20 Hacker News comments link this video. Each one links back to its thread.
jacquesmFeb 2022Recommends
The US (and Russian, by the way) appropriation of German scientists and Nazi party members post WWII is certainly controversial and there are plenty of people who strongly believe that they should have stood trial in Nuremberg instead of being given a new job with plenty of perks. As Tom Lehrer wrote: "Don't say that he's hypocritical, Say rather that he's apolitical. "Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down? That's not my department, " says Wernher von Braun." The sarcasm dripping of those words is hard to replicate without hearing it sung, I recommend the original: ▶ this video
in “Roman slaveowners were the first management theorists?” · View on HN
DiederichMay 2020Recommends
For those who aren't aware and/or won't look this reference: ▶ this video As the other comenter noted, Tom Lehrer is indeed a national treasure, and his satire is top shelf. From the light-hearted "The Elements": [link] (watch for the surprise at the end) To the gallows comedy of "We Will All Go Together When We Go": [link] NB: I appreciate the irony linking to YouTube content in a 'WTF Google/YouTube' thread.
in “Google deletes “communist bandits” from comments on Youtube” · View on HN
walterbellMar 2024Cites it
1913 German edition (980 pages), [link] may be out of copyright in Germany. If so, it could be machine translated into English and improved by humans. Unabridged German editions are rare and expensive, e.g. [link] . 1971 abridged English translation quoted a leader of German and later American rocket and space programs, [link] Wernher von Braun: "I shall never forget how I devoured this novel with curiosity and excitement as a young man." From the dust jacket of the English translation: Lasswitz's Martians differ little from man physically, but ethically, intellectually, scientifically, and socially they are the prototype of the ideal human being. They seek to educate man, asking in return only air and energy to supplement the diminished supplies in their own, older world. The story revolves around a group of German scientists who, when seeking the North Pole, come upon a Martian settlement there. The Martians have built an artificial island, adapted to their physical needs, above which-6356 kilometers above-hovers their space station, a giant ring such as twentieth-century astronautical scientists have seriously speculated upon. ... More important than the fantastic technological developments in the story is the author's belief in the humanizing potential of science and technology and his vision of a utopian world based on the ideals and ideas which the Martians seek to transmit to the men of Earth. Kurd Lasswitz wrote his novel when scientific and industrial developments we
in “Two Planets by Kurd Lasswitz (1897)” · View on HN
sam_goodyApr 2022Cites it
Reference is to Tom Lehrer, making fun of Von Braun's founding and running the Nazi's missile program, before emigrating to the U.S. and helping run _their_ missile program. OT: He ends with "[I can launch in] German and English, and am learning Chinese.. " - even 75 years ago it was understood by many that the upcoming superpower is China and not Russia. ▶ this video
in “SpaceX's Starship: America's Secret Weapon” · View on HN
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magicalhippoNov 2021Cites it
> "I only invent the bomb, I don't drop it." "Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down? That's not my department," says Wernher von Braun.[1] [1]: ▶ this video
in “The Max Headroom Incident” · View on HN
justin66Jun 2017Cites it
Aside from the serious history stuff that you haven't even tried to find, it was the topic of a song by Tom Lehrer, America's greatest political satirist: [link] ▶ this video
in “SpaceX successfully launches and recovers second Falcon 9 in 48 hours” · View on HN
frozenportDec 2016Cites it
This is necessarily true because the Nazi's were in power for less than 15 years. Nevertheless, many scientists, specifically those whose work was directly applicable to war effort received significant support. For example, Wernher von Braun, a large part of those thesis was classified. Also: ▶ this video
in “Russia’s Creepy, Innovative Internet [video]” · View on HN
GolfPopperJul 2026Joke
From by Tom Lehrer's "Wernher von Braun"[1], Don't say that he's hypocritical Say rather that he's apolitical "Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down? That's not my department!" says Wernher von Braun 1. ▶ this video
