Hans Schwerte, the rector of the University of Aachen, professor of German literature since 1964, has lost his office, his professorship, his order of Merit for the Federal Republic, his pension, and several honours when in 1995 it was found out that his real name was Hans Schneider, a fanatical Nazi most likely involved Nazi crimes. He had let Hans Schneider be declared dead in 1945, took the new identity of Hans Schwerte and married Schneider's "widow", that is he remarried his wife under the new name.

Between 1945 (1949) and 1995, he was a good member of the new republic, politically a left leaning liberal.

Should we have overlook his Nazi past, as the anal explosive would wish? I think not.

Wolfgang