Wow,I didn't know that Z.Staakens had this!

[Catfish]

Hello Gurgast,
thank you for sharing this, you know you were basically right, all of us baby-killing huns are wicked and ruthless - problem is this state of mind has existed among germans the other way round as well, at least until 1945. The "dark side" are always the others, thanks propaganda.
That said i will not belittle what was done from 1933 until 1945.

I am just always wondering where this hate in WW1 came from - and the more you read, hear and search for, you always find that propaganda raises its ugly head, which becomes visible even in the smallest pieces of so-called neutral reports, newspapers and books.
::Propaganda and World War One::
Propaganda Critic: World War One > Committee on Public Information
If anyone is being conditioned or influenced long enough, hearing the same stuff all the time it will eventually stick, and it will become his personal conviction. This is probably why Germany has a very suspicious view towards his own government nowadays, which is good It just should not be equated with socialism, it is just a healthy attitude towards professional liars, err, politicians.

Thanks and greetings,
Kai

[Mogadeet]

When we were growing up, we had this book (which I wish I still had) called "Freedom's Triumph" which was a pictorial history of WW-I (evil huns vs virtuous Entente) that was the most blatant and egregious piece of propaganda you ever wanted to read. My father kept it and showed it to us to make the point that Goebbels and the Soviets did not invent the Big Lie. It was made by the British, and reprinted in the U.S. by permission, according to the information on the book.

If you ever get a chance to see that book, the pictures are priceless, but the information is pure bullshit.

Mogadeet

[Varese2002]

Just out of interest I sought out this book, which is dated 1919

Freedom's triumph: the why, when and where of the European conflict. 1919. Chicago: The Magazine Circulation Co

The book can easily be bought on the second hand market, at not very high prices.

Cheers

Kees

[Thomas Trauner]

The story of the deliberately cut off “Spähkorb” reminds me to the pre-WWI story by H.G. Wells, I think it was: The War in the Air, 1908.
The Germans are attacking Great Britain with Air ships (!). They indeed behave like wild Huns. In one of the Air ships a “traitor” is killed by throwing him out of the Air Ship with a rope around his neck…
Maybe this story let over to the cut off Spähkorb….

But anyway. The most cynical story I have heard, is, that after the Zeppelin caught fire due to flak or fighters, the commander shouted: “Es darf geraucht werden..” (Smoking is allowed now…)

Thomas

[Gurgast]

You're so right Kai / Mog / Thomas -- at least the Internet seems to be repairing the damage that politicians seek to inflict on us. We're meant to believe that politicians are selfless, essential, hardworking servants of the public good. How does, self-enriching, power-hungry cynical manipulators and misinformers sound? The problem with democracy is that we ought not to vote for anyone who puts himself forward as a candidate. Only those dragged, kicking and screaming, into power are suitable!

A few weeks after visiting that bar in Berlin I found myself in a bar in Moscow, and guess what? -- the Ruskies turned out to be some pretty good guys too. Personally, I think it's the alcohol that does it ...

If I had any kids to educate I'd tell them something I once heard that I thought was a very good line: "Occasionally you feel like hating someone, but never hate in the plural."