THE GERMAN SELF-REVEALED.
42
The Ypres Times.
AN ECHO FROM THE BRITISH CENSORSHIP 1914-1919.
It was my fate during the War to be a very small nut in a somewhat uninterest
ing part of the great censorship machine, and life on the whole would have been dull
had it not been for the touch of personal, human interest, and the insight into life and
character gained during the period. For I have been most intimately acquainted with
some 600 German prisoners of war, with their tastes, love affairs, and domestic tragedies
I have also been an unknown member of a large circle of friends and relations. The men
came from all parts of Germany, and belonged to numerous classes, from the humble
and illiterate peasant to the wholesale merchant and banker.
I do not pretend to have made any new discoveries. The character of the German
is an open book now in which the whole world may read and the world has, for the most
part, expressed its opinion but it has, nevertheless, been interesting to verify some
opinions and to modify others.
The Germans are most aptly described by St. Paul in the sentence beginning whose
end is destruction."
Food is the foremost topic in all the letters from home, and the friends and relations
never wax so eloquent as when describing Tante Rosa's supper party, or the dishes pro
vided at a wedding banquet. Somewhat tantalising subjects, one would have considered
for the perusal of the prisoner of war. whose diet was of necessity somewhat restricted.
Two quotations will illustrate the normal attitude of the young German towards his food
supply
Dear Mother,I was ever a good-natured fellow, and I will marry either Sophie
or Louise if you will only send me a parcel of food."
Another adjures his affectionate wife, Do not forget my stomach in your evening
prayers."
From this characteristic arises perhaps the fact that the pig is such an important
member of the family and so prevailing a topic in the letters. Every event in its life is
chronicled, from its birth to the glad day when it is slaughtered and made into wurst,"
and the prisoner may hope to share in the joys it has helped to provide. Many remarks
on this subject bear repetition. We have slaughtered our pig, it was quite healthy,"
opens up a vista of possibilities. Our pig has died, and father is also dead," Mother
is dead, but we must not complain for our pig (a fine creature) is flourishing," show clearly
the status of the pig in the domestic circle.
Their overbearing national conceit has been one of the most irritating characteristics
in their letters.
We Germans these words so often recur, prefacing a list of good qualities, of
which they would appear to have a monopoly. Our enemies ill-treat their prisoners,
but of course we Germans are so full of generosity and of the milk of human kindness
that such conduct is impossible to us."
The English are perhaps a trifle less brutal than some of our enemies, but of course
they belong to the Germanic race." This same conceit enabled them to go through the
humihating surrender of their fleet full of self-satisfaction, for, as they wrote, We were
cheered by the display of that wonderful naval power which for four years our feeble
forces have held at bay victoriously," and to give such an enthusiastic welcome to their
victorious armies," a welcome which one prisoner resented in these words We also
deserve quite as hearty a welcome, even if we do not return particularly victorious."
In affairs of the heart the men have provided many interesting studies. They appear,
as a ride, to prefer their mothers to their wives, and generally believe any scandal repeated
by the mother against her daughter-in-law. They have also no compunction in promising
