I just tried to post a German version of the following text as a comment to TAGESSCHAU.de's eulogy to Hugh Hefner, who died peacefully of ripe old age in recent hours... and it was denied (no explanation given - I feel an impulse to seek a small bridge nearby I could huddle a while under).

So it'll have to go in here - sorry, Jeeves!

R.I.P., Mr. Hefner! Esp. because of your magazine in the 60's & 70's, that was pretty monumental at the time, and helped me, teenie, a lot toward achieving a much "broader" world view. There were the photos, of course - which however were deemed to be done in good taste by most of the women, some of them definitely not unknown, who had themselves captured/enraptured by the camera. Some of the best photographers were women, too...

But, in addition, the texts in the mag issues were eye-openers! A lot of noteworthy political interviews appeared, and others with important pop idols like John Lennon! There were great essays, e.g. one about Jesus surely being a humorous man, who often laughed. And some pretty ingenious short stories, i.a. by Asimov; one or other non-Fleming Bond short remains in positive if spotty recall.

Concerning further beyond-paper enterprises by the founder, they left little impression on me, because I essentially didn't get to know them at all. Concerning the Bunnies, and their many days of judgement, I find a 90's commentary by one of my favourite musicians, Laurie Anderson (who is for me the quintessential feminist!), enlightening: