Cartoon, Kaiser Wilhelm and professor, WW1
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Cartoon, Kaiser Wilhelm and professor, WW1
Cartoon depicting Kaiser Wilhelm II demanding that a professor unteach him the beastly English language, now that the First World War has broken out. Date: September 1914
Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries
Media ID 14129478
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Enemy Kaiser Language Linguistics Professor Satire Satirical Teach Wilhelm
EDITORS COMMENTS
This satirical cartoon, published in September 1914, captures the tense atmosphere of the early days of World War I. The image depicts Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, with a determined expression, standing over a hapless professor, who is shown holding a book on linguistics and looking up in fear. The caption reads, "His Majesty the Kaiser to the Professor: 'Unteach me the beastly English language at once!'" The cartoon is a clever commentary on the growing animosity between Germany and England, which had been building for years. The use of the term "beastly" to describe the English language is a deliberate insult, reflecting the negative stereotypes and propaganda that fueled the hostilities between the two nations. The image also highlights the power dynamic between the Kaiser and the professor, with the monarch towering over the scholar and demanding that he undo his education. This scene can be seen as a metaphor for the larger conflict between Germany and the Allied Powers, with Kaiser Wilhelm II attempting to erase the cultural and linguistic ties that bound the two sides together. The cartoon is a poignant reminder of the bitter enmity that marked the First World War, and the ways in which language and education were used as tools of propaganda and division. Today, it serves as a reminder of the importance of understanding and respecting linguistic and cultural differences, and the dangers of allowing political tensions to escalate into full-blown conflict.
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