The Poisonous Mushroom (Der Gift Pilz) by Ernst Hiemer

Description

The Poisonous Mushroom (Der Gift Pilz) by Ernst Hiemer

We present the reader with the infamous anti-Semitic children's book "Poisonous Mushroom" (Der Gift Pilz) by Ernst Hiemer which was published in 1938 by Julius Streicher's Nuremberg publishing house "Der Sturmer". In addition to text written in the style of National Socialist propaganda, this 87 page book contains anti-Semitic drawing by Philipp Rupprecht.

The book was intended to educate children in the spirit of National Socialist propaganda and was a kind of harbinger of things to come. It took up common prejudices and anti-Semitic resentments based on the racial teachings of the time. The book was primarily aimed at young readers and gave them tips on how to recognize a Jew, for example by his smell, which the book describes at "disgusting" and "sweetish".

The book reached a circulation of 60,000 and was occasionally used as a schoolbook. Highly praised by the party leadership, it is today considered a prime example of anti-Semitic agitation, aimed primarily at children and young readers. Nevertheless, because of its blatant and unbelievably exaggerated anti-Semitism, even parts of the SS and the SD did not describe the book positively, but even as "dangerous for young people".

The illustrator Philipp Rupprecht (born 4th September 1900 in Nuremberg; died 4th April 1975 in Munich) was the main illustrator of the anti-Semitic newspaper "Der Sturmer".

Hardcover edition in shrink-wrap