Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2007 11:16:34 -0400 (EDT)
From: dicconf <dicconf at radix.net>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Lee's message
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

On Fri, 30 Mar 2007, swstiles at comcast.net wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Candy Madigan" <candymadigan at mindspring.com>
>> At 09:12 PM 3/28/2007, Steven wrote:

>>> David Honigsberg.
>>>
>>> http://dochyel.livejournal.com/
>>>
>>> Rabbi and fairly well-known NY-based fan, filker, writer
>>> and all-around good guy.
>>
>> He'll be missed.
>>
>> Candy
>
> First of all, let me offer my condolences to any friends or
> relatives of Rabbi David's who may be reading this.
>
> I've never heard of David Honigsberg until reading the
> above. The reason I mention that is this: on the third
> weekend of April I'm going to be a Art GoH at RavenCon in
> Richmond, and one of the things I hope to do is deliver a
> fake profile of a nonexistent s.f. pro of the Golden Age.
>
> The name I've selected for this nonexistent pro: Konigsberg.
> (And some of the fake s.f. cover art I've prepared displays
> that name.)

This would require some reworking, but is not impossible,
right?

> The reason I chose this name is that years ago I read an
> account of the last days of WW II, when Goebbels produced a
> propaganda film about the city of Konigsberg holding out
> heroically in a previous war.
<...>
> But when the Russians finally approached, the city of
> Konigsberg wisely and quickly surrendered. Since my
> fake author, Konigsberg, is a loser,
> this struck me as appropriate and funny.
>
> However, now I'm wondering if the similarity of names might
> strike some as offensive.
>
> What do you think?

I think it would be considered offensive because of the
closeness in time.  No doubt there are other locations that
surrendered.  In my opinion, the existence of the propaganda
film doesn't add enough emphasis to make the name choice vital.

=Tamar Lindsay