Description
Fears of German expansionism were widespread during the war. The Irish, with their long history of British occupation, felt particularly vulnerable to the threat of a German invasion of their homeland. Realistic or not, it was a threat that was kept alive by clergymen, politicians, and poster artists. Public broadsides boldly proclaimed that Germany Wants Ireland! and it was widely believed that Germany planned to build naval forts on Irelands west coast. Talk of German masters had a particular resonance with a population chafing under British rule. The fear of a Prussianized Ireland was used by poster designers to persuade young men to join the army. This poster was successful in manipulating those fears by depicting an ordinary Irish home under attack by helmeted, bayonet-bearing Germans. The man, who has failed to enlist, is unable to defend his wife, child, and elderly parent. The scene alludes to allegations of the rape and torture of Belgium women and children by German soldiers. Politicians and recruitment officers encouraged Irish citizens to feel a special kinship with Belgium, another small, predominately Catholic country.
Details
- Work Date:
- 1915
- Dimensions:
- 29⅞ x 20 inches
- Medium:
- color lithograph
- Credit Line:
- Gift of Bartlett H. Hayes, 1985