in “SpaceX Starship Flight 13 livestream [video]” · View on HN
aebtebetenJan 2026Joke
For a different professor, there's Dr. Bob Altemeyer, who wrote a book in 2006 (after 40 years of research) that includes a section on evidence-based deradicalisation[0] of authoritarian followers, pp240-245: [link] (for objections, see [1]) That's nonfiction, and anachronistic. As far as fiction in the correct setting goes, I'm drawing a blank, and I even had to read things like "At the Bridge" and "The Tin Drum" in school (as well as watch dokus like "The White Rose" and "Triumph of the Will"[2]). Most stories I know are of the unrepentant[3]; maybe I can dig some repentant ones up later? [0] dereactionalisation? [1] some discussion at [link] [2] if I am overly paranoid, maybe it's because it's difficult to see anyone's GOAT propaganda these days and not compare it with Riefenstahl; she made the [link] ? [3] including, but not limited to: Oberleutnant (as he was then) "Kongo" Müller [link] [link] Generalmajor Reinhard Gehlen [link] [link] SS-Sturmbannführer Wernher Magnus Maximilian Freiherr von Braun [link] [link] ("doctor were-ner von brawn") (see also [link] , and elsewhere on HN, for wholesale vs retail sellers) lagniappe: ▶ this video You too may be a big hero Once you've learned to count backwards to zero "In German, und Englisch, I know how to count down Und 我学习中文!" says Wernher von Braun EDIT: (haven't been using Gemini, sorry) Schwarzenegger's neighbours retreated into the bottle[4]: [link] [4] [link]
in “Texas A&M bans part of Plato's Symposium” · View on HN
otrasFeb 2025Joke
"Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down? That's not my department, " says Wernher von Braun. Tom Lehrer - Wernher von Braun: ▶ this video
in “The young, inexperienced engineers aiding DOGE” · View on HN
ElevenLatheJun 2024Joke
V2 was of questionable legitimate military utility too. Sure you can hit a target the size of a city, but unlike carpet bombing, the payload isn't enough to guarantee that something specific is destroyed. So you can only use it to randomly harm civilians and maybe every once in a while hit a military target. Compare this with the Western Allies' approach where they also killed and maimed tons of civilians but at least stood some chance of also destroying the building-sized thing they were aiming at, given the stupefying tonnage of bombs involved. "Once the rockets go up, who cares where they come down? 'That's not my department,' says Werner Von Braun." -- Tom Lehrer ▶ this video
in “Super Heavy has splashed down in The Gulf of Mexico” · View on HN
Y-barNov 2020Joke
> everything becomes political, even if it really is a technical issue I'm being reminded of an old song by Tom Lehrer [ ▶ this video ]
in “macOS has checked app signatures online for over 2 years” · View on HN
082349872349872Aug 2020Joke
"In German oder Englisch / I know how to count down / Und I'm learning Chinese" / says Wernher Von Braun ▶ this video
in “Elon Musk says China rocks while the U.S. is full of complacency and entitlement” · View on HN
michaeltNov 2019Joke
> Exactly what about missiles is apolitical? "Once ze rockets are up, who cares where they come down? That's not my department, says Wernher von Braun" ▶ this video
in “Gitlab's Director of Risk and Global Compliance Resigns” · View on HN
my_first_acctSep 2019Joke
Which gives me an excuse to post a link of Tom Lehrer singing about Wernher von Braun: ▶ this video with the famous lines, "'Once the rockets go up, who cares where they come down? That's not my department,' says Wernher von Braun."
in “UCLA’s 1948 Mechanical Computer [video]” · View on HN
T-AMay 2019Joke
It's been a few years since I last posted this, so I think I'm in the clear: ▶ this video "Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down. That's not my department, says Wernher von Braun."
in “The V-2” · View on HN
wz1000Apr 2018Joke
"Don't say that he's hypocritical Rather say that he's apolitical Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down? That's not my department, says says Werner von Braun" ▶ this video
in “Google Workers Urge C.E.O. To Pull Out of Pentagon A.I. Project” · View on HN
pjmorrisJul 2016Joke
"As an engineer, it doesn't make any difference what you do," he joked last week. ..reminds me of Tom Lehrer's take on Wernher von Braun [1] [1] ▶ this video
in “The last living member of the German moon rocket team” · View on HN