Nazi guidebook portrayed Hitler as a 'great peacemaker'

de bene esse: literally, of well-being, morally acceptable but subject to future validation or exception

German schoolchildren preparing for the invasion of the UK during the Second World War were given a textbook portraying Hitler as a man of peace and the British as evil warmongers.

The bizarre 1942 publication - which was written in English - attempts to give children an idea of what to expect when visiting the British Isles in the event of a successful Nazi take-over.

In it, a variety of bold claims are made, accusing Jews of running the British press and statements about English people secretly supporting Fascism, but it does reflect Hitler's admiration for the work of William Shakespeare.

Taking the peace: Designed to prepare schoolchildren for life in Britain under German occupation, the text book makes a series of bizarre claims

Embellished: The textbook grossly exaggerates the gulf between the rich and the poor, complete with his cartoon which supposedly depicts how the British upper classes treat the impoverished

 How the other half live: This image, left, is designed to give an 'insight' into how the lower classes were housed in slums, while another chapter, right, focuses on the 'decline' of agriculture

Sentiments of anti-semitism: Predictably, the guide book also includes a section on how the Jews are supposedly regarded in England

Laughably, Hitler is portrayed as a 'great peacemaker' while English ‘atrocities’ against India and Ireland are described in gory detail - with no mention at all of Nazi death camps.
And the gulf between the upper and working classes is greatly exaggerated, with whole chapters dedicated to the Victorian slums of London.

 To emphasise their claims, the text is accompanied by strange illustrations, including a cartoon of an aristocrat trampling over poor people.

 

Sections have titles like ‘A Document of Misery’, ‘Decline and Fall of the British Empire’ and ‘England and the Jews’.

'Great peacemaker': The book portrays Adolf Hitler (left) in a favourable light. It also reflects Der Führer's admiration for the work of the Bard, William Shakespeare (right)

However, the textbook also celebrates various aspects of British culture, including the countryside and the works of Shakespeare.

A picture of the Bard’s birthplace, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warkwickshire, is even splashed across the front cover.

Hitler, a notorious fan of the playwright, even dedicated a section of the text to his role as a British cultural icon.

The book, which was designed to be distributed among German teens ahead of a planned invasion, celebrates Hitler as a man of peace.

ENGLISH CHILDREN WERE TAUGHT...

• Hitler was a mass murderer responsible for the deaths of millions
• In the event of a Nazi invasion, advice on how best to stay safe
• Der Führer and Nazi Germany bore a deep hatred of the Jews
• War was declared when all other attempts at diplomacy with Nazi Germany failed
• Hitler built compounds to separate Jews from the remaining German population
• Millions of Jews were sent to death camps, where they were executed

GERMAN CHILDREN WERE TAUGHT...

• Hitler was a man of peace, who made the world several offers of friendship
• In the event of a Nazi invasion, advice on how best to appreciate Shakespeare
• Even the English intensely dislike the Jewish way of life
• France spat on Hitler's outstretched hand of friendship and increased its military
• The English aristocracy trampled over its lower classes and forced them into slums
• The English were guilty of 'atrocities' against India and Ireland

One section reads: 'He [Hitler] made before the German people and the world several offers of peace, in words which were unequivocal, emotional and idealistic.
'He was called a liar in the world press. He offered France friendship saying that there was no further cause of quarrel between their two peoples.

'The French press spat on his outstretched hand and increased their military strength.'

The 1942 book was entitled ‘Hirts Englandkundliches Lesebuch fur die Oberstufe an Oberschulen’ [‘English Textbook theory for Colleges and High Schools’], and was written at the height of Nazi expansion across Europe.

It has been put up for sale by a private collector and is expected to fetch £250 when it is sold at auction on Thursday.

Cultural tips: A guide on the country's Elizabethan theatres was also included in the book

Getting familiar with the Bard: A chapter on William Shakespeare and his significance in literature is also touched upon

Economical with the truth: English 'atrocities' against India and Ireland are described in gory detail - with no mention of Nazi death camps

 

Richard Westwood-Brookes, of Mullock’s Auctioneers in Ludlow, Shropshire, said the textbook gave a 'comic-book' interpretation of 1940s British life.

He said: 'This is a chilling reminder of what the Nazis had in store for us had they successfully invaded in 1940.

'They were clearly preparing their students and their troops for occupation of the UK - training them in the culture and history of our country so that they knew what to expect when they took over.

'It is particularly frightening to see the chapters on our Jewish heritage and our relationships with the Jews in the UK.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2208404/Nazi-textbook-portrays-Hitler-great-peacemaker-British-EVIL---Shakespeare.html#ixzz28YimQL14