As a soldier who did 2 tours in Iraq, I know first hand how frustrating it can be serving in a nation who's language you don't speak. It also brought up a question about WW II I had never considered. At the height of their conquest, the Germans controlled areas that spoke Dutch, French, Russian, Slavic, Greek, ect. Did they have a policy of employing collaborators for translation (who might be secretly lying to them to help their people), or did they try to train their own guys to speak all of these languages? Just wondering, because it seems like a pretty big problem, especially considering they were administrating the govt. in so many of these places.
2007-07-04 14:52:01 · 9 answers · asked by Dekardkain 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
It is important to remember that many Europeans for many generations (perhaps for many centuries) have spoken more than one language. It was a necessity if you wanted to travel or do business with citizens of other European countries. There is a long tradition of "foreign" language instruction in European schools and it appears that by and large, the Europeans took the learning of other languages a lot more seriously than we do on this side of the pond.
That said, there were many Germans who spoke other European languages. Flemish, Dutch and Fresian (spoken along the North Sea in Belgium and the Netherlands) were related to German and a certain level of communication was possible even when the speakers had not formally studied the other language.
There were also reliable bilingual collaborators in the occupied countries who were only too happy to work for the German army. More than half of France was nominally "free". The Vichy government made a deal with the devil so as to minimize the impact of German invasion and occupation. Many Poles and Russians also spoke German.
2007-07-04 18:13:35 · answer #1 · answered by one_eyed_teacher 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In WWII the US military didn't have a shortage of enlisted translators, with the institution of the draft, a high rate of volunteers, and the wave of immigrants from Europe, making many soldiers, sailors, and Marines first or second generation Americans. When trained military translators weren't available or in theater, Division level commanders were authorized to hire civilian translators when available, paying them at different scales of pay depending upon unit funds, paymaster availability, etc., and there are several examples of civilians just be offered food, shelter, or other trade materials to serve for a few hours or days, depending upon the need at the time.
2007-07-04 15:56:52 · answer #2 · answered by ross4thus 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some soldiers knew the languages mostly German. For the others they had to get translators.
2007-07-04 15:00:13 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They mostly relied on translators.At that time german was spoken in a lot of european countries, since german was in high regard before the war and lots of east europeans had german roots.When sth. was published, it was usually published in german and the local language.
Apart from that, interaction with a countries population was very weak.Usually administrations formed by loyal locals were installed instead of doing everything themselves, the german officers only occupied key positions.
2007-07-05 10:50:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you kinda got the idea. they both employed native speakers but also figured they'd be there for the long haul & got to speak the language too. in norway, there was a norwegian official named quisling (sp?) who aided the enemy (nazis) in occupation & rounding up norwegian dissidants for slave labor camps. to this day, the norwegian word for traitor is "quisling" or variations thereof. kind of what christians refer to as a judas.
2007-07-05 12:24:01 · answer #5 · answered by blackjack432001 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They certainly had educated officers who could speak at least one of these languages. But they found collaborators wherever they went.
2007-07-04 17:16:38 · answer #6 · answered by brainstorm 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
even lot of Germans knows the language and other thing is that they could find men from other country who are supporting them forcibly or willingly
2007-07-04 16:19:28 · answer #7 · answered by amit h 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they had lots of translators and native people that could speak german assisting them. see quisling and the vichy french
2007-07-04 14:55:15 · answer #8 · answered by sshueman 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"THE STATE THAT SEPARATES ITS SCHOLARS FROM ITS WARRIORS WILL HAVE ITS THINKING DONE BY COWARDS, AND ITS FIGHTING DONE BY FOOLS."
--- Thucydides (circa 460-400 BC)
Despite their horrible inhumanity, the Germans were a highly cultured people who studied foreign languages early on for academic reasons as well as for cultural and economic necessity because they were an integral part of Europe.
There were virtually no shortages of German soldiers who spoke the languages of the immediate neighbors they decided to conquer and beyond.
Despite our scientific sophistication and economic dynamism, the United States is a country of ignorance in so many other areas.
The lack of adequate preparation and anticipation we have demonstrated in so many key areas during this Iraqi occupation, is making us look very bad all over the world and emboldening our enemies.
Not having a sufficient number of highly qualified translators is but one of many areas of gross ineptitude we are demonstrating in front of the world and especially to the very people we are claiming we are in Iraq to help.
George W. Bush met with Alistair Horne this week, but it would have been nice if Bush had sought out this great historian's advice years ago.
Everyone in the military is reading his classic work "A Savage War of Peace", but about 5 years too late!
Is a soldier an amvassador? You bet he or she is!
And don't ambassadors usually speak the language of the people whose country they visit?
Read the blowback trilogy by Chalmers Johnson. The third volume "Nemesis" has been out a couple of months now.
The Germans were not stupid. Not by a long shot!
But they were arrogant and ignorant about the exercise of power.
Arrogance and ignorance are usually found together. They are flip-sides of the same coin.
There is nothing that makes the United States immune from making the same mistakes Germany made in Europe or the French made in Algeria.
Hubris always ends up biting you in the rear!
Abu Ghraib was where we demonstrated hubris in spades!
Check out Nancy Snow PhD www.nancysnow.com
She wrote "The Arrogance of American Power: What U.S. Leaders Are Doing Wrong and Why Its Our Duty to Dissent"
Check out Irshad Manji www.muslim-refusenik.com
She wrote "The Trouble With Islam Today"
Irshad Manji is Osama bin Laden's worst enemy!
She is doing more to neutralize Osama's ideological poison than anything the United States is doing with its nearly trillion dollar offensive!
Why? Because she is challenging him IDEOLOGICALLY with her book that is published in all of the world's major LANGUAGES!
Her book hasn't been published in Persian because it is banned in Iran, but it can be downloaded in Persian for free from her website.
It can also be downloaded for free in Urdu and Arabic.
Her book is published in languages for over 23 different countries.
Why is this so important for the war against twisted Islamic fundamentalism?
Because the war on terrorism is 99/999% an ideological war!
And egregious mistranslations of the Koran are at the root of this bogus ideology spouted by this jackal named Osama bin Laden!
To discredit Osama's twisted interperetation of Islamic teachings is the essence of what is required to defeat him in front of the world of public opinion INCLUDING and ESPECIALLY in front of the Islamic world community!
I listened to this young woman speak on C-span II on June 29 where she addressed the American Library Association in Washington. She is one of the most gifted and inspiring speakers I have ever had the pleasure to hear.
She is a thousand times more eloquent than our PROTECTOR in CHIEF George W.
And she is being a million times more effective against Osama.
George W. Bush and Dick Cheney have both jumped right into Osama's script!
George W. Bush has ended up being Al-Qaeda's number one recruiter for the past 6 years in a row!
Why did he take the bait?!
You are a human being with an inquiring mind.
Being a soldier does not make you a one-dimensional drone that shouldn't read history and come to your own conclusions about things.
When you become a soldier, they don't take away your right to vote!
Evidently you are allowed to exercise the independent judgement required to vote so you must also have the freedom to come to your own conclusions about things as well.
My father was a career Marine and we don't see eye-to-eye about this war or about George W. either.
That is fine, because we both know that history will sort this war out in the end.
And we will see if our current policy is exacerbating the war against terrorism or if it is helping to win it.
2007-07-04 18:43:46 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