Russland (Nazi Propaganda, 1936)

JF Ptak Science Books  Post 2822

This is a nasty piece of Nazi anti-Soviet/Communist propaganda, published as #43 in a series called “Silvaniadruck” in 1936. It is a nonstop attack on the Soviet system and also on the Russian people. The pamphlet is only 24 pages long but it certainly feels like more, especially if you could weigh vindictiveness and diatribe. It is composed of 12 sections ranging from the new economic policy of the country, to the right of the Soviet citizen, religion, family, church, and education, and the period of 1918-1921, though the sections I wanted to try to read and share were on the Famines (“der Hunger”) and the “Terror.“

• The sections include: Terror, 1918-1921, the Epidemics, the Hunger, New Economic Policy, the Planned Economy of Russia, Why is that Endured in Russia?, The Rights of the Russian Citizen, Education in Russia, the Family in Russia, Religion and Church in Russia, and Where Are We Standing?” (Or, in German: Terror, 1918-1921, die Epidemien, Der Hunger, Neue Wirtschaftspolitik, Die Planwirtschaft Russlands, arum ertragt man das in Russland?, Die Rechte des russischen Burgers, Erziehung in Russland, Die Familie in Russland, Religion und Kirche in Russland, Und Wir Wo stehen wir?)

The section on the famine is particularly harsh, and in some ways was accurate, though not the through the writer's own accord. The most recent famine—the Great Famine—was a manufactured-murder policy by Stalin and all of those who supported him, resulting in the slow annihilation of millions of people. The pamphlet points out that there was famine at the end of WWI (which was true) and then it “presented itself from “time to time” (“Zeit zu Zeit zu zeigen”). Most of what the writer states is fictional no doubt, with that wrapped around one piece of fact--the truth of the matter regarding the Great Famine and the Holomodor would not be revealed for some years. 

The pamphlet states small and obvious bits to win a small point with the reader, like “Starvation is a terrible death”/”Der Hungertod ist ein schrecklicher Tod” (Auch der Hunger war im Gefloge des Burgerkriegs und es gefallt ihm seither in Russland so gut, dass er eigentlich nie mehr aufgehort hat, sich dort von Zeit zu Zeit zu zeigen. Der Hunger forderte damals 2, 600, 000 tote...Der Hungertod ist ein schrecklicher Tod). The narrative goes out in different and hate-driven directions to denigrate the people; for example, saying that it was an "absolutely well known fact" that people in Russia resorted to cannibalism in 1920/1. (“ Menschen in Russland Menschenfleisch genosse haben...Es scheint heute unglaublich zu sein, aber es ist eine ganz bekannte und absolut wahre Tatsche, dass in den Jahren 1920 und 1921 Menschen in Russland Menschenfleisch genosse haben. Es ist mir personalich ein Fall bekannt wo wine Mutter ihre Tochler sich zur Nahrung totete.")

And of course Communism was the cause of the famine(s), this due to the “insane equalization system” of the Communists. (“Above all, hunger was a result of the insane equalization system of the Communists, who gave everyone the equal wages, which must be said, because it is easy to carry yourself./Der Hunger war vor allem aber eine Folge des wahnsinnigen Gleichmachungssystems der Kommunisten, die jedem Menschen den gelichen Lohn gaben.Hier muss es gesagt sein, denn man trugt sich da leicht selber.")

The writer continues to note that it was true that Commmunism did make everyone equal, but the people were evidently
equal at the lowest level, everyone being “barefoot, sluggish,  hungry beggars” ("Communism was an equalizer, and it 
did make everyone equal at that time, but it was a downward equality, and not an upward one...   
At that time we were all literally barefoot, sluggish, hungry beggars who did not know today what they should be 
satisfied with tomorrow." /Der Kommunismus hat alle gelich gemacht, damals, das ist wahr, aber es war nicht, wie 
viele gerne glauben mochten, ein Ausgleich nach oben, sodernein solcher nach unten. Wir waren alle damals 
buchstablich barfusse, verlumpte, hungrige Bettler, die heute nicht wussten, wovon sie morgen satt werden sollen.”)

This is a thoroughly Nazi interpretation and read of the Russian character, ending for some weird reason by invoking

the name of God ("Das Walte Gott/god Forbid!"). I'm not sure why I've spent so much time on this tripe, but I did.