Language:
German
Pages:
handwritten manuscript (photocopies).
Year of publication:
1914-1918
Former Title:
Diary
Keywords:
Antisemitism.
;
War.
;
World War, 1914-1918 Jews.
;
Germany.
;
Autobiographies
;
Diaries
;
Biographical sources
;
Memoirs
Abstract:
World War I diary by an unknown author. From an emotional and very personal viewpoint, the diarist expresses a changing philosophy on war and its causes. While at the outbreak of war his stance is a very nationalistic one, he later on declares war to be unacceptable and avoidable, blaming it on the press and on those in power. While he maintains that "the German people are good--they are the victims of their higher-ups", he also states that "war is a syndrome of the sickness in mankind's body". "Animals kill because of need--only man kills because of hatred". In the officialdom of his time, the diarist states, a candidate's religion and piety mattered a great deal. Being anti-Semitic and of arian origin was tantamount to gaining social acceptance. At war's end Germany is left on its knees, but instead of coming together in a common cause, a time of chaos, demoralization and individual selfishness ensued.
Note:
German
URL:
http://digital.cjh.org/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=602809&custom_att_2=simple_viewer
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