Old Newspapers

An old newspaper
Gives me a rare allure
From it, much can be learned,
It is interesting.

You can well perceive
How quickly time flies,
And furthermore, it becomes clear
How much they deceive us.

In such old newspapers,
It has been positively asserted,
That what is happening now
Would never occur.

For example, you can read,
Here it is black on white,
The Germans never ever
Violate our territory.

The German Reich Minister, Dr. Goebbels, spoke yesterday to representatives of the foreign press. He first referred to his recent statement that the government is firmly determined to strictly respect the neutrality of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. – 25/9 1939

Yes, indeed, in ‘39
Goebbels said this,
The German actions don‘t fit
Well with these words.

In ‘40, friction with Russia
Was sharply denied,
No troop concentrations
They declared vehemently.

Germany and Russia.
Baseless rumors of entanglements.
After the last few days, the English press has repeatedly reported on the exceptionally strong concentration of Russian forces on Germany‘s eastern border as a continuation of the Russian action against Lithuania, Reuters reported from Kaunas on June 19 that German troop movements were taking place in East Prussia. From official German sources, it is categorically stated that there have been no German troop movements at the German-Lithuanian border. – 21-6-40

Between us and Russia
Everything is fine,
With lies, in England,
They merely please the people,

Talking about entanglements,
And talking about border disputes,
While our relations
Are very peaceful and quiet.

The Brit would like us
To have a war with the Bolsheviks,
But between us and Russia
A policy of friendship prevails.

Yes, this British strategy
Doesn‘t work at all,
And besides, England
Has another hurdle to overcome.

They expect the anticipated
Help from America,
But it will be of no use to them,
As it will surely come after

The German victory,
And then it will be too late,
It‘s inconceivable,
What awaits them.

It’s always the same song, they say in German political circles. Since the reference to American help no longer holds, Reuters now tries to suggest to the English people, as the hour of reckoning approaches, that there will be entanglements between Germany and Russia. – 21/6 1940

In London, they fear
The swastika so much,
That‘s why the royal family
Is already moving to Canada,

Yes, with a warship,
They are heading to Canada,
And they will settle down
In the city of Ottawa.

British Royal Family to Canada?
Preparations are said to be underway.
The Italian newspaper „Gazzetta del Popolo“ publishes an article by its correspondent in Lisbon, stating that the British royal family is already making preparations to leave for Canada. These rumors, according to the newspaper, are confirmed by the fact that Inspector of Scotland Yard, F.W. Cameron, the king‘s personal security attaché, has stayed in Lisbon on his way through. Inspector Cameron arrived on an American ship that had the last repatriated American citizens on board. Also, some British industrialists and bankers from the City of London were on board. Cameron is said to have delivered a personal letter from King George to the Duke of Windsor at the British embassy in Lisbon. The newspaper further reports that King George is likely to make the crossing to Ottawa with Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, and the Dukes of Kent and Gloucester aboard a British warship escorted by light warships. According to American reports, the royal couple is said to settle in Ottawa. – 26/7 1941

After all there was war with Russia,
America also joined,
And the newspaper illusions
Went up in smoke.

The smoke comes from the fires
That England‘s air force sets,
“Terror bombing
In mockery of international law.”

But can one expect in terms of culture something better from people whose leader is now in Québec with his henchmen finalizing plans to “bomb, burn, and ruthlessly destroy the German people in every possible way,” as the well-informed Mr. Brendan Bracken assures us? – 24/8 43

This is how we hear them scream now,
But when they set fires,
They found it magnificent
And praised it in the newspaper.

21-6-40
Yesterday, the D.N.B. reported: In the past 24 hours, the German air force dropped more than 500,000 kg of bombs on England. This high number is explained by the fact that the German pilots were able to drop their bombs completely unhindered due to the exceptionally clear visibility and remarkably light anti-aircraft defense and interceptor presence. Some crews were so enthusiastic about the success that, like in the Polish campaign, they took off again last night with new and larger bomb loads from their bases to complete the work of destruction. In doing so, they did encounter some British night fighters that had taken off for defense, but they seemed so impressed by the number of attackers that they did not engage in any combat. This, and the complete failure of the anti-aircraft guns, resulted in no German planes being lost, although new waves of combat aircraft that had been over England from dusk until morning launched their attacks. The attacks continued without interruption on Sunday.

It’s never the same,
When two do the same,
Very different sounds
From today and from then.

Who dares to doubt,
What Goebbels says is true,
And whoever didn’t agree,
He was a “slanderer.”

And he then was made fun of
By the NSB,
Do you still remember the poster
Of

SLANDER ALONG WITH US?
HAH 12-6-42

What was slandered then
Turned out all to be true,
Germany is going down,
You hear the grave song.

In‘40, one saw Ciano,
Cheerful and in good spirits,
He visited Dunkirk back then
And said, it‘s going well.

The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Count Ciano, visited the Western Front. The minister on his way to Dunkirk. Left: Chief of Protocol Dörnberg. – 18/7/1940

With Hitler, we’ll sail,
Quickly to England,
My father-in-law Benito,
He guarantees it.

The times have changed,
Count Ciano was once missing,
Later, he was found,
And Father-in-law is bravely

Going to put hum on trial,
Because he betrayed him,
These are the final songs
Of the “Giovinezza” song.*

Where is Ciano?
The former Minister of Foreign Affairs and son-in-law of Mussolini, Count Galeazzo Ciano, has left Rome with his family. According to the Corriera della Sera, Count Ciano had not left his residence in the Parioli district since the 26th of July, so it was generally assumed that he was under house arrest. On Friday morning, 27 August, the Count was seen at the window of his residence shortly after the Countess left with the children and did not return. It was then established that Count Ciano was no longer in the house. The house staff was paid and dismissed. It is assumed that Count Ciano left the house in disguise, as it was continuously guarded by eight agents. Where the Count went with his family is not yet known. It is further reported that Ciano and Dino Grandi, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and ambassador to London, have been retired. – 1/9 1943

Now the newspaper presents a cartoon
Underneath, it is reported:
Friend Churchill has lied,
Friend Churchill has bragged.

Before the leaves fall,
Hitler will fly to the moon,
The leaves have fallen,
And it’s not over yet.

24/12 43
December in London.
“Tell me, Bobby, why are those men nailing the leaves to the trees?”
“Don‘t you know that Churchill said, Before the leaves fall, the Nazis will be finished.”

But I quickly take out from my drawer
An old newspaper
And examine this claim
Thoroughly.

And behold: It’s a lie,
What the newspaper reports,
Churchill only spoke of battles,
Did not predict Hitler’s downfall.

Churchill predicts heavy fighting.
2/7 43
Large-scale operations require months of preparation.
According to the English news service, Winston Churchill, on the occasion of being made an honorary citizen of the city of London, delivered a speech yesterday that began with the prediction, heavy fighting will break out in the Mediterranean and elsewhere before the autumn leaves fall.” Churchill also reiterated that England demands “unconditional surrender” from its opponents and that they must submit to his “absolute jurisdiction and mercy.”

I’m not worried about it,
The newspaper got it wrong,
Adolf will fall soon,
I know it for sure.

So, the old newspapers
Are truly wonderful reading,
They send us mentally
From pillar to post.

Today, something is presented as truth
And declared valid,
Tomorrow, something entirely different
Is presented as equally true.

They think that people‘s memory
Is so short
And that in old newspapers
Nothing more is read.

They lie by day
And lie by the hour,
And if we were to believe them,
We‘d be very sour.

We don‘t let ourselves be fooled,
Use our minds,
And seek the truth,
Sometimes in an old newspaper.

*) This poem was written before the conviction and execution of Count Ciano