Yep. You heard that right. An actual Nazi. As CBC is reporting today:
Canadian organizers of an international celebration of women in aviation are standing by their decision to honour Hanna Reitsch, who was the first woman to fly a helicopter in 1937 — and, some historians say, an unrepentant Nazi.
"She was an amazing pilot," said Mireille Goyer, the founder and president of the Institute for Women of Aviation Worldwide (WOAW), the group co-ordinating a week of events now underway, timed to coincide with International Women's Day.
Goyer chose Reitsch as this year's pilot to be feted in videos and on posters. She said up to 50,000 women and girls are taking part in a variety of events on four continents — including 800 who will gather at an airfield in Lachute, Que., this weekend.
"I looked at everything [Reitsch] had accomplished in terms of piloting skill," said Goyer, who is based in Vancouver, explaining her choice to CBC.
"If you're aiming to talk about her maybe controversial part in political history, to me, that's not relevant."
Not. Fucking. Relevant.
Goyer said the details of Reitsch's Nazi past were left off the website because WOAW is "not into making a political statement." She explained that Reitsch went on to do other things with her life, including opening an aviation school in Ghana.
But Allman said Reitsch did nothing to champion the rights of girls and women in Ghana, refusing to train women at the school. Moreover, she never accounted for the critical role she played in the Nazi regime.
"I am not ashamed to say I believed in National Socialism. I still wear the Iron Cross with diamonds Hitler gave me. But today in all Germany you can't find a single person who voted Adolf Hitler into power... Many Germans feel guilty about the war. But they don't explain the real guilt we share — That we lost." - Hannah Reitsch
When CBC reached out to the sponsors, only one replied with a pretty shitty response at that:
Only Air Canada has responded to the CBC's request for comment.
"We believe it is important to celebrate and promote the role of women in aviation in Canada by supporting an event in Lachute, Québec," the airline said in a statement.
"We were not involved in the planning and choice of theme, or consulted and advised of any people being recognized. Our support is determined on an annual basis and we will be reviewing it."
Reviewing it. Nice. A Nazi's past is getting White Washed so girls will have a "role model" to look up to...
How many "firsts" would Bessie have achieved before Hannah had she not been denied time and time again, because she was Black?
"You can see it on YouTube," another organizer of this event continued telling CBC "She is explaining how to put the stick forward. It's really cute to watch her talk about it."
"It was amazing that a woman, 80 years ago, did such a thing."
I wonder how cute and amazing it was when she was telling Hitler to create German suicide bombers modeled after the Japanese Kamikaze pilots?
Listen, I had no clue who this woman was before I started googling her for this story. The stuff I came across was horrific. There is no doubt in my mind that these organizers came across this information as well and chose to ignore it to give (White) girls someone to look up to.
I mean, it's not like Bessie Coleman, a Black woman who overcame racism and sexism existed...who got her international pilots license in 1921 when Hannah was 9 years old.
I doubt they have any shame so I won't say they should be ashamed, but the big corporate sponsors whose logos will be flying beside this Nazi should be.
KB