Propaganda

"Behind the Enemy Powers: The Jews"

Propaganda is misleading or biased information used to promote a political cause or view to the general public. The poster shown above is an example of propaganda, created in 1940 by Hamil for all of Germany to view, warning them about how Jews were the cause of their demise and suffering: "Hinter den Feindmãchten: der Jude" Behind the Enemy Powers: the Jews.

In this image, there are three flags: the British, American, and Soviet flags, with a man standing behind them with a Star of David on a chain along his chest. The stereotyped Jew (large, rich-looking) is standing as a large figure behind the three flags. The Jew's expression is intimidating, as if he was planning something, and does not maintain eye contact with the viewers.


The creator of the poster, Hamil, was trying to give off the feeling of conspiracy. The Jew, dressed in a black suit, hat and drawn as a rather fat man, gives off the impression as a wealthy entrepreneur. The Jew while standing behind the British, American, and Soviet flags with his left eye at the corner of his eye, makes it look as if the Jew is planning something. At the same time, this caricature shows a Jew not only planning something, but manipulating world affairs. This makes the viewers assume that the Jews works behind the scene to control the Allied Powers to go against Germany.

This image of a Jew standing behind the Allied Power flags, could have possibly caused the Germans to become wary of their Jewish neighbor, and soon, distrust them.The way the Jew had been portrayed in the poster was what most Germans already thought of them after so many other propagandas: Rich and evil. Placing the Jew behind the Allied Powers, the cause of Germany's demise, furthered the Germans’ anger and belief that the Jews were the main cause of why they lost World War I. As a result, men and women would have kept their family away from Jews, and influence children from young ages to harbour a distrust for Jews.


This image of the poster utilizes both lies and misleading messages to create a negative impact on the impression on Jews. Utilizing the German's kindled fear for Jews and the hatred for the Allied Powers, along with the belief that Jews were the cause of the fall of the Germans' Fatherland, this poster effectively uses the belief an emotions already there and furthers it by hinting that the Jews were conspiring with the Allied Powers.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

"Stand up for what you believe in, even if it means standing alone."

- Unknown

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne is about two boys, Bruno and Shmuel; one who is Jew, while the other is German. They lived in the time of the holocaust, which prevented them from leading normal friendship, but they are able to become friends despite all the differences. However, even though the story is a tale about two innocent, young, and naive boys, it touched another topic outside of the two boys' lives. What especially stood out in his tale was how no one ever stood up against what was happening. Even though the adults knew what was happening, none of them ever stood up for what they thought was right.


The main reason why no one ever stood up against the Nazis for the Jews was because they were afraid. They were afraid to go against Hitler's orders, and those who supported him strongly, because they knew that if they stood up, they could just as easily be labeled a traitor, and be thrown into concentration camps like the Jews, or get killed. And while they were treating Jews with injustice, Hitler had given the citizens of Germany hope, telling them that the start of all trouble lied with the Jews, that they were the fault of everything that had happened to them after the Treaty of Versailles.

When should an individual take a stand against what he/she believes to be an injustice? I believe that there is no right time, and all that matters is that you have the courage to take a stand for what you believe in. If you don't take a stand against what you believe to be an injustice, nothing will ever change, if not get worse. In The Boy in Striped Pyjamas the movie, the mother found out from Lieutenant Kotler that they were putting Jews in gas chambers, then after their death, they cart them out to cremate the bodies. While she was horrified and disgusted by what she found out, she did absolutely nothing to try to stop it. The mother had ignored it, and tried to live her life as if nothing had happened. While she believed that the Jews were being treated with injustice, she did not take a stand against authority, and try to right a wrong.

Questioning or challenging the social order can be both a good thing or a bad thing. While you may be the only one with enough courage to question what the authority is doing, it could be enough to start a movement, and bring justice to what or who had been treated badly. However, the consequences weigh heavily, as you could be labeled traitor, or alienated by society because of what you said or what you believed in, like how the Jews were isolated from public because of their religion.

Take a Stand

Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles: Just or Unjust?

"In the place where, in the glorious year of 1871, the German Empire in all its glory had its origin, today German honor is being carried to its grave. Do not forget it! The German people will, with unceasing labor, press forward to reconquer the place among the nations to which it is entitled. Then will come vengeance for the shame of 1919.”

- German newspaper, Deutsche Zeitung

The Treaty of Versailles was an agreement that was discussed and negotiated for months, and finally signed in Paris, France in 1919 by the Allied Powers and the Germans. Originally, the treaty between the Allied Powers and Germany was to be based on the "Fourteen Points" President Wilson of America brought up, but the French representative Georges Clemenceau, who backed the general French views with one simple belief: that Germany should be brought down so it could no longer do any harm; and English representative David Lloyd George, who supported the British want of revenge in public, but privately thought that Germany shouldn't be treated with such harsh rules.

When the German representatives arrived in Paris, France, they had been expecting to sign the points President Wilson had made. However, they had instead been greeted with a much harsher treaty with no way out. If they backed, the Allied Powers would invade their land.

The treaty included the rules such as the military forces of Germany shall not exceed 100,000 men, and that they would pay and accept responsibility of all damage caused to the Allied Powers, to name a few. In the end, Germany had to pay a total of $33 billion. Out of the 440 clauses mentioned in the treaty, 414 of them dealt with the punishment of Germany.

While they complied to the demands, they swore vengeance, as written by a German newspaper, Deutsche Zeitung:


"In the place where, in the glorious year of 1871, the German Empire in all its glory had its origin, today German honor is being carried to its grave. Do not forget it! The German people will, with unceasing labor, press forward to reconquer the place among the nations to which it is entitled. Then will come vengeance for the shame of 1919.”


Was the Treaty of Versailles just or unjust? While some people might think that the treaty was just, and that the Germans inflicted much harsher rules upon Russia, others disagree. While the Allied Powers and other smaller nations might have wanted justice and compensation for the damage World War I caused, making Germany loose land, pay $33 billion, and become in debt by themselves was not the way to go. Germany and her people took full blame of the war.


The Allied Powers may have started the League of Nations (excluding America, Germany, and USSR), but the Europeans and French wanted what was best for themselves, and not for the world itself. This reflected in the 440 clauses mentioned in the Treaty of Versailles.


The Treaty of Versailles caused many Germans to loose their money and their jobs. The economy of Germany fell, making the life of a German harsh and cruel. The Germans became desperate and angry. Not only had they lost land, but had also lost their dignity and power. They wanted revenge.


Later, Adolf Hitler rose up to power, promising the disgraced and desperate Germans power and wealth. He used the treaty as a starting point, and told the Germans that he would restore national pride and world recognition.


In the eyes of outraged citizens in countries abroad, the Treaty of Versailles may have been fair. Instead, it was much too harsh, and the treaty, instead of solving problems as it had been intended, created more.

Lost German Lands