Anti-German Prohibition
The idea of the “Hun” a German beast that ate and drank large quantities was created during the first World War as a means to demoralize the German enemy. In a larger view the evil character that was created aided in the passing of laws prohibiting alcohol (18th Amendment and the Volstead Act). This was not a movement that created during this time period the temperance organization and other were pushing for national prohibition from about the mid-ninetieth century. During this time period these movements were fortunate enough to find a national enemy that would help them push their legislation through. The Anti-Saloon League and various Christian temperance movements created an anti-German hysteria through propaganda. That categorized Germans as, gluttons, anti-American, or a faceless group that was dead set on the destruction of western society by beer.
The Anti- saloon League, Christian temperance movements provided a considerable of anti-German sentiment, triggered mainly by the entrance of America to the First World War. The Anti-Saloon league painted a stereotype Germans as people who were drunken, anti-American, gluttons, whose goal in producing beer is to morally corrupt American morality. The Anti-Saloon Leagues was able to effectively connect, through the use of propaganda, beer and the brewers to Germany ultimately turning consuming beer into a treasonous act. The German hysteria that was perpetuated by Anti-Saloon League propaganda, aided in the passing of the 18th Amendment.
The idea of the “Hun” a German beast that ate and drank large quantities was created during the first World War as a means to demoralize the German enemy. In a larger view the evil character that was created aided in the passing of laws prohibiting alcohol (18th Amendment and the Volstead Act). This was not a movement that created during this time period the temperance organization and other were pushing for national prohibition from about the mid-ninetieth century. During this time period these movements were fortunate enough to find a national enemy that would help them push their legislation through. The Anti-Saloon League and various Christian temperance movements created an anti-German hysteria through propaganda. That categorized Germans as, gluttons, anti-American, or a faceless group that was dead set on the destruction of western society by beer.
The Anti- saloon League, Christian temperance movements provided a considerable of anti-German sentiment, triggered mainly by the entrance of America to the First World War. The Anti-Saloon league painted a stereotype Germans as people who were drunken, anti-American, gluttons, whose goal in producing beer is to morally corrupt American morality. The Anti-Saloon Leagues was able to effectively connect, through the use of propaganda, beer and the brewers to Germany ultimately turning consuming beer into a treasonous act. The German hysteria that was perpetuated by Anti-Saloon League propaganda, aided in the passing of the 18th Amendment.
Anti-German sentiment not only aided in the passing of the 18th Amendment, it furthered the ban on alcohol consumption in the United States to include any beverage that contained any alcohol.
Anti-German sentiment worked in the interests of extending prohibition in wartime because most of the breweries had been founded in the 19th century by German immigrants to the US, and retained German names. Thus wartime hostility toward Germans helped the rise of prohibition.
Furthermore as it is seen in the image below, American propaganda dehumanized Germans by portraying them not as human being but rather ask kegs of beer. Christian Temperance movements combined an idea with a nation which furthered the idea of German people being sadistic beast, which created the idea that Germans are against American ideals once again associating them with alcohol, proposing drinking as a treasonous act.
Anti-German sentiment worked in the interests of extending prohibition in wartime because most of the breweries had been founded in the 19th century by German immigrants to the US, and retained German names. Thus wartime hostility toward Germans helped the rise of prohibition.
Furthermore as it is seen in the image below, American propaganda dehumanized Germans by portraying them not as human being but rather ask kegs of beer. Christian Temperance movements combined an idea with a nation which furthered the idea of German people being sadistic beast, which created the idea that Germans are against American ideals once again associating them with alcohol, proposing drinking as a treasonous act.
Post-World War I the country could not continue with the reckless slander of nationality without a war of a common goal, but unfortunately for the Germans the damage was already done as seen in the images below. The damage was done to the image but for the most part they were able to hold on to their economic and social status. Like many movements throughout history a common enemy is needed to aid special interest groups to pass specific legislation, that would be too extreme if proposed at any other time.