Artwork © Richard Spisak

 

Weimar Horse Race

Here to discuss last night’s debate and how the 1932 election is playing out in Bavaria are Helmut Maxfried of der Springer and Otto Fokker of the Nuremburg Zeitung. Helmut, let’s start with you. What did you think of the debate?

Hitler was in fine form. He took the attack right to his opponent and never let up.

I agree. Hindenburg looked tired and confused although he did recover a bit in the second half. If I had to choose a winner, it would be Hitler. He needs to shave that stupid mustache, though. It’s costing him Prussian votes.

People criticize Hitler for getting his facts wrong. Was that in evidence last night?

As a reporter, and I think Helmut would agree with me, my role is not to fact check. That’s the voters’ job.

Okay, on to Bavaria. Polls show von Hindenburg a few points ahead nationwide but not in Bavaria. What makes Bavaria so different?

Bavaria has been called the bellwether of the nation. No one has won the presidency without Bavaria since 1896. As to why Hitler is ahead there, it’s his base of support. The Versailles Treaty disaffected many Bavarians and they long for a strong leader with a no-nonsense speaking style.

How is Hitler’s 264-day stay in Landsberg Prison playing with the voters?

It did wonders for his fundraising. His base thinks his conviction for treason was politically motivated.

I hear von Hindenburg is polling well with Jews and German Catholics.

He is polling well with German Catholics. As for the Jews, well, who cares about the Jews?

That’s all we have time for. Stay tuned to the Fuchs News Network for your election coverage.

 

Jon Wesick is a regional editor of the San Diego Poetry Annual. He’s published hundreds of poems and stories in journals such as the Atlanta Review, Berkeley Fiction Review, I-70 Review, Lowestoft Chronicle, New Verse News, Oddball Magazine, Paterson Literary Review, Pearl, Pirene’s Fountain, Slipstream, Space and Time, and Underside Stories. His most recent books are The Shaman in the Library and The Prague Deception.

Richard Spisak began his artistic career as a light artist in the Lumonics Studios of Mel Tanner, a legendary Light Artist. After serving under Jack Horkheimer as a planetarium operator at the Miami Space-Transit Planetarium, he left to begin traveling with Lumist Kenvin Lyman, whose show Dazzleland Studios traveled across America. Richard later worked as a Laserist with LASERIUM and Laser Productions, served as a technical producer for the festival company PACE Concerts, and later as operations Manager and Senior Producer at WWHP and WTCN-TV in Stuart Florida.

Richard writes for Theatre, TV, radio, and the web. He published two short story collections, Two Small Windows, in a Pair of Mirror Doors, and Between the Silences. Followed by his poetry collection 7370 Allen Drive and the recently released STONE POETRY. Richard also produces “POETS of the East,” a televised webcast featuring poets from across the globe.