The German Corpse Factory: A Study in First World War Propaganda

The German Corpse Factory is one of the most famous and scandalous propaganda stories of the First World War. It has been repeated many times down to the present day as the prime example of the falsehood of British wartime propaganda. But despite all the attention paid to it, the full story has never been properly told.

The Scandal Unveiled: Spring 1917

In Spring 1917, parts of the British press claimed that Germany was so short of essential fats and glycerine that the German Army was being forced to boil down the bodies of its own dead soldiers. This caused a brief scandal of accusation and counter-accusation, including the claim that the story was the invention of the British official propaganda organisations.

• British propaganda experts opposed exploiting the story, recognizing it as obviously false and contrary to their basic principles of never telling an obvious lie in an official statement.
• Despite this opposition, the British government refused to deny that the 'German Corpse Factory' might really exist.

The Re-Emergence of the Scandal: 1925

In 1925, the scandal re-erupted in New York when the former head of British military intelligence on the Western Front, during a speaking tour in the United States, was quoted in newspapers as having confessed to fabricating the entire German Corpse Factory story.

• He immediately denied the claim.
• As a gesture of friendship during the Locarno treaties, the British government accepted the German government's position that the story was a lie.
• However, neither government truly knew what had occurred in 1917.

Exploring the Truth

This book provides answers to these questions based on the best historical evidence available.

Key Features:

• A case study of British official propaganda during the First World War, examining its true nature and the organisations behind it.
• Detailed exploration of the events of 1917 and the individuals who may have been responsible for the story.
• Analysis of how the 'German Corpse Factory' scandal was leveraged by the German government after 1918 and by interest groups in Britain and the United States after 1925.
• Insight into how this brief episode contributed to a false narrative about British propaganda, with significant consequences for the peace of Europe and our understanding of the First World War.

This book sheds light on one of the most controversial propaganda stories in history, offering a compelling look at its origins, evolution, and impact.