Letter: Johannes Rau's election

Sir: In your summary of the German press response to Johannes Rau's election as President (Monitor, 26 May), you write that Rau "said: `I am a good uncle and want to be loved by all.' " I could not believe that he would make such a barmy comment. Indeed, the original in Die Welt of 25 May reads: "Die Botschaft war: Ich bin ein guter Onkel und will von allen geliebt werden." (The message was: I am a good uncle and want to be loved by all) - no quotation marks.

M C W HERWIG

The Queen's College

Oxford