Hanover: Hindenburgstraße – historian advertises with books for renaming
When it comes to Paul von Hindenburg, Helmut Donat has a clear opinion: “He was a war criminal,” says the Bremen historian and publisher of the classic Reich President and Field Marshal. On Hindenburgstrasse, Donat has now distributed 350 books in mailboxes on his own to promote the renaming of the street.
In his volume “Against the questionable handling of the past” (64 pages, 7.80 euros), which Donat published in his own publishing house, he recalls how the great Hanoverian scholar Theodor Lessing fell victim to an anti-Semitic smear campaign in 1925 after writing a critical comment about Hindenburg – and he painted a gloomy picture of the Field Marshal. According to Donat, the campaign costs around 900 euros.
Court date postponed
Helmut Donat, who was supported in his book campaign by his son Felix von Bothmer and Stöcken SPD district councilor Hans Hoffmann, complains that the Lessing case hardly played a role in the entire Hindenburg debate. “I propose renaming Hindenburgstrasse Lotte-Lore-Loebenstein-und-Theodor-Lessing-Strasse,” the 74-year-old wrote in letters to residents. That would be the longest street name in Hanover. “I don’t know if I can get away with it, though.”