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RARE GERMAN WWI PROPAGANDA LEAFLET DROPPED BY AIRPLANE
This ephemeral old broadside CALLING FOR THE ALLIES TO MAKE REASONABLE PEACE TERMS WITH GERMANY & THE CENTRAL POWERS WAS APPARENTLY DROPPED BY A GERMAN AEROPLANE ON FRENCH TROOPS LATE IN 1918. It is printed on one page with blank back that measures 8 x 11”. Some wear at fold lines (including a few small holes, a 1.5” separation along the vertical fold line at top, and a 1” separation along the same fold line at bottom—both these separations could be easily mended with document tape) but otherwise good condition (see scan).
A handwritten note of provenance in ink at the bottom of the page reads:
“ENEMY PROPAGANDA DROPPED FROM AN AEROPLANE SEPT 24, 1918 AT PONT-A-MOUSSON.
J. M. SMITH
CAPT. ENGRS USA”
The First World War ended on 11 November 1918, just a few weeks after US Army Engineer Captain J. M. Smith picked-up and saved this ephemeral old propaganda broadside.
Well, I don’t know any French, but some sort of transcription & ROUGH attempt at a possible translation follows:
-LA PAIX EN VUE!
--PEACE IN SIGHT!
-L. Autriche-Hongrie a propose d'entrer en pourparlers de paix. L'Allemagne, la Bulgarie et la Turquie ne s'y opposent pas.
--Austria-Hungary proposes to enter in peace talks. Germany, Bulgaria and Turkey are not opposed to it.
-La paix est en vue!
La paix encore avant l'hiver!
La paix a laquelle tous les peuples, aspirent!
--Peace is in sight!
Peace still before the winter!
The peace for which all the people aspire!
-Il depend donc des gouvernements de l'Entente ou que la paix se fasse ou que les souffrances des peuples meurtris continuent. C'est aux gouvernements de l'Entente de se prononcer, ou, s'ils restent sourds aux voeux de leurs peuples, a ces peuples eux-memes.
--It thus depend on the governments of the Entente (ALLIES) whether that peace is made or the sufferings of the ravaged people continue. It is with the Allies to decide whether they will remain deaf to the wishes of their people.
-EST-CE LE MOMENT D’OUVRIR LES NEGOCIATIONS DE PAIX? NOUS CROYONS QUE OUI!
--IS THIS THE MOMENT TO OPEN NEGOTIATIONS OF PEACE? WE BELIEVE YES!
-Aux success allemands du printemps et de l’ete ont suivi des success de l’Entente. Une decision n’est pas tombee. L’armee allemande occupe de vieilles et fortes positions.
--To the German success of spring and summer, success of the Allies followed. A decision did not fall (occur). The German Army occupies strongly fortified positions.
-Les deux adversaires sont prets a de nouveaux combats. Quel resultat peuvent-ils atteindre meme dans le meilleur des cas? Un lent refoulement de l'adversaire, de plus grandes devastations du sol francais. It tout cela au prix de nouveaux et inouis sacrifices de sang!
--The two adversaries are ready for new combat. Which result can they reach in the best case? A slow repression of the adversary, larger devastations of the French ground. All that at the price of new sacrifices of innocent blood!
-Aussi le moment est-il propice pour des negociations de paix, pour entrer dans la voie d'une paix de conciliation!
--Also the moment is favorable for negotiations of peace, to enter the way of a peace of conciliation!
-C'est aux gouvernements et aux peuples de l'Entente de se prononcer.
--It is for the governments and for the people of the Allies to decide.
Quite an interesting, ironic, and EPHEMERAL old piece of airborne propaganda from the German side of World War I.
Price= $275.00
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