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Günter Grass admitted to hospital for cardiac treatment Günter Grass admitted to hospital for 'scheduled investigation'
(about 2 hours later)
The German author Günter Grass has been admitted to hospital to have treatment for cardiac problems, according to his spokeswoman. The German author Günter Grass is expected to stay in hospital for several days after being admitted on Monday for "a scheduled investigation", according to a spokeswoman.
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.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 has taken its toll on his health. A 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, 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. The news agency DPA quoted Grass's doctor, Karl-Heinz Kuck, confirming newspaper reports that the writer had heart problems and was under observation at the clinic, but refused to go into detail. But he said: "He is not having to lie in bed, he's working and enjoying the view from his room."
Sources close to the writer's inner circle have described him as "fragile". His spokeswoman, Hilke Ohsoling, said that Grass's health problems had not been triggered by the debacle over his poem. "He is 84 years old and who doesn't have any health problems at that age?"
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. 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 his condition.
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. 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.
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". It led to criticism that Grass had adopted antisemitic cliches and was downplaying the threat the regime in Tehran posed to Israel. Israel has since banned Grass from entering the country.
Grass appeared shocked by the reaction his poem triggered. In an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung, he said 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".