Lyndon LaRouche and the language of a totalitarian cult. (Part 1)

The Jewish filologist Victor Klemperer wrote a book about the language of fascism and nationalsocialism, in secret, during the war. I am reading a translation of it into Swedish: "Lingua Tertii Imperii, Tredje Rikets Språk".

The book is interesting and details many aspects of nazi- and fascist namecalling and the way that fasists transformed the language to fit their worldview. Language as propaganda!

I translated that part which goes through the use of the German world "historich", because it is similar to the way many cults, and totalitarian groups today, use this word and similar once.

The movement uses this single word as much as other fascists in history has used it! I can remember that Helga Zepp LaRouche used to call EVERYTHING that her husband Lyndon did "historisch", historical! Every conference call with her begun with something historical that LaRouche had done or that he was going to do!

This is what Klemperer wrote about the use of historical in the nazi version of fascism (my rough  translation from Swedish): 

"We will now look at a word that the nationalsocialists used ridiculously often. The nationalsocialists looks at itself with so much seriousity and belief in the continued existence of its institutions that every little trifle that has connections to it is describes as "historical". 

Every speech that is held by the Fuehrer is described as historical, even if he says the same thing a hundred times; every time the Fuehrer and Il Duce meet, it is declared to be an historical event, even if nothing of importance happens.

Historical is every german victory by racer drivers, historical is every highway that is opened, and every part of every road that is rebuilt or built new and opened. Historical is every harvest celebration, historical every partymeeting, historical every holiday, whichever it is. 

One could say that it is a kind of disease... to regard every day as an historical day!"

Do anyone recognize the rhethoric of the movement, and of Helga Zepp LaRouche, and Lyndon? 

This kind of language is typical for totalitarian movements. I remember looking at the speeches by Kim Il Sung in North Korea: the same use of language! I remember reading some Soviet papers from the 30s (yes I have studied some russian!) with the same rhethoric.

One of the things that made me quit the organization was when I discovered its use of language I will write more about this in upcoming posts!

/T