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Günter Grass admitted to hospital for cardiac treatment Günter Grass admitted to hospital for cardiac treatment
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The German author Günter Grass has been admitted to hospital to undergo treatment for cardiac problems, according to his spokeswoman. The German author Günter Grass has been admitted to hospital to have treatment for cardiac problems, according to his spokeswoman.
Grass, 84, who earlier this month sparked an international controversy with a prose poem in which he criticised Israel's stance towards Iran, was taken to the Asklepios Clinic in Hamburg by his wife on Monday. Grass, 84, who this month sparked international controversy with a prose poem in which he criticised Israel's stance towards Iran, was taken to the Asklepios Clinic in Hamburg by his wife on Monday.
The hospital spokesman confirmed that the writer had been admitted to the clinic, but refused to give further details, fuelling speculation that the debate had taken its toll on his health. The hospital spokesman confirmed that the writer had been admitted to the clinic, but refused to give further details, fuelling speculation that the debate has taken its toll on his health.
However, a spokeswoman for Grass's office said the hospitalisation had been planned for some time. "Mrs Grass took her husband to a Hamburg hospital to undergo a scheduled investigation," she said. "We are expecting that he will be home again within the next few days. She refused to give any more details about the writer's condition. However, Grass's office said the admission had been planned for some time. "Mrs Grass took her husband to a Hamburg hospital to undergo a scheduled investigation," his spokeswoman said. "We are expecting that he will be home again within the next few days. She refused to give any more details about the writer's condition.
Sources close to the writer's inner circle have described him as "fragile".Sources close to the writer's inner circle have described him as "fragile".
The Nobel laureate unleashed a wave of outrage at home and abroad with the publication in a newspaper two weeks ago of his poem, What Must be Said, in which he said he feared Israel was capable of "wiping out the Iranian people" with a single nuclear strike. The Nobel laureate caused outrage at home and abroad with the newspaper publication two weeks ago of his poem, What Must be Said, in which he said he feared Israel was capable of "wiping out the Iranian people" with a single nuclear strike.
It led to hefty criticism that Grass had adopted antisemitic cliches and that he was downplaying the threat that the regime in Tehran posed to Israel. Israel has since banned Grass from entering the country. It led to criticism that Grass had adopted antisemitic cliches and he was downplaying the threat the regime in Tehran posed to Israel. Israel has since banned Grass from entering the country.
Grass himself appeared to be shocked by the reaction his poem triggered, subsequently saying in an interview in the Süddeutsche Zeitung that while he had expected "fierce reactions" he had not expected "that the offensive and blanket reproach of antisemitism would be levied against me … I had hoped for a clearer debate". Grass appeared to be shocked by the reaction his poem triggered. In an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung, he said that he had expected "fierce reactions" but not "that the offensive and blanket reproach of antisemitism would be levied against me … I had hoped for a clearer debate".
He added that in hindsight he would have changed his poem slightly, "avoiding the blanket term Israel, and making it clearer that I was primarily referring to the current government of Netanyahu".He added that in hindsight he would have changed his poem slightly, "avoiding the blanket term Israel, and making it clearer that I was primarily referring to the current government of Netanyahu".