>The English translation is somewhat misleading. Fischer says in the
>interview he was 'militant', but the German term 'militant', is rather a
>person using violence, than someone simply having radical ideas.
>
>Johannes
Actually, I wouldn't say there's a significant difference between the way the words are used in the two languages. In English very much as in German "militant" suggests the willingness to carry theory into practice.
What's interesting, though (and this may be what you're reacting to) is the way the CNN article plays down Fischer's former violence -- starting with the title: The English title is: "Fischer: I wasn't a Guerilla"; the German title is "Joschka Fischer: Yes, I was militant".
And where, in the German article, is this? -- "Yes, I was militant. But I always rejected the armed struggle and fought it politically," Fischer told the Stern weekly in an interview due for publication on Thursday.
More to the point, perhaps, where, in the English article, is this? -- Das habe ihn auf einen Weg geführt, "wo man ganz praktisch den Sturz der verfassungsmäßigen Ordnung wollte. (--> "This took him to a point 'where we quite literally wanted to overthrow the constitutional order.'")
Btw, here's a slightly more accurate link for the JF article in German: http://www.stern.de/zhp/themadestages/2001/01/03/fischer.html
Joanna
www.overlookhouse.com