Page 2 - GC-Mar-Apr-2023

Perspectives . . . Who was Emil Jellinek?

by Martin Ederer In time Jellinek grew bored with
orn 1853 in Leipzig, Emil Jell- the everyday business of the auto-
Binek grew up in Vienna. Jell- mobile business even if he remained
Benedict XVI, RIP inek’s father was a noted Rabbi and fully immersed in it. Although Jell-
by Martin Ederer Jewish intellectual who must have inek was obviously a successful
n a very tidy German way, Pope wrung his hands over his unruly son businessman, he still preferred the
IEmeritus Benedict XVI died on who had little use for school. But he automobile side of the business
the last day of 2022. During his seemed to like speed. He got fired more than the business side. At least
career as a Vatican insider, he often from his first job with a railroad after he had other distractions. Jellinek
elicited strong opinions, first as a management found out that he and continued to serve in Austrian con-
trusted Vatican official during the his buddies were organizing late sular posts after Nice, in both Mexi-
Pope John Paul II years, and finally night train races. co and Monaco.
as John Paul’s successor. Much like At 19 Jellinek moved to France. World War I ended Jellinek’s
John Paul, Josef Ratzinger’s life was Thanks to his father’s connections, comfortable and exuberant lifestyle.
a story of the turbulent early twenti- he landed diplomatic jobs in French Now that Austria and France were
eth century. Like John Paul he was Pope Benedict XVI in Zagreb, Morocco. Jellinek also launched in- opponents, both suspected him of
also a brilliant academic and theolo- surance and stock trading businesses. aiding and abetting the enemy.
gian. In Morocco he met his future Gone was the luxury of dividing his
Ratzinger served as archbishop of Munich and Freising from 1977 to wife who was also from a Jewish time between the two countries.
1982, but by 1982, his abilities had outgrown Bavaria. Most notably, John family. In 1884 Jellinek moved his Jellinek died in 1918.
Paul II appointed him Prefect for the Congregation of the Faith, a position growing family back to the Vienna Jellinek’s most lasting legacy
he held until his election as pope in 2005. People who resented his doctri- area. There his daughter, Mercedes, was his creation of a prestige auto-
nal correctness in calling out liberalizing tendencies and criticisms in the was born in 1889. Emil and Mercedes Jellinek. motive trademark named for his
church were always quick to point out that an earlier incarnation of this Jellinek’s businesses continued daughter Mercedes. Unfortunately,
congregation was the Roman Inquisition. to thrive, as did his diplomatic ca- Jellinek also started to enter his Mercedes Jellinek’s life was tragi-
In many respects, the two figures – Ratzinger and Wojtyla – constitut- reer. After he was named Austrian own collection of Daimler cars in cally short and, well, tragically trag-
ed a dream team: Both were scholars and church leaders intent on estab- Consul General in Nice, he and his races with his Team Mercedes – ic. She had two children with her
lishing doctrinal clarity after muddled ideas – whether by carelessness or family began to spend more time in named for his daughter – that he first husband. Then World War I
design – had weakened Catholicity in many parts of the world. For Ratz- France. had created. The publicity helped ruined them. She subsequently left
inger’s insistence on doctrinal clarity, and for his reminders to the world Jellinek also developed an inter- Daimler’s sales to skyrocket. her husband and her children. After
that Catholic faith and morals really hadn’t sold out to trendy and errone- est in the emerging automobile busi- In 1901 Jellinek special-or- living homeless on the street for a
ous ideas loudly circulating everywhere, people came to identify him as the ness and began selling – at least dered a Maybach-designed Daim- while, she remarried. She died of
“pope’s Rottweiler” or as the “Panzerkardinal.” initially – French cars. Then he be- ler sports car that was to bear his cancer in 1929 at the age of 39.
These facile stereotypes of Ratzinger as a strict and uncompromising came impressed with Wilhelm May- daughter’s name: the Daimler- There are two major ironies in
German obviously meant different things to different people. For people bach’s engineering and designs. Mercedes. all of this. The first was that Mer-
who opposed John Paul as a conservative, out-of-touch Pole supported by His interest piqued, Jellinek visit- His revolutionary new design cedes Jellinek had never taken an
a German axe-man, these stereotypes were meant to detract. For people ed Maybach at the Daimler Motoren took the automotive world by interest in the automobile business
who agreed that John Paul and Ratzinger needed to clean house, these were Gesellschaft (DMG) near Stuttgart. storm, and wealthy enthusiasts at all. The second, of course, is
terms of admiration. He began selling Daimler automo- lined up to order Daimler-Mer- newsreels showing Adolf Hitler rid-
I have my own personal recollections of Ratzinger. When I was doing biles in the French market, and regu- cedes automobiles. A prestige ing around in a large Mercedes-
research in Germany, Cardinal Ratzinger visited the town where I lived larly suggested improvements. trademark was born. Daimler de- Benz (new name the result of a 1926
near Munich. It had been some 8 years since he had been cardinal archbish- Jellinek’s interference in engineering cided to use the popular Mercedes corporate merger) – named for the
op, but by that time his reputation had been well-established as John Paul’s matters were equal parts annoyance name for all its automobile lines. granddaughter of a rabbi.
doctrinal enforcer at the Congregation of the Faith. and blessing to Maybach.
I managed to stumble into a Mass he was celebrating up in the old
parish church. I no longer remember the occasion, but it was clear that the
community very much turned out for him. The church was packed, and the
parish choir was breaking its heart for the occasion. They shouldn’t have.
The music didn’t land well.
main battle tanks had been seen as
My other recollection is that Ratzinger completely destroyed any problematic because of their much
perception I had of Ratzinger-der-Panzerkardinal. He was measured, kind,
more obviously offensive capabili-
quiet and soft-spoken. He came off as shy and studious – and quite humble. ties.
I think it is safe to say that the entire world eventually came to realize the
Germany has tried to tie the sup-
same after Ratzinger was elected pope: quiet, polite, but always insistent ply of Leopards to a wider coalition
that right was right and wrong was wrong.
that would supply other tanks, in-
Whatever critics or admirers might say, he brought a dignity and a quiet cluding more U.S. Abrams – a tank
stability to the papacy, certainly knowing full well that he had a tough act
viewed by experts as being less suit-
to follow after the long and flamboyant pontificate of his predecessor.
able for the war in Ukraine because
of its heavy consumption of fuel.
PERSPECTIVES Washington’s reported promise in
February to deliver a significant
Bad vs. Evil number of Abrams tanks appears to
by John Duke have broken the deadlock.
oe Biden is a bad president. Biden has now offered Ukraine Germany’s Leopard tank. An official U.S. announcement
JHe's terrible. Vladimir Putin is 31 Abrams tanks, but said the U.S. on delivering Abrams is expected in
the coming days. I'll believe it when
evil. After watching the chaotic has to build them from scratch,
Although Germany has supplied modern and capable T-90s (very
evacuation and retreat from Af- which isn't true. It's an embarrass- a large amount of equipment to I see it. Germany will have to pro-
ghanistan, Putin calculated that ment. The U.S. has thousands of modern Russian tanks). tect all of Europe and not rely on
Ukraine, including armored cars, The widespread availability of
Biden would do the same to the tanks in its inventory. There are it has also been wrestling with its anyone but themselves.
Ukraine. Putin was correct. But it 1,200 in Egypt alone. If the U.S. Leopards – including in neighbor-
post-second world1 war tradition ing Poland, which wants to supply
didn't turn out the way Putin ex- delays the Ukrainian self-defense of anti-militarism.
pected. weaponry much longer it won't mat- them to Ukraine – makes them a
good fit for Kyiv. Ukraine has sug-
Biden offered to evacuate ter when it finally arrives. Hopeful- Ukraine has said it has an urgent The views of columnists and
Ukrainian President Volodymyr ly Congress will never wait that need for heavier armor in its war gested it needs 300 tanks, while letter writers do not necessarily
U.S. analysts have suggested that
Zelensky out of Kyiv, but Zelensky long. against the Russian invaders. Kyiv reflect the views of the German
declined. “I need ammunition, not The Ukraine would prefer the has limited availability of tanks, 100 could probably shift the bal- Citizen. Letters to the editor are
ance of the war. Ukraine needs 350
a ride” Zelensky told Biden. Zel- Leopard 2 tank anyway. The Ger- most of them from the Soviet or welcome at mail@the
ensky would have had to abandon man-manufactured tank first came post-Soviet era. tanks. germancitizen.com or by mail:
After weeks of pressure Ger-
his people, something real heroes into service in 1979 and has been in Emphasizing its belief that Mos- The German Citizen 3620 Har-
never do. If Zelensky had listened wide service throughout Europe. cow intends to launch a significant many has confirmed it will make lem Rd., Cheektowaga, NY
14 Leopard 2A6 tanks available for
to Biden, Russian troops would be The Leopard 2 main battle tank has new offensive in the coming months, 14215.
on all of NATO's eastern front a range of about 500 km (311 Kyiv and many of its allies believe Ukraine’s war effort and more im-
portantly give partner countries
countries, from Finland and Swe- miles). It has a top speed of 68 km/h that the war will end more quickly if
den, through the Baltic States and (42 mph). Equipped with a 120 mm Russia is defeated on the battlefield permission to re-export further bat-
tle tanks to Kyiv. Germany’s posi-
the Balkans. smooth bore gun as its main arma- in Ukraine’s own counter-offensives
Germany, with NATO's largest ment, it is also armed with two co- to take back Russian occupied terri- tion on sending heavy weaponry Published by
army would have to immediately axial light machine guns. tory. has been conflicted. It prefers a Buffalo Standard Printing
increase its size. The United King- Besides being used by the Ger- While Ukraine has won signifi- multilateral approach on arms sup- 3620 Harlem Rd.
ply to Ukraine rather than being
dom (England) has arm forces man military, the Leopard 2 is in cant victories – in the battle for Kyiv Cheektowaga, NY 14215
716-831-8013
numbering about 80,000 members. service in more than a dozen coun- at the beginning of the war as well as seen to be moving unilaterally. mail@thegermancitizen.com
Although Germany has sup-
New York City and Boston's police tries in Europe, as well as a number in Kharkiv Oblast and around Kher- plied a large amount of equipment Editor - Roger Puchalski
departments number 40,000 each of other countries including Cana- son in the south – it is hampered by to Ukraine, including armored Consulting Editor - Martin Ederer
and could probably defeat Eng- da. The tanks have been deployed in a shortage of tanks to support its cars, it has also been wrestling with
land's as they did in the Revolu- Kosovo, Bosnia, Afghanistan and operations and faced by Russian its post-second world war tradition For Advertising Sales call:
tionary War and the War of 1812. Syria (by Turkey). forces increasingly fielding more of anti-militarism. The supply of Michelle Kisluk or
Steve Kroczynski