Pardon is not given! Prisoners are not made!

This quotation was then consulted in the First World War frequently as confirmation for as barbarianly valid behavior of the Germans. In Great Britain the speech coined/shaped the term The huns for the Germans, which played a role also in British war propaganda in the First World War.

Excessive quantity and versions

The speech was at least partly improvised by William II.; a manuscript is not delivered. Already on the same day three text versions were in circulation set, by those two of the undersecretary of state of the foreign one, who later realm chancellor Bernhard von came. wanted to prevent due to earlier experiences that a speech of the emperor came again into the cross fire of public criticism. He found support therein both with realm chancellor at that time Chlodwig to Hohenlohe and the director of the north German Lloyd Heinrich weighing and. obligated therefore the present journalists to publish only the version drawn up by it. submitted a strongly shortened version in indirect speech in the evening and only with few literal quotations. Few hours later it brought a new variant out, this time in literal speech.

In this second, official version the crucial passage has the following wording:

You probably know it, you are to fence against verschlagenen, courageous, well armed, cruel enemy. If you come to it, then know: Pardon is not given. Prisoners are not made. It leads your weapons in such a way that on thousand years outside no more Chinese dares it to regard a German enviously.

Thus wanted suggest, the emperor had not requested the German troops to brutal procedure. Rather it wanted to warn it of the cruelty of its opponents. This variant was supported from conservative side still by the fact that one the critical sentence not given in "“Pardon you"” modified. Accordingly also the reference to the Hunnen is missing in this version of the "“Hunnenrede"”!

All efforts could not prevent however that Bremen Wilhelmshaven an agreeing nearly complete, unredigierte version published a number of local newspapers in the area. From the official version this variant deviates clearly:

A large task awaits to your: you are to heavy injustice, which happened. The Chinese upset international law, did not them have in one in world history way of the Heililgkeit of the envoy, the obligations of the right of hospitality Hohn spoken. All the more infuriating, as this crime was committed is of a nation, which is proud of their old culture. If the old Prussian capability works satisfactorily, as a Christian in joyful bearing of suffering, likes honour shows you and fame your flags and weapons to follow, give at man breed and discipline of all world an example [...]

You are to fence against a well armed power, but are to also you, not only the death of the envoy, but also many Germans and Europeans. If you come before the enemy, then it is struck, Pardon are not given; Prisoner not made. Who falls you into the hands, is in your hand. As before thousand years the Hunnen under their king Etzel itself a name made, which lets her appear enormous in the excessive quantity still now, then may be confirmed the name Germany in China in such a way that never Chinese dares it to regard about a German also only enviously. 1976, P. 349.

This version might come the speech actually given in Bremerhaven next.

Interpretation

There cannot be a doubt that William requested II. into the "“Hunnenrede"” the German troops to an inconsiderate revenge campaign in China. For this there are also further indications. So the emperor has the picture of "“peoples of Europe implemented after its draft of the painter Hermann crack foot at the same time for several troop transporters, protects your holiest goods"” donated, a Allegorie on the defense of Europe under German leadership against the alleged "“yellow danger"”. In at least one case William did not provide the picture additionally with the labels "“Pardon is not given"” or "“Pardon"”.

Also the soldiers going off to China understood the emperor in this sense. For example the Kavallerist Heinrich Haslinde in its diary reports: It [the emperor] held a firing speech by us, from which I had noted however the only following words: 'Prisoners are not made, Pardon are not given to a Chinese, who falls you into the hands. Other soldiers provided the railway trains, which transported them to the coast, with labels like "“revenge are sweet"” or "“Pardon are not given"”.

William II. felt undoubted subjectively to this request entitled, particularly for the murder of the German envoy in China, baron Klemens von Ketteler, on 20 June 1900 in Peking. The fact that it could have offended thereby against international right might not have cared it. Those already 1899 of the German Reich did not sign Hague Land Warfare Convention outlaws expressly the request, in the war Pardon to give. However it was disputed among the contemporaries whether the present agreement was applicable to China. Because China had participated in that Hague conference of peace, did not belong however not to the signers of the Land Warfare Convention.

Besides it is to be marked that also politicians and journalists in other European states, which took part in striking down the boxing up conditions called to the revenge for the murder of western foreigners in China. However nobody went in its mode of expression as far as the German emperor. With its covered Rhetorik contributed it certainly also to the fact that the international military employment was actually led in China with extreme cruelty - whereby alone the German troops were not, which no Pardon gave.

Reactions and consequences

With the "“Hunnenrede"” William encountered II. at home and abroad on agreement, in addition, criticism. The comparison with the "“Hunnen"” was consulted also in Germany as metaphor for cruel warfare. In German newspapers printed soldier letters, which reported on excesses during the employment in China, were called "“Hunnenbriefe"”. And the realm tag delegate Friedrich Naumann received the pointed name "“Hunnenpastor"” because of its defense of the military intervention in China.

Their largest effect however unfolded the "“Hunnenrede"” however only during the First World War, as which British war propaganda the "“Hunnen"” - metaphor took up and as synonym for the Germans used. Thus the "“Barbarei"” of German warfare should be denounced.

Footnotes

Sources

• Bernd The so-called Hunnenrede of William IITH text-critical and interpretatorische remarks on the speech of the emperor from 27 July 1900 in Bremerhaven. In: Historical magazine 222 (1976), P. 342-358 (with the relevant text version).
• Susanne kiss/Bernd Martin (Hgg.), the German Reich and the boxing up conditions. Iudicium, Munich 2002 (among other things with a facsimile of the official version drawn up by
• Heinrich Haslinde: Diary from China 1900/01. Hg. of Marlis Ottmann. Self publishing house of the Herausgeberin, Munich 1990.

Related links

• Complete text of the unofficial version
• Historical surrounding field and complete text of the official version
• Confrontation of the versions

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