Cartoon "Night of the Long Knives"

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• Leerjaar 3

Cartoon "Night of the Long Knives"

Make sure you know what this event was about before you start with the practise questions.

"They salute with both hands now." - The London Evening Standard's David Low reacts to Hitler's purge of the Brownshirts in the Night of the Long Knives, July 3, 1934

Four questions you must answer when you analyze a cartoon:

1. What do you see? (elements & labels)
   
2. What does it represent / stand for?
3. What is the artist's message?
4. What is the artist's POV (point of view)?

A: What do you see?
Who are the men with their hands up?

1. S.A. members
2. S.S. members
3. German soldiers
4. communists

A: What do you see?
Who are the men with the guns (top right)?

1. S.A. members
2. S.S. members
3. German soldiers
4. communists

A: What do you see?
Who are the 2 men behind Hitler?

1. German army generals
2. Hitler's loyal nazi leaders
3. journalists
4. S.A. leaders

A: What do you see?

How would you describe Hitler's posture?

1. determined
2. agressive
3. cowardly
4. heroically

A: What do you see?
On the ground behind Hitler you see
Joseph Goebbels (propaganda minister)
How would you describe his posture?

1. determined
2. agressive
3. cowardly
4. heroically

A: What do you see?
Also behind Hitler you see Hermann Göring,
dressed as a god of war.
What is the black on his sword and spear point?

1. paint
2. shadow
3. blood
4. marmalade

A: What do you see?

Hitler holds a smoking gun.
What does that mean?

1. he is about to use his gun
2. he just cleaned his weapon
3. he just fired his weapon
4. his gun doesn't work

A: What do you see?
who are the men lying dead on the ground?

1. S.A. leaders
2. S.S. leaders
3. German officers
4. communists

B: What does it mean?

From the image of the smoking gun,
and the dead people, what can you infere (conclude)?

B: What does it mean?

On the ground there is a paper with the text:
"Hitler's unkept promises"

This means: Hitler betrayed:

1. the German people
2. the German army
3. the S.A.
4. the Treaty of Versailles

B: What does it mean?

Hitler's arm band says: "the double cross"
This also indicates Hitler's:

1. anger towards opponents
2. belief in national-socialism
3. distrust of the S.A.
4. betrayal of the S.A.

B: What does it mean?

Explain the label:
"They salute with both hands now"

C. What is the artist's message?

D. What is the artist's POV?

1. pro Hitler / Nazis
2. anti Hitler / Nazis