Dr. Goebbels’ Doctored Pictures

Northern Advocate, 4 September 1941, Page 8

Dr. Goebbels’ Doctored Pictures

German soldiers carry cameras into the battle line. Much publicity was given to this- fact to support the idea that the Nazi propaganda machine obtained authentic pictures of the fighting; but in putting out propaganda pictures Dr. Goebbels has had to rely so often on his own ingenuity that belief in the Nazi camera record has faded.

The latest example officially announced is a German radio photograph showing victories over the Russians which has been identified as being over eight years old. Screen pictures have also been doctored by Dr. GoebI bels; in fact, the most sensational revelations of his industry have been connected with the films. There was the case of the Dane who was horrified to find in a German newsreel his friend cheering the German soldiery marching into Copenhagen. The mystery was explained when he discovered that his friend had departed from Denmark some months before the Nazis came in. German studios had sandwiched between shots of their marching troops some scenes of a Danish Royal procession to provide the happy crowds. Belated Picture A documentary film purporting to show the fighting in France and Belgium was given its pre-view some time later. One of the main scenes was the capture by storm troops of the Albert Canal fortress of Eben Emael, but though these were displayed as evidence of Nazi thoroughness in obtaining authentic pictures, proof was forthcoming that the heroic battle took place long after the actual event. About the same time, underground sources revealed that the Germans had in cold storage an authentic film of the “Invasion of Britain,” made in Poland last year in anticipation of the event. It shows German troops marching through English villages. It also shows the “cowardice and treachery” of the English soldiers. There are “shots” of Nazi planes, according to Harold J. Albert, zooming over English air fields, and parachutists dropping to occupy them. German landing troops are depicted scaling the white cliffs of Dover. A Beautiful Lie This beautiful lie, this example of German industry, waits for the opportunity. The cliffs of Dover were rigged up on a Baltic shore; the "English defences” were made in the old fortifications of Czechoslovakia. To British eyes the British uniforms may bo inaccurate, but audiences in other countries will not be so critical. An entire English village was built for the film at Wyschkow in Poland, and some English-looking types were selected for the scenes. Information concerning this piece of anticipatory authenticity came out of Germany by channels which the Nazis cannot obstruct.

Among other Nazi documentary shots which have been exposed is one showing Hitler in the Paris Madeleine when he was in reality strolling in greater safety in Strasbourg Cathedral. There was a Junkers 88 distributed as the wreck of a British plane shot down in France. Sometimes the German effort insults the intelligence, like the winter photograph showing a bomb bursting on the deck of a crack British ship in the North Sea when the sailors on view were wearing summer Mediterranean uniforms.

Another fake, quickly quashed, appeared in pamphlets, which described the “ruthlessness” of British troops against native populations in Palestine. It was proved that this picture was taken during a tribal war in Arabia many years ago, in which no British soldiers could be involved. J. B. Priestley has spoken of the “queer combination of German industry and lunacy.” The manner in which they have destroyed the world’s faith in their camera records is an illustration of it.