German ambassador was Part of Hitler's team

Saturday's Irish Times caries a story about Liv Hempel the daughter of Eduard Hempel. who was German ambassador to Ireland during the Hitler years.

It is a lovely story of meeting up with old friends. But there is an underlying theme in the article that the German ambassador to Ireland was a good, dignified, refined man.

As much as the reader might like to think that, alas the reality tells us another story. Hempel was Hitler's representative in Ireland. Presumably he had to be in the party and also could never have told the authorities in Berlin that he was opposed to the mass murder of millions of people. If he did then it would be great to discover such evidence.

Far too many people stayed quiet and their stories helped allow the Nazi murder machine to roll across Europe.

Mr Hempel was part of the team, the German team, who committed terrible atrocities. Indeed, it is that middle management group that allowed Hitler and his evil to breathe.

It is that middle 'team' in all societies that let things happen,

Where was the Irish Civil Service when the politicians doing their madness? They were furthering their careers and promotional chances.