| What must be said | |
|---|---|
| by Günter Grass | |
| Original title | Was gesagt werden muss |
| Translator | Breon Mitchell (English translation used in this article)[1] |
| First published in | Süddeutsche Zeitung, La Repubblica, El País |
| Country |  Germany |
| Language | German |
| Subject(s) | Iran–Israel relations, nuclear proliferation |
| Genre(s) | Prose poetry |
| Publication date | 4 April 2012 |
| Lines | 66 |
"What Must Be Said" (German: Was gesagt werden muss) is a 2012 prose poem by the German writer Günter Grass, recipient of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Literature.[1] The poem discusses an alleged threat of annihilation of the Iranian people and the writer's fears that Germany's delivery to Israel of a sixth Dolphin-class submarine capable of carrying[2] nuclear warheads might facilitate an eventual Israeli nuclear attack on Iran, and thus involve his country in a foreseeable crime.[3]
The poem was first published on 4 April 2012 by the Süddeutsche Zeitung, La Repubblica and El País, triggering four days later the declaration by Eli Yishai, the Israeli Minister for the Interior, that Grass, who had visited Israel in 1967 and 1971,[4][5] was now persona non grata.[6]
- ^ a b "Günter Grass: 'What Must Be Said'", The Guardian, 5 April 2012.
- For the original, see Grass, Günter. "Was gesagt werden muss", Süddeutsche Zeitung, 4 April 2012.
- ^ Ronen Bergman; Erich Follath; Einat Keinan; Ottfried Nassauer; Joerg Schmitt (4 June 2012). "Operation Samson: Israel's Deployment of Nuclear Missiles on Subs from Germany". Der Spiegel. No. 23. pp. 20–33. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
- ^ "Guenter Grass says Israel a threat to peace", [sic spelling of name], Associated Press, published in San Francisco Gate, 5 April 2012.
- Aviel Magnezi, Israel no longer taboo in Germany?, Ynet News, 2 April 2012. Quote: "In his poem, published in the daily newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Grass condemns the plan to deliver a Dolphin submarine to Israel, a vessel with nuclear capabilities, and calls to supervise Israel's nuclear facilities."
- "Günter Grass launches poetry attack on Israel", Associated Press, 4 April 2012.
- For the sixth submarine, see Ravid, Barak. "Ehud Barak to sign deal for delivery of sixth German-made submarine", Haaretz, 19 March 2012.
- Also see "UPDATE 1-Germany sells sub to Israel but warns on attacking Iran", Reuters, 20 March 2012.
- Engelbrech, Sebastian. "Deutschland liefert U-Boot nach Israel", tagesschau.de, 20 March 2012.
- ^ Lahav Harkov, Herb Keinon, Benjamin Weinthal,'Yishai declares Grass persona non-grata' at The Jerusalem Post, 8 April 2012.
- ^ 'Nur zweimal in Israel,' at Die Welt, 11 April 2012.
- ^ Weinthal, Benjamin. "Berlin politicians split over Grass travel ban", The Jerusalem Post, 9 April 2012.