The topic of today's Highlights is inspired by the video of the band Rammstein, with which, in March 2019, the German stage veterans managed to rock the whole Internet:
Warspot will not be looking for the deep meanings and metaphors of the epic video — there are already too many people willing to do that. But we saw the opening scene of the video and remembered that the ancient battle between the Romans and the Germans had inspired the creative people of Germany more than once. We will tell you about one such case.
More than 2000 years ago, in 9 AD, the rebellious Germanic tribes led by the leader of the Cherusci tribe Arminius in the battle of the Teutoburg Forest inflicted a heavy defeat on the legions of Publius Quinctilius Varus, the governor of the Roman province of Germania. The Romans were taken by surprise on the march. Basically, it was a beating, not a fight.
In the reviving unified Germany of the 19th century, the battle of the Teutoburg Forest was of great importance. And Arminius himself, who Germans called Hermann, became one of the national symbols.
In 1929, yet another anniversary of the battle was celebrated in the Weimar Republic. For a country humiliated by defeat in the First World War and the conditions of the Versailles Peace, the significance of previous victories was difficult to overestimate. Among other things, a series of drawings was produced by the famous illustrator Arthur Thiele, whose work we have already talked about. These drawings have come down to us in the form of a series of illustrated postcards called «Battle with Varus» (Die Varusschlacht).
«The Romans on the March» (Kriegszug der Römer). With music and proudly raised heads, the Romans march past the tree with the sign «Teutoburg Forest — 2 km». They do not look at bad omens in the form of skulls and a black raven
«The Attack of the Germans» (Angriff der Germanen). The attack came as a complete surprise to the Romans — they are unable to organize at least some kind of resistance. It seems that Thiele could not deny himself the pleasure of using the Romans image to scoff at their successors Italians, who in 1915 stabbed Germany in the back, taking the side of the Entente. Friendship with the Mussolini regime was still several years away
“The Flight of the Romans” (Flucht der Römer). The Romans save their lives as they can. Interestingly, in the lower right corner, just like in the previous picture, someone is drowning in a swamp
“Scaevola’s Captivity and End” (Scävolas Gefangenschaft und Ende). There is an obvious anachronism here, since there is no connection between the battle of the Teutoburg Forest and any known representatives of the Scaevola clan. The drawing rather symbolizes the Germans' disregard for Roman laws — this is also supported by the inscription on the tome, to which the skinny «Scaevola» is nailed: Roman Law Code (Corpus Juris) appeared 500 years after the battle. However, the real fate of the captured legionnaires was unenviable
«Victory Feast of the Cherusks» (Siegesschmaus der Cherusker). A complete set of ideas about a large barbarian feast: swords and armor, fried hams and wine in huge horns, as well as half-naked blondes and dogs gnawing bones
