Last year in the Hundred Year’s Ago section some Army films from 1915 were screened. They showed that nothing bad was going on. So these men had lost their legs, hands, faces? All is well, look how merrily they now jump with their stumps and how carefully their facial masks are fitted and how they can do just everything with their iron claw, even light a cigarette.
Die Entdeckung Deutschland durch die Marsbewohner sends out the same message: Here in Germany in 1916 all is well; we are drinking our beer and eating our pretzel and are having a wonderful time. In 1916, Italy and Austria were fighting five of the eleven Battles of Isonzo. Verdun, the longest battle of the war of attrition fought by Germany and France, lasted from February to December. Casualities of the Battle of the Somme are estimated to be over a million. On the first day of the Somme offensive, July 1st 1916, 58,000 British solders were killed or wounded.
“This morning a vigorous attack was launched by the British Army. The front extends over some twenty miles north of the Somme… It is too early as yet to give anything but the barest particulars… but the British troops have already occupied the German front line. Many prisoners have already fallen into our hands, and… our casualties have not been heavy” (“The Daily Chronicle”, July 3, 1916).

Mariann Lewinsky