know who never compared someone to Hitler?

JESUS.

[Tsukuyomi]

A tree's a tree o____o It gives off oxygen, so let it be ;____;

[Etoh*the*Greato]

You know who never compared someone to Hitler?

JESUS.

I...


...

...

You're right.

I have no comeback to that.

[The Banner]

So much for the "author fallacy" in the other Miyakazi topic.

Hitler is Hitler, the tree is the tree. I say that instead of seeing the tree as a memorial to Hitler, I see it as a reminder to know the mistakes that have been made for World War II so we can think once more to say, "We will not let this happen again." Dedicate the tree to the wisdom that comes from suffering.

[Ante Bellum]

Not cool. It's a tree. It makes oxygen and fights global warming. Not to mention oaks can be hardy trees. It could symbolize survival as well, it lived through the destruction, so did people. The tree's a fighter.

[Tsukuyomi]

So much for the "author fallacy" in the other Miyakazi topic.

Hitler is Hitler, the tree is the tree. I say that instead of seeing the tree as a memorial to Hitler, I see it as a reminder to know the mistakes that have been made for World War II so we can think once more to say, "We will not let this happen again." Dedicate the tree to the wisdom that comes from suffering.

What Not To Do, Whoohoo \o.o/

They shouldn't cut it down just because Hitler planted it XDDD That's kinda.. silly ^^;

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Hitler also loved to paint, so that means painting is evil and supports Nazism.

[Roy Mustang]

Hitler was a tree hippie?


[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang [/color][/font]

[Technomancer]

Adolf Hitler was a teetotaler.
Winston Churchill loved a glass of good brandy.

I think you know what you need to do (you don't want to be like Hitler do you?)

[Etoh*the*Greato]

Adolf Hitler was a teetotaler.
Winston Churchill loved a glass of good brandy.

I think you know what you need to do (you don't want to be like Hitler do you?)

I'll drink to that!

[uc pseudonym]

I...


...

...

You're right.

I have no comeback to that.

Do you know who would have a comeback to that?

Yes, I think you know.

[Tsukuyomi]

Do you know who would have a comeback to that?

Yes, I think you know.

*Raises hand and waves it around furiously* ^__^/)))))))

Ummm, Hitler ^___^?

[Nate]

Adolf Hitler was a teetotaler.
Winston Churchill loved a glass of good brandy.

I think you know what you need to do (you don't want to be like Hitler do you?)

Hitler ate food. He also wore clothes. And he lived in houses.

So we need to all be dirt-eating cave-dwelling nudists.

[Kkun]

Hitler ate food. He also wore clothes. And he lived in houses.

So we need to all be dirt-eating cave-dwelling nudists.

If that makes me a dirt-eating, cave-dwelling nudist with good brandy, then by Jove, I'll take it.

[Technomancer]

If that makes me a dirt-eating, cave-dwelling nudist with good brandy, then by Jove, I'll take it.

We'll need something to take the edge off it all]Barclay's[/i] now would we?

[EricTheFred]

Hitler:
Shaved significant portions of his face (so you shouldn't shave!)
Had facial hair (so you should never have facial hair!)

To make sure people really understand the scope of the problem, I've prepared a sample list of pernicious thing woven into our daily lives that are in fact acts often performed by Adolf Hitler!
For example, Adolf Hitler:
Used Latin letters when he wrote
Used Hindu-Arabic Numerals when he calculated
Used an Indo-European language when he communicated
Used a bipedal ambulatory method
Breathed Oxygen
Perceived distant objects by detecting electromagnetic waves in the red to violet band, using organs set in his skull in a stereoscopic arrangement
Catabolized organic chemicals for energy.
And the list goes on.

You have been warned.

[CrimsonRyu17]

...

Hitler also pooped.

.. yeah.

[Ante Bellum]

8D
I'll elect to be like Hitler, minus the dictator-with-a-funny-mustache part.

[Arya Raiin]

Hitler was a tree hippie?


[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang [/color][/font]

Hitler was many things, lol! Anyway... I can imagine that Hitler wasn't the only person who the world seems to 'hate' that planted a tree. I can imagine Confucius and Buddha planted a tree... so should we Christians go and chop the tree down? Also, I bet if Hitler planted a tree, he planted more that one.