Eamonn Fitzgerald's Rainy Day

Act I: German parliamentarian Martin Hohmann makes a speech marking the Day of German Unity in which he recalls the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and declares: "Jews were active in great numbers in the leadership as well as in the Cheka [Soviet secret police] firing squads. Thus one could describe Jews with some justification as a T䴥rvolk [a race of perpetrators]. That may sound horrible. But it would follow the same logic with which one describes the Germans as a race of perpetrators." (3 October)

Act II: a European Commission survey of 7,515 people in the 15 EU countries carried out by Eurobarometer between 8 and 16 October reveals that nearly 60 per cent of those polled said "Yes" when asked if Israel presents a threat to peace, putting it ahead of Iran, North Korea and the US, each of which, by the way, polled 53 per cent. (17 October)

Act III: Writing in the respected German weekly newspaper Die Zeit, Toralf Staud reveals a telling detail observed at the autumn congress of the anti-globalization group Attac in Aachen. For the three days of the congress, a remarkable placard stood beside the stage depicting a fat capitalist sprawled on a bag of money, cigar in mouth and bowler hat on head. In front of him was a lean worker, with exposed muscular upper body, leaning on shovel and wiping sweat from his brow upon which sat an impressive head of blonde hair. Emblazoned on the placard was a slogan condemning the interest payment bondage of the workers. (23 October)

Act IV: The head of Germany's special forces, Brigadier General Reinhard Guenzel, is sacked for praising Hohmann, who made the 3 October speech comparing the actions of Jews in the Russian revolution with those of the Nazis. "It was an excellent speech, of a courage, truth and clarity which one seldom hears or reads in our country," wrote Guenzel to the member of parliament. "Even though all those who support this view or who articulate it loud and clear are categorised by public opinion as right-wing extremists, you can be sure that you are doubtless speaking for the majority of our nation." (4 November)

Intermission: As we head to the bar we should pause for a moment to contemplate what we've just seen and heard and ask ourselves: Didn't someone once use the "spectre" of the Jews and Bolsheviks to open Pandora's Box? Who's being slaughtered in discos, bars and restaurants by suicide murderers, while school buses are blown to pieces? Why would anyone want to use the crude imagery of 1930's fascism in 2003? When did anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel, traditionally the haven of right-wing populists, spread to "progressive" movements?

What should we do? Return to watch the remainder of this appalling production but interrupt it with our protests, or gather our coats and leave?

Diarist of the day: Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart, 5 November 1928

"Heard a very good story on Mussolini and the Crown Prince [Wilhelm of Germany]. Latter had been to Tripoli and his father asked him what he thought of the natives. He replied, 'I prefer dealing with the black men in white shirts than the white men in black shirts."