British Papers in Germany
Ste,—Mr. Moffat's letter in your issue of August 18th deserves the thanks of all those who are interested in British-sponsored publications for Germany. He draws attention to the damage that has already been done in the political field ; unfortunately, in one case his statement stands in need of correction. Die Welt, which he refers to as the only British- sponsored newspaper in Germany, has in fact already passed entirely into German hands. Mr. Moffat might have added force to his argu- ment by mentioning the case of Auslese, a monthly which was originally designed for German prisoners of war and did excellent work in the camps. where it was genuinely appreciated. It was, moreover, equally successful in Germany, where it was sold right from the end of the war. Later, the American authorities in Germany took an active interest in it, and gradually it became, to all intents and purposes, an American magazine. In a misguided attempt to reach an ever-wider public it lost its intelligent and appreciative readers—readers for whom it had been a means of enlightenment on the real problems of Western Europe. Auslese, too, has now closed down.
If, as Mr. Moffat states, Buick in die Welt is also to close down, there will very soon be not a single British-sponsored periodical read in Germany, and this at a time when the American, the French and the Russian points of view are put out in remarkably large numbers of periouicals. Such is the situation. Is it really the intention of the authorities responsible to leave the Germans at this critical time entirely in ignorance of the British way and purpose?—Yours fathfully,
Previous page
