Record Number: 11632

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'I suppose I retained this view for about nine months. My thoughts have now radically changed, and this is due in a marked degree to the reading of Sir Robert Vansittart's "Black Record" that I really woke up, and eliminated from my system all the ridiculous ideas I had about the German man and woman being "a decent person just like you and me". There was a saying in the last war which should never have been forgotten "once a German always a German". This is [an] almost eternal truism, for I am convinced now that the average German revels in brutality and perfidiousness, taking the view that ends justify the means.'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1940 and 31 Jan 1942

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

n/a

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

anon

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

n/a

Socio-Economic Group:

Unknown/NA

Occupation:

unknown

Religion:

unknown

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Robert Vansittart

Title:

Black Record

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

11632

Source - Manuscript:

Other

Information:

File report 1104, February 1942, OPINION ABOUT THE GERMAN PEOPLE, p. 9, in Mass Observation Online (access to this site is restricted to purchasing institutions, please see http://www.amdigital.co.uk/collections/Mass-Observation-Online for details). http://www.massobservation.amdigital.co.uk

Additional Information:

MOO accessed 8 November 2007.

Citation:

File report 1104, February 1942, OPINION ABOUT THE GERMAN PEOPLE, p. 9, in Mass Observation Online (access to this site is restricted to purchasing institutions, please see http://www.amdigital.co.uk/collections/Mass-Observation-Online for details). http://www.massobservation.amdigital.co.uk , http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=11632, accessed: 19 May 2024

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Additional Comments:

None