The phrase "When you chop wood, chips fly" (German: Wo gehobelt wird, da fallen Späne) was used by high-ranking Nazi official Hermann Göring to justify the brutal, draconian measures of the regime.
Context: In a speech on March 11, 1934, regarding the Nazification of the state bureaucracy and the suppression of opposition, Göring employed this idiom to imply that collateral damage, suffering, and harsh measures were inevitable and acceptable in the process of creating a new Nazi order.
Meaning: It is a proverb roughly equivalent to "you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet," used here to trivialize the violence and destruction committed by the state.
Alternative Interpretation: The phrase is often interpreted as a euphemism for the human cost of Nazi policy, where "chips" refer to those eliminated by the regime.
Note: This idiom is a common German proverb that existed long before the Nazis, but Göring's usage highlighted the callousness of the regime toward human life.
I wonder if Musk chose "wood chipper" very deliberately here, since he loves to use Nazi dog whistles in his tweets and companies/products.
Especially during his time in DOGE! Like when he called those in need of government support "the parasite class".
Could just be a genuine coincidence, but.....