German Criminal to Allied Police

This cartoon appeared in the British magazine ‘Punch’ on 19 February 1919. The caption reads: German Criminal to Allied Police: “Here, I say, stop! You're hurting me!” Whispering: If I only whine enough I may be able to wriggle out of this.

What is the message of this cartoon?

To answer this question, you have to work in three steps:

1. What you see (Denotation)

2. What you know (Connotation)

3. What it means (combine Denotation and Connotation)

What you see Two policemen (a French and a British) are arresting a German criminal.

What you know Police are normally GOOD people who protect us, even if they sometimes have to use violence.

What it means The Allies are morally IN THE RIGHT in what they do with Germany.

What you see The German criminal looks a violent, nasty character; he has done something very bad.

What you know Criminals are usually BAD people who do bad things for which they need punishing.

What it means Germany was to blame for all the loss and damage of the War – and should be punished.

What you see The policemen are tying up the German criminal with ropes labelled ‘Armistice terms’.

What you know If criminals are not punished they will carry on with their crimes.

What it means The Allies are RIGHT to be strict with the Germans, who are dangerous and evil.

What you see The German criminal is complaining – but only to wriggle out of his punishment.

What you know His words are as evil as his deeds – they are not true.

What it means The Allies can ignore Germany’s complaints about the Armistice. This cartoon appeared in the British magazine ‘Punch’ on 19 February 1919. The caption reads: German Criminal to Allied Police: “Here, I say, stop! You're hurting me!” Whispering: If I only whine enough I may be able to wriggle out of this.

Finally, always remember to look at:

Origin (Who drew the cartoon?)

Date (When was the cartoon published?)

Origin An artist in the magazine Punch.

Details Punch is a British political magazine.

This tells me: The cartoon shows how the British felt about the Germans after the war. This cartoon appeared in the British magazine ‘Punch’ on 19 February 1919. The caption reads: German Criminal to Allied Police: “Here, I say, stop! You're hurting me!” Whispering: If I only whine enough I may be able to wriggle out of this.

Date 19 February 1919

Details After the peace conference had started.

This tells me: This was how the British public put pressure on Prime Minister Lloyd George to ‘make Germany pay’. This cartoon appeared in the British magazine ‘Punch’ on 19 February 1919. The caption reads: German Criminal to Allied Police: “Here, I say, stop! You're hurting me!” Whispering: If I only whine enough I may be able to wriggle out of this.