GERMAN IN A YEAR

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 307, 29 December 1942, Page 6

GERMAN IN A YEAR

TEXT BOOK IN HOLLAND

In one of the Nazi papers in Holland a recently-published German language text book was criticised for containing anti-German propaganda. A general shortage of teachers and school text books exists in Holland. The Germans want everybody to learn more of the German language, but have not the necessary school books for this, so a well-known Dutch high school teacher was ordered to write a German language text book. He calls it "German in One Year."

Here are a few examples of the manner in which the author carried out his work:—

In one chapter students are asked to conjugate "I am hungry." This innocent-locking sentence enraged the Nazi critic, however; he comments that he could already hear the cheering of the pupils. Further, such sentences as "Our Queen is called Wilhelmina," "The subjects of our Queen love their monarch," and "Will the Queen come to-morrow?" immediately followed by "Pray and work; fear God and honour the King;" show the faith of the writer in the future and his love for the Dutch Royal Family. .The enraged critic writes about this proQueen Wilhelmina propaganda: "Does this sort of thing work healthily on the German soul?" He seems to forget that the book was not written for what he calls "Germanic souls" but for the people of the Netherlands.

On page 23 is the phrase, "He warns the enemy," innocent-looking, but the critic describes it as a "foxy" one.

Again, on page 25 occurs, "Thou shalt not steal.' Through the book the writer becomes more and more courageous, until on page 77 he says. "Lcng live the Queen!"