Follow-Ups to Answer from Expert Katie

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michael fitzgerald wrote at 2008-03-10 21:31:57
Dear Katie,



I have received negative feedback from both Emily (the person who asked me a question) and some other people.



This related to a question I was asked about the status of women under National Socialism. For many years the orthodox view that the Nazis simply lowered the position of women and in no way contributed positively to their empowerment was accepted unquestioningly. My own researches and those of Martin Durham (Women and Fascism) have shown this to be a simplistic attitude.



For what it is worth, I was in hospital last week. When I eventually came out I of course answered the outstanding questions. I explained that I had been in hospital and was still unwell in spite of which I was given 1 for timeliness.



I was also - in spite of being the author of two books on the Nazi period, the last one of which contained a chapter on this very subject and which also won a prize - given low marks for knowledge and even politeness.



Such comments are completely absurd, irrational and unwarranted. I have answered many questions on this site on a range of topics and though I have occasionally had negative feedback it has always been minor and never on the Nazi era - my main period of strength as a professional historian.



Several readers have also made comments that show clearly that they are not interested in truth but in their own agendas.



For what it is worth, I am the LAST person to be in any way sympathetic to Nazism. The man who taught me German was a Viennese Jew who was also a holocaust survivor. Distant relatives of mine were gypsies who died in Auschwitz.



I am seriously wondering if it is worth while giving my time for no remuneration simply in order to be insulted and slandered.



Yours sincerely



Mike FitzGerald

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