Re: German Stereotypes?

[Keith Willshaw]

"Cub Driver" > wrote in message
...
>
> >Where did the German soldier (officer?) stereotypes of the monocle and
> >the dueling scar come from? Was there one guy in WW I or WW II who had
them?
>
> The stereotype was created by Erich von Stroheim (if I spell it
> correctly) in the officer roles he played in silent films about WWI.
>
> You neglected to mention the shaved head :)
>
> As for the reality behind the stereotype, dueling was a ritual
> activity in the Prussian version of university fraternities in the
> 19th century. As I recall the ritual, you had to keep your sword hand
> at your temple. You were protected elsewhere than the face. You stood
> next to your opponent and slashed away. The purpose was to get the
> scar, which was highly prized as a symbol of manhood.
>
> Since Prussia constituted nearly half of 1900 Germany, and a clear
> majority of the officer corps, it probably was true that many German
> officers in WWI had dueling scars.
>
> The monocle was widely used in Europe, less so in America, in the 19th
> century and into the 20th.
>

Teddy Roosevelt was one of the more prominent monocle wearers
IRC

Keith

[Andrew Chaplin]

Keith Willshaw wrote:

> Teddy Roosevelt was one of the more prominent monocle wearers
> IRC

Teddy wore pince-nez spectacles, and these figured largely in
caricatures of the period.
http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/roosevelt/zoo.htm
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO
(If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)

[Gordon]

>
>Where did the German soldier (officer?) stereotypes of the monocle and
>the dueling scar come from? Was there one guy in WW I or WW II who had them?

von Stromberg, movie actor and director. Sort of the prototype Jerry badguy.

v/r
Gordon
<====(A+C====>
USN SAR Aircrew

"Got anything on your radar, SENSO?"
"Nothing but my forehead, sir."

[robert arndt]

"Keith Willshaw" > wrote in message >...
> "dave999" > wrote in message
> news:u300b.4762$Qy4.3831@fed1read05...
>
> > Where did the German soldier (officer?) stereotypes of the monocle
> > and the dueling scar come from? Was there one guy in WW I or
> > WW II who had them?
>
> The duelling scar was a traditional mark of the Prussian officer
> but the credit for the image of monocle and duelling star probably
> belongs to the German born actor and director Eric Von Stroheim
> who played the part of the villianous hun many times between
> the 20's and the 50's. He was one of the fe to make the transition
> from silent movies to sound.
>
> Keith

True enough, but German dueling continues on today. It's called Mensur
dueling. More info:

http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/academic/classes/TU4022-Sum96/sword.html

Rob