An Iraqi soldier in the 1991 Gulf War
Photo: AFP/Tim Sloan
Why do people, even entire sections of the population, blindly submit to war hysteria, adopt and internalize enemy images without thinking, without questioning them, and are even prepared to commit crimes themselves? These questions were addressed at this year’s last conference of the Rapoport Society, named after the internationally renowned doctor and researcher couple Samuel “Mitja” and Ingeborg Rapoport. The psychoanalyst Christoph Seidler read from his book with the succinct title »Why just war?” and explained his findings on how masses are manipulated. In doing so, he relied on pioneers such as the British politician and journalist Baron Arthur Ponsonby of Shulbrede, who formulated “structural laws of war propaganda” as early as 1928. Incidentally, the famous dictum that the first casualty of war is the truth comes from him: “When war is declared, truth is the first casualty.”
With the help of the British Baron’s structural laws, one can approach psychosocial mechanisms, says Seidler: The opponent, especially his leader, is demonized. The opposing camp bears responsibility for the war that they themselves did not want. The enemy fights with unauthorized weapons and intentionally commits atrocities, while one only commits such atrocities accidentally. Your own losses in people and material are played down and those of your opponent are exaggerated. One invokes a holy mission that is imposed on one and that is supported by recognized artists and intellectuals. There is no doubting one’s own reporting, but that of the opponent is full of lies.
These rules of manipulation, laid bare by the Baron almost a century ago, still apply. In order to stir up emotions, civilian casualties are highlighted; Hospitals attacked by the enemy increase the psychological pressure on their own people to position themselves as desired. The soldiers’ lives matter less.
Israeli psychologist Robby Friedman speaks of a “soldier matrix.” Matrix is a network of relationships that integrates every person into a psychosocial network with other people and society. When young men are drafted into military service, they not only hand over their ID and civilian clothes, they are forced into a military structure of subordination. Killing the enemy is taught to them as a task and duty. Feelings that inhibit aggression such as shame, guilt and empathy are undesirable.
When the young men then return to civilian life, their experiences and their identification as soldiers do not disappear, they descend into the dregs of the soul and remain there until a “turning point” that reverses the hierarchy of humane values and makes men anew “Heroes” or even murderers.
According to Friedman, the soldier matrix also includes “the delegators, the statesmen, the professional warmongers, the sensationalist journalists, the fathers, the self-sacrificing mothers, the proud brides, the many followers, everyone…” The Israeli psychologist has the foreword to Seidler’s book written. In it he reveals how many years it took him, even after taking part in the war, to sit down with Palestinians and seek dialogue – “until I could extend my hand to an enemy.”
As expected, Seidler’s performance sparked the debate. Social and class causes of wars were pointed out and the usefulness of psychoanalytic findings was questioned. And to what extent are they helpful in assessing armed resistance against aggressors and occupiers, such as the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943 or the uprising of Polish patriots the following year?
Agricultural meteorologist Marianne Linke, former social minister in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, opened a new topic area. She spoke about the impact of armaments and war on the environment, a problem that politicians tend to keep quiet about. The global military with a total of 28 million soldiers and countless heavy technology is on the CO list2-Sinners ranked fourth after China, the USA and India, followed by Russia and Japan. Each soldier on combat duty produces between 66 and 139 tons of carbon dioxide. A cheetah that works for four hours emits 1,422 kilograms of carbon dioxide. Citizens are faced with high requirements and CO2-Taxes imposed, but not on the military, criticized Marianne Linke.
Christoph Krämer, a long-time active member of the German section of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), reported on their current actions. We are consistently and competently campaigning for an end to the war in Ukraine and the Middle East, for a ceasefire and negotiations. The chairman of the German Peace Council, Herbert Fuchs-Kittowski, in turn provided information about the activities of his organization, which has its historical roots in the Peace Council of the GDR and the World Peace Council.
The conference participants then unanimously adopted a declaration: »Warworthy – No! Capable of peace – yes!” It is directed against the stationing of US medium-range systems in the Federal Republic as well as against arms deliveries to war zones and advocates increased efforts to find diplomatic solutions.
Hartmut König, former frontman of the Oktoberklub, and Daniel Rapoport, grandson of Inge and Mitja Rapoport, ended the fruitful conference in the conference hall of the Helle Panke educational association in Berlin with peace songs.
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