GERMANY CALLING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 April 1939, Page 8

GERMANY CALLING

FOREIGN LANGUAGE BROADCASTS USE OF PROPAGANDA. NIGHT AND DAY SESSION. “Dear friends and listeners overseas,” says an effusively friendly voice through the loud speaker. There is hardly any need for it to add, in that faintly guttural English, “This is Germany calling.” By night and day, with scarcely a break throughout the 24 hours, the German short-wave station at Zeesbn — said to have cost £1,000,000 —is pumping but programmes to the world, with announcements and news in English, Dutch, Spanish, Portugese, and, of course, German (writes L. M. Gander, in the “Daily Telegraph”). Germany was early in the field with foreign language broadcasts, beginning in 1934, and the 8.8. C. followed suit only in January last year. When the short wave transmissions from Zeesen were launched, it was stated in official German quarters that they were intended for people of German origin throughout the world.

One need look no further than the much-quoted “Mein Kampf” for motives. In that work Herr Hitler makes plain his deefcf-rooted belief in propaganda, and freely acknowledges the superiority of the Allied methods during the war. Today, on all printed programmes distributed by the German short wave stations appears the declaration, attributed to the Fuhfer: “We wish to safeguard the eternal foundations of our existence, of our nationality, and the strength and virtues with which it is endowed.” HOW NEWS IS COMPILED. Any British listener may hear for himself the evidence of Germany's immense broadcasting, effort. For example, at 5 a.m. daily, Greenwich time, half a dozen transmitters at Zeesen begin broadcasts to Africa, Southern and Eastern Asia, Australia,’ and New Zealand. At midnight the same chorus is turned on the Americas. What, then, is Gerrmany telling, the world with such characteristic thoroughness, and what is its effect on the scattered audience?

The favourite method of the compilers of the Zeesen bulletins is to comb the newspapers of the world and to quote carefully-selected extracts. For instance, one day quotations were read from an Arab newspaper to the effect that the object of the Palestine Conference in London was to strengthen Britain’s grip on the Orient and the Arab States. “Britain,” the article went on, “intends to show the world that she is master in the Orient and plans to throw the apple of. discord among the representatives of the Arab States in London. Various questions, apart from the Palestine issue, are to be raised in order to set off one party against another.” The report ih a London h'ewspaper that the Jews ih Palestine threatened an armed revolt if the conference failed was mentioned One day. As a departure from this method, another bulletin contained some isolated sentences to the effect that on the occasion of a religious festival “an unfortunate invalid Arab was hanged. He was condtemhed to death because an old rifle Was fouh'd in his possession.” Reports from French newspapers of Anarchist atrocities in Catalbhia have been freely quoted, ahd I have heard lengthy extracts head from criticisms of 8.8. C. news bulletins ’published in a London newspaper.. DENUNCIATION OF JEWS. More direct methods are Used, to castigate the Jews ahd the Spanish “Reds,” though lately there has been a lull in the attacks on the Jews. I heard a talk one mornihg oh Spain devoted largely to an account of the ruthlessness of the “Jewish* inquisitor, Torquemada, who, . the speaker said, had caused the death of thousands of innocent Aryans.. Denunciation of the Jews for anti-G’erman “conspiracies” has occurred frequently. . Zeesefi hhd turned its Verbal guns on to Washington, which the announcer chose to describe as the centre of a wofld-War agitation. . “These attacks on the authoritarian States,” he continued, “are intended to counter-bal-ance the Bolshevik defeat in Spain.” On the whole, however, Zeesen broadcasts are not violent in tone, and the propaganda pill is sugar-coated. Theie are no outspoken attacks on . Britain or the democracies. But ih the news bulletins and talks political bias is very apparent. .... Making due allowances for national tendencies, there is nothing Very remarkable in the choice of contents for the bulletins from Zeesen. Recently they have consisted chiefly of accounts of the rout of the “Reds” in Catalonia; difficulties in the disposal, of Spanish refugees; . reported atrocities by the Spanish “Red," and attempts by the Russians to send in arms and munitions; allusions to German industrial activity, and so on. News bulletins form only a fraction of the Zeesen output.. Concerts, musical programmes of all kinds, and radio drama, includihg Shakespeare and detective plays,, and German language lessons are also broadcast. I heard a discussion the other, day designed to advertise the > facilities offered at Munich University for foreign students. Particular emphasis was laid on the statement that absolutely free expression of thought was allowed in debates at the International Students’ Club. “Many of our listeners may not be aware that free and frank discussion really exists in Germany today,” observed the compere. INGRATIATING STYLE. The German announcers speak extremely fluent English, but adopt . an ingratiating, almost gushing, style which falls a little uneasily on English ears. Some of them have an Australian accent. On the other hand, Zeesen is much more intimate and personal in its methods than the 8.8. C., and it may be that the British programmemakers could learn something oh this score. Overseas listeners are encouraged to write to Ze'eseh; their letters are quoted, their names inentiohed, and their questions answered at the microphone. American towns have special programmes dedicated to them. But nobody who has listened regularly to German short wave broadcasting can fail to wonder whether it is producing results commensurate with the effort and expenditure. The instincts of the impartial listener must, I should think,' inevitably lead him to the bulletin which, both in compositionand presentation, shows the smallest traces of prejudice and suppression. Judged by these standards. I find- the 8.8. C. bulletins incomparably better, and my preference applies not only to the 8.8. C. bulletins in English, but also to those in German,.